Chapitre 30: Gorgon's Honor
Zisha's reconnaissance had given her all the information that she needed. Her target is formidable with the sword, but so was she.
Inside a damp cave in the forest just outside the city gates, the sound of screeching could be heard as the gorgon sharpened one of her scimitars using a whetstone.
Queen Zorla's request didn't specify that her target would be an adventurer. It would've been her cue to turn tail and abandon her mission but she chose to double down instead. It wasn't out of fear of the baleful queen, although it did play some part. Zisha has an axe to grind with Elaria and their guild.
Zisha didn't like how those at her own guild made it a rule never to accept requests whenever it targeted Elarian adventurers. What's even more, she hated how those damned Elarians branded themselves as 'Battle-hardened'. They are cold-blooded killers, they don't just fight for the thrill of it, they fight to snuff out their opponent's life. The guild of Elaria's widespread glory should have been theirs.
The desert kingdom of Warija, home to the snake people. Aside from the usual requests, their guild was notorious for accepting what other guilds would consider taboo.
Assassinations.
Her mission would no doubt strain the relationship between the two guilds, so be it.
What she was doing was for the pride of Warija, for the pride of their guild.
The screeching stops.
Zisha examines the sharpness of her blade. Underneath her white mask, her lips twist into a cruel smile. Tomorrow will be the fated day.
The Amazon will die by her sword.
+++
The gentle morning breeze accompanied the chirping of the birds as Antani was back once again to her preferred training area. Its usual serenity was disrupted by the clashing of swords due to a certain dark elf's continuous barrage of attacks, Antani had deflected all per usual.
A taunting grin forms on the Amazon's lips mid battle, Ellamir's attacks had contained more fervor than ever before.
Ellamir was really trying her darndest to best Antani.
"So passionate. Save some for the festival."
Ellamir's reply was her right spider leg shooting forth trying to impale Antani's head quickly followed by the left. Topping it off with a sword thrust.
Antani's razor sharp focus combined with her agility allowed her to weave her head left and right. She then evaded her thrust by strafing backwards.
Before they engaged each other once more, the couple heard a sinister hiss, halting them in their tracks.
A few meters away from them, the gorgon descended from a tree. Zisha's brandished sword along with the snakes that threateningly hissed on her head bared her ill intentions.
"Mind if I join in on your fun?"
Zisha was quite surprised to find Ellamir alongside Antani. She had observed their little bout from earlier, Ellamir would not pose a threat. The dark elf might have weight in her attacks but she was ultimately slow. Most of all, she lacked the vicious aura that her mother possessed.
If anything, Ellamir being here only made granting the Queen's request easier, for she is going to watch as her Amazon companion dies before her very eyes.
"Who the fuck are you!?" Ellamir pointed her curved sword towards the gorgon.
"Ellamir, she's bad news, look at her ouroboros necklace."
Antani's mother had told her tales of the Warijans and their guild. The gist of it is that they are hired killers. From one sword master to another, she could sense that gorgon is quite skilled. Her heart should be filled with dread but the emotion that rose up from her chest was different, Excitement.
"So what? She might be emerald but she's still no match for us both."
"No, you dumbass! She's an assassin. Someone put a hit on either me or you."
The dark elf couldn't care less if she was the target. Still, she had to ascertain who the gorgon is after, how swift the assassin's death will be depends on her answer.
"You there, overgrown snake! Tell me who your target is!"
Antani could only sigh there was no way that an assassin would reveal who her mark is. Subterfuge is part of an assassin's arsenal.
"I'll do you one better, I'll even tell you who sent me."
Antani stands corrected.
"It was your mother, queen Zorla. She hired me to kill that Amazon for 100 gold."
Ellamir's blood boiled at such an insult. A measly 100 gold? It made her want to strangle her mother. You could gather all the treasures in the world and it still wouldn't be enough to let you know how much Ellamir valued Antani.
The dark elf had decided, the assassin's death shall be excruciating.
Meanwhile, Antani wondered if Ellamir would let her fight solo, just to determine whose skill in the sword is more superior. "Is there any chance that you would, you know, let me fight her alone for just a little while?"
"She is trying to end your life! Absolutely not, you idiot!"
"It was just a suggestion. Fine then, let's attack together."
With their swords at the ready, Ellamir and Antani charged as one.
The sound of their metal waltz echoed throughout the forest. The gorgon was able to defend from Ellamir's attacks but she would recoil everytime, she slinked backwards with every deflect so she wouldn't stagger.
At the same time while Ellamir crossed swords with the assassin, Antani would try to flank the gorgon but the assassin is a crafty one, she would always shift to the side and use Ellamir as a shield. Their dance of blades continued with Ellamir as its axis.
Wisened to the fact that the assassin is using her, Ellamir's armor allowed her to leap high up into the air, vaulting over the gorgon. Quick to seize the opening, Antani took Ellamir's place, her blade already charged with the necessary mana to split either the gorgon or her swords, she released a slice.
With her innate nimbleness, the gorgon dodged Antani's sword by a margin. But Antani's assault wasn't over yet, she transitioned her slice into a kick into the snake's plexus - the impact staggered the assassin as she groaned in pain.
Still recovering from the vicious kick, the grim realization hit her. She had now been flanked.
Zisha better find a way to get out of the couple's makeshift formation with haste. In her trade, a flanked assassin is as good as dead.
The couple continued their onslaught. The jaws of death slowly close upon the gorgon, but she is determined to accomplish her mission and make her escape before they could even snap shut.
Whether caving in to Ellamir's immense strength or becoming turned into mincemeat by Antani's swordsmanship, Zisha's situation had become extremely dire.
The assassin couldn't let up for one bit as each of her swords was having trouble holding back the couple.
Amidst the barrage of sword strikes, Ellamir taunted. "You are one slippery snake. Although, I wonder how long can you keep this up?"
The answer is not for long. Zisha had to make her move soon to prevent her imminent death.
Zisha didn't want to rely on her gift, for the mission was personal and she wanted to trounce the amazon using her skill with the sword. Why did the troublesome dark elf accompany her target today out of all the days?
The assassin was now pissed off, she cannot afford to prolong the battle or her arms will give out.
The gorgon throws each of her scimitars towards the couple. For the split second that it distracted her two opponents, Zisha's tail wrapped around Antani's ankle. The gorgon viciously yanked Antani to the ground and dragged her close. Her hands already on her mask, Zisha's lips twist into an eerie arc underneath to which Antani will be able to witness soon enough.
The Amazon closed her eyes in order to offset what was coming. This action only proved to amuse Zisha further, fatal misinformations like that benefited them.
Centuries ago, the gorgon's deity, Medusa - tweaked her gift. Before, all snake people could use the ability to turn their enemies into stone if they looked them in the eyes.
Not long after, she was made a mockery among other gods, for a gift so powerful had one trifling weakness - mirrors.
Taking inspiration from Lolth, Medusa had recanted her gift and given it only to a select few she viewed as special, The Gorgons. In essence the ability is still the same, but its activation had become more fearsome that even mirrors would turn to stone before it.
"Be still…forever." Zisha brings down her mask before Ellamir could close in. From her face erupted a blinding light that bathed Antani, it was accompanied by a bloodcurdling hiss that bordered into a scream.
As the light faded, Zisha refitted her mask. Her mission is now complete, she can finally leave.
The Amazon had been completely turned into stone.
"Noooo!" Ellamir howled from the top of her lungs. She felt as if her heart would implode judging by the pain in her chest.
There was no way that Antani was dead, she was just encased in the stone! That had to be it! First she would take care of the stupid snake and then she will take Antani back to their guild, their Guild master would surely know of a way to neutralize the gorgon's spell.
Blinded with anger, she wanted nothing more than to rip the gorgon into pieces.
"Take one more step and I will smash her into you." Zisha threatened, her tail still wrapped around Antani's ankle. With the Amazon unmoving, she could easily follow through with her promise.
On second thought, Zisha won't leave just yet. Even though she's her client, she hated queen Zorla, she hated how the mad queen made her feel so powerless and insignificant, most of all - she hated how she made her feel fear.
Zisha was sure the queen wouldn't mind if she roughed up her daughter a little bit.
"You know, there is a way to turn her back to normal."
Ellamir was temporarily taken out of her vengeful daze, "Really!? Then turn her back right now!"
"I am here to kill her, why should I? Although, amuse me and I might reconsider. I don't know why this slave of yours seems so important to you but if you want me to turn her back then I only need you to do a couple of things for me. I promise I will turn her back afterwards, snake's honor."
"Don't call her that! She's not my slave anymore, she's my lover!"
Zisha internally revelled with malefic joy, the revelation made her aware how tightly she was holding Ellamir by the neck. She just had to find out how far Ellamir was willing to go for her Amazon lover.
"Isn't that just precious? Let's start by proving how much you love her then. Prostrate before me."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone