Sun's Height 13, 4E1

(Fights-up-close): Nibenay Valley

Even with so many people sleeping at this hour, this night (or, technically, very, very early morning) at County Leyawiin seemed full of life. Creatures of all sorts chirped and buzzed, the guards marched the paths, channeling so much time and resources into fortifying this border, and most importantly, there was me, moving through the thick mass of tangled plants beside the path, watching the oblivious guards, with all that had transpired brewing with in me. The odd book I read, my current target, the memories that this place brought back: it all made the night so alive.

I was getting closer to my objective, but that brought me little joy. Normally the sooner I took out a target, the sooner I could get back to the sanctuary, but I was stuck with a life of bitter loneliness, walking always on a dangerous thresholds below which cowardice or insanity lied. But the adrenaline granted to me through the assignment stopped my thoughts from carrying too far, didn't let those thoughts hurt me as much as they did during the day. I was in the moment now.

So far, there was no sign of Captain Draconis, but I had no doubt been sneaking through this road for many miles. My body ached all over from all this hunching over, but I kept pushing forward, taking every opportunity for progress that was presented to me, constantly choosing the risk of over-working myself above slacking-off.

Then something on the path caught my eye. It was a break in the pattern of cobble stone, brush, and trees I'd walked all these exhausting miles seeing. It was a sign. Straining my eyes and mind a bit to make out the letters, I finally saw what they said:

Drunken Dragon Inn.

Was that the Inn one of the other Draconis boy owned? It certainly wrung a bell.

I took out the gift list again, my one reliable guide in these troubled times. Using my magically enhanced vision, I skimmed through the gift list again, looking for those words:

Dear courier,

I would like to thank you again for agreeing to assist me. I was so delighted when a friend recommended you, and will certainly employ your services again in the future if everything goes well with this round of purchases. You can imagine how difficult it is for an old woman such as myself to get around. My children, darlings that they are, deserve the best, and I'm afraid I haven't been able to properly show my love and appreciation for them in quite a few years. But all that is behind me now! Here is the list of gifts I think my family would most enjoy, as well each child's current place of residence, which should be used to for delivery.

Matthias -- Talos Plaza District, Imperial City (he has a home there): Matthias always was a rough and tumble lad. The last I'd heard, he'd fallen in with some pretty tough characters there in the Imperial City. I'd feel so much better if I knew he was well protected, so I'd like for you to find him a nice cuirass. Nothing too light -- iron or steel should be fine. And, if possible, I'd like it engraved with "To my Dear Matty, I'll always be here to protect you, love Mum."

Andreas -- The Drunken Dragon Inn (he owns the place and lives there as well)

That was all I needed to know. Much to my surprise, it would seem I would kill Andreas before Caelia. Just one more odd occurrence of today.

There was a guard standing next to the sign, his gaze distant, evidently feeling bored with his anguishingly long shift outdoors. Getting around him wouldn't be difficult, though. Not with all the shadows and plants that grew here. Then I could take one more name off my list, and bring myself closer to the one goal I'd already promised myself to complete: the Draconis contract. It was the one thing that felt solid now.

(Mathieu Bellamont): Anvil

Entering Quill-Weave's house had been more frustrating than I had expected, but Quill-Weave did not appear to have woken up, so that allowed my nerves some time to cool. I was on edge ever since I'd pulled off that dead drop trick. Worry that I'd done something that might give away it was someone other than Lucien Lachance writing those words constantly enveloped me in tension, distracting me. When this distraction somehow degraded my performance as an assassin it filled me with frustration.

Quill-Weave's house was actually rather cramped for someone of her fame. It wasn't downtrodden or bear, but it was small. It looked much like the other Anvil houses: stoney, and attractive in a way, but not very comfortable and organic. Either way, its small size meant this should be over fast. Then, with her dead, I'd have an excuse to go back to the High Rock sanctuary, after making some last "minute" preparations.

There was a staircase only a couple of paces away, but I wanted to explore the downstairs rooms first. I figured I might as well take any of the riches I can get.

Carefully syncing my steps, I made my way into a room to the right, eagerly awaiting to see what possessions she might have. In it was a fire-place, filled with ashes. To the right of the fire place was an eating table. To the right of that was a writing desk. On the wall, there were paintings. Though it was cramped, everything she could need was efficiently placed throughout the house. There weren't any ostentatious items for me to take, either. Intelligence wasn't something I enjoyed seeing in my enemies.

I turned back towards the stair case, disappointed that I might not feel the satisfaction of coming away from this assignment with heavier pockets. Now it was time to head to the second floor.

I placed my foot on each step with care, ascending towards the upper floor, where my target was, enjoying the feeling of the dagger in my hand, bracing myself for a kill.

As I made it to the top I noticed the balcony of sorts overhead had a floor made of weathered, ruggedly put together, unpolished wood. Though it seemed to fit with the ambience of the town, it looked like it was bound to creak, unlike the stone steps and floor. It wouldn't mean the difference between success and failure quite yet, but it was certainly something to be wary of.

I extended one foot onto the wooden balcony, gently sinking it into a plank, hoping with every instant for it to not carry a disturbance. When no noise came, much to my relief, I moved a second foot onto the wooden floor with the same slow caution, mentally begging the wood to not protest my arrival.

The door was my next obstacle, but it too looked ready to shrilly reveal my presence if I wasn't lucky. Even so, if I could get the door opened, Quill-Weave and I would be in the same room, so maybe her being alert to my presence wouldn't really mean anything at that point.

I gently pushed the door opened, coddling it into staying quiet. Yet it was only at about a thirty degree angle before it began to fill the air with creaks, which sounded as loud and shrill as breaking glass to an assassin.

I could see the bed, and the lump beneath the covers twitched. I'd awaken her. Now I had to put her back to rest before she could scream.

Now it was time to apply a whole new skill set. My own subtlety no longer mattered. I threw the door opened, causing it to hit hard against the stone wall, punishing it for revealing me, and charged towards her with desperation, panic, and fury.

I had not even built up most of my momentum before I skidded to a halt by her bed side. I lifted the dagger. She was screaming now with full force.

She was screaming.

I plunged the dagger into her throat, transforming the scream into an unnatural, stifled, gurgling noise. But it was too late for me to get away undetected. The damage had been done. My assignment was complete, but not without cost. I removed the dagger, now shining like a ruby, and then stopped paying attention to her entirely. She was defeated enough.

I couldn't escape through the front door, or anywhere near that. It would be too obvious. The only escape route I could see where these two windows in her bedroom.

I dropped the dagger onto the floor and viciously tried to pry one open, pushing upwards with all my might. Finally the stubborn window gave way abruptly. It startled me briefly, but I quickly moved to take advantage.

Fortunately, Quill-Weave lived next-door to the Count's Arms, a high class Anvil Inn, which had a balcony like protrusion sticking from its side to provide people with a shady place to sit. Right now, it was my escape.

I intuitively oriented my body and dived out the window and, in a blur of sensation, managed to find myself grabbing the cold stone of structure with one hand. The idea of how close I'd come to falling washing over me, giving me an unpleasant startled. Slightly shaken, I lifted a second hand to grab the stone, and then hoisted my self up in one strong pull.

As soon as I was up, I went to a prone position, pressing everything from the tips of my toes to my chin against the cold, hard, rough surface of my temporary sanctuary. I looked onto to the streets. A guard was already dashing towards Quill-Weave's house.

I knew what I'd done wasn't easily immitatable, and I hadn't been jumping out the window, but it would only be a matter of time before someone noticed me here. I would need to escape through the backyards and get back to the light house.

(Fights-up-close): Path to the Drunken Dragon Inn

The road was now full of turns as I ascended the hill. However, stalking the target didn't feel as satisfying and energizing as usual. Pride and flashes of the kill to come weren't going through my head, because my thoughts were tainted by the bigger pictures.

I crept around the soft turn in the cobble stone path, which was flanked by a large most covered rock to its left, and beheld a building which was no doubt the Inn. But, much to my surprise, there was a man in a Leyawiin city-watch uniform next to its door.

We both seemed to see each other at the same time. The unpleasant surprise hit me hard. Blood rushed to my head, making it feel like it was filled to a bursting point. When the odd and unpleasant tingly sensation, which he most likely felt as well, washed away I was left with a new level of wakefulness. I had been spotted. I had managed to sneak for miles but now I had been spotted. Since I was already in my armor, I knew I couldn't act casual.

I moved back behind the rock, buying myself a few seconds. "Hello?" The guard's voice called, a hint of fear evident. Once again, I got the idea our feelings were shared. "If you're trying to be sneaky you're in serious trouble."

I could hear his boots against the stone pathway coming towards me cautiously. He may have been afraid, but I knew he could easily muck this up for me. The path was heavily guarded, and a yell to alert his comrades could carry pretty far in a place like this.

I needed to lore him away from that Inn door far enough so he wouldn't hear me enter, but I needed to begin heading the Inn before he saw me.

I began to creep around the rock. Plants slapped softly against my armor occasionally, but nothing that would blatantly give away my position.

When I made my way around the rock, I pushed the Shadow energy to the surface of my skin, then continued to the Inn. I kept my steps careful, and, consequently, small. I would have looked goofy if anyone could have seen me as I tried to keep my steps subtle and the Shadow energy on me at the same time, but of course, no one could.

The Inn was lined with windows. Most were already shut, wood covering them, but there was one that might allow me a quick look inside. I slowly turned my head to see where that guard had gone. He was now at my previous location. He wouldn't be able to see the Inn unless he walked back up the hill.

I crept up against the exterior wall of the Inn and slowly raised myself up so I could peer through a window, careful not to upset the generous Shadow energy clinging to my skin. I hoped time would be merciful to me, because the guard would eventually return to his post, and he was able to move a lot faster than I was. Every second registered with me.

When I had finally raised myself high enough, I could look into the brightly lit Inn. Directly infront was a level area between two flights of stairs. The sets of stairs were flanking the sides of a chimney.

I looked towards the bar area. I could just make out two people from my angle of view. A publican and a woman in Leyawiin guard uniform without a helmet. Andreas and Captain Draconis. That's where she'd been! I had an opportunity to eliminate both at once.

The Inn was mostly wooden, unlike so many other awing constructions in Cyrodiil, and that meant it could catch fire. Remembering how the "fire damage poison" was used against me in the Purification, I'd bought two bottles of my own. If I could lob one or two through the window, it probably wouldn't cause the entire Inn to burn down, but it would provide a great diversion. I had to throw strategically, though. I needed to lore them somewhere that would take their attention away from the door.

If I threw the bottle directly infront of me, it would break at the foot of the upper set of stairs; they'd have to walk up the stairs to investigate, therefore passing the door. That would mean they wouldn't see me enter if I timed it really well.

If the man guarding this Inn had not come back, it was time to shake off the Shadow energy. I slowly rotated to glance behind me once more.

The guard was nowhere in sight.

With that, I eagerly seized the opportunity, now liberated from the burden of keeping the Shadow energy on the surface of my skin.

I quickly reached into the pouch at my side to take out the bottle of "fire damage poison". The Shadow energy dissipated. I shook the bottle violently, stimulating the chemical reaction, then immediately threw it at the wall opposite the window before I could feel the new born heat of the bottle.

It shattered. Flames immediately leaped into attention, producing an orange glow that one of them was bound to notice.

I could hear this had alarmed the two occupants of the Inn. I ducked back down, twisting my body to peer at what was behind me with professional fluency. My alert level briefly rouse when I considered

I could hear feet against the wooden floor. They were coming towards the fire.

When I heard the gasps, I knew they must have been right across from the window, meaning they wouldn't see me enter. Forfeiting stealth, I pushed myself into action. Not fully adjusted to this new mode of operation, I sort of stumbled to the door.

I quickly threw it opened, viciously seizing what little time I'd been granted.

But something had collided with it the door when it opened. Caelia Draconis was on the floor, in a sitting-like position, holding her head, her face contorted with anguish and confusion.

I entered combat mode. I kicked the disoriented watch Captain hard in the face to add to her troubles, then, in one fluid motion, crouched to slit her throat while that small spot of vulnerability was still available.

I rolled backwards, just incase the kick hadn't knocked her unconscious. I pressed myself against the wall near the chimney to regroup.

From my new vantage point, unable to see the opened window, I noticed Caelia's legs moving limply upwards. She was being pulled up the stairs. Then, that mysterious force stopped and gravity once again took over.

"No." I heard a deep male voice, quivering in incongruous timidness. Then it thundered "What have you done to her!? I'll kill you!"

I heard the ominous, high-pitched whoosh of a dagger being unsheathed. By the sound it made, I could tell it was sharp.

He yelled savagely as he began to charge. My muscles tightened as I imagined precise, cold metal breaking through my scales. Yet I was the one with the armor. I should be able to win this.

Almost as soon as he came into view, he was within range of attack. Suddenly I saw the knife flying towards me. I squirmed with the half-second before it made contact, imagining the vile discomfort the weapon could cause.

Then there was contact. A shock was sent through my body. An unpleasant tingling sensation and a new level of alertness.

But the dagger had hit the most protected area of the suit: the upper chest. I was still shaken: the incident had been too close for comfort, but it was time to succeed in the area he'd failed in.

I retaliated with a quick stab to his heart. It ripped through his casual clothing easily. Simple and logical.

He grabbed his wound with a shocked look on his face. His mouth and eyes were wide opened. His knees buckled.

His movement stopped not long afterwards, blood seeping from the area he was holding and spreading softly onto the wooden floor of the Inn. My dagger was now painted with blood.

I stood in place, trying to process the force of what just happened. Two more foes conquered. My body was heated from the drama of the moment. But there wasn't the usual spurt of satisfaction I got from a kill. I instead wondered if that had been a moment of justice, or if I had just watched an innocent man meet a painful end while staring into the face of a sinister assassin.

I looked down at the plating under my neck as best I could. I could make out a small dent where I'd been stabbed, but it wasn't deep enough to cut through me. I felt an odd urge to laugh when I remembered the scare it had caused me, all for naught. But the bizarre humor was quickly drowned out by the fact that I was standing next to two bodies with a member of the Leyawiin guard likely in ear-shot not far from the front door.

I ran towards the door, the only available exit, in hopes of escaping the crime scene before he could witness my presence there. At least once I started running through the dark, I would be little more than a blurry shadow to him.

I exited the Inn, practically leaping with each step. Running into the cool night air, my eyes were forced to readjust to the level of light. But in the mean time I was flying down the hill, struggling more to keep pace with gravity than to run my fastest.

I heard a distant yell "Hey! Stop right there!" but didn't dare look back. I just kept moving with an uncontrollable speed, through the thick mass of plants, down the rocky hill, knowing a one wrong move would send me tumbling down the rest of the way.

The water. I needed to get to the water again.

I could tell I had solid distance from the guard, but I wouldn't slow down. I couldn't slow down.

My eyes were now fully adjusted to the darkness. I could see the river gleaming ahead. It was my escape. They would never follow me through its depths.

The sloping was getting slowly more level, and the ground was getting steadily more swampy. Tripping over something was becoming less of an issue, but soon I'd need to generate my own momentum.

By the time the ground was once again flat, my throat was starting to feel cold and dry from sucking in the night air so rapidly. My armored feet clapped hard against the cobble-stone path. My throat ached as I drew in breath.

Then I found myself in the increasingly lush and untamed brush by the river. Plants slapped against my armored legs as I ran through the tangled organic mass until I heard a high-pitched splash as my foot clapped hard against the surface of the water. Then another. My legs the environment around my legs began to feel denser. Soon I would be swimming, and then I would be free.

When I felt the water reach my waist, I submerged myself into another world. Sounds were softened. Tall trees and distant hills were replaced with the soft river bed and the rocks that dotted it. Breathing heavily through my gills, I continued to push myself deeper into the river's sanctuary.

I knew I would live another day, and I had only one Draconis target left. Then, however, I would no longer be protected by the bounds of promise. I would have a decision to make.