Ah, good tidings dear reader, good tidings...

I do see that you have returned...

Yes...

Quite a beautiful day we are...

Hmmm?

Still quite cold...

Why... I say...

Truly...

Do keep warm...

Hmmm?

Do I feel cold?

Oh... dear reader...

I do thank you for your concerns...

But cold weather is indeed not a problem of mine

Hmm?

Where do I find myself?

Why... that would simply take far.. far too much time to get into

Indeed, dear reader...

Indeed

Hmmm?

Why, of course.

In due time, dear reader, in due time...

Now, let as continue form where we left off...

Ah yes...

The knights and the invisible shinobi...

Indeed....

And also... the death of Sir Brandon...

Yes...

For this very man had murdered him...

But... how....

Yes... indeed...

How so....

For... they did not see him...

Nay...

They thought him to have been hiding...

However... this opponent...

This fleeing hiding opponent...

Had simply...

Indeed...

Murdered their ally

And right before them mind you...

Yes...

Needless to say...

All of them...

Yes... all of them...

Did indeed find themselves transfixed upon the very ground...

... in fear...

For... if their enemy was truly unseen...

Yes... truly...

What would they do?

Well.... clearly... their eyes did remain upon their fallen comrade...

As for his wound...

Indeed....

Twas a blade wound...

However... the blade from which it came...

Yes...

They knew not...

Twas then that Alyton immediately rushed to the dead body...

As for the other knights.... like men called to action by mere footsteps...

Indeed...

They all made haste...

Grabbing their bows and turning...

Forming a guard around Alyton and Brandon...

As for Alyton... his hands did indeed grab upon the invisible blade as he inspected the body...

Yes...

For as his hands moved upon the wound...

Indeed...

The knife slowly regained colour...

Alyton: Tch... Twas invisible.

Simon: Invisible!?

Voice: How so?

Name: Florian Brickman

Age: 29

Description: Slim, bearded man

Occupation: Knight, city guard, rank C

Weapon of choice: Knife

Threat level: C

Stolen novel; please report.

Fact: Is quite fond of literature about war

Alyton: When I found myself touching his neck... nay... before I even touched it...

He lifted the blade from his neck...

Alyton: Indeed. It reformed in my hand...

Simon: Tch....

Yes... with that... they were there...

Perplexed at their new realistaion....

Yes...

Even those who formed the guard...

Even they....

Yes...

They did indeed turn to see the blade...

Yes, indeed

For... they were curious...

... for what manner of man would have an invisible weapon...

Simon: Dare I ask... how...?

Alyton: Mayhaps... his mark....

Yes, it took them not very long...

For all knights, indeed, all knights...

Are well aware of a shinobi's mark...

Yes...

The mark...

And of this man...

Indeed...

This man has the power to turn things invisible...

Florian: The power to turn even a blade invisible?

Simon: Yes.... how be it..

Alyton: Nay... Not simply his weaponry....

Yes...

As he said these words...

They all, without reproach stood up and turned...

For their minds had been made up...

Yes...

If their opponent may decide to turn a blade invisible...

Then...

Yes...

He may also...

Turn himself... invisible...

As of them all...

Indeed....

Of each and every one of them...

They did indeed grab their bows...

And... prepare...

As for Sir Alyton... in his heart, he thanked his inuition...

Yes...

For he was glad it was not wrong...

And also, pulled upon his bow...

Yes, indeed...

Just as his brothers in arms...

And with them... stood in silence...

All several... silent.

As for Jason Hessenger... he simply... waited...

For... he had indeed changed position...

But... now... even he... was waiting patiently...

Hmmm?

Why not simply run?

Why....

I suppose one could say...

that even Jason...

... did indeed want to have some fun.

Perhaps I should elucidate upon this further...

Hmmm?

Oh, you understand?

Oh... perfect.

A good thing my reader is intelligent.

Would be a shame if you were not

Well, even if you were lacking in such... you would still be my esteemed reader...

Of such, worry not..

Moving along...

As the knights waited in the cold night...

The only sound being that of the burning buildings...

Yes...

Indeed....

Did one knight soon decide to speak up...

And that Knight was Alyton...

Alyton: Form a perimeter... Cover every inch with your guard...

And without a doubt in their minds...

yes

They all..

Indeed, they all....

Formed something of a circle...

Yes...

All their eyes focused upon a single direction...

Yes...

A single circular perimeter...

All knights upon the roof...

All waiting aptiently...

No stone left unturned...

Each and every knight stayed put... watching over his very point... as though his life depended upon it...

As for Alyton... he himself joined the circle....

Alyton: (thinking: Tis our only chance...)

Yes, indeed...

For, if they could strike him... then... yes... the advantage would once again be their's.

And with that... they all stayed...

On their knees...

Waiting....

Yes...

Waiting....

Waiting...

Until an entire 10 minutes had passed....

Twas then...

Florian: Tch... Mayhaps he made his leave...

Simon: Yes... mayhaps....

Indeed... for simply staying put made no sense, had he left...

And of that, did he seem right...

As... not a sound...

Yes...

Not a sound was heard....

Simply the blazing of fires as it ate of the buildings...

And of that... did grunts appear of the knights' lips...

Yes...

They could breath easier...

One by one...

Indeed....

They did all slowly loosen their grip on their bows...

And also... slowly stand up

Simon: Mayhaps you have it right, Sir Florian...

Florian: Yes....

However... Sir Alyton simply found himself staying put...

For... having heard his inuition speak true once...

Indeed...

Now, he was even more convinced...

He simply had to stay put...

As did his brothers...

And so...

Alyton: Not so, my brothers...

Yes, indeed.

He did indeed tell them of his thoughts.

And of that also...

... he did indeed mean of what he said.

Alyton: ... remain. For our quarry may yet be nearby....

Truly, a confusing time for these men...

Seeing as... one man spoke of nothing to worry...

And another... of imminent death....

Yes...

For should they not listen....

Indeed...

They may well die...

Florian: What makes you so sure, Sir Alyton. Surely, by now....

Alyton: Tis simply my heart.

Florian: Your... heart.

Twas a truly strange statement.

Yes, indeed.

For while he understood... he knew not whether to trust his brother...

And of that, indeed, and perhaps out of respect...

Did Florian indeed kneel back down, returning to his position.

Even so did Larry, as he himself also knelt back down.

As for Simon... albeit reluctantly... he also... knelt down...

Yes, as did the others...

For... truly.... they did indeed respect the man before them

And alas.. in a trying time such as this...

Indeed...

His words did provide some sort of security...

However....

in spite of all this...

Indeed...

Alyton was correct

Hmm?

You thought so too?

Indeed, dear reader, indeed.

Always trust your inuition.

Moving along....

The knights did indeed simply sit and wait...

After all, what had they to fear...

... seeing as, if they simply stayed put... none would die...

Well... twas not fully true....

For, in mere moments after this group decision was made...

Yes...

Yet another blade did find itself upon the neck of yet another knight.

Alyton: What!?

Yes, indeed.

For all they heard was the sound of a blade puncturing the air... before...

puncturing the heart...

Indeed...

For they all felt it...

A blade...

Thrown from a certain direction...

And a body...

Slowly growing limp and falling...

And as of that, they simply shouted in grief...

To be sure... twas not a good night for these men...

Knights: Sir Darlton!

Indeed.

They all cried for him.

For... what brother would not mourn his dead brother...

But, also...

They did indeed fire a volley of arrows in that direction...

However...

Nothing came of it...

Alyton: Tch....

Simon: What now, Sir Alyton?

Yes... for the situation had changed...

Indeed...

The knights were cornered...

Dead dogs sold for slaughter...

As for Alyton...

Why...

What was he to do?

For now...

As he could feel it in his heart

His allies' lives...

Now depended on the next words that left his mouth...

Indeed.

For what ever he said next....

Indeed....

That would spell their fate...

Not simply theirs, but his as well...

He gritted his very teeth as he thought...

The sweltering heat of the fire only made him feel worse...

An enemy they could not see or hear...

And enemy entirely invisible...

Truly, I say unto you dear reader, truly...

Tis not so many a mark more fitting of a shinobi...

Than one that makes him invisible...

Yes...

For now... Yes... even now....

There is nothing he may do...

There was nothing he could do...

Well... but one...

Alyton: Reform the perimeter.

Yes... Indeed...

For every one of the knights was perturbed by his words...

Yes...

The very plan that failed...

.. was the one he had suggested...

Simon: But... Sir....

Alyton: I am aware.... however... it remains our best... option...

The words escaped his mouth in fear...

Truly, I say unto you dear reader, truly,...

A man who can speak in spite of fear is a man indeed.

And for Alyton... twas his only thought...

Alyton: Reform the perimeter....

And with a swallowing of saliva...

Alyton: ... tis our best option.

Yes...

And of that they did.

For...

All of them, yes, even those wary...

Yes...

They all did find themselves forming the same perimeter...

However...

Before they could all settle down....

Yet again....

Knights: Sir Larry!

Yes...

Yet again...

Did yet another knight meet his end.

Truly...

Did even Jason Hessenger smile to humself...

Jason: (thinking: Tis easy... truly... tis quite easy.)

As for the knights....

Alyton: Form the perimeter..

... with fear in their hearts did they fall.

Yes...

With fear...

For...

they knew not what would happen...

they did fall back on their knees...

To wait...

To wait for what would happen next.

Well, that is enough for now, I believe...

Hmmm?

A teaser...

Well... I do suppose I should apologise...

But...

I did want to save the teaser for another part..

Yes...

Will be quite the memory I can promise you...

So, do be patient with me

Hmmm?

Of course will be quite smashing I promise you...