Trip to the Island
“This is my last wish, please let me die as a true warrior who fought with pride alongside his comrades.”
These were the last words that I spoke before the girl, whom my teammates and I were ordered to kidnap, delivered the fatal blow. She slowly lifted my sword and cleanly slit my throat open. Streams of blood started flowing vigorously. It was a sunny day and the wood where I laid seemed almost peaceful if it weren’t for the small scarlet pond that had my hair drenched little by little. A few moments later, the stream of blood started slowing down. But I wasn’t there anymore to observe this because I had already left this world.
So this is how I died at the hands of the very target who looked like a small and fragile young girl. Our target was the big sister of a rival of our organization who set out on a journey throughout the country to collect ancestral relics. Knowing how strong our rival was, we knew well that we had to be cunning in our approach to get the upper hand. Thus we resolved to go on an expedition on this remote island where his sister lived on her own. The initial plan was to kidnap her and then blackmail her brother into handing over his treasures to us. Little did we know that she mastered the same deadly art as her brother. She was so skillful that she easily disposed of us, professional contract killers.
Her name was Nanami. Nanami was looking at me the whole time while I was drowning in my own blood. I felt relieved - I knew somehow that she must have stayed with my comrades while they were in agony as well. There was no anger nor hostility in her expression as she was staring calmly in the eyes. As she stood there facing me, the sun was shining rays from behind her in way that it seemed like the rays emanated from her. Her face was showing a delicate smile, her arms wide open as if she wanted to hold me. In presence of this divine appearance, I said a prayer of gratitude for being there with until the end.
I don’t regret coming to this island. Our job is to kidnap or murder people, this line of work comes with its own risks. And as professionals, we embraced all of its aspects, the fruitful rewards and the friendship of the companions with whom you share so much. But being an assassin means also that we were ready to suffer injuries and the loss of friends who never came back from their missions. Nevertheless, we are proud of what we do. Every one of us wishes to lose his life during a mission while abiding by the rules of our art.
Now, I rest in peace alongside my friends in a place not far from where I died. Everyday, the sun peacefully shines upon our tombs in the afternoon. As for Nanami, she regularly comes to visit us with some flowers. She usually keeps us company and tells us what she had been up to lately. After a while, she promises she will come back to visit again soon and then goes back home.