Chapter 4: Blood in the Shadows
Kade's heart raced as the three assassins closed in around him, their movements fluid and precise. They were trained to hunt, to kill swiftly and without mercy, and now they were coming for him — a traitor to the Shadowfang Guild. But Kade wasn't like them. He wasn't bound by the same rigid rules anymore. He was free, and that made him dangerous.
The first assassin lunged, twin daggers gleaming in the moonlight as he aimed for Kade's throat. Kade's reflexes kicked in, his body moving faster than his mind as he sidestepped the attack, his own dagger slicing through the assassin's side. The man grunted in pain but recovered quickly, spinning to face Kade with renewed aggression.
The second assassin was already behind him, striking low with a curved blade meant to slice through Kade's legs. But Kade had spent years mastering the art of combat, and he felt the attack before it came. He twisted his body, the tip of the blade grazing his leg but not enough to wound him severely. His counterattack was swift — he drove his elbow into the second assassin's face, feeling the crack of bone under his arm as the man staggered backward.
The third assassin, a woman with long, silver hair tied back in a braid, stood back, watching Kade with cold, calculating eyes. She hadn't attacked yet. She was waiting, studying his movements, learning his patterns. She was the most dangerous of the three.
Kade couldn't afford to waste time. He had to finish this before the city guard or reinforcements from the guild showed up. He pressed the advantage, his body moving with deadly grace as he engaged the first assassin again, their blades clashing in a flurry of sparks. Kade ducked under a high swing, driving his dagger up into the assassin's chest. The man gasped, his eyes wide with shock as he crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
One down.
Kade spun to face the second assassin, who had regained his footing and was coming at him with renewed fury. The man's face was a mask of blood from where Kade had broken his nose, but his eyes burned with rage. He swung wildly, his attacks lacking the precision of a disciplined killer. Kade easily dodged the strikes, then slipped behind him in a blur of movement, slashing his throat in one clean motion. Blood sprayed across the alley as the second assassin dropped to the ground, gurgling as life left him.
Two down.
Only the woman remained, and she hadn't moved an inch since the fight had begun. Her eyes were locked on Kade, cold and emotionless, her fingers twitching on the hilt of her sword. She had seen what he was capable of, and unlike the others, she wasn't underestimating him.
Kade wiped the blood from his blade, his muscles tense as he faced her. "Are you going to make a move, or just stand there?"
The woman's lips curled into a faint smirk. "You've always been arrogant, Kade. That's why the guild wants you dead."
Kade didn't respond. He didn't have time for taunts, and neither did she. His eyes scanned her form, looking for any weakness, any opening. But she stood still, poised and ready. She was waiting for him to make the first move.
He obliged.
Kade rushed forward, his daggers slicing through the air as he aimed for her chest. But she was fast — faster than he expected. She sidestepped his attack with ease, her sword flashing out in a quick, precise arc. Kade barely managed to block the blow, the force of the strike sending vibrations up his arm.
She was strong too.
They danced around each other, their blades clashing in a deadly rhythm. She was the most skilled opponent Kade had faced in years, her movements precise and calculated. Every strike she made was with purpose, forcing Kade on the defensive as he struggled to keep up. He couldn't afford a single misstep — not with someone like her.
"Do you even know why the guild wants you dead?" she asked, her voice calm and measured as they fought. "Do you understand what's happening?"
Kade gritted his teeth, blocking another strike. "I don't care. They betrayed me. That's all I need to know."
She chuckled softly, her blade whirling through the air as she pressed the attack. "You're a fool, Kade. Always have been."
Kade's temper flared. He shifted his stance, switching from defense to offense as he pressed her back with a series of rapid strikes. His daggers moved like vipers, aiming for vital points, but she blocked every one with infuriating precision. She was good — too good.
And then, she slipped.
It was a small mistake — a slight overreach in her strike. But it was enough.
Kade saw his opening. He moved in fast, his dagger slicing upward. She tried to block, but it was too late. The blade found its mark, cutting deep into her side. She gasped in pain, stumbling backward, her sword dropping from her hand.
Kade didn't hesitate. He moved in for the kill, his dagger raised.
"Wait!" she gasped, her voice strained as blood seeped through her clothes. "You don't understand. There's more to this than you know."
Kade paused, his blade inches from her throat. His instincts screamed at him to finish her, to end the threat. But something in her eyes gave him pause. Despite the pain, there was no fear in her gaze — only grim determination.
"Talk," Kade growled, his dagger still poised to strike. "You've got ten seconds."
She coughed, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. "The guild… they're not what you think. The Shadow King… he's after something powerful. Something ancient."
Kade's eyes narrowed. "I already know. That's why he sent you and the others to kill me."
The woman shook her head weakly. "No… you don't get it. You were never just another assassin, Kade. You were a tool… for something bigger. The Shadow King, he's been using us all. The guild is just a cover — a front for something darker."
Kade's grip tightened on his dagger. He had heard whispers, rumors about the guild's true purpose, but he had always dismissed them. Now, standing here with a dying assassin at his mercy, the pieces were starting to come together.
"The cloaked man… who is he?" Kade demanded.
She grimaced, the pain clearly overtaking her. "He's… not of this world. He serves something… older. Something that wants to consume the shadows themselves."
Kade's heart skipped a beat. He had felt the power of the cloaked figure's magic, the unnatural force that had almost overwhelmed him in Blackthorn's manor. It wasn't just shadow magic. It was something much worse.
"You were supposed to die," the woman continued, her voice growing weaker. "But… now you've seen too much. You're a threat to their plans. The guild will stop at nothing to kill you. You need to leave the city… before they send others."
Kade stared down at her, his mind racing. Everything she was saying made sense. The guild had always been secretive, its true motives hidden beneath layers of blood and darkness. But if the Shadow King was involved in something bigger — something ancient — then Kade was more than just a loose end. He was a key to whatever dark power they sought.
The woman's breathing slowed, her eyes fluttering shut as blood pooled around her. She had given him enough information to know that staying in Valdrion was suicide. The guild would send more assassins, and next time, he might not be so lucky.
He stood over her for a moment longer, then lowered his blade. There was no point in killing her now. She was already fading.
Kade sheathed his daggers and turned toward the city gates. He needed to leave, and fast. The Red Desert still called to him, a distant land where the guild's influence was weaker, where the ancient power they sought might have roots.
As he melted into the shadows once more, he knew one thing for certain: the hunt had only just begun.