I corrected this as well...


Foul cigarette smoke escaped my thin lips as I softly exhaled out of exhaustion. There was just a few drops left in the bottom of the transparent cup that was twined on my right fingers, I was subconsciously swirling it round and round for some time now, somehow something makes me so restless. I could not just stay still since this morning; it was not like me at all. I feel so tensed, for the past days I have not slept soundly. Every night I twist and turn on my silk sheets, it almost annoying. My eyes are beginning to have some dark bag under them from my lack of sleep; something kept me awake somehow…something very disturbing. My eyes were locked on the swirling liquid inside my wine glass…then

Disturbing sadistic laughter…Blinding darkness slowly turning to snow white…Black shadows forming in front of me…1...2…3…15…15 shadows stood sternly…one of them reaching out his hand…the 14th one… Drops of blood came from the base of his palm; I could not see his face, it was hidden under a hood… "Would I be here if that beautiful story was just a lie?"…The image of Nea's blood-tainted lips suddenly appeared before my eyes…and the drops suddenly turned into pools…and the horrific mask of the Earl appeared with Nea's blood swiftly spraying out and staining that false smile.

I suddenly found my fist were tightly clenched together…it still haunts me…his bloodcurdling smile…his last words…everything about him…Nea Walker…my master…my friend. It was just a trance, some kind of hallucination from my dark memory; I still could not remove him from my mind. Every night he never fails to visit my dreams, sometimes he appears in his suit without the 14th's coat, offering me another glass of Romanee-Conti, smiling to me like he always did. Yet at many occasions, I dream of him being bloody, his half-naked body swimming in his own crimson blood, smiling sadistically and his eyes filled with unsaid madness…its disturbing; I could no longer concentrate on a few things. Maybe because he was such a big part of my existence…after all, he was the reason why I am still living

"General Tiedoll was waiting for you in the Garden Pavilion". I turned my head to where the sentence came, there was a child standing before the opened balcony doors...long-straight locks, beautiful midnight eyes…I have seen him once but where?... "You are an advocate of the Noah Family, right?".

Of course…he is Froi's apprentice, a child that helped him while he was still researching for some poisoned plants that can be used to murder a few royals that attends the Order's balls and dinners. "You have something against the Noahs, kid?". I placed my cigarette back on my lips as I asked him…somehow it confuses me whether he is a boy or a girl, his features are certainly of a beautiful woman but the way he speaks, stands and dress is undoubtedly a man's.

"Tch...Nothing really"

Naïve child…you have been a witness to their unreasonable crimes, you have clearly seen the innocent ones being killed by the Noahs yet you have nothing against them? Ironic, who am I to talk then? I was one of those who delivered them to the people who they just murdered. I was the one that helped them get to that town…so to speak. Neither they nor I are free from any blame, I am a murderer as well. We're not that different, kid. We are just marionettes used by the ones who stand taller than us, those who are much powerful than us…we both have no actual reason to fight, no real purpose to stand up again yet we still have our weapons near and sharpened. we are both ready to kill though we attain nothing of our personal gain …we're almost the same…heartless beings who have no path to walk on, no life waiting for us and no future to look forward to, after all of this. We know not what is next then. "What is your name?". I asked him as I exhaled another cloud of cigarette smoke.

"Kanda". emotionless, cold, stern…he was my perfect reflection back when I was still young, back when I thought I had nothing to lose since I've already lost everything, back when I was still blinded by the Earl's gifts and was deaf from Nea's pleading words, back when I was still just a doll being played around and will be thrown away once deemed useless…is it coincidence or fate that we met in here? You're so wretched, Allen…after you are through with me, you would have this boy to be your comrade when you fight against Nea's Family…how very sad for you… "Though my Christian name is Yuu, I prefer being addressed as Kanda".

I finally stood from my seat then felt a sharp pang of pain…I looked at the wine glass and found it shattered in so many pieces, and most of the fragments were buried on my palm and fingers…the child walked forward then stood beside me then slowly removed the fragments one by one with his fingers. "You're hands are amazingly steady". I told him. The calmness of his fingers are beyond human ability. Being that stable is a gift…especially for a marksman like me.

"The General told me that my hands were destined to hold sharp blades…since then not a day go by without training with my katana". He sent me a few glances on my eyes, maybe to check if it his slow actions were hurting me. Amazing, he is a gifted child, and I know that these hands of his would make him a weapon against the Earl and the Noah Family, with such hands he would be a great warrior. "Which reminds me", he said, almost done with my palms, "That boy with silver locks and a weird scar on his face…is he your apprentice?".

He must mean Allen, no other person in the manor matches that information he gave."Yes, he is".

"Tell him that heavy weaponries and blades does not suit his physique…he would be hopeless if he would not change his choice of arms". He may have observed Allen train in the woods beside Froi's Manor. I was told that he too trains in those woods since it had fresh air and a lot of lumber to scratch. I have not started training the child yet, maybe I should take responsibility of him sooner or I might run out of time. "What is his name?". he asked me.

He finished removing the many glass fragments already and wrapped them with a white cloth that he grabbed from his sleeves…he seems very skilled with such things… Then I suddenly saw his fingers…they had so many slashes and wound on them…from his long training I suppose, and from those injuries he might have learned to aid some cuts and wounds on his own. "His name is Allen Walker".

I saw the shock in his face, at the sound of Allen's name, it's like something about Allen meant so much to him that it hurts. "I thought so". his eyes were suddenly hidden under his long hair. I could not make up his emotions clearly, but I see his smile pasted on his face…was it real or was it false? "He resembles Nea Walker somehow". With no other word, he began to walk away from me and went inside the large mansion… If he has nothing against the Noahs, then why does he look disturbed when he heard Allen's name?


There we have it...

Please do review..

P.S. I'm not sure if I could update that soon since school would start shortly already