Spirit Animals: The War For The White Bloom

Silverdew

She was hidden, behind the trees. The night provided an extra layer of obscurity, and the clouds of an impending storm covered up the moon.  

Bats screeched as they flew way over her head. Owls hooted, their eyes searching for supper. Snakes and other reptiles were already enjoying their nocturnal hours in the open, making all sorts of noise they could. 

The man walking straight towards her was dressed in a simple loose tunic and pants. At his feet, the straw slippers, usually worn by peasants, made a swish sound. The wide hat on his head was balanced the wrong way. Clearly, he was not comfortable in his new outfit.

He kept his head low, as if he was scared of being caught. 

Of course, he would. Ono Cheng was going to have a secret meeting with the sugar merchants tonight. The wealthier he looked, the higher the chances to be met on the way by thieves or burglars. He probably knew that burglars and thieves were not good for him.

He was the wealthiest buisinessman of Zhong after all.

Ono did not know that he was going to be met by an assassin. Poor luck that the sugar merchants did not call him for a meeting. They'd let him into a trap. There was no meeting today. Only an assassination. 

Thunder and Silverdew struck together.

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The murder shook Zhong. One of the wealthiest businessmen, a favourite of the emperor, killed. The emperor himself was killed by the Greencloaks in broad daylight, a few days later.

Most theories linked both the murders as they argued that the Greencloaks had targetted the state of Zhong. To murder both their premier and the biggest businessman would've brought any country to its knees.

The Greencloaks denied any part in the murder. The Oathbound promised to try all the torture techniques to pull the truth out. The leaders were apparantly under harsh interrogation.

While the Greencloaks were still under the suspicious radar, but more suspects were added to the list. Ono's personal assistants, securities, brothers, friends, everyone who had been said to have met him recently was questioned.

It seemed as if he was stabbed. But, the wound didn't spill any blood. The Zhongese Police were bamboozled. Later, it was found. Ono had been stabbed with a Wayfare knife — an old modelled Zhongese weapon. It looked like a dagger, but was much smaller and potent.

The blade had gone through the heart, and Ono probably had to live out the last hour of his life with a literal hole in his heart. Internal bleeding was the major cause of death.

No evidences of a fight, no hoof marks of horses or even footprints of people. What such a wealthy businessman was doing, in plain clothes,  at this part of rural Zhong, was a mystery.

Within a few days, that part of the mystery was solved. Ono Cheng was going to meet the sugar traders for a meeting. It did not take much intelligence for the Police Chief, Shey, to conclude that the meeting probably included monetary benefits for both parties. 

Slight pressure and the merchants, from Amaya, spat out the truth. Shey would end up being extremely frustrated with the entire ordeal — he couldn't even extract the assassin's name. 

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Silverdew waited atop the clocktower. Jex the Giant appeared at the town square. Silverdew couldn't help but notice that he was as much a giant as the Great Panda, Jhi, was violent.