章節 17: Assassin vs Assassin
With the gold coins jingling against his hip, Aldwyn stepped out of the Merchant's Guild and into the rain-soaked night.
He had a feeling, a tingling at the back of his neck that screamed danger. His eyes scanned the shadows and the rain pattered against the cobblestones, a rhythmic beat that seemed to sync with the pounding of his heart. Every sound was amplified in the deserted streets: the distant hooves of a horse-drawn carriage, the rustle of a leaf caught in the wind, the faint whisper of water seeping through the stones.
„What the hell was that? My body clearly senses danger..." Aldwyn's thoughts were racing as he walked through the rain, the droplets hitting his cloak with a steady rhythm.
Suddenly, he heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps, echoing through the alleyways. They were soft, almost silent, but he had been trained to recognize the signs of a pursuer. He quickened his pace, his hand resting on the grip of his revolver.
The footsteps grew closer, and he slipped into the shadows, his body melting into the darkness. The figure approached, a cloaked silhouette with a sense of urgency in their stride. Aldwyn could feel their eyes scanning the streets, searching for him. He waited, his breath held, his senses on high alert.
Without warning, a gloved hand reached out from the shadows and clamped down on his arm. His instincts took over, and he spun around, his twin blades flashing in the moonlight. The figure gasped, and he recognized the voice immediately.
"Caius!" Aldwyn exclaimed, the tension draining from his body.
The other assassin stepped out of the shadows, his own twin blades sheathed at his side. "Aldwyn," he said. "I've been looking for you."
Aldwyn studied Caius, his mind racing with questions. "What are you doing here?"
Caius's eyes searched Aldwyn's, his grip on his arm tightening. "The goal I've been working towards this whole time."
"And what goal is that?" Aldwyn's curiosity was piqued, his blades still at the ready.
Caius paused, the rain matting his cloak to his body. "To turn you into an assassin and then kill you, of course," he began, his voice a conspiratorial whisper. "I have had my eye on you since the incident with Fabienne, I just had to pave the way and wait for the result and finally the time has come."
Aldwyn's eyes narrowed, the cold steel of his blades reflecting the moon's glow. "And why would you want to do that?"
Caius chuckled darkly. "Because I have to... I've been at stage 2 for years and no matter how much I improve, I'm missing something." He paused briefly before continuing. "I figured it out however...'he' wants to test me if I'm worthy of being called an Assassin and the only way to do that is to kill another Assassin. It's the only way to show 'him' that I've grown stronger."
"You should have noticed. Assassins are undetectable unless they want to be found. Why do you think a simple barkeeper knew who I was or where I was hiding?"
"After the incident with Fabienne, I sneaked into your room and found your little diary. It had some really interesting things in it, but the most important part was that you had the Assassin's Path as a priority, which allowed me to initiate it all."
"It was actually easier than expected, you even approached the barkeeper by yourself... I guess it was your desperation."
"Do you remember the first thing I said to you when you came to me? 'I've been expecting you'. Then all I had to do was to give you a relatively easy assignment and complete the pact. Why did you think the scholar's house wasn't as well secured as the others?"
"And the last thing I had to do was to wait until you had a better control of your assassin abilities. And here we are...ohh how long I've waited for this."
Aldwyn's expression became very serious. „Shit... The signs of a trap were obvious, looking back. I even noticed the lack of security, but just ignored it, because the lure of the Assassin's Path was too great..."
Caius pulled out his own twin blades, the gleaming steel a stark contrast to the shadowy backdrop. "But don't worry," he said, his smile cold and mirthless. "This won't be a quick death. I want you to understand the depth of your failure before you breathe your last."
Aldwyn took a step back, his eyes never leaving Caius's. He knew that Caius had been grooming him, setting him up for this moment. He had to think quickly, use his environment to his advantage. The alleyways of Helgarde were narrow and tight, perfect for someone who knew how to manipulate the shadows.
The rain had turned the cobblestones slick, making footwork tricky. He took a deep breath, focusing his energy into his limbs, his mind racing with strategies. Caius advanced, his blades a blur as they cloaked in shadows, leaving trails of darkness in their wake.
Aldwyn's instincts took over. He darted to the side, using the wet stones to slide around a puddle. The water sprayed, and for a moment, the air was filled with a fine mist that obscured their view. He took the opportunity to vanish into the shadows of a nearby alley, his body moving with liquid grace. Caius, however, was faster, his eyes narrowing as he anticipated Aldwyn's move.
With a snarl, Caius lunged, his shadow-cloaked blades slicing through the mist. Aldwyn barely dodged in time, the cold steel grazing his cheek and leaving a burning trail. The sting brought him back to reality. This wasn't just a fight; it was a deadly game of cat and mouse.
He sprinted towards a nearby building, using the slick stones to his advantage. The rain had turned the alley into a treacherous battleground, each step a gamble. Caius followed, his blades flickering like ghosts in the moonlight. As Aldwyn reached the wall, he pushed off with all his might, his boots finding purchase on the wet stones. He shot upward, his twin blades arcing down to meet Caius's ascent.
The clang of steel on steel reverberated through the alley, the sparks from their clash briefly lighting up the scene like a silent firework display. Caius's shadows danced around them, a macabre ballet of death. Each strike was met with a swift parry or a sidestep, the tension building with every heartbeat.
Aldwyn noticed a drainpipe running down the side of the building. He pushed off from the wall, using his enhanced speed to his advantage. He sprinted up the pipe, his boots clanging against the metal as he ascended. Caius, not one to be outdone, followed suit, his blades a silent promise of pain. The pipe groaned under their weight, but held firm, a testament to the ancient craftsmanship of the city's architecture.
„Surprisingly, I can hold my own...but I suppose my stamina will fade much faster than his. I'll have to find a way to survive this."
At the top, Aldwyn leaped onto the rooftop, the rain soaking through his cloak. He rolled to his feet, his blades at the ready. Caius landed with a grace that spoke of countless years of practice, his shadows swirling around him like a dark shroud.
"You're fast," Caius said, his voice carrying a hint of admiration. "But not fast enough."
Caius's blades moved with a preternatural speed, leaving trails of darkness that sliced through the rain. Aldwyn matched him step for step, his own blades a blur as he parried and riposted. The clang of metal against metal sang out, punctuated by the thunderous patter of rain. The rooftops of Helgarde had become their stage, and the city below was their unwitting audience.
Aldwyn noticed the precarious position of a nearby chimney pot, loosened by the relentless downpour. He feigned a lunge, then spun on his heel, using the momentum to send the heavy stone structure toppling towards Caius. The older assassin's eyes widened, but his reflexes were too sharp. He dodged aside, the chimney pot shattering on the cobblestone below with a deafening crash. The resulting cloud of dust and debris obscured the fight momentarily, giving Aldwyn a chance to reassess his strategy.
He sprinted across the rooftop, using the slick tiles to his advantage. He knew he couldn't outmatch Caius in a straight-up fight, not yet. He needed to use the environment to his benefit. As he approached the edge of the building, he spotted a series of tightly strung laundry lines crisscrossing the alley. Without hesitation, he leaped off the roof, his cloak billowing like the wings of a shadowy bird. He swung from line to line, the wet clothes slapping against his face, obscuring his vision. But his instincts took over, guiding his hands and feet as he moved with the grace of a panther.
Caius watched from the rooftop, his eyes narrowing in anticipation. He knew Aldwyn was up to something. He took a step back, allowing the shadows to envelop him entirely.
Aldwyn reached the other side of the alley, his boots skidding on the slick tiles as he searched for his next move. He spotted a series of wooden crates and barrels stacked against the neighboring building, the perfect cover. With a burst of speed, he sprinted towards them, his blades tucked tightly against his sides to avoid detection.
Aldwyn's breathing became heavier and heavier. „I can't hold out much longer and it seems he hasn't even really started.... So that's the difference from stage 1 to stage 2."
Caius emerged from the shadows, his eyes scanning the rooftop. He knew Aldwyn was playing a dangerous game, using the city itself as a weapon. With a smirk, he leaped off the roof, his blades extending into the darkness as he fell. The shadows grew around him, a silent promise of doom.
Aldwyn waited behind the crates, his heart pounding in his chest. He heard the rush of air as Caius descended, and at the last possible moment, he vaulted over the makeshift barricade. Caius's blades slashed through the wooden crates, sending splinters flying in every direction. The shadows grew thicker around him, a swirling maelstrom of malevolence.
Aldwyn rolled to the side, his boots splashing in a puddle. The water sprayed upwards, creating a temporary barrier between them. He knew he had to keep moving, to prevent Caius from pinning him down. He sprinted across the alley, using the crates and barrels as obstacles. Caius's blades cloaked in darkness sliced through the air, leaving a trail of shadows that seemed to reach for him. Each time they connected with an object, it disintegrated into ash, leaving a void in their wake.
Aldwyn ducked behind a barrel, using the brief respite to gather his thoughts. The rain was relentless, the noise of the city muffled by the pounding water. He could feel Caius's eyes on him, the anticipation in his stance. He had to do something drastic, something that would catch the older assassin off guard.
He pulled his revolver from its holster, the metal warm and familiar in his hand. Rainwater beaded on the barrel, reflecting the flickering shadows of Caius's blades. He knew that Caius would expect a melee, a close-quarter battle where Aldwyn's skills could be nullified by the shadows. But Aldwyn had other plans.
Taking a deep breath, he leaned out from behind the barrel and fired into the mist of shadows surrounding Caius. The bullet sang through the air, its path unseen until it struck a wooden beam, showering splinters into the dark cloud. The shadows retreated briefly, revealing Caius's surprised expression.
Aldwyn didn't wait for the older assassin to recover. He dashed through the alley, his boots splashing through the puddles. Caius was on his heels, his blades flickering like a strobe light in the gloom. The air grew thick with tension, the scent of rain-soaked earth mingling with the metallic tang of bloodlust.
„I hope he didn't realize that the shot wasn't for him... It was a 'cry for help' a sign for surrounding guards."
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