"It's a cold November evening, and outside the city lights are reflecting off the fresh snow. I'm here with my brother, he's seven years old, I just turned eleven; I actually got this cool journal for my birthday. Recently mom and dad haven't been getting along very well. I've seen stuff like this on T.V. before, but I hope it's not the same. Everyone on T.V. separates and fights over the kids and a bunch of other stuff. It's never pretty. Maybe they're just mad because dad lost his job. Though after two weeks you think they'd be used to it...

Speaking of dad, he still isn't home. It's already 10:30 at night. Where is he? It's not like he has a job... At least little Damien does't seem to notice anything is off. I hope he has that happy smile on his face forever. If there's anything in this world I want to protect, it's his smile. Oh, mom's saying dad's back now. I want to go hear why he was out so late. I just need to know nothing's... wrong. Make sure we all stay a happy family, so Damien can keep his smile."

Xavier rested his journal on his nightstand. Damien and their mother were in the living room, the latter getting ready to have another arguement with her husband. No one knew this would be the last time. Xavier's father stormed into the living room, staring at his oldest son with a wild look, causing Xavier to feel his heart try to escape through his throat. That look... he knew that look. His father grabbed a steak knife from the kitchen and charged at the eleven-year-old, who was too surprised to move.

So instead his mother moved for him. She dashed in front of her first child, made the knife hit her heart instead. Damien screamed. It was the worst, most heart-wrenching sound Xavier ever heard. He looked up to tell Damien to run, but he already had. Now it was just Xavier, his drunken father, and his dead mother. His father collapsed next to his mother and began screaming at Xavier. Cursing him. Blaming him. Xavier's eyes were wide with fear. His father had killed his mother. His father was going to kill him. Then his father would find Damien and kill him.

Knowing he couldn't let this happen, Xavier acted on impulse. He was stronger than his father right now, because only one of them currently held the ability to think properly. Xavier wrenched the knife from his father's hand and thrust it into the heart of the man who'd raised him. Xavier let go of the knife, leaving it lodged in his father's chest.

Xavier began to cry silent tears. He hastily called the police. Told them his father had just killed his mother then committed suicide. The authorities told him to stay put. Like he could do such a thing. Xavier ran out of the house, out of the city, and out of all he'd ever known. In less than a week he was picked up by a man called Astavion. He became an assassin because he didn't know what else to do. Maybe he could kill bad people and somehow protect it.

Damien's smile.

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