Blood Red: Generations.

The Siege

A/N: This part was written by my friend, Thomas.It's the second part, and I'd like to know if we should keep the collaboration going with this story. So please once again comment and vote. Much appreciated! -Nix

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Chapter 2 : The Siege

Midnight. At this hour, everyone would be locked up their homes relishing a tranquil slumber after the feast toasting the arrival of the youngest member of the royal family of Athenia. The entire populace will then be duty free for the entire portion of the next day, in honour of the birth of Princess Aria Cassadia. Everyone, that is, except for the unfortunate Guard Jorf. Being the newest recruit and subsequently yielding the lowest rank, he was voted into guard duty for the duration of the night and much of the afternoon of the next day, which he had made prior engagements to grab a frothy mug of ale at the tavern with his mates.

“If I had to do guard duty, at the very least make it more exciting.” Jorf muttered to himself, “There’s literally nothing that could oppose Athenia’s army, I even wonder why I volunteered for guard duty.”

“Oi, shut it down there!” Gerf, his ranking officer snapped. Jorf’s gut reaction was to retort, but that would consequently result in demotion, and a cut in his weekly share of coins. So he bit his lip and remained silent.

An abrupt shuffling of leaves and distinct snap of a branch startled Jorf and his eyes darted across the landscape searching frantically for the source. After what seemed to be an eternity, he sighed and turned away. He was probably too worked up and waiting for something to happen, or he was just paranoid. Or both.

Gerf, upon seeing his disappointment, chucked at himself, “You expect to see action out here kid? I thought you would of learnt by now, we guards are just to ward of bandit attacks, thieves and enforce the law. There is no one out there who would dare attack our kingdom. We have guards patrolling this place ‘round the clock. Even if all of the other cities were to rebel they would fail to break our defense because our defense if perfect-“

In an instant Gerf’s neck was instantly blown into a mess of blood and gore. He gurgled and fell lifeless to the ground.

Jorf’s eyes widened at the sight of his dead officer. He wanted to cry out but all he could muster was a squeak, as if his voice had left him. He groped for his sword, struggling with the sheath. A sharp pain filled his chest and he glanced down fearfully at the sight of a crossbow bolt protruding from his chest. He coughed weakly as he succumbed to death’s cold embrace.

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A lone figure stepped out from the trees with a crossbow in hand. He was clad in jet black leather armour and a hood which covered his facial features. Another figure stepped out from the bush behind him, “Very nice,” the other man commented, upon witnessing the two silent kills the crossbow-wielding assassin had performed.

“You almost blew our cover,” the assassin said coldly.

The smile was instantly wiped off the other man’s face, “Remember, your job is to get the baby – alive. Just do that and you’ll be paid a handsome amount. And try to resist the urge to kill everyone you see.”

“I’ll use my discretion.”

The hooded assassin pulled a rope ending with a jagged hook from his pack. He professionally swung the rope so that the hook caught on one of the crenellations of the wall. He then moved to scale the wall, in moments he had disappeared from sight. The other man grinned and muttered, “The Order of Visage will return to power and the world will once again feel the wrath of the one true god!”