Kade Shadowstrike moved like a ghost through the crowded streets of Valdrion, his dark cloak blending into the shadows cast by the towering stone buildings. The night was his ally, and the chaos of the bustling city below masked his presence. The lanterns flickered, casting an eerie glow over the narrow alleys, but no one noticed the assassin slipping past the market stalls, his boots silent on the cobblestone.
It was a night like any other. A job to do, a target to eliminate, and a reward waiting in the vaults of the Shadowfang Guild. But this time, the job felt different — heavier, darker. Kade couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong.
He had been assigned to eliminate a minor noble, Lord Harren Blackthorn, a man with too much influence and not enough loyalty. Blackthorn had made powerful enemies, and now the Shadowfang Guild had been hired to silence him. Normally, Kade wouldn't blink twice at such a target, but whispers of something more sinister behind the contract had reached his ears — whispers that made his gut churn.Still, he was a professional. No questions. No doubts. Just the kill.
He reached the outer walls of Blackthorn's estate, a grand stone manor surrounded by an iron gate. The guards were predictably lazy, their torches flickering as they leaned against the walls, oblivious to the threat lurking in the shadows. Kade's eyes scanned the perimeter. Four guards at the entrance. Two more patrolling the back.
He leaped onto the wall in a fluid motion, using the darkness as his cover. His fingers dug into the stone as he climbed with precision, muscles taut with the years of practice and training that had honed him into one of the most feared assassins in the realm. The cold wind cut through the night, but Kade felt nothing — only the cold resolve of his task.
Reaching the top, he crouched and waited, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his curved dagger. It wasn't just a weapon; it was an extension of himself. Forged from shadow-infused steel, the blade absorbed light, leaving nothing but darkness in its wake. A fitting tool for a man who had lived his life in the unseen corners of the world.
As he observed the estate grounds, Kade's mind wandered briefly to the guild. The Shadowfang Guild was more than a home — it was family, the only family he'd ever known. From a young age, he had been trained in the deadly arts of stealth and shadow magic, bound to the guild by blood and oath. His loyalty was unquestionable.Or at least it had been.
Lately, something had shifted. The guild's leader, a man known only as the Shadow King, had become distant, secretive. Contracts had become more dangerous, more political. And there had been rumors — dark, terrible rumors about the guild's involvement in an ancient power struggle. But Kade wasn't a man to be caught up in court politics. He was an assassin. He killed when told, no questions asked.
He shook the thoughts from his mind. Focu the mission.
Kade dropped silently from the wall, landing in the garden below. He moved through the shadows, his steps silent as death. The guards at the back of the manor had no time to react. A flick of his wrist, and his dagger sailed through the air, striking one in the throat. Before the second could raise the alarm, Kade was on him, a quick slice across the neck ending the threat. Two bodies slumped to the ground, lifeless.
Kade retrieved his blade, wiping it clean on the guard's tunic. The estate was eerily quiet now, the sounds of the city fading as he approached the manor. He slipped inside through an open window on the second floor, moving with practiced ease through the opulent corridors. Tapestries adorned the walls, and the flicker of candlelight cast long shadows that danced across the marble floors.
Lord Blackthorn's chambers were near, just a few more steps.
But then, something changed. Kade's senses flared. There was a presence, a disturbance in the air. He stopped, his hand tightening around the hilt of his dagger. He wasn't alone.
A figure stepped out from the shadows at the end of the hall — tall, robed, and masked. Kade's heart skipped a beat. The mask was unmistakable — a symbol of the Shadowfang Guild. Another assassin.
"What are you doing here?" Kade's voice was low, steady, though his mind raced.
The masked figure said nothing, but drew a blade, its edge gleaming in the dim light. Kade's instincts screamed betrayal, but he couldn't fathom why. He was the one assigned to this kill. Why would the guild send another?
Unless…
Without another word, the assassin attacked. The clash of steel echoed through the empty halls as Kade parried the blow, his mind reeling. He dodged to the side, avoiding a deadly strike aimed for his heart. His own blade lashed out in a fluid arc, but the masked assassin was fast, impossibly fast.
They fought in near silence, their movements like a deadly dance. But Kade's thoughts were in chaos. This wasn't just another mission. Something was wrong. Deeply wrong.
The assassin's blade nicked his arm, drawing blood, and Kade cursed under his breath. He couldn't keep this up — the other assassin was too skilled, too familiar with his moves. He needed to end it, now.
In a moment of desperation, Kade reached deep within himself, tapping into the shadow magic that coursed through his veins. His form shimmered, blending into the darkness around him. The assassin hesitated, momentarily disoriented by Kade's sudden disappearance.
That was all the opening Kade needed.
He appeared behind the masked figure in an instant, his blade driving forward with deadly precision. The assassin gasped, dropping to the floor as blood pooled around them. Kade ripped the mask from their face, his breath catching in his throat.
It was one of his own — a fellow assassin from the guild. Betrayal.
And then he realized: the bounty wasn't just on Blackthorn.
It was on him.
The guild had turned on him, and now he was the hunted.