Silence and Darkness
Location: Gloria's Temple / Secret Underground Tunnel
Time: Y1503 - 29th day of the Fire Moon
This tunnel took three years to make, and once we use it, we'll never be able to use it again. It's a pity, but the prize is worth burning down this asset.
We are as ready as we'll ever be. Now is the time.
My comrade, Eye, takes out an artifact with a living eye embedded in it. She starts weaving. During our observation we used the artifact to mark the target. We'll always know where she is.
<Locate Target> (Codename Eye)
*whisper* "Target is here. At the top of the Seer's Tower." (Eye)
Eye point to a spot in the map. Unexpected. During our observations the target always spent the night in the eastern dorm. That tower is used by the healers according to our intel. Is she training?
*whisper* "Do we abort the mission?" (Codename Claw)
*whisper* "No. The target is just practicing magic later than usual. Which mean she will be exhausted. Two of our secondary targets might also be close by. We proceed with plan three-two." (Codename Brain)
It's a deviation, but one I planned for. Digging this tunnel without being discovered was a difficult task, but it was totally worth the effort. The wall in front of us lead directly to the underground prison beneath the temple.
Thanks to this, we'll completely avoid the enchanted walls. It's the last place they would expect an infiltration to happens in. This give us a monumental advantage over them and we'll take full advantage of it.
<Detect Life> (Eye)
*whisper* "One guard. And he is about to turn around the corner we'll have a 12 seconds window in 3... 2... 1..." (Eye)
<Silent Cut> (Codename Heart)
<Levitate> (Eye)
In mere seconds and complete silence, the thick wall of the prison has now a circular opening in it. Eye move the large circular debris out of the way, and we quickly enter the prison.
Observing my unit in action never fails to make me proud. We act as one, complementing each other weaknesses. Our teamwork improved over years of perilous jobs, and now we are the best assassins in The Silence. They call us The Darkness.
Eye is our support mage. She observe the enemies and take care of route and timing.
Heart specialize in offensive spells.
Claw is the muscle.
And I, Brain, call the shots.
I'm up. I quickly and silently run toward the corner and flatten myself against the wall. I'm dressed head to toe in dark blue fabric, and the lack of light inside the prison makes my cover perfect. 4... 3... 2... 1...
Twelve seconds! The guard emerges from the corner, and a split of a second after that, I am behind him, I cover his mouth with my hand and slit his throat with my knife.
Enemy neutralized. Those fools only had one guard covering this level of the prison.
Claw carries away the body, leaving it inside a cell.
Eye scouts again using her magic.
*whisper* "Four guards in the upper level of the prison. Two guarding the stairs to the Ruling Tower." (Eye)
No words are needed. Everybody knows what to do. We proceed toward the stairs to the upper level of the prison. The guards stand no chance against Darkness.
Infiltration was a complete success.
--------------------------------
Location: Gloria's Temple / Ruling Tower
"Have you heard about the visit from the Minister of Magic last moon?" (Guard A)
"Yeah... I wonder what was that all about." (Guard B)
"I think the Gifted One mad~ *slit* (Guard A)
Claw and I are holding the lifeless bodies of two guards. The fools were facing away from the prison's stairs. We look at each other and nod.
Heart take the body of the guard I killed, and drags him down the stairs. Claw follow suit.
We are now at ground level, inside the ruling tower. Behind us is the stair that leads to the prison block, nearby another stair leads to the Council Chamber and, above that to the High Priestess' chamber. Those are not our targets. Not today, at least.
*whisper* "About a dozen guards at the wall. At least seven more in the courtyard." (Eye)
*whisper* "We leave Claw behind to secure our escape route. Once Heart returns, you lead the three of us to the Seer's tower while avoiding their sight. Can you do that?" (Brain)
*whisper* "Who do you think you are talking to?" (Eye)
I like to tease Eye from time to time. She is now focusing on reading the patterns of the guards. Heart and Claw have returned, but they know better than to speak.
Three long minutes pass in total silence, until Eye feels that the time has come. She brings out the map of the temple, and instruct us of the path to take and who to kill along the way.
<Mind Talk> (Eye)
[Remember that I can't use detect life while sustaining Mind Talk. Follow my lead exactly.] (Eye)
[[Yes.]] (Everyone)
We sprung in motion. there are about two hundreds meters of open ground between us and the Seer's Tower. It would be suicidal to take that route. But luckily for us, the layout of the temple give us an opening. Around the courtyard there is a gallery with columns that surrounds the courtyard. Columns give us the perfect cover.
The three of us advance like shadows. Every guard we come across, we silently kill and hide inside the small rooms of the gallery.
It takes a full seven minutes, but now we are on the opposite side of the courtyard. The seer's tower in in front of us.
<Locate Target> (Eye)
<Detect Life> (Eye)
*whisper* "Target location is unchanged. Two guards in front of the entrance. People that seems to be sleeping in several rooms. Several people awake and active inside." (Eye)
*whisper* "Outside we'll have an opening of fifteen seconds in forty." (Eye)
*whisper* "You are up, Heart." (Brain)
Heart focus and weave magic. She is waiting for Eye's signal to activate it. We'll move quickly after that. Only twenty meters separate us from the entrance. We have plenty of time.
*close fist* (Eye)
<Sleep> (Heart)
The guards are visibly wobbling, Eye and I sprint forward and catch them before they fall. We use two hooks that attach to the wall and will keep the guard standing.
Nothing will look out of the ordinary unless someone come close. And the change of guards will happen long after we are gone.
We enter the tower. Eye opens a room, and we both get inside.
*stab* (Brain)
A woman was sleeping in a bed, I can't risk her waking up. When I turn again, Heart is there already, and Eye is weaving detection magic once more. Now, to wait until she feels it's the right moment.
*whisper* "Before we proceed, let's inform Claw of our progress so far" (Brain)
<Mind Talk> (Eye)
[Claw. We are inside the Seer's Tower. Plan is progressing smoothly.] (Brain)
[Two guards came inside the Ruling Tower, I neutralized them. Escape route is secure.] (Claw)
So far so good.
*whisper* "At least ten active persons above us. More sleeping. Target is three levels above. Guards on the lower levels unlikely to be a problem." (Eye)
*whisper* "Heart, secure this level. Eye and I will proceed alone." (Brain)
Four more women are sleeping in this level, Heart will take care of them. Eye and I climb the large spiral stairs to the upper level of the tower. Once there, we flatten ourselves at the walls. I wait for Eye's signal.
"How many potatoes did Liara peel, yesterday?" (Sister)
"One hundred kilos! I swear that girl is a jewel. I saw her climbing the stairs before. She is training right now. I was thinking about preparing her something. She didn't eat anything for diner." (Sister Bella)
"Oh my. I'll let you use my cooking utensil then! I hav~" *slit* (Sister)
Eye and I crawled the wall, then jumped on the two women, covering their mouth and slitting their throat. They barely had the time to realize that they were going to die.
We then drag their lifeless bodies inside the room.
This woman gave us precious intel. The target might be sick.
*whisper* "This is the last place I can safely weave magic in. If we get closer, and the target is weaving, she might feel me." (Eye)
*whisper* "Agreed." (Brain)
<Locate Target> (Eye)
<Detect Life> (Eye)
*whisper* "Situation is unchanged. Five active persons above us. Two persons beside the target two levels above. Two more asleep in this level" (Eye)
We enter the two rooms and kill the two women inside. If things go south we can't risk their interference. Now let's see how our companions are doing. It's the last opportunity we have.
<Mind Talk> (Eye)
[Nothing to report. Escape route is secure.] (Claw)
[Nothing to report. Ground level is secure.] (Heart)
[Good. We are two levels below the target. Preparing to engage. We'll be silent until the job is done.] (Brain)
One last trick before we move for the kill.
...
<Extended Superior Invisibility> (Eye)
*heavy breathing* *whisper* "We are now invisible. *pant* Furthermore only a spell stronger than my own can detect us. It will last ten minutes." (Eye)
It took three minutes for her to weave this magic, and it took a lot out of her. But with this we'll be able to hit and escape unnoticed. She'll cover me, but it's up to me to carry on the assassination.
According to our intel, the target can weave remarkable barriers. We won't have the time to finish the job is she weave one. This has to end with one strike.
<Magic Edge> (Brain)
My knife will be able to cut through lesser barriers with this. Eye and I climb the stairs.
We are invisible, but we move slowly. If we run, our invisibility becomes imperfect. I'm holding hand with Eye, it's the only way to coordinate with her.
There are two guards and three woman facing the wall with their eyes closed. Praying.
Gloria won't save you.
I tap Eye's hand, a code we developed for this kind of situations. I get behind one of the guards.
*slit throat* (Brain)
Simultaneously, the other guard dies. We let them fall without noise. The three woman haven't noticed a thing yet. I move to the next target.
*slit* (Brain)
This woman dies. I look beside me, one woman is looking at her comrade falling down, her eyes opens wide. It takes a second for her to realize something is wrong. She is about to scream, but before she can, a gush opens on her neck without any apparent reason and only a muffled sound comes out.
The lifeless woman is gently lowered to the ground by my invisible companion. Eye is very efficient. She took out the two women in the blink of an eye.
Our hands are covered in blood, compromising the invisibility. We clean ourselves using the women's dresses. We hold hands again and climb the stairs. The target's heart is waiting for my knife in the next level.
Life and Death
Location: Gloria's Temple / Seer's Tower
Time: Y1503 - 29th day of the Fire Moon
This is it. The topmost level of the Seer's tower. We are wide open here, but invisibility is covering both Eye and me.
The large room is lit by a strong magical light high in the dome of the ceiling. There is a large pond of water near the centre of the room and a balcony above us. This is where the healers of the church trains according to our intel. We killed many of them on our way here.
Near the centre of the room, there are three Fair Skin women. One is a tall beautiful woman twenty years of age with long silver hairs. The second is an old woman with deep scars and sparse white hairs. She wears a blindfold. The third is a young girl, no more than three years of age, with short white hairs.
All three of them have their eyes closed. The two adults are enclosed by a remarkable barrier, while the young girl is surrounded by a tangle of thick and long magic threads.
Eye taps my hand. She can't do anything about the barrier.
She doesn't have to. What's happening is obvious. They are training the endurance of the little girl. This is a test to see how long can she hold the barrier. It also explain why she is awake in the middle of the night.
The little girl, Liara, The Gifted One is my primary target, and is wide open. Once she dies, the barrier will unravel, and Eye and I will be able to kill the other women, who are secondary targets.
I tap Eye's hand, and she taps back. We are in agreement. I let her hand go.
The water is troublesome. If I walk in there, the displacement can be seen. Furthermore, if the girl's magic threads touch me, she might feel my presence even through the invisibility.
I'll have to make a run for it. I close to about three meters from her back, and prepare myself.
I'm as ready as I'll ever be, and my invisibility will only wear thinner. I put strength in my legs and lounge forward! The death of the girl will serve as signal for Eye.
*lounge* (Brain)
My knife enchanted with magic edge is inching toward the little girl's heart from the back.
*swish* (Magic Thread)
My sight is split in two? Why can I... half...
*bisect in two* *two halves fall* *splash* (Brain)
--------------------------------
[<Thread Cutter> Activated! It cut through something solid!] (Soldier Me)
I open my eyes and look behind me. I see splashes of water, and I can see depressions in the pond.
[It's invisible! Something is there, and is invisible!] (Gamer Me)
[Quick soldier! Weave a mobile barrier!] (Soldier Me)
<Liara's Barrier: Prototype #8> (Liara)
This barrier forms closely about one centimetre above my skin, it's mobile and flexible, like a dress. Furthermore it's designed to distribute impacts uniformly. It has reflective properties as well. Next barrier I'll have to find a way to dissipate kinetic energy, but it's not too shabby.
[The barrier around Mother is holding strong. It will last hours even without us sustaining it. What do we do now?] (Science Me)
[Sounds the alarm. That was an assassin. And he might not be alone. Stealth is their strength, first thing is to take that away from them.] (Soldier Me)
I channel magic inside an artifact used by the guards. It's a miniature wooden horn.
*woooooooo* *woooooo* (Security Horns)
Every building has magical horns that can be triggered by those small ones. A warning system! Only it uses magic rather than electricity.
Everyone will wake up and know that there are intruders. I stand up. The water is turning red, and two halves of a man wearing a dark fitting robe can now be seen.
The experiences of Soldier Me are hardening my feelings, so I don't vomit at the revolting sight.
<Thread Cutter> is a one of my prototype spells, but it' s very effective. I gave the threads physical presence and sharpness, and programmed them to leash upwardly if anything touches them.
As Meridia said, no mage would think about using threads themselves to do something. They thought I was focusing on mother's barrier and ignored the threads themselves. It worked well as trap.
Of course I had a reactive barrier as an additional safety, but I'm glad I didn't have to test it. Those spells are just prototypes after all. Good thing I can pour in them more magic than anyone else, making up for their imperfections with sheer raw power.
I wasn't sure something would happen tonight, but it did. I'm so relived that I listened to the others Me.
Mother and Meridia are agitated and and are looking around. Probably searching for more assassins. But my barriers are up, and the assassins lost the element of surprise. They failed. What should I do now?
[NOTHING!!! You are their target! You stay right here, soldier! Don't you dare move a step out of this room! You understand???] (Soldier Me)
But...
[NO BUT! Amigarde herself couldn't pierce a barrier of this level. We are safe. Your ONLY priority is to stay safe.] (Soldier Me)
Alright! Don't shout! I'm just worried about the Sisters.
[The guards and the Order of the Knights exist for this very reason. Let the professional do their job. You are a three years old little girl. You defended yourself and Mother. Chasing invisible assassins is not something you can do. STAY PUT. I won't repeat myself, soldier.] (Soldier Me)
The so called professionals let death come close to me for the second time.
[Please, Liara. Listen to him. Don't make Soldier Me angry.] (Bookworm me)
Fine. I'll stay put. I just hope the other Sisters are ok.
[Don't overthink things. The assassin was invisible. He probably went full stealth not to risk warning others of his presence. I doubt he touched anyone else. Also, it was probably just one. Being more would only invite more opportunities for failure.] (Science me)
[That invisibility is pretty broken if you ask me. If this was a game, that spell would have to be nerfed.] (Gamer me)
Let's hope Science Me is right. And sometime I wish this was a game too.
"Liara, are you alright? I informed the captain of the guards with <Far Talk> .They'll handle things, so just sit tight. Can you let me out? They might need healing." (Serina)
"I'm unharmed, Mother. But I'm not letting you out. Stay with me, please." *teary eyes* (Liara)
[Good. Serina and Meridia are the VIPs. Don't let them be heroes. Because heroes die. The same goes for you. If you die, you won't be there to protect them.] (Soldier Me)
I feel like a coward. I know I can do more. But Soldier Me is right. I can't go around chasing invisible assassins with the body of a three years old little girl.
Escape: Eye
Location: Gloria's Temple / Seer's Tower
Time: Y1503 - 29th day of the Fire Moon
The plan now is simple. I wait behind the two women for Brain to kill the target. Once the barrier sustained by the little girl unravels, I kill them. Then we make our escape.
That little girl is as good as dead already.
*swish* *splash*
What happened? Did Brain stumble??? Are you serious?
I can see the water is depressed. The women see too! Move, you idiot!!!
<********> (Little Girl)
A barrier! And it's too thick! I won't be able to penetrate it! The assassination failed! Move, Brain! What are you waiting for?!?
*woooooooo* *woooooo* (Horn)
The horns! We are in deep shit! We have to leave!!! Why is...
*invisibility fade* (Brain)
Brain is dead.
Run!
The horns are sounding, and without communication from me, Heart and Claw must be running for their lives if they are following the plan. We lost Brain, and the assassination has failed, but we can still escape!
I have four minutes of invisibility left. Let's make them count!
I dash through two levels, it was the right call to kill everybody along the way. I'm unopposed. For now. What the hell happened back there?
...
I'm at Ground level! Damn! The guards that were underground are coming out!
"Where is everyone? There are supposed to be~ *slit *fall* (Guard A)
"Jaden!!! Where are you you little!~ *slit* *fall* (Guard B)
*heavy breathing* (Eye)
Damn. I can't fight the whole church alone! Weaving this invisibility spell took a lot out of me. My stamina is running low, my head feels light and my sight is getting blurry.
Heart is not here, hopefully she is gone. I have two minutes of invisibility left. This might just be enough to dash through the open space between the towers!
"Goren is still alive!" (Guard C)
"This one too!" (Guard D)
There are guards in front of the tower. They took down from the hooks the guards we incapacitated before. I have to be careful. Slip past them without letting them bump into me.
"Hey! We have a lead! A dark figure was seen running toward the Ruling Tower!" (Guard E)
"Let the Order deal with them. We have to secure the Seer's tower first." (Guard D)
Damn. They saw Heart. The ruling tower must be swarming with guards! My invisibility is running thin. My only chance is to jump from the top of the wall.
Please. Let me make it before my invisibility runs out!
*run* (Eye)
"What's with this gust of wind?" (Guard F)
"If you have the time to care about the wind, than follow me inside the tower. And be careful. We still have no idea who we are dealing with, here." (Guard D)
Escape: Heart
Location: Gloria's Temple/Seer's Tower
Time: Y1503 - 29th day of the Fire Moon
*woooooooo* *woooooo* (Horns)
The horns.
Brain was clear, we can't fight an all out battle inside the temple. If the horn blows, then we all focus on escape, and escape only. Time is short.
<Camouflage> (Heart)
It's a far cry from Eye's invisibility, but it will have to do. It simply changes the color of my cloak to blend with my surroundings.
I reach the exit of the tower, the two we left attached to the walls are still here. I don't like rushing things, but the more I wait, the worse it will be. I trust my weak camouflage spell and run, trying to stay far from lit areas.
I shadow the tree trunks, dash, and crawl. Guards are swarming like ants. Especially troublesome are the guards on top of the walls.
Only fifty meters left, I can do it!
"There! Near that tree!" (Stella)
"I can see him! Knights, with me!" (Steffen)
Damn it!!!
I can see the entrance. I can make it!
*run* (Heart)
*swish* *hit leg* (Arrow)
*fall* *scream* (Heart)
My leg! An arrow! From the wall!
"Stella, capture him alive! Second unit, with me! To the ruling tower! That's where he was heading. There might be more of them!" (Steffen)
The pain... It's hard to focus on my magic. This might be my last spell. I'm done for, but I can buy time for Claw and the others!
<Firewall> (Heart)
<Dispel Magic> (Stella)
Damn it! My spell was already weak! And with the magic threads dispersed I can't block the entrance! You are on your own, Claw. Please, you have to make~
*stab* "Ahhhhhh!!!" (Heart)
"It's only your shoulder, low life. No more weaving for you. Now go to sleep." (Stella)
<Tranquillity> (Stella)
My eyelids feels heavy.
The pain is fading.
This is were I die~
Escape: Claw
Location: Gloria's Temple / Seer's Tower
Time: Y1503 - 29th day of the Fire Moon
*woooooooo* *woooooo* (Horns)
The horns!
Striking the main temple of Gloria was a mistake. But Brain wouldn't listen. Gold is of no use to a dead men, I said.
Well, I can only hope Heart and the others are able to escape on their own. The three of them have camouflage spells, so they should be alright.
Brain plan for this eventuality was for me to hold the entrance if I saw them running and flee otherwise. And they are not in sight.
*run* (Claw)
There are people alive in the upper levels, but they will be defending those rooms.
And we killed everybody on ground level and below. Nothing will impede my escape.
...
*far voice* "Bodies! Two, up stair! The rest with me!" (Steffen)
Only now they entered the tower. Not a bad response actually, barely two minutes have passed. The Knights of Gloria are not to be taken lightly.
But I'm here at the entrance we made in the prisons now. There is no stopping me. If the knights are here, than the others are going to escape from the walls. I'll plug the hole we made.
*grunt* (Claw)
*lift circular debris*
*slam!*
*plug hole*
There! The silent cutter used by Heart is great. They will find it, upon close examination, but I will be long gone by then.
One last surprise.
*slide* (Device on a keg)
A keg of oil rigged with a proximity enchantment trigger. It might be enough to make the whole tunnel collapse, and surely kill the fools that will follow.
Courtesy of Heart of the Darkness! He he he.
Now to the rendezvous point in the eastern district.
Brain is like a fox, he probably carried out the assassination anyway and will show up alongside the others like it's nothing and say that it was easy and my worries were for nothing.
Yes. Everyone will be alright. They have to be.
*run* (Claw)