"Meow"

The small black kitten purr as it brushes its small body around Nesto leg. He looks down at the kitten, letting out a gentle smile. He places the mask on top of the crate while still holding the saber in his other hand. He reaches the kitten then running his finger through its fur; playing with the small kitten in the dark alley.

"Meow!!"

"You're not afraid of me, do you?" He said to the kitten.

The kitten rolls its body on the ground; exposing its belly to the man with a gentle smile. The kitten wanted to play with him, the man also wanted to play with the kitten, but the sound of fast footsteps getting closer to them cause the kitten to run away as it feels the danger coming.

Nesto then grabs the mask on top of the crate and wears it on her face; keeping his identity a secret. When he turned around, he saw five men in black cloaks and varying weapon on each of them.

The five men stop and carefully walk toward him. They look at each other and back at the man wearing the mask standing in front of them. Nesto reaches for something inside his jacket this cause the five men to ready themselves by taking out their weapons.

Nesto examines each weapon, a crossbow, a halberd, a steel sword, a pair of daggers and a vial of liquid. They seem to be regular weapons rather than an enchanted one. He knows that this is not going to be an easy fight, not like the one he had in the Targia.

He takes out a bag of coins and throws it on the ground.

"What's this?" the elf male holding the sword said.

The elf with the sword must be the leader.

"Gold coins, take it and leave," Nesto said.

"What happens if we refuse?" The elf asks.

"Then you have to go through me," Nesto said as he raises the saber in his hand.

"I'm afraid we have to refuse," the elf said.

The elf with the sword gesture to his friend with the crossbow causing him to quickly aim his weapon at Nesto. Before the elf could fire his weapon, Nesto dash toward him. The elf fire his crossbow and the arrow launch itself from it toward the man charging at them.

Nesto slightly adjusts his body and manage to dodge the arrow from hitting his shoulder. The elf with the halberd brings down his weapon stopping Nesto from charging toward his friend. Nesto steps on the wooden handle and used it as a launch pad to jump onto the roof.

The other elf with the vial throw his flask and the vial hit the roof causing smoke to appear around it. While the elf with the dagger chase after Nesto by also using his friend halberd as a launch pad to get to the roof.

Inside the smoke, Nesto sight is hugely affected by it, but instead of using his eyes to track the enemy movement, he uses his hearing. Light footsteps coming closer can be heard from behind him, he quickly ducks down barely missing the incoming dagger. Nesto leans forward and uses his leg to kick the elf to the other roofs.

The elf drops and rolls onto the other roofs when he finally gains his footing. He looks up and sees the man with the mask jumping toward him with the saber pointing at him. The elf raises both daggers, grazing the saber and redirect its course away from him.

A sound of crossbow fired cause Nesto to dash toward the left, avoiding the incoming arrow. The elf with the dagger uses the chance to attack by throwing a couple slash toward his opponent. Nesto focus was split between the incoming arrow and the elf wielding a pair of daggers.

This time one of the arrows coming toward Nesto was ding upward and Nesto catches it mid-air; then planting it on the elf wield the dagger chest. The elf was shocked to see the arrow planted in his chest, Nesto uses the shock to grab his body and use it as a meat shield. The arrow kept on planting on the elf until Nesto kicks the body toward the crossbow-wielding elf below.

The group of bounty hunters below split up to avoid the incoming body, but the crossbow elf was too far from his friends. Nesto manages to throw the dagger toward him, stabbing the elf in the head; killing him. Blood splatters on the wall as the elf fall to the ground.

Nesto examines the other three, a halberd wielder, a sword wielder, and a potion slinger. The potion slinger throws a liquid vial at him, he avoids the vial by jumping down when he looks at the area where the vial landed. Nesto could see the liquid is melting the rooftop.

The potion slinger kept on throwing vial after vial at him as Nesto charges toward the halberd wielder. The potion slinger stop as his line sight come across his ally. Nesto tries to land an attack on the halberd wielder, but he manages to block his every attack.

Nesto once again uses the halberd as a launch pad and dash toward the potion slinger when he got closer to the slinger he kicks the man waist. Figuring that's where he kept his potion vial, he was correct when the man screams in pain as the vial broke and start to melt his waist. Nesto uses his saber to cut the screaming elf throat, muting his scream.

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Nesto rolls away from the potion slinger while his team also took a step back because the potion slinger explodes into many chunks of meats and blood; splatter around him.

Some of the blood splatter on Nesto's mask and cloth. The halberd wielder screams in anger as he charges toward the man who just killed three of his friend with his leader by his side. The halberd wielder and his leader combine their move into a relentless attack that pushed back Nesto into a defense position.

Nesto accidentally loses his footing when an incoming sword coming for him. He had no choice but to grab the blade using his hand. He doesn't want to stop the blade because he doesn't want his hand to get cut off instead he redirects the sword away from him.

The halberd wielder raises his weapon up in the air for a downward slash but Nesto was faster than him. Nesto stabs his saber through under the halberd wielder jaw and pierces into the elf brain. Blood drips down the hilt soaking his hand, the elf eyes roll to the back of his head showing only white.

He unsheathes the saber from the elf head, letting the body fall backward. Nesto then takes a couple step back from the last enemy, Nesto took a couple breath in so do the sword wielder. He then felt the pain in his left arm as the blade left a two long cut on his palm.

"Vesstan Hercan."

"Nesto Fasheir."

The two men exchange name as they stare into each other eyes.

"I never have seen someone who mixes two different swordsmanships before, the elegant Royal technique and the crude gladiator technique" Vesstan comment.

"You are way out of our league," Vesstan said.

"Do you hate me?" Nesto ask.

"No, I'm angry, sad and tired but not hate. We all know the risk of a job that comes from a huge reward," Vesstan said as he let out a saddened smile.

"Do you want to run away?" Nesto ask.

"No, I have someone back home depending on me getting that huge reward," Vesstan said.

"I understand," Nesto said then raising his saber and aim for the elf.

The ray from the moon reflects on the blood-soaked saber, casting a red eerie light in the alley. The elf points his sword toward the man in front of him, his heart beating fast. They both charge toward each other with weapons ready in their hand.

The blades clash together, but since the elf sword is even thicker than the saber. Nesto only redirects the sword blade leaving spark as the metal meet metal. He uses his fist to land a punch on the elf, but the elf blocks it with his arm and the elf tries to land a kick on his enemy stomach.

Nesto dodges the kick by stepping away from the elf and ready his saber for a forward thrust while aiming it for his heart. He thrust the saber blade at the elf, but the elf blocks it with his sword. He manages to land a kick on Nesto forcing him to back away; the elf reaches something inside his cloak.

While the elf is distracted, Nesto charges at him again. Unbeknownst to Nesto, the elf took out a scroll, he unfolds it and points it at his enemy. Nesto eyes widen, he was slow to realize that it's a magic scroll.

A ball of fire appears and hover in front of the scroll and shot toward Nesto.

"I open the first gate 'Firio'!"

"Inceri—" the ball of fire explode in impact.

Nesto was thrown backward into the wall leaving a trail of smoke behind. Silence befalls on the alley, the elf smile when he realizes he did it. He defeats his enemy and won, now he just needs to grab the girl and deliver her to...

He looks down and sees the dagger in his stomach.

"When?"

"The blast throw me far enough that I can reach your friend's dagger," Nesto answer the elf dumbfounds question.

The man with the chipped off and crack mask on his face stand in the midst of the smoke. He walks out from the smoke and snaps his dislocated shoulder back in place. The elf sees the burn marks on his enemy jacket.

"How did you survive?" Vesstan ask.

"I cheated, I use magic," Nesto answers.

"But you are a human, how?... It's doesn't matter anyway, I lose," Vesstan said let out a smile, blood drip out his lips and a tear flow down his cheek.

Nesto stands in front of him, Vesstan fall to his knee while looking up at the man in front of him. He notices the locket dangle underneath the elf cloak.

"The locket," Nesto said.

"Oh yeah..." Vesstan lifts his locket and opens it up; revealing a picture of an elf woman and elf girl.

"My wife... She died a long time, leaving me and my daughter with a large amount of debt. My daughter falls sick a few seasons ago, she hasn't recovered yet. The coins were to pay her medicine cost and the debt, but I fail her... I'm a terrible father," Vesstan let out a small laugh.

"Is she the one that's waiting for you?"

"Yes... I can't fail this mission, even if I return now without coins, the debt collector would sell her off to slavery," Vesstan said.

"I'm sorry," Nesto said.

"No, no, it's not your fault. I'm grateful that you are lending an ear to my story, you are a good man..." Vesstan said.

"I'm not," Nesto said.

"I love my family and I wish to meet them in the great beyond," Vesstan request.

The saber blade touches the skin of the elf neck, with a swift movement the blade cut through his throat causing him to choke, and die. The locket detaches and fall, but Nesto manages to catch it before it falls to the ground. The elf falls backward and lay on his back giving him the view of the one moon above.

Nesto kept the locket safe in his jacket, out of nowhere the same kitten came near him and start to purr at his leg. Nesto reaches for the kitten and was about to touch it, but he remembers that his hand is soaked with blood. The kitten shows no sign of fear toward Nesto.

"Meow!"

Nesto felt the pain in his heart, it doesn't come from killing the man earlier but it comes because he realizes how indifferent that he felt before taking the elf life. He felt no sympathy or compassion at all, how twisted is his heart.

He looks back at the cat, the black kitten purr near his leg. The kitten somehow helps to calm his mind but not removing it fully.

"Thank you."

"Meow!!"

He let out a cough and spit out the blood mix tar out from his mouth to the ground.

"I close the gate," he mutters.

*

Balcony.

Neya eyes widen in shock at Caretena statement, the princess has a wicked smile on her face and walk away from the shock elf girl. Neya digs all of her fingers into her palms while the anger and the feeling of betrayal storming inside her mind and heart.

"Silver flame,"

"Mother..."

"Nesto... How could you,"

Her anger was enormous, she wanted to scream aloud but that only draw attention to her, that not what she wanted. Instead, she punches the stone balcony, grazing her hand and leaving several small shallow cuts on her knuckles.