A Friend

The next couple of seconds seemed to go in slow motion to Corvo. The hooded figure drew his sword and lunged with his right leg forward towards the guards. Or so they thought. The guard brought his own sword forward attempting to just have him run into his blade. Instead the hooded figure moved slightly to the right, grabbed the man's sword arm with his left hand, preventing him from doing anything. And stabbed him in the stomach.

As the guard fell backwards towards the ground the hooded man grabbed the guards sword with his left hand and began the attack. Two more guards rushed upon him bringing their swords together in between them, thrusting forward. One of them right handed the other left handed. He simply brought his own blades between the swords, moving them aside before they had a chance to touch him, and he moved between them.

He passed between them unscathed. His hands were crossed and the sword in each hand were on the opposite side of the body. The next instance the guards lifeless bodies fell to the ground and their heads rolled in opposite directions.

This took mere seconds. It took the remaining guards time to react to this. And when they finally did they had looks of horror on their faces. One lied down his weapon, brought his hands together, the ring on his left hand clearly showing the depiction of a red cross. The rest ran the opposite way. Not looking back for their friend.

"Cowards," The man said sheathing his blade and throwing the other guards sword aside, "You're all cowards you know that?" He said walking closer to the guard kneeling on the ground.

"Please don't take my life messere! One of the tenets of your creed is to not hurt an innocent is it not?" Tears beginning to well up in the mans eyes, " I just wanted to support my family. My wife and children are starving!"

The hooded figure looked the man up and down taking note of his round belly and lack of dry and shallow skin. "You look well fed to me. And what of the ring on your finger. You're a knights templar are you not?"

"Yes, but-"

"Save it. Use your last breath to make peace with god."

"No! Please!" The hooded figure placed his hand on the guards head. Palm towards himself.

"One,"

"Please!"

"Two,"

"I beg of you!"

"I'm done showing mercy to your kind!"

Bawling at this point the guard began to pray. "Heavenly father, forgive me for I have si-"

"Three." The man said as the sound of an explosion reverberated in the air. The man falling sideways and landing with a thud. The hole in his head leaving way for a spout of blood to spray from the wound.

"requiescant in pace." The man said closing the guards eyelids and grabbing a peg on his left forearm and pulling it towards himself. It made a clicking sound as it locked into place.

He turned slowly away from the body and towards Corvo.

Taking time to look at him more closely. He was wearing a black over coat with a hood over his head and a metal mask with a lenses on both sides and pieces of metal overlapping the eye sockets and where the mouth would be. He noted the sword in his hand, which minutes before had been a hilt. Also the crossbow on his side, the... Pistol? on a shoulder holster going across his body, the metal spheres on his belt, the strange cages with overlapping wires, and the necklace with a bone on the end of the chain.

Similar to the other man Corvo Observed him. Black robes with white stripes. A red cape with a gold stripe on the bottom with the picture of a shield in the middle draped over his right shoulder. Next he took note of his weapons. Retractable blades on his forearms, What he can only assume to be a gun on the left forearm, the very large belt at his waist, holding smaller knives that seemed to be meant for throwing. A sword and dagger multiple on his left side, and the glove on his right hand with metal covering the knuckles, fingers, and middle of the back of his hand.

"What is your name?" the hooded figure said stopping just ten feet in front of Corvo with his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Corvo Attano."

"Why did you run when you heard someone screaming of an assassin?" He asked.

"I'm an assassin by trade. I've killed lords, spymasters, other assassins, a witch, and even people I once called friends. I've been doing this for fifteen years. So out of instinct, I ran."

"Are you of the order?"

"What order? I kill for my empress and was on my way to my target when I was double crossed. They threw me in the water and I ended up here. Where am I? This can't be Dunwall..."

"You're in Venezia. Though, I don't know of Dunwal," He said walking forward, "We may want to talk somewhere more private. The street will be flooded with guards soon. Luckily, I know of a place. Come!"