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Four years ago...
Alix's P.O.V
"Did you really think you could steal from me?" the wealthy woman questioned, looking at us as if we were a practical joke, "Such foolish behavior but I expect nothing less from a bunch of lowly thieves."
I gritted my teeth and glared at the woman in an animal mask.
"What are we going to do?" I whispered to Alpha. Alpha wore his emotions like a blank slate in the face of danger but I could tell that he was very distraught about the situation.
"I...think I have an idea. Just go along with what I do everyone," he said just loud enough for the rest of the Bandits to hear. We all looked at each other before Alpha walked out further.
I winced when the wealthy woman's guards cocked their guns and hovered a finger over their triggers. I readied myself, aiming at anyone who dared to fire. Alpha seemed to be unfazed by the threat of death surrounding him. He stopped a few yards away from the woman.
"I would like to make a deal," Alpha suggested.
The woman looked with interest, "Proceed."
I raised an eyebrow at him before something caught my eye. Ghost and Phantom snuck around in the shadows behind the army and woman. The twins were placing bombs all around. Arrow was somewhere on the rooftops too.
I understood what the plan was. It was quite clever but we still had to pull it off first. I just have to play along—that we are helplessly trapped.
"If you let my crew go free, you can keep your crates and myself for all of your troubles," Alpha bargained, "I will be a loyal servant to you."
"What is he doing? Is he crazy?" Bronze grunted in confusion.
"Do not worry," Flare assured Bronze, "It is all a part of the distraction."
Bronze looked at Flare, still confused about what was going on.
"What do you say? Do we have a deal?" Alpha asked with a fake smile on his lips. The woman hummed in thought before a sinister smirk appeared on her face. It unsettled me. What was she up to?
"I think it would be fair if we discussed this with all of your band of misfits..." she said. The woman snapped her fingers. Suddenly, Ghost and Phantom shot up into the air. They were paralyzed in midair with panicked looks on their faces.
"...and I mean every one of them," the woman continued, crookedly, "It is only fair that they get a decision too."
My heart stopped beating and a cold feeling swirled my stomach. How did she know? How was she making them float in midair like that? Was she a witch? Were not witches, especially magic, outlawed?
"Oh no," I barely got out. Alpha's moxie had instantly depleted into one of flabbergasted shock.
"And let us not forget the other one," the woman added, snapping her fingers. Arrow appeared in front of a few guards, who were ready to take Arrow hostage.
This was getting out of hand. There had to be something we could do. A few bombs should make for a doable escape. Someone just has to set one off then the rest will follow. Narrowing my eyes, I raised my gun and aimed straight at the witch.
"Oh my," the woman joked, "What a turn of events? I see we have a trigger-happy child. You are either very brave or very unintelligent for going up against me."
"Who says you are my target?" I questioned, adjusting my aim over her shoulder. I saw one of the twins place one behind the witch.
"Jane Doe, do not fire," Alpha sternly ordered, "I know what you are about to do and it will only end in disaster."
"Trust me, Alpha. I know what I am doing," I replied.
"Jane, hold your fire," Flare sternly insisted. I did not listen to Alpha or Flare's warnings. Do they not trust my judgment? The plan is a bust if the witch finds out that I am planning on shooting at a bomb to set off our ticket out of here.
The woman just stood there and seemed to be entertained by our struggle. She did not look frightened at all. Did she know what I was planning? Can she read my mind or-or was she messing with my head? Is she toying with me this entire time? Daring me to pull the trigger?
I could feel sweat forming on my brow and there was a rapid thumping in my chest. My nerves were off the scale.
"So, what will you do?" the woman questioned, teasingly. I put pressure on the trigger, causing Alpha to react.
"Jane, I order you to stand down right now," Alpha hissed. I licked my lips, trying to focus.
"JANE, NO!" Flare yelled at me.
I pulled the trigger. The bullet flew straight at my target and hit. An explosive went off which lead to the other bombs exploding.
A majority of the wealthy woman's army was caught in the crossfire of the blasts. Everything had been going to plan but I was not counting for the explosion to reach the twins.
"NO!" I shouted.
The twins still had bombs on them.
The bombs went off.
I turned away from watching the gruesome scene. I returned my gaze and shook my head in disbelief.
What have I done? Why did I not listen to Alpha and Flare? Am I really that much of an imbecile?
"Alpha!" I heard Flare cry. I shot my gaze over at where Alpha had been standing only to find him knocked out on the ground. Flare rushed over while Bronze shot at the remaining guards.
I ran over too. I helped Bronze cover Alpha and Flare.
"Bronze, I need you to carry Alpha," Flare commanded, "Jane and I will cover you."
Bronze did not need to be told twice. He and Flare were about to switch places. Yet, the two were dragged off by an invisible force.
"FLARE! BRONZE!" I shouted in fright. They disappeared into the smoke and debris. I knelt over Alpha protectively when everything suddenly went quiet.
I kept my senses on high alert for anything, aimlessly pointing the gun everywhere for any surprise attacks.
A powerful gust blew the smoke and debris away in front of me. There stood the wealthy woman clapping her hands sarcastically. I immediately pointed my gun at her and fired.
I was left baffled when the witch stopped it in mid-flight and fell to the ground. My hands trembled, and my heart dropped into the depths of my stomach.
"Do not be so hasty, young one. The fun has only just begun after all," the witch joyfully said. She chuckled. With a simple flick of her hand, more of the smoke and debris moved from a mysterious breeze. It revealed Flare, Bronze, and Arrow all floating in the air behind the witch.
The witch hummed thoughtfully, "I wonder who you value more."
The witch moved Bronze and Flare out in front of her. They were wriggling in the invisible grasp of the witch and trying to break free. Yet, it was no use.
"Choose who gets to live or they are both going to learn how to fall," she warned, wickedly, "Oh! Did I say fall? I meant fly...if they can, anyway. Tell me, do humans fly?"
My eyes blew wide, my grip tightening on the gun. She was making me choose who lives and who dies?! This woman is crazy! She is a monster! I growled in frustration, looking at Bronze and Flare.
"Jane, pick me!" Flare yelled.
"Choose me! Save Flare, please!" Bronze begged.
I glanced between the two, not wanting to participate in this cruel game.
This was unfair. Why would she make me choose between the people I see as my closest allies, my friends...my family. Everyone in the Bandits was like a brother or sister to me.
This witch was making me choose between my brother and sister. I shook my head, not wanting to choose either. But if I did not choose soon, they will both die.
"No," I said, shakily, "I will not."
I stared at the gun in my hand before a thought crossed my mind. I took a deep breath in. With unsteady hands, I turned the weapon towards me.
"I-I choose myself," I declared, "Release them and let all of them be free. I will pay the price."
"Ah ah ah," she said in a singsong voice, turning the gun in my hand back to its original position, "I said these two, not you. But that was very sweet that you would choose your own life over their own. Yet, that is not how this game works. I make the rules. You cannot bend them. By the way, I'm getting bored so choose quickly."
Flare and Bronze continued to beg me to pick themselves to save the other.
"Tick tock," the witch teased.
Arrow could only stare at the scene in disbelief, speechless that such a thing was happening right before him. He could not do anything, stuck in the same predicament as Bronze and Flare. It made me wonder what she planned to do with Arrow.
He was not my main focus at the moment though.
"Please, do not make me choose," I pleaded.
The witch scoffed, "This is getting tiresome. Very well, I will give you twenty seconds to choose or these two become flightless birds."
I swallowed a lump in my throat, shifting my gaze between Bronze and Flare again.
"Twenty...nineteen...eighteen..." the witch started the countdown.
My breathing became unsteady as I felt panic arise.
"Jane! Save, Bronze!" Flare shouted.
"No! Pick me and save Flare!" Bronze argued.
"Twelve...eleven...ten..."
Ten seconds left to choose Flare and Bronze's fate.
Their future is in my hands.
"Nine...eight...seven..."
I pointed the gun at Bronze then shifted over at Flare. Yet, I still could not bring myself to choose.
"Six...five...four..."
"Alix..."
I looked at Flare and practically deflated under the pressure. She now wore a calm expression—one of serenity and surrender. Her features were etched into one of reassurance, radiating in acceptance.
She nodded, "...it is okay. I will not blame you."
Flare was always willing to sacrifice herself if it meant that everyone else was safe—anyone in the Bandits would do the same. That was one of the reasons this was difficult but the main one was I had to make a grueling decision.
A decision to kill one of the people I see as my family.
Bronze or Flare.
Bronze continued to yell at me to shoot him while Flare patiently waited. She trusted me to make the right decision—the wisest one.
The most practical one.
"Three...two...one-"
BANG!
Smoke floated out the barrel before the gun slipped out of my fingers. My hands trembled. I could feel my body growing cold as if my blood had turned into freezing water. My chest was heavy; a knot of sorrow and guilt so tight it was close to snapping.
"NO!" Bronze shouted in anguish as Flare lifelessly slumped. Her body fell onto the ground.
I just stared at Flare's still form unable to believe what I had just done. I could feel my heart slowly whither and my emotions starting to overflow—hard to control the misery closing in on me. My lungs were constricting as it grew difficult to breathe.
I stood on shaky legs, nearly stumbling while I moved away as if distance would help.
The witch cackled, "And so the decision has been made. As promised, I released the buffoon."
The woman snapped her fingers and Bronze fell from the sky. He wasted no time running over to Flare once landing on the earth.
"No...no no no no!" Bronze cried in denial. It was no use in saving Flare though. I shot her straight through the head.
I instantly killed her.
I killed her.
I killed Flare.
Once the realization finally settled, I gasped for air.
Bronze shot me a death glare, "Why...why did you not pick me instead?! It should have been me instead!"
He continued criticizing me for my poor choice. Yet, I stopped listening when all the bustling sounds of chaos started to tune out. The world around me was clouded except for one person and my main focus.
Flare.
Blood seeped out from her temple, creating a puddle of crimson around her head. Her eyes were wide open and held no soul within its window.
Flare is gone. She is dead. It is all my fault. I killed her.
I could not make a sound except for my labored gasps of air.
"What have I done?" I thought, shifting my focus to my shaking hands. The very hands that held the gun sealing Flare's fate. The gun sat not too far away. I stumbled away from it, nearly falling on Alpha. He lay on the ground but he was still breathing—still alive.
"Yes, child. Why did you kill your companion? What did she do to you?" the witches joked.
Bronze was set off by that statement. He gave the woman the deadliest stare that would shake even death himself. Without a word, Bronze charged at the witch without a thought. He was blinded by his anger and rage.
I wanted to yell at him to stop. It would be a losing battle against someone with so much power, even for the burliest man in our gang.
Yet, no words would produce from my lips, not the slightest peep. Did the witch do something to my voice? Why can I not talk?
Bronze went to strike the witch but with just a flick of her hand, the strongest man in the poor section was easily taken out.
He flew through the sky and hit the warehouse's wall so hard, there was an imprint left of Bronze's form in the wall. I winced at the sound of the loud cracking of bones.
Bronze's body fell limp from the wall to the earth below. It did not need to take a genius to know that Bronze had instantly died on impact. Not even he could escape such a force of death, no matter how strong he was.
I looked at the woman in disbelief before anger started to boil within me.
"What? He had it coming. He should not have aggravated me into attacking and eventually killing him. He could have just walked away with his life but dared to toil with me instead. Tell me, are you going to make the same foolish mistake...again or be on your way," the witch taunted me.
She was daring me to try attacking her but she was also giving me a chance to walk away...like a coward.
I knew I had no shot at beating her. I have to walk away—run away like a coward. The best I can do now is to get Alpha out of here and return him to our hideout. His wounds need to be treated quickly or he might be another loss to my hands—to my severely poor judgment.
I cannot let Alpha die. I was not going to let that happen, no matter how much I want to run away from my problems now.
I dragged Alpha over to the cart we were using and placed him inside. With one last glance at the witch, I pushed Alpha to the horse and carriage we were going to use to escape. I bowed my head in shame.
The Bandits will surely hate my guts once they see that I am the last one standing in the group. Alpha was hanging on by a thread while the rest were brutally murdered because of me. I would not blame the rest of the Bandits if they wanted to torture me slowly before publicly humiliating and executing me in front of everyone.
I killed the twins, Flare, and in a way, Bronze. Alpha is terribly injured due to my lack of obedience. He told me not to fire. Why did I not listen? Why was I so reckless thinking I was some hotshot because I was the youngest to ever join the Bandit's elite?
"Now look at the turnout, Alix," I thought, "You more than messed up. You killed and injured your friends. That is unforgivable."
I have done many things in the past. I have gambled, participated in underage drinking, and stolen things just for fun. Also, it was not like I have not killed people in the past too, even tortured some for my own or the gang's benefit.
Yet, this was a different scenario.
Maybe, this is my punishment for all my unforgivable sins built up over the years.
I loaded Alpha into the wagon and made my way to the poor section as fast as the horse could.
"When we get back, I shall just leave Alpha on the front door and disappear. It would be better for everyone if I was no longer around," I thought. My heart continued to throb in agony. I wiped a lone tear away as we entered the poor section.
"I wish I could turn back time and redo everything. Maybe, I would not be so rash and make better choices—or listen to Alpha at least," I thought.
I rubbed my throat. I still could not understand why my voice has not returned. But that was a later problem. For now, I had to get Alpha to the hideout.
I put on Flare's cloak and parked the carriage behind the hideout. With a heavy heart, I raced away as fast as my legs could run. Someone will eventually find Alpha. Some patrols would arrive and recognize the carriage.
I could not stay though. I do not deserve to call myself one of them anymore. I am no longer a Bandit, only an outcast. A betrayer.
I just hope I made it in time. I hope Alpha has enough resolve to make it. I wish him my all for him to live and make a full recovery.
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I stand before a hut of a local fortune teller, Lady Olympia. There is a rumor mill going on about how she is secretly a magic user.
It has been three months since that vile day. Every night, I wake up from nightmares of my friends perishing and the wicked she-devil cackling. Yet, I never make a peep of noise of fright. I merely panic and try to calm myself down.
I still have not been able to talk. I believe that witch truly cursed me to be mute. I have had to write and learn a little sign language to communicate with people.
I figured that if a magic user had cursed me, another would know how to break it.
That is why I stand before the hut of Lady Olympia. She may know something. Yet, it was a difficult choice to come here. The last and first time I faced a witch, it did not end well.
So, I have many qualms about interacting with a magic user again.
This will hopefully be the last time I deal with one before I leave Paris for good.
I cannot hang around for much longer with the Bandits still looming around...not that I have seen any of them as of late. It is concerning how quiet they have been but I am too scared to investigate to find out what has happened to them. I pray nothing terrible and that Alpha is well.
I shake away the shadows of my past. I now have to face the sun and keep my shadows behind me, no matter how long it stretches when the light starts to disappear.
With a deep breath, I steel my nerves and make my way to the entrance. The most I heard about Lady Olympia is that she was a weird, old bat that is good at her job.
I am about to walk in when a short, old lady exits the building. I stagger back a few steps, surprised by the sudden appearance.
This must be Lady Olympia.
Under my cloak, I hover my hand over a knife. It was the only protection I have on me. Every time I tried using a gun, I would get flashbacks and miss a nonmoving target by a mile. So, I had to rely on my close combat skills to survive.
The old hag paused before giving me a gummy smile.
"Hello there, suga' plum! I was expecting yous to show!" Lady Olympia said, "A lil bit earlier dan I expected dough."
I pulled out a note from my pocket, telling her why I am here since I am unable to tell her. Yet, she shook her head.
"I don't need ya note, suga' plum. I know whys yous are here," Lady Olympia informed, "Yous are here abou' ya voice."
"How did she..." I thought, shocked at how she knew that. I gripped my blade and narrowed my eyes in mistrust.
"Do not fear, I is Lady Olympia. I is not dat witch you faced last time. I have morals and standards unlike the one you faced," Lady Olympia assured, "Besides, I can't read ya note anyway, dearie. Dis old fool is blinda tan a bat."
To prove her point, she lifted her glasses to reveal her eyes as white as snow.
That did not comfort me in the least though. I will keep on my toes.
Lady Olympia moved the blanket with her cane and gestured for me to enter.
"Why don't cha come on in and get down to business," the old hag said.
I walked into the hut and looked around at all the witchcraft materials.
"Take ah seat," Olympia said, pointing at the sitting pillow in front of a table. I did not sit down though while she sat on the other side of the table.
"Alrigh', I can communicate with yous through your mind but I need ya to place your hand in mine," Olympia explained. I scrunched my nose in discomfort but decided to oblige.
I sat down on the pillow and placed my hand in hers.
"Can you hear me?" I asked.
"As clea' as day," Olympia replied. This only made me more uncomfortable but the faster I am done with this the better.
"I believe a witch has cursed me to be mute," I explained, "Is there a way to break it?"
Lady Olympia hummed in thought before tilting her head.
"Well..." she started, "I hate ta break it to ya but yous don't have a curse on ya. I would have been able to sense it if ya did. I would say dis is eitha a physical injury you acquired or a mental issue yous have due ta trauma. I ain't no docta but I have learned enough to know."
My mouth was left slightly agape and my eyes blew wide. So, this was not a magical issue but a mental one. I know I did not acquire any injuries to my neck so that was the only other explanation...unless this hag is lying to me.
Yet, I would know if someone was lying to me.
"Yous are a very troubled one aren't ya? Yours mind is like ah twister of many emotions," Olympia explained.
I ripped my hand away from Olympia and glared daggers at her.
"I am no healer of da mind, suga' plum but I do believe your silence is connected to ya trauma," she added, "I won't go any furtha since I knows yous don't trust me and I don't blame ya for ya mistrusting behavia'.
But magic users are just like regula' people, there are those who are good and those who are bad. I want yous to remember dat. I am sure yous is no saint yourself, missy."
I looked away before marching out of the hut.
A few days later, I returned to a run-down house I was living in and found an odd pocket watch on my makeshift pillow.
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