Chapter 23: CHOICES


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    Sora stepped into the dimly lit chamber, tying her silk kimono as steam chased from the bath behind her. The noble ambassador from the Emperor faction lounged on the bed, his lustful eyes following her every move. Fragrant incense smoke drifted lazily through the chamber, casting a dreamy mist that heightened the mood.


    A velvet pouch landed at her feet with a heavy clink.


    "Come closer, my flower," he beckoned.


    Her mind turned to the precarious pact between his faction and the Amazons—a breeding arrangement and nothing more. The northern lords sought their carnal delights in the south''s exotic realms... during encounters such as these, with courtesans masquerading as she did. Such weakness made them easy prey, and the Amazons had chosen this pompous official as their next target for abusing their daughters.


    It was a lucrative contract. She would''ve been more than happy to take it if the Ninja guild didn''t have other plans. His death would serve a far higher purpose in disrupting the Shogunate''s business.


    She approached with measured steps, each movement precise and calculated for seduction. Even her wet footprints steamed with the same purpose. Her face remained a porcelain mask as she crawled like a cat into the bed and straddled him. His hand gruffly wrenched at her thigh, then froze as it brushed against something other than her smooth skin.


    It was a hidden card belt beneath her robes.


    Eyes widening in recognition, he gasped, "You''re—"


    "Yes," Sora finished, her voice flat and cold. The Jingozi card materialized in her palm, its edges gleaming in the candlelight. With one fluid motion, she drew it across his throat. A crimson arc flashed through the air, but his skin remained unmarked.


    "My class specialization allows for clean kills," she explained as his body went rigid. "No evidence. No trace. Just like a peaceful sleep. Not that it matters to you."


    He slumped back against the pillows, eyes rolling back and glazing over as if claimed by a ghost. Sora rose from the bed, straightening her kimono. She left the coins where they lay, untouched. Her footsteps made no sound as she slipped from the room, leaving only the cooling body behind.


    ***


    Sora glided through the sanctuary''s entrance, acknowledging the night attendant with the barest tilt of her chin. The thick carpets muffled her steps as she moved past the main hall. A few patrons huddled around tables, their faces lit by golden lamplight as they shuffled their precious Jingozi cards for a midnight game. The clinking of glasses and hushed voices echoed through the otherwise silent building.


    Her tattoos tingled as she ascended the curved staircase, each step adjusted to avoid the slightest creak. The second-floor corridor stretched before her, lined with ornate doors. She found Jon Deerfoot''s room at the far end.


    Pressing her palm against the lacquered wood, Sora closed her eyes and extended her assassin-class senses. The air shifted with the elf''s steady breathing—the deep, even sleep rhythm. His Zii signature pulsed faintly, marking him as present and unaware.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The lock would be simple enough to pick. A quick search could reveal whatever game the Emperor''s lapdog was playing. But the guild''s denial of her kill request still rankled. She''d argued that Jon''s manipulation of Ember made him a threat, but they''d dismissed her concerns.


    "Just another greedy merchant," they''d said. "His kind always finds other uses."


    She begrudgingly agreed—for now.


    Sora''s fingers traced the door frame one last time before she pulled away. The guild was rarely wrong in these matters, even though she often disagreed. She retreated down the hallway, leaving Jon to his dreams.


    ***


    Sora sat cross-legged on the tatami mat, her back straight as Mai''s practiced hands worked through her pixie-cut hair with a silver brush. The strokes were gentle, almost reverent.


    "Such perfect skin," Mai whispered. "Not a scar or mark. How do you keep so beautiful with all that fighting?"


    Sora''s lips curled into a cold smile. She twisted around, catching Mei''s wrist mid-stroke. The purple-black bruise along Mei''s jawline stood out stark against her white makeup—fresh marks, probably from last night''s client.


    Sora reached into her robe and pulled out a Jingozi token, its black surface catching the lantern light.


    "Take it. I can give you enough to start fresh somewhere else. Away from all this."


    "I chose this life," Mai yanked her hand back, her eyes flashing. "The house treats us well. We have security, respect—"


    "Respect?" Sora''s voice cut like steel. "Is that what you call those bruises?"


    "You don''t understand. We''re not all built for violence like you."


    Sora pressed the token into Mai''s palm and closed her fingers around it.


    "Then at least learn to fight back. You don''t have to kill them. Just make them think twice before raising a hand."


    Mai shoved the token against Sora''s chest, letting it clatter to the floor. The metallic ring echoed through the chamber.


    "At least I own my choices," Mai spat. "You''re the real coward. When was the last time you stepped into a Jingozi tournament? An exhibition or even a match? Too afraid to face your demons?"


    Sora''s muscles tensed, her jaw clenching tight enough to crack teeth.


    "Playing dress-up assassin while hiding in a brothel." Mai''s words dripped with venom. "Why do you even stay here? I hear you pacing at night and see the dark circles under your eyes. The nightmares must be eating you alive."


    The room temperature seemed to drop. Sora''s tattoos felt like ice against her skin.


    "If you''re so miserable, why not just end it?" Mai''s lip curled. "One quick slice and—"


    The crack of Sora''s hand across Mai''s face split the air. Mai stumbled back, catching herself against the wall. Sora reached into her robe and hurled a handful of black tokens at Mai''s feet, the Jingozi tokens bouncing and spinning across the tatami.


    "Enjoy your choices," Sora snarled, sliding the door open with enough force to rattle the frame. She stormed into the hallway, leaving Mai alone with her scattered fortune.


    ***


    Sora melted into the shadows of her chair, her Ninja suit rippling like black smoke. The ability came naturally now, as easy as breathing. Oblivious to being watched, Ember slumbered quietly, breathing peacefully, almost a meditation.


    Mai''s words clawed at Sora''s mind. Choices. Such a simple word for such a complex lie.


    "I am a hypocrite," she whispered to the darkness. The admission tasted bitter. Here she was, planning Ember''s path while preaching about Mai''s freedom to choose. But her mind—her broken, fractured mind—gave her no real choices of her own.


    The memories surfaced like corpses in still water—waking up beside that nexus portal, the ground scorched black around her. She held no past, no identity, just the knowledge that she''d won their twisted tournament. They called her a hero, champion, and savior—empty words that rang hollow in her empty heart.


    The demons the Jingozi had planted festered inside her. Some nights, the rage threatened to tear her apart. She''d wake up screaming, clawing at shadows that weren''t there, fighting enemies she couldn''t remember.


    Sora''s gaze fixed on Ember''s sleeping form. The girl still had that innocence, that zeal of a new vessel untainted by the Jingozi''s corruption. Then, a decision crystallized in Sora''s mind, sharp and clear as a blade''s edge.


    Let Ember become what Sora couldn''t. Let her succeed where Sora had failed. And when the time came, she''d release Ember to wreak vengeance on the Jingozi with all the fury Sora had bottled up inside.


    "Sleep," Sora murmured, her form rippling deeper into shadow. "I''ll forge you into something they''ll regret creating."