Three figures closed in. Peter quickly glanced at all three of them.
They all look the same! Even their heights.
He looked at his surroundings, the dim lights of the torches made it harder to locate the figures but the ground was clear. And one side of the room was less lighted than the other.
I can't run away from this. He sighed.
His eyes snapped to the closest assassin, he dashed towards it and clashed his sword. He pressed in. With a snap of his legs, Peter kicked the figure to the ground. The figure landed on their hands and threw itself backwards, landing on its legs.
Another assassin appeared beside him. Its sword gleamed against his neck, the coldness of the metal spread to his skin.
How!? Think, think, think!
He glanced at the figure, it hadn't made a move yet. Something snapped in place.
They need me alive.
Peter dashed backwards, into the poorly illuminated section. His amber mana ran through his sword. With a flick of his hand, he smashed his sword to the ground lifting off the stone pavement and dust.
The dust wandered in the air, blocking what little could've already been seen.
Peter exhaled.
There is no way I'm beating them alone. They are no ordinary thugs, maybe trained assassins? Ughh.
A throwing knife cut through the dust polluted air. It grazed his left shoulder, drawing blood.
Definitely assassins.
He carefully stepped further, towards where the spiral staircase was supposed to be. A piece of metal shined through the dust. Suddenly a burst of wind swayed the dust away, coming from a figure that stood on the staircase.
Another one!?
Deep brown eyes cleared first, then the armor. Ariel jumped beside him.
Two against three. I can do this. Peter thought.
Sharp currents cut through the staircase, originating from where Amy went.
The burning sensation of his wound reached his brain. His legs grew heavier.
One of the figures clicked its tongue. Other figures dashed forward, one with the morning star towards Ariel and one with the sword towards Peter.
They even have weapons tailored to us. Can't you make it any less obvious, King Gerald?
Peter clashed his sword with the assassin. His legs grew weaker.
The other assassin kept his distance from Ariel, it started to rotate the morning star. Suddenly the assassin flicked it hand towards Ariel, the morning star's chain lengthened.
Ariel channeled his mana through his legs towards the ground, he twisted his hips and met the morning star with his halberd. The morning star twisted around the halberd. The figure pulled the morning star back and leaped forward.
Peter shook his left leg and he twisted his body slightly to right.
Come on take the bait...
Pressing harder on the right, the assassin moved in. Peter turned his body out of the way and pulled his sword back in an instant. The assassin stumbled forward. Peter swooshed the sword with full force. Another assassin clashed swords with him.
I forgot about him. Peter sighed.
Stone rose in front of Ariel, he rotated his body and slammed his foot on the stone. The debris flew right onto the figure's face, dragging the figure across the room towards the wall and crushing it.
Ariel shifted his gaze to the recovering figure. He freed his halberd from the morning star and jerked it towards the figure. A sharp sensation rose in his back, his armor bore a gaping hole with a loud clank. The blood flowed from his back.
Ariel staggered.
The assassin behind him gave three tongue clicks, and they were gone.
Amy shifted her gaze between upstairs and downstairs. The bottom floor was at least five meters beneath her. She slowly walked downwards while pressing her wound.
"Amy! They vanished!" Peter called to her.
She quickened her pace, Amy saw Peter and Ariel lying down. She moved towards them.
The morning lights hit the corridor.
"They're just gone." Ariel looked around. "I think they were out of time...?" Ariel's body slowly wobbled from left to right.
He put his hand on his forehead.
"Why is it so hot?" Ariel asked.
"You're not sweating..." Amy leaned closer.
Ariel shook it off. "Let's go back. We'll say that we stopped a robbery, got it?" he rose back on top his feet.
"If you say so." Amy followed along.
The guards grunted, they lifted their heads.
"What happened... was I drunk again?" One of the guards asked, he looked around.
"Lord Ariel!?" The guard jolted upwards.
"I heard footsteps outside of my room and followed it. It turns out that some thieves infiltrated." Ariel said.
Beads of sweat formed on the guard's forehead. "O-oh, thank you Lord Ariel."
The trio walked towards their rooms. The golden rays of the sun showered their skin. Ariel closed his eyes for a moment, trying to adjust to the sudden light change. After they walked few meters away from the guards Amy spoke.
"Ariel, why didn't you infiltrate after we left the palace? We look suspicious now."
Ariel shifted his eyes to Amy.
"One of the reasons is that I couldn't. Invitations from the king are orders by law." He answered.
"I see," she said. "The deciphering will take a while." She missed a step, then placed her hand on her wound.
"Can't you use the ointment?" Peter asked.
Amy reached for her backpack and pulled out the ointment box. She opened it with a pop. The box was empty.
"I guess not." She sighed, and put it back.
"Wait, why do you have your backpack on?" Peter asked.
"To carry everything I might need," she answered.
Peter turned his head away, faintly chuckling.
"I don't understand what's funny about this." Amy said.
"It's just, something that you'd do." Ariel answered.
Amy shifted her eyes to Ariel.
"What does that mean?"
Before Ariel could answer they were already in front of their rooms.
"I want to rest first." Ariel said, stumbling into his room.
Amy walked into her room, put her backpack on the side. Then she pulled the document and threw herself to the bed.
This will take a long time as well.
Pulling the orb out of her backpack, Amy focused on the orb. She removed her hand from her wound.
The bleeding slowed but the skin around is gray.
Her vision became blurry. She put her hand over her forehead.
It's hot... But there's no sweat, just like Ariel. And why did they suddenly left anyways? They looked too professional to leave for time constraints...
Amy rubbed her chin. Ariel's words echoed in her mind.
"This will be the last drop." He had said.
They can't have us randomly die in the archives...
Her eyes widened.
Poison! Why didn't I notice it before!?
She jolted upwards.
I need to warn them now.