Chapter Eleven
An Ashasin kneels in the darkness, a strange skull-faced being emerging behind him. "Young Ashasin," the skull being intones.
Turning to the peculiar figure, the Ashasin, adorned in a navy blue and red garment, is offered a vial of crimson liquid. "That should suffice," the skull being remarks before vanishing into thin air.
As the Ashasin rises and melds into the shadows, elsewhere, Kina engages in her late-night training at the Ashasin Academy's center. Suddenly, her personal alarm sounds, prompting her to swiftly gather her belongings. Just as she prepares to depart, a cry echoes from the infant block. Unable to take the usual route, Kina utilizes her parkour skills to scale the building and enters through an open window.
Racing down the hallway, Kina catches sight of the intruder fleeing the room. Their eyes lock before the assailant disappears into the shadows. Reacting quickly, the Ashasin dons a blindfold, but Kina has already delved into his mind, ready to manipulate his perception of reality through mind distortion.
The lock of their gazes signaled defeat for him, a testament to the gift of the Kayan Blue eye bloodline. The distortion would take approximately 20 seconds to fully take hold, lasting for a mere 5 minutes. However, for ordinary humans devoid of activated mana, its effects would be permanent.
In pursuit, Kina observes the intruder's peculiar method of navigating the walls like a gecko, despite his self-imposed blindness. Seizing an opportunity, she mounts the wall upside down, launching a surprise attack. Yet, he swiftly counters, forcing her to the ground.
Recognizing his skilled landing and adept use of shadows, Kina suspects he may be a Chaos Ashasin. Hindered by the distortion of his reality perception, his movements are slowed, allowing Kina to anticipate and evade his kunai blade assaults. In his altered mental state, he perceives himself trapped in a prison cell, engaging in combat with a military woman. As he launches a bicycle kick, Kina seizes the opportunity, subduing him with a decisive slam to the ground.
The distortion posed a significant challenge for him to grasp reality, while Kina, endowed with the natural affinity for both Air and Earth elements, effortlessly conjures a sword from the earth to deflect his onslaught of kunai attacks.
In his altered perception, the Ashasin intruder visualizes himself hurling shuriken, oblivious to the reality of his actions—blindfolded, he continues to fling kunai.
Meanwhile, Kina remains vigilant, interpreting his moves with precision. As he seemingly escapes the prison cell using a grenade, in Kina's realm, he deploys a smoke bomb, facilitating his getaway.
Despite his progress to the lower floor, Kina anticipates his movements, delivering a well-placed kick that sends him tumbling to the ground.
Observing his adeptness in combat against those with the Kayan bloodline, Kina realizes he possesses formidable experience. As he adapts his fighting style, gaining an upper hand, Kina employs stealth, vanishing from sight.
The Ashasin intruder, unable to perceive Kina, experiences her as a vapor in his altered reality. Recalling his master's advice to rely on intuition when facing a Kayan, he hesitates, hoping for her return. As he spots what seems like a path to safety, he rushes towards it, only to be met with a forceful blow to the face as Kina reappears, catching him off guard.
Utilizing her ultimate move, a combination of the air element and the Kayan technique, Kina exhausts her mana, releasing pheromones that manipulate her opponent's sense of smell, ensnaring him in the distortion trap.
Confronted by the military woman in his perception, the Ashasin intruder, resigned to his fate, bites down on a poison capsule, foaming at the mouth before Kina can interrogate him. With the academy now alerted, Kina rushes to the infant's room, finding Tesh crying with bleeding eyes. Using her last reserves of mana, Kina deploys her ultimate move once more, releasing pheromones to alleviate Tesh's pain and soothe his perception.
Meanwhile, Tesh finds himself disoriented in the darkness, but a glimmer of golden light catches his attention. Approaching cautiously, he discovers a figure resembling his younger self, Alex, gazing into a nearby body of water.
As the golden being draws nearer, Tesh recognizes the emblem on its chest, identifying it as Solas. "At last, we meet again. I didn't expect our reunion to come so soon," Tesh admits.
"Teshaan, you have adversaries within this academy," Solas remarks gravely.
Reflecting on Solas's words, Tesh touches his jaw thoughtfully.
"Yes, I've come to realize that. They've managed to take something precious from me," he acknowledges.
"No, they haven't," Solas counters, stepping closer. "Consider it a blessing in disguise."
Confused, Tesh struggles to comprehend how such adversity could be considered a blessing.
"How can you see this as a blessing?" he queries.
Solas turns away, conjuring a screen of yellow panels. "You may not grasp it now, but rest assured, adversity fosters growth. Use this opportunity to hone your mana skills and develop other talents," he advises, his words carrying a note of encouragement.
Tesh seizes Solas's form, only for the figure to dissipate into vapor, dispersing through the winds. "What other talents?" Tesh implores.
"Have you forgotten your draconic nature?" Solas's laughter reverberates through the darkness as he vanishes, leaving Tesh to contemplate his words.
Approaching the screen, Tesh observes tasks waiting to be unlocked. "I may be young, but I'll grow into them," he resolves.
As three Ashasin teachers burst into the room, they find Tesh asleep with a bleeding eye, while Kina lies unconscious on the floor. Downstairs, the Ashasin intruder lies dead.
Two police officers arrive at the Volga Castle, stirring Frederick from his slumber. Checking the time, he realizes it's already noon and finds himself in bed, perplexed. Peering cautiously to the floor, he finds no trace of the deceased maid. Stepping into the hallway, memories flood back—the loss of his daughter, the intruding Ashasin, and his own incapacitation. Grimacing, he massages his jaw, sore from the blow.
Approaching the room where his daughter lay, Frederick is incensed to find the youngest maid cleaning her body. Enraged, he rushes forward, pinning her against the wall near the window.
"What in blazes do you think you're doing?" Frederick demands, tightening his grip around her neck as she struggles in vain. With relentless pressure, he subdues her until she ceases to resist. Spotting the officers through the window, he hastily conceals her in his daughter's wardrobe closet before descending the stairs to find no other maids in sight.
Frederick adjusts his attire before welcoming the officers into his home.
Seated in the grand living room, the officers are awestruck by its opulence and spaciousness. "This must have cost a fortune," remarks the junior officer, earning a discreet reprimand from his colleague.
"Apologies, my lord," the senior officer interjects.
Frederick graciously smiles, adept at maintaining a facade of hospitality while concealing his true intentions.
"And what brings our esteemed force to my humble abode?" Frederick inquires, his smile masking any hint of concern.
The officers reciprocate the smile, aware of Viscount Frederick's significant contributions to the police force in their county. Clearing his throat, the senior officer delivers the unsettling news.
"My lord, we've received disturbing reports," he begins.
Frederick's demeanor shifts subtly, mindful of recent events and the precariousness of his situation. Though relieved of his debt, he knows he must tread carefully.
"Please, proceed. I'm all ears," Frederick assures them.
The officers recount the death of Dr. Harten Volga, detailing the peculiar circumstances surrounding his demise. Seizing the opportunity, Frederick shares the tragic loss of his daughter, suggesting a possible connection between their tragedies. He also mentions the recent demise of the infant child. The officers offer their sincere condolences.
A heavy silence blankets the room until the maid, whom Frederick believed he had dispatched, enters, carrying coffee and meat cakes for the men. Frederick is stunned to see her alive, rising to his feet in disbelief. Attempting to assist her, he is rebuffed.
"My lord, you need to rest," she insists, as the officers eagerly partake in the refreshments she provides.
Seated once more, Frederick forces a fake smile as he receives his portion, only to be met with a wink and a mischievous grin from the maid.
After bidding farewell to the officers, Frederick notices his carriage has been moved from its original position, leaving fresh tracks. Returning inside, he heads straight for the fireplace, retrieving the fire rod.
In the hallway, Frederick is plagued by flashbacks of the curse placed upon him by Harten's mother, stemming from Frederick's past actions of taking Harten from her and violating her, his deceased best friend's wife. Paranoia grips him as he contemplates the curse's potential effects.
Suddenly, the maid appears behind him, prompting Frederick to swing the rod, striking her squarely in the face. Though she remains standing, the blow leaves a visible bruise that quickly heals. As her clothes ignite, she approaches Frederick, and began speaking in an unfamiliar tongue, causing him to collapse in confusion.
"Where is your grandson, old man?" she demands, now speaking in a language Frederick can comprehend.
Frederick lunges to strike her with the rod, but she effortlessly disarms him and retaliates with a powerful slap across his face.
"I've come to realize that the men of this realm are feeble compared to my realm," she declares in a Prussian type accent.
"You Prussian witch," Frederick seethes, spitting at her feet.
With disdain, she glances at her soiled feet before delivering a swift kick to his face, sending him sprawling to the ground, blood trickling from his wounds. As she approaches, she hoists him up like a child.
"Where is your grandson, old man? Time is running out for your kind," she taunts, examining her nails casually.
"I must get my nails fixed," she adds, her tone chilling.
At the police station, the two officers arrive, both suffering from severe gastrointestinal distress. The senior officer, overcome with nausea, regurgitates a human finger, prompting a horrified scream. The junior officer, equally affected, joins in the macabre display.
Locking eyes, they understand the grim reality of their situation and it source.
The maid departs the castle and heads to the stable, selecting a horse before fleeing the premises.
Meanwhile, Frederick finds himself bound naked, suspended upside down next to the carcass of the deceased maid. Surrounding him are the lifeless bodies of the household maids and workers, arranged in a grim tableau of death.