From our aerial vantage point, tracking Maroth's carriage was not a difficult task. We watched as it wove its way through the bustling city, its destination a large, imposing building on the outskirts of town.
As the carriage pulled up to the building, I saw Maroth stagger out, his movements unsteady due to the effects of his indulgence earlier. I signaled Aurelia, pointing towards the location, her sharp draconic eyes quickly following my gesture.
Immediately, she tilted her wings and started a steep descent towards the building. As the ground rapidly approached, a shimmer of light enveloped Aurelia. The transition from dragon to human was fluid and almost instantaneous, the scales of her dragon form giving way to the flowing hair and familiar face of her human form. With this transition, our mode of transportation vanished from beneath us and for a moment, we were suspended in freefall.
Thinking quickly, I gathered Lila into my arms, shielding her from the impact. We landed deftly on our feet, the force of our landing causing a small cloud of dust to rise around us. Kuroko landed with the grace of a cat, landing on her feet without missing a beat, while Sera stumbled slightly but quickly regained her footing. We were now ready to pursue Maroth on foot, our landing unnoticed amidst the darkened cityscape.
"I will scout ahead." Kuroko offered, as she stepped forward, her keen beastkin senses alert and ready. The cat-like pupils of her eyes dilated, adapting to the darkness of the night. The casual, flirtatious demeanor she usually carried was replaced with an air of silent, deadly seriousness. After all, this was her field of expertise, where she truly shone. She was a rogue, one of the best, and it showed.
Quickly, but carefully, she moved towards the building, sticking to the shadows. Each footstep was precise and soundless, every movement blending seamlessly into the next. Her dark hair and clothing merged with the night, rendering her almost invisible to the casual observer.
Reaching the side of the building, she spotted a window partially obscured by a curtain. She carefully peered inside, assessing the interior. Deeming it safe, she smoothly slid the window open, the action soundless. With a nimble leap and the ease of a seasoned acrobat, she hoisted herself up and slid through the window, disappearing from our view into the darkness of the building.
We watched her go, our trust in her abilities unshaken. Now, all we could do was wait for her signal.
Kuroko returned, her figure slipping from the shadows and back into our circle. Her presence was like the quiet murmur of a hidden stream, nearly imperceptible until she made it known. As she rejoined us, her face was etched in a deadly seriousness, her normally playful eyes gleaming with a predatory light.
"There are guards inside," she began, her voice a low, even whisper that carried only to our ears. "Twenty of them, from what I can see." A pause as she met each of our eyes. "Mostly B tier fighters. They're armed, but I doubt they're prepared for us."
There was a slight upturn of her lips, a quiet confidence that was contagious. "There's also a couple of A tier mixed in. But between us," her gaze swept across our group, lingering on Aurelia, "they shouldn't pose much of a problem."
Her words were met with nods of understanding, our individual gears already turning as we began to form a plan. There was a quiet thrill in the air, the kind that precedes a battle. This was what we'd been waiting for, and we were ready to act.
There was a certain determination in Sera's voice that made us all stop. She took a step forward, her eyes ablaze with a fiery resolve that was rarely seen in her. Her usually composed and aloof demeanor was replaced by a fierce intensity that demanded attention.
"This is my own revenge," she started, her words seeping with a personal vendetta that made the air heavy. "You don't have to come with me." Her gaze was unwavering, unflinching as it met each of ours.
I responded, matching her intensity with a casual, reassuring smile. "You're right," I admitted, stepping closer to her, my tone held an edge of excitement and firm resolve. "But, we'll back you up just in case you need it." I finished with a wink.
The tension in the air broke like a storm cloud, my words reminding Sera that she was not alone in her fight. There was a moment of silence as she digested my words before a ghost of a smile twitched on her lips, acknowledging our unspoken promise to stand by her side.
The moonlit night provided the perfect cover for our covert operation. Kuroko, agile as a panther and silent as the night, went first. She bounded onto the roof of our building with a fluidity that made it seem like she was defying gravity. The target building was a story lower, its 4th-floor window our point of entry.
With a swift, precise movement, Kuroko used a thin, metallic tool to pick the lock on the window. The quiet click of the lock disengaging was barely audible even in the silence of the night. With a deft push, she opened the window, peering inside for a moment to ensure that the coast was clear before signaling us.
As Kuroko held the window open, I stepped forward, securing Lila carefully in my arms. She was light as a feather, her trust in me evident as she wrapped her arms around my neck, her breath steady despite the tense situation. I took a step back, calculated the distance, and leapt. The adrenaline of the situation seemed to slow down time as we sailed through the air, landing softly inside the target building.
Meanwhile, Aurelia, powerful and commanding, was on the move. Sera was securely strapped onto her back, her trust in Aurelia unwavering. With a determined look, Aurelia calculated the distance, coiled her muscles and jumped. For a moment, she seemed to hang in the air, defying gravity before descending, landing with feline grace inside the room.
Within seconds, we were all inside the target building, ready for whatever would come next. The mission had begun.
As we made our entrance into the mansion, our presence didn't go unnoticed. Two guards, both burly and mean-looking, spotted us from the corner of the room. Their faces contorted in surprise, and their hands instinctively reached for their weapons. But Kuroko, quick and lethal as a viper, was faster.
With fluid, lightning-fast movements, she launched herself towards the guards. A blur in the semi-darkness, she aimed her palm, fingers rigid like blades, and delivered a crushing knife-hand strike to the throat of the first guard. The forceful impact caused him to gasp and clutch his throat, his eyes bulging as he struggled for breath.
Before the second guard could fully process what was happening, Kuroko spun on her heel and landed a swift, devastating side kick into his midsection. The powerful impact doubled him over instantly, a wheeze escaping from his lips as the wind was knocked out of him.
The guards crumbled to the ground, unconscious, before they could even get a word out. Kuroko stood poised and ready, her eyes scanning the room for any other threats. We moved further into the mansion, Kuroko leading the way with the stealth and precision of a trained rogue.
We swiftly yet stealthily made our way through the grand mansion, neutralizing any threats we encountered with a blend of agility, strength, and precision. Each guard we came across, their consciousness was swiftly snuffed out before they could even utter a shout of alarm.
As we prepared to incapacitate yet another guard on the ground floor, I quickly held out a hand to Aurelia, signaling her to stop. "Wait, we need one conscious," I instructed in a low whisper, my eyes still scanning the room alertly.
Aurelia, her fist poised mid-air, paused and lowered her hand, understanding flashing in her eyes. I stepped towards the bewildered guard, my gaze piercing his like a sharp blade. He swallowed nervously, recoiling a little under my intense scrutiny.
"Tell us where Maroth is," I demanded, my voice stern and unwavering. The guard stuttered for a moment, his eyes darting between my face and the formidable women behind me. Finally, he mumbled out, "He's...He's in the basement..."
"Show us the basement," I instructed, my tone leaving no room for argument. A wave of fear washed over the guard's face, but he quickly nodded, too scared to refuse our command.
Q: Have you ever played "Assassin's creed" before?