The night hung heavy over Mist City, the darkened streets and narrow alleyways lit only by the occasional flickering lantern. Mirabelle, Larissa, and Emmett stood hidden in the shadows, their breaths steady and quiet, each of them completely attuned to their surroundings. The Moon Scripture hummed within their bodies, circulating their Qi in powerful, steady flows. The scripture, with its dark and mysterious nature, heightened their senses, making them one with the night.
Their task was simple: ambush two members of The Iron Fangs—Perry's guild—to make Perry's group act more cautious about going out to gather more information regarding the Hill Manor. Mirabelle had planned the ambush perfectly, and now, hidden in the deep shadows of the alley, the trio waited.
The Moon Scripture was a technique that thrived in darkness. Its users could manipulate shadows, enhance their speed, and fortify their limbs with powerful Qi. Each of them had mastered the art of using this scripture to their advantage, and tonight, they would once again put it to the test.
Emmett stood slightly ahead, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. His Qi surged through his body, strengthening his muscles and heightening his senses. Every fiber of his being was coiled, ready to strike. Larissa crouched nearby, her dagger in hand, black flames flickering faintly around its edge. Her movements were fluid, graceful—like a predator stalking its prey. Mirabelle stood farther back, her eyes fixed on the end of the alley, where two figures had just appeared.
It was time.
The two Iron Fang scouts, oblivious to the danger lurking in the darkness, walked casually down the alley, talking in hushed voices about the Hill Manor. They had no idea that they were being watched, no idea that death was mere moments away.
Mirabelle's hand moved in a subtle signal. The time to strike had come.
In an instant, Emmett surged forward, his sword drawn, his limbs strengthened by the Qi that coursed through him. He closed the distance between him and the first scout in the blink of an eye, his blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. The Iron Fang scout barely had time to raise his sword in defense before Emmett's blade slammed into his, the force of the blow sending a shockwave up both their arms.
Emmett grinned as he felt the power in his muscles, the Qi that he had channeled into his limbs making him stronger, faster. He pressed the attack, driving the scout back with a series of quick, powerful strikes. Each blow was infused with Qi, his limbs moving with a speed and precision that would have been impossible without the Moon Scripture's influence.
The scout, struggling to keep up, swung wildly at Emmett's side, but Emmett was already gone, ducking under the blade and countering with a powerful upward slash. His sword connected with the scout's chest, and black flames erupted from the wound, engulfing the scout in an instant. He screamed, but the sound was quickly cut off as his body crumbled to ash, consumed by the flames.
Not far from Emmett, Larissa moved in on the second scout. Her knife gleamed in the faint light, the black flames dancing along its edge as she advanced. The scout's eyes widened as he saw her approaching, and he swung his sword at her with desperate force. But Larissa was faster. She ducked under the strike, twisting her body with fluid grace, and slashed upward with her knife.
The scout barely managed to block her blade, but the force of the attack sent him stumbling back. Larissa didn't give him a moment to recover. She followed up with a quick series of slashes, each one infused with Qi, her limbs moving with deadly precision. The scout tried to fight back, but Larissa was too fast, her movements too sharp.
Finally, she saw her opening. As the scout raised his sword for another strike, she slipped inside his guard, driving her knife deep into his side. Black flames erupted from the wound, and the scout gasped, his body convulsing as the flames consumed him from the inside out. Larissa pulled her blade free, watching as the scout collapsed to the ground, his body turning to ash.
As the black flames flickered and died, Larissa wiped her knife on her cloak, her expression calm and composed despite the deadly fight that had just unfolded. She glanced over at Emmett, who was standing over the ashes of his own opponent, breathing heavily but looking satisfied.
"Too easy," Emmett muttered, sheathing his sword.
Mirabelle, having observed the fight from the shadows, stepped forward, her own blade still wreathed in the black flames of the Moon Scripture. "You both handled that well," she said, her voice steady and calm. "But stay sharp. We can't afford to get careless."
Suddenly, there was a soft shuffle of feet behind them. A third scout, one they hadn't noticed before, emerged from the far end of the alley, his eyes wide with shock as he saw the ashes of his fallen comrades.
Mirabelle reacted instantly. She moved like a shadow, her body practically invisible in the darkness as she closed the distance between her and the scout. With a flick of her wrist, she sent her sword slashing through the air, its blade wreathed in black flames. The scout raised his weapon to defend, but Mirabelle's speed was too great. She sidestepped his desperate swing and drove her blade into his side.
The black flames erupted with a furious intensity, consuming the scout in moments. His scream echoed through the alley, but it was quickly silenced as his body crumbled to ash.
Mirabelle stood over the remains of the third scout, her sword still burning with the dark flames of the Moon Scripture. She turned to Emmett and Larissa, her expression calm and collected, but there was a glint of satisfaction in her eyes.
"We need to regroup," she said, her voice cool and authoritative. "There may be more of them nearby."
Emmett and Larissa nodded, their breaths still heavy from the fight, but they quickly fell in line as they followed Mirabelle back through the alley. The night around them was silent once more, the only sound the faint crackle of the lingering black flames.
As they made their way back to their hideout, Emmett couldn't help but glance at Larissa again. Her movements during the fight had been... impressive. There was something about the way she fought, the way she moved through the shadows, that stirred something inside him. He tried to shake the feeling, but it lingered, gnawing at the back of his mind.