Gnisal stood at the entrance to the Hyrule Inn, well aware that he was being followed. At least two members of the Sheikah Service were tailing him, and doing an excellent job at that. Gnisal's eyes scanned the nearby alleyway, looking for a clean exit point. Pulling the dull brown cloak that he had scavenged from the junk pile closer, masking his already masked face, the Rogue Sheikah gambled and moved swiftly into the alleyway. All he needed was a shadow…
Kriska and Tal were hot on Zero's tail, silently questioning whether or not they had the skill to take down the Perfect Killer. Legend of Gnisal's unerring killings earned him the title, "Zero". Ever since he was a boy, a boy that Kriska had grown up with, Gnisal had been…gifted. Shadows seemed to move for him, and move him in turn. His demeanor was so detached that many Sheikah didn't even recognize him as one of their brothers. He was something foreign, a tool more than a person. Kriska put his doubts aside. He had to appear calm in front of Tal, who was on his first field assignment. The novice had yet to earn a Kill Stripe, a symbolic strip of leather the Sheikahs hung on their garments upon killing a target. Carefully rounding one last corner, the two policemen spied their target.
I'm being followed. There are two targets at the entrance to the alleyway. Judging by breathing variations, one is a veteran, used to the beat, and one is a novice, fresh from training. Gnisal began calculating the variations that won and lost a battle. Possibility of being flanked: 25 percent. Possibility of entrapment: 5 percent. Chance of victory in armed struggle: estimated 89 percent. Chance of escape: estimated 95 percent. Satisfied, Gnisal found himself a suitable shadow to hide in and took off the outer cloak that had been hiding his true form. Dozens of thin leather strips hung from the shoulders of his black Sheikah Service jumpsuit.
Kriska and Tal lost sight of Gnisal. "Damn it!" Kiska shouted, running into the alleyway, dagger drawn. "He got away…" Tal stepped forward, confused. "How? He was right there." Before anyone could react, a hooked dagger erupted through Tal's chest. Estimated chance of victory: 94 percent. Suddenly appearing behind Tal, Gnisal had plunged his Makhaira into the Sheikah's heart. Gnisal slid the shaking assassin off his blade, wiping it clean on his black jumpsuit. Tal shook a few times on the ground, before finally ceasing all movement. Kriska drew a second dagger, watching Gnisal mirror his move. "You didn't have to kill the trainee, Zero." Kriska said, sliding into a defensive stance. "He was terrified of the thought of facing you. If you had moved in front of him, he would have probably turned and ran." Gnisal transitioned into his Shadow Stance, holding the blade in his right hand with a reversed grip. He scanned the ground, looking for an appropriate entry point. On the other side of the alleyway, Kriska secretly prepared his trump card.
Gnisal dove, unexpectedly, into the shadow formed by Tal's inert body on the ground. Disappearing, the Rogue Sheikah apparently left the alleyway. Caught moderately by surprise, Kriska placed his trump card, the lit candle, on the ground before him. Instantly, the shadows around him faded to nothing. Taking the special dart the Elder Sheikahs had given him, Kriska took aim at the only shadow left available to Gnisal: the one next to Tal's corpse. A few seconds passed.
Suddenly, the dark, smoking form of Gnisal emerged from the shadow, Makhaira whirling. He barely had time to look around at Kriska before the Sheikah threw the dart. Estimated Chance of Dodging...
Darkness….
Cold. The floor was damp, soggy, and stank from too many inhabitants and not enough cleaning. Gnisal tried as best he could to wriggle out of the custom straitjacket the other Sheikah had crafted for him. Estimated Chance of Escape: 10 percent. He had been in Kakariko for almost a month now, and was awaiting the Service to decide whether to pick him up or kill him. They apparently planned to "reeducate him" in the Service's doctrines. That is, you should kill women, children, and defenseless civilians if they disagree with the glorious leader, General Gano. Still, others in the Service felt that Gnisal's rampage had gone long enough, and that he should be put down like a racehorse that has run its race. One botched assignment had brought Gnisal to the light. Now one botched attack will drag him back down to darkness.
The room was dominated by one candle set dead in the middle of the floor. Not even in the furthest corners was there a shadow for Gnisal to jump into. Ever since he was a child, Gnisal found he could walk through shadows. So long as he could see his destination, the Sheikah could step into one shadow and walk out another. However, being chained and straitjacketed to the wall was a problem on its own, never mind the lack of shadows.
The door opened. Gnisal tensed. Was it the service, ready to claim him? Unsure of what he'd do, Gnisal resigned himself to his fate and closed his eyes. Minutes passed. Opening them finally, the Sheikah spied two figures lying on the ground. One was a Hylian soldier, judging by the physique and facial appearance. The other was a Gerudo. An enemy. Gnisal reflected on that term for a while. Enemy. For as long as he could remember, his enemies were supposed to try to kill him. However, this Gerudo was in the same situation he was in. Gnisal's mind went back to that red-letter day, so many months ago. Once again, he saw himself looking at that small child, intent on killing it. Again he saw himself stay his hand. This Gerudo might prove…useful. Estimated Chance of Escape: 40 percent. Gnisal's fortunes had improved. These two held the key to his…their escape. As the two men slowly came to their senses, Gnisal spoke. "Who are you?"