The Conviction

Chapter 5 - City of Killers

The stars, despite their immense brightness, were nothing but dim lighting, white spots in the dark nighttime sky, with the moon covered by clouds here and there. Two uneasy horses whinnied anxiously, puffing out their air through their large nostrils and shifting around, trapped to the tattered fence by their reins, and twitching their ears as they shook their heads, their manes whipping side to side. A young boy and a woman stood nearby, the female adjusting a brace on her arm while he stood watch.

The night was quiet, more quiet than was comfortable for the two, and they were both on guard, aware of the smallest of noises. "What's your plan?" He asked, keeping his voice low and his eyes focused elsewhere. "There's only two of us, and probably more than a dozen of them according to the council."

She smiled at the inexperienced assassin, shaking her head, he just barely noticed out of the corner of his eye. "It won't be too hard, not as long as we do it right,"

He sighed, turning and facing her once he was sure the coast was clear. "And how do you suggest we carry out this plan of yours?"

With a sly grin, she pointed up at an old, crumbling tower, its shadow looming over them in a rather menacing way. "We climb, and get a perspective on things."

He scoffed. "Yeah, and then?"

"And then we take them out," Ashley grinned, moving towards the crooked, crumbling stone structure. She jumped, lunging for a brick and clasping it tightly, pulling herself up and placing her feet on two stones. "Follow my lead,"

She exhaled heavily, pushing herself onward, just barely aware of Alexandre following her as they scurried up the tower. Jumping up, she lunged for the edge of the tower, clenching the cool stone with her fingertips and peering up at the tower.

Two guards, standing over the town were at the ready, both armed, and more than dangerous, Placing one foot on the ground, she silently pulled herself up onto the platform, daring to look down at Alexandre, who was just catching up with her. Shaking her head at him, he halted in his ascent of the tower, confused, but she gave him no explanation, and drew a poison dart in each hand striking both sentries in the upper spine.

Both of them gagged, choking and making strangled sounds, and stumbled backwards, hitting the ground one after the other and silencing themselves. She looked down into the terror filled eyes of one of the men, as he fought unconsciousness, not even hinting at remorse.

It was not her burden to carry, to worry and grieve over her targets, and it never would be, not as long as she remained detached and confident in her abilities. "Repose en paix," She whispered.

Standing and looking down at her dangling apprentice, she motioned for him to proceed, violently yanking out the sharp weapons embedded in the necks of the two dead sentries and putting them back in her arsenal of weaponry. A strained grunt from behind her brought attention to the apprentice. She shushed him, clasping his forearm and heaving up him with her.

"Quiet! They've probably made camp near here, and if these rogues are anything like what the Council said, we can't afford to do anything that might make us stick out." Ashley warned him, looking down at the bloodstained ground. Alexandre nodded, and moved to peer over the tower's rim, expecting anything but what he saw.

Startled, he stepped back, and looked at the elder assassin with a gaze that sent chills up her spine. Moving to peer over into the decimated village she just barely remembered, she was astounded.

It was full of life.

But not just the small group of organized criminals she had expected; the entire town was full of stores, homes, and numerous people.