Combat Ready

"We can cut through there," I pointed towards a pair of trapdoors around the back of the building, knowing they led to a wine cellar beneath. It was starting to become light now, as it had taken us hours to traverse the city undetected, and our hearts sank as each our passed. In our journey, we lost Lin, as she slipped on a rooftop in the darkness, and although the fall didn't kill her; the blade to the heart did, as she attracted attention from her scream as she fell.

Though we had found Dajiang, a Master Assassin and expert swordsman as he cut his way through a number of guards – we assisted with disposing of the bodies as quickly as we could, and he passed Zhu and Cheng two of three swords he had been able to bring along with him, then, joined with us. Luck was on our side as we found Dajiang – he had lived in Shanghai his entire life, and considering he was closing to thirty years, he knew the city better than any Assassin I had met.

Locked. I heard Hai curse, with Cheng silencing him a moment later – meanwhile, Daiyu was taking a pin out of her hair, and beginning to pick the lock, though it was taking longer than expected. In such light, we were exposed, and I could see that we all felt uneasy. But Daiyu was still finished swiftly, and pulled up one of the doors achingly slowly, lowering the pace even more when there was a creak from the rusted hinges. It took a few minutes, but eventually we were all safely inside, with the door shut behind us. Finally, it was Hai who broke the silence.

"Where are we?" He began, though was calmed once more as there was a sound from across the room as glass shattered on the stone floor.

"Who's there?!" A voice cried, shaking and frightened, but it was one I recognised. Though it had been months since I had stepped foot in the building, I could still remember the faces and voices of my old colleagues at the brothel.

"Mei," I called softly, stepping into the light the wall torch brought. She started when she noticed me, intincts taking hold. I could tell I had only a few seconds to calm her otherwise the entire house would be alerted. "I know you're scared," She stepped back as I stepped forward, edging closer to stairs each time.

I went to step forward once more, but stopped as I heard the faint sound of steel behind me, I hadn't bothered to turn, as I knew what was to follow and a throwing knife was lodged into the courtesan's throat. Though, it surprised me to find that it was Daiyu who had acted – she was the Assassin who found killing to be a last restort. Usually.

Zhu stalked forward then, surprisingly lightfooted on such mammoth feet, and pulled the body behind wine barrels stacked in the corner. After this; they looked at me, though I only had eyes for Daiyu, still unsettled by the previous event.

"You needn't have killed her." I whispered, my voice strained despite the low volume. With shaking hands, I reached out to the Assassin, and she took my hand gladly, squeezing it and replying softly.

"It was necessary, Little One. She was about to flee." However, it didn't make my emotions still, and my mind was still reeling from witnessing the killing. I'd been so caught up in the secrecy and enchantment of the Creed that I was completely unprepared for this, and I knew that Mei's dying gasp would be haunting my dreams for a considerable time in the near future.

But there was no time for mourning now, and I pushed onwards and towards the stairs, my companions following my moves exactly in single file. We reached the summit of the steps and moved into the kitchen – with the light seeping in through the curtains, it was unlikely there would be any awake this early in the morning, except those cleaning from last night, which, as far as I remembered, was limited to one or two girls.

"Flavia?" I heard a whisper from behind me, and knew it as Cheng. Inpatient as always, though, in this situation I believed she was correct. If we did not move now, we would not move for much longer as our presence (with a group as large as ours) would be noticed. I pulled them all around for a plan of action.

"Your target," I began. "Is a woman in her late thirties with hair tied back." Faces looked to me expectantly as I hesitated. "Her name is Liu Fen, and she's faster than she looks. Her room, when I was here last, was the last door down the corridor to your left, after ascending the stairs." Finished, I looked up just as Daiyu nodded and pointed to Dajiang, then they both disappeared through an archway ahead of us.

"We'll go to the parlour room. This way." I whispered to the rest of us, crouching now and shuffling slowly through the brothel. It felt like hours until we eventually reached the location in question, but I knew it had only been a few minutes. Nevertheless, we had made it, were relatively safe and most importantly, had to wait only for the signal from the others, and we could rest.