m: Special thanks to the movie, "Hannibal".
fine and dandy: My thanks for your praise. :D As for the expletives, yes I know that I could get the story across without them but the story is meant to be generally off-putting so I'm afraid that they are going to stay. Thank you for your suggestion though. :)
Chapter Seven
Six months had passed since Ilivarra began training to be an assassin. Her first test was only two days away and she was quite busy preparing.
"HIT!" Malice shouted.
Ilivarra obediently aimed a blow at the combat dummy's torso. This was a standard drill, used to ensure that Ili's punches were flawless.
"HIT!" Malice screamed again, watching as Ilivarra slammed her fist into the dummy's stomach.
The exercise continued for precisely one hour and thirty minutes. Finally, Malice lowered her voice and said, "That is enough, Zar Baste. You have met my standards for today. Go to your afternoon classes."
Ilivarra nodded and left the room.
Awhile later Ilivarra stood in her classroom along with four other students. Qee'lak Pielch had been killed two months earlier. All of the students and teachers were certain that Renor Orbb had killed her, but they neglected to say anything about the matter.
Molthrae stood in the center of the room. She held a sickle in each of her hands, their blades appearing sharp and deadly. "We shall hold skirmishes to see how each of you has progressed in the use of the sickle. Zar Baste, you will fight Renor Orbb."
Ilivarra took the sickle and went into an action-ready stance. Renor did the same.
"Begin!" Molthrae cried.
Renor lunged at Ilivarra, the sound of blades meeting ringing clearly throughout the room as Ilivarra blocked. Ili pivoted on her left foot to avoid one of Renor's attacks and swung at Renor's head. Renor ducked before attempting to strike Ili's shins. Ilivarra jumped to dodge the strike before aiming an attack of her own at Renor's torso. Renor parried the blow and slashed at Ili's face. She managed to open up a cut near Ilivarra's left eyebrow, grinning as fresh blood dripped from the wound.
A memory flashed before Ilivarra's eyes.
"I'm disappointed, little cunt. You still haven't screamed yet." Korve declared.
The drow shot him a defiant glare. You will never have the pleasure of seeing me scream for you, she thought angrily.
The mercenary unclipped the sickle on his belt. He grinned at Ilivarra and held the weapon only centimeters away from her face. "Perhaps we should give you another talking-to with my good friend here." He began to slowly cut her face, smiling as she gritted her teeth in pain and determination not to cry out.
The half-drow continued until her face was little more than a mask of crimson blood. "How you feel now? Do you wanna scream? It's the perfect way for ya to express your agony, your sorrow, your terror, and your hate for me. Come on. Do it."
Ilivarra's violet eyes locked with Korve's jet black. "No, you asshole." she growled.
Korve scowled. "Alright." He brought up his right foot and kicked Ilivarra in the face. She turned her head to face him, the defiance never leaving her glare.
Korve smiled cruelly. "Your choice." He unclipped a second sickle. "Now bleed, bitch. Bleed…"
A snarl formed on Ilivarra's face. She glared at Renor, savage rage clear in her amethyst eyes. The drow let out a growl of hate before resuming her offense, her attacks far more brutal than before. Renor was taken aback by the ferocity of her opponent's blows, trying desperately to dodge the dangerous attacks.
Ilivarra finally swung her sickle with so much force that Renor's weapon was yanked out of her grip. Ili held her sickle to Renor's throat, grinning with the anticipation of a kill.
"That's enough." Molthrae commanded. "You have done well, Zar Baste. Renor Orbb, you must not be caught off guard next time. It will cost you your life."
XXXXX
Ilivarra stepped out of the classroom. She began her walk back to Malice's quarters only to be stopped by Renor Orbb. Ili arched an eyebrow at the younger drow and walked past her, continuing down the hallway.
Renor narrowed her eyes at Ili's retreating back. "You just got lucky, Baste. I should have won. And I still can."
Ili turned around. "Is that a challenge?"
"Maybe it is."
"Name the time and place."
"Tonight at midnight. The roof of the Beholder's Eye Inn. It's a svirf inn, we won't be bothered. Come alone."
Ilivarra smirked. "I'll be there. And I'll be alone. Which I'm sure is more than a weak and cowardly elg'caress such as you can say. Yes, Orbb, I know about the mercenaries you employed to help you take out Pielch. Did you really need assistance to dispose of such a bumbling fool such as her? You truly are pathetic." She shook her head. "It's a shame that I'll have to dirty my blades with the blood of one so unworthy as you."
"You'll pay for those words." Renor hissed.
"Empty words. If your combat skills tonight are anything like your threats, then slaughtering you will be simpler than convincing a retarded orc to eat his own shit. Which is what I imagine your words will taste like when I make you eat them tonight." Ili walked away, not giving Renor a chance to retort.
XXXXX
Ilivarra crept through the alleys of the city, heading towards the inn. Sneaking out of the academy was easy. Almost too easy…Oh well, I'll deal with that later. She reached the inn and began to scale the wall up to the roof.
Renor was waiting for her, a dark scythe clasped in her black hands. Ili wore a slight smile on her face and unsheathed her twin daggers. "Ready?"
Renor Orbb roared a battle cry and swung her scythe at Ilivarra. Ili dodged, aiming a kick at Renor in an attempt to knock her down. Renor jumped to avoid this and tried to ram the butt of her spear into Ili's ribs. The drow did a cartwheel to avoid the weapon and shouted a magic missile spell. Renor dodged the spell and ran towards Ili, intending to behead her.
Their battle continued for over an hour, neither of the drow females gaining an advantage. Ili blocked another attack, her eyes widening when she realized that her left side was exposed. Renor took advantage of this by abandoning her scythe and pulling a dagger out of her boot, plunging it into Ilivarra's chest.
Ilivarra sank to her knees, her breathing harsh and heavy. Renor smiled, knowing that Ili would not live for long. To her shock, Ilivarra smiled. Ili took advantage of Renor's astonishment and knocked her to the ground. She quickly pinned her arms behind her back, rendering Renor helpless.
"I don't understand." Renor whispered as Ilivarra began to bind her hands and legs. "How are you alive? No one can survive for long as you have if they've been stabbed in the heart! You're not even weakening!"
Ilivarra chuckled. "There's a logical reason for that. And it's perfectly natural, nothing to do with my magic."
"You should be dead! It's been ten minutes! Your corpse should be lying at my feet! Tell me how you're alive!" Renor screamed.
Ilivarra slipped a gag over her mouth. "That's my little secret." She took out another rope and fastened it around the drow's neck.
Ilivarra dragged the drow to the edge of the roof, forcing her to stand up. "Bowels in or bowels out?" she whispered.
Renor gave her a furious glare.
Ilivarra grinned. "You know what? I'll decide." She swiftly disemboweled Renor and pushed her off the roof. A scream was heard from below as Renor's corpse hung from the roof by the rope around her neck, her entrails spilling onto the ground below.
"Oh my gods!" a female voice screamed.
"Is she dead?" A male voice yelled.
"That's just…SICK!" A different female voice cried.
Ili put on a malicious grin before turning around with the intention of heading back to the academy.
XXXXX
"It seems that Renor Orbb has been disposed of." Malice idly noted the next day.
"Really? How did she die?" Ili asked.
"Disembowelment and a broken neck. Her corpse was hanging from a svirf inn."
Ilivarra shook her head. "She should have known better than to venture out on her own like that. Her death is proof of how strong the hate that the svirfs hold for the drow truly is."
Malice gave Ilivarra an amused look.
Ili arched an eyebrow at Malice before leaving the room.
Malice smiled viciously. "Well done, Zar Baste. Well done."
