Andrei

Birds chirped and horses neighed as the morning sun crept over the horizon. Andrei sat on his bed, turning his dagger over with his fingers.

Bruno, whom he was temporarily sharing a room with, had left before the sun rose to meet with Julius. Now he was all alone, waiting around idly, looking out the window at the street below.

The rest of Rose arrived at Kingston earlier than they expected, about a week after they themselves got there. Julius had come to visit them at the inn and ask about any progress they’d made.

Raina and Bruno explained their confrontation en route, what Sir Allison Lapland told them, their encounter with the Royal Guardian, the attack on the outpost, and Thomas’ voyage to the northern mountains. Julius wore a bleak expression on his face the entire time, his hand over his mouth.

The news must have shocked Julius because he stayed silent for a long time after they finished their report. Perhaps he was beginning to realize the danger that they were in.

But with the contract just weeks away, there isn’t much they can do in what little time they have left.

Julius had ordered additional security to be stationed throughout the venue. In the past, such a contract would only require a dozen people to execute, but this time they brought double that amount.

“Please hurry… Idris, Saya…” he whispered to himself. “Our lives are on your shoulders…”

He didn’t say those words to them when they left, he didn’t want them to carry such a burden, even if they were fully aware of the implications.

There was a knock at the door.

“Andrei?” Nina's muffled voice asked. “Can I come in?”

“Sure…” Andrei replied absentmindedly, still staring out of the window.

She gently opened the door and poked her head in.

“Raina called for a meeting, we’re meeting downstairs at breakfast,” she said. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Andrei turned to look at Nina, the latter’s black hair hanging down the sides of her face in messy bangs.

“I’ll come down now,” he mumbled, sheathing the dagger and slipping on his shoes.

“I’ll wait for you outside,” Nina replied with a smile, pulling her head back and closing the door.

“Nina,” Andrei called out as he bent down to tie his laces.

She poked her head back in, a slight frown on her face. “Yes?”

“Are you… um… scared?”

Nina thought for a moment. “Maybe a little?”

Andrei nodded.

“But I’m used to it.”

“Yeah…” Andrei whispered. “We’re assassins aren’t we…”

*****

Raina and Iris were waiting for them downstairs, enjoying some tea over a plateful of fluffy muffins.

“Morning,” said Iris as Andrei and Nina descended the stairs. “Bruno and Kana will be gone for a while.”

“She went with him?” Andrei asked, walking over and sitting down in an empty chair.

“Yep,” replied Iris. “Have some muffins,” she continued, gesturing at the plates as she slathered a muffin in jam, before stuffing it into her mouth.

Her big, rapid bites reminded Andrei of Saya’s incredible appetite.

Everyone was dressed in casual clothing, as there wasn’t anything on their schedule today. Julius had told them they’d be tasked with security and surveillance but had yet to assign them anything to do.

Raina seemed preoccupied with something, her chin propped up on her fist, her eyes wandering off into the distance. Thomas and the other’s departure seems to have taken the urgency with them. Everyone felt a little helpless, with nothing else to do besides waiting for answers.

It’s been a week since Thomas’ group left for the northern mountains, and in that time, they’ve done little to aid in the search for their enemy.

They had revisited the outpost on the day Thomas left, but to no one’s surprise, there was nothing there for them to track. Bruno, somewhat wishfully, had a few of them stationed outside various inns across the city, monitoring for anyone who held even a passing resemblance to Iris’ assailant.

In the end, nothing came of anything. After Julius’ arrival, they spent much of their time helping around with various tasks in preparation for the contract.

Bruno wanted to conduct more surveillance on the surrounding area and the venue itself, but, despite Bruno’s objections, Julius refused, on the grounds that it may sabotage their contract.

As all intelligence operations have already been completed, there was no reason to infiltrate the venue and further risk detection.

“Everyone,” Raina mumbled. “Any plans today?”

They all shook their heads.

“Good,” she said with a smile. “Let’s go take a walk then.”

“Where?” Nina asked.

“The venue.”

*****

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“Julius, call it off, please…” pleaded Bruno.

“That’s impossible,” Julius replied.

The other seniors were in the room too, all listening to Bruno’s desperate plea.

“We almost lost another one of us, if we were just an hour late…”

“I know.”

“Then why, Julius,” asked Bruno, his voice beginning to rise. “Why are you so set on completing this contract.”

“We’ve never failed a single one in a hundred years,” Julius grumbled, his gaze burning into Bruno’s soul. “I’m not ready to miss one now.”

“Neither have we faced a crisis like this in a hundred years,” Bruno pressed on, fighting against Julius’ fierce eyes. “I must not be the only one who thinks that venue is a death trap!”

“Bruno…” Sandra began, trying to calm the situation, but Bruno ignored her.

“A big house with a complex of internal chambers and underground layers once used for all sorts of trafficking,” Bruno continued. “No easy points of overwatch or surveillance, only two access ways above ground, but a myriad of tunnels which lead god knows where… this is a trap, Julius…”

Julius didn’t reply. His face was blank, perhaps a little pale.

“Bruno,” said Yelena. “This conversation ends here. We understand the situation now.”

“No, you…” Bruno tried to argue.

“Bruno. That’s enough.”

Bruno sighed. He knows he has overstepped. But it’s for the sake of his family, so it was necessary.

“Please, consider carefully,” he said, before leaving the room.

The seniors were left in silence.

One by one they left, leaving just Leo and Julius.

“Julius…” Leo whispered. “You’re thinking of that person, aren’t you…”

“Yeah…” Julius replied.

“How long has it been? Since they were exiled?”

“A long time, Leo… I was barely a senior…”

“And I was barely a master…” Leo added. “Do you think it’s him? Back for vengeance?”

“No… Leo…” mumbled Julius. “I was there… I made sure…”

“I know…”

“But no one else knows…” Julius continued. “A piece of our history he tried to erase…”

“Then who could this be?”

“I don’t know…” Julius sighed. “Only he has that power… there’s no other explanation.”

They fell silent.

There are many things that only Leo and Julius, the two oldest members of Rose, were alive to witness. Most are mundane, not important enough to tell everyone else.

But this was something Julius had erased from existence, yet it was coming back to haunt him.

“Julius…” Leo whispered.

“Yes?”

“Let’s call off the contract,” mumbled Leo. “He’d struck thrice. Soon it’ll be the fourth…”

“No… we can’t…” Julius replied, covering his face with his hand.

“What if it’s him? You know he’ll destroy us.”

“Izzy can more than match him.”

“What about everyone else?” Leo continued. “You know this is a trap…”

“But I made sure… I was there… I cut off his head…”

“What do we make of this then?”

“I… I don’t know…” Julius muttered, deep in thought. “But Thomas is heading there… maybe he’ll bring back some answers…”

“They won’t be very kind to him.”

“No… but they’ll have answers…”

*****

Kingston has, historically, been the most prosperous city in Eidolon. But with the recent advent of ironclad ships, allowing the treacherous seas to be effortlessly navigated, the coastal cities have quickly surpassed Kingston in economic importance.

With the allure of riches, and the excitement of the open water, few wanted to stay so far inland, and many flocked to the seaside in search of a better life. Kingston has not changed much for many years, while the seaside cities of Bluewater and Prismarine seem to have new buildings springing up every day.

As a result, many of the buildings at Kingston are old, often withered by the passage of time. Many large estates have unknown origins, their first owners decades, even centuries before, all but forgotten by history.

Many buildings here were built as strongholds, back when gangs and assassins were struggling for power. Hidden passages and false rooms are not uncommon in the houses here, often completely unnoticed by their inhabitants.

Their next target, an old gang member, long having cut any ties with the underground society, lived in one such estate.

Once a stronghold for criminals, the fortress, neatly disguised as a luxurious mansion, still retains the expansive tunnel system and maze-like design.

“Why would anyone nowadays want this man dead?” Andrei mused half to himself as they stood on a nearby rooftop, looking down at the old estate.

The grey walls and orange roof, blackened in spots by the many years of weathering, are covered in a thick mass of vines. The windows, covered by thick iron cages, all had their curtains drawn. The yard was overgrown, the hedges untrimmed, and the little ponds covered in algae.

The only sign that anyone still lived there was the little puffs of smoke, which floated out of the warped chimney now and then.

“They wouldn’t,” Raina replied. “And certainly not with such a big sum of money…”

“I don’t like this place… It makes me claustrophobic…” Nina whispered, her long cloak flapping in the wind.

The estate, on the small side by today’s standards, was boxed in on all sides by newer buildings, squished in by narrow streets and overhanging balconies. Only three, narrow alleyways led to the estate, barely wide enough for a wagon to fit through.

“Have we mapped out all the tunnels?” Andrei asked.

“Some of it, but not even close to all of it,” Raina replied. “There were only two infiltrations, which only mapped out the larger branches of the tunnels. We have no clue where they lead.”

“Do we not have the plans for this building?”

“We don’t. Many of these gang strongholds were built in the shadows, their true layouts hidden, and many of the original building plans destroyed by the builders,” explained Raina.

“What about security then? How will we guard those tunnels?”

“We won’t,” Raina replied, her voice low and dreary. “Julius said there’d be more security, but this venue is just too complicated. Normally this amount would be more than enough…”

“This contract isn’t normal…” mumbled Nina.

“I know,” Raina sighed.

Julius has been acting strange lately. He led missions less and seemed troubled by something. His wrinkles were getting deeper, and his eyes more sunken.

The other seniors seemed to have taken too, and many were beginning to question Julius’ decisions.

“What will we be doing on the night?” Asked Nina.

“We were not included in the finalized plans, and Julius decided to not involve us too much since we have our mission,” Raina answered. “We’ll have to wait and see… whether Thomas returns before then or not…”

Perhaps their only hope now was their friends, journeying to the northern mountains in search of answers. Maybe they’ll find something that will change Julius’ mind.

“What is Julius thinking…” Andrei whispered to himself.

Like fish in a tank, they were swimming straight into the net.

That building is a death trap, there’s no doubt about it.

Yet Julius is dead set on breaking in.

“There’s nothing there but death…”