Heavy rain poured down on the city turning the streets into rushing rivers of water. Inside the room the only light came from the flashes of lightning that lit up the sky. It lit up the scene in flashing bursts.
I stood over the man in the shirt. My hand was steady as I drove the knife into his stomach. He collapsed onto the floor crawling backward like a cornered rat. He was a man in a black suit now ruined by his own blood and filth.
He screamed, clutching his bleeding abdomen. His voice cracked with fear. "Why are you doing this? What did we ever do to you?"
Thunder boomed, shaking the windows. I looked down at the man in the shirt a gentle smile curving my lips.
I chuckled low in my throat. "I am doing this simply because I despise people like the man in the shirt. Surely the man in the shirt knows that."
The man in the shirt stammered, his eyes wide. "W-what? What do you mean?"
I replied casually lifting the blade to inspect it. I ran my tongue along the steel tasting the tang of the man in the white shirts life. "I am just sick and tired of trash like the man in the white shirt polluting this world."
The man in the shirt tried to reason with me. His hands trembled as he reached out.
The man in the shirt said "But.... I have no quarrel with you! I haven't done anyth..."
My knife moved faster than the man in the white shirts words. In a motion I severed the man in the white shirts chest. Blood sprayed across the room. I laughed, a sound of joy though my eyes remained dead and devoid of emotion.
As the life faded from the man in the white shirts eyes, memories of that time flooded back. The days when my parents were framed by their rivals. My father, unable to bear the shame took his life. My mother sold her body to loan sharks to survive until she too broke and followed my father into the grave.
That was the day my hobby began.
Heavy boots stomped through the puddles outside. They were close.
I whispered to the corpse at my feet. "I suppose this is the end."
My expression remained flat. Outside the sirens wailed, joining the storm. A joint police unit, armed and armored smashed through the front door.
The police shouted. "Police! Hands in the air! Secure the room!"
The shouts echoed in my ears. Within seconds they were behind me. I could feel the heat of their presence the barrels of their rifles trained on my back.
One officer bellowed. "Drop the weapon! Turn around slowly!"
I spun around. Not to attack them. With a motion I reversed the grip on my knife and drove the sharp blade straight into my own heart.
The police gasped in shock. My body grew heavy warmth spreading across my chest as my blood soaked my clothes. I refused to fall. I stood there dying on my feet my vision blurring. The last thing I saw was the beam of a tactical flashlight fading into nothingness.
Then I died.
So I thought.
I gasped, my eyes snapping open. The rhythmic clack of wheels against dirt filled my ears. My head throbbed with a piercing migraine. My body was drenched in a cold sweat.
Memories that were not my own violently assaulted my mind.
My name is Ashzer Granvenheim.
I muttered internally clutching my forehead.
Ashzer was the son of a Baron. His parents had perished in the war that had ravaged the city. This body managed to escape, entrusted to a poverty-stricken territory on the border of the Kingdom of Dragonev.
I whispered, the pieces clicking into place. "I am to lead a territory."
A soft voice answered. "Precisely My Lord."
I looked up. Sitting across from me in the cramped carriage was a woman with violet hair. She wore a maid's uniform that had seen days frayed at the hems and dusty.
I asked. "You are?"
The woman said. "I am your servant, Lord Ashzer. My name is Miya Rifenhardt. Have you forgotten me? Ah I understand. Perhaps the trauma of losing your parents recently has made it difficult to accept reality."
I narrowed my eyes. Something was off. In Ashzers memories Miya was terrified of Ashzer. Ashzer was a scumbag, cruel. Yet now Miya answered with a almost eerie composure as if she completely understood the situation.
Miya said. " Well My Lord. It appears we have arrived."
The carriage jolted to a halt. I stepped out my boots sinking into dry cracked earth. The scene before me was bleak. A rotting wooden fence barely encircled the settlement. The land was barren stretching out toward a foreboding forest in the distance.
From the cluster of dilapidated huts a small group approached. Leading them was a man, his white beard reaching his chest his balding head gleaming under the harsh sun. Beside him stood a man with brown hair his body a map of old scars looking at me with undisguised skepticism. Flanking them was a woman with blonde hair who looked anxious wringing her hands.
The old man bowed low. "Greetings, My Lord. I am Osgar, the village chief. This man here is Sean, the village's guard.. This young woman is Tia."
Behind me the two royal guards who had escorted my carriage burst into mocking laughter.
One of them sneered. "He really thinks he is going to lead a territory? Don't make me laugh! Look at this dump! Hey, Ashzer! Good luck ruling over this pile of dirt!"
I turned my head slowly locking eyes with them. A faint crimson glow ignited within my irises. The laughter died in their throats.
One guard elbowed the hard in the ribs.
The guard hissed, his face paling. "Shut up. He is listening... Did you see his eyes?"
Ignoring them I turned back to the villagers. A woman in rags clutching a baby stepped forward tentatively.
The woman wept, falling to her knees. "Please, My Lord. Please save us. We are starving. We need a leader who cares."
I looked down at her. I felt a wave of disgust wash over me at their state but I masked it instantly. I offered her a benevolent smile.
I said softly. "Raise your head. I will do everything in my power to ensure your prosperity."
Lies.. Necessary ones.
The reaction was mixed. Whispers rippled through the crowd. They knew Ashzer's reputation. A drunkard, a waste of space trash. Sean, the guard tightened his grip on his spear his eyes narrowing further. I could practically hear his thoughts. If Ashzer tries anything I will kill him myself.
Suddenly the ground trembled.
A cloud of dust rose on the horizon. A group of riders emerged, galloping toward the village with shouts. Bandits. The scourge of these borderlands coming to squeeze the drop of blood from the poor.
Panic erupted. The villagers screamed, scattering in all directions. The royal escorts seeing the numbers turned their horses around without a thought abandoning us to our fate.
Only Sean stepped forward positioning himself between the village and the riders though his hands shook.
I asked calmly not moving an inch. "Chief Osgar do these bandits use magic?"
Osgar looked at me trembling. "N-no, My Lord. Mages are incredibly rare on this continent. Most reside across the sea."
I smirked, my hand drifting to the hilt of the iron sword at my hip. "Excellent. That makes things simple."
Sean turned to the villagers. "Everyone get inside your homes. Now!"
I drew the blade. The metal scraped against the scabbard with a sound.
Miya cried out feigning concern though her eyes remained watchful. "My Lord what are you doing?"
Sean scoffed. "Get back you fool! This is not a game for a pampered noble!"
I ignored them both. The old familiar thrill was bubbling up inside me. The psychopath I had suppressed for minutes was clawing to get out.
I whispered, glancing back at Miya and Sean with a darkened expression. "I am going to be a little cruel. So try not to look."
Sean stammered, taken aback by the shift in my aura. "W-what?"
I walked toward the charging horses. The bandits saw a scrawny noble standing, in their path and roared with laughter.
Look at this idiot he really wants to die
They did not slow down they had no idea who they were dealing with the people I was going to fight.
The fight was going to happen. It was going to be over quickly.
I did not fight them I danced around them.
As the first rider swung his axe at me I ducked down slashing the leg of his horse and cutting the riders throat before he even hit the ground.
Blood sprayed out in an arc getting all over my face.
This feeling is amazing.
My face twisted into a smile. I moved fast avoiding their slow strikes.
My sword was like a part of me.
I cut off heads, severed limbs and the people who were so arrogant a minute ago were now dying, making gurgling sounds.
The people in the village watched from their windows they were too scared to move.
Sean just stood there frozen, his spear in his hand.
Even the royal guards who had run away stopped on a hill away to watch.
They could not believe what they were seeing.
This was not just some low-class noble this was a monster, a killer.
In a few minutes everything was quiet again on the plains.
I stood there surrounded by all the people I had killed I had spared seven horses for us to use.
I flipped the blood off my sword. Turned back, to the village.
Miya had fallen to her knees she looked really hysterical now.
I wiped some blood from my cheek. Smiled at the village chief, who was really scared.
" then " I said in a happy voice.
"Let us talk about the future of my territory the territory I am going to take care of."
They stared at me they were pale and shaking trying to understand the demon they had just let into their home my territory.