-Prelude Movement-
"Loneliness"
"Blast! He's gone off to the right! He knew that we were after him!"
"Then enough talk, we go after his trail. Like we were ordered to do so."
Upon hearing this exchange from afar, the man on the run proceeded to rush through the busy streets, pushing aside nameless civilians that bore no importance to the pursuing assailants. With the growing confusion of those that were just those nameless bystanding civilians, the two assailants took upon traveling from the rooftops of the accompanying buildings, tracing his path. A hawk eye's view of the prey, it almost... made me feel pitiful
No matter the circumstances I reluctantly follow, I remain as William Owen Herondale, a Nephilim, a former Shadowhunter-in-training. Former, oh how much I wish this word did not exist. Such a word reminds me that I once was something people hoped to be, and now, I lurk in the opposite of my ambitions, a fraud to everyone's hopes. Cruel, cruel irony to fall upon me. Though I could've been content with living a nameless life, now I live a life upon which both Tessas would frown upon.
Theresa Gray. A girl who did not want such a path of being a half-Downworlder, but even so, I coaxed her with uplifting literary pieces and she returned the favor back. But she has her own "Will" to look upon now, not me. Teresa Agnes. A girl I met first under illusions, and soon after, uncovered as a Reaper to me, the Nephilim. I worried for her, and she worried for me. Even so with many others that we acquianted, I failed to be honest with her. I failed to both Tessas. Death waiting at my doorstep, I didn't want to leave so soon. I didn't want to leave her in loneliness, Tessa didn't deserve such a fate without that special someone. Even as I found out that my curse was never to be, another curse harbored me once more, under the guise of a second chance.
A false angel and savior, now my unjust partner-in-crime, Yukari Yakumo, offered me a deal that I desperately desired upon the supposed last flames of life. Another chance to live was what I wanted, but at the cost of working under a new institute, the Blood Institute. At the time, my desires to keep Tessa happy overpowered my conscious warning of Yukari's wrongdoings. I knew very well that she was nothing but trouble, but almost out of selfish desire, I accepted the now-realized, one-sided deal. I can only see myself as traitorous scum to those I acquainted and loved, betraying their trust, and the regrets grows evermore from the bodies piling and blood spilling from my forced misdeeds.
This, this was another misdeed to be added to the list. How come this list of misdeeds... never deals out the respective punishments that I rightfully deserve.
"Oh how wonderful for us, Will. Our mouse had gone with the wrong turn."
"Then we pounce at our prey, Yukari."
And so we did.
Such an approach would've started the man away, but like a hawk swooping down, I draw out my stained seraph blades, stabbing through the flesh of the man's legs. He was pinned down with no escape, so I left the blades there. From above, Yukari drifted downwards, using her parasol as a parachute. The man knew every well about us, his eyes told it all. Again, I felt pity and regret. I contributed to this misdeed, and by the sheer number of misdeeds to my name, the pity and regret dared to numb my own emotions.
"Well well well. Thought you could run off without saying a proper hello~!"
"F... fuck off... you both work... for that goddamn Blood Institute! Goddamn pigs for money! Killing people just for the money!"
Truth in his words, the Blood Institute conducts these operations for the sake of a profit. Many come to request the deaths of select individuals, and for the right price, that misdeed is done.
"Isn't that right? It just so happens that someone wanted you dead... for a nifty high price."
Usually I was the support for Yukari, for she was the one that dealt the killing blow to our targets. Well... for the operations that I am partnered up with her, which in this case, had been every operation I've been a part of for the Blood Institute. I... I have no idea how many deaths I've contributed towards, for there are many, and because of that, I felt like my sympathy was being forcefully numbed...
With a blank face, I could only watch as Yukari opened up a dimensional gap, and like a cannon going off, a single magical blast of energy was pelted at the man's head. Dead. The man fell dead, a heavy thud as smoke steamed off of his burnt off face. Unlike how I would be mentally broken at the thought of killing another person that possibly did no wrong, now I only stare at the remains with a blank face, this became a routine of mine soon after the first five deaths...
"And another job well done~"
Yukari cheerfully smiled, taking out a phone and snapping a photo of the dead body. Members of the Blood Institute were required to bring back some sort of evidence that the target is dead, and in example, I heard that a former member had brought in the tongues of their targets as proof. Yukari did so with her phone and photos... and for me, I did so by never cleaning my seraph blades. I felt no need to purify and cleanse my own weapons, my sins wouldn't be cleaned off that easily with soap and water.
"That was the last target that Exe gave for us... so are we to report back to her in the headquarters?"
I turn away from the body after yanking my seraph blades free from the man, wanting to ask this question so we could leave. I wasn't sure how long I were to hold back the emotions of doing such acts any further.
"Well of course, Will. I'll be sure to report that you did most of the work so Exe could give you a good payment."
"Uh huh."
"I mean... you want to keep that girl of yours happy, right?"
I freeze. Yukari knew what pulled my strings, allowing me to be her own little puppet once I became a part of the Blood Institute. Of course I wished to keep Tessa happy... for her sake and mine, but... I am no longer sure if I can say that this is all for her... all of my misdeeds.
"Right. I... I remember the offer you gave me a while back."
"Goodie! Then let's travel back to report our work to Exe. We don't want people knowing we were behind this, and you still want to keep up good appearances for her. After all, it would break her heart to see you like this~"
As Yukari prepared a boundary to lead us back to the Blood Institute headquarters, I grit my teeth in restrained anger. This demon knew how to mess with me and receive no consequences for it. The truth... in her bitter and taunting words was there, however. Tessa would feel betrayed once she figured out what I had become a part of... killing people for what might as well be a multiversal mafia... and the more I think about it, the more I felt like I should've left myself to die...
For now, I live a life that continues to stain me with misdeeds, all the while I surround myself in a web of lies... to keep Tessa unaware of it and happy for all I know.
"Loneliness"
"Blast! He's gone off to the right! He knew that we were after him!"
"Then enough talk, we go after his trail. Like we were ordered to do so."
Upon hearing this exchange from afar, the man on the run proceeded to rush through the busy streets, pushing aside nameless civilians that bore no importance to the pursuing assailants. With the growing confusion of those that were just those nameless bystanding civilians, the two assailants took upon traveling from the rooftops of the accompanying buildings, tracing his path. A hawk eye's view of the prey, it almost... made me feel pitiful
No matter the circumstances I reluctantly follow, I remain as William Owen Herondale, a Nephilim, a former Shadowhunter-in-training. Former, oh how much I wish this word did not exist. Such a word reminds me that I once was something people hoped to be, and now, I lurk in the opposite of my ambitions, a fraud to everyone's hopes. Cruel, cruel irony to fall upon me. Though I could've been content with living a nameless life, now I live a life upon which both Tessas would frown upon.
Theresa Gray. A girl who did not want such a path of being a half-Downworlder, but even so, I coaxed her with uplifting literary pieces and she returned the favor back. But she has her own "Will" to look upon now, not me. Teresa Agnes. A girl I met first under illusions, and soon after, uncovered as a Reaper to me, the Nephilim. I worried for her, and she worried for me. Even so with many others that we acquianted, I failed to be honest with her. I failed to both Tessas. Death waiting at my doorstep, I didn't want to leave so soon. I didn't want to leave her in loneliness, Tessa didn't deserve such a fate without that special someone. Even as I found out that my curse was never to be, another curse harbored me once more, under the guise of a second chance.
A false angel and savior, now my unjust partner-in-crime, Yukari Yakumo, offered me a deal that I desperately desired upon the supposed last flames of life. Another chance to live was what I wanted, but at the cost of working under a new institute, the Blood Institute. At the time, my desires to keep Tessa happy overpowered my conscious warning of Yukari's wrongdoings. I knew very well that she was nothing but trouble, but almost out of selfish desire, I accepted the now-realized, one-sided deal. I can only see myself as traitorous scum to those I acquainted and loved, betraying their trust, and the regrets grows evermore from the bodies piling and blood spilling from my forced misdeeds.
This, this was another misdeed to be added to the list. How come this list of misdeeds... never deals out the respective punishments that I rightfully deserve.
"Oh how wonderful for us, Will. Our mouse had gone with the wrong turn."
"Then we pounce at our prey, Yukari."
And so we did.
Such an approach would've started the man away, but like a hawk swooping down, I draw out my stained seraph blades, stabbing through the flesh of the man's legs. He was pinned down with no escape, so I left the blades there. From above, Yukari drifted downwards, using her parasol as a parachute. The man knew every well about us, his eyes told it all. Again, I felt pity and regret. I contributed to this misdeed, and by the sheer number of misdeeds to my name, the pity and regret dared to numb my own emotions.
"Well well well. Thought you could run off without saying a proper hello~!"
"F... fuck off... you both work... for that goddamn Blood Institute! Goddamn pigs for money! Killing people just for the money!"
Truth in his words, the Blood Institute conducts these operations for the sake of a profit. Many come to request the deaths of select individuals, and for the right price, that misdeed is done.
"Isn't that right? It just so happens that someone wanted you dead... for a nifty high price."
Usually I was the support for Yukari, for she was the one that dealt the killing blow to our targets. Well... for the operations that I am partnered up with her, which in this case, had been every operation I've been a part of for the Blood Institute. I... I have no idea how many deaths I've contributed towards, for there are many, and because of that, I felt like my sympathy was being forcefully numbed...
With a blank face, I could only watch as Yukari opened up a dimensional gap, and like a cannon going off, a single magical blast of energy was pelted at the man's head. Dead. The man fell dead, a heavy thud as smoke steamed off of his burnt off face. Unlike how I would be mentally broken at the thought of killing another person that possibly did no wrong, now I only stare at the remains with a blank face, this became a routine of mine soon after the first five deaths...
"And another job well done~"
Yukari cheerfully smiled, taking out a phone and snapping a photo of the dead body. Members of the Blood Institute were required to bring back some sort of evidence that the target is dead, and in example, I heard that a former member had brought in the tongues of their targets as proof. Yukari did so with her phone and photos... and for me, I did so by never cleaning my seraph blades. I felt no need to purify and cleanse my own weapons, my sins wouldn't be cleaned off that easily with soap and water.
"That was the last target that Exe gave for us... so are we to report back to her in the headquarters?"
I turn away from the body after yanking my seraph blades free from the man, wanting to ask this question so we could leave. I wasn't sure how long I were to hold back the emotions of doing such acts any further.
"Well of course, Will. I'll be sure to report that you did most of the work so Exe could give you a good payment."
"Uh huh."
"I mean... you want to keep that girl of yours happy, right?"
I freeze. Yukari knew what pulled my strings, allowing me to be her own little puppet once I became a part of the Blood Institute. Of course I wished to keep Tessa happy... for her sake and mine, but... I am no longer sure if I can say that this is all for her... all of my misdeeds.
"Right. I... I remember the offer you gave me a while back."
"Goodie! Then let's travel back to report our work to Exe. We don't want people knowing we were behind this, and you still want to keep up good appearances for her. After all, it would break her heart to see you like this~"
As Yukari prepared a boundary to lead us back to the Blood Institute headquarters, I grit my teeth in restrained anger. This demon knew how to mess with me and receive no consequences for it. The truth... in her bitter and taunting words was there, however. Tessa would feel betrayed once she figured out what I had become a part of... killing people for what might as well be a multiversal mafia... and the more I think about it, the more I felt like I should've left myself to die...
For now, I live a life that continues to stain me with misdeeds, all the while I surround myself in a web of lies... to keep Tessa unaware of it and happy for all I know.