Chapter Eight: Comfort Me

How long have I been here...it feels like days...months...I don't know anymore. I've let myself down. Let the Guild down. Let master Zato down, even now. Yu and Terra...I've gone too far now to go back to them. I know it...where do I go now? What do I do from here?

Lei's mind swam endlessly with questions but no answers came. He'd drifted in and out of sleep now for a few hours at a time, and the chills that coasted through the room reminded him that his situation had not changed. A gentle exhale broke the silence of the room as he finally moved, listening as the papers that had been pushed underneath his door rustled with the intruding breeze.

"I'm...an...elite," he croaked as he sat up in bed, soaking in the stillness around him. He couldn't help but replay the events that unfolded prior to his promotion over and over – a pathetic gag reel to him. As he stared at the floor whilst drowning in thought, a tensing sensation overwhelmed him at once, muscles spasming without warning. He couldn't cry out, for his throat was also tense. His lips would not part for him to speak either. He could only feel pain, and look directly ahead. Suddenly, the chill ceased. In its place he could hear a sharp whisper.

"Ungrateful mule."

His eyes widened as the pain grew more intense, but he dare not shed a tear. Whomever had come to claim his life in his moment of weakness would not gain the satisfaction of him shaming the Guild as well with a plea for mercy. He could at least give the master that! As his mind prepared for a sure end, the door to his room swung open suddenly, and so did Venom enter. He was silent, pool stick in hand, and he stopped a few feet from the silently struggling Lei. As this occurred, Lei began to feel the pain seep away, and the tension with it. He remained still however, and looked at master Venom, partly with shame...and partly with jealousy. This would come to pass but a moment, as the shadows that were scattered from various objects about the room began to glow white and cultivate wisps that would soon take a familiar form.

"Master Zato," Lei said softly, almost in a whisper. He noticed, however, that Zato's face was all but content. A guttural growl rolled from the master as several beams of light shot forth toward Lei, solidifying as they sharpened and soon pierced flesh. Lei's eyes widened as the pain was excruciating. But he deserved it. Death at the hands of Zato would be fitting. If anyone would execute him for this shame, he would much rather it be Zato over anyone else. But soon the pain faded. And he was still alive. He soon realized that he's been pinned to the wall by the skin upon his shoulders and sides. The pain was so excruciating due to Zato's use of multiple parasite-driven pins, pricking him what felt like thousands of times over. Venom watched nearby, arms folded now, and pool stick tucked underneath an arm securely. Lei's eyes drifted around him. From Venom, to Zato, to the blood that he could feel now running down his limbs like cold water. He wasn't afraid. Simply in awe. Again. Despite knowing that he had insulted the master with his outright neglect of this gift, he couldn't help but revel in this present moment. Zato, however, was not as pleased.

He stepped closer toward Lei, the pulsing aura growing brighter and brighter as he came closer, as if to blind the misled youth. A pale hand lifted to Lei's face, fingers curled toward him as the motion grew still.

"I gave you a gift. My reasons for that were of my own and not to be spit back in my face. You dare reject such a gift from your master?"

The voice that followed was deep. Dripping with anger. It pulsed through Lei's very core. If he were himself, he would tremble in fear right now. But he didn't. He only sighed, and did his best to respond despite the searing pain he was in.

"Master...no apology would be sufficient...I can only say I did not feel worthy-"

"So you rejected it?" Zato growled, causing Lei to involuntarily shudder, inciting a wince of pain, as the pinned flesh tore slightly at such a jolt.

"No, sir, I did not know what to do. I realize as an elite my duties are tenfold as I must uphold the very model of what it is to be such, but I wanted to go through all of the trials as expected of any other that would go through trials to be promoted as those before me have, master. I-I only want to prove myself through the most rigorous of training, master!" Lei uttered while doing his best to fight back tears that were threatening to shame him further. Zato, however, remained still a few moments before the ethereal glow dimmed, and the glowing pins that confined Lei to the wall released him, sinking into the ground beneath Zato's feet.

"We shall see," he said, eyes piercing into the disappointment before him before turning his back on the youth. "In the meantime, you are to report to the proving grounds. There, you will await your punishment."

"Yes, sir," Lei whispered, watching as the master soon disappeared out of sight, along with Venom, the door creaking to a gentle close as they went.

Terra remained silent as she stood amongst the other trainees, watching as Yu raised from his bow, and took an offensive stance. She could understand why Yu wanted to dismiss Lei entirely, but to think that he would completely abandon him despite the friendship the three of them had forged simply due to Lei's now-obvious penchant for master Zato was beyond her. They were supposed to be better than this...they were supposed to make it through this and excel and help each other and be the best together. But then again, this was the assassin's guild. Not a school. Eventually...eventually they may well have to face one another, and not on friendly terms. Maybe one day one of them would have to kill the other...or worse. She tried her best not to think of it, and focused on the matter at hand. Today, Yu was to face master Zato. If he won, he would be on his way to becoming an elite. She had yet to beat master Venom, but this way, at least she could see what she would inevitably be up against in regards to the master when attempting to gain a rank.

"Yu...I believe before you faltered...hopefully you have learned since then," the voice of Zato sounded as he approached the contender. Yu nodded, yet remained silent. Zato chuckled a moment before shards of white sprouted from the ground around Yu, who stepped intuitively around them, each step advancing him toward the master. Zato grinned, clenching his fists as the raised spikes of white bended toward Yu, aiming to tear him to bits, it seemed. Terra's eyes widened as the points tore through Yu's clothing, while he glided amidst them, his blade twirling with him before he gave a yell, driving it toward the master's heart. Zato let out a cackle as his arm raised, and a wall of white parted them. The blade however, was still mere inches from its target, and the strength of the master was the only thing keeping it from going further. Terra held her breath as Yu remained vigilant, pushing his blade harder and harder. Zato's cackle soon faded into a chuckle, and he pushed Yu back with a bit of force with his makeshift shield.

"You've improved. I think I shall give you one last test before I award you your ranking of elite, Yu," Zato announced. Yu panted some before he nodded and then bowed.

"Yes, master Zato."

"Lei," Zato uttered, an annoyance in his tone. "Step forward."

Terra gasped as she heard that name. She couldn't tell as to how it affected Yu due to their distance apart, but surely it must have shocked him as well! Lei emerged from the crowd of onlookers, hair somewhat disheveled but he looked as though he had still been training. At least outwardly, he appeared as such to her. Zato glanced between Lei and Yu before continuing.

"Yu. Lei. I have high expectations of you both. Do not hold back, and do not disappoint me."

Terra found herself clasping her mouth with her hands. She could only hope the master was not suggesting what she thought he was. She could only hope...

- End Ch 8 -