Javier carried the giant sandbag to the warehouse then dusted his hand.

Alongside him were a few other porters working for the sand mine near Scalize. Sand was one of Scalize's main products, it was what kept the place afloat in times of hardship like winter.

Merchants stopped trading around winter because of how cold it was in the North. When spring came, the trade route would return to its usual crowded state and the sand mine wouldn't pay that good anymore.

Javier, along with a few other commoners, used this chance to get as much as they could.

For Javier, it was no way near the money he had from being an assassin. But he did not need to worry about his life constantly.

He had also abandoned that life. Since he had a wife and a child.

Javier sat down alongside his fellow porters. He wiped off the thick layer of sweat forming on his forehead.

Someone came running from afar.

"Javier. Tess is calling for you. She said some acquaintance of yours came by to visit." The man said.

"Acquaintance? Alright. I'll be going now, boys."

Javier picked up his stuff and returned to Scalize. He and his family had a small farm at the outskirts of the town.

Winter wasn't kind and they weren't able to farm anything. But spring had come and they should be able to grow some crops and profits for the year.

When he arrived at his house, he saw two healthy horses in the front. A tall, muscular horse with mane of red and another white horse. Whoever came to see him wasn't just a simple commoner.

Javier wondered who it was. The only people of this stature that he knew were from his old life.

"I hope they're not here to ask for my 'help'. I have retired." Javier mumbled to himself.

He opened the front door and walked in. The wooden door creaked all the way.

Inside, Siderius stood in the dark corner. His swords lay upon the table that Javier's family used to eat.

Javier stopped and did not go too far from the entrance. He turned around and tried to find his family. They weren't there.

"Where is Tess and Joseph?" Javier said with a harsh voice.

"They went out with my servant. As of now, they should be perfectly fine." Siderius said.

"What do you mean 'as of now'?" Javier reached his hand toward his back and grabbed the small serrated dagger. The one that all Shadow Blade members had.

"If you cooperate with me, there will be no harm to them. Otherwise... You already know the deal." Siderius said.

"Who are you? Why do you want to cause trouble to me?" Javier said.

Siderius chuckled. Then he laughed for a long time before shaking his head.

The hunter pressed a button on his mask, removing it. He placed the iron mask on the table and leaned forward.

"We finally met, Javier." Light shone on Siderius' face, revealing his perfect complexion and white hair.

Javier's brow furrowed. His eyes darted around, trying to remember who Siderius was.

"You don't remember me?"

"Should I?"

"Let me remind you then. Mucktown. A dancer named River. The issuer was Thane Beaumort.

Ring a bell?"

Javier squinted his eyes even further. He plucked the knife out of his waistband and held it tightly.

"A little. Why?"

"Well. The place is called Rivertown now. I named it after her. Thane was killed. Then I had to spend quite a lot of effort to find you, Javier. I even came and visited your previous employer Anthony Pereira."

Javier's feet twitched. He was about to come rushing at Siderius. But the hunter's words stopped him.

"Mind you. I have your family. If you cooperate, they may live. If you don't, I may be merciful enough to let your family gather with you in the afterlife."

Javier took a deep breath. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"You don't, Javier. And I am not giving you a choice. Even with that tiny dagger behind your back, you will die.

I am the White Witch of Winterfell, Javier. Do you really think you have any chance?"

Siderius prolonged his last question.

Javier grinned. "Any man can be killed given enough force."

"Correct. But you do not have that force."

Javier rushed forward. For a human, he was incredibly fast. His agility must be seven or eight. His strength was also formidable. The knife screamed in the air as it was being swung at Siderius.

The tip of the knife smacked on the green barrier of Parare. Siderius' left hand was already up, holding the sigil in the air.

Javier's pupils dilated and his eyes widened. He jumped back a few steps to extend the distance.

Siderius deactivated the seal and stood up. He left Blazing Soul on the table and didn't even pick it up. The heavy armored body stepped forward slowly.

"Seeing that you do not cooperate. I will kill your family."

The knife fell on the floor creating a loud metal noise. "Please no! Leave my family alone. You can have my life."

Siderius stood in front of Javier. His body towered over him. He had grown much taller the last few months. This was because of the effect of mutations and development Tonics. He was almost 1.90 meters tall and continued to become bigger every day.

"Kneel." Siderius whispered.

Sweat poured out of Javier's back. His body trembled. He looked down on the floor and slowly kneeling down.

"I just want to say that it wasn't personal. I only did it because of the killing contract."

Siderius grabbed Javier's hair violently. "Do you think it matters now?"

The hunter pulled the hair up, hurting the assassin. He groaned in pain and was lifted off the ground. Compared to Siderius, he looked like a teenager in size.

"No..." Javier blurted out.

"I have sworn to let those who wronged me to be drenched in fire and pain. I am a man of my word. I will burn you and let you experience that pain. Slowly..."

"NO!" A feminine voice came from the door.

"Wait, stop!" Rea's voice echoed from afar.

Tess came rushing in and hugged Javier. Siderius let him go.

Rea came to the door, in front of her was a young boy half her size.

Siderius' brow furrowed and he looked over to Rea.

She shook her head in defeat. "The woman suddenly wanted to go back. I tried to stop her but..."

"It's probably her intuition."

Siderius looked down to the husband and wife at his feet.

"Please! Please my lord! Please Baron of Snowfell! I don't know what he did. But Javier is a changed man now. Please spare his life. I will do anything!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.