It’s a quiet, cloudless night in a small fishing village in Japan within the Ine bay. The population is small, barely a hundred people at most; a shadow of its former self prior to the nuclear exchange of ‘62. Despite this, the people have been hard at work at restoring the village to what it was prior to the war with a dozen or so buildings having been repaired along the waterfront.

  One such had been converted into a pub, where fishermen could dock their boats right next to the building and offer some of their catch to the family who lived there. The owner was a former chef and despite the more limited ingredients, he was quite good, and it became a space for villagers, and those of the surrounding hamlets to sit back and enjoy. Tonight was a fairly quiet night with a few people, namely fishermen, eating some of their catch with some locally made sake. Sitting at the bar with a glass of lychee however was no fisherman, but a skilled assassin known as Shin.

  He was a young, pale man in his mid thirties with a slim athletic build, long black hair which he tied in a top knot. His facial features were sharp and clean shaven; with high cheekbones and a chiseled jawline. He wore hakama pants and a sleeveless gi, with leather wrappings all across his right arm for protection, and draped with a fur collar cloak which covered the pair of knives resting on his belt.

  He has stayed here for some time helping with the reconstruction of the village, but often keeps to himself. This is due to his cursed life that has forced him to a life of murder. Since the day he was born, Shin, for reasons unknown even to him, was born with half a soul. This led to him making a deal with a pair of demons known as Pek and Tek in his childhood, to help find the second half of his soul. But the demons deceived him. While it found the second half of his soul, the entity took the lives of his parents, stealing their souls for itself and feeding off of his id and desire to be whole.

  A loud voice carried across the room, coming from the door to the boat docks. “I am looking for a man named Shin.” A deep, male voice said.

  Some eyes glanced at the man crouching behind the door and then to Shin, who turned his attention to the individual outside; staring at him with cold calculation. The individual outside and Shin locked eyes. The man outside grunted, and then came inside.

  The low chatter and conversations of the inn fell silent as all eyes turned to the stranger who came inside. Shin’s cold, calculating eyes studied the stranger. He was huge, estimating him to be around eight feet tall as he had to crouch his bulky frame to enter the inn, and even then he had to tilt his head so he wouldn’t hit the ceiling. Definitely a Jotun, Shin thought, But what would one be doing all the way here? And what does he want with me?

  Shin had a feeling he knew what that answer was going to be, as the jotun walked towards him and then stopped right behind him. All of the eyes in the bar were now focused on him and this giant; much to Shin’s chagrin. The jotun now spoke to him; his voice deep.

  “Are you the one they call ‘Shin’?” he asked. Shin turned his head slightly and replied.

  “And what if I am?”

  “My name is Gigannt. I have heard of your skills, and I wish to extend a potential job offer to you. Would you care to step outside?” he asked.

  Shin stared at the giant man briefly before quickly downing his lychee juice, placed some yen on the table and walked out the door with Gigant. Shin had them walk for a distance until they were out of earshot from the tavern.

  “Alright, you have my attention. What do you want?” Shin asked bluntly.

  “Straight to the point I see,” Gigant said. “I need you to kill a siofra.”

  “...A siofra?” Shin asked. He raised a single eyebrow.

  “Yes, a siofra.” Gigant answered. “But I’m not asking you to kill just any siofra, I’m asking you to kill the most legendary siofra.” Shin’s face, which rarely would show emotion, now turned to shock.

  “No…” he said. “Are you seriously asking me to kill Ceon?”

  “And I will pay you handsomely for it!” The jotun exclaimed, and out of his bag came a hefty pouch of precious gems and jewels the size of Shin’s head. “I will even let you take her magical cloak alongside this if you do the job for me.” The assassin now looked at him in disgust.

  Who does he think he is? He thought to himself. Does this oaf truly think I would try to kill someone like Ceon? She is a legend. A hero amongst the siofra whose tales reach even here. And besides that, the task would be difficult. Very Difficult. No, no I won—

  “And here I thought you wouldn’t waste this golden opportunity.”

  Shin’s eyes began to tunnel as his peripheries started to be overtaken by moving, writhing spots. It was back. The demons Pek and Tek, which have been feeding off of his pain and haunting him for so long. They were back, and. Their voices continued to speak.

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  “Would you really waste the chance to complete your soul?” Pek whispered.

  What? Shin thought. His body began to sweat. The voice got louder.

  “That woman. One of the most powerful mortal souls in existence could easily complete you! YOU WOULD BE FREE!” Tek shouted

  The assassin’s breath began to quiver and his eyes widened and pupils constricted, his lips contorting as Shin felt a wave of emotions as the screaming voice left no room for silence. He could finally be free, but at what cost? He doesn’t want to kill her, but what choice does he have? He has to kill her. He is a monster. Now Tek began to scream inside his head.

  “COME ON! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! ACCEPT HIS OFFER!! COME ON!! DO IT! DO IT!! DO IT!!!”

  Shin took a deep breath and exhaled, composing himself. “I’ll do it.”

  The jotun Gigannt’s face drew a smile as he chuckled. “Excellent!” he boomed “I knew you would see this reasonable offer!”

  “Don’t flatter yourself.” Shin hissed, “I take no pleasure in this job.”

  “Yet you did anyway.” Gigant said with a smirk on his face.

  “Just tell me when we depart so I can make the arrangements. The journey to Ithir isn’t exactly a short one.” Gigant laughed and gave a light slap to Shin’s back. He glared at him but the jotun ignored him.

  “Oh,” he said. “We won’t need to travel all the way to Ithir. I believe she will be coming to us.” He gestured back to the tavern. “Come, let me show you.” Gigant said to Shin. They started walking back to the tavern, and for one reason or another, Shin couldn’t help but feel that whatever ploy this jotun was playing, it wasn’t good.

  The two of them would go back to where they had met, but instead of going back inside, they went down the stairs along the side of the building where they saw Gigant’s boat moored along the dock. It was the largest of the boats with a single triangular sail and a trimaran design with a tent set up in the middle.

  The jotun walked onto the boat and gestured to Shin to join him. Shin obliged and walked onto the boat.

  “So what exactly does this have to do with bringing Ceon to us?” Shin asked.

  “Come inside.” Gigant replied, propping open one of the tentflaps before walking in. Without a word Shin followed him inside; curious to see what plan the giant had in mind. What he saw left him in horror.

  When he walked into the tent, he saw a young siofra boy, Shin estimated around six or seven years old, tied with his arms behind his back to the mast of the ship. His mouth was gagged to prevent him from crying out, and though it was dark, Shin was able to make out the stain of tears on his white siofra skin. The two stared at each other, one in fear, and one in both horror and rage

  “What is this?” Shin asked, his voice low.

  “This,” Gigant began, “is one of Ceon’s kids. Managed to snatch this one while she was away, but since then she’s been hot on my–”

  Shin’s mind cut out Gigant’s blabbering as he started to be filled with rage. This is a child, he thought, You kidnapped her child. You truly are a disgusting oaf. I would not stand for this.

  “Yes. You could. But then what? You’ll still be left with half a soul if you break the deal now.” Pek said.

  “Get out of my head.”

  “Why? You know I’m right.” the demon snickered, “He’s bringing Ceon straight to you. Don’t you want to be free?”

  “Yes. Yes I do. But to work alongside someone like this, what does that make me?”

  “Heed not. It is but a minor sacrifice for your freedom.”

  For the first time in his life, Shin, the legendary assassin, was questioning a job. Gigant walked past him towards the boy who shuddered as he drew close and grabbed the club standing by the mast.

  “Come on, let’s go.” he said as he walked out and held the tent flap open. “We have to set up our ambush.”

  “Very well.” Shin said. “But first, I need to return home for some items that I will need for the kill. For now, have a drink at the bar. Ease the nerves.”

  “Ah, now I like what you’re thinking. Very well, but hurry back.”

  “Of course.” Shin said briefly. Then, suddenly melted into the ground into the shadows of the night, leaving Gigant on his own.

  “Creepy.” Gigant mumbled to himself, then walked up the steps into the tavern.

  Unbeknownst to Gigant however, Shin had decided to make a quick detour. In the darkness of the tent on Gigant’s ship he rose up, taking physical form once again. He stood over the little Siofra whose eyes were widened with fright as he saw the assassin unsheath one of his blades, and in one swift motion sliced down. The boy closed his eyes tight, expecting it to be the end. He heard a snap, but he felt no pain, in fact, he felt his arms drop to his side. He was free. He opened his eyes and looked at Shin in shock.

  “Can you swim?” Shin asked. The boy nodded. “Good. Swim out to the building next to this one. There’s a family who will take you in until your mother returns. Tell them I sent you. Understand?” The boy nodded his head again. Shin then disappeared back into the shadows.