Chapter 10

4th Assassin

The sheriff put his left hand behind his back and took a hold of his chain blade. He always carried it with him but he made sure know one knew about it, not even the mayor. He squinted his eyes and focused on hitting his target, the hunters' chest. His chain blade had a twelve inch curved blade that would never dull with the handle wrapped in leather. At the bottom of the handle hung an enchanted chain that carried a weighted ball with four blades attached to it. When in his hands if he threw the chain at his target it would lengthen until it hit its mark. Then he could pull his enemy closer to him to engage them with his bladed end of the weapon. He had mastered its use. There wasn't many like it and as far as he knew he was the only one who could wield it properly. This particular weapon only worked for the person it chose, no one ever knew why.

D could sense the sheriffs pulse quicken and knew right away he was up to something. He half closed his eyes and stood there waiting. The sheriff took a step forward and brought his chain blade from behind his back and letting his chain fly aimed at D. D quickly brought his sword up and parried the attack while bracing for the next one. The sheriff pulled his chain and sent it out again. D jumped up, his cloak billowing out around him slowing his decent parrying attack after attack.

Crystal stood on the forest floor absolutely amazed at the battle unfolding in front of her. D was moving so fast it was hard to keep up with him. There sheriff was moving fast too although he physically wasn't moving as quick as D but the chain he was controlling seemed to be keeping pace just fine. D told her to stay out of this fight and as much as she wanted to help she couldn't. But she couldn't help but to think why her mother hadn't done anything about this. She was beginning to think that this whole thing had been planned. A sickening thud followed by a low growl snapper her out of her thoughts. She looked up and saw the sheriff smiling triumphantly.

D looked down at his chest and growled again. Two of the blades on the weighted ball were buried deep in his chest. The sheriff smiled bigger when he took a hold of the chain with his other hand and began to pull. The chain tightened between the two men but D didn't move. The sheriff pulled on the chain again, his biceps bulging but the hunter still didn't budge.

(Is that he's got? What a wuss.) D's hand commented.

The sheriff was getting frustrated. Why isn't he moving he thought to himself as he gave the chain another furious tug. It was then that D stepped forward half a step.

Crystal furrowed her brow, she read about those weapons in her studies. Once the ball made contact it wouldn't let go and force the opponent to step forward to meet the person wielding it. There was some kind of mind numbing poison on the blades that prevented the victim from fighting against the wielder, but she was watching that very thing happening in front of her. She took a few steps forward towards D who was still looking down at his chest. She let out a startled yelp when D drew his sword up and pointed the tip to her neck. Seeing this the sheriff laughed. Then with another tug on his chain he spoke to Crystal.

"That is why dhampirs can't be trusted."

D looked up from his chest and right into her eyes. She was taken aback by how much sadness they held but also noticed the slight twinkle in them that reassured her heart. He grunted again when the sheriff pulled on his chain. It was a soft grunts that would have has passed her ears unnoticed if she hadn't been so focused on him. D turned his attention to the sheriff who was now feverishly pulling on the chain from the other end.

(D, this dick is really getting annoying. You would think he would get the hint. Do something about this please.)

Crystal heard what his hand just said and tried to suppress a chuckle.

"Damn you hunter why won't you move!" the sheriff yelled in desperation.

"I have never had anyone who wouldn't succumb to their fate at the end of this chain, you will come to me hunter."

Crystal looked at the sheriff then back to D. Did he just smile? She asked herself. D did crack a small smile. Her eyes were quick in catching it since it disappeared just as she saw it. He was slightly amused at how hard the sheriff was trying to get him to move. The mind numbing poison that resided in the blades had no affect on him. He decided he would let him have his way, for a moment at least.

D lowered his sword from Crystal's neck and dropped his head once more.

"Damn you hunter!" the sheriff yelled. He took another tug on the chain this time harder than rest and D took a step forward. Since the sheriff was leaning back into the pull he wasn't expecting the sudden movement and staggered back a few steps giving some slack in the chain. D took advantage of this and hurled a stake from his left hand right towards the sheriff. A thick sound of wood meeting flesh resonated through the woods as it made contact with the sheriffs stomach. He looked down at what just happened releasing the chain with his right hand but lowering his left hand to keep it tight. It happened so fast that Crystal didn't know what to do. She looked at D who was still standing there with bladed ball stuck in his chest and then to the sheriff. It was then she saw the stake protruding from the sheriffs' gut and knew that D had thrown it. It looked just like the one he hurled at her.

Sheriff Stone looked up at D as he fell to his knees. The wound wasn't fatal but it would slow him down. A smile came across his face when he saw D's chest and heard him grunt. When the sheriff when down the chain tightened and caught D off guard. D was still attached to the other end. Crystal went over to D, not raising his eyes to meet hers he put his sword in the black scabbard on his back.

"D, you ok?" Crystal asked. She could see the chain being held tight as it bobbed up and down slightly in the darkness. She looked at D's chest to see the damage. Blood was dripping from the blades imbedded in his chest, but couldn't see more than that. She reached up to touch it when his voice stayed her hand.

"Don't. See to the sheriff."

She bit her bottom lip and walked over to the sheriff. She knelt down beside him flipping her ponytail behind her shoulder so it would rest on her back again. She looked at his pained face and saw the sadistic look in his eyes. She looked at his stomach and saw the wider end of the stake was sticking out about 6 inches.

"Sheriff, would you like some help?" Crystal asked trying to sound as cold hearted as possible.

"The hunter and I aren't finished. Leave me alone." He replied in a pained voice.

She rocked back on her knees when she saw his eyes widen. She looked up and saw the reason. D was standing there holding the bladed ball that was in chest in his left hand. He stood looking like the grim reaper looking down on his dying human he was here to collect. It was then that the sheriff knew defeat.

"Are you finished?" D asked solemnly.

The sheriff reached up with his right hand and pulled out the stake dropping it to the ground next to him. He let out a raspy breath as he raised his head up to the hunter.

"D, you're good I will give you that. No one has ever done what you just did. No one." His voice was shaking.

"You are the 4th assassin, where is the 5th?"

"I am the 4th assassin D, you are correct. Did you know before or after we fought?"

"When you pulled out your chain blade." D replied quietly.

"That obvious huh? Well, as for the 5th assassin you will just have to wait and see. I can't divulge that information. I think you will like him though."

The sheriff smiled and gave a ragged breath before falling forward face first on the forest floor. He finally passed out from his injury. D dropped the ball and turned towards cave entrance where he stood waiting for Crystal. She leaned forward and put her hands over his back breathing deeply. D looked over his shoulder to watch the elemental witch do her work. She concentrated on his back and a soft yellow light emanated from her hands. It was her healing spell. Slowly the light faded and she stood up. She healed his wound; once he woke up he would be fine. Looking at the sheriff at her feet she couldn't believe he would be in cohorts with her mother. Crystal turned to face D who had his back to her but watching her from over his shoulder. Standing there bathed in moonlight he looked like a harbinger of death. His pale skin glowed as the moonlight danced across his flawless features. This was one of the only places in the forest that the moonlight could get through the dense forest canopy and it was focused solely on D.

"You coming?" D asked her quietly

"Y-yes, yes I'm coming." She couldn't help but to stutter.

I can't believe I am going to be traveling with him. She knew she would be safe with him even after what she did to him.

D walked into the cave to retrieve his horse and some supplies for Crystal. She watched as he was swallowed by the darkness of her cave and then turned her gaze to the moon. In a few days I am going to return from the dead. The town is going to be in for a shock. Crystal stood there basking in the moons rays and waited for D to return.