Chapter 13: ~Destiny?~ (2/2)

I activate my fighting aura. That's what I decided to name my new ability. The blade flashes into my direction but somehow it feels like it's moving in slow motion! Is that another effect of enclosing myself completely in mana? Did I get faster? I did it never before on that scale.

With great care I pick the blade out of the assassins hand.

But suddenly the assassin is enclosed in a reddish light and starts to move faster again!? A small dagger shoots forward and scratches across my chest! My aura protects me and I feel that no harm is done.

The assassin lands behind me. Did he use a fighting aura too in order to speed up? His red aura is feeling similar to mine. But it's crude and badly executed. I feel his mana leaking into the surroundings and disperse without any use.

Again the assassin jumps forward and I sidestep his blade while performing a high kick. My heel connects with his forehead and I can feel something snap.

The assassin is blown away like a doll and rolls along the entire length of the corridor until impacting the wall at the far end of it.

Assassins! Bad memories well up in my head and I turn while screaming. “Ascathon! Liandra! Violet!” I kick the door to Ascathon's room open but I find the inside empty.

Then I run down the stairs while taking three staircases at a time to find another group of people in front of Violetta's room! One of them has something that looks like a small unconscious body over his shoulder.

I jump right into the surprised group of four and go directly for the person with the body.

A roundhouse kick deals with one of them and I thrust my left right through the chest of the kidnapper! He didn't deploy an aura like the one from before and so I pick the unconscious body from his shoulder while jumping backwards again to gain some distance.

Slowly I place what I found to be the unconscious Violetta on the ground and turn towards the other two assassins.

They are still shocked and staring at the two dead bodies when a voice stops me in my tracks.

“Don't move! Or she is dead!”

I turn and see that a third assassin came out of Liandra's room. He is holding her hostage with a knife at her throat. She is looking at me with pleading eyes and a fearful expression.

“I won't let you go!” I voice my unwillingness to let them leave! If they leave with Liandra they will kill her for sure! Are they from Arenzien? Obviously they tried to abduct Violetta!

“You will step as...”

But the assassin is interrupted as the shadows around him suddenly start to move in the dim light and his eyes distort in fear.

“He is here! The second gr...”

One of the shadows leashes out and cleanly decapitates the assassin who was holding Liandra hostage. I jump forward and draw the blade from her throat.

The remaining two assassin turn to flee down the corridor but a dark figure with glowing red eyes blocks their path. Then the shadows start to grow! The figure with the red glowing eyes twitches in an unnatural way that reminds me of a horror movie and falls on all fours to crawl towards the two assassins.

They turn again and run towards me and Liandra who is completely silent and shuddering in my arms. But the darkness catches up and engulfs them. Everything turns completely black.

I can't see anything and just the screams of the two remaining assassins can be heard.

Then everything is back to normal. I am back in the corridor with the shuddering Liandra in my arms and the unconscious Violetta beside me. The lights turn back on again and I see Ascathon with Den and two of his men coming down the corridor.

Ascathon is limping and bleeding from his side.

“What was that?” I look towards him and Den. But the big guard walks forward and heads towards the stairs with his men.

“We will check the upper floor to see if there are still more of them!” The guard leaves a short remark and heads upwards.

Ascathon slides down the wall with a pained expression and pats the head of the unconscious Violetta. “I just used a spell to let them see what they feared the most. Funny that they are afraid of darkness and shadows.” He starts to snicker.

Then I realize the wounds in his leg and at his side. Did they ambush him with another group? I crawl up to him and try to stop the bleeding. “What are you doing? Heal yourself!”

“Their blades are enchanted with anti-healing magic. I have to wait until the effect wears off. Don't worry. The wounds aren't lethal.” He grins at me.

I rip his trousers into rags to stop the bleeding with them.

“Did you finally wake up to my charms?” He asks something strange and smirks at me.

I stop for a moment. “What are you talking about?” Then I realize that his eyes are glued to my chest.

“You know.... a woman is exposing her alluring features towards me while ripping my clothes from my body.... there aren't many ways to interpret....”

*SMACK!*

Ascathon slides unconscious to the ground while I cover my exposed chest with one hand. The assassin from the first fight must have torn my clothes with his dagger!

Uwah! I could howl right now! That bastard got the full menu and I didn't even notice it! Grrrrrr! And that look on his face! He really is just out for my body!

One moment! Didn't he have the slave-rings from Liandra and Violetta with him?

I quickly rummage through his pockets and a devilish smirk steals itself onto my face as I draw one of the slave-rings out of his clothes.

~Time for payback!~

*Click*

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