|Killing intent has been detected|
I don't see anyone. It's dark.
I opened the curtains, the window was already open.
I looked and-
Nothing.
Was that a false alarm-
A dagger.
In front of my eyes.
I moved my face away as fast as I could, getting nicked on my cheek.
The intruder isn't outside.
He's here.
He's in the room.
I can't see properly.
What to do? I don't know how strong my enemy is. I have close to no combat skills. Otherworlder Aura is useless without potions. I don't even know my other innate trait.
I can only rely on beast instincts, but it's not a combat skill either.
|Emergency situation detected|
|Mission has been created|
|Mission: Survive the assassination
|Difficulty: E
|Reward: +0.2 stat (Random), 200 coins
|Good luck, Player.|
That does not help me right now at all.
However, seeing it is E rank difficulty just to survive, must mean the perpetrator is much stronger than me.
I can't win this.
"COUGH"
Blood spattered on my hands.
My vision is getting blurry.
My skull feels like it's splitting apart.
I've been... Poisoned.
I don't have time. I have to get out of this room first.
Using whatever strength I had left, I activated beastly instincts, right as two more daggers flew towards me.
I managed to dodge one, but the second hit me in the left arm.
My instincts are screaming.
I'm going to die.
I use all my will to dash towards the door, another dagger flies behind me.
I throw myself off balance, falling just outside the door.
He isn't rushing, he's herding me.
I have to run.
As I struggle to get away, I finally see his figure. An unfamiliar face, wearing nothing but black. I see a torn symbol on his clothes. Any clue would help, but I see nothing.
"If you require guidance… you may seek me out."
That's right. Malthus. He must be patrolling the grounds somewhere.
I felt miserable. Weak. Helpless.
I'm putting all my chances of survival on luck.
Whether I get to the knight captain first, or the assassin gets to me.
The poison is spreading faster.
|Otherworlder's Aura activated|
"Damn it!"
This innate trait is starting to feel like a curse.
I have to keep running.
Another dagger flies in my back.
The poison damage intensifies.
My legs hurt. My muscles feel like I've set them on fire.
My whole body is getting hot.
I'm almost there. Around the corner. I can see the light from a lantern. There must be a patrol soldier at the very least.
Suddenly, my legs gave out.
It was the paralysing effect of the poison combined with my own trait.
I can see the last dagger.
It's flying at my chest.
So this is how it ends...
"Move."
I must be hallucinating from the poison.
I was so close. To die out of nowhere. God really does not love me.
I close my eyes.
The pain will hit me anytime soon. One last time.
*CLINK*
The dagger falls in front of my feet.
...He's here.
I watch the ground as two feet emerge out of the darkness. They were silver boots, ones that knights wear.
Those steps were... Heavy.
His eyes showed no emotion. The assassin must have realised it too.
He hit him with a pre-emptive strike. A dagger. No. Three daggers... From three different directions.
It didn't matter.
With my blurry vision, all I could make out were the daggers falling down. I didn't see him move.
Then-
*Thud*
A faint sound.
Not metal.
Not movement.
Just… something ending.
The now lifeless corpse of the assassin fell to the ground.
His head rolled in front of him, a clean cut, again.
|Mission Cleared|
|Reward: 200 coins have been awarded|
|Agility has been increased by 0.2 (6.5->6.7)|
I've... survived.
"Thank-"
*Thud*
That's all I manage to say before my body finally gives out.
The world goes black again. I feel a certain nervousness before my mind goes to sleep.
That whisper... Wasn't Malthus.
(Two Days Later)
A young paladin lays on the bed. Injured all over.
He seems dejected. Distraught.
He had been betrayed.
...Cain was awake.