As night fell upon the capital, Commander Rufus Adelard, who had just left Master Eredin's shop, made his way to the agreed meeting place with Elias and his remaining men—the capital's docks. The docks were a bustling hub of activity during the day, with ships coming and going, importing and exporting goods. However, as the workday came to an end, the docks grew quiet, with people and workers preparing to leave and return home.
In the distance, Rufus could see some of his men already gathered, waiting for him. However, there were still some missing, including his Lieutenant, Elias Markus. As he approached his men, he inquired, "Where is Lieutenant Markus?" Before one of his men could reply, Rufus noticed a figure lurking in the shadows, eavesdropping on their conversation. He quickly unsheathed his sword and pointed it towards the dark alley, demanding, "Who goes there?" His men followed suit, unsheathing their swords as well.
Emerging from the dark alley, a woman's figure came into view. She was a drow, her long silver hair gleaming in the moonlight, but her sinister grin was unmistakable. Rufus recognized her and gripped his sword tighter, he accused her, saying, "You... I know you. You are the Assassin of the Hero's Party!"
The woman gracefully bowed and greeted Rufus, saying, "Thalia, Commander, it is always a pleasure." Rufus, guided by Aria's story, believed that this woman had betrayed the hero. He demanded an explanation, saying, "You and that wizard put Aria in this position! Explain yourself!" His men slowly surrounded Thalia, ready to strike.
Unfazed by their hostility, Thalia calmly responded, "You lot should have gone home after delivering the little dove. Now, because of your nosiness, the ground will bathe in crimson tonight." Her statement lacked malice or evil intent; it was simply a matter-of-fact observation. She exuded a cold and calculated demeanor, a true assassin who was unfazed by the prospect of killing.
Silence enveloped the area as Rufus kept his gaze fixed on Thalia. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, all of his men became headless soldiers. Rufus was in shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened. He hadn't even blinked, yet he couldn't see how his men had been slain. Could anyone in this world move so fast? he wondered amidst his confusion.
Thalia, now perched on a rooftop, her twin daggers stained with blood, stood there without a care. A wave of coldness washed over Rufus as he tried to look down, only to realize that his sword arm was missing. The terror he felt was overwhelming, unlike anything he had experienced before. Falling to his knees, blood spreading on the brick floor, Rufus looked at his fallen men, all decapitated. Then, his gaze shifted to Thalia, still on the rooftop. He noticed one of her daggers was missing, then he noticed blood dripping to the ground, flowing from his face. Overwhelmed by the chilling realization, Rufus fell for the last time, without truly comprehending what had transpired. His final thoughts were consumed by Aria and how he had failed her.
Thalia descended and stared at the lifeless commander. "He was barely a challenge at all," she sighed, retrieving her dagger from the commander's head.
A few minutes earlier, Lieutenant Elias Markus, the commander's second-in-command, woke up in an unfamiliar room. His body ached from the beating he had received from Rodney, the Thieves Guild Master. Despite the pain, he remembered his mission and mustered all his strength to move. He peeked through the window. It was nighttime, and he realized he was late for the meeting. Quickly putting on his shoes, he stepped outside where one of his comrades stood guard. They helped him walk, supporting his weakened body. Elias asked his comrade, "How long was I unconscious?" His comrade replied, "Just a few hours, Lieutenant. I found you outside of the abandoned building unconscious. I took you to the tavern and tried to heal your wounds as much as I can." His comrade expressed his worry for him. Elias showed his gratitude and said, "Thank you." Then his comrade proceeded to say, "I believe everyone is waiting for us at the docks."
Elias surveyed his surroundings, realizing he was in a tavern room. He tried to recall his recent memories but couldn't remember anything after his fight with Rodney. His main objective now was to reach his commander. They made their way through the streets and alleys, exerting great effort until they finally reached the docks. Relief washed over Elias as he saw the commander and his comrades, but he noticed that their swords were drawn. Something was amiss. He needed to hasten his pace.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
As he was about to step forward, Elias felt a chilling coldness and fear as he witnessed the commander on his knees and his comrades lying lifeless on the ground, blood staining the dock. Elias shouted, "Commander!!" but it was too late. The commander had been fatally stabbed in the forehead. Elias ran as fast as he could towards his fallen leader. Just a few feet away, he saw Thalia retrieving her dagger from the commander's lifeless head. Rage and anger surged through Elias, but there was something else. He couldn't bring himself to hate her more than he wanted.
Thalia noticed him, their gazes locking. Suddenly, Elias was flooded with memories. He had encountered Thalia earlier as he attempted to escape the sewers, but she had passed by him, ignoring his presence. Her eyes were cold, almost devoid of emotion, but he caught a glint in her yellow eyes. His mind was suddenly brought back to the present when Thalia, in a swift motion, hurled her dagger at him with exceptional speed. However, it missed him and struck his comrade in the head. Reacting quickly, Elias grabbed his commander's sword and lunged at Thalia, but he was met with a powerful blow to the head, rendering him unconscious.
Thalia retrieves her dagger and stands over him. She says nothing, nor does she seem to want to. Her hands tremble slightly, surprising her. Without a word, she disappears into the shadows, leaving Elias surrounded by the lifeless bodies of his comrades and commander.
Back in the sewers, Rodney, still overseeing the ritual preparations, is suddenly interrupted by his guest, the Advisor Archmage Zephyr. "I see that it's almost complete," Zephyr says, surveying the ritual site. "Yes, it's now only missing the key components for the ritual and the sacrifices," Rodney informs the advisor, looking at the empty columns. "I'll let you handle the sacrifices; it is your ritual after all," the advisor says calmly.
Rodney, his gaze fixed on the center ritual circle, asks the advisor with a keen sense of interest, "I never thought you, of all people, would help me, you know. Your kind and mine never get along." Rodney refers to how the Scholarly mages of the institute despise how the Thieves Guild operates.
"I know I already explained before. I am a scholar first and foremost. It is in my nature to grasp things that are yet to be discovered. It was just sheer luck or coincidence that our interests align. I am here to study the unholy crown, and you are to use it. What better scenario could I even hope for?" the advisor makes his point.
"I am not your science project!" Rodney proclaims. "I know your kind better than most. I will know your true motivations one way or another," he adds. "But for now, I will fulfill my destiny." His gaze on the ritual circle makes him forget any trivial matters. He is fixed on the power he is going to achieve.
"Very well, tomorrow we shall start the ritual ceremony, and I shall give you the unholy crown along with the other artifacts we're going to need," the advisor then leaves the ritual site. As he leaves, he sees Thalia approaching. Their gazes meet, and for a moment, they stop. "I've dealt with that problem," she informs him. "It was boring." Her lack of amusement is apparent from her facial expression.
"I see. We've eliminated any potential problems we might face in your father's ritual. You should be proud," the advisor expresses his admiration towards her, but Thalia knows him well enough to sense that it was a slight to her. "How I wish to slice through that magic barrier you have one day, Zephyr," Thalia taunts the advisor, but he shrugs, simply saying, "Farewell, Thalia." The advisor then leaves the site.
In the castle prison, Aria sat on the prison bed, her mind still confused from the recent events. She desperately tried to make sense of everything that had transpired. Why would Zephyr, someone who had betrayed them, warn her to escape? The conflicting actions left her confused and searching for answers.
Aria's thoughts drifted back to the Hero's words in the sewers. He had mentioned sensing that something was wrong, yet he chose to believe in their friends, believing that there may be a reason he just hadn't seen yet. She wondered when the Hero had first suspected the looming betrayal and what could have motivated their friends to turn against them.
The mention of Luna, the Paladin in their party, by Zephyr also troubled Aria. He said she should find her. Could she even trust Luna? She did promise her to explain the betrayal back in the Demon Lord's castle - before she buried them alive! Aria couldn't help but recall the change in Zephyr's behavior during their journey to the Demon Lord's castle. He had seemed different, no longer the calm and caring person she had known. It was a puzzle she couldn't solve.
As Aria continued to ponder, she couldn't ignore the mention of a sacrifice by Zephyr. Did he mean her? And for what purpose? Who was the "he" that Zephyr spoke of, the one who would return? The memory of the strange light that enveloped her when Zephyr touched her only added to her confusion.
Exhaustion washed over Aria as she realized the weight of the unanswered questions. There were too many unknowns, too many pieces of the puzzle that didn't fit together. She knew she needed rest to gather her strength and clear her mind. With a heavy heart, Aria lay down on the prison bed, hoping that sleep would bring clarity and answers to the swirling chaos in her mind.
Before Aria knew it, the day had already come. As she heard footsteps approaching, she prepared herself, and soon a prison guard arrived. The guard informed her that it was time for her trial.