-At the abandoned house-
The young hooded man is sharpening his arrow heads. Then another hooded man came.
"I'm sure you know what happened, so there's no need for me explaining" the hooded young man spoke first, taking off his hood, revealing his long pointy ears, in other word his an elf.
"I heard, but you could have done a better job" the hooded man respond with anger.
"Hey! My plan was perfect, if weren't only for that girl who break the spell of the fireworks" he defended himself, "But don't worry I have another plan, I just need to know the new security system of the palace and kill the Royal Family during their beauty sleep"
"I'll take care of the palace security system" the hooded man walk closer as he speak, and then handed a piece of envelope to him.
"What's this?" He asked opening the envelope.
"I want the Royal Family to think that they are not your target, so they'll be at ease, and will lower their guards" the hooded man explained, "To do that you need to kill someone who is at the ball, so they may think that she is the target, and she is the perfect one since she's the one who ruined my victory"
In the envelope is a piece of paper, where Mayari's informations are written. There is little of information about her though, since she's new to their world, and they don't know that.
"So she's an apprentice..."
"I want you to kill her right away" the hooded man commanded seriously before walking away.
"Got it" the elf simply responded, "This will be easy"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-At the Palace-
Helen, Fernando, Evan, Stevan, Eve, Evy, the King and the Queen are having a conversation in the castle's big living room. It is about the assassin from the Queen's birthday.
"According to the Royal Investigators Group 'they are very positive that the arrows belonged to an assassin named Jim Terson'" Evan is informing everyone about the investigation's results.
"Jim Terson..." The King mumbled.
"You know him, Stephen?" Fernando asked.
"Yes, I have read his files" the King answered, "He is an elf, and he have committed many very serious crimes. He had escaped prison five times, already. And the fifth was just last year"
"An elf you say... This is quiet troublesome" The Queen said worried.
"Elves are very nimble and skilled when it comes to combat, and they are also great enchanters of arrows in weaponry" Helen stated.
"When it comes to magic we have a very high chance beating that elf but the true problem is his sneakiness" the King stated.
"I agree, we don't know when will he strike again" Fernando agreed.
"Did the investigators mentioned who was he after, Brother Evan?" Evy asked.
"No... The arrows didn't reached its targets, so the investigators have no clue who is he after" Evan answered.
"But there is a possibility that he is after us so we need to keep our guards up and tighten the palace security system" Eve utter.
"Your right, Eve. I can tell that he is very tricky because of the tactics he did last time" Stevan agreed.
"Evan, does the investigators know where is he hiding?" The Queen asked.
"Unfortunately, they don't know but their on it"
"Helen, we don't know who could be the elf's target, It could be me or you. I want us to look on each other backs so I want you to stay here in the castle till this is over" The Queen said to Helen like she was commanding her in all seriousness, she is very worried about Helen, "The castle have a very advanced security system so you'll be safe here".
"Alright..." Helen agreed with a smile, trying to lighten up the atmosphere. Helen have a feeling that the assassin is not after her but her sister and her family, so she decided to agree to her sister not because she is afraid or because her sister is older than her but because she wants to be there whenever her sister needed her.
"What about you brother? care to join us?" The King asked.
"I have high security system in my home as well, but for the sake of my family I'll agree" Fernando agreed.
"Aunt, you'll also bring Mayari right?" Evy asked.
"Why you asked, Evy?"
"I just thought that we could show our gratitude for breaking the spell for us while she's in the castle" Evy answered sweetly.
"Yes, I'll bring her" Helen lied. She's not gonna bring Mayari, she don't wanna trouble Mayari with this dangerous assassin problem. Of course, Mayari is also a skilled assassin but an elf is different, and he can also use magic, while Mayari is still beginning, she can't even control it yet.
I'm prey sure she'll just think of an excuse later for not bringing Mayari.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nighttime
-At Helen's Mansion-
Helen have her carriage ready to go. Mayari and the servants are also outside seeing her off.
"While I'm staying at the castle I want you to be incharge Mayari" Helen chose Mayari to be incharge, and Mayari just replied a nod.
"Alright, I'm off to go, goodbye..." Helen said, after sitting down on her luxurious carriage.
"May you arrived safely, Ms. Helen" the servants bowed as the carriage started moving.
Mayari is worried about Helen, but she can't convince her to let her go with her because of her reason. The only thing she could do is hope everything will be fine.
---
It's getting late, after taking a warm bath Mayari have change to her night gown to sleep.
As she slowly falls asleep, another memory became her dream.
It was a sunny day, little Mayari and Lisa is at their vegetable garden harvesting.
"Look at this Mayari" Lisa is holding a big red tomato, "It looks like you when your angry" Lisa teased.
"Hey..! I'm not like that, mommy..." Mayari pouted.
"Hehehe... Just teasing"
"Love you mommy!" Mayari hugged her mom tightly.
"Love you too, dear" Lisa hugged her daughter back.
Mayari woke up, finding herself on somebody's lap. As her vision became clearer, she saw it was her subconscious.
"Welcome back" her subconscious greeted with a poker face.
Mayari look at the gloomy sky; "I'm in my head again" she utter.
"Yes, you are"
"Is my head always this gloomy" she asked while still staring at the gloomy sky.
"This place correspond to the feelings your are feeling deep inside you, either your showing it or not" she then answered, "Deep inside you your feeling a bit sad, that's why this place is gloomy"
"I see..." For some reason Mayari felt that she is very comfortable talking to her subconscious, she felt very open and close to her, even though they just met. She never felt this closeness and openness to anyone in her life, even to Helen. After all, she is her.
Also, don't get me wrong now, she do really care about Helen, but her closeness and openness to her is less rated than to her subconscious that is really her, herself. After all, Mayari is not a sociable person, and relied more of herself than others.
Still lying her head to her subconscious's lap, Mayari close her eyes trying to enjoy the silent in the entire place.
Suddenly, came another dream... no it isn't a dream... it's a vision; The assassin, from the Queen's birthday, had manage to broke in to her room from her window. He took a knife from his pocket, then rise it slowly to the air, aiming at her heart.
Mayari already knew what those visions are, and luckily the moonlight extended to her bed or she wouldn't see it coming.
"Mayari, you need to wake up right now!" Her subconscious also saw the vision.
Mayari quickly opened her eyes, and saw the knife, the sharp point even give a bright shine.
Mayari rolled over to dodge the attack, she grabbed her blanket and throw it, covering the assassin's sight.
She next grabbed the assassin's arm, snatch the knife from its grip, then throw him.
"Who sent you?" Mayari asked calmly, standing on her bed, and pointing the knife to the assassin.
"Not bad, Ms. Mayari" the assassin complimented standing up.
'How does he knew my name?' Mayari thought.
"Mayari is a pretty long name, I'll just call you... 'May' to shorten time" then the assassin pulled another knife and attacked Mayari.
Mayari defended herself using the knife she took from the assassin. As Helen stated, elves are very nimble, Mayari is currently having a hard time dodging his attacks, and taking a hit.
As for Jim, he is also having a hard time looking for an opening. Even though Mayari is not an elf she is almost at their level because of the hard training she's been through in her young age.
Their fight really created a lot of damage to the room; vases are shattered, fabrics like the curtains are cut, and everything else is a mess.
"Looks like your a very nimble lady" Jim complimented.
Knowing that his opponent is hard to strike, he thought; 'I need to use my arrows', then an idea came to him.
He throw his knife to Mayari, while Mayari is dodging he used that time to jump to the open window that he openedd to get in.
While he is in the air, he quickly grabbed his bow and arrow, and started enchanting it.
After dodging, and seeing him jump to the window, a vision came to her again; The assassin had grabbed his bow and arrow, and had started enchanting it.
'This is bad' Mayari thought as she run out of her room.
Jim's enchanted arrows hit the room's floor, then it exploded. Mayari barely get out of the room when it exploded.
"Ms. Mayari what's happening?!" Lissy asked. And the other servants are with her too. Then another room exploded.
"No time to explain! get the others, you all need to get out of her" Mayari replied still keeping her calm stolid tone.
The servants all nodded and did what they we're ordered, as explosions keep on going.
The mansion now is burning, and the explosions are still keep on going, exploding. After opening the door for exit Mayari make sure that no servants are left behind.
'Looks like he's planning to burn the whole mansion' Mayari thought.
"Ms. Mayari you need to go first!" Lissy insisted.
"There's no time to argue, hurry get out of here!" But Mayari protest.
Mayari is right, as she said there is no time for arguing. So they all went outside.
When it was about Mayari's turn to escape but another explosion broke the ceiling, and it's blocking the door way.
'This is not good' she thought, then another explosion exploded, and this time it was near her. Mayari was blown away, luckily she didn't landed on any fire.
'This is really bad... I need to find a way to escape, fast' Mayari slowly stood up ignoring the pain, bleeding wounds and burns in her body.
She look around to see any exit, but there's nothing, everything is surrounded with fire, burning.
---
"Guys hurry we need water!" Lissy ordered, and the others followed.
"We need to contact Ms. Helen!" a maid suggested.
"Your right" Lissy agreed.
Lissy took a leaf, and used a stick to write, then she whistled. The whistle she did is a way to call a bird. The bird landed on Lissy's arm.
"Yeyi, I want you to deliver this to Ms. Helen" Lissy rolled the leaf, and put it on the tiny bag that is attached to the bird's right leg, "Hurry it's urgent. Now go!" She then sent the bird.
Yeyi is a bird called the Spart, they are birds that are well trained to deliver messages. Spart birds can scent the spiritual energy of a person that they are familiar with, even if there very far away, that way they can deliver the letters. And if they are not familiar of the person who will receive the letter, you just need to tell them the person's location. Spart birds are commonly used by a non-magic user like Lissy.
---
'Looks like this is it...my end' Mayari thought calmly, like she isn't afraid of death.
Then something came to her mind, it isn't actually a good idea since she just started studying magic but it's the only way
She stood up straight, close her eyes, and focused herself to the magic she needed to use. 'If this doesn't work so be it...' her last thought.
---
After shooting a lot of exploding arrows, Jim finally stop but the mansion is completely covered with fire.
"That should be enough to burn the whole mansion down" he stated proud for himself, and with a grin. "Sorry Ms. May, your skill became a waste. Actually nothing personal, I was just hired"
Then suddenly the big fire was vanquish by a thick cold ice that surrounded and covered the entire mansion.
"What the hell?..." Jim is in a state of shock, 'I thought she was just a beginner?' he thought, recalling the record of Mayari that he had read.
---
All servant's eyes widened and their jaws drop down as they saw the mansion was covered with clear solid ice making it more beautiful.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-At the palace-
Helen felt somethings wrong so she just keep watching the window of her room checking if the feeling that she is currently feeling is a warning that the assassin is coming.
"Can't sleep?" the Queen came in, checking her sister.
"Yes, something is just not right" Helen stated worried. Then she saw Yeyi, the Spart bird, flying toward the window.
She quickly opened the window, and took the letter. The letter is written on a leaf, only one word is written and a signature; 'Help!' -Lissy
"This is not good..." the Queen stated the obvious.
---
From the iced mansion, a ice cracked... then break, there came out Mayari. Every step she took ice surrounded the grass below her feet.
As Jim's client ordered, he need to kill Mayari. He took another arrow, enchant it, and shoot it to Mayari. But Mayari easily frost the arrow he shoot.
As he continued shooting many enchanted arrows, Mayari just dodge it, and easily blocked it using the ice. Jim can also dodge her ice attacks, but barely.
As they keep on fighting Mayari can feel herself almost on her limit, and same goes to Jim, he's arrows are not enough. And there are cuts all over his body due to Mayari's attacks, it wasn't very serious but it is deep enough to bleed.
Mayari knew she needed to finished him off before her limit. She focus deeply controlling her magic, all the ice that surrounded her turned into water, as she motioned her hands the water follow. With the guide of her hands it started moving around Jim.
Jim was about to jump and get out of the water moving around him, but the water suddenly risen up. Jim is now trapped in a water tornado. Even though the tornado is created by water it's still hard as a magic ice.
Jim tried shooting his enchanted arrows but nothing worked, the magic that Mayari is using is highly advance.
'Damn it! It's not working' he thought pissed off.
Mayari was about to finish him off, but something went wrong. Mayari's surrounding was once more covered with thick ice, even the water tornado turned into ice. Her body felt very heavy and she fell on her knees. For some reason she felt her consciousness slipping away, then she collapse.
Without the magic user in condition, the ice created with her magic will became an ordinary ice, so Jim used his last exploding enchanted arrow to break the ice through.
In the icy floor he saw Mayari laying down. Mayari's eye's is in daze as she look at the assassin's boots walking towards her.
"I'm impress! Your stronger than you look, Ms. May" Jim praised, with a smirk on his face, "Don't worry, I have no arrows left so you won't die bleeding in pain..." He scrunch down at Mayari, "...but you'll definitely die strangled..."
'Damn it! I need to move...why can't I move' Mayari thought as she forcely form her hand into a fist.
"Don't move Ms. May. I'll make sure to be gent-" a sharp pointed ice suddenly pierce on his shoulder.
The ice was formed from the ice near Mayari's fist. She wasn't just forming a normal fist in anger, she was actually controlling the ice near her said hand.
"Aaahhh....." he screamed in pain as his red crimson blood flowed from his shoulder to the beautiful pointed clear ice that pierce him.
He then stepped backward to remove his shoulder from the ice, then he stood up, his blood is still flowing from the wound to his arm. And continuously drop to the icy floor.
"Bitch!" He cursed. As he hold his shoulder tightly to lessen the blood he is losing, "I'll make you pay for that!!!" He shouted loudly in anger.
He was about to make a move, but he heard carriages, lots of it, was heading to the mansion, the elves actually have a long range of hearing.
"There hear! The knights are here!"
"Oh please help us! Our mistress is still inside!"
Hearing the word 'knights' made Jim retreat; "Damn it! Why do they need to show up" he may be strong but dealing with knightS, that's to many to handle, "We're still not finish Ms. May. I'll still need to get my pay back by ripping your life from your breath" he then left in a hurry.
The knights used their sharp swords to cut through the ice. They split into groups and spread all over the house to find her. The other group check to the backyard and there they saw Mayari lying on the ground.
Mayari's hearing suddenly became deaf, she couldn't hear anything, everything is silent. Her daze eyes then became more heavier that she couldn't be able to keep it open.
Her fist lying on the icy floor was the last thing she saw as her eyes are slowly closing, then she fell unconscious.