01-28-2013, 07:24 PM
The broad-shouldered guard squinted at the tall granite wall and scratched his neck. His silver clothing wasn't made from a very comfortable material, and he found himself focusing on that before too long. He had probably just imagined the shadow. He had been on duty for the past ten hours, after all. Turning back to resume his patrol, he never knew what hit him. The bump on his head would tell the story, however, as the assailant disappeared back into the shadows and deposited the man.
Hopping onto the crates silently, he peered around for any more guards. It had taken him most of the past two hours to slip past the guards in the lower levels of the city. Normally, his blade would have already spilled some poor fool's stomach and he'd be on his way out, but the colder weather was keeping most people inside earlier. The Silver block was not where he wanted to be at the moment; it ruined the build-up and suspense.
Shaking his head at his misfortune, the man quickly darted to the opening of an alley, peering around the corner from the shadows. With the patience of a saint, he waited for the old guard to come by, happily whistling the tune to a song. The arm around his throat cut off the cry of alarm, the man unconscious from lack of oxygen. He too was stowed safely out of the way as the assailant made his way to the rooftops by a ladder that some worker had left out.
Once atop the tile roof, he began to pick his way across carefully, avoiding the lights from the manor as he sought out a victim. Typically, he wouldn't be bothered at all by the delays, but the Silver block wasn't exactly lax on security. And why would they be? The third most powerful House in the Empire would never settle for security that was less than exemplary. As such, the guards weren't nearly as dim-witted as those in the lower blocks of the city.
Eventually, however, his frustrations evaporated, his eyes locked onto a target. Oh, the foolish woman! Had she no idea that walking alone at night was dangerous? And especially on such a careless route! It was almost like she was begging to be killed.
Silently, he crept to the edge of the building before slowly lowering himself from his hands. The only sound he made was the gentle thud as he landed on the ground behind a dumpster, instantly crouching. Though he would love to hear her scream, he couldn't risk it in this block of the city.
The sound caused her to peer back over her shoulder, though she easily dismissed it with a shrug. The slight whisper of steel on steel followed as he unsheathed his blade and advanced, the poor lass having no idea he was there until his hand came down on her shoulder and his blade went through her chest. A trail of blood followed as he yanked the blade out, relishing in the crimson tide.
Before the body could drop, he threw it out onto the street. Considering it was still in the shadows, it would take a bit before it was found. But he didn't stick around to witness that, fun as it would be. No, he had to get out of the city before they set out a manhunt.
The route he took out of the city was the opposite of what he had taken in. All of the guards that had been in his way had been knocked out in some manner, another tactic that would help spread the fear of him throughout the city. Within minutes, he was back outside of the city and safely on his way back to his hideout. The paper that would be released the next day promised a scintillating read for sure.
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