Arton had returned to his room right after the meeting concluded feeling irritated, guilty, but most of all exhausted. There had never been a point he could remember feeling so tired. All the various layers of armor he adorned himself in felt restrictive for the first time and he haphazardly began to peel, rip, and toss pieces off as he made his way to his bed. The entire time he grumbled about the rest of the party so easily accepting Ciradyl's actions. Worse than that, he had spent all those restless night searching for information on Reisa with no real clues to show for it.
He barely made it to the edge of the mattress before he simply collapsed onto the soft sheets. The fight at Mizutani's manor wasn't even that intense but he surmised that it simply his body being so deprived of proper rest. An annoyed sigh came out as he figured he should have had one of Ciradyl's servants fetch him some tea to relax. It was too much to bother now that he already stripped down and laid on the bed. One night. One night of solid sleep was all he asked for. In fact, he muttered a silent prayer to Etro for just enough to get through the next day. The gravity of Ciradyl's schemes circled in his mind as he feel alseep.
The elegant carriage rocked gently on the road, the crest of the Auclaire Noble House proudly present on the doors of both sides. There were multiple House Guard riding in front, behind, and alongside the carriage covering any and all possible points of approach. The current head of the Auclaire Noble House was the current Overseer and inside this carriage was his younger brother and his family. They were on their way back to their estate after traveling to the capital to discuss policy amidst the other noble houses.
The younger brother of the overseer was a man named Mathieu. His wife was Helene Auclaire and was sitting next to her husband currently watching over the two little ones across from them. One was their only child, a son named Lionel, and the other was a commoner girl named Furi that they had taken into their household as a companion to Lionel. They had been raising Lionel to one day become Overseer while Furi had received some simple training on her path to become a House Guard. Their hope was that Furi would become an indomitable bodyguard and advisor for their son.
Lionel’s feet dangled off the seat as he kicked them back and forth idly
”Furi, I’m bored!” The young master complained to his friend, much to his mother’s relief. Furi, on the other hand, maintained a good posture and had remained mostly quiet throughout the trip. An idea seemed to flash in her eyes
I know, Lio! Let’s play I spy!. A short giggle from the boy was enough for an answer. Lionel pulled up himself up to see out of the carriage’s window
”Okay, I spy with my little eye…”Within the heavily-guarded carriage of the Skaellan House of Auclaire, the two juveniles - one of noble birth, the other commoner - continued playing their little game. They spied many things; a stationary tree, a young buck prancing about, a climbing squirrel, and even something as minuscule as a chirping songbird, none escaped the notice of the two bright, keen-eyed youngsters.
Thus, it was inevitable that eventually, they spotted a black-clad 'scarecrow' half-hidden behind a trunk.
”...a scarecrow!”Hold on, a scarecrow...?
Mathieu and Helene's curious bewilderment were abruptly answered as a sigil,
multiple sigils activated all at once on ground, right underneath the carriages.
"And... boom~"What followed next could only be described as an unpleasant surprise as multiple explosions rocked the street, products of the pyromantic spell embedded within the ground-bound sigils. Heat and shockwave in equal measure assaulted the convoy, assaulting men, steeds, and carriage alike. However, despite the sheer potency of the trap, not all of the House Guard personnel perished in the initial blasts, perhaps a testament to the Skaellan House Guard's formidable reputation.
Alas, whoever was orchestrating the attack was intimately familiar with this as the "scarecrow", along with others of its ilk, began aiming their weapons and started firing volleys after volleys of bullets, peppering what was left of the convoy with lethal projectiles, coming at them from all sides.
One of the explosions that struck the family’s carriage shredded one of its doors and threw Mathieu and Helene free from the cabin as it twisted in the air. The twisted wreckage of the carriage skidded to a stop a short distance away.
Lio! Lio! Lio! Get up! Get up! Lio! Furi screamed, or moreso cried, as she shook her friend awake.
She had sustained a few scratches on her arms and legs but was otherwise okay. Lionel, on the other hand, seemed to have hit his head if the small trail of blood coming from his forehead indicated. Furi might have been crippled by fear of the thunderous sounds outside if not for him. Relief washed over her for a brief moment as he opened his eyes weakly
”Furi…? His confusion did not last long as a stray shot struck off the side of the carriage.
It might have been safer to stay inside but there was a problem. Smoke had begun to rise into the cabin from under the carriage
”Come on, Lio!The street was littered with shredded bodies and torn up carriages. What paltry force remained moved in on the two nobles that had been flung from their carriage in the initial attack. They were taking too many losses, too quick but at the very least they had to get their charges out of the area. A larger House Guard practically pulled the two into cover and Mathieu resisted him despite his severe injuries
“The kids!” That was about all he could think to say. None of the situations made sense to him even if his ears weren’t ringing already. The larger man clicked his tongue. He never did get the chance to voice any kind of displeasure as a rifle round silenced any chance of that happening. There was nowhere to hide.
Though many thoughts raced through Mathieu's mind, other than the concern for his loved ones, one certainly reigned above the others; ambushes and assassination attempts were to be expected amongst nobility, the House Guard corps would be a redundant waste of manpower and resources otherwise, but this particular one had been so precise, so unexpected, it felt as if their enemy knew every little details of their routine; the exact route they were going to take, their schedule, and even down to how many personnel would be employed for the trip. The most obvious conclusion to this was the likely possibility of a mole being involved. Regardless, none of this would matter if they perish today.
Volley after volley continued relentlessly, and it had only gotten worse as explosives were thrown into the mix, landing amidst the wreckage before promptly erupting, massacring anyone who might still be alive and as a final insult to injury, mutilating those who were already corpses into splattered chunks of gore and viscera.
Only a singular minute had passed since the sigils activated and already, most of the entourage was either dead or incapacitated. Smoke and debris filled the air, obscuring vision. But eventually, the bullets and bombs stopped coming.
... ... ...
Mathieu coughed harshly, spewing blood as his broken body held on to dear life. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the unmoving form of his beloved wife Helene, while his son and adopted daughter were nowhere to be seen. And then, footsteps, light and dainty, as if a dancer meticulously waltzing in-between the strewn corpses and debris, close yet never touching. Then they stopped right in front of the dying noble. His eyes widened in recognition, but before he could utter a single word, a glinting razor-sharp stiletto silenced him...
His murderer curled a loving smile even as her other hand caressed the dead noble's cheek,
"Don't you worry, milord, I won't let your son be an orphan, I'll send him to you and your dear wife soon, fufu~" The killer whispered before she stood up, swiped the blood clean from her small blade, then continued on her way, searching for her next victim to fulfill her promise. Now, if only there was a convenient way to locate him... aha~
Meanwhile, the young Lionel would hear the pained groans and whimpers of his mother,
”My son... where’s my son...?” She rasped, desperately seeking her one and only child.
The first one to emerge from the overturned carriage was Furi. She reached down into the carriage, after climbing up herself, and pulled Lionel up with all her might onto the top with her. He was still a little unsteady with his footing but was able to stand with her support. Her eyes, like gleaming rubies, looked over the carnage when she spotted Loki and her face lost all color.
“Lio, we need to go. Lio!” A small hand tugged on the noble’s son's arm, trying to pull him away before he saw it.
MAMAAA!!! Lionel cried, tearing away from Furi’s attempt to hold him back.
Lionel clumsily climbed down the side of the carriage as Furi desperately tried to get his attention again. He nearly stumbled over himself as he ran over to his mother. His face was flushed and tears streamed down his cheeks as he knelt next to her. Furi stood next to him as he interacted with the corpse as though his mother was still alive, hanging on by a thread. Lionel’s childish mind seemed unable to process the cruel reality in front of him. Furi realized something that sent shivers down her spine. There was no way Helene said those words in the state her body was in
Furi was more athletic than her friend but his raw strength was enough to tear away and end up closer to that monster. Her chest ached with how fast her heart was beating and every part of her wanted to run away. The carnage and horror around her was blocked out so she could summon the courage to at least move her feet. A vile sensation crawled through her skin as she felt the eyes of an apex predator fall onto her as she took position out in front of Lionel. Trembling hands held up a shortsword with a determined look in her eyes. What stared her down was a monster in human skin.
Furi! Why- Lionel cried out in confusion as he looked up at her. It was the sight of the one beyond that caused him to freeze with fear. The very air felt heavy with the looming threat of death.
Hook, line, and sinker, all it took was a little mimicry and the lamb came all by himself, right into his own slaughter. The murderer of two of House Auclaire's finest was about to add yet another entry into her list. At least, that was her plan until a tiny girl stood between her and her prey.
Oh, how cute~ The lamb had a guardian pup. Right, this child was 'Furi', wasn't it? Some commoner that the late Duke adopted to be molded into his son's watchdog. Reports said they treated Furi like their own daughter, a lowborn... yet living the life of nobility, how... preposterous.
It was almost as if the gods played a cruel joke on her, in fact, they most certainly did. Well, two can play that game.
Twirling the stiletto in her right hand, the thin blade glinted as the unidentified assailant curled a most wicked grin,
"Alas, if only you know how much your courage is wasted serving these decadent fools." She cooed, like a demented child who couldn't wait to pluck the wings off a fly then letting it live,
"Honestly, I pity you, pup, so I might just let you live." A lie? No, certainly not,
"Step aside and let me finish my hunt, or you can die together with him..." But this one was, at least half of it.
Furi drowned out everything around here except for the avatar of death in front of her. Burning wrecks of the carriages they rode in. Gore strewn about violently in all directions. Corpses of people she knew and cherished. Anguished cries of the one she was chosen to protect. The beating of her own, trembling heart. She could let nothing in lest she lock up and become another body for the pile. Her grip tightened around the shortsword, that felt so heavy now, until her knuckles turned white.
Loki’s words had sent shivers down her spine, enough to nearly bring her to tears. The fear was so intense it left little room for anger. Furi, however, had already made up her mind.
”RUUNNN, LIO!!! Her little lungs screamed so hard she could feel her vocal cords strain as she made the first move. Furi charged towards Loki pointing her sword’s tip towards her chest. She didn’t bother to look to see if he had followed her command.
"Oh my my~" This little puppy still had fight in her, hmm, perhaps Mathieu and Helene weren't completely clueless after all, there's a reason why they bothered adopting this commoner who'd otherwise be beneath their notice. Heh, she could use this... yes, what would be a better irony than sending an attack dog after its own masters? But this one was still an infant, she required more... polish.
However, there was nothing saying they couldn't start early.
"Come, pup! Entertain me!"For the next minute or two, surrounded by smoke, debris, flames, and fresh corpses, Loki humored Furi's pitiful attempts at protecting the only descendant of Mathieu's lineage. The significantly taller and older Sollan danced around the wounded young girl's clumsy footwork, smirking, chuckling, and dare she could say, even enjoying herself. At times, the assassin grazed her blade close yet not quite touching Furi's skin, making it clear that she could've ended this at any time and it was only through the kindness of her heart that she hadn't.
Eventually, Loki grinned,
"Congratulations, you've passed." Then with a solid smack, she chopped the child's neck hard enough to incapacitate her, yet soft enough to keep her alive.
With Furi out of the way, the assailant turned her attention to Lionel, a most sadistic leer on her visage as she stepped closer to the boy, savoring every single second. She drank in the boy's terror and despair, relishing in the power she had over these detestable nobles, not so high-and-mighty now, were they? Loki bent forward, smiling with faux affection, placed her lips right beside Lionel's ear, then cooed...
"The Garden sends their regards..."The young noble had cried out his friend’s name as her body fell onto the ground, tears streaming down his cheeks. Everything in this moment burned into the deepest reaches of his mind as Loki approached him, unable to deny reality any longer. He wished he had been a better son for his parents. He wished he had listened properly to his tutors and elders when they tried to teach him something. He wished he hadn’t taken Furi’s companionship for granted.
He fell backwards catching him with his arms and slowly crawled back, unwilling to take his eyes off Loki for a moment but unable to run away. Lionel flinched when she bent down and felt a terrible chill run down his neck at her words. His body trembled but the fear was too great to even utter a sound. Bright blue eyes closed tight preparing himself for whatever pain came with death.
Alone, helpless, and terrified, she
almost felt pity for the pathetic whelp crawling beneath her, just almost, as the thought of the boy's noble blood brought upon such vindictive hatred to Loki that it drowned everything else out. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to purge this malignant tumor upon the world, let one live and they'd multiply like rats; their extermination must be complete, down to the last man, woman, and last but not least, child.
“Head down!” A sharp, male voice pierced the air. Lionel barely caught a glimpse of the metal that slashed for Loki.
Loki’s assailant was one of the greatest agents to ever come out of the Garden. A bonafide living legend if half of the stories told about him were true. Those same stories reportedly said that the man, Cyth, was supposed to be retired yet here he was. His face was devoid of any meaningful expression but he had clearly put power into his strike.
"...?!!" The assassin was so engrossed in toying with her prey, and then made worse by the sheer skill displayed by the former agent, that she nearly fell victim to Cyth's strike, and only through the unintended side-effect of his warning that she could manage to keep her head by leaning back, the blade grazing her skin and cutting a few locks of blonde hair.
"...!" She gritted her teeth, immediately recognizing who
he was, Cyth, a living legend in the world of espionage, what was he doing
here? Why now? When she was so, so close to finishing the job!
Unwilling to face the risk of being identified, or worse, captured, Loki deemed that a direct confrontation with the ex-SEED was folly and made the split-second decision to salvage what she could. Without another word, literally so, the turncoat turned tail and retreated, but not before grabbing the unconscious Furi with her. Fret not, she'd turn this setback into a future advantage.
She promised him that...
Cyth clicked his tongue in aggravation as Loki fled with the unconscious Furi unable to get a solid look at her. He may have been inclined to pursue but that would leave the young lord vulnerable to her allies. Lionel briefly stopped crying as the sudden presence of Cyth registered in his mind. Cyth groaned as he hoisted Lionel up and over his shoulder, not wanting to deal with potential reinforcements “Hang on, kid.” He said before taking off in the opposite direction from Loki.
He sat the young lord down on a wooden crate once they had gotten some distance from the attack site. Heavy eyes looked down on the sobbing child “What do I do with you…?”
A cold sweat trickled down the sides of his face as Arton lurched forward, his pitched breathing causing his lungs to suck in air and expel it just as fiercely. His right hand rose to cup his face and squeeze, desperately trying to regain his composure. What an intense night terror. He had been taken back to that awful place again. A severe queasiness overcame him as the rest of his body caught up and he reached for the nearest bucket and hurled.
Why now...why show me this..? But there was no one present that could answer him.
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