Assassin's Pledge: War of Attrition » Places

         

A Sin Most Unwanted...

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"... Today I encountered my son for the first time in many years, and I barely escaped with my life in tact. He knows well my identity already which has me concerned. I do not share in the trait he is most famous for, yet he was able to identify my face as belonging to his own bloodline. His perception to such complicated matters is peerless, yet when it comes to the simple things he seems to be clueless. I do not know where this inability to distinguish between peace and eerily convenient situations comes from, but I believe that a conversation with the other Grandmasters is in order."

- The Highmaster of Te'i Sai

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Shadow and the others were invited inside by Sereinia's aunt, but Shadow still had trouble letting go of how quiet and peaceful the city was. This was still within Triveila where Shadow had previously been encountered, so why was Te'i Sai leaving it alone? It didn't make sense to Shadow why this place would be so empty and devoid of any Assassin presence. Still, the thought that lingered in the back of his mind was that it was a pleasant environment despite his paranoia.

Era was more open to conversation than her brother once she accepted the reality that Te'i Sai was not here, and she engaged Sereinia's aunt in conversation quite quickly. She was not shy about revealing her identity, nor that of her brother which came as something of a shock to Beatiz, but when Era assured her that they were not the monsters they were made out to be she was able to calm down and look at them simply as people. It must have run in the family, at least to Era's eyes. Sereinia had accepted Shadow and herself quite quickly despite their identity, and Beatiz had done so as well. It was easy to see where she got it from. Era decided that it would be good for Shadow and Beatiz to have a quiet chat alone, so she invited Sereinia and Dietrich upstairs to check the Line Breakers still recovering wounds while Shadow and Beatiz spoke.

The two of them spoke for quite a good long while, and by the end of the night Shadow and Beatiz had both come to the same conclusion about the nature of Shadow's mission and the path he was beginning to take.

For the good of all, Sereinia was left behind with her aunt while Shadow and the others departed to prepare for their assault on the next headquarters of Te'i Sai in Triveila. Their journey culminated in success, but at a price. They later learned that while they were busy dealing with Te'i Sai, Roda Ah K'mht had taken over the region and had also managed to infiltrate, rebuild and repopulate the mountain fortress in Cre' Est which Shadow had destroyed several years ago. One step forward, two steps back. Such is the nature of the path Shadow has chosen to walk, and while he will never look back or regret his decision to fight, he may yet come to regret the lingering effects it has had on those he's left behind...

The End

         

Mayumi

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Kiiro walked out of the shadows behind her as another figure trailed behind him.

"Well if it isn't my favorite rising star?" He said as he approached.

Mayumi ignored him, but that doesn't mean she was any less wary. If anything she was even more wary and fully aware of what one wrong move could lead her to at present.

"Now, before you bolt away I'd like to tell you a few things that you may not have known about Shadow." He said as he walked around in front of her.

"Did you know that he's unstable? Maybe you thought as much a few times, but he is very unstable. For all of his lecturing about balance and keeping track of yourself mentally he seems to have a very hard time doing it for himself doesn't he? What did he say to you last? He was 'abandoning' your student teacher relationship? Something along those lines?" He said with a huff at the end.

Mayumi tensed but quickly forced herself to relax.

The other man with him stayed close behind Mayumi, but even from where he was it was clear that he was no ordinary individual. His steps were just as soft as Shadows were, and his aura even stronger than that of the infamous Red-Eyed Demon.

'Of course he knew.' Mayumi glared at the ground with detest that was for Kiiro.

He was the man who murdered her master. Her master whom was an expert at stealth. Mayumi hated to admit it but it was a fact that he was dangerous. She hated it even more that what he said made sense.

"I've known Shadow for a long time, since we were kids actually. He doesn't remember training with me because we were never told each others names, plus I looked quite different back then but there's no mistaking those red eyes of his. Rather ridiculous looking things, no?" He asked with a laugh.

'Is that what they call jealousy?' She wondered a little offhandedly.

"Anyway, Mayumi. I know that we haven't exactly seen eye to eye at every turn but I wish to offer you something that Shadow never did. I'd like to offer you freedom. Shadow would see you held back and shackled, but I want to set you free. You have a thirst for blood that must be quenched, and a talent for combat which is unrivaled by anyone else your age. I would see you realize the absolute peak of your potential and give you the freedom you so richly deserve. I will ask in return that if I call upon you that you answer, but otherwise I will leave you to your devices. I will not shackle you. I will not tell you that you aren't ready to move ahead."

'Freedom?' The thought was considered briefly before being thrown into the recesses of her mind.

He knelt down in front of Mayumi, but she did not meet his eye.

"That is the difference between Shadow and myself. He would tell you that I fight for Te'i Sai and for control of the continent but I could care less about that organization or controlling anyone. I just want the continent of Cre' Est to be free of idealistic and overconfident fools like those in Te'i Sai, and even Shadow. Ever notice how he's never afraid of anything? Is that just confidence, or is it overconfidence? He wasn't able to defeat my friend behind you despite everything he has going for him, so why does he pretend not to fear what the day will bring. I tend to think it's simply because he's arrogant. You've experienced that side of him, yes?" He asked, giving her a moment to think.

"Now Mayumi, I will not force you to answer me straight away. If you would like to experience the freedom I am offering you then you have but to say so. If you need time to think, then take all the time you need but remember that the clock is ticking." He said as he stood up.

"Shadow is moving fast, and if he succeeds in destroying Te'i Sai then the freedom I am promising you will never come to be a reality. While Te'i Sai might be seriously flawed, it does have its merits and its own unique offerings to this world to keep it balanced. Without Te'i Sai, your thirst for blood would force you to turn to simple and outright murder. I don't think you're that kind of person Mayumi. You know better than to resort to murder just to satisfy your lust for blood. Taking down the occasional mercenary or rogue bounty hunter is one thing, but taking innocent lives is never justified."

He walked around to stand by his new friend, the one who defeated Shadow.

"I will give you some time to think about it. If you wish to experience true freedom, then either stop me from leaving right now or come to find me later. Shadow must not be allowed to destroy all of Te'i Sai or this continent will never be the same and not for the better. Think about it Mayumi." He said as he started walking away.

Mayumi was seriously taking his words into consideration. If weren't for her rational mind, she would be well on her way with Kiiro.

'His malicious intents are practically radiating off him. Does he really expect me to follow him?'

Mayumi watched them walk away, knowing that she wouldn't stand a chance of victory if she fought them. Once she was sure that the pair was out of her radius, she turned and dashed in the opposite direction, wanting to put some distance between her and the pair. The further the better. She weaved through trees and covered a wide width, she then walked through a shallow stream to make sure she did not leave any unintended scent of her tracks. She knew it was pointless, running from them. They would always meet again, one way or another, but it was better than just standing there, waiting to be eaten.

'I always thought that I was the one who was hunting this man who killed you. Then again, I was ignorant and foolish. It has always been the opposite, hasn't it? Master.'

         

Mayumi
'Why am I seeing all these? Will these lead me to my goal?'

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Mayumi awoke to a never ending void of darkness that she found herself getting very familiar with and finds a similarity between the void and her eyes. It was all soon too clear why she had been brought here once again.

"Show me what you've been calling me for." She spoke out into the darkness, her words portraying no emotions.

The darkness flickered for a second as if telling her it understood before fading into a scene where a familiar figure laid on the ground in a pool of their own life liquid. Mayumi's eyes widened a fraction and froze there upon realisation of who it was. She was about to take a step nearer when she felt the darkness she was in hold her back and pull her in the opposite direction of where she wanted to be. Mayumi could only watch as the figure drew closer to death, but was left with slight hope as the figure had yet to fade as the scene ended.

'I've a feeling I'll be here a long time.'

         A Mountainous Forest outside Gweynura

There were many large, lush trees just outside of Gweynura with leaves falling softly on the ground. Every once in a while, there would be twig snapping in two to break the silence off in the distance. Few rocks rolled down the mountainous slope. It was quite a beautiful, sunny evening as Aries laid on the branch of a large tree resting until a small bandit clan, who was successful in raiding a large shipment of beer from Gweynura to Triveilla, came across the same path Aries was resting on. They woke up the entire mountainside, shouting and singing and celebrating while getting inebriated from the copious amount of beer. Aries opened his eyes and smirked quietly, "Heh, looks like I've hit the jackpot..."

Aries knew the bandits were headed to Gweynura to “celebrate” their latest heist. He jumped from tree to tree with ease until he was a few miles from Gweynura. He planted a dummy and put a smoke bomb inside the dummy. He then clothed the dummy using the clothes he “found” lying around the city. Aries smirked, “People that are sober wouldn’t really fall for something this stupid, but these guys ain’t sober, aren’t they?”

“Now let’s just sit back, and watch the fireworks,” he says as he climbs into a neighboring tree.

The Bandit Clan drunkedly came up the mountain, still singing drunken hymns, still being annoyingly idiotic. As they finally came up the mountain, they saw the dummy but they thought it was a beautiful young lady. They walked up to the dummy, attempting to seduce the dummy. In the blink of an eye, the dummy exploded in a grey haze of smoke! The bandits then readied their swords as they were being ambushed. Aries then leaped out of the tree into the smoke. The grey haze was very thick, so you couldn’t see anything but hear quite an amount of screaming. When the smoke cleared, everyone ended up on the ground unconscious. Aries grabbed all of their money and coins and climbed back into the trees.