"You should not have killed me."
The voice came from behind.
Calm.
Flat.
I didn't turn.
"This is your punishment."
I kept walking.
The ground beneath my feet didn't feel real. It was too smooth. Too quiet. Like I was walking on something that wasn't meant to be walked on.
I knew where I was.
Or rather…
I knew what this was.
Another dream.
Another nightmare.
I didn't answer him.
There was no point.
Footsteps followed.
Slow.
Unhurried.
Like he knew I couldn't escape anyway.
Then…
Another presence.
In front of me.
I stopped.
Frans.
He stood there, just like before. Calm. Straight. Unmoving.
"You can't live like this forever, Rick."
His voice was gentle.
Too gentle.
I said nothing.
Because he was right.
Every word.
Every part of it.
This wasn't a life.
This wasn't anything.
Just…
Surviving.
Killing.
Running.
Again.
And again.
And again.
I wanted to answer.
To say something.
But nothing came out.
Because I didn't have an answer.
Frans looked at me for a moment longer.
Then…
"Rick…"
The voice shifted.
Multiplied.
Echoed.
I turned.
They were there.
All of them.
The guards.
The gamblers.
The ones I killed.
Standing.
Watching.
Their bodies were broken.
Throats cut.
Eyes empty.
Blood still staining their clothes.
But they were standing.
And they were all looking at me.
The air grew colder.
Then…
Flames appeared.
Not red.
Not orange.
Dark blue.
They rose slowly from the ground, crawling along the space around us.
I didn't feel the heat.
I felt cold.
A deep, biting cold that sank into my skin the moment the flames touched me.
I flinched.
But they didn't burn.
They froze.
Every touch felt like something inside me was being locked in place.
"Why did you kill us?"
The voices overlapped.
Whispers.
Shouts.
Echoes.
"I…"
Nothing came out.
My throat tightened.
I couldn't speak.
Couldn't breathe properly.
The flames spread.
Up my legs.
Across my arms.
Over my chest.
Cold.
Too cold.
I tried to move.
I couldn't.
My body was stiff.
Frozen in place.
Frans was still in front of me.
Watching.
Not accusing.
Not angry.
Just…
Watching.
"You can't live like this forever."
The same words.
But it feels heavier now.
Frans and the other guard and gambler behind him stepped closer.
Closer.
"Then what should I do?" I tried to say.
But no sound came out.
Closer.
Closer.
Their faces…
Distorted.
Not human anymore.
Eyes too wide.
Mouths too stretched.
Smiling.
Crying.
Bleeding.
All at once.
The flames climbed higher.
Reaching my neck.
My face.
My eyes.
Cold.
So cold I couldn't feel my fingers anymore.
"Survive, Rick."
The voice came from nowhere.
Echoing everywhere.
Inside my head.
Outside my body.
"Survive."
The word echoed.
Again.
Again.
Again.
My chest tightened.
Suddenly.
Violently.
Air…
Gone.
I tried to breathe.
Nothing came in.
My lungs refused.
My throat closed.
The world began to spin.
The figures closed in…
Their hands are reaching my body…
Their faces are breaking,,,
The flames are swallowing everything…
I woke up.
Gasping.
My body jerked forward as air rushed into my lungs.
Cold air.
Real air.
I coughed.
Hard.
My vision spun.
Dark sky.
Snow is falling, touching my face.
Everything tilted.
I was still in the sewer.
For a moment, I didn't move.
Just breathed.
In.
Out.
In…
Pain suddenly hit me hard.
It was a sharp and violent one.
My left shoulder burned like it was being torn apart.
I gritted my teeth.
A low sound escaped my throat.
"…damn it…"
I tried to move.
My body refused.
Heavy. Cold. Unresponsive.
I forced myself.
Slowly.
Pushing against the ground.
Sitting up.
Thud.
Something small shifted beside me.
I looked down.
Leaves.
Crushed and Frozen.
And…
Empty potion bottles.
Right.
Memory came back in fragments.
I had treated the wound.
Barely.
Drank what I could.
Applied herbs to my left shoulder.
Then…
I collapsed.
Not because I wanted to sleep.
Because I couldn't stay conscious anymore.
"…good…"
At least I didn't die.
Yet.
I scanned the surroundings.
Slowly.
Carefully.
I was in a canal section of the sewer.
The end of it.
Connected to a larger river near the market.
The water was frozen.
Solid.
Covered with trash and filth, locked inside the ice.
The rotting smell still lingered.
I continue to scan above the surface.
I sense a movement of dense mana.
I focused.
I sense many Assassin groups.
They are patrolling and blocking the area.
Every route out of the slum.
"…they're still looking…"
Of course they were.
For me.
***
I lowered my body.
Slowly.
Pain shot through my shoulder again.
I bit my lip.
Hard.
No sound.
I couldn't afford it.
I began to move.
Crawling at first.
Slow.
Each movement dragged pain through my body.
My shoulder screamed.
My legs trembled.
After a few meters…
I stopped.
Adjusted.
Lowered myself further.
I start to prone.
Closer to the frozen surface.
My shoulder pressed against the ice.
Cold and Numbing.
But slightly better.
I moved again.
Slow and Careful.
One meter.
Two meter.
Five meter.
Ten meter.
Each movement felt like tearing something inside me.
But I kept going.
Because stopping…
Was worse.
***
I hear voices from above. I can feel it was close to me.
I froze completely, hiding my presence in desperation.
"…the other kids escaped?"
"Yeah. Most of the men are searching for the Avenir."
My heart slammed against my chest.
I stopped breathing.
"…he's too valuable to lose."
"So he's still here, right?"
"Of course. He's all that matters."
I didn't move.
Didn't breathe.
Didn't think.
Just listened.
"How about the kids' leader?"
"A group chased him. Some rookies are trying to impress the boss."
"And?"
"They died."
A pause.
"…damn. The count's going to be furious."
"Which is why everyone's hunting the Avenir."
A small laugh.
"Same as us."
"Yeah… he's my way out of this hell."
"His eyes alone are worth it."
"Yeah, we split 50:50, right?"
"Of course"
Silence.
Then…
"I saw one at auction last month. Avenir eyes."
"…how much?"
"One million gold."
My body went cold.
Not from the ice.
From the number.
"One million…"
"Enough to retire."
"Yeah…"
A chuckle.
"…no wonder everyone's abandoning their mission."
Footsteps shifted.
"Huh? Where are you going?"
"I need to take a piss."
My heart stopped.
The footsteps moved.
Closer.
And closer.
I stayed still.
Completely.
Even my heartbeat felt too loud.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
"Huh?"
The voice was right above me.
"…a kid?"
A pause.
Then…
"WAIT!"
Our eyes met.
I moved.
Instantly.
No plan appears in my head.
Just run.
Pain exploded through my body as I pushed forward.
I slipped…
Caught myself…
And I kept running with all my might.
Behind me…
I can sense movement.
Fast.
Knives flew.
Thud.
One hit my ankle.
Another…
Hit my thigh.
I stumbled.
My leg gave out.
I fell hard.
Sliding across the frozen surface.
Cold water seeped through.
I didn't scream.
Couldn't.
My throat locked.
My body shook.
Footsteps approached.
Slow.
Confident.
I tried to crawl.
My hands slipped.
My body refused.
"Well…"
The assassin stepped into view.
A wide grin on his face.
"What a lucky day."
He tilted his head slightly.
"My prize comes to me."
I dragged myself forward.
Desperate and useless.
He didn't rush.
Well, He didn't need to.
Every step he took was slow.
Certain.
Like I was already his.
My vision blurred.
My body shook.
My mind…
Went blank.
Run.
I needed to run.
Please.
But I couldn't.
My body refused.
The assassin stopped just a few steps away.
Looking down at me.
Smiling.
And I…
Couldn't move.