CHAPTER 5: Monster paid to Stay in its Den
The guards stiffened, sensing the shift. Jin wiped her tears, forcing herself to stand straighter. Joe clenched his fists, shame burning in his chest. They had failed once already, and now the second wave was here.
The assassins advanced, slower this time, wary of the carnage left behind. They stepped over the bodies of their comrades, past the wreckage of tanks and jets, past trees still burning from plasma fire. Their eyes flicked nervously to the cottage, to the boy who had dismantled an army without breaking stride.
One muttered, "This wasn't in the contract."
Another hissed back, "Too late to turn."
A third, voice trembling, whispered, "The one who sent us doesn't forgive failure."
Tor stretched his arms, bracelets gleaming. He looked almost amused.
"Guess class isn't over yet."
The night screamed again.
The battlefield burned, shadows twisting in the firelight. Smoke curled upward, thick and acrid, stinging the eyes of those who dared to watch. The ground was scorched black, embers glowing faintly like dying stars.
Tor walked forward, unhurried, his flip‑flops slapping softly against the ruined earth. He looked absurdly casual, yet the gleam of silver bracelets at his wrists and ankles made his movements seem regal, almost choreographed — as though the flames themselves bent to his rhythm.
"So," he asked, voice calm and steady, "who is your leader?"
The assassins laughed, their voices harsh against the crackle of burning wood. One sneered, "Tor was not only useless but also a pretty boy. Shame. I know women who'd pay a fortune to acquire you. But I'll earn more for killing you."
Tor tilted his head, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips. "Eh? Is that so?"
In the blink of an eye he was gone, reappearing directly before the speaker. His hand clamped down on the assassin's shoulder, freezing him in place.
"So you're the leader? You're last."
The man's bravado shattered. "Wh‑what did you do to me? Mandates are sealed in this space!" He strained, muscles trembling, but could not move.
Tor's smile widened, arrogance dripping from every word. "And whose space do you think this is?"
Light flickered in his eyes. He vanished again, appearing beside two unmanned fighter jets screaming overhead. His sword flashed, too fast to follow. In a heartbeat, both machines split apart, their wings sheared cleanly, crashing into the flames below. The explosions shook the ground, scattering embers like fireflies.
"This won't do," Tor said, his voice calm but edged with bloodlust. His bracelets gleamed as he spread his arms wide. "Why don't you all come at me at once? Save me the trouble of hunting you down one by one."
The assassins faltered. Some cursed under their breath, others tightened their grips on plasma rifles. But none stepped forward. The firelight painted their masks red, and for the first time, they looked less like soldiers and more like frightened men.
Plasma tanks locked onto him, blasts of energy streaking forward — only to vanish inches from his body, dissolving into nothingness.
"You'll never hit me like that," Tor mocked, mimicking the leader's tone. A vortex opened above the tanks, returning their own plasma fire upon them. Explosions ripped through the night, shaking the earth, as one tank after another erupted in flames.
Panic spread. Tor blurred again, appearing before a hidden sniper. His blade slid into the man's throat before he could react, blood spilling down his chest. Another assassin fell headless a heartbeat later, his body crumpling into the ash.
Tor glanced back at the immobilized leader, playful. "Can you guess who's next?"
A bullet screamed toward him. Tor deflected it effortlessly, sending it into the leader's knee. He vanished again, landing hard on another sniper's back, snapping his spine as the branch beneath them broke. Blood sprayed as Tor's sword pierced the man's chest.
He spun, holding his blade parallel to his body. Another bullet froze at its tip, suspended in time. "Puny bullets," he said with a smirk, eyes locking on the sniper who had fired.
The man's courage broke. He turned to flee, but Tor was already there, blocking his path. "You forget," Tor whispered, gripping his neck and dragging him down to eye level, "our mandate is space. Uncle said to always look someone in the eyes when speaking."
The assassin trembled, terror etched into his face. "It wasn't supposed… to be like… this."
Tor's expression softened for a moment, almost pitying. "Life rarely works the way you want." Then he snapped the man's neck.
Three assassins remained. Tor turned to them, smiling arrogantly. "So… can any of you offer up a name?"
They stared at him — a boy, yet regal and terrifying — and instinct screamed at them to run. They bolted toward their leader, desperate to escape. But Tor appeared at their convergence point, freezing the space around them.
"Monster!" one screamed. "What are you?"
Tor shrugged, mocking them. "Nothing special. I only froze the space so I don't waste time chasing you." His sword flashed, and three heads rolled to the ground. Blood mingled with fire, painting the night red.
He walked calmly to the immobilized leader. "Since you won't tell me who sent you, at least tell me if you have more toys for me to break."
The man's voice shook, regret dripping from every word. "The mission was meant to be easy. Your guards were powerless against our force. But who would have thought there was no trash here — only a monster kept in his den."
Tor yawned, covering his mouth with one hand, sword raised in the other. "Thanks for the compliment. Time for you to be on your way." His blade sliced cleanly, cutting the leader in two.
The guards bowed low before him, faces grim. Joe spoke with sincerity. "We are sorry, young lord. The cottage has been destroyed due to our incompetence. We will accept any punishment."
Tor's gaze swept over them, sarcastic and sharp. "Oh? What's with the sudden change in attitude?"
All bowed lower, except Jin, who kept her eyes on him.
"Well, whatever. It's not like they could ruin something Uncle Ter built so easily." He waved his hand, and the fire vanished. The trees stood charred, but the cottage remained untouched, shimmering faintly as if shielded by unseen power.
"As expected of the Great Elder," Joe murmured in awe.
Tor's smile turned mischievous. "As for punishment… regrow all the charred trees. Don't miss a single one."
"Yes, young lord," the guards replied in unison.