The Dragon Assassin, a short story series
Chapter 3-
It has been nearly two months since Ibsin and Clemencia have left Damascus and were now heading for Acre, the war-torn city.
When they arrived, the streets were strewn with the dead and dying, the poor and destitute. People who saw the two came up running, asking for anything they could have, whether it be food or money.
They did not spend the night there, in fact they just kept riding through the city to the other side, and rode on to Achelanghala, the Draconian city, where they thought it would be best to be, being full of Draconians.
It was dark when they arrived, and Ibsin was on watch for anything that might happen. "Even though Achelanghala is a beautiful city, it too has its dangers, stay close and we may reach the Inn without any trouble." They rode on through the main gate, the gaurds paying no real attention to them. The horses hooves echohing on the tightly packed streets, the houses dimly lit by fires. Within an hour's span, they made it to the Inn, where they tied up their horses, and were just about to go inside, when a small group of bandits came out of the shadows, and held Clemencia by the throat with a knife. "You should give us your money Wrym, or your pretty girl here gets another air hole," said the bandit with the knife. Ibsin's eyes narrowed in hate, and he barred his teeth and let out a growl, low and threatening. Clemencia and the bandits could see Ibsin's eyes glowing bright orange from underneath his hood, and could see his razor sharp teeth glisten in the fire light. "You should let her go, and I might let you live," Ibsin said in a much more threatening voice. "Why would I want to do such a thing, when I could just take her with us, and have some fun?" The bandit said as he started walking away with Clemencia. Before the bandit even knew it, Ibsin had him to the ground, teeth out, eyes glowing like bright embers. The bandit just stared at Ibsin in pure fear, and didn't say anything as Ibsin roared at him, and then, before the bandit could utter a yell, Ibsin tore his throat out. The two other bandits were gone by the time Ibsin stood up, wiping the blood from his maw. He helped Clemencia up, who fell down after Ibsin had tackeld the bandit. "Wh-what was that Ibsin? I have never seen you do that before!" Ibsin let out a deep breath, the torch light reflecting off his red scaled face, "It's called the Rage. I am the only known Draconian with such a gift. I only use it when I need to, otherwise, you will never see it." "But, what does it do?"
"It shuts all other emotions down, and brings out the primeval ones, like survival, rage, and others. The only problem is, is when that happens, go on a killing spree, unless someone I care for is nearby. But sometimes, that isn't even enough. When something affects me enough, and the Rage takes full control, nothing can stop me from killing everyone around me, not even someone I care for." Clemencia's eyes widened at Ibsin's words, "Even with me there, when this 'Rage' takes full control, you wouldn't be able to stop, and kill me as well?" Ibsin didn't say anything, but kept walking into the city, with Clemencia at his back wondering if he silence was the truth.
After a while of walking, Ibsin stopped and handed Clemencia a purse of coins and said, "Here, there is enough coin here for you to get a room for the night, and enough for you to return to England safetly. This is where we part; I am needed here at my home city, along with yourself. My Assassins need me, just like your Londontown needs you." Clemencia held the purse in her paws, the weight of the gold equal to the lump in her throat. She looked up at Ibsin, tears in her eyes. Ibsin held her close, comforting her, saying how she would be alright. "That is not why I am crying. I am crying because I have been lying to you this whole entire time." Ibsin pushed her away saying, "What do you mean?" "Ibsin, I have not been entirely truthful with you, the reason as to why you ran into me with those guards is because I paid them to be there, to make it look like they were attacking me. I was…paid…to find you. My employers," Ibsin felt anger weld up inside him, but calmed himself before anything could happen. He turned to her, "What employers? Who are your employers?" Clemencia looked up at him, knowing the answer she would say would infuriate him. "The Templars were my employers, but they let me go due to consequences I wish not talk about. My latest employers are known as the TalMagi." Ibsin looked at her in pure shock, knowing exactly the measure of the situation. "What have they got to do with this?" "Everything, they are coming this way, and they are going to wipe out this city by force!" Ibsin was now pacing in fury, and without warning, he had a hold of Clemencia by the throat and had her up against a wall. "Why are they coming here? What business do they have to wipe out an entire city?" Clemencia tried to say something, but Ibsin's claw was to tight around her neck. She managed to utter one word, "You." At her saying that, he dropped her, Clemencia coughing and hacking on the ground. "Why me? What do they want with me?" "You don't get it, do you? The only reason they are coming here, is because you're here." "Then we have to leave," Ibsin said, graabing Clemencia by the hand, and pulling her along. "No, I'm not going with you Ibsin." Ibsin stopped and turned around, utter confusion on his face. "Why not?" "Because, my place right now is with my people…Ibsin, I have been holding out on you this whole time….the only reason why I have been with you this long is so I could send plans back to my people and tell them of your defences. Ibisn, as much I hate to say this…we're at war." Ibsin couldn't believe what he was hearing, and ran off into the night, leaving Clemencia and the city in the cold and in the forthcoming danger.
End of Issue 2, see what happens next!