“The church should be open by now,” Kobi said, the three are still standing in front of the closed gate of the church.

“Yeah something is wrong…” Clinton replied.

“Why the hell are you even wearing that?!” Kobi glares at Javier’s full body armor and spear, “You embarrass us bro…”

“Shhh… never insult a warrior’s attire!” Javier pouted.

“I am going in,” Clinton pushed open the gate, “What the hell!” He screamed,

“What’s that?” Kobi jogged after Clinton, the moment he stepped foot into the church, his jaws dropped in shock, “Impossible!”

“What’s going on there?” Javier walked into the church; first the spear in his hand slipped off his hand and fell to the ground. Then he took off his helmet revealing the look of horror on his face, the view in front of them is hundreds of bodies lying on the open field and blood spattered everywhere.

“Who would do this?” Kobi turned to Javier.

“Let’s see if there is anyone still alive,” Clinton started to check each body one after the other, Kobi and Javier joined him. They went through everybody there trying to find a living soul but didn’t, then they went into the church, searched every room, kitchen, toilet, bathroom and all they found was dead people.

“This spells trouble for this village” Kobi said as they walked towards the chapel.

“What do you mean?” Javier replied, then he turned to Clinton, his face was clouded.

“The village will be blamed for this massacre, and then they will be blacklisted by the church’s HQ. To cut the whole story short, the church will send stronger people over here to wipe this village off the face of the earth.”

“Serious?!” Javier’s jaw dropped.

“Yes” Kobi nodded, “Everyone here right now is in grave danger.”

 Clinton pushed open the chapel’s gate, fear enveloped him, and goose bumps were all over him it felt like his heart was trying to escape through his mouth.

The only thing unusual in the chapel was the two severed head on the pulpit and a note in between the two of them that read;

‘To who it may concern, this was done by Zoruto the assassin. So don’t go blaming anyone else, and if what I did didn’t sit well with you, you deserve to die too.'

Signed. Zoruto

“He was still alive?” Clinton said as tears dropped from his eyes.

“My first guild member is alive!!!” Javier jumped into the air in joy.

Kobi kept looking at the two severed heads on the pulpit, “This Zoruto guy sure is ruthless, how did he do this alone? ” he squats in front of the heads and touches them, “No one will believe one person did this.”

“That’s true, even I find it hard to believe.” Clinton said as he dropped the n

“Does anyone have a pen with them?” Javier asked.

“Yeah, why?” Kobi replied as he took out a pen from his pockets.

  Javier grabbed the pen from Kobi, and picked up the note from the ground then scribbled the words, ‘and Javier the magician’ in the bottom right after Zoruto’s name.

“Are you crazy?!” Tobi snatched the note from Javier, “Why will you put your name there when you had no hand in this?”

“You are putting a target on your back for no reason,” Clinton added.

Javier giggled, “Hehehe, it is more believable if it’s two culprits, a ninja and a magician. Has a ring to it.”

 “You will be blacklisted and hunted by the church until they kill you,” Kobi said in a concerned tone.

“Let them come.”

   They three vacated the Church, closed the gate and walked back to the restaurant. “Dad are the gone?!” The eight year old boy from earlier asked ecstatically the moment he saw us enter the restaurant.

“What are you talking about?” Clinton replied while patting the boy on the head.

“Those church people will never disturb us again right?” The boy replied with a huge smile on his face.

“Yes… but how did you know that”

Flashback:

  Zoruto is walking alone down an alley in the town in the evening, “Come out, I know I you have been following me.” He then pulled out his Katana, “A family member of someone I killed? Or an assassin sent to kill me?”

The eight year old boy walked out from behind a wall, “I… I ah… am, suh… suh… sorry ph, for fow fowling you sir.” He said nervously.

Zoruto sheaths his Katana, “What do you want?”

“I heard you make bad people go away sir.”

Zoruto rubs his fingers on his jaw as he looked at the sky as if he’s thinking, “That’s a good way to phrase it…” He turned to the boy, “Yeah, so what do you want kid?”

“I want you to make some bad people go away,” The kid walked closer to Zoruto, then he dipped his hand in his pocket and took out fifty cents and then presents it to Zoruto, “Please sir, this is all I can offer.” Tears rolled down his cheeks, “Please sir, they are bad people I promise.”

Zoruto went down on one knee, “I will make them go away,” he ruffles the kid’s hair, “You can keep your money, it is worth more than those people okay?”

“Okay.”

“And never tell anyone about this conversation.”

“Okay”

Present:

“Yeah but how did you know that?”

“I prayed about it dad, I prayed about it” The kid replied with a smile, and then he ran off.

“So what’s next for you two?” Clinton asked.

“I will be going to find Zoruto, he’s my first Guild member” Javier replied.

“And I will remain here, my dream is to join the church and there is a church here… even though everyone is dead.  The HQ will surely send some people over here to investigate, I will join through them.” Kobi replied.

“You can stay at my place until then,” Clinton said, then he turned to Javier, “Wait here,” Clinton walked into the kitchen, minutes later he returned with two big food flasks filled with food. “Thank you for everything,” Clinton smiled as he handed Javier the flasks, “If you see Zoruto, give him the other one, and tell him I said thank you.”

 “I will!” Javier replied with a huge smile, “Kobi, the next time we meet we will be enemies, I am looking forward to it.”

“We will,” Kobi wipes the tears off his eyes, Javier pulls him into a hug.

“Go on magician!”

“See you again alchemist!”

  Javier left the town that evening, he sang heartily as he walked along the path outside the village alone.

“You are finally here,” A voice from above the tree said to Javier, then the person speaking jumped down from the tree blocking Javier’s path.

“Zoruto?!” Javier exclaimed on seeing the face of the person.

“I thought about your offer, and I will accept it on one condition.” Zoruto said in a cold tone.

“What condition?”

“First tell me what you want to achieve with your guild?”

“I want to find the one piece with my guild.”

 Zoruto smiled, “Good, I will help you reach your goal in return, you will help me accomplish mine. And if you betray me after you reach your goal, I will kill you.”

“What goal are you trying to accomplish?”

“I want to eliminate my family.”

“Okay, I will help you with your goal.”