Chapter Nine
Frederick jolted awake from nightmares of shadowy figures pursuing him. As the memories of his reckless actions from the previous night flooded back, he glanced at the clock - 4 am. The sound of his grand son cries pierced the air, a cruel reminder of losing Marina and the reality he's facing.
Struggling to steady himself in the darkness, he moved carefully, avoiding a near stumble. Crossing the room to draw in the first light of dawn, he stumbled upon a ghastly sight - his maid, her neck twisted unnaturally. Without a flicker of emotion, he headed for the table, reaching for water and aspirin.
A voice echoed from the shadows, chilling Frederick to the core.
"It's funny how cold one could be, it's amazing."
Startled, he dropped the glass, his hand instinctively reaching for a weapon that he knew was useless, the bullets depleted.
As Frederick fumbled for the light switch, his eyes adjusted to the dimness, but all he could discern was a single glowing red eye. He blinked, trying to focus, only to find the mysterious assassin standing before him.
"Viscount Volga, it seems my package wasn't delivered as promised," the assassin growled, seizing Frederick by the neck and effortlessly lifting him.
"I... I did what I was instructed," Frederick managed to choke out, his voice strained.
"I question what you were truly instructed to do, for I still hear the cries of a child," the assassin retorted, his grip tightening.
Unable to respond, Frederick's mind raced. He knew something had gone terribly wrong—perhaps Harten had taken the child. In a desperate bid to settle his debt and protect his estate, Frederick had agreed to offer his first grandchild.
With a brutal blow to the face, the assassin silenced Frederick's thoughts, dragging him toward the source of the infant's cries. There, Frederick saw a maid lying unconscious on the floor beside the child.
"You have loyal maids indeed," the assassin remarked with a twisted grin, prying Tesh from the maid's protective embrace.
Tesh, no longer crying, watched the stranger with a mix of curiosity and fear. The man exuded an aura of silent strength, his gaze piercing and unforgiving.
"Now, it seems your debt has been settled," the assassin declared as he made his way to the exit. Frederick, trembling, watched his tormentor depart, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. But before he could fully grasp his fortune, the assassin struck him unconscious with a swift blow.
Hours later, as dawn broke and the clock struck 6 am, police officers solemnly wheeled Harten's lifeless body into the morgue. Stripping off his clothes for examination, the morgue attendant prepared to begin her grim task. Suddenly, she froze, her eyes widening in terror as she beheld Harten standing upright, facing the eastern wall of the room. With a blood-curdling scream, she collapsed unconscious.
As Harten advanced towards the morgue attendant, an officer suddenly appeared. Eyeing the man's attire, the officer remarked, "You're about my size." Without hesitation, Harten lunged at the officer, dodging bullets before swiftly snapping his neck. Donning the officer's uniform, Harten attempted to put on the shoes, but they didn't fit. Undeterred, he made off with what he had.
Meanwhile, at the Royal Institute lab, two scientists who had collaborated with Dr. Harten entered their designated workspace. Approaching the table, Chanda noticed something amiss with the apple.
"Peter, did you alter the apple?" she inquired, puzzled by the anomaly.
"No, I didn't," Peter replied cheerfully, joining her to investigate.
"Strange. Unless Dr. Harten returned last night," Peter mused, returning to his work area to resume his tasks.
"If you say so, but I'm not convinced. Who cares," she retorted, brushing off Peter's playful remark as she focused on her work.
Peter persisted, teasing, "Why not take a bite of the apple? Maybe you'll gain some esoteric knowledge or magical powers."
Chuckling, she replied, "Well, I haven't eaten yet today. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, isn't that how the saying goes?" Her stomach grumbled which led to eat up the apple whole, and Peter erupted into laughter.
"I must be quite persuasive, wouldn't you agree?" Peter quipped, clearly amused with himself.
Rolling her eyes, she replied, "No, you're not. I was just hungry. It's no big deal." She tried to reassure herself.
Suddenly, Peter crept up behind her, whispering in a mock-serious tone, "I'm the serpent. I command you to strip naked and belly dance for me."
She shot him a playful glare, "Dream on, Peter. Dream on."
Chanda briskly walked away from Peter towards the lab entrance, glancing outside before locking the door securely. Just as she began to undress, a knock interrupted her, prompting her to hastily redress. Before she could react further, the door was forcefully pushed open, and Dr. Harten strode in, his expression devoid of emotion.
Peter and Chanda exchanged uneasy glances before returning to their respective workstations. Dr. Harten remained silent, immediately setting up the portal apparatus, this time configuring the first portal.
The tension in the room was palpable as Peter and Chanda waited for someone to break the silence. Finally, Peter rose to assist Dr. Harten.
"Good morning, Doctor," Peter greeted, noticing Harten's unusual attire. Chanda turned towards them and also observed the absence of shoes on Harten's feet. Ignoring their confusion, Harten activated the portal device, chanting incantations. Chanda's ears rang with a high-pitched frequency, causing her to wince. Peter, stunned, began to retreat to his corner, only to be halted by Harten's firm grip.
Harten seized Peter by the shirt with his right arm, while his left arm emerged from the portal, gripping a grotesque, bug-like centipede creature. Peter's hysterical screams filled the room, piercing the air as he witnessed the horrifying sight. Meanwhile, Chanda, still recovering from the piercing sound, could only watch in horror.
With a swift motion, Harten pressed Peter to the ground, forcefully tearing off his shirt and placing the creature on Peter's exposed spine. As the centipede-like creature latched onto Peter's back, he convulsed violently, foaming at the mouth. Harten's expression twisted into one of sick satisfaction, relishing in Peter's torment before turning his attention to Chanda.
Terrified and paralyzed with fear, Chanda remained rooted to her stool, unable to move or even cry out for help. As Harten approached with another of the grotesque creatures, Chanda prayed for a miracle, her heart pounding in her chest. Suddenly, a kunai blade soared through the air, severing Harten's arm that held the creature, disrupting his sinister plan.
Chanda's eyes widened as a figure emerged from the shadows, Harten at the other hand emitting strange, guttural shrieks. To her astonishment, she recognized a young kid wielding a blazing katana blade, striding fearlessly towards Harten.
Meanwhile, Peter rose with an eerie, soulless demeanor, resembling more of a zombie than a man. He joined Harten in the attack against the young warrior, but the kid's movements were swift and precise, deftly dodging their blows.
Despite Harten's relentless assault, the young warrior remained undeterred, swiftly severing his second arm. With a decisive slash, the kid sliced through Harten's neck, yet the body continued to fight on. Peter lunged from behind, but the warrior executed a graceful backflip, slicing through the creature embedded in Peter's spine, causing his body to disintegrate into pieces.
Chanda's screams echoed through the room as she witnessed the gruesome spectacle. In a final act, the young warrior hurled a kunai blade, piercing through Harten's skull, bringing an end to his twisted reign of terror.
Overwhelmed by the events she had witnessed, Chanda mustered the strength to flee the lab in a desperate attempt to seek help. Returning with security officers, she braced herself for the grim scene, only to find Peter and Dr. Harten dead, their bodies intact, unlike the horrifying dismemberment she had witnessed earlier. Confusion clouded her mind as the officers scoured the area for evidence, leaving Chanda in a state of disbelief.
Her shock deepened as she realized the portal device and the grotesque creature were both missing. Unable to comprehend the surreal turn of events, Chanda sank to her knees, overwhelmed by the weight of the inexplicable situation.
Meanwhile, before a gathering of elderly men, the young warrior removed her mask, revealing herself to be a girl named Kina.
"Welcome back, Kina. Your prowess has not gone unnoticed, and the Ashasin Academy acknowledges your contributions," one of the elders proclaimed, acknowledging her skills and bravery.
As the students erupted into cheers, Kina acknowledged their support, raising her hands in gratitude. Amidst the jubilant crowd, she caught sight of an older man in his early forties observing with folded arms. Moments later, another man whispered something into his ear, prompting the older man to swiftly exit the hall.
Meanwhile, the man entered a room filled with babies, some crying, and others gurgling. Tesh was brought in as the newest addition and the last child.
"These children come from the finest bloodlines, Master," a woman stated respectfully, bowing before him.
The man walked over to Tesh's bedside, nodding in approval. "The next generation of Warrior Ashasin," he declared with solemn reverence, recognizing the significance of the newborns in shaping the future of their order.