Pecta sighed as he closed the hidden entrance behind him. The next few days would either be extremely boring or far too action-packed. He desperately hoped for the former but knowing his luck, it would be the latter. Sending a quick prayer to Persa he turned around to glare at the whistling assassin leaning innocently against the wall.
“Don’t you have a meeting to go to?” He asked annoyed. Lilith chuckled. “The meeting can’t start until I’m there, which means that I have all the time in the world. Perks of being a Chosen.”
“Perks of being impudent,” Pecta muttered as he walked past her. “Where exactly is this guild hall of yours?”
“That’s a secret,” Lilith replied cheekily. “But it’s in the direction of the market.” Coincidentally, that was where he needed to go. Grumbling, Pecta continued walking down the narrow alley, Lilith not far behind. Like all Shadow Hands, her movement was completely soundless. If he hadn’t know that she was there, he would have been completely oblivious.
Having a trained assassin within backstab range was unnerving, and under regular circumstances Pecta would have never put himself in such a position. Only the fact that betraying them would be detrimental to Lilith allowed him to remain calm.
No matter how much gold she was offered, a Shadow Hand would never go against the wishes of her patron. Granted, Lilith was… different from others of her kind, but such an underlying principle should still apply.
“Guilty Sinner or Fallen Saint?” Pecta’s steps almost faltered but he managed not to react. “I don’t know what you're talking about,” he replied with just enough harshness to hopefully shut her up. It didn’t work. “Come on, I know you Persa followers have wacky categories that you put yourself into. I’m just curious,” Lilith clarified.
Pecta had to stifle a facepalm. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t call my beliefs ‘wacky’. Also it is none of your business.”
“That’s where you're wrong,” Lilith countered. Her tone shifted from lighthearted to serious in an instant. “My job is to protect Vindict. To do that I need to assess the character of the people he surrounds himself with. Specifically you.”
Sarvad stopped. Any other person following him would have bumped into his back. Not a Shadow Hand. Without turning around Pecta said, “What are you implying? That I’m gonna betray him?”
Lilith chuckled. “No, no, no. I’m only implying that you’re in the perfect position to do so. It would really ease my concerns if I knew your motivation.”
Scoffing, Pecta turned around. Lilith’s expression was impossible to read beneath the bandages. “What? Can’t someone do good because it’s the right thing to do? Or does that little assassin brain of yours not know the definition of the word ‘good’?”
Instead of getting angry the assassin smiled. “Shadow Hand here. Our whole motivation is to make the world a better place.” Before Pecta could laugh, Lilith continued. “But of course, that is a possible explanation for why you are helping him.”
Pecta smiled arrogantly. “Was that so hard to understand?” Without another word he continued walking. “However, coming from a follower of Persa I find that answer very unlikely.” Instead of responding to her provocation, he continued walking. Lilith quickened her pace to keep up.
“You're not the first follower of Persa that I have met. Do you know the common link between all of you? Guilt. All followers of Persa feel guilty about something, which is why they flock to the Goddess of Forgiveness. To seek forgiveness for their actions.”
“Do you want to hear my opinion?” He really didn’t, but it was doubtful that he had a choice.
“Persa is an easy way out for anyone who feels guilty.” Pecta clenched his fists and kept walking. It wouldn’t be long before he reached the main road and he could rid himself of this pest that didn’t know how to shut up.
“What do you feel guilty about? Oh, let me guess! Did you kill someone? If it makes you feel any better, some people absolutely deserve to die. That’s why I joined Noctus’ Dream.” He kept walking despite her statement hitting a little too close to home.
“Nah, that can’t be it,” she continued. “You have killed people but you don’t feel guilty about it. Or at least that isn’t the main reason. The way you act and your appearance give me thug vibes. That's not an insult, just my observation. Am I right?”
Just keep walking.
“Still, I think it has something to do with death. Perhaps something you have failed to prevent? That is a very common reason.” All this was said in a contemplative tone, but it felt like she was mocking him. Mocking his struggles and his beliefs. Making fun of him. Pecta was really starting to dislike her.
“Was it someone you loved?” He spun around, causing the assassin take a hurried step back. “Do you know why I hate Noctus’ Dream?” He seethed. Lilith raised an eyebrow from beneath her bandages. “The killing?”
Pecta sputtered but managed to quickly compose himself. “Of course it’s the murder. Killing someone because you think they deserve it is a despicable and arrogant act. Only Rashyta, Goddess of Justice, should decide the punishment for one's actions. Nocus’ Dream is a club filled with arrogant people who think they can play god.”
During his little monologue Pecta had subtly assumed a fighting stance. His aim wasn’t violence, but he had insulted Lilith’s order by speaking his honest opinion. But instead of attacking him, she looked pensive.
“I see your point,” she slowly admitted. “But it also makes you a hypocrite. Why don’t you face Rashyta and seek the just judgement for your actions? You are scared of confronting what you did, so you run to Persa for an easy way out. I don’t need to know what you've done to see that.” Suddenly Pecta regretted that they hadn’t come to blows. Instead of answering he turned around and quickened his pace yet again, almost running into the main road.
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Lilith watched Pecta flee from the alley. She shrugged and turned to head down another alley. Her words had made working with Pecta more difficult but she felt that it was worth it. Knowing about the character of the people she was working with was more important.
Vindict and Pecta. The monster and the sinner. They made for a strange pair. She had a good understanding of Pecta but Vindict was still an enigma. He had this strange cluelessness about him, asking questions about things that were common knowledge. But she was certain that he wasn’t stupid.
The story about someone experimenting on him seemed… plausible. Tragically so. However, if these people were looking for him, that would be a bit of a problem. She didn’t know of any such organisation but it would have to be very powerful.
Her mind immediately went to the Creator’s Church but she dismissed it. They didn’t create monsters, they killed them. She would have to ask her charge for more information but that could wait.
Quickening her pace, she skipped through the alley network of Seran while whistling a merry tune. Every city had one, and it was the quickest way to travel, even if the chances of getting mugged were pretty high. But not for Lilith.
The few people she met made sure to keep their distance. Her bandaged face was well known in the city’s underworld and had become associated with the Desert Vipers. The thought made her cringe. The assassin did not like them.
Sure, being the only Chosen among their ranks gave her a certain freedom in choosing her missions. She was very picky, a trait that the others despised her for, and only chose contracts where the targets had it coming to them. Despite being temporarily banished from Noctus’ Dream she would continue their ideology.
But the other members weren’t so picky. They only killed for the money or because they liked murder. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that she hated them.
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It took her almost an hour to reach the guild hall. She could have been there sooner but missing out on a relaxing walk wasn’t her style. Located in the wealthy part of town, it consisted of a wide two-story building with an inner courtyard. Outwardly there was nothing suspicious about it.
Making sure no one was looking she knocked on the door. Almost immediately a slit opened and two brown eyes looked back at her. “Password,” a gruff voice demanded. “You know that its me, Alwyn,” Lilith casually stated. Her face was hidden by the bandages but it was one of amusement. “Or do you want me to kick this door in, followed by your teeth?”
There came grumbling from inside the house but in the end the door was opened. “Thanks,” she said sarcastically while walking past the broad-shouldered man.
“The Guild Master is waiting for you,” he replied, obviously unhappy with Lilith’s dismissive attitude. “Great,” she cheerfully called out without looking back. Alwyn was a Junior Assassin and had only recently joined the guild. Before that he had been a common street thug who was a bit better than average at killing people. It really showed the state of the guild that the Guild Master had resorted to hiring people like that.
She casually climbed the stairs and walked down a corridor decorated with paintings depicting various famous assassins. Lilith always felt a sense of satisfaction when she saw that more than half of them wore various symbols of Noctus. He rightfully deserved his title of Patron of Assassins.
Another member stood guard outside the Guild Master’s office. This one also welcomed her with a glare but didn’t say anything. Lilith gave her a dazzling smile before entering. It wasn’t her fault that she was better than all of these amateurs.
The room was lavishly decorated, reflecting the wealth of its owner. Guild Master Wane was, after all, the head of the most feared criminal organisation in Seran. Speaking of which, the man was sitting in his leather chair behind an ornate wooden desk. Real brown wood, not the emerald wood which was grown as a cheap substitute in the Scorching Barrens.
There were two other members sitting across from him. Both turned their heads at the sound of the door and inspected her with cold gazes. Amarum and Lyn. They held the position of Guild Elders, having worked under Wane for more than a decade. That technically made them her superiors, as Lilith was only a Senior Member. Technically.
While in theory they were her superiors, in practice the Guild Master valued her more. Not because of her skills but because of her connection to Noctus’ Dream. This annoyed her to no end but she would take what she could get. It was this fact that allowed her to attend these meetings. Not that she had any real interest in them but it was good to know what direction the leaders were taking this guild.
“Ah, good to see you,” Wane intoned. He was obviously annoyed at her tardiness but didn’t let it show. “Please sit down.” There was one empty seat in between Amarum and Lyn, which Lilith promptly plopped down on. The disdain radiating off of her neighbours filled her with joy. Not because she liked seeing people suffer but because she liked seeing arrogant and sadistic assholes suffer.
Having to wait on someone who only joined the Desert Vipers a year ago had to sting. “You all know why we are here,” the Guild Master started the meeting and was immediately interrupted. Amarum scoffed. “Are you going to explain to me why my team was pulled off of our current job to stake out a random inn?”
The Guild Master remained calm at the Guild Elder’s rude tone. “Yes, that is what this meeting is about. As you all know, the Desert Vipers have been on the decline for the past few months. Our dear City Lord has increased the spendings on the city and noble guard. Fewer and fewer nobles are bothering to hire us when they can simply remove their problems with the help of their own guards. With this, our main income source has gone down the drain.”
None of the assassins reacted to this information. Contracts from nobles were the most lucrative deals. Most commoners didn’t have the funds to make a contract that was worth it for such a large guild. All three listeners already knew this and didn’t let their emotions show. In Lilith’s case, she simply didn’t care about the fate of the guild.
“I will be honest with you. I have been thinking of downgrading our entire operation.” A savage grin briefly crossed his face. “However, a couple of days ago someone approached me with an unusual assignment. One that has the potential to solve all our problems.”
Lilith made sure to hide her excitement. Finally she would get some answers. This had to be about Vindict and the mysterious contract on him.
“What’s so unusual about this assignment?” Amarum asked to fill the silence. “Yesterday you only gave me a face and the name of the inn where I could find the target.” Wane shook his head. “I also told you to only observe the target.”
“That’s what I wanted to do but the target wasn’t there. I even nicely asked that stuck up whore Ophira. She guaranteed me that the guy wasn’t there.” Lilith snickered, which caused Amarum to turn in her direction and glare. “Is there something funny?”
“No, of course not,” Lilith answered while not doing anything to hide her laughter. “It’s just, you asking nicely for anything is hilarious.” It was also hilarious how Amarum had lied to the Guild Master’s face. At least one member of his team had to have seen Vindict enter the inn. Of course, admitting that to the Guild Master would show what a colossal failure as an assassin he was.
“Let’s not be tear out each others throats,” the Guild Master admonished. “There is a simple reason why this job is special. Instead of killing the target we need to capture him.”
Surprisingly, it was Amarum who voiced the first complain. “We are assassins, not kidnappers,” he stated while frowning. Lyn continued to be quiet but nodded along to her fellow Guild Elder’s words.
But the Guild Master wasn’t done. “Our target is also a monster.” Both of the Guild Elder’s looked uncomfortable. Monsters always brought complications. “This won’t end well,” Amarum stated. Lyn, on the other hand, was more pragmatic. “How much does the job pay?”
Guild Master Wane smiled in satisfaction. “More than enough. This job will single-handedly pay for all our expenses for at least a year.” Lyn whistled appreciatively and even Amarum was stunned. Lilith was sure that her bandages hid most of her reaction, which was good, because her frown wouldn’t be easy to ignore.
She had known that this job was somewhat important, but never would she have guessed how much. This motivation would make hiding Vindict significantly harder.
“Do you know who made the request? It must be a noble, right?” Lilith asked in the most casual way she could manage. To make good of a bad situation maybe she would gain more information. She just had to avoid suspicion.
Luckily, Wane seemed to be too occupied with the money than any potential betrayal. “Don’t worry, the buyer won’t risk betraying us. After all, I doubt that they would like us ratting them out to the Creator’s Church.”
That wasn’t value information, so Lilith pushed further. “Who is it? It would be safer if all four of us knew it.” Wane waved her concerns away. “I know what I’m doing. Anyway, I have created a system that lets us cover as much ground as possible with maximum proficiency. All members are to participate. We won’t rest until our target has been captured. Understood?”
All three of them nodded. The prospect of money had wiped away all concerns. “Anything else we should know about this case?” Lyn asked. The Guild Master nodded his head. “Yes, the target seems to be accompanied by another person. The buyer doesn’t care what we do with them. Let us avoid complications and just kill them.”
When the Guild Master saw everyone nod he clapped his hands together and smiled. “Great! You are dismissed. The sketches are in the prep room.”
The Guild Elders were the first to leave, quickly followed by Lilith. But before she could exit the room, Wane called out to her. “You have proven to be one of my most skilled assassins, Lilith. When your cell leader send you to me for disobedience I had expected the worst but you managed to pleasantly surprise me. Keep up the good work and maybe soon you’ll be sitting in my chair. This is the most important assignment that we have ever gotten and it could be the key to reach new heights. Not just for you but for the whole family.”
Lilith almost scoffed at his words. The name ‘Desert Vipers’ was very fitting since the guild resembled a den of snakes, ready to tear out each others throats. They had nothing in common with a family. She felt no remorse for betraying them.
Nonetheless, she nodded and quickly left the room. Amarum and Lyn had heard the Guild Master’s words and greeted her with a sneer and an impassive look respectively. Lilith didn’t have the time to care about them. What had at first seemed like an easy task had suddenly turned into a gruelling mess.
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Amarum starred daggers into the back of the snake that had wormed itself into the guild. That wretched girl had joined the guild only one year ago and was already acting like a big shot. Stupid brat thinking she was better than everyone else. Sure, her technique was good but what she lacked was the drive to be an assassin.
A drive that had made Amarum the second Guild Elder of the Desert Vipers. And this random assassin thought she could just waltz in here and steal his spot?! The worst thing about it was that the Guild Master actually supported that girl, despite her arrogance. Amarum would have bet an eye on the fact that they were sleeping together. How else would she have gained that fools favour?
He turned to Lyn and nodded at the Guild Master’s closed door. “Can you believe his gall? Saying something like that in front of us.” Lyn shrugged and turned away. “Stop obsessing over Lilith. You should rather get your own shit in order.” With that she walked away, ignoring Amaru’s grimace. Why were all woman he worked with arrogant bitches?
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Now wasn’t the time to think about the unfairness of the world. He had a hunt to plan. But as he walked through the halls of the house he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Lilith had seemed… off today.
Normally that brat just lazily sat around in meetings but today she had actually seemed interested. Sure, it hadn’t been a normal meeting, but still. It was suspicious. Did she actually care about the well being of the guild?
Amarum almost had to laugh at that. Of course not. Despite how much the Guild Master preached about being a family, the Desert Vipers were just a group of killers who decided to stick together because it was profitable. No, something else was going on. Something related to this assignment. Better to keep an eye on her.