Fan Fiction ❯ Assasins ❯ The trial ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The Trial

A dark cloaked figure is seen roof hopping on a dark moonless night. The figure pauses and glances warily about. Certain that he was not alone, the figure continued slowly, using every shadow to his advantage. He pauses again, withdrawing something from his shoulder. Dropping to the ground, the figure ran forward on soundless feet, leaping over pools of light to keep his prescense a secret. He stops and peers around the corner of a house, his target in sight. He watched silently, still wary. Something seemed...off. His senses told him something wasn't right so he took the roof, and continued to watch his target. Suddenly a shadow resolved itself into the figure of a woman, also watching the target. The man weaved a spell to hide himself from her sight, just in time as her gaze raised to search for others like themselves. When her attention returned to the target, he left the roof, taking a circular route which allowed him to enter her blind spot. In his passing, he left 3 guards dead, their bodies hidden for a time. Quietly climbing onto the roof, he snuck up behind her and placed a tanto against her neck. "Rather dark night to be stargazing..." His soft voice whispered in her ear. The woman jumped slightly and turned her head. "You..." she said, "Where did you come from?" "Wouldn't you like to know?" He smiled, though his lips were hidden by a mask. She smirked. "No matter...It isn't over yet..." That said, she dropped a small ball she held in her hand and closed her eyes. The man was blinded by the flash of light and the woman escaped in the smoke that followed. The flash also warned the target and they set off, running for cover. "Damn! I wasn't expecting that." He muttered as he blinked to clear his eyes. He stretched his senses out while he waited for his vision to return, settling into a defensive position. Sensing an attack from the rear, he jumped into the air, twisting to face the direction of the attack as well as dodging more small daggers that flew at him. By the time he landed, his vision had cleared and he charged at the woman, acutely aware that his target was on the run and he had a limited time to destroy it. Blocking several more daggers with his tanto, he weaved another spell with one hand, creating clones and attacked her. She jumped back dodging the first clone, ducked under the second one's attack, stabbing it in the stomach with a hidden dagger. The clone disappeared in a puff of smoke, momentarily blinding her. When the smoke cleared, the real man was nowhere to be seen. She searched carefully around her, hoping to spot him. When he failed to appear, she relaxed, until a thought occured to her. 'Damn he used his clones to distract me and went after the target.' Taking off in the direction of the target, she roof hopped quickly in hopes of catching up to the man. Releasing a low whistle as she moved, she signaled to other guards that help was needed.
Meanwhile, the man had caught up with his target, moving quickly, but assuredly through the dark streets. The man dropped on his target, a glint of dark steel arcing towards the escaping figure. The steel connected and the figure fell to the ground, a short cry escaping from their lips. The man stared down at his target, dying before him. Suddenly he looks up, sensing guards closing in. Taking to the roof, he flicks his sword, and sheathes it, dashing towards the edge of the town. The young woman, anticipating his move when she realized she would not be able to protect the target, was waiting for him, her sword drawn. The man did not slow down but he did draw his sword. The woman put up her guard and steeled herself for the clash. The clang of the swords biting into each other echoed across the otherwise silent night. The man knew it was only a matter of time before the other guards caught up and he was surrounded. Opting to disarm her rather than try to kill her, he shifted his grip on his sword and vaulted over her twisting to face her back. The woman overbalanced and stumbled forward, caught off guard by the move. 'What is he doing? Surely he knows I'll chase him if he runs. He can't escape now...' As she turned to face him, he appeared beside her, smashing the hilt of his sword into her hand, causing her to drop her sword. As it fell, he timed a kick that sent it flying through the air, missing a guard by a hair. The woman, stunned by a blow to the head, fell to the ground dazed. The man turned quickly and left, leaping off the roof and running silently through the streets. Leaping over the village gate, he escaped into the night and changed his disguise so as to fool the searching guards should he be caught.
Half an hour later, the man showed up infront of a small fire and lowered himself to one knee, bowing before his master. "It is done," his soft voice wafted over the crackling of the fire as one fist lifted to reveal a dark green pendant that flashed as it caught flashes of light from the fire. "Very good, Shiro-san. You have done well." Spoke a voice from a figure hidden in the shadow of a tree. Steel grey eyes peered out of the shadows at the man kneeling before him, a hand accepting the pendant. "You have done very well indeed..."