Note: Follow-up to Ignominious
Hush
The roar of the flames drowned out the faintest sound of wind rustling through feathers. The bright light cast away any shadows. Unseen, unheard, the stealthy figure crossed the room. Blades lifted, covered in a matte coating that prevented any revealing glint.
For all the stealth, though, despite being neither seen nor heard, nor even smelt, Keydis felt something. A presence in her workspace. It might have been a hint of coolness offsetting the heat of the forge, a break in the stuffiness of the room. Keydis turned around, expecting to find Nyct wandering in. She had long given up on guessing the young enlil's sleeping patterns.
An enlil met her gaze, but not the one she was expecting.
Eyes widened and Keydis ducked away from the blade that sliced at her. The enlil in front of her was tall but shockingly thin, fragile-looking, missing feathers everywhere except the top of her head. Her skin was pale, smooth and glossy like porcelain; the feathers atop her head were wild but short, darker gray near her shoulder and pale silver at the crown of her head. Cold black eyes stared back at Keydis, impassive, focused.
The assassin was clad in black silk leggings, a sleeveless black robe or coat. The coat had a dozen daggers, each shaped like one half of a pair of scissors with a ring at the end of the handle; thin threads through the rings held the blades but would tear with the slightest tug. In one hand she held a saber, in the other, a short spear with a long, curving blade.
Pepunef Zhuzhush said not a word as she darted in, thrusting with her saber and then following with a swipe from her spear in the direction she expected Keydis to go. The brunette recognized the attack at the last second, dipping narrowly out of the way. Although she didn't know the assassin's identity, she recognized the unusual enlil from the restaurant.
Anger welled up within her. Another member of the Ignominious Nine. Another member of the group responsible for Havital's death.
Keydis had no weapon on her, only her smithing hammer. She was exhausted from a long day and night of smithing and she had still not fully regained her fitness after her recuperation. Even if she was fully rested and prepared, though, this was an elite assassin. The smart thing to do would be to run, yell for the guards. They were in an upscale part of the Grand Metropolis, the response time would be immediate.
Zhuzhush silently rushed forward, eyes wide and intent. The first slash of her spear nearly caught Keydis off-guard even as she watched the assassin straight on. The brunette took her hammer in hand and deflected the sword as it followed up the brash attack. Then she cocked her arm back and threw the heavy tool straight at Zhuzhush.
There was a soft exhale as the assassin deftly dodged the missile, and then the enlil was lunging silently for Keydis again, thrusting sword leading before turning into a spinning slash with both weapons. "Bell! Damn! It!" Keydis growled out as she dipped and dodged, diving away from the rain of blows. Zhuzhush pushed her around the forge while Keydis grabbed whatever she could get her hands on to throw or swing at the woman.
The constantly swinging blades forced Keydis back against the forge, flames still blazing inside. Abruptly Keydis turned and plunged her hand into the hot coals. Zhuzhush's eyes widened, the first expression Keydis saw in her outside of calm, calculated determination.
A red-hot coal came out of the forge and Keydis launched it straight at Zhuzhush's face.
Her hand was protected by the ring on her fingers and she grabbed the metal rod that was heating. For making the nails for the kanabo, she had been starting with a thin, square-edged bar of metal, heating it, and then bending and hot-cutting it to size using one of the hardy holes on the anvil. With the burning brand gripped in hand, heat rolling off it in waves, Keydis came back at her assassin, thrusting the ‘weapon.'
Zhuzhush jumped back and deflected the metal bar with her spear, sending up sparks. Her absolute silence was disconcerting to Keydis. Her many daggers made no sound as she moved even though Keydis could see them twisting and flopping around. Her boot heels made no noise against the floor. "What do you want? Revenge for the blue-eyed bastard?"
The assassin said nothing before abruptly disappearing from sight.
Again, instinct saved Keydis; she whirled, bringing the metal bar around in an arc, catching Zhuzhush's attack at her back. Another spray of sparks lit up the forge. The absence of her other arm was painfully apparent. Keydis could attack or defend, but doing both at once would only get her stabbed. Part of her was regretting not following up when Nyct talked about getting a prosthetic.
The stump of her missing arm throbbed, remembered agony making itself known again. Keydis felt her pulse racing, heat boiling up inside her to rival that of the roaring furnace
Keydis looked over at one of the worktables and then came to a decision. She rushed Zhuzhush. The red-hot bar was already cooling, so Keydis cocked her arm back and threw it, sending it spinning end over end straight at the assassin. With a loud ring, Zhuzhush deflected the bar aside and it hit the floor with a hiss, leaving scorch marks in the wood. The floor around the bar began smoking.
One booted foot hooked behind the half-full bucket of water and launched it toward the hot metal. Water hit the iron with a hiss, louder than before. The water vaporized into steam, filling the room. Keydis knew her way around the forge, though. She dove through the fog for the bench where her work in progress sat. She grabbed the heavy wooden club for the kanabo.
Keydis swung blindly for where she though Zhuzhush was. Empty air. She didn't hesitate or think, swinging again immediately in a different direction.
This time it connected with a solid thunk. "Ah!" The woman's exclamation was almost more chirp than gasp. A softer thud followed as the assassin dropped to the floor.
The steam slowly dissipated, revealing Keydis with her back against one wall, knuckles white where she clutched the kanabo, staring down at the would-be assassin. She was panting, heart hammering in her chest. Adrenaline pumped through her, nerves on fire. Keydis lifted the club, preparing to drop it and finish the job. She hesitated.
Instead, she kicked the weapons aside, ripping the knife-adorned coat from her back and throwing it across the room. Club was traded for a sword, a rough thing but made of metal and sharp. Keydis held it to the assassin's throat, tip shaking. A bead of blood ran down that smooth porcelain skin.
This would never end if she didn't put a stop to it.
They'd keep trying, keep coming back. Keep hurting people she cared about.
Zhuzhush started to open her eyes, blinking away the dizziness, reaching around for her weapons. Before she even realized none of them were in reach, the sword came down.
A hush fell over the building.
Hush
Wordcount: 1,210
The roar of the flames drowned out the faintest sound of wind rustling through feathers. The bright light cast away any shadows. Unseen, unheard, the stealthy figure crossed the room. Blades lifted, covered in a matte coating that prevented any revealing glint.
For all the stealth, though, despite being neither seen nor heard, nor even smelt, Keydis felt something. A presence in her workspace. It might have been a hint of coolness offsetting the heat of the forge, a break in the stuffiness of the room. Keydis turned around, expecting to find Nyct wandering in. She had long given up on guessing the young enlil's sleeping patterns.
An enlil met her gaze, but not the one she was expecting.
Eyes widened and Keydis ducked away from the blade that sliced at her. The enlil in front of her was tall but shockingly thin, fragile-looking, missing feathers everywhere except the top of her head. Her skin was pale, smooth and glossy like porcelain; the feathers atop her head were wild but short, darker gray near her shoulder and pale silver at the crown of her head. Cold black eyes stared back at Keydis, impassive, focused.
The assassin was clad in black silk leggings, a sleeveless black robe or coat. The coat had a dozen daggers, each shaped like one half of a pair of scissors with a ring at the end of the handle; thin threads through the rings held the blades but would tear with the slightest tug. In one hand she held a saber, in the other, a short spear with a long, curving blade.
Pepunef Zhuzhush said not a word as she darted in, thrusting with her saber and then following with a swipe from her spear in the direction she expected Keydis to go. The brunette recognized the attack at the last second, dipping narrowly out of the way. Although she didn't know the assassin's identity, she recognized the unusual enlil from the restaurant.
Anger welled up within her. Another member of the Ignominious Nine. Another member of the group responsible for Havital's death.
Keydis had no weapon on her, only her smithing hammer. She was exhausted from a long day and night of smithing and she had still not fully regained her fitness after her recuperation. Even if she was fully rested and prepared, though, this was an elite assassin. The smart thing to do would be to run, yell for the guards. They were in an upscale part of the Grand Metropolis, the response time would be immediate.
Zhuzhush silently rushed forward, eyes wide and intent. The first slash of her spear nearly caught Keydis off-guard even as she watched the assassin straight on. The brunette took her hammer in hand and deflected the sword as it followed up the brash attack. Then she cocked her arm back and threw the heavy tool straight at Zhuzhush.
There was a soft exhale as the assassin deftly dodged the missile, and then the enlil was lunging silently for Keydis again, thrusting sword leading before turning into a spinning slash with both weapons. "Bell! Damn! It!" Keydis growled out as she dipped and dodged, diving away from the rain of blows. Zhuzhush pushed her around the forge while Keydis grabbed whatever she could get her hands on to throw or swing at the woman.
The constantly swinging blades forced Keydis back against the forge, flames still blazing inside. Abruptly Keydis turned and plunged her hand into the hot coals. Zhuzhush's eyes widened, the first expression Keydis saw in her outside of calm, calculated determination.
A red-hot coal came out of the forge and Keydis launched it straight at Zhuzhush's face.
Her hand was protected by the ring on her fingers and she grabbed the metal rod that was heating. For making the nails for the kanabo, she had been starting with a thin, square-edged bar of metal, heating it, and then bending and hot-cutting it to size using one of the hardy holes on the anvil. With the burning brand gripped in hand, heat rolling off it in waves, Keydis came back at her assassin, thrusting the ‘weapon.'
Zhuzhush jumped back and deflected the metal bar with her spear, sending up sparks. Her absolute silence was disconcerting to Keydis. Her many daggers made no sound as she moved even though Keydis could see them twisting and flopping around. Her boot heels made no noise against the floor. "What do you want? Revenge for the blue-eyed bastard?"
The assassin said nothing before abruptly disappearing from sight.
Again, instinct saved Keydis; she whirled, bringing the metal bar around in an arc, catching Zhuzhush's attack at her back. Another spray of sparks lit up the forge. The absence of her other arm was painfully apparent. Keydis could attack or defend, but doing both at once would only get her stabbed. Part of her was regretting not following up when Nyct talked about getting a prosthetic.
The stump of her missing arm throbbed, remembered agony making itself known again. Keydis felt her pulse racing, heat boiling up inside her to rival that of the roaring furnace
Keydis looked over at one of the worktables and then came to a decision. She rushed Zhuzhush. The red-hot bar was already cooling, so Keydis cocked her arm back and threw it, sending it spinning end over end straight at the assassin. With a loud ring, Zhuzhush deflected the bar aside and it hit the floor with a hiss, leaving scorch marks in the wood. The floor around the bar began smoking.
One booted foot hooked behind the half-full bucket of water and launched it toward the hot metal. Water hit the iron with a hiss, louder than before. The water vaporized into steam, filling the room. Keydis knew her way around the forge, though. She dove through the fog for the bench where her work in progress sat. She grabbed the heavy wooden club for the kanabo.
Keydis swung blindly for where she though Zhuzhush was. Empty air. She didn't hesitate or think, swinging again immediately in a different direction.
This time it connected with a solid thunk. "Ah!" The woman's exclamation was almost more chirp than gasp. A softer thud followed as the assassin dropped to the floor.
The steam slowly dissipated, revealing Keydis with her back against one wall, knuckles white where she clutched the kanabo, staring down at the would-be assassin. She was panting, heart hammering in her chest. Adrenaline pumped through her, nerves on fire. Keydis lifted the club, preparing to drop it and finish the job. She hesitated.
Instead, she kicked the weapons aside, ripping the knife-adorned coat from her back and throwing it across the room. Club was traded for a sword, a rough thing but made of metal and sharp. Keydis held it to the assassin's throat, tip shaking. A bead of blood ran down that smooth porcelain skin.
This would never end if she didn't put a stop to it.
They'd keep trying, keep coming back. Keep hurting people she cared about.
Zhuzhush started to open her eyes, blinking away the dizziness, reaching around for her weapons. Before she even realized none of them were in reach, the sword came down.
A hush fell over the building.