I thought of just allowing myself to be struck down by VirtueVice. Then I heard my mother’s gasp…the same gasp as when I stabbed her. It rang in my head and reminded me I needed to live.

“Hold yourself together. You’ve spent years raising me. Are you really going to let all that go to waste?” I step back as the floor becomes like blades.

VirtueVice sucks in all the darkness. “If anyone found out. Death would be all that awaits you. Killing a classmate is forbidden.”

“Speaking from experience?” I ask, taking a step forward.

VirtueVice pulls in BladEagle’s body. “You found the body and came to inform me. Simple as that. I’ll inform the other teachers of this incident.”

“Did you know about the exam? You killed your parents too?” I feel a shiver as I say it.

Can they really be gone?

VirtueVice’s body tilts. “Is that…?” Tendrils come out from him and take mother’s angel plushy from my hand.

My body reacts on its own and slices the tendril.

“Don’t take her away from me!” I grab onto the doll in desperation and shield it with my body.

“Child of destiny! Lamby of Archai Prima!” VirtueVice’s body juts out like spikes.

I leap out of the way. “Are you trying to kill me?”

VirtueVice’s body trembles as he pulls himself back together. “Where did you get that doll?”

“My mother.”

I feel empty just thinking about her.

“Must discuss later. Can’t be late.” VirtueVice carves a portal. “The students who pass are to meet up. We can chat later.” He shoves me inside and seals the portal.

I arrive in a cushy white room. The floor is bouncy and the only color is the fresh blood dripping from some of the disturbed students. I move through the crowd, looking for BunBun.

Someone grabs onto my hand.

I turn to see StarBorne. Neither his masculine strength nor his feminine charms are on display. Our star pupil looks weak and hopeless.

“Weech, is my life worth it? Two students died in the first final exam and now…”

I hold onto StarBorne and send out loving energy. “You have to continue now. Otherwise it’s all pointless.”

StarBorne pulls away and takes the angel plushie out from my pocket. “Did you have a sister too?” The fallen star sobs.

“What about your parents?”

“I never knew my parents, remember? VirtueVice has been raising me since the beginning.” StarBorne grips my shoulders. “She didn’t fight…she didn’t do anything. I killed her. My little sister. This isn’t a school; it’s a testing facility.”

I hold StarBorne tightly. “We’ll make it through this. We’re assassins. Hey, have you seen BunBun?”

“I can…hardly see anything right now.” StarBorne sits down and curls up. “Please, leave me alone.”

I nod and look through the crowd. BunBun has her back to everyone and is pouring bottles of water over her hands.

I come behind her and gently hug her.

“Who’s there!” She flips around and holds out her dagger to me.

“It’s me Weech.”

BunBun chirps and drops her knife. “S-Sorry. Shaky hands. Everything is shaking.”

I look at the black bag at her feet.

Did she do it too? Did she kill her mother?

I grab onto her hands. “I’ll hold you till the shaking stops.”

BunBun pulls away and scratches her hand. “Dirty. Still red. Gotta clean. Clean hands like a pretty doll.”

“You’re not a doll. You’re my girlfriend.” I seize her in an embrace.

BunBun claws at me as she whines. “Stop. I’ve been naughty. Don’t deserve it.”

“You’re always deserving of love.” I kiss her cheek repeatedly.

“It was a lie, Weech. She…wasn’t my mom. I was kidnapped from my real parents.”

“That’s crazy. Who said that?”

BunBun digs her nails into me and sobs. “I don’t have a daddy. And now…Mommy is gone too.” She looks up at me.

Her once shimmering eyes look hollow and pale.

“What happened?”

“I made a drink, mixed the poison in. Something quick like a BunBun but deadly too. But I messed it up. I accidentally said it was poison. Momma got so upset.” BunBun holds her head.

I grab her arms and press them to her chest. “Your momma isn’t gone. She’s with you.” I place her hands on my chest. “My momma is with me too.”

BunBun sniffles. “I can’t hear her anymore. I can’t even touch her.”

I brush the hair out of her eyes. “When you’re ready to kill again. When you make your move. You’ll hear her again. She loves you.”

BunBun cries. “Even though I stabbed her eyes? Even though I mushed her brains?”

I shiver and sob. “She knew what was coming. If she could have responded after, she would have told you how proud she was.”

BunBun nods in tears. “Kill them beautifully. That’s what she said.” She hits her head with her knuckles. “But it wasn’t pretty. Blood everywhere. I tried to clean it, but it wouldn’t go away.”

“When the day is done, I’ll shower with you, okay? I’ll make sure to clean every spot.”

BunBun nods. “It’s all black but I feel a bit of light. It’s thanks to you.”

You’re the one who gives me light.

“Look at me, BunBun. I’m smiling despite everything. It’s a real smile. It’s for you.”

BunBun’s mouth quivers into a smile. Her hands go to my cheeks and feel my face. “You are.”

No. She’s…blind.

I silently sob but keep smiling.

BunBun pokes my cheeks. “You must be so happy. Thanks for cheering me up.”

How is she going to be an assassin without sight?

“I found StarBorne already.”

“Oh, is he doing okay?”

“Yeah. StarBorne is fine. I’m going to go look for the others.”

BunBun holds onto me. “If you leave, then everything will go black.” She sniffs me. “Her perfume. Mom must still be here! She’s alive! We gotta find her!”

I gulp and whimper silently. “BunBun, we can’t find her. She’s with you, remember?”

“Yeah. I can be a bit forgetful. Can I help you find the others?”

“Okay sure.” I walk with her and she nearly falls over.

“Stay steady, okay? You’ve got this.”

BunBun nods. “Hey Weech, are my feet pretty?”

“You always have them in those fluffy bunny slippers but they look so small and cute.”

BunBun nuzzles me. “Momma made them extra cute. It hurt and I’m a bit clumsy because of it but…wanna see?”

“Now isn’t really the time.”

“I tried to end it by drinking the poison. I felt so bad. But then I couldn’t see and I didn’t know where my weapon was.”

She blinded herself?

BunBun sucks on her thumb. “Teacher found it for me and he helped me get back on my little feet. But I…don’t know how long I can keep going. I want you to see them.” She grabs my hand.

“Then you can show me after we both graduate for real. Just six years to go, right?”

BunBun nods. “Umm…I’ll try.”

I guide her through the crowd and go to the back corner to see Goopy.

He appears nervous but not disturbed like the others. “What do the star students want with me?”

“We want to make sure you’re okay?”

Goopy stands up. “Of course I’m okay! We’re assassins! It was a job just like any other. This shaking…is adrenaline! It’s excitement from the kill. I’m not afraid!” He yells before turning away and trembling.

Lies!

I step back and grab my head.

That voice won’t go away. What is it?

VirtueVice swirls into the room. “Congratulations to all who passed!”

Wait. This can’t be everyone. I didn’t see CamOctopus or WarWolf.

“Where are the others?” I yell but my question is drowned out by the flood of yelling coming from the students.

“Talking over me…” VirtueVice’s tendrils sharpen and point at the crowd “will be treated as failing.”

I raise my hand.

VirtueVice chuckles and points to me. “Speak.”

“We’re missing three classmates. BladEagle, CamOctopus and WarWolf. Shouldn’t we wait for them before the ceremony?”

I know BladEagle is gone, but WarWolf has to be okay! She’s way too strong to fail!

VirtueVice looks out at us with the eyes on his tendrils. “There are some students that passed but are in need of immediate medical attention. Those students have been brought to the infirmary.”

The floor moves before my eyes and CamOctopus stands up from it. “Heya. Sorry for worrying you guys.”

Goopy turns away. “I wasn’t worried.”

As VirtueVice talks about the importance of courage, sacrifice and other things, I walk off with CamOctopus.

“Did you kill them?” My throat goes dry.

She lowers her head. “Both my dads are dead. It was so quick I barely noticed it. But you look pretty bad. This whole thing is crazy, isn’t it?”

It’s madness.

I shake my head. “It’s for our sake. They…gave us everything. That means we have to give our all too!”

Teacher pops up behind me. “Do you want to see her?” He asks in a whisper.

“Yeah. I need to make sure she’s okay.”

Teacher slowly carves a portal when nobody is looking.

I slide right in, bringing BunBun with me.

BunBun wanders around the infirmary. “Where are we?”

I spot WarWolf on the operation table. Tempera is above her, pouring her energy into her patient.

Her legs…are missing.

“What happened?” I ask, holding BunBun close to me.

“Is something wrong?” asks BunBun.

Teacher puts a tendril on our shoulders. “Her mother attacked while she was sleeping, cleaved a leg off in a single slice with WarWolf’s favorite kitchen knife. When she was screaming from the pain, her mother cut the other leg.”

“Does that mean she failed?” I ask, swallowing my fear.

“Not yet!” Teacher ruffles my hair. “Our feral fighter bit her mother’s hand and then clawed open her chest. All that time spent creating potions and poisons ended up doing nothing to help. It was her madness that saved her.”

Yeah. My madness…it helped me pass too. But if we pass sacrificing ourselves, then…what is the point? I want to be an assassin, not a mad killing machine.

“She was weak!” WarWolf yells. “My mother could have cut my head off, but she was afraid to kill me. I showed no hesitation. Father prepared me for any scenario.”

Teacher carves a portal. “Well then, are you ready to finish your exam?”

“What are you talking about? I cut her head off. I’m done.”

“Your father still lives.”

WarWolf’s eyes lose their strength. “Both have to…”

I step in front of teacher. “She’s done enough! And she’s in no condition to fight!”

“Shut up!” WarWolf growls at me. “I’m not weak. I’ll do it! I’ll prove myself right now!” She crawls off the bed and stops her fall with her hands. “Bring me to him.”

Teacher carves a portal. “Weech, you should stay here with BunBun.”

“No. Tempera can stay with her. WarWolf needs me.”

“I don’t need anyone!”

Teacher carves open a portal. “I wish there was another way.”

“Wishes are for those who can’t accept things. I’d rather kill my parents than dishonor them with hesitation.” WarWolf crawls into the portal.

SparkuPine nearly cries upon seeing her. “What have they done to you?”

“Shut up. I’m here to end you. Nothing more.”

I step in between them. “Wait! He knows who tried to kill StarBorne.”

Teacher shrugs. “No, he doesn’t. If he had, then he would have told us years ago.”

SparkuPine smiles at WarWolf. “I’ll tell you who it is. With that information, you’ll be in a place of great power, but also danger.”

WarWolf scowls through her teary eyes. “How can I trust a traitor?”

“Being a rebel is my life, not yours. You can do with the information what you want. Trust that I’m telling you as a father.”

WarWolf nods and leans in.

He whispers to her and then bites his tongue.

“What are you playing at?” asks Teacher, putting bladed tendrils to SparkuPine’s throat.

“He’s trying to make me fail the test. No. He knows better.” WarWolf exhales. “He’s getting rid of my hesitation. He’ll die even if I do nothing.” She glares at him with watery eyes. “How dare you give me a handicap.” She grabs a knife but then drops it mid motion.

His eyes go wide as her claws pierce his throat. She keeps clawing until his head is severed from his neck.

My arms are around her before I can even register what’s going on.

“Let go of me!” WarWolf claws at me, slicing my arms but I just hold on tighter.

“Cry now so you can let it go and move on.”

WarWolf growls through her tears. “What about you? You’re holding back too. I’ll do it…if you do it.”

“Okay.” I hug her as tight as life itself.

We sob in each other’s arms.

When the tears finally stop flowing, WarWolf smiles at me.

That smile is the most beautiful thing in the world.

“We did it Weech, we graduated. The Assailants are going to climb all the way to the top. All of us!”

BladEagle’s dead and I can’t even tell her. He doesn’t deserve her…but I don’t either.