"What is it? Why are you stopping?" Rota asked.
The alley was dark as the moon barely penetrated the night, Belialthorn gently moved Rota behind him as he faced the alleyway. "Come out, no use in hiding."
Silence met his words and Rota held her breath while her hands slowly unhooked her weapon. A harsh laughter came out of the darkness and two figures appeared suddenly a few feet from them.
Belialthorn hissed and dragged Rota backward with him, keeping his eyes on the two scouts in front of him.
"You seem surprised, super newbie." A dagger gleamed as the lead scout brought it up to his mouth and gave the weapon a quick lick.
Belialthorn narrowed his eyes, two scouts....no one scout and a Caster. Both are level 10.
"For a super newbie you sure don't see us coming." He smiled, his eyes promising death. They were both dressed in dark clothes, leaving only their eyes open.
"It must be a skill, we didn't hear them coming and even now their steps are completely mute." Rota got herself ready in a fighting stance.
"I am surprised you were even able to feel our presence. Usually, our victims only feel my cold metal." The Scout said, feeling proud of himself.
"I guess your skill only makes you invisible or at least hard to see and eradicate any sounds you make. But you forgot about the smell," Belialthorn tapped his nose. "You can't deceive it."
Belialthorn didn't tell them but he could smell a familiar scent on them, the alchemist's chemical smell, and if he had to guess these two before worked for the Church.
"So you have the nose of a dog, guess you'll die like one too." The Scout laughed at his own dry joke while the caster shook his head.
"What should we do?" Rota asked her hand tight on her spear. Belialthorn could feel the fear rolling off her. He understood her, these are no monsters, these are humans capable of quick thinking.
"I'll handle it," Belialthorn said.
"I don't think you understand what's going on." The scouts sneered. Long ago scouts were known by another name. Assassins. They are very good at using shadows and quick movements when fighting.
"Are you sure? This....they are both level 10." Rota had never thought about fighting humans before and she knew what it would lead to. Death. Either for them or the assassins.
"Just stay back." Belialthorn commanded, already forming a spell in his mind. These two assassins are not his match in raw mana power but he could not use his 30% mana here inside the town. He didn't know what the Holy Church was planning.
"Let me give you a tip. Dampen your auras when trying to sneak attack on people next time. You both are throwing deadly intent around that announce you as seasoned killers." They must be one of the people the Church uses for their dirty works.
Rota hurriedly moved back, giving them space in the narrow alleyway.
"You cocky bastard, you think you can defeat us? We are not dumb monsters." The scout said, bringing up his dagger and planting his feet solidly down on the ground.
Belialthorn studied the two, a perfect fit; the caster would focus on long-distance while the scout would go in with a close fight.
The scout sprang forward, his dagger dripping darkness, and thrust at Belialthorn but all he met was air. He whipped back bringing his dagger up for a blow he was sure was coming but the level 1 hunter wasn't there.
Belialthorn had jumped upward, hanging in the air like an abnormal bird between the scout and the caster. His gaze was trained on the caster and he was ready to unleash his spell but Carter's instincts kicked in and he brought his right hand up before Belialthorn could cast his spell.
Arcana distorted the air as it slammed into Belialthorn and he froze. Just like that, he became a statue of flesh, even the air he was breathing froze inside him and he crashed to the ground with a dull thud.
Rota screamed, her legs propelling her forward without thought but was stopped by a black blade that came out of the darkness and straight to her neck.
"Tut tut. No moving little bird, I thought this would be a challenging mission but it was ridiculously simple." Hot breath spread goosebumps on Rota's body and something wet and warm slid against her neck.
She shuddered and wanted to do nothing more than to gouge his eyes with her spear but the dagger inches from slitting her throat stopped her. Her muscles trembled with fear and the effort of not doing anything stupid.
"Don't play with the mission." A rough voice said. Rota was surprised to hear the voice of the second assassin. "Just kill her."
"What's so bad about playing with her some more? We have time, her partner is probably dead anyway."
Rota whimpered as she heard that, her eyes darting to where Belialthorn had fallen but she couldn't see well in the darkness.
"Oh. You don't like the thought of that little bird? But he is dead or should be. The skill used on him is [Temporal Stop] it stops everything, his movement, his muscles and even the air he breathes in." The scout took great joy in seeing her heart beat faster and her breath coming short.
Rota still herself, she tried to conjurer the words of Thorn as he scolded her to always keep calm during the fight. Could she roll under the dagger or headbutt the scout? She thought about different methods but they all ended with her throat slit but she didn't care anymore.
She was about to headbutt the scout when the caster suck in a breath.
"Where is he?" His voice was harsh and urgent.
"Where is who?" The Scout demanded.
"He's here," Belialthorn answered behind them, his hand gently gripping the scout's head.
Silence descended and Rota's felt her body relaxed. He was alive. But now, how would they get out of this?