Edit: Removed all mentions of Vrogir. Although the idea of an Orc mentor is cool, lore wise it made no sense whatsoever.
Nile's Room
The Lizard slowly awoke as he blinked, sun streaming through one of the curtains and directly onto his face.
"God's damn it..." Nile whispered.
He still wasn't able to get that dream.
Nile shook his head before standing up from his bed, stretching his scaly limbs out before grabbing his flask and taking a big sip. The harsh desert sun already heating the room again as he peered out the window.
"Cold at night. Scorching in the day. Bloody hell..." He simply thought before grabbing his gear. Then again, he supposed it was healthy for him, now that his blood had a natural way to heat up and cool down.
He was about to turn to his falchion before Jeaves brushed away the curtains.
"Sir Nile. Master Dalhern requests your presence."
"Right..." Nile looked around, "Tell him I'll be out in just a sec. Gotta get my armor on."
The elf nodded before leaving the bounty hunter to his own devices.
Dining Area
By the time Nile had arrived, breakfast was already finished. Dalhern elegantly cleaning his maw using a handkerchief as Jeaves stood by the nobles side. The noble turned his head, smiling at the black Lizard.
"Ah, Nile. You have come at the perfect time."
Nile looked at the table, noticing the absence of a certain Lizard.
"Yep..." He turned his head, "What's the occasion, Guvnor?"
"We're leaving."
The answer didn't come from Dalhern.
Amaya revealed herself, now wearing interlocking plates of fine gold and red cloth, a giant headdress and a mask was adorned as her eyes glare from behind. Yet even then the armor had room for flaunting, showing off portions of scales. Especially around the thighs as two curved swords hanged off a belt that ran across the supple flesh. "Or more specifically, I'm leaving with you, tolerating your presence in order to cease my father's begging."
Dalhern smiled and nodded at Nile as the bounty hunter shook his head in agitation.
Nile muttered, "Where are we heading?"
"The market. I need to buy some...-" She paused. "-Perfume."
Nile narrowed his eyes, he could tell that she was lying, but why? He decided not to question, instead shrugging.
"Alright then. When are we going?"
Amaya smirked behind her headress, "Now."
Market
Nile stared forward as he followed the female, his eyes scanning around. She had led the way ever since they left the house, past a few elegant houses and over a bridge. But the further they went, the more crowded it became as they went to the center of the market, making it more difficult to assess potential threats.
"Couldn't we 'ave taken a more secluded route?"
She laughed, "A secluded path? What's wrong? Is your job getting too difficult?"
He held back a grumble, staring forward as they walked forward. A few Lizard hawkers yelled out from their stand, attempting to attract nearby passerbys.
"The finest fruits of the Empire! Good enough for the Red Emperor himself!"
"Spells! Spells! Burn your foes to a crisp!"
A nearby hawker came up to Nile, showing him a box full of ruins. "Hello fine sir! You look like you can use a rune for that armor!"
The bounty hunter shook his head, "No thanks mate. Already had a dwarf imbue a master work on mine."
"A dwarf?" The Lizard seemed offended, "You would choose a dwarves craftsmanship over a Kin's?"
Nile watched Amaya look at him before continuing her walk. He looked back down, not starting to get annoyed by the merchant. "Yeah I would. Now screw off please."
"Oh. R-Right, apologies."
The seller then retreated as Nile caught up to the female. She showed him an amused look from behind her head dress.
"You should have accepted the Kin's offer. Stissa knows that Lizard craftsmanship is superior to every other race."
Nile narrowed his eyes, if her objective was to piss him off it sure as hell was working.
"You tell me if Lizard runes stop the teeth of a Voidwoken... Luv."
That seemed to get a reaction out of her. Her eyes glaring again.
"What did you just call me?"
He shook his head, walking onwards as he took a swig from his flask. "Doesn't matter. Now are we going to get your... Perfume, or not?"
She clenched her claw before walking forward, making sure to get in front of her bodyguard as she led the way again. They reached another stream that ran through the city, a few stores could be seen with signs.
Nile inspected them, noticing one of them labelled 'Fragrance'.
"There's the perfume store... But I'm gonna take a guess and say that were not heading there."
Amaya turned her head, putting on a fake smile behind her head dress. "Wow. Smart guard. Would you like a reward from my father for figuring out my obvious lie?" She said with cheerful sarcasm.
Nile huffed, "Just buy whatever you need and get out. We're not safe out here."
She seemed amused now, "Very well then. I'm buying a set of new swords. The shop is just down here."
"New swords?" Nile asked, "What's wrong with the ones ya got?"
Amaya raised an eye, "My, you ask a lot of questions."
He glared daggers before shaking his head, choosing to not respond as Amaya walked forward. They reached the front of what appeared to be a weapons shop, a few being put out on display as Amaya went inside the store.
Nile followed, inspecting the Lizard made weaponry as Amaya went up to the seller.
They were well made, good steel by the looks of it. But some of them he felt had pointless details added to them, such as gold inscriptions at the sides of the blade. He drank from his flask again before turning away, watching Amaya converse with the shopkeeper.
He paused before focusing his senses, listening in on their conversation.
"-Thank you so much Ervin. I did not know anyone else who would be able to restore the blades back to their original glory."
The cyan scaled Lizard smiled, handing the packed swords to the female.
"Consider it a favor repaid. I owed your mother a debt and working on such beautiful swords was a honor."
Nile raised an eye at that. What the hell was this all about?
Amaya nodded, taking the package and slinging it around her shoulder before turning around to face Nile. "Alright let's go."
He followed her outside, ignoring the strange looks the shopkeeper gave him as he noticed change in Amaya's demeanor. A little more bounce to her step as she held onto the packaged weapons, her hips swaying a bit as her tail wagged.
What exactly was so significant about the swords?
Nile was broken from his thoughts as a small figure bumped into him. He looked down to see a Human girl, wearing rags and carrying a small satchel by her side. The kid looked up, smiling nervously before attempting to walk away.
The bounty hunter already knew what was up.
His claw shot out, grabbing the kid by the forearm as the Human yelped in surprise. She had to be about eight, with a claw mark on her neck. Nile didn't need to be a doctor to know that the girls voicebox was probably cut from a long ago incident.
Amaya turned around to see what the commotion was about.
"What is going o- Is that a runaway slave?"
Nile didn't respond, instead leaning down to stare the kid in the eyes.
"Alright you little Runt... You got something that doesn't belong to you."
The kid seemed to hesitate before shaking her head yet Nile did not relent, holding onto the kids forearm as his gaze sharpened. The Human sighed before taking out a piece of delicate silk and handing it to the bounty hunter.
"Thanks." Nile muttered, "I'll let you go. Don't try to steal from us again. You hear?"
Amaya's eyes widened, noticing that the hems of her own mage armor had been cut. Clearly the kid had somehow swiped it from her without the Lizard noticing.
"Hey! That's mine!"
Nile ignored her as he let the child go, the girl running off into one of the alleyways. Amaya attempted to chase before stopping, realizing the street rat was out of sight already.
She turned her head, disbelief in her eyes. "Y-You let her get away!?"
He grunted, handing her the piece of silk he had retrieved.
"You're welcome."
Amaya grasped onto the silk before her grip tightened, "Do you know what that Human just did!? My mother made me this silk! This armor is one of the few things I have left of her!"
Nile crossed his arms. After all the taunting and teasing he had put up with, he had pretty much had it with Amaya's attitude.
"Oh boo fuckin' hoo..."
Her eyes widened as her scales trembled from the insult, she immediately turned tail.
"Wh- Hey!" Nile said, "Where the hell are you going?!"
She looked back, "I'm going home! And I'm going to tell my father what transpired!" She then disappeared within the crowd.
Nile paused, watching the female go before sighing, taking out his whiskey flask and having another sip. If his father were here, then he could imagine the Human upturning a cart in a drunken rage before wanting to go to the nearest bar.
He smiled at that memory before a frown grew, placing the flask on his belt. He couldn't settle for pleasantries, he had an objective here.
But the Empire was a massive sprawling city. Where could he even start?
His chest grew cold by the thought.
And then it began to grow colder.
Nile scrunched his eyes at the feeling, realizing something was afoot as he felt his chest, as if he had worn a piece of frozen metal around his neck.
He reached behind his armor, producing his amulet as it glowed an eerie dark color. Nile stared at it in shock, already it made the claws behind gauntlets freeze. It wasn't until he held it in the sunlight that it began to warm up.
And then he noticed it, the metal on the shifting, like liquid mercury had been poured on the top and left to settle. It changed until it seemingly stopped, showing what appeared to be an detailed eye.
Nile raised a scaly brow.
He would have studied it more until he felt something tug on his armor. He looked to the side to see the Human girl from before, the child looking up at him with what appeared to be urgency and fear.
"Ah! Ah!" The girl said, pointing and tugging.
"What's wrong?" Nile asked before he heard the crackle of thunder.
He had heard that sound before, when he had gotten struck by a Black Ring Enchanter. He had barely survived that situation, and it convinced him to add magic resistance to his armor.
Dazing Bolt he believed the spell was called, an Adept level Aerotheurge skill.
Nile was already running to the source, leaving the Human girl behind.
City Block
Amaya panted as she her limbs felt exhausted. She was just on her way home, still fuming at what had occurred until she found herself being followed in the crowded streets.
And, looking back on it, Amaya cursed herself for being such an idiot. She thought she could take them on after acquiring her mother's rebuilt swords. But she had quickly found herself outmatched and outnumbered by the three Kin that had surrounded her.
These Kin... They were clearly disgraced nobles if the brand on their necks indicated anything.
So she resorted to her Aerotheurgy, using a spell called dazing bolt in attempt to electrocute all of them.
For a second, she had thought herself victorious. But when the smoke cleared she realized that the trio came out almost unscathed, the leader of the group smirking.
"Dear me. It's a good thing we've got a valuable set of skills to deal with a beauty such as yourself." The disgraced leader said, gesturing to the Kin at his side as the female Lizard held a staff.
A Hydrophist. Another stupid mistake on her behalf. She could have saved her energy to cast something else.
She didn't have time to chastise herself on that mistake as the leader rushed forward with his spear. Amaya attempted to react accordingly, yet the fighting she had performed earlier had already taken their toll on her stamina.
Amaya attempted to block one of his strikes only for his blade to go downwards as the female Lizard yelped out. A huge gash cut on her thigh as red blood ran down her scales.
She fell back, her headdress falling off as she dropped one of her swords, the leader sneered down at her. Amaya attempted to look defiant, yet the pain made her grit her teeth as she held her remaining blade shakily.
And for the second time, Amaya felt completely helpless, like when she had watched her mother die by the blades of an assassin. She too would have no control of her fate.
"Where are the guards?!" A voice from the watching crowd yelled, a few Empire citizen's watching.
"By Zorl-Stissa! Someone do something! A noble is being assaulted!"
The Leader looked down at her, smirking before turning his head to another assassin.
"Finish her quickly Emind. I wish to get this over with."
The Lizard nodded, brandishing a scimitar as Amaya's eyes widened.
She was going to die.
Just as the assassin bought his blade down, a shadow came over her before the sound of a sword clashing could be heard.
Amaya gaped in shock, recognizing the figure that stood in front of her, both claws on his falchion as he kicked away the attacking Lizard. The assassin clutched his chest before recovering, angrily peering at the new assailant.
"N-Nile!?" Amaya sputtered.
The Leader narrowed his gaze, brandishing his spear before leaning on it.
"Oh? Who is this now?"
Nile tightened his grip on his weapon, "Back off. Now."
Amaya shivered at the tone of her bodyguards voice. It wasn't the laid back voice of before, now it was just the cold seriousness when face to face with danger.
"Or what? There's three of us here... But you do look like an exile, just like us. Why don't you finish her and share the bounty with us?"
Her bodyguard looked at her, his eyes unreadable as he looked at her wound before looking back at the group.
"Fat chance. You really think I'd throw myself in with you lot? B'sides, I never dishonor a deal..." Nile then paused, "Well, other then fuck it up occasionally, but I don't do it on bloody purpose."
The Leader shook his head. "Then I suppose we'll have to kill you too. Emind, if you will start."
The scimitar wielding Lizard named Emind nodded, dashing forward as Nile was caught a off guard. The assassin swung, forcing Nile into a defensive stance as he blocked continues attacks with the blade of his falchion.
Despite his defense, the bounty hunter was admittedly a little tipsy due to the whiskey he had continually sipped from the past hour, making his actions slightly delayed.
So it came as no surprise that he was clipped by a lucky swing from the assassin. Nile yelled out, feeling his cold blood stain the fabric beneath his armor.
"GAH! Think your clever do ya!?" Nile said through gritted teeth.
He then noticed shadows grow beneath him, the Hydrophist casting a spell. The black scaled Lizard jumped to the side, a storm of hail falling where he had just been standing. He had barely a moment to recover before the Leader made his move, charging forward with his spear as Nile attempted to deflect the tip with his falcon.
Nile only partially succeeded, driving the sharp end away from his stomach as it cut a gash at his side. He grunted, sidestepping backwards as he felt liquid drip off his thigh.
It wasn't entirely blood.
His flask had been cut in half, the alcohol dripping to the ground as the whiskey solidified the sand. He looked at it, his helmet casting a shadow over his eyes as they were hidden from view, a frown on the bounty hunters muzzle.
Emind charged again, raising his scimitar with both claws, intent on slaying the bounty hunter.
Nile then looked up, his purple eyes radiating fury.
He had enough.
His tail swept against the sand, brushing up a blinding cloud directly into the Assassin's face, the Lizard having to close his eyes from the blinding powder.
"RAH!" He yelled, holding his falchion with a fist as he punched the attacker with his scaly knuckles. The scimitar wielder's face swinging to the side from the direct hit as Nile then bashed the hilt against the assassin's stomach, causing the Emind to cough out his lungs, holding his midsection.
There was a sound of a slice as the blade ran across the assassin's chest, forcing Emind to rise up before Nile raised his falchion and slammed the end directly into the assassin's chest once more. The momentum practically bashing the Lizard into the sand, legs spouting up before falling.
The Assassin was dead. And all it took was 3 seconds.
Nile turned his head to the surprised caster, the Hydrophist now preparing another spell as the Leader gritted his maw and charged again with his spear. The bounty hunter took off a grenade from his bandolier and tossed it at his feet.
Smoke immediately enveloped the vicinity. The Leader striking at nothing as he coughed out, bringing a hand to his muzzle.
The caster kept her charge despite losing sight of the bounty hunter. She backed away from the smoke, eyes scanning as she spotted a faint outline. The Hydrophist grinned, holding her staff forward.
Only for bolt to glint within the smoke, penetrating directly into the mages shoulder as the caster looked at the wound and shrieked in pain, holding her shoulder. She didn't notice the impending danger casually approaching.
Nile simply walked out, putting Beard's crossbow onto his back before bringing his falchion to the side and swinging, cleanly decapitating the magic user.
The smoke began to clear, the Leader standing in the middle of it as he held his spear. Noticing the casters demise as he angered sneer grew on the exiles face. Amaya was still on the ground, her eyes wide yet her maw silent.
"How?! How is this possible!? You were completely outmatched just now!"
Nile simply responded with a look of pure hatred behind his chain mask.
"You broke my bloody flask."
And then the bounty hunter slowly put away his Falchion, reaching a hand to his waist as he bought out his ace in the hole.
Retirement, came out of retirement. The flails dusty morning star glossing in the hot sun. Nile slowly rotated his arm, the chain coming to life as a distinct swinging could be heard.
"You plan to fight me with... That?" The Leader asked, his arrogance returning. "That weapon is-"
"Archaic? Maybe. But I'll let you have the first move just to prove you wrong... Mate."
That seemed to get on the Leader's nerves, his eye twitching before he held onto his spear tightly, rushing forward. He would triumph over this, he had been trained by the House of War before his exile after all! He had the skills!
He was then proved wrong.
The Leader had attempted to stab the spear forward, only for Nile to swing low, batting away the shaft and flailing to the side, the morning star digging into the Leaders shoulder as the Lizard roared out, withdrawing quickly as he held his ruined shoulder.
Now the Leader felt anger crawl up from his wound, his grip on the spear now shaking with rage.
"How dare you! HOW DARE YOU!"
Nile didn't say anything, instead stretching his claw out and bending his digits, gesturing a 'Come Hither'.
The Leader obliged, roaring as he raised his spear and leaped through the air, intent on bring it down on his opponent. Nile swiveled his body to the left, the spear narrowly chipping a piece of his armor as he bought his flail to the side and smacked the morning star directly into the Leader's chest, knocking the Lizard to the ground as his wound could be seen.
"Gack!" The Leader yelled, his spear knocked out of his grip from the heavy hit as he shakily rose up. Nile approached, holding his flail menacingly as the Leader attempted to fight without his weapon, his claw swinging in desperation.
Nile simply swung, the chain wrapping around the Leader's arm before he pulled it downwards, a crack being heard as the arm became dislocated. The Leader screeched out, his arm stretched as Nile placed a digitigrade leg on the Leader's back, effectively putting him into an incapacitated stance.
"Tell me who you bloody work for!" Nile yelled, a different persona taking over.
The Leader sputtered, "I-If I told you then they would have me killed!"
Nile pulled, the Lizard screeching as the sound of something else breaking was heard. Amaya watched, wide eyed, as did the crowd that had gathered around the fight.
"AGH! No! Alright I'll tell you!" The Leader sputtered, "I-It was them..."
"Who's them?" Nile asked.
The Leader responded by using his free hand to reach into his pocket, producing a scroll. Nile grabbed it, yet kept the flail wrapped around the Lizards arm.
"I don't know! They just wanted the noble's daughter de-!"
And then a projectile flew from one of the buildings, striking the Leader in the side as he burst into flames
Nile's eyes widened as he disconnected the flail and kicked Leader away from him. The unfortunate Lizard screamed out, his scales burning up as he flailed helplessly. Nile noticed the fire burn at the male's shadow.
Necrofire.
Nothing he could do about it.
He turned his head, attempting to spot whoever had fired the arrow before looking back at the Leader, now dead as the fires burned, slowly turning the remains of the Lizard into ash.
"Bloody hell..." Nile muttered before turning to Amaya.
She watched wide eyed, the blood on her thigh beginning to dry
Nile looked at her wound, kneeling down as his purple eyes narrowed, reaching into a pocket. "That's a bad cut. Here-" He took out a bandage and a vial, dripping some of the green substance onto the cloth and staining it.
"Y-You killed them all..."
He then turned to look at her face, Amaya noticing a softness in his purple eyes.
"If it helps, the last one wasn't my doing."
Nile then pressed it down as Amaya yelped, gritting her teeth as the bounty hunter quickly tied the cloth around her thigh.
"There, all done." He then tilted his head, "Can you stand?"
Amaya paused before she nodded, shakily getting up. Nile helped her by lifting her forearm, the noble holding onto him. He then noticed the giant crowd of Lizard's, all watching the bounty hunter with what could only be described as fearful awe.
"Make way! Make way!" A voice yelled from the crowd, the Lizards separating as shiny chainmail wearing guards gleamed in the sun.
"Looks like the cavalry's finally here..." Nile muttered. Amaya blinked, looking at him before looking at the guards, the overseer of said guards revealing himself.
"My word!" The overseer turned his head to Nile. "What happened here!?"
Nile grunted, holding Amaya up. "I did my job."
"Now hold it right the-!"
"Oh shut the hell up you bloody wanker." Nile growled, "Where the hell were you lot!? A girl gets attacked in the street and you took forever to show up?! How about you do your job and while at it, let me do mine!"
The Overseer paused before turning his head to a nearby guard and nodding, seperating to allow the two Lizards go.
Nile kept his glare on the guards, steadying Amaya as she limped silently next to him.
Dalhern's Mansion
"By Tir-Cendelius! What happened!" Jeaves exclaimed as he ran down the steps, looking at Amaya's wound.
"She was attacked." Nile explained as he noticed Amaya look down, almost as if she was ashamed of something.
Jeaves knelt, checking the bandage.
"I used water mixed with powdered leaves from a Livewood tree. Should heal quickly, just change the bandage later. "
The elf looked up, "Did you...?"
Nile figured out what the elf meant, "Hey, don't jump to conclusions, the tree gave it to me for taking care of a bunch of poachers. Anyways it doesn't matter, can you take care of her?"
"O-Of course." Jeaves responded, "Come Master Amaya. You must rest and lie down."
She looked at Nile before looking back at Jeaves, slowly nodding as the two began to walk towards one of the rooms.
"By the way, where's Dalhern?" Nile asked.
Jeaves turned his head, "He had to go to a meeting at the House of Dragons. He should be back soon."
Nile's Room
*Plip*
A gathering stain of blood began to form as the black Lizard cleaned his cuts off, draping a bandage over it. As soon as he had returned, he started cleaning both weapons and wounds. They would heal easily by tomorrow after a good night sleep thanks to his perseverance.
He placed his Falchion by the side before looking at his amulet again, the metallic eye looking back at him as if judging him.
"What the hell is your deal...?" Nile mused as he stared.
He put it down before looking at the acquired contract, reaching out for it.
Movement was heard.
The Lizard unconsciously reached for his weapon only for Dalhern to open the curtain.
"Nile." He simply said, his expression unreadable.
Nile paused, "Yes, Guvnor?"
"Amaya... My daughter. She told me everything." He then seemingly frowned, "How she was attacked at the market."
"Ah shit. Guess I'm getting kicked ou-"
"Thank you." Dalhern said, "Thank you so much... You saved my only daughters life. I don't know how I can repay you."
Nile was admittedly surprised, yet he didn't let it show, instead moving on to clean his blade. "You already have paid me, Guvnor. It was in the contract after all."
Dalhern nodded, slowly turning around. "I-If you need anything. I will happily oblige."
The bounty hunter nodded before a question came into mind.
"By the way, how's she? Wound should have healed by now..."
"Oh, she should be resting-"
Immediately the sounds of muffled booming and clashing could be heard coming from the training room. Dalhern paused before sighing, looking back up.
"Or she could be training... I suppose there is no stopping it, she's just like her mother..."
Nile adjusted one of his bandages, "If you don't mind me asking... Just who was she?"
Dalhern sighed, "Lashar... She was so much to me." He looked back at Nile, "I had first met her during a peace negotiation for a nearby settlement..."
The bounty hunter tilted his head, "So she was a diplomat?"
"Ha! Absolutely not. Try Commander."
Nile's eyes widened, "You're telling me your wife was from the House of War? You were talkin' shit about them yesterday."
"I'll get to that..." Dalhern said, "When I first met her, we were enemies on the field of politics. She of course was pushing to invade a nearby province whilst I was pushed to forbade it. Our tension grew to a boiling point and before we both knew it..." Dalhern smiled at the distant memory. "We had fallen for each other."
"So why do you hate 'em?" Nile asked.
"Because they failed to protect her. Can you imagine what it feels like, coming back to your home one day and being told that the love of your life was assassinated within the most 'secure' House of the Empire?"
Nile shook his head, "... Sorry to ask."
"It's alright. It happened long ago." Dalhern then turned, "I best be going to bed now and rest my old bones."
"Right. Night, Guvnor." Nile said as the scholar disappeared behind the curtains. He looked around, noticing that he had finished what he needed to do.
The sound of Amaya training could be heard again.
"Might as well check on her."
Training Room
Amaya swung her mother's blades left and right as she attacked the training dummy, her teeth gritted.
After she had gotten out of her bed (much to the protest of Jeaves.). She immediately went to her training room in order to hone her skills and wipe away the memories of today.
She twirled both blades before diagonally slicing, gracefully carving into the wood.
"That was some good finesse, Luv."
Amaya froze, turning her head to see Nile leaning against the training room door. His armor off as a few newly applied bandages could be seen.
It took her a moment to realize that this was her first time seeing him without armor. Noticing how well built the male was as she blinked, his scars and bandages giving him a rugged yet attractive look. She quickly fought away a blue blush, noticing him speak out again.
"But you're strikes are undisciplined. You giving your enemy a show by any chance?"
"No..." Amaya murmured.
Nile gestured to her, "Then do it properly."
She nodded before turning around, steadying her grip on both swords before she swung, letting out a short yell as she cut across the wood. It splintered the dummy with an even larger gash.
The bounty hunter walked up next to her, inspecting the damage.
"Hmm... Not bad. Not bad at all."
Amaya paused, feeling an odd sense of pride surge beneath her scales. However she got over it, a question coming to her mind.
"Why are you here?"
The bounty hunter Lizard paused, slowly turning his head. "No reason. I already finished cleaning my wounds. Didn't have much else to do."
She nodded before something came to mind.
"Listen... About today..." Amaya paused, "You saved my life."
Nile turned his head, "S'alright. I was just doing my job."
Amaya rubbed her scaly claw, "I-I know... So I wish to apologize. I've treated you unfairly since we first met."
The bounty hunter seem to digest her words before smiling, "Apology accepted. How about we start over again?" He raised his claw, "'Ello, names Nile."
She rolled her eyes, grasping his claw. "Amaya. Daughter of Dalhern."
"Nice to meet ya."
Amaya nodded, a small smile coming onto her maw before something else came to mind.
"When you fought those assassins..." She looked up, "Where did you learn to fight like that?"
Nile gave her a toothy grin, "My father was a former Paladin for the divine order, and the fact that I was collectively raised by an entire mercenary company taught me a good thing or two."
"Really?"
He nodded, "Really. When I became 18, I began joinin' in on the fights as well, earning my stay with them."
She found the idea rather bizarre, a noble Lizard fighting alongside a rowdy bunch of Humans. But she didn't voice it in the slightest.
"And then what happened? Did you decide to leave?"
Nile paused, looking to the side as he sighed. Amaya realizing she had brushed up a touchy subject.
"I... Wish that were the case. When the war was just getting started against the Black Ring, our mercenary cohort was ambushed." Nile looked to the side, "We were hopelessly outnumbered, but we made the Black Ring pay with every inch. Good people I knew died it front of my very eyes. I wanted to kill as much as the bastards as possible until..." He sighed, "My father, he knocked me out of the way and took an arrow for me, breached straight through his heart. I held him, crying my eyes out until Beard, one of the mercs, grabbed my sobbing ass out of there."
Amaya looked at him, her eyes full of regret. "I'm so sorry."
Nile turned his head to her, "For what? You weren't there. Not like you were the one who shot the arrow." He then began to turn around, "Welp, it was good talking. Get some sleep."
She then put a claw out, "Wait."
He turned, "Yes?"
Amaya paused, "I-I..." She steeled herself, "I want you to teach me."
The black scaled Lizard tilted his head, "Teach you? Why would you want me to teach you? You're already apart of the House of bloody Dragons and you have a good aptitude for Aerothuergy. What can I teach you that they can't?"
She paused, closing her eyes. "I lied about that! I get nothing but paperwork there! They see me as being apart of the House of Law rather than the House of War!" She then reopened them, "This is my only chance to follow my mothers path, my one chance to get stronger."
Nile seemed to analyze her, his keen purple eyes narrowing. "That isn't your only reason..."
Amaya froze up, "W-What do you mean?"
"You use strength overcome. What are you overcoming Amaya?"
"I-I... All I want is to improve my skills."
Nile turned his head, "Then I have no reason to teach you. I'm already busy enough as is, Luv."
"Wait!"
He looked back as Aadya put a claw on her chest. "T-There is another reason... I just don't want to feel helpless." She hung her head down, "When I was attacked today... It felt like seeing my mother die again, I didn't have any control over it." She looked up, "I want control."
Nile scanned her again with his piercing purple eyes before speaking. "Wake up tomorrow, early. I'll try my best to teach you."
Amaya nodded quickly, "Thank you so-"
"And also-" He gestured to Amaya's blades, "Don't use your mothers blades. Don't get me wrong, they're finely crafted and all but you'll just wear the durability out on a bunch of wooden dummies. Use the training ones you had today."
She nodded again, putting the blades down.
"Great. Now get some sleep. You're gonna need the rest for tomorrow."
Nile then left, leaving Amaya as the noble felt a smile coming onto her maw, silently applauding herself as her tail slowly wagged.
Outskirt Desert
The lone figure walked amongst the dark dunes, holding a bow over her shoulder as her white leather and cloth flurried in the wind. A bow was strapped around her shoulder as her quiver rustled, full of cursed arrows as it dimly glowed.
She came up to a large dune, the wind brushing the sand as a tiny little pedestal could be seen in the moonlight.
"Sssda'ytaal." She whispered in forktongue before the ground rumbled, the sands slowly parting as it flooded around her clawed feet.
A giant door grew from the dune before it slowly opened into a dark interior. The cloaked figure casually walked inside, consumed by the darkness as her tail followed.
She looked around in the dark before speaking out, her voice like a light whisper.
"I have returned."
There was a pause before more figures came from the shadows, all bearing white cloaks as a singular one came forward.
"Sister... You're back. Tell us, what transpired?"
She took back her cloak, her scales were a pale grey, mimicking moonlight as her red eyes looked forward. Her fins came up from beside her head and ran down her neck, like a frilled Lizard. A frown was prevalent on her maw.
"The disgraced nobles failed. As I said they would."
There was whispers amongst the assassins.
Her brother sighed, "This is troubling news..." He looked up, "You'll need to report it to the Matriarch."
She paused, "Very well."
The Lizard was about to walk forward before her brother grasped her wrist. "Kaviti... Be careful, the Associates are there too."
Kaviti slowly nodded before moving forward towards the other part of the temple, ancient stone works depicting the rise of the Empire and the House of Shadows could be seen on the cave walls. However a few sickly dreamers, ones from the Black Ring, desecrated the stone as they wiped the history clean.
She ignored it, reaching another part. A giant cavern that had been carved to the likeness of a noble House, a throne carved from black stone placed in the centre.
An elderly Lizard sat upon it, a bored expression on her sickly green face as she casually rested her maw on a hand. A few other Lizards could be seen standing around her, yet instead of the white cloaks of the assassins, they bore only a sinister black.
They watched as Kaviti passed, grinning beneath their hoods.
She stared forward, her resolve unwavered as she walked up and knelt in front of the throne.
"Matriarch. I regret to inform you that the disgraced exiles failed to assassinate the first target."
The elder leaned forward, "Is that so?"
Kaviti nodded, "I would strongly advise that when we hire, we should gather more intel on the target before hand."
She heard a few of the black cloaks silently jeer. Clearly angered by her words.
The Matriarch chuckled, "While I Appreciate your concern Kaviti... I'm afraid your opinion is... How should I say this? Underappreciated." She slowly leaned back, "The God King tells the best advice to his followers. If he wishes for someone dead then it shall be so."
Suddenly the air grew sinister, a giant silver mask looming over the rocky throne. Kaviti stared down in her kneeling position, but she knew it was watching her with it's black soulless eyes. She had seen it once, and she didn't want to see it again.
"So please." The Matriarch continued, smiling despite the disturbing thing behind her. "Keep your thoughts to yourself. You, like the rest shall soon become sworn to him."
"Understood." Kaviti simply said as she stood up, "Is there anything you wish of me?"
The Matriarch put a claw to her maw, as if she was listening to someone. "... Forget the nobles daughter. She won't matter. Go after the second target."
"As you wish, Matriarch." Kaviti bowed before turning around and leaving. Knowing that all eyes in the cavern were upon her.
As soon as she exited the cavern and into the assassin barracks, she put a hand on her chest, letting out a pained breath. Her brother came up to her, as did a few other white cloaks as they looked at her with worry.
"Are you okay Kaviti?"
She shook her head, "How can I be Jerim? Our Matriarch is completely mad and our house is...-" She turned her head to the side, "-A shadow of what it once was. Ever since the prince of shadows fell, we have only gone downhill."
Jerim nodded, "I know..." He then looked at her, "But I must ask, what happened? How did the disgraced lose?"
"She had a bodyguard."
He raised an eye, "A bodyguard? Who was able to take on three of them?"
Kaviti nodded, "Yes. I was surprised myself as I watched. He was clearly experienced but he didn't show any techniques from House of War. Even as going as far as using a flail, a... Sloppy weapon." She then looked away, "But it hardly matters. I am to go after the second target tomorrow."
"Well... Good luck my sister."
"Luck has abandoned us. Rely on your skill from here on out." Kaviti murmured before leaving to bed.
Nile's Room
As soon as the bounty hunter got back into his room, he lit a candle and took the scroll of the table, sitting down on a chair. He placed a claw on the top and bottom, opening it as he read its contents.
Kill the Noble's daughter. She'll be traversing within the market today in order to acquire to swords. After that, wait for tomorrow night to go after the next target. The Purple Scaled Specialty within the House of Love. Once done, await your reward.
Nile raised an eye, his interest peaked. So this was a double contract? Although it gave no indication on who exactly assigned it, it did shed some valuable info as a plan began to develop.
Another assassination would be attempted tomorrow night, he would go after training Amaya and see just who this target was and if possible warn them of the danger.
It was a sound plan.
He placed the scroll on the table before turning around, walking over to his bed and lying down.
Sleep took him quickly as exhaustion from today caught up.