Theurgy: Forsaken Oaths (Book Two)

Chapter 57 The Assassins

Radum looked upon the carnage below him in utter shock and dismay. It all happened far too quickly. He had been briefed on the rather dire situation resulting from that foolish Dulmont's incompetence. But now Radum was reconsidering that perspective. He had been disguised as a servant to an unassuming noble in the crowd. Thanks to various illusion magic, though temporary, it allowed them to infiltrate relatively easily. However, they were prepared to be ousted at practically anytime. They have, of course, also been warned about this Black Hand Character, who singlehanded dismantled their entire operation. A figure for a very long time has somehow evaded all attempts to tail and possesses magic indicative of a master Torlakian mage. But he fought like no mage. Before Radum's eyes, he could see as his comrades were snatched by the shadows beneath their very feet and tossed into the middle of Valorian knights and Sentinel guards waiting to slaughter them all. Paladins especially, one from each of the seven crowns, did quick work of the makhai. Although the Grandmaster Remmus and Paladin Novia chased Thanatos, it was obvious that their operation would be more than a mere failure if things continued as is.

Hairs rose from the back of Radum's neck as he leaped from his spot. Beneath him, in the dark shadows cast by a clustering crowd eagerly trying to exit the chamber, a pair of hands reached out to grab where Radum had been standing just moments ago. Amond crawled out of the puddle of darkness, staring down the Makhai warrior. Radum knew that he could not fight him like this. And if he stayed here even to attempt to do so, the other paladins would collapse on him in due time. He needed to flee, possibly regroup with others and flee this situation entirely. Perhaps they could even call in Erebus to secure their evacuation if any of them survive. The Black Hand, not missing a step in his failed attempt to grab him, pulled out two short swords, preparing for a fight that the Makhai did not intend to participate in. Instead, he immediately threw down a smoke bomb, encasing the entire corner of the room in thick white smoke. This was far from the usual haze that he produced, but it also prevented users of avra from sensing him with their void vision. He weaved through the crowd to exit the meeting chamber in no time. But unlike the fleeing masses, he fled upstairs, where the halls were scarcely attended to. He dropped the illusion, revealing a warrior clad in black armor and pale white eyes scanning his surroundings. He still did not draw the sword at his back, as he was hoping he did not need to. It appeared that the Black Hand hadn't resumed his chase and instead went after the Queen, who ran to save her daughter. That left the paladins, and the guardians of Theurgy, who will hopefully be a little too busy rounding up their comrades, to worry about him for the time being.

He ducked into the shadows as regular guards passed him, completely unaware of his existence. But as he began to resume his long retreat, he stopped. A looming sense of danger suddenly lit up the hall like an invisible wall of flame, preventing him from stepping forward. The light outside seemed to dim ever so slightly, the air ever so stale and cold. This could not be; the assassin knew that this could not have been the power of Thanatos and not the powers that had summoned his spirit here. This felt different, more troubling. As he peered down the dim hall only faintly lit by the sunlight outside, a figure arrived to stop his pursuit. Even though Radum could not yet see the eyes of this opponent, he knew that they gazed upon him unblinkingly and unwavering. He was plain to see, as if wholly naked and exposed. Heavy metal footsteps drew closer, a tall figure clad in black armor, covered head to two except for a slit in his helmet. A white plume of white hair out the very top was the only variation in color. He handled a mighty blade of blackened steel in one hand, the other holding a massive tower shield easily the size of a door of iron and leather. Radum had seen this sort of warrior before, the Sentinel guard that guarded the royals and their dwellings all over the Empire. However, due to the incident with King James, their duties were primarily being handled by the Valorian knights while here in the Wild Halls. Radum did not know what to expect from this dark warrior, but he knew conflict with them will bring no progress. But as he turned, he found himself staring at yet another rounding the corner he had just traversed, a female warrior clad in black armor carrying a spear in one hand walking towards him with that same indomitable stride. They had surrounded him. They knew where he was going and cut him off. How? Was this the work of the Black Hand?