Sorry for the wait, had to move back to university and settle down. Hopefully get more posts in.

Chapter 7 The first mission [Part 2]

The 2 parties parted after J confirmed that he knew nothing more than the name of the assailant that was targeting the Earl. The 3 were headed to the Earl's mansion to collect more information about the person, Raizel. They had agreed that J could join them tomorrow evening. Upon leaving, he returned to his inn and slept.

As soon as the sun set and darkness fell, J automatically awakened, he slowly removed himself off his bed and closed his eyes in the middle of his room. He expanded his presence sensing, nothing out of the ordinary. With that, he dressed into his assassins attire and quietly crept out of the window and onto the roof. He moved across the rooftop with ease, soundlessly creeping from one to another until he had arrived next to the Earl's mansion.

He perched himself onto the roof like a hawk, as still as a statue. Nothing escaped his sight. If seen closely, J's clothes were moving, not the flutter of the wind but inside his clothes. A bird stuck its head out, its feathers had changes a little in colour, white and red enveloped its head as it poked out of J's bandage like clothes. J looked at it and motioned for it to be silent and returned his gaze to the mansion. Observing the guards movements and the party of adventurers.

Suddenly a sound caught his attention. The sound of tiles moving. J realized, he was not alone on the rooftop.

His gaze continually fell upon the mansion, he didn't let the other know of his knowledge, a counter-surprise he thought. 'Weird... I couldn't sense him...' J thought to himself. When the sound drew closer and quicker, J turned daggers at the ready, his eyes widened at the attacker. He was pushed down onto the roof and rolled several feet.

"Stop that!" J demanded as his face was being licked. The attacker was Adra. "What are you doing here?!" he asked the dog, though obviously no reply came.

Unlike Steia who was almost always perched on J's shoulder, Adra always ran off. And every time J would search for him, but to no avail. Eventually he gave up as Adra would appear and disappear as he wanted. But for him to come now... he sighed inwardly. He checked around him making sure he was still concealed and nobody had noticed the commotion. After he was content, he returned his gaze towards the mansion with Adra by his side. After some time, Steia stepped out of his mantle and perched itself on Adra's back, J smiled on as the 3 watched the mansion.

As the guild informed him, the guards on the outside was 13, though every 3 hours some section would be relieved. So in truth, there would be more. By J's calculation, there was around 20 particularly stationed outside the mansion. And the inside contained roughly around 13 maids, 1 butler and 10 guards spread out on all 3 floors. As the sun rose and light slowly shone back onto every alley of the city, J crept back into the inn and rested with Adra and Steia by his side.

J awoke mid afternoon, and scouted the city once more, familiarizing himself with the layout until the appointed time. He stood at the meeting place and met up with the 3 party members and headed a few streets east towards the Earl's mansion. They were examined at the front gate by 2 soldiers, the 3 identified themselves and included J as their companion. They were accepted in.

J dressed in his normal citizen attire looked a little out of place inside the extravagant hall of the mansion. He was neither a guard or adventurer protecting the Earl, and neither a high class noble. He looked like a low class poor merchant that you could just about find anywhere.

"So same plan as always, I'll take the top floor, Clarice takes the second and Andrew takes the third. J, you said you wanted to look around right? But please be careful and not touch or break anything. I'll assign you a guard." Dan motioned to one of the guards and talked to him in private before he stood right by J's side. Probably out of caution that J was weak but if asked, he couldn't deny that he wanted someone to watch J.

As the 3 departed, J replayed the information he had acquired. So Dan the tank is on the third floor right next to the Earl's study. Whilst Andrew covers the ground floor, since they're the stronger of the two, the assassin would attack either of these places. And Clarice would not have to face them alone. Interesting... And with that, J began to scout the mansion.

The mansion was pretty big, the first floor alone was massive, with multiple rooms that apparently weren't really used. J swept the mansion floor by floor, memorizing the layout and guards pattern whilst seemingly pretending to be interested in paintings and artifacts. J discovered that actually there was 1 maid in charge of the top floor and 6 on the other 2. And surprisingly, only 2 guards were on the top floor, apparently the Earl likes his privacy uninterrupted. The first night passed by quickly.

The second night, J did the exact same as the first night. Repeatedly observing the ongoings of the mansion, making sure that the pattern in which the guards change were consistent. After some time, he stopped by the second floor, whilst distracting Clarice with Steia, he snuck into various rooms to determine which was the best to break in to. The nights that were promised passed by and J was satisfied with the information he had acquired. He had only met the Earl once and was asked why he was interested in seeing the mansion. J could only reply that he was a starting merchant and would like to see the accessories owned by a glorious Earl such as he. The Earl seemingly satisfied with the answer left without questioning any further.

"So this is where we part ways." Dan shook J's hand as the sun rose after the third evening.

"Awhhh this is goodbye" Clarice sobbed a little as she held both Adra and Steia in her hands. J looked at Adra as if to ask 'Where did you come from?' Clarice hugged J after.

"Sorry for doubting you. I hear you're a merchant." Andrew said shaking J's hand. J puzzled a 'what' expression on his face.

"The Earl. He told me that you're a starting merchant right? That's why you didn't tell us what class you were. Merchants are usually seen as weak and unpopular. But we're not like that."

"Right... yeah..." Damn... he thought. Now they think I'm a merchant.

"Here" J was handed a blue sapphire. "Sell this for me at a good price." Oh boy am I in trouble... J cursed under his breath. They added each other as friends and separated. J pocketed the sapphire and walked with Steia on his shoulders and Adra by his side back to the inn, unknowingly, 3 pairs of eyes were upon him.

The sun was just rising, few people were on the street, as J walked back towards the inn, he could feel the 3 presence that had been following him as he left the mansion. He took several turns and alleyways and stopped seemingly reaching a deadend. He turned to face his pursuers. The 3 looks like street thugs, they glared at J and his 2 pets. Adra unbothered sat beside J and began licking himself. 'How relaxed can you be...' J looked questioningly at it.

"Give us everything you have." the man in front said as they all pulled out a knife.

"I have nothing but a few coppers" J replied showing them a few coppers in his hand from his pocket.

"Don't lie! We saw you get handed a sapphire!" another thug shouted at J.

"Ah..."

"Thats right! Hand it over!" the third shouted.

"Or what?" J coldly replied.

"Or we'll gut you! Now hand it over!"

"MWHAHAHHAHAHAHHHA.." J laughed a menacing laugh. "KILL ME?! ME?!?! HAHAH" Dark tendrils enveloped J's body, the three looked on wide eyes as the smoke dissipated revealing J clad in his assassin's attire, the bandage like clothes like tendrils flowed off his body. The cold white eyes stared and bored at the very soul. Raizel's image faded...

"Peek a boo" The three turned at the voice behind them just the the two at the back had the throat slit expertly. The one in the front swiped his knife at the being now in front of him as his comrades fell onto the ground, cold and dead. The image shimmered once more and returned to his original spot.

"Who...no... what are you?..." He asked with fear and trembling. And collapsed on the ground, poisoned needle in the back of his neck. 'So thats how long it takes...'

*Ding*

You have committed your first killing.

Every time you kill, you may leave a mark to let the public know of the killer.

Leave your mark and let all fear the name, Raizel.

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

As Raizel stood there pondering, he sensed someone taking a turn down the alleyway. A woman appeared carrying a basket full of vegetables walked not noticing the event that had conspired. Half way down the alley, she looked up and met the eyes of Raizel, immediately she stopped, and took in the surroundings. 3 bodies laid on the floor, 2 puddles of blood seeped through their bodies. She looked at the assailant only to be met with his eyes at point blank range. The colour of moonlight glinted in his eyes.

"Don't move, don't talk." a whisper in her ear made her teary eyed, she was going to die she thought. "Close your eyes." She reluctantly closed them, waiting for the final blow. 5 seconds passed... 10...20... she opened her eyes a little, only the three bodies lay in front of her. She picked up her courage and slowly turned around, he was nowhere to be found. She collapsed on the floor and cried tears of relief.

Later on rumours of an assassin clad in darkness as evil as the devil himself spread through the city like wildfire among the commoners. Though unknowingly, it still took time for it to spread amongst the upper class of the city, and thus did not reach the likes of the Earl before his demise.

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Raizel stood on top a roof looking down at the mansion. He identified his target to be in his study, third floor. A couple of days had passed since he once stood inside of that building, now it was time to put all his work to plan. He jumped down from the roof and scurried across the road and placed himself by the wall. Waiting.

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Two guards stood guarding the front entrance of the mansion. A gust of strong wind blew across the streets in front of them, they shielded their eyes with their hands unaware of the blur of shadow that flashed at their side. They continued to stand guard, for hours without moving.

"I need a piss" let out one of the guards.

"I told you not to drink so much you lunatic! What're you going to do when the captain finds out?"

"It'll be fine! Keep a look out." he headed to the side alley by the mansion. He never came back.

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Raizel eyed as the man headed into the alleyway, it was his chance. Without missing a beat, he followed behind him and knocked him unconscious.

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"Took you long enough" the guard said as the other returned to his post. The guard silently returned his position, his face hidden under the shadows of the night.

The guard brushed aside his partner's silence, and the two remained standing for another 30 minutes until they were relieved by other guards.

They marched just as they marched every night. As the guards who were retiring and the guard who were to relieve them marched by, both parties headed to their designed location. The guards took their spots whilst the other returned to the residence post at a building connected to the mansion.

The guards piled into the room, two benches laid by the 2 sides of the room, a mini pantry at the front and a side door connected to the main mansion. Guards immediately sat down, some hurried for water and then rested. As everyone settled, they slowly stopped what they were doing. A guard stood alone in the middle of the room, directly under the lamp, his face hidden.

"Hey... you alright?" A guard asked staring at the lone guard curiously.

"Hey..." another guard reached out and brushed his arm. His head illuminated by the light gave the guard a wild eye. "wait a second... you... you're not..." before the guard could finish his sentence, he fell onto the ground, unconscious.

The surrounding guards could only look at the unexplained spectacle with shock. By the time they realized that the guard who remained standing was the assailant, it was too late. With lightning speed, they too fell unconscious on the floor until only one guard remained standing, Raizel.

Raizel entered the main building via the connected door posed as guard, he wandered gathering curious eyes which soon returned to their daily chores. Nothing wrong with a guard walking around, he thought. Raizel maneuvered through the mansion's first floor discreetly. Having memorized the floor's plan and the guards patterns for 3 nights, Raizel knew everything. He met Andrew face to face, but the adventurer only sat on his guard post and did not even acknowledge his existence. 'He'll regret it...' Raizel smiled to himself.

Having arrived at the second floor, Raizel immediately stood straight and still at a door. 2 guards walked past, they nodded and acknowledged each other as they passed by. As soon as they were out of sight, Raizel continued carefully across the second floor. There was so little guards that it was simple. 'This is easier than I thought...' Raizel thought as he headed to the door leading to the staircase on the side of the mansion's third floor. His pace slowed, 'It couldn't be this easy... something is off.' Raizel reached for the door in front of him, his eyes widened as a killing intent flushed his back. He instinctively moved a few centimeters to the side as an arrow buried itself into the door beside his head.

"Turn around guard!" a man's voice yelled at him, no doubt he could recognize the voice to be Andrew's. Raizel stood, suddenly realizing how difficult it was to be an assassin. Had he not been so nervous, he would have sensed their presence every step of his way. But it took great concentration, and being on his first mission didn't help. 'I have a long way to go it seems...'

"Turn around guard! Or should I call you... Raizel..." Realizing there was no other way, he took off his guard disguise and turned around to face his 2 adversaries.

Raizel found himself calming down at this moment, he realized that fighting was more his style, he closed his eyes and let out a breath. His left hand brought up so fast, candles surrounding him were blown out as he deflected the arrow coming straight for his eyes. The one who fired it was taken aback. Raizel ran forward, with each step he took, the vicinity grew darker and darker as the source of their light was blown away.

"Watch out!" Andrew pushed Clarice away in the nick of time away from the shurikens. Raizel in the midst of running had thrown three out, only one managed to glance off Clarice's skin. It wasn't that Andrew could see the actions of Raizel, rather it was his battle instincts accumulated from all those battles he had fought.

The two facing Raizel knew he was no easy opponent, and in fact, his speed and strength all exceeded theirs. The man before him was a monster. Suddenly he brought up his hand, the two prepared for a fight found themselves puzzled. He had aimed at the door behind him. Andrew realizing what was happening widened his eyes in shock.

"DUCKKKKKKK!!!!!" the sound of the dagger pierced through the door leaving but a hole. A metallic glank followed. The door then bust open and a full armoured knight charged forth.

"DIEEEEEEEE!" the knight charged towards the assailant screaming. Several weapons glanced off his armour whilst some drew blood, it either didn't hurt, or he didn't care. The assailant smoothly dodged his one directional charge and met up with his teammates.

"What are you doing here?! Who's going to protect the Earl now?!" Clarice yelled at the knight. "DAN?!"

"It's over... he killed him." Drawing puzzled looks from everyone on the second floor, including Raizel. Not that anyone else noticed.

"I went to check up on him as you guys started to fight... he was dead..." Dan finished telling his teammates.

"WHAT?!" Andrew yelled while grabbing the knights collar. "HOW?!"

"I... I don't know... I was outside his room all the time. He must have come from the window..."

"AND YOU DIDN'T NOTICE?!" Andrew shouted, cursing under his breath and returned his attention to his foe. But he was gone.

Raizel immediately upon hearing of the Earl's death had to confirm for himself. Currently he was running across rooftops heading out of the city. He had confirmed it himself. The Earl was dead, his throat slit. As Raizel headed to the borders of the city, only one thing crossed his mind.

'WHO WAS IT?!'

Sorry for taking so long, plus this was a little rushed actually. Being back in uni, really busy. Had really little time to write. Sorry folks.