The blade slid along the length of the leafblade spear. Its razor edge bit deep into the wrist of the defender and onward effectively severing the weapon from the guardsman. A sharp jab to the throat with the hilt of the blade crushed the man's windpipe killing the beginnings of a shriek. Ned eased away letting the body slide down the wall.
He had to hurry, beyond the walls of the inner court, the assault had began. The Cabinians would begin a push for the gates of the inner court immediately, they had to meet an open gate.
The inner gates were protected by a full garrison of ietherendi Wildonia special forces. Prior reconnaissance had provided him with the total number of ietherendi present at the garrison at any given time. Fifty men...a task far too difficult for any man, even a nox assassin would be hard pressed to face down a dozen ietherendi.
He weighed his options carefully. Years ago T'roll had deployed several spies to infiltrate the ranks of the Wildonia military. A few had been discovered and executed, but Nep knew of two still operating within the ranks.
The names came easy to him
'Leon O'latile and Frost Kilin'.
Frost he knew like a brother, well as far as assassins could call each other brothers.
Leon he only knew by reputation and what he knew sent chills down his spine.
Problem was, both were in deep cover and he had seen how that could change the loyalties of a man. Ned had maintained crucial contact with the Cabinians throughout the period, a testament to his renown in the darker arts of espionage. He had made his way into the ranks of the Ferai, Chosen honor guard of the Queen herself but so had Leon and Frost.
Leon had remained a shadow to Ned while Frost had invoked ratai juka, effectively severing all his memories as a spy of Cabina to effectively operate within Wildonia. It fell on Ned to trigger karatai juka and awaken him to his memories.
Looking back Ned didn't think it was such a good move. Frost although a maverick with the blade had never truly been an adept at subterfuge and without the effects of ratai juka, he would have been found out within the first month, yet the man's pride had not let him say no to T'roll's offer.
Separating Frost from the Ferai was one thing but getting him away long enough to perform a successful karatai under the current conditions would endanger the success of his mission.
Ned sighed deeply as he edged around a marble pillar, twin blades slick with blood. A guard bearing a missive rushed by his position and he froze. The guard had obviously not been alerted to his presence so he eased into his wake and stalked him down the halls.
The assassin decided he had to throw his lot in with Leon. Truth was he didn't know anything about the man but he did know about the d'ataikin, the skindancers and he knew that Leon was one.
The guard hurried down the hall and Ned edged his way into an adjoining corridor. Going dead still, he waited to make sure he wasn't followed. A few heartbeats later, he rapped lightly on the wall next to a large oakwood door.
The door opened immediately, soundless and turning inward. Ned edged forward into the room and shut the door. Within the room, books of all colors and sizes lay littered on the ground and a figure stood amidst the sprawl.
Leon O'latile was tall and of impressive build, he had the amber hued eyes common to the d'ataikin. His features were rugged and his straw-blonde hair cast a look of eccentricity. He stood with his back to Ned but Ned could swear he felt the man's eyes on him.
'Well if it isn't the diminutive Ned D'idivic of the nox slayers. I figured I'd get a visit from you today'
Ned swore silently pulling out his blade and edging backwards to the door. Leon had ignored the code entirely, was he compromised?
Leon's baritone voice echoed lazily around the walls 'Rest easy friend, I see no need to voice such a ridiculous code'
Ned didn't change his stance and Leon shrugged his frustration tossing aside a book he had been reading.
'The lay of the land is a valley, and on it twin hills rise, the apex of both a nipple'
Ned relaxed and answered 'The rod of the gods divides the valley, and with the separation comes rain'.
Leon chuckled lightly and Ned shook his head sliding back his blades. There was no time to waste so he pressed on.
'The assault has begun, we must secure the opening mechanism for the gates of the inner courts'
Leon nodded his understanding. 'How many at the garrison?'
'Fifty ietherendi' came the reply
'I see' chuckled Leon 'and the other?'
'ratai juka'.
'So just us then?'
'I'm afraid so'
Leon rolled his huge shoulders, paced the room for a second and seemed to reach a decision.
'You should head to the other and perform the 'karatai juka' we need all the help we can get against the ferai'
'You mean to go against the ietherendi alone!? That is suicide!'
Leon smiled lazily 'Don't worry about me, just know I'd be waiting for assistance from you and the other, don't take too long'
The assassin stared at the man for a moment, bowed and left the room. Leon strolled around the room for a few moments and left through a different door.
Walking down the halls that lead to the outer gardens of the palace, he heard a deep rumbling roar just beyond the inner walls, the sound stopping him cold.
A low animal growl was his instinctive response.
'Demon' he spat and hurried down the halls.
A second roar broke the night.
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