It had begun to rain. Drop after frozen drop pelted the Assassin's back, soaking through to his skin, but right now, he could care less. What mattered now was that he was hidden properly. They had little chance of finding him here, masked by rock faces. It kept him well concealed, from comrades and enemies alike.

But he knew he couldn't stay long. What made his abilities to vanish so impressive was not solely the ability to blend into the shade, but also being able to move from place to place without being seen or heard. Complete and total dexterity.

Not unlike Sothe's chosen profession.

Volke's mouth thinned at the thought of his old lover. He didn't want to think about Sothe. It was bad enough when dreams, vivid and unbidden, haunted his subconscious mind. It pained him to remember what he once had - what he had now lost. He didn't need to remember in his waking hours as well.

He strived for that self control years of training and living on the road had given him. He craved it. He needed it desperately. But it was nowhere to be found. It wasn't a tangible object he could grasp and manipulate to do his bidding.

This frustrated him. It made him - Goddess forbid he admit it - irritable, irrational. As such, it also meant he was prone to making mistakes. And Volke Forukaza was a man who couldn't afford even the slightest slip-up, for one error in judgement or in act may spell defeat, or even death.

Volke continued to brood for several long moments, until voices sucked him out of his reverie.

"That wench..."

"There ain't no way we're goin' t' find him. Graspin' at stones-"

"Straws, you fool."

"Whatever!"

As he crept forward, Volke's feet met the hard ground without making even the slightest sound. He peered casually out into the rain - a translucent, hazy wall, which hindered visibility. His gauntleted hand drifted towards his dagger as the men, who numbered six, predictably turned toward the cave in which the assassin lurked. It appeared they were one of her special units, put together just to capture him.

"The job be damned. I'm cold, wet, and hungry. We'll camp there for the night." Though the leader of the search party could not see Volke, his finger aligned with the hidden man's face perfectly.

Volke stepped out of the way, near the mouth of the cave, as the would-be hunters approached. Silently, he drew his knife.

It was time to send the woman a message.

The skies were overcast. Thunder roared distantly, threatening a storm. The sky's many shades of grey cast a similarly color-less blanket over the town and those who walked its streets.

Regardless, it was still lively. As the hour grew long and the shadows darkened, townsfolk bustled from one market stand to another, eager to finish their shopping before the possible weather was upon them.

Sothe tread the streets, feeling a distance between himself and everyone else - a feeling that he didn't belong, as people followed him with their eyes, as if expecting him to suddenly lash out and attack.

"Is he with the other group? For the reward?"

"Has to be."

"All those knives..."

Sothe turned to locate the owners of the voices, but it was nigh impossible in the crowded town square. Something else did catch his eye, however. Every which way he looked, there was a similar stretch of parchment adorning a wall, a lamp post, or a sign. His curiosity piquing, Sothe started to one of the notices, many eyes following him.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

The assassin, Volke Forukaza, is wanted on charges of high treason and the murder an elected official of Begnion. When last seen, the traitor was wearing dark, worn leather garments, boots, a red scarf and mask. He has dark hair and scarlet eyes.

The reward is 500,000,000 gold alive. 250,000,000 if dead.

A mixture of excitement and frustration bubbled in Sothe's chest, welling up and leaving a burning sensation in his throat.

Volke was alive. But given this new information, he could be anywhere, possibly not even in Begnion anymore. Volke moved quickly and swiftly, and there was no telling what he was up to.

"Another contender, eh?"

Someone's hand landed roughly on Sothe's shoulder, jerking his lithe frame back. Sothe turned to face its owner, amber eyes cool as anything.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sothe said coldly.

"Ha ha...Don't give me that. You want the reward on that killer's head." It was then that Sothe realized his must have been the "other group" the crowd had been whispering about; they were all armed to the teeth.

"Out of my way. I don't have time for this," The thief muttered, attempting to push past the four troublemakers and their boss. They pushed him back into the wall roughly, and Sothe's temper flared. It was obvious they were looking to fight.

Okay, fine.

"If you're hell bent on fighting, we'll do it elsewhere," Sothe said cooly. "Don't want everyone here to see you lose."

"You-" The older man sputtered, eyes bulging and spittle making its way down his chin. "I'll show you that I, Ari, the mighty Eagle, am not to be fooled with!" He lunged forward, but Sothe easily sidestepped and watched with amusement as Ari threw his hands out to prevent butting heads with the wall.

"The eagle had its wings clipped, ne?" For once, Sothe was thoroughly enjoying this. He needed to let loose, let out some of his stress. This overzealous oaf would be a good way to do so. "Or have you always been this clumsy?"

At that, the other four made to step forward, before their leader shouted them down. "Out of my way! The little shit belongs to m-"

He was promptly cut off as Sothe's knee smashed directly into his face. Blood spurted from what remained of the man's nose as he keeled back, unable even to scream. He lay there, emitting muffled whimpers as he clutched his face. Sothe landed easily on his feet, casting a final glance back at Ari's lackeys, who took a step back from the youth's amber glare. Then, without a word, he turned and left the scene.

First, rest. Tomorrow, he had to get moving.

A/N. So...I kind of struggled to write this, fighting an art/writer's block. Hopefully it doesn't feel too forced. I had a tiny bit of inspiration, so I tried to take that inspiration and do something with it...I went with what I had. Enjoy!