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He shuffles out the door, closing it tightly behind him.
“And don’t forget to lock this,” he says cryptically.
I look at the bag of pastries on the counter.
“Thanks for nothing,” I say.
21
ELIA
I’m rolling the dough on a messy counter in front of me, measuring out even cuts for pastries before grabbing the bread knife. Holding it in one hand, I grab a sharpener with the other and begin grinding it along the blade.
The sensation of it sends my mind down a spiral of violent thoughts. The wretched face of Zephon pops into my head. I envision just exactly how I’ll kill the bastard once I get my hands on him.
A smile etches its way across my face as I imagine his screams through a sewn mouth. His writhing expression of pain would no doubt fulfill me and bring me pleasure.
“I won’t just put a hole through your wings, I’ll carve them off slowly,” I growl, completely forgetting where I am. “The only hole I’ll make is the one from the knife when it plunges into your fucking heart.”
Unconsciously, I slam the knife down into the dough on the counter. The loud impact snaps me back to reality. The force of the impact rocks the counter and the shelf above it, causing a jar of red sauce to fall from above.
It breaks as it collides with the counter, spraying red sauce all over me and the walls. Somehow, I’m not startled. Instead, I’m only excited as I anticipate the scene looking very similar when I take care of Zephon once and for all.
It’s a long day at the bakery. It seems as though my exhilaration at the thought of finally killing my enemy brings time to a standstill. Each hour slithers by like a xaphan without legs trying to get away from me.
Yet I remain level-headed and calm, knowing that each minute is a minute closer to getting vengeance for my mother and I.
The time finally comes for me to close up shop. Once everything is finished, I run out the door and make my way back to my home.
There, I open up my closet and pull out an outfit I have not donned in years. It is a dark red hooded robe, designed to conceal my weapons and allow for maximum maneuverability. The material is soft and leathery and sits well on my figure.
Dusting it off, I then place it on my bed before returning to the closet. I pull out a chest hidden beneath the floorboard. I lay it on top of my desk, opening it up to be greeted by old friends.
Inside of it are the weapons that I used back in my xaphan-hunting days. Each of them looks brand new, for I’ve always taken excellent care of my possessions. I delicately sharpen throwing knives as well as a small sword.
I check the thick string used for my grappling gun to make sure it’s still sturdy enough. It’ll come in handy for traversing long distances between rooftops. I prime darts with poison designed to send men into a killing frenzy.
Once everything is ready, I change into my gear and fasten all of my heart to my equipment belt. Looking in the mirror, I stare back at my old self who I had long thought would stay buried in the past. Closing my eyes, I see my mother’s face, her appearance fueling me with all I need to carry this mission to success.
“I’m going to find Zephon, but where do I start?” I ask myself. “Where could he be tonight?”
I recall that night I saw him pass by the bar.No way he’d stroll right into a bar filled with demons… But maybe he had other business to attend to in that area.
I climb out of my window, scaling the building until I reach the roof. There, I begin my journey to the nightlife district, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Doing this again brings me a feeling of liberation as I soar through the skies, the people below me completely unaware of my presence.
Reaching my destination, I perch myself on the edge of the building opposite the bar. I cast a wary eye on the streets below me, watching them like a predator eyeing who will be her next prey.
But these people are not who I’m here for. There are many of them roaming and stumbling through the streets, but my target will stand out amongst them, a lone xaphan amidst a bumbling mass of demons.
It’s not long before he appears just as I predicted. I’m half tempted to throw a knife his way or use a poison dart on him to send him into a crazed assault on those around him, but that would be far too merciful a fate to bestow on an evil bastard like him.
He glances around him as if suspecting an attack from any single one of the demons walking past him. Not once, however, does he think of looking up here. Even if he did, he would not see me, for my dark red robes help me blend in with the skies.
He walks for a short while, eventually stopping a few buildings down from the bar. The distance between this rooftop and the one I need to get to is too far for a jump, so I pull out my grappling gun.
Poking out of the barrel is a hook that latches onto any surface. It is attached to a thick string that is strong enough to withstand my body weight. Taking aim, I shoot it at the rooftop of the building he has stopped at.
It lands precisely. I jump and grab the string, sliding across the sky above the busy street. Now I’m above Zephon, watching as he disappears into a small alley just beside me.
