Maerwyn's fists clenched, but she didn't let any emotion show on her face. In their organization, any trace of emotion was weakness, and weakness was death. But despite her forced restraint, she felt a brewing anger inside her—anger she couldn't pinpoint who it was for.
She looked up when she heard approaching footsteps. Her body automatically positioned itself for battle, the sword gripped tightly in her hand, her eyes coldly focused on the stranger running towards her. With a swift movement, she swung her sword, ready to end the life of whoever dared to approach.
"Maerwyn! It's me—Aldus!" the man shouted, his voice familiar but full of urgency.
She froze, the tip of her sword just inches from the man's chest. Aldus's hands were raised, holding his sword in a sign of surrender, while his face pleaded for recognition.
Maerwyn hesitated for a moment before lowering her sword, but the burning anger in her eyes remained. "Why are the children here, Aldus? They're not ready for this kind of fight!" she wanted to ask, her eyes blazing with disappointment.
Even if she didn't ask, Aldus was sure to know what was on her mind. "Let's get out of here, Maerwyn, many soldiers are coming..." he said breathlessly, his eyes seeming to carry a secret he couldn't reveal. The silence between them was filled with tension as Maerwyn desperately searched for answers to the questions that plagued her mind. "I'll tell you later why we came here; we need to finish the mission first; we don't have time..."
She glanced at the corpses of her students. She couldn't help but remember the smiles of these children, who, in the days when she taught them, even if they didn't talk, she knew they understood each other in the cruelty of the life they had.
How did it come to this? Who ordered them to face such danger? And above all, why were they attacking me?
"Why are they here, Aldus?" she desperately wanted to ask, but they had no time for that. The mission had to be prioritized before anything else. She didn't ask anymore. She knew it was pointless. In their world, asking questions was sacrilege, hesitation was a sign of weakness. But as she turned away and gripped her sword again, the weight of her steps said something: the questions in her mind would never be silenced.
They entered a vast chamber and immediately saw the king seated on his grand bed, seemingly oblivious to their presence. Maerwyn's heart pounded each step a drumbeat in her ears. Without hesitation, she raised her sword, ready to finally complete the mission she'd been yearning for. The air in the chamber felt thick with tension, and the memories of the children lost around her flickered in her mind.
But before her sword could strike the king, a sharp object pierced her chest from behind. The pain was a jolt of lightning through her body, stopping her in her tracks. The world seemed to stop spinning, the sounds fading, leaving only the thunderous beat of her heart.
She only then turned to see who had plunged that sword into her. The sight of the figure standing behind her brought a wave of intense regret and rage. Despite her pain, she felt a surge of emotions crashing over her. Why? Why me? The questions flooded her mind, but behind her confusion, one thing stood out: the mission, a dream that seemed to have vanished before her eyes. The anger burning in her chest wasn't just for the attacker; it was for those she'd lost, for the children who would never have a chance to escape this dark world.
"Aldus? Why?" It was the first question she'd ever uttered aloud in her life. The words hung in the air, heavy with disbelief and a dawning horror.
"Forgive me, Maerwyn... You know we only follow orders." Aldus's voice was flat, devoid of emotion, a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within Maerwyn.
She would have fought Aldus, would have lashed out in her fury, but another sharp object found its mark. This time, it was driven into her side, twisting and tearing at her flesh. Her muscles spasmed, a searing agony ripping through her. A violent cough wracked Maerwyn's body, blood blooming on her lips. Slowly, she sank to her knees, then collapsed, her body sprawling across the cold floor. The coughs continued, each one a fresh eruption of blood.
The cold floor of the chamber seemed to embrace Maerwyn's body, now soaked in her blood. She couldn't tear her gaze away from Aldus, who stood there, sword in hand, the very instrument meant to end her life. Aldus's face was emotionless—he seemed to regard Maerwyn as nothing more than a pawn that needed to be removed from the game.
The silence in the room was deafening. All that could be heard were Maerwyn's faint coughs and the sound of her blood dripping onto the marble floor. Yet, despite the pain coursing through her, her mind wouldn't relent.
Why? The question pushed its way in again, louder than all the commands and teachings etched into her. Why her? Why like this? The mission had been clear, simple—end the king's life. But these final moments felt like a cruel paradox. Aldus, whom she had considered an ally, was the very one who had brought about her demise.
"We're just following orders," Aldus repeated, but his voice seemed to carry a weight he couldn't hide. Even in his cold words, Maerwyn sensed a hint of doubt—something she had never expected to see in the man's eyes.
Maerwyn's vision began to blur. The ceiling of the chamber, once so vast, seemed to crumple like paper. Each breath was a struggle, each second felt like an eternity.
She wanted to speak, to ask more questions, to voice her frustration. But she had no strength left. The words in her mind had vanished, just like her fading body.
Before darkness fully consumed her, a final image materialized: the king, still seated on the bed, silent yet seemingly observant. Despite everything, there was no trace of fear or confusion on his face. He knew. All of this was part of a larger game—a game Maerwyn had never truly understood.
And in that last moment, as her eyes fell shut, Maerwyn learned the answer to a question she had never voiced: there was no "why" in their world. No reason. No justice. Everything simply happened, because that was the command. Slowly, darkness enveloped everything.