41 Sylvia (2/2)

I relaxed a little and stepped towards her, ”So why did you attack me last night?”

The girl glared harshly at me, anger burning deeply in her eyes. After a moment it became clear she didn't want to answer my question.

I took out the locket and dangled it from my hand, ”If you want this back you are gonna have to answer my questions.”

Her eyes sparked with a short moment of happiness before the fiery anger returned.

”Fine,” she curtly responded.

”Good, lets start with something simple. Whats your name?”

”Sylvia.”

”Ok Sylvia. Where did you learn your stealth techniques and how to track people.”

Her extreme anger made me think I was her target which means she either tracked me or tracked the three men who ambushed me knowing they would lead her to me. Either way she has to have superb tracking skills. The stealth techniques she displayed were also among the best I had ever seen.

”That's none of your concern,” she responded viciously.

I began to put the locket away.

She stared at me furiously, but before I could put it away she shouted, ”STOP.”

She sighed and said, ”My family taught me. We come from an ancient family trained in the art of assassination.”

”We? There are more of you?”

Her anger flared up again as she clenched her fist in rage, ”There were! Me and my brother were the only ones left. We managed to find each other here in Agartha!”

She paused as her breathing became rapid, ”We were going to take this chance to restore or family's honor and take revenge on our families killer! But you, you,” her whole body was trembling at this point, ”You monster, you killed him! YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!”

Her last sentence came out like a howl. Rage, grief, anger, and despair coated her words as they echoed around the room almost as if they were desperately trying to stay heard. She swayed and tried to steady herself with the dresser before collapsing to the ground. Every ounce of strength she had was used in that last sentence.

She had fallen unconscious again. I stood there dumbfounded. When did I kill her brother? There weren't too many people I had killed so far in Agartha. I began to think back through every man I had killed trying to match her appearance to one of them. I quickly came to the only possible conclusion. Silent Killer. Her hair and features were almost identical to his. I don't know how I hadn't noticed it before. While they used different techniques both of their techniques focused on being silent. I can't believe I hadn't figured it out before.

I couldn't help but wonder, he had to have stealth techniques just as good as hers, he was at least 15 years older. Why didn't he use those techniques in the arena? He waited for me to come to him. If he had gone to the pillars in the middle and combined the stealth technique with his silent slash I don't think I could have won the fight or even kept my life. He forfeited all the advantages of being an assassin. It just doesn't make sense.

I couldn't help but feel pity and a little bit of regret as I looked at Sylvia unconscious on the floor. I picked her up and placed her on the bed. I then placed the locket beside her and left the room.

I looked at the guards and said, ”Don't let anyone other than Matilda in this room.”

I then went and found Matilda and asked her to frequently check up on Sylvia, to make sure she was fed, to provide her with anything she asks for that is within reason, and to prevent her from doing anything rash to herself or anyone else. I didn't want her grief pushing her to harm herself. I couldn't help but feel partially responsible since I truly could have spared her brother, but killed him to be cautious. I then relayed a few other commands to Matilda related to the manor. Including building a private fenced in garden on the back of the property.

I left the Captains Manor in the direction of the Guards Barracks outside the east wall. I walked quickly since I didn't have much time to spare. I had Matilda wake me up later because I was exhausted after everything that happened yesterday, but it would be midday soon so I had to get to the ceremony where Morrow would make me the new Captain.