Chapter 19 - The Crazy Poet
The wimp gave name
For whose came doom
With swift leaps pace
She goes back home
..........
The sky was dim
The night was grim
that girl had ran
On rope and rim
..........
She jumps and rolls
On roofs and walls
As darkness dances
When silence calls
..........
She climbed on roof
Chanting the proof
Of darkness door
In place so aloof
..........
In where she ran
There sat one man
Of wisdom deep
And witful plan
...........
She neared him there
In utmost care
With some dead name
Of boy Jon Dare
**************
"Have you finished writing your nonsense?" A boy voice sounded.
The boy was wearing a fit tight outfit of black and red, he was also wearing a small hood covering the his head.
What responded to the boy was a girl, she was a thin girl with a dark aura, she wore the same outfit as him, but she was crawling on something, and it seemed to be a journal.
The girl had a pale skin and few scars on her left cheek with an eyepatch on her left eye, her hair was black, tall and tied, her ears were pointy but not tall like elves, she looked ominous as he was grinning to her journal.
"Stabrious, you know I can't resist writing poems when I have fresh ideas." The girl talked with no sanity in her eyes while looking at the words she wrote.
"Mabia, focus now, you've got a contract and we must get to business." The boy named Stabrious came and held the girl from her shoulder "Have you spoke to Veezara yet?"
The girl who was looking at the journal with lust glared to the boy with scary eyes, because of his interruption, which caused the boy to back away.
"He said this night was a good night to shed blood in the name of the night mother." Mabia said.
"So which one of us is going?" Stabrious looked at her and asked.
"Both of us, the target is as old as us but he is too talented. We'll strike him in his sleep then run for it quietly." she said and continued "Veezara said that one of us is to attack while the other stays hidden, if the target becomes aware, the attacker runs and when the target tries to chase the other takes his life from the back."
"Failure is not an option as always." Stabrious made a sigh while saying that.
"Let's head out. The nights of First Seed (March) is long and poetic." Mabia stood up from crawling, "I may catch on a good ending for the poem."
Stabrious sighed in his heart again and again, this girl was a lost cause, her heart was one tenth on the kill and nine tenths on her poems.
She always wrote poems for every contract. She was not that bad either as Veezara, the senior who mentors them didn't mind them at all and said that every assassin had his or her style that keeps them sane.
'But that girl was insane' Stabrious wanted to retort but he couldn't. Even though that girl could barely focus on her kills yet she was still more skillful than him.
He could only follow her lead and do as she says, even though he hated it, he couldn't do anything about it.
Tonight they had another contract on one of the tournament's new rising stars. He was both mage and warrior with high agility. Frankly speaking, that was a scary talented person, yet strong people have the same weakness as anyone else, they have to sleep.
Striking while sleep is the normal style of 'Slayers' rank in the Dark Brotherhood.
Mabia and Stabrious went to the rooftops and jumped through them numbly and unseen.
After half an hour they arrived to the other side of the city.
It was the shopping district, the target lived in the inn so that was where they had to sneak into.
They, as professionals could easily locate their target. What was left was to figure out the fastest way out.
After a minute all was done, Mabia and Stabrious climbed the wall that led to a certain window, that window was of the target's room, he was staying alone in a room so that made sneaking much easier.
Now, the time to act, the target was confirmed to be sleeping.
Stabrious was to go and kill while Mabia was to cover his back.
They opened the window with swiftness and Stabrious sneaked in.
He approached carefully then...…..
*******************
[1st Person POV]
'Tik'
'Tik'
'Tik Tik'
What?
Why is that reacting now?
I opened my eyes.
This is my 'Alarm' spell, it detects people with hostility, and I charge it with enough Magicka for it to last a day, but why in this hour?
I don't understand but I can't be negligent. If someone wants to ambush me then I must ambush them first.
Now, think quickly.
First, where is that person? I don't have detect life spell but let's detect the Magicka around.
There! outside the window, two magicka signals, less than average, probably humans.
No other signal seemed to be out of place except for those so let's make preparations first.
Lately I learned a new spell and it was good, it was 'Lightning Rune'.
It could make a magic circle appear on a solid surface and once something steps on it, it explodes with lightning.
Let's go with that for now.
I casted the spell under the mat near my bed and covered myself to act sleeping while preparing another spells in my hands.
One was 'Lightning Bolt' and the other was 'Stoneskin'. I can't wear any armor now so I need to be protected.
Once the presences started approaching, I could feel them right outside my window.
Few seconds later a figure descended quietly and sneaked near me.
From a half opened eye I could see his gear and the skin of his face.
That looked like an imperial man with the Dark Brotherhood gear, dammit! What do they want from me?
The assassin came closer and unsheathed a dagger.
Before he could have a chance to jump onto me, lighning broke out under the mat.
The rune under the mat exploded in lightning and struck that assassin, soon after I casted the 'Stoneskin' and jumped out of the bed, then shot the 'Lightning Bolt' on my other hand at the assassin.
After too much lightning went through him, the assassin fell and could no longer defend.
What happened after surprised me as that guy took his dagger again and jumped at me.
I reflexly took the dagger from him with a disarming martial skill and without thinking, I buried the dagger in his stomach.
This was my first time stabbing someone like that, I could feel his muscles twitching from pain and his power seeping away.
Getting stabbed like that is a kill, but a slow one, I don't like torture so I have to finish it.
I took the dagger from his stomach and raised it up, after my hand descended, the dagger rested in the heart of the assassin.
This is my first time to kill a human, I don't know how other felt but taking a life like that is not something I wish to do indiscriminately.
This is not the game after all, I can't go around and murder all day. These are people.
Anyway all that happened in a second. The other assassin only noticed that something went wrong after I disarmed his mate and couldn't react till now. I guess there is no need to be polite.
As I was making me resolve to give a chase, my room's door was opened with a kick, calm your horses sheesh!!
"Jon, what is that noise?" Wulfur came in and after him was Battle-Born.
"Assassins." I said "I took care of one and going after the other."
As I finished I saw the belt that Wulfur uses to carry his axes in his hands. In no time I snatched two axes from him and jumped through the window with an axe each hand.
I could see the other assassin was running on the roofs, is that so? Time for some parkour then.
The roofs in Solitude were dormer roofs so they were easy to run on. I take my left and run towards the edge of the roof, there were a wooden pole from the street that carries some lanterns, I hopped on it and straight to the next building's roof, after arriving on the roof I ran forward few meters then jumps to the right as there were wooden poles linking between buildings, I ran on them to the building across the street.
That was repeated few more times with some flips and backflips until I narrowed the distance between me and the damn assassin.
From the way the assassin moves, this must be a girl.
I don't really care, I threw the axes few times but the other party could really dodge and I had to collect these axes and run again.
This is not getting me anywhere, while I was thinking that I could feel a presence running in the street, it was Battle-Born with a bow in his hands.
"Hey, where is the assassin?" He shouted.
"Just ahead. Listen, I need you to run towards the fletcher's and station yourself in good spot, have a full view of the roofs, will corner in the market." I made a hasty plan.
"Fine, Wulfur is behind but he will catch up to me. Good Luck." Battle-Born said, and ran towards the castle.
Now let's corner her more.
I ran towards the direction where the girl disappeared.
I knew exactly where she was because I was detecting her magical energy.
After few seconds I caught her trying to mislead me and hide but I casted a spell at her and she ran again.
I had to focus my spells at the direction I don't want her to run to, the plan was going so far so good.
Her speed was good, I indeed can't catch up to her on open field.
A minute of running felt like an hour but I managed to bring her where I needed. Now she was trying to run on a wooden pole but as soon as she found a foothold on it, an arrow broke the air and buried itself in her thigh.
I could hear her a scream and the girl's balance was already lost. She fell from the pole that was four meters high, that was not really a problem for a trained person but she was falling on her head.
As I was watching, I saw someone waiting to receive the falling girl, it was Wulfur my man.
"Good, catch the assassin." I shouted.
He nodded with firmness on his face, but what I saw next left me dumbfounded.
I told him to receive her but why is he carrying my hammer 'Agni-Ra' with him?
Hey wait, this is not how you receive a girl, just grab her and bin her down, I wanted to say all that but it was already too late.
Wulfur used the hammer like an experienced baseball player with a bat, he directly hit the falling girl horizontally in her stomach.
That was a talented blacksmith using a hammer in combat for you.
What I saw was not unexpected but still left me in awe, the girl flied to the market square with a beeline, dammit Wulfur.
After a second the girl crashed on a stall and fell to the ground, the place was empty thank god.
I jumped from the rooftop and ran to Wulfur then looked at the girl.
She appeared to be in agony after she took the hit, some burn marks appeared on her body due to the enchantment on Agni-Ra.
"Dammit man, that was a girl you hit just now." I looked at him and took the hammer.
"A girl? Wasn't that an assassin?" Wulfur asked.
"Yes." I answered.
"An assassin girl?" Wulfur made a dumb question.
"Isn't it possible?" I questioned his logic.
But whatever, that girl started to move again, impressive!
Suddenly I saw a cold light and my reflexes kicked in.
I kicked towards Wulfur and sent him away, followed after a silver beam of light passed through his location.
The girl threw a knife. And it was lethal and accurate as hell.
The girl crawled on all four quickly and entered some alley way, I ran after her and entered the alleyway but another silver beam was sent towards me. This girl is persistent.
A minute later I could hear heavy huffes from the alley, that must be hers. She was cornered and had only few bones intact to move her arms and throw stuff.
Battle-Born and Wulfur were behind me, Battle-Born was ready to shoot and Wulfur was smashing some wood barrels with his axe.
Wulfur made a large wooden shield and positioned it front of him, Battle-Born went behind him and I was the last.
We invaded the alleyway with few sounds of knives sinking in the wooden shield.
After a while, the girl ran out of knives, I went out of the shield's protection with my guard up.
I could see her under the moonslight, she was a thin girl with dark short hair, she already removed her hood and mask to breath, seems like Wulfur's strike made a score on her lungs.
Her left eye was white as she has lost its sight long ago, she also had many scars on the left side of her face, old ones it seems.
Her skin was a pale, and on the sides of her head there were short pointy ears.
Half-human half-elf, Nurina told me about them but that's my first time seeing one.
The right side of her face was gave off her beauty, but no matter how pretty she is she was an enemy, I don't like killing and I hope I don't need to resort to it.
I used 'Bound Dagger' spell in my left and walked to the girl.
As soon as I reach her she tried to kick away but she was already weakened, I grab her from her neck and tighten my grip while lifting her up, I could see more agony and she raised her hands to attack me, I expected as much so I used the bound dagger in my left to stab her shoulders, the girl screamed.
"Sorry for being cruel but we have two ways to end this, the easy way or the hard way, that depends on how fast you loosen your beans." I said like a character from some spy movie. I dispelled the dagger and changed it into a 'Calm' spell.
I am not training in Illusion seriously so I put more Magicka to make the effect stronger.
As soon as the spell was casted on the girl, her expressions changed from pain to madness and her shaking body, started to calm, yet my hand holding her neck remained locked.
"Answer to me or answer to the guards, for an assassin girl, jail is only the start of misery." I made a statement with a deep voice like Ol' Delvin's.
The girl glared at me then laughed like a mad person but I returned it with a slap, I could hear Battle-Born and Wulfur behind me saying 'Hey' while looking away from my act.
Sorry guy, but one needs to act like this to make a good understanding with that type of scum.
After receiving the slap, the girl didn't stop her crazy laugh. What an M! But I could hear something fall to the ground, it looked like some journal fell from the girl's clothes after being shaken by my slap.
I threw the girl to the wall behind her, she coughed as fell on the ground with no power, but she looked at the journal with madness as if she had dropped her child.
She moved her crippled arms to catch it but she was slow, I stepped on one of her arms and picked up the journal. She looked distressed with madness after I took the journal and wanted to move but I kicked her stomach.
I was actually very angry, and I have a bad habit of acting impulsive upon anger so I did what I felt like I want to do.
Due to the kick, the girl screamed with agony, I thought she was overreacting but I remembered that Wulfur just hit her there with my hammer.
Oops, sorry, I completely forgot.
Battle-Born was shocked of my actions and held my shoulder while saying "Hey, What are you doing?" but before he could say anything else Wulfur caught up to him and shook his head.
Well, sorry you had to see that guys.
Suddenly I could hear heavy footsteps and more than one presence running to our direction.
I didn't turn but the guys did. A light fell on us but I could already guess who was that, still I hid the journal in my clothes hurriedly then turned.
"By the order of the Jarl, Stop right there." A loud voice sounded.