Curse of the Crystals

Chapter 10: Setting up a Meeting - part 3

Luna's eyes darted away, as if trying to find an escape route. "Shouldn't we just run?"

Itzal shook his head. "No, this is the kind of opponent that stabs you in the back the moment you start running. If you consider how actively they've infiltrated just about any organization, it's clear that our opponents are diligent and hard-working. That is heavily in our disadvantage, I fear. Even so, if we manage to flush them out, we'll eventually turn the tables on them."

Luna wasn't convinced. "Are you sure we'll be able to?"

Itzal smiled. "I've lived through this chaotic lifestyle of mine for quite some time now, so I've picked up a few tricks here and there. The most important thing is to keep an eye out for anyone that doesn't seem to fit in. Be on the look-out for any soldiers or Liberators that are acting suspicious, or just keep an eye out for anything that doesn't fit the current scenario altogether."

Luna nodded, tightening her grip on her short-sword. "Alright."

With all of that said, Itzal continued heading towards the inn, with Luna in tow. It didn't take them long to find a large amount of dead or dying Forest Elves, with a few heavily wounded soldiers standing between them. It was clear what had occurred here. Although the soldiers looked at Itzal and Luna with suspicion, they didn't move in on them. Itzal and Luna were quick to leave the scene behind, although Luna seemed visibly distressed by it.

Itzal realized something was wrong the moment the inn was in sight. There were no guards stationed around it, and it didn't take them long to see the door was broken down. With his weapons drawn, he carefully approached the door. He was greeted by the sight of many dead soldiers, and from a quick gloss, they were all killed by the same type of slashes, most at the throat. Based on how expertly they had been taken out, Itzal doubted there were mere Liberators behind this attack. They had finally found some of their hidden opponents.

After confirming there was no sign of life on the first floor, be it friend or foe, Itzal carefully made his way up to the second floor. He didn't hear or see a single sign of life as he proceeded. Until a crossbow bolt came flying straight at his head. If it wasn't for the fact time seemed to mysteriously slow down again, he'd have been dead on the spot. Now, however, he was just fast enough to duck and let the crossbow bolt fly overhead. "Enemies!" He shouted at Luna, as he made his way downstairs, where he flipped over a table to take cover behind it. Luna quickly follow suit.

It turned out they had only one opponent, as a single person descended the stairs. It was a man with a drawn crossbow pointed into the room. He also carried a large two-handed sword strapped to his back. For as much as Itzal tried, glossing over the table didn't give him enough of a view to figure out what kind of group this man was aligned with. Itzal figured to see if he could learn more by playing around with words, before relying on violence. "Hold your fire! We're merely an independent group of investigators!"

Rather than an answer, a crossbow bolt made its way towards Itzal. It pierced the table, but luckily not far enough to hit Itzal. Now was the time to come out, while the man would be busy loading another bolt. Itzal jumped up from behind the table, ready strike... Only to realize that his opponent had lured him out. He had thrown his crossbow away and drawn a short-sword that Itzal had previously failed to spot. If it wasn't for the time around him seeming to slow down yet again, the short-sword would have successfully pierced his throat.

Whomever this man was, Itzal had never been up against someone this talented. Luckily enough, this wasn't a fair fight, as Itzal had supernatural advantages. After he dodged his foe's sword by making a quick jump to the right, he lunged forwards, his own weapon in front of him. His opponent seemed to have mostly leather armour, meaning a strong enough stab would pierce it. It was exactly what happened. Itzal managed to jam his sword straight into the man's torso, around where his lungs should be. That'd stop any normal being from being able to keep fighting, but somehow, this man seemed unfazed. Even with time slowed down, Itzal was grazed by the counter-attack. How could someone that just got a short-sword lunged into their torso keep fighting like nothing happened?