Happy New Year Everyone ! I hope this year was great and 2023 to be as great!
For temporal indicator, Tatsumi, Sayo and Ieyatsu doesn't leave his village yet
Cidd was making his way toward the big city his boss tell him. In the night and Eligos saying there were no dangers in this direction, he was way quicker and arrived at the same cliff where the Capital would be seen.
"Whoa . That's a view" Indeed, now that it was nighttime, the light were on, only to add the magnificence of the town. "And not talking about the wall. With that, it's sure no one can enter easily." He looked at the main entrance "Guess I don't have the choice."
Cidd ran toward the gate. Like Eligos and Pyllis, he penetrated without being invited, but for him, no need a carriage, just the guards to look in the bad direction, and he was already here. Easy, now, let's visit. He put his hands in his pockets and walks amongst the passers. It was still animate and full of life.
It remains me Taranor, but less advanced. He looked left and right, seeing numbers of buildings, restaurants and shops. I don't like crowds, but it's easier for me to hide amongst the people. He noticed the same paper Eligos showed to them earlier stick on a wall. Once he got closer, saw more of them. Boss showed us only the one of Akame, let's see... Bulat, Mine, Najenda. How coincidently, they are as numbered than we are. He turned around only to bump into someone. He fell as the other person. The impact was strangely quite...soft.
"Watch out where are you going !" Cidd opened his eyes when the person screamed. She was a well-endowed woman with short blond hair, yellow eyes and was as much dressed than Coli.
"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention" Cidd replied politely. The last thing he wished was to attract attention unnecessarily. They both got up and go in opposite direction. When they do, something titillated them. How the hell didn't I felt him/her ?
Shruggish off what happened, Cidd decided to go on a dark alley. He wanted to see if what his boss said was true. His suspicions were rapidly confirmed. He could already smell the difference. Well, peoples are not curious. As he traveled, the neighborhoods looked less and less refined. Houses made in marbles were now made of bricks, with some being misplaced. But what differed the most were peoples. They were skinnier and their clothes were washy . At first glance, when one entered the capital, it's seems to be a quite decent place, but when Cidd went deeper, he saw its true color. He already saw that. For a long time, he searched what was his place he belongs. He traveled for years just for searching this purpose. Cities which hid their bad sides, he saw many of them, this is one of the things he hated the most. And things are not getting better as he passed. Between the prostitutes, drugs preferring that to the reality, and without talking about the children, Cidd's blood began to boil. This view disgusted him. This place don't deserve to exist. I will destroy whoever run that place, I'll assure he doesn't die too soon.
Unknown to him, a figure stood on one of the roof, it was the same woman Cidd bumped on before, but with longer hair, lion ears, claws and a tail. Since their encounter, she could not help it but feeling uneasy. As an assassin of Nightraid, there was not a lot of people she could not feel the presence, and she knew them right. But this man, a total outsider, his face didn't remind her someone, even amongst the civilian, but outside his face, his behavior questioned her. He doesn't know the state of the Capital ? Or is he searching something ? Then what ? No, judging by his expression, this view is new for him. Is he a new assassin from the Empire who discover the reality ? The lips of the woman, Leone, curved upward a little. Any potential ally was always welcome. If that man who presumably worked for the Empire saw that the goal he served was corrupted, then the Revolutionary Army will gain a great asset, and theEmpire lost one.
While Leone was getting excited, she slipped on the unstable roof. Cidd's senses immediately trigerred and turned to see a blond lion Suin. "What the ?".
"Oops..."
Cidd applied what Eligos said if he was caught: run without engage. Without thinking twice, he dashed out of her view.
"Hey! Wait !" Leone managed to keep her balance and pursuit the fugitive. She went to a corner where he flew. Thanks to her animal view, Leone could see in the dark alley in the night, but the man was faster than predicted, she used her four pawns to hopefully catch him.
Shit ! Just what I must avoid ! Boss yet warned me. But I didn't even feel her presence, how is that possible ? Well, it's not matter now. I must escape from her. He smiled. My specialty. Using his natural agility, he turned from a corner to another for her to losing his track, but the blonde continued to pursuit him.
Of course! As a Suin, she have a enhance smell sense. Running won't be enough. He though hardly, then a lightbulb appeared over his head.
Leone was impressd by the unknown man's performance. She was known for her persistence and to never leaving her prey out. If it's not for my smell, I would already lost him. Who is he ? I never heard about someone like him who almost manage to escape me. If he warned his superiors, or the Prime Minister, then goodbye my walks in town, goodbye my parties in bars . She finally catched him in a dead-end, but no trace of him. Where is he ? She sniffed, sensing him at the very end of the dark alley. He is hidden at the back, immobile. She advanced slowly, preparing her claws in case he tried something. Once she was close enough, she swiftly removed the covers, only for her eyes to widen. It's his shirt !
But too late, A presence was looming over her. Cidd, with all of his face shadowed, except his eye, lifted one of his axes. Once he had a good spot, he charged downward at Leone's neck. At the last time, Cidd turned back his axe, using the less sharp side to slap her neck. The woman, before she could react, fell face on the ground.
Cidd stood next to her, scratching his head with his axe, drops on his temples "Great. What do I do now? "
Pyllis, Coli and Haste, hidden of course, were now in front of the pack of wolves. " As I and Cidd stated, they are very agitated" Coli confirmed
"Indeed " Haste said. "And they really are going straight at our base"
"But how can we handle them ? They are so many" Pyllis asked, worried. "We're assassins, we're not made for fight such a large group"
"I have an idea" Haste replied without stress. "I can use my Blood Magic and use it in a large scale"
Coli nodded "True, but you will need a lot of blood to drink after that. And we know monsters are not your favourite"
Haste shook his head "Don't worry. I drink less than usual, so frenzy won't be a major problem"
"If you say so" Coli said
"I'm going with Haste" Pyllis proposed, causing the other two to turned toward her "But, Pyllis..."
"If these strange Angaras are smarter than they seem to be, they will try to corner Haste, I will impede them" Pyllis nodded with conviction "I may be not as effective as you in term of assassination, but I'm a good at defending"
Coli stared at her, before sighing "In this case, I will stay here and survey the surroundings. I'll keep an eye on you. Have fun kids"
The other two descended, capting the Danger Beast's attention, growling at them. Haste unsheathe his scythe, twirling it around himself "Let's go". The closest wolf jumped at him, fangs beared, with a swift movement of his scythe, Haste sliced at its carotid, killing it instantly, he chained up with another one kill attack.
"Let's test that" Haste concentrated, the corpses begna to shake around where the wounds were, blood spurted out, gathering around Haste, taking the form of tendrils.
The Dangers Beast growled and jumped at him in the same time, using the outnumber at their advantage. Haste hardened the tendrils, using it like two additional blades to section them, but despite that, their number was way too high, so he jumped on a wolf, out of claw's reach, and attack from here. Once he was getting swarmed again, he jumped out and restart the process. Thanks to his unbelievable speed, hit was very hard to even scratch him.
While Haste was doing his one-side massacre, Pyllis stared at the back. He seems to going well. It will be over sooner than I expected. She heard something from behind. She turned only to see multiples wolves who made a detour to catch what seems to be a easy prey.
"As I predict. They try to sneak us by behind, or they think I'm easier to deal with. I mean, they are not wrong, but they will be surprised" Pyllis sighed through her foulard, unsheathe her sword in her right hand and her shield in the left one. "Come, I'm ready !"
The wolves lost no time and leaped at her. Pyllis stepped aside, dodging the first one and stabbed her sword on its neck, killing it. Another strikes her with its claw, but Pyllis lifted her shield, successfully blocking, she only slides by a few inches. With a yell, Pyllis pushed the wolf back and stabbed it in the stomach before slicing upward, letting its guts to emerge. "Fortunately I have my usual outfit today, it's getting everywhere on me". She saw more of them coming "Don't be deconcentralized, Pyllis, it's not over".
Coli, who was standing on a thick branch, leaned on the trunk of a tree, wearing a amusing smile.
"It seems the kids are having fun, it's really pleasant to see." It reminded her when she was engaged by was not as young as Haste or Pyllis, but she sure grew up with the time. She arrived around the same time as Cidd, and their relation didn't change even today. This memory brings back nostalgia at her after seeing the two younglings.
Her assassin's senses picked as she looked at the horizon, tiny tremors occurred and tree shuffles. "It's coming..."
Haste and Pyllis stared at their enemies who stepped back. They wandered what happen when they felt the tremors, coming from Haste's side. The said child looked upward, expecting to see the size of the creature.
And he was right, from the depths of the forest, a cluster of fur emerged. The monster was similar to the creatures they fought today, but much, much larger, approximately about 2,5 meters high. Its fur was sharper and its traits more aggressive, including red and dangerous eyes, shiny white fangs and claw which may slice flesh like paper.
Despite its impressive size, Haste remain his cold face, bubbling his chewing-gum. "That's a big one".
"Haste !" Pyllis ran at him, both of them free of the creatures. Now, they faced the big boss. Pyllis eyes widen at the view "W-What is that !?"
"It seems to be the Alpha. Look how the others stared at us, immobile." Pyllis turned left and right, and indeed, the wolves didn't dare to move, letting the Alpha taking care of them.
"It's huge. Let's handle them together" Pyllis suggested
"Okay" Haste agreed. He got ready, positioning himself at the back while Pyllis stood at the front, shield lifted.
The big monster howled before crouching. It last few seconds before charging at full speed.
"Watch out !" Pyllis screamed as she and Haste stepped aside, evading the charge which blew wind, forcing Pyllis to cover her eyes. Haste turned around and jumped, evading a paw slap, leaving a crater. It's fast. He landed on the pawn and used his speed to run along the limb. Once he standed above its neck, he sliced his scythe, hoping for a fast kill. Unfortunately, thanks to the thick fur, the weapon didn't manage to penetrate its skin. "Tch". Haste used his blood tendrils to add more power, but the result is the same. "This will not suffice" He released his control over the bloods, letting it splashing harmlessly on the Alpha's back.
The creature was now focused on Pyllis, who has a sweat on her temple. "Oh no". The monster lifted its other paw, and slammed it. Pyllis used her shield, saving her from any injuries,but the recoil was way too much. She held good, but was eventually pushed back. "Kyah !".
Pyllis stood up, Haste joining her by her side "This thing is tougher than I though" The former said.
"It must have a weak point. But we need to immobilise it first" Pyllis nodded, understanding it was her job to do.
The monster tried to hit them again, during this time Haste twirled his scythe before leaping at it. The two attacks made contact, the two being on a stalemate. Pyllis used this momentum to pinned the claw on the grass. "Haaaa !" With all her force, she immobilise the paw. "Go, Haste ".
The latter nodded and went in front of the beast's eyes. He swung his scythe horizontaly, a trail of red light formed before the hit landed. The creature roared in pain, allowing Haste to land in the previous location: the jugular. "Now that you are immobilize, I can take care of that fur." His scythe shone aas he swung it multiple times, each time removing some protection. But once the flesh was exposed, the creature shoke itself, granting Hast to lose is balance. Fortunately, he managed to landed on his feet safely. "Almost". He took his scythe and prepared himself to strike again when a flash appeared on the creature's exposed point. Blood spurted out of it and fell, dead.
It was Coli. She positionned herself in the good angle to finish the creature when Haste fell. She planted her two daggers on the good spot before pulling them back.
"You know, I was about to finish it".
"We don't have time for that. Someone is coming".
"Someone ?" Pyllis, who stopped once the wolf was dead, approached the others assassins.
"Yes, and it's not one of us. We should go now" Coli ordered, the others two nodded without complaining. They left quickly, without having the time to get rid of the corpses. From a not so far away, red eyes was rushing toward the mayhem.