Author's Note: This chapter is much shorter than usual. Sorry about that. I used a cheap cliff-hanger because I'm drained of energy and didn't want to try and write the next leg, although it should be fairly interesting and actually probably works better as a stand alone chapter than what I was going to write. Sorry about the short length regardless though.

CHAPTER 10

ASSASSINATION

Three years had passed since Olose officially became Arcadia's bodyguard, and they had gone by mostly without interest. Olose and Arcadia had managed to repress all of their feelings for each other over the three years, Olose getting peeps at Arcadia's society and learning exactly why they could never be together, even when he felt ready to admit his real feelings.

There had been one night, when travelling, that a storm had set in. Olose had led Arcadia to a cave where they could stay until the storm passed. Arcadia was freezing in the cold so Olose took her in his arms to keep her warm. It was that night they had shared their one and only kiss.

Olose shook his head. That had been months ago and he shouldn't be thinking of it. He was lounged on a bed in Tavnazia, in a small house Arcadia's family had had constructed for him. He had just returned having spent the last three days in the wilderness for the cycle of the moon. It was always pleasant to be able to spend the night after lounging in bed, not worrying about the transformation and the resulting rampage. He took a heavy breath, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

His eyes shot open. There was another scent in the room. A foreign one. He grabbed his sword from under his bed just as a blur swung down in an attack. He blocked it instinctively before another swing came in. He blocked that too.

"You're really good." He told his attacker, a black cloaked mithra assassin, her entire body covered in black fabric, her face behind a mask. She swung in again with incredible speed, knocking Olose's sword aside and impaling him. "Really good." Olose confirmed. She pulled out the sword and grunted, seeing Olose standing unharmed. She threw down the sword and quickly drew a stake, hurling it into his heart. Olose looked down. "Nope. Not a vampire. Try again." He laughed, pulling out the stake and holding out his sword. She quickly yanked out a silver dagger. "That's better. I might have to try now." He smirked. She swung in with the dagger, and Olose blocked it, stepping in and throwing his elbow in her face. She back flipped onto his bed. "Did you know the last mithra I fought got her tail cut off?" Olose taunted. She scowled at him, diving. He swung his sword outwards, blocking the dagger and knocking it out of her hand. She drew a second from her belt. "Just how much do you have on that thing?" Olose asked, noticing her large black belt was full of equipment hanging from it. The mithra didn't answer, but back flipped, kicking Olose in the jaw. As soon as she landed she lunged, but Olose blocked the attack, sliding his sword down to her neck. She swung under it and came up behind him. He flung his sword behind his back, blocking her attack. "Keep this up and I may have to shut up and get serious!" Olose threatened. She swung her blade in again and Olose blocked it downwards, spinning behind her and plucking from her the black face mask that concealed her features. She spun back, viciously.

She had tight brown her pulled back in a pony tail and ears that twitched as they straightened, now free from the pressure of the mask. She sneered at Olose, her dark brown eyes probing him. She swung in slashing, and he blocked it. "Those would be some pretty eyes if they weren't hell bent on killing me." Olose taunted. She swung again. "Oh come on, now you're just being predictable." He laughed as he blocked her dagger and knocked it from her hand. She sprang up into the rafters above in one mighty jump. "Oh, that's new. Come down from there!" There was pause, and her tail swung down, coiling around his neck. "Hey!" Olose gagged. "I may be immortal, but I still prefer to breath!" He choked, lifting his sword up to her tail. "Don't make me cut off another mithra's tail!" She tightened the grip and in a reflex he dropped the sword. "This isn't funny now!" He cried, grabbing her tail and yanking her to the ground. She hit with a thump and a yelp. Olose still had a firm grip on her tail, and swung her around by it.

Olose's strength, aided by lycanthropy, and the rather light mithra, meant that he had complete control over her and swung her around like she was some kind of flail. He let her go and she sailed straight through his window with a crash. He peered out of the window and watched her flee, clearly deciding he was too difficult to take out. "Well, that was weird." Olose said to himself. It took a few moments before he leapt out of the window and ran from his tiny house to Arcadia's manor, which was on the same grounds as him anyway. All it took was a run across the extensive gardens and he soon arrived at the massive building. He sniffed the air, and picked out each individual scent. Nobody was there that shouldn't be.

He journeyed back into his home and collapsed on his bed, looking at the smashed window. He sighed, and fell back to sleep, knowing his keen senses would alert him if anything went wrong.

His eyes darted open before Arcadia got near him. He sat up quickly and she forced a smile.

"What is it with you and windows?" She asked, pointing to the smashed window with an incredulous look on her face. Olose grinned.

"Oh, that. Long story. Involves an assassin." He summed up, realising it wasn't at all a long story and that was all he had to say.

"It may have to wait." Arcadia advised. Olose was slightly surprised. She was normally desperate to hear of anything happening, especially something as major as a fight on her own estate. "I have some bad news." She explained. Olose's grin vanished instantly.

"What is it?" He asked, standing, clearly concerned. She turned to him and placed a smooth hand upon his cheek.

"Norg is dead." She stated. Olose was clearly taken back by this, and sat down.

"What happened?" He croaked.

"Murdered apparently by an escaped convict." Arcadia answered, trying to maintain her composure.

"Murdered by an escaped convict?" Olose pondered. "No. That can't be right. It can't just be coincidence that somebody tried to kill me the same night Norg was killed."

"What do you think is going on?" Arcadia asked nervously.

"I don't know. But I know what I need." Olose announced.

"And what is that?" Arcadia looked lost.

"A newspaper!" Olose answered, running and jumping out of the window, vanishing from the estate and heading towards town.

"I hate it when he does that." Grumbled Arcadia to herself.

Olose grabbed a copy of the Vana'diel Tribune from a news stand, only recently introduced as the ultimate source of information in Vana'diel, and began to flick through it. He sighed heavily as he read what he already expected. He placed the paper back, not needing to read the rest or even see it. The headline had been enough.

He sat down and hung his hands in his heads. He smelt Arcadia as she approached and looked up at her. She placed a hand on his back and slid down beside him.

"What is it?" She asked. "What is wrong?"

"Abaj Tuh has escaped prison." Olose bluntly stated. Arcadia visibly straightened.

"And he killed Norg?" She inquired.

"And sent an assassin after me." Olose replied blankly. "Clearly he feels some resentment for his defeat and imprisonment."

"What do you think will happen now?" Arcadia asked. Olose sighed.

"Norg is dead. I'm next." Olose stated. "I'd imagine he's coming for me. Or whatever assassin he got to kill Norg. He's not going to give up just because I defeated his first attempt."

"So what are you going to do?" Arcadia inquired.

"Confront him." Olose stated. "Kill him. All I can do." He got up and began to walk away.

"We could run away." Arcadia suggested. "Leave it. He is dangerous! He knows who you are. He will find a way to kill you."

"Not if I kill him first." Olose managed a slight smile. "In the meantime, make sure you stay safe." He stated, turning and walking away. Arcadia sat there, gob smacked and unable to think of anything to say.

Olose stood outside the city, waiting casually for his opponent. He picked up the scent, and within moments saw Abaj heading towards him. He rose an eyebrow.

"You've come in person, Abaj?" He asked.

"Of course." Abaj smiled. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it earlier, but I was killing your friend."

"You'll pay for that." Olose warned, drawing his sword.

"Do you even have a brain in that head of yours, boy?" Abaj snarled. "Even if you were to defeat me here today, I would return. I would come back to get you. Even if you beat me away at every chance, what of your precious Arcadia? I doubt she's as able as you."
"You dare harm her and I will not give you the pleasure of death!" Olose cried. Abaj chuckled.

"Your scent tells me your angry." He laughed. Olose's eyes went wide.
"My scent?" He looked on in disbelief. "No. You can't be!" He gasped.

"Oh yes, my boy. I am." He smiled. "The last of the werewolves. Or so I believed I was, until I met you."

"Nice way to greet the last of your race." Olose grumbled. "Trying to kill them."

"My boy, your survival was an oversight." Olose shot him a glance of confusion. "For you see, it was I who betrayed the secret location of our last tribe. It was I who allowed the elvaan soldiers to wipe us out."

"You what?" Olose cried in disbelief.

"How do you think I got to where I am?" Abaj asked with a grin. "The reward for the destruction of the werewolves was impressively high."

"I will kill you, Abaj. Mark my words." Olose growled.
"Try it." Laughed Abaj. "You know you're sword cannot harm me. I am like you."

"We'll see!" Olose lunged at Abaj, but as he did, Abaj let out a mighty roar and burst into a mighty werewolf form, his fur black and his eyes burning red with rage.

Abaj's monstrous form lunged at Olose, and the two dived into battle.