The last rays of the setting sun hit the tips of the castle towers. A rarity that age had left behind, especially in the Kingdom of Luminae, a remnant of when it was once divided between the old guard and the new. Alexander patiently waited, his outstretched hand poised to catch the final touch of sunlight, wriggling under the warmth of the setting sun. Perched on the rooftop of a nearby bakery, he observed the imposing walls of the castle, about twenty metres tall, but age had not been nice to it. Some bricks were jutting out, and his eyes worked to carve a path to the top.
Getting up to his feet, he walked towards the edge right before the wall, peering down at the moat encircling the fortress. He could jump ten metres with some amount of effort, but twelve metres was a significant span to cover, thankfully there was a crocodile occupied body of water to break his fall. Alexander took a deep breath, moving back a few steps away from the edge, and took out a spare knife. Jumping on the balls of his feet, he psyched himself up before he launched himself forward, sprinting towards the edge and leaping at the very last moment.
Sailing through the air, his legs bracing themselves for impact. With a muffled thud, he landed on the wall, his hand gripping onto a protruding brick, his knife sliding into a crack in the stone. Pain reverberated through his bones, but he continued onwards, jabbing the knife into the smallest crack he could find, securing it in order to use it as a platform. He jumped from it, hands clasping onto holdways worn into the rock, making his way surely to the top, keeping any further daring to a minimum. The climb was uneventful, till he was just about to reach the walkway above, when the metallic crunching of armour reached his ears, becoming louder with each passing second.
He peered through an arrow slit, spotting a guard in shiny iron armour jogging towards him. The darkness of the dusk allowed him to readjust his grip to the surface, his hand wrapping around his dagger, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Judging by his armour, the new guard had been hired for extra protection for tomorrow's procession. Meaning it would be a bit harder to get into the castle, but it also presented him with an excellent opportunity, and some things to think about that night. As the sound faded away, carried only by the wind, Alexander could finally set foot on solid ground once again, his eyes tracing the guard towards a tower a few ways up the catwalk.
Silently, he trailed the guard as the sky transitioned into a mesmerising mix of orange and purple. Arriving, he saw the guard struggling to move a crate, by the sounds of which had to be filled with something metal-y and sharp. Alexander silently walked up behind the crouching guard, his right hand crackling with purple lighting, collecting on the surface of his skin, waiting for the right moment.
The guard heard the slight hiss, turning around in a feverous panic, his hand already reaching for his sword. But before he had a chance to unsheathe it, he found Alexander's hand on his mouth, the electricity collecting within his aggressor flowing completely into his body, overwhelming his senses. His body convulsed for a bit, his screams muffled, but the pain only lasted for twenty seconds, and the guard slumped to the ground unconscious. It had taken longer than usual, but damage on the armour could not be afforded.
Alexander dragged the guard into the darkest corner he could find, with a flick of his hand even darker tendrils covering up the sight. Within moments, he left the tower adorning the sparkling armour above his usual clothes, unsurprisingly very loose over his muscles. He put on the helmet as he sprinted down the tower's spiral stairs, snatching a loose torch to light the way in the dark.
He had learned the layout of the castle grounds when he had visited the city a few years ago, during a quite vivid stint in a wandering circus that was on a heist spree. The knowledge allowed him to easily avoid most of the patrols, and when he encountered a stray guard, he just stammered out some words till they left him alone, delaying him only by seconds as he made his way towards the 'garden'. It took about five minutes, till he stood in front of the entrance.
YOU ARE READING
NEMO: Into The Depths
Fantasy"After you achieved your revenge, after that brief moment of ecstasy at finally doing it, killing the person who caused you so much harm, you felt empty inside. It's as if all the actions you took, all the sacrifices you made, all the people you cut...
