Guardians of the Grail
Chapter 2 The Eyeless Assassins
Silently, the three dark figures darted through the long corridors of the Moon Castle. The creatures was each seven feet tall and had long gangly bodies that were hidden underneath long robes. Their black capes billowed behind them and they wore thick black veils over their faces. Turning down a hallway they stopped at the door of the Princess's nursery. Looking at one another silently the closest to the door reached out with its delicate fingers and stroked the keyhole gently. With a small click the doors opened up and the three creatures slipped inside. Looking around, they spotted the small crib and slowly crept forward while reaching under their capes and pulling out long curved knives. Raising their knives up to stab the young princess as she slept in her crib they were startled by a sudden scream from a wall.
"Oh no you don't!" yelled out Shadow-ka as he tackled the three mysterious beings. As they fell to the ground in a tangled mass, Shadow-ka leaped up into the air above the fallen creatures, flipped over in mid-air, and brought his knees down into the stomach of the first creature. The creature shot up and gasped for air as Shadow-ka drove his knees deeper and deeper in. Turning, he saw a second one running to get to the crib and follow through with its mission. Jumping forward he grasped the stunned assassin by a long arm and threw it headlong into his two accomplices. As the three creatures struggled to their feet, Shadow-ka leaped into the fray again, hands and feet blurring as he struck each of the three creatures repeatedly. Turning on their heels, the three attempted to run and escape but Shadow-ka grabbed the nearest by his cape and smashed his face into a wall stunning him. Reaching out his arms to his left and right, he called out, "Shadow...Kamas!"
In each hand a kama, a small scythe with a sharp blade and short wooden handle, appeared. Springing into the air, Shadow-ka took aim and yelled out, "Shadow Slashing!"
As he yelled the words his hands suddenly seemed to disappear as he slashed repeatedly at the backs of the two assassins simultaneously. Dropping to the ground between his foes, he turned back at the two beings that continued to stand there temporarily. After a moment the creatures fell onto their grounds and shriveled up before disappearing in wisps of smoke. Turning back he saw where the other one had fallen and walked over to it. Sensing it's impending attack, Shadow-ka feinted one more step and watched as the creature leaped for him. Sidestepping the attack easily, Shadow-ka brought his elbow down on the creatures lean back and then brought his knee up to it's face. Falling onto the floor, the creature gasped as Shadow-ka grabbed it by the front of its cape and growled into its face, "Who sent you?"
"I will never tell," gasped the creature struggling to get away from the angered warrior. Taking one of his kamas he held it to the monsters covered face and said, "Well would you rather have my blade ask you for me?"
"I will never tell," repeated the creature cringing at the site of the blade.
"Is that so?" asked Shadow-ka menacingly and then in a sudden motion reached out to slash the creatures forehead. The creature screeched as it pulled back and Shadow-ka chopped off the veil that hid the creature's face. As the veil dropped away Shadow-ka drew back in astonishment. The creatures face had no eyes or nose on its face and possessed only two small holes for ears and a small circular mouth that was ringed with small jagged teeth.
"What are you," whispered Shadow-ka as the creature scooted slowly away.
"I and my former accomplices are the Eyeless Assassins. Our bodies can sense vibrations in the air and thus allow us to sense where objects are."
"Why are you here?" snarled Shadow-ka grabbing both his kamas.
"I have been sent here to destroy that child. I'm getting paid a whole lot of money for this."
"Trying to kill an innocent baby girl on my watch you freak?" asked Shadow-ka as he brought his blades up, "Sorry, but not on my watch. Shadow Slashing!"
Instantly his hands vanished as the blades sliced through the air with deadly precision. The assassin tried to scream but was cut short by the hums of Shadow-ka's blades. After a few moments's he stopped and the assassin fell to the ground and vanished in a wisp of smoke. Breathing heavily, Shadow-ka turned around and stored his kamas. Walking over to the cradle, he stared down at the baby girl and said, "Boy, three months and already your making your Uncle Shadow-ka work his head off."
Turning back the wall he allowed himself to slowly shrink back into the shadows, until all that was left of him were the sounds of Princess Serena's shallow breathing.
Chapter 2 The Eyeless Assassins
Silently, the three dark figures darted through the long corridors of the Moon Castle. The creatures was each seven feet tall and had long gangly bodies that were hidden underneath long robes. Their black capes billowed behind them and they wore thick black veils over their faces. Turning down a hallway they stopped at the door of the Princess's nursery. Looking at one another silently the closest to the door reached out with its delicate fingers and stroked the keyhole gently. With a small click the doors opened up and the three creatures slipped inside. Looking around, they spotted the small crib and slowly crept forward while reaching under their capes and pulling out long curved knives. Raising their knives up to stab the young princess as she slept in her crib they were startled by a sudden scream from a wall.
"Oh no you don't!" yelled out Shadow-ka as he tackled the three mysterious beings. As they fell to the ground in a tangled mass, Shadow-ka leaped up into the air above the fallen creatures, flipped over in mid-air, and brought his knees down into the stomach of the first creature. The creature shot up and gasped for air as Shadow-ka drove his knees deeper and deeper in. Turning, he saw a second one running to get to the crib and follow through with its mission. Jumping forward he grasped the stunned assassin by a long arm and threw it headlong into his two accomplices. As the three creatures struggled to their feet, Shadow-ka leaped into the fray again, hands and feet blurring as he struck each of the three creatures repeatedly. Turning on their heels, the three attempted to run and escape but Shadow-ka grabbed the nearest by his cape and smashed his face into a wall stunning him. Reaching out his arms to his left and right, he called out, "Shadow...Kamas!"
In each hand a kama, a small scythe with a sharp blade and short wooden handle, appeared. Springing into the air, Shadow-ka took aim and yelled out, "Shadow Slashing!"
As he yelled the words his hands suddenly seemed to disappear as he slashed repeatedly at the backs of the two assassins simultaneously. Dropping to the ground between his foes, he turned back at the two beings that continued to stand there temporarily. After a moment the creatures fell onto their grounds and shriveled up before disappearing in wisps of smoke. Turning back he saw where the other one had fallen and walked over to it. Sensing it's impending attack, Shadow-ka feinted one more step and watched as the creature leaped for him. Sidestepping the attack easily, Shadow-ka brought his elbow down on the creatures lean back and then brought his knee up to it's face. Falling onto the floor, the creature gasped as Shadow-ka grabbed it by the front of its cape and growled into its face, "Who sent you?"
"I will never tell," gasped the creature struggling to get away from the angered warrior. Taking one of his kamas he held it to the monsters covered face and said, "Well would you rather have my blade ask you for me?"
"I will never tell," repeated the creature cringing at the site of the blade.
"Is that so?" asked Shadow-ka menacingly and then in a sudden motion reached out to slash the creatures forehead. The creature screeched as it pulled back and Shadow-ka chopped off the veil that hid the creature's face. As the veil dropped away Shadow-ka drew back in astonishment. The creatures face had no eyes or nose on its face and possessed only two small holes for ears and a small circular mouth that was ringed with small jagged teeth.
"What are you," whispered Shadow-ka as the creature scooted slowly away.
"I and my former accomplices are the Eyeless Assassins. Our bodies can sense vibrations in the air and thus allow us to sense where objects are."
"Why are you here?" snarled Shadow-ka grabbing both his kamas.
"I have been sent here to destroy that child. I'm getting paid a whole lot of money for this."
"Trying to kill an innocent baby girl on my watch you freak?" asked Shadow-ka as he brought his blades up, "Sorry, but not on my watch. Shadow Slashing!"
Instantly his hands vanished as the blades sliced through the air with deadly precision. The assassin tried to scream but was cut short by the hums of Shadow-ka's blades. After a few moments's he stopped and the assassin fell to the ground and vanished in a wisp of smoke. Breathing heavily, Shadow-ka turned around and stored his kamas. Walking over to the cradle, he stared down at the baby girl and said, "Boy, three months and already your making your Uncle Shadow-ka work his head off."
Turning back the wall he allowed himself to slowly shrink back into the shadows, until all that was left of him were the sounds of Princess Serena's shallow breathing.