Justin saw his apprentice in her pitiful state, he walked through the corridor leaving Skyler in the cell behind him

  “Was I wrong to jump the gun on hiring an unstable girl”

  He thought putting his hands in his pockets while sighing, he saw the cameras moving around scanning the cells and then pointing at him. Which made him feel uneasy but tried to keep it out of his mind

  Since he knew it was a precaution towards the prisoners movements. But it was still uncomfortable to have someone spying on your movements like he himself was in trouble.

  He got to a door which was circular, he looked to its side and there was a box which illuminated from its glass panel.

  He walked over to it and grabbed his badge from his belt and held it in his left dominant hand and brought it to the box.

  He then swiped over the illuminated glass. It binged loudly and steam poured out from the vents which were on each side of it. He panicked since he began believing that he hadn’t updated his protectors badge.

  But it was nothing but water coming out to help the door roll open. Seeing this he was relieved that he had in date badge

  “I just don’t know”

  He thought a lot about Skyler and what happened, like why did Skyler ignore his instructions like that. Also why did she strangle the hostage. It was very odd to him.

  He looked at his badge and remembered his father and mother which made him bite his lip in sadness and hoping that they were still around.

  He sighed and walked through the door and went to the lobby to wait for the warden. So he sat on a cushioned seat. Crossing his legs and looked to his right to see a pile of newspapers

  “I hope he’s not very busy”

  He muttered while picking up one of them. He looked at the headline that said burglary went south was it due to the protectors. He gripped the pages tightly annoyed by the headline.

  “Why reporters always hit us badly”

  He said softly and folded the paper and put it back on the table on the pile. He looked at the ceiling, hoping that the warden was going to show up soon

  He was getting restless after a few minutes of waiting, which was hard to keep thoughts back from his past from flooding back. Which made him feel saddened that he couldn’t escape his past

  He felt his eyes drooping, so he tried to keep awake but it was no use and he fell asleep on the chair.

  He saw his old house which was a mansion with a crest on the gate of it. He looked at the puddle next to the gate and saw that her was a child again

  “Not again”

  He thought and walked towards the front door and pushed them open with much struggle since they were dark oak and very heavy.

  He looked at the corridor in front of him, which made him feel a lot of emotions and the pressure of the wind. While he blinked he saw the flames engulfing the hallway then disappeared.

  He gulped and walked through the corridor looking at the portraits of his ancestors up to his father and mother. Which made him smile, he brushed his fingers on the frame, the smooth texture was a nice feeling for him. He continued to walk until he met with some more doors

  He placed his hands on the handles and gripped them tightly, he breathed shakily and looked forward in determination

  “Here we go”

  He muttered and pushed the doors open to a library with many leather bound books on dusty bookshelves, he heard footsteps coming closer. He knew who it was by the footsteps alone which made him giggle

  “Charlotte your here again sister”

  He said with a gentle smile as he saw her with her long blue locks and brown eyes with glasses over them. He saw Charlotte closing a book and putting it to the table on the side.

  Her sweet smile captured him, and she came closer and hugged him

  “Hey there baby brother how was training with father”

  She asked with interest about Justin’s day with their father, and how he was getting on with it. Her eyes locked eagerly onto his

  “It was alright I guess”

  Justin replied, looking away from her in disappointment.

  “Your only 12 so don’t beat yourself up if you couldn’t get 2 contracts”

  She said while patting his head and trying to comfort him from his self conscious thoughts.

  “I know, but our father is the best necromancer in history”

  He said clenching his fist, and grinding his teeth in anger at himself.

  “Just because he's the best necromancer now, he learned. But you don’t study the fundamentals of necromancy.”

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “I do study”

  He retorted to Charlotte’s statement but knew it half true. He did the bare minimum, because he knew that he didn’t grasp that he needed to build a relationship with the souls of the dead before he could make a contract.

  But he didn’t understand why they needed to do that because they were dead already. Justin looked at the book that was on the table

  “What are you reading?”

  He asked curious about it, he felt Charlotte letting go of him and picked up the book, and showed the front cover of it.

  The cover had golden stripes down the sides and a scythe in the middle with black ooze coming down from it onto the ground beneath.

  “Why doesn't it have a title?”

  He questioned.

  “Well because it has been worn down over the decades, the actual title was sliver scythe it’s a folk tale of a necromancer who was condemned to death by his very own contracts”

  Charlotte answered with a soothing voice like ones from audiobooks.

  “How can a soul kill its contractor?”

  Justin was intrigued by the folk tale, he reached out his hand for it but Charlotte shook her head.

  “No you’re too young to read this”

  Charlotte said with a sigh knowing that matter of time he will find a way to read it which was an annoyance for her since she’s the older one and she will be blamed

  “Come on please”

  Justin pleaded, but he just saw her shaking her head in a disproving fashion.

  “No”

  She said and Justin frowned since he was so intrigued with the story.

  “You need to revise Justin”

  She commented and Justin just sighed in agreement, he knew he needed to get better to be the next mansion keeper.

  “I know but it’s going to be a long time from now”

  He retorted because he was still young and his father, the commander of the protectors, was still operating.

  “Justin, that’s no excuse, that’s more of a reason to study”

  Charlotte chopped his head gently but it still hurt. He frowned

  “Hey!”

  He yelled loudly annoyed by Charlotte's antics. Then they both heard a cough behind them. They turned to see their mother crossing her arms

  “Charlotte and Justin, what are you doing here?”

  She asked, clearly confused about why they were both in the library. She locked eyes with both of them.

  “Well”

  She started to tap her foot impatiently, she knew that they both were allowed here but she just wanted to know why.

  “I was reading books mum. I don’t know why Justin came here, but I’m guessing he will do his studies”

  Charlotte said while eyeing Justin clearly saying that he needs to do it.

  “Yes mother, as Charlotte said I’m here to study”

  Justin said with hesitation because it wasn’t the real reason he was just wondering about the mansion after a sparring session with a butler.

  He looked at his mother and saw that she wasn’t buying his story but she just turned her back and started to walk out of the room

  “Both of you don’t forget we have a party tonight to celebrate your father’s 10th year as a commander”

  She looked back at them with a commanding glare

  “I’m expecting you two to be on your best behaviours”

  Both of them gulped and had a cold sweat drip from their head. They looked at each other hesitantly. Knowing they always end up arguing for something dumb, which is a daily occurrence which makes their parents strict on them more often than not.

  “Of course, mother”

  They both said bowing to her, which made her feel happy to know that they can listen to instructions sometimes. They saw their mother left her heels click while walking on the floorboards of the hallway.

  Justin really didn’t want to go to the party but he didn’t want to disappoint his mother neither did Charlotte.

  “I guess i need to get a suit on”

  Justin chuckled softly, and went through the doors of the library to the hallway. He waved to Charlotte and went on his way. Down the hall towards the large staircase, with wooden banisters which had emerald green silk running up it.

  “I could not”

  He thought and looked up the stairs when he was about to put his foot on the first step he heard birds chirp and he looked back at the open doors to the courtyard. His eyes locked on the fountain that was spraying water, and the birds swimming in it.

  he gulped, wanting to go and run in the maze that was behind the fountain since the sun was shining brightly. Which made it feel like a picture to him and he wanted to step into it.

  Since it was very appetizing to go, he looked back at the stairs knowing that he should go up and find a suit for the party. He groaned because he wanted to go outside.

  “Sorry mother, but it’s wasn’t meant to be”

  He whispered and turned to the courtyard and ran through the doors onto the gravelly path. He yelled loudly while running since it was a fun thing for him to do.

  He stopped at the fountain and felt the water particles hit his face, which was very cold and very refreshing for him since it was a hot day, he sighed in delight at the water.

  “This is nice”

  He said while sitting on the edge of the fountain looking out onto the field of flowers and the tomb next to the forest to the left. Then to the maze which the hedge was very tall, taller than him.

  “Lets do this thing”

  He was about to go inside the maze but then he heard a voice behind him and he saw his mother staring daggers at him

  “What are you doing, the party is in 2 hours”

  She said impatiently, tapping her finger on her arm, Justin sighed and walked towards the door again and stepped back in.

  “Good boy now go and get dressed”

  She pointed to the stairs and Justin walked solemnly towards them, each step closer made him have a daymare of conversing with strangers. Which made him want to hurl but he didn’t.

  “Come on justin its just for the evening”

  He whispered to himself to calm himself down from his thoughts. He lifted his foot above the step and when he placed it on the stair. He winced at the sound of the stair creaking since it was quite loud. Which wasn’t unusual for this type of house but still annoying for his ears to hear.

  “Why haven’t we fixed this yet”

  He said out loud and carried up the stairs, up to the landing he looked left and right and saw four different rooms, one was the study for his father which he always felt weird that his father had a study upstairs not downstairs like most people.

  “Now where's my room again”

  He sighed, since he never knew where his room was due to the amount. He went to a white door and opened the door. In the room he saw a kingsized bed and an on suit bathroom.

  “Oops wrong room”

  He whispered while quickly closing the door behind him, and went down the hall towards another door.

  “I hope it is the right room this time”

  He thought as he went into the room and he saw a suit and tie on the bed laid out ready to be worn. He went closer to it and grabbed it.

  “Snazzy”

  He chuckled and went to the mirror near the closet, he looked at himself while holding it near.

  “My fate has been sealed hasn’t it”

  He said and started to dress into the suit. Trying not to rip it by accident. Since suits are quite expensive. But he knew it wasn’t an issue but an inconvenience to his parents when the party started.

  He looked at himself dressed smartly. He didn’t mind that he was dressed up, he just didn’t like social gatherings.

  “Time to put on a show”

  He said whilst pulling on the blazer looking determined at his reflection.

  ***

  The time was about 7pm when most of the guests arrived, Justin was just doing the polite thing and did small talk with other children around his age.

  “So…”

  He said to a group of people, but they just looked at him and smiled. Justin knew that he wasn’t that good with people. His sister was a better talker

  “How’s life”

  The group giggled at Justin’s attempts to talk. Which made him feel more like he shouldn’t have come, he looked around to find a way out of this situation. He saw his father greeting his fellow colleagues.

  “Please father save me”

  He thought as he started to walk over to him, Justin waved at him to get his attention. And he seemed to get his attention.

  “Excuse me my son wants me”

  His father said to the people that he was talking to and walked to Justin annoyed that he was taken away from his conversation

  “What is it justin”

  Justin heard the tone of his fathers voice and knew that he was annoyed with hin. He sighed and looked down slightly

  “Dad, can i go i don’t like talking to other nobility”

  He said quietly to save his fathers image of being very communicative to everyone. His father hummed debating on what to say to him.

  “Justin, it's your decision to stay or go, you don’t need my permission unless you're going out of this mansion.”

  He knelt and placed his rough hand onto Justin's shoulder and gently squeezed it letting Justin know it's fine to go. Justin smiled with relief that he doesn’t need to stay any longer.

  “Thanks father”

  Justin said gently and he felt his father’s hand retract from his shoulder. He stepped to the side and his father went past him towards the podium where a microphone was on a stand.

  When people saw this they immediately stopped talking and looked at his father’s shaky expression

  “Thanks for coming to my anniversary celebration of 20 years as the commander.

  He took a sharp breath and gave a solemn expression, and looked at the surrounding people who came out

  “In the coming weeks I’m going to be retiring and I'm in the middle of choosing my replacement”

  Justin was shocked about the huge bombshell that his father said. He couldn’t believe that his father is retiring from his position

  “I know you're all shocked by this. But it's the right call for me, ever since I got elected to be commander in 95, it's been hell of a ride.

  His father chuckled and it was completely silent. It was unsettling for everyone, it's like they were waiting for someone to speak up.

  “Don’t worry I won't be going anytime soon. I have a month left.”

  After he said that someone clapped then another until slowly everyone clapped and cheered loudly shouting

  “Good luck and have a nice nap”

  A person cheekily said. Then suddenly the glass from the ceiling broke and a hooded person came down and stabbed his father’s neck and also his mothers neck then that person used a smoke to disappear as quickly. People there were so confused about what just happened they started to run and accidentally nudged a candlestick onto a curtain which burst into flame.

  Justin just stood there in shock, his eyes fixed on his dead parents' corpses, his tears evaporating due to the fire around him, but fortunately his sister grabbed him and ran out of the observatory.

  “Dad, Mum!”

  He shouted whilst twisting in his sister's arms.

  “Let me go Charlotte!”

  He looked at her determined and increased his movements which made her fall on the ground, burning her arm.

  Justin grunted after being rolled on the ground.