Chapter 1248 Joining the assassin's guild

Chapter 1248 Joining the assassin's guild

The infirmary into which Michael and Gaya, along with the other victims, were brought, had an air of sterile solemnity. Its walls were lined with shelves filled with neatly labeled potions and herbs. Beds, equally spaced, filled the large room, their linens crisp and white under the soft glow of enchanted lights. The atmosphere was heavy with the scent of antiseptics and the undercurrent of magic used for healing. Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

As the bodies were laid out, a guard turned to his colleague, his voice low. "Leave these here for now, until the captain gives further instructions," he instructed, casting a final glance at the somber array of fallen individuals before exiting the room to attend to other duties.

The room fell into a heavy silence, the kind that speaks of finality and loss. It was in this silence that Michael stirred, his eyes snapping open with a practiced caution. Swiftly, but with care, he stood, his movements deliberate. He then moved to Gaya, gently patting her shoulder to rouse her from the potion-induced state.

Gaya's eyes flickered open, meeting Michael's with a silent question. "What's the plan now?" she whispered, her voice barely carrying in the still air of the infirmary.

"If we just leave, they'll notice the missing bodies. We need to cover our tracks... thoroughly," said Michael. "Hmm," Gaya nodded in agreement, understanding the necessity of their next actions.

Without another word, Michael summoned the dark flames as the dark flames cast an eerie darkness around them. He flicked his wrist, and the flames leaped from his hand to a nearby body. The fire spread quickly, the dark flames consuming everything with an unnatural hunger, leaving no trace behind but ash.

Amidst the burgeoning smoke and the crackling of the fire, Michael and Gaya made their move. They approached a window, glanced back one last time at the inferno they'd set to erase their presence, and then, with a swift motion, they jumped through, landing softly on the outside. Without looking back, they swiftly made their escape, blending into the shadows of Aurumvale. Outside the infirmary, the city of Aurumvale basked under the glow of the moon, its golden structures shimmering against the dark sky, creating a landscape of ethereal beauty. The tranquility of the night was abruptly shattered when the dark flames, initiated by Michael within the infirmary, began to lick at the windows, casting an ominous glow that could not be ignored.

"Fire! Fire!" The cry rang out into the night, quickly escalating into a cacophony of shouts and calls for help. Elves spilled into the streets, their expressions morphing from serene to panic-stricken as they took in the sight of the burgeoning inferno.

"Call the guards! We need to put out the fire!" yelled an elf, taking charge of the growing crowd. In no time, the sound of armored footsteps approached, the city's guards moving swiftly towards the source of the chaos.

In the midst of this sudden uproar, Michael and Gaya slipped through the gathered crowd unnoticed, their figures blending seamlessly with the distressed citizens. They moved with purpose, navigating the streets with an urgency that matched the city's alarm, all the while making their way toward the city gates.

Upon reaching the gates, they stepped outside the confines of Aurumvale's protective walls and were greeted by the expansive grasslands that lay beyond. Looking out into the expanse, Gaya voiced the question between them. "Where are we supposed to look for him?"

His gaze scanning the horizon, Michael noticed a large tree near the city wall, its silhouette distinct against the night sky. Something about its lone presence sparked an intuition within him. "Let's head towards that tree," he suggested, a certainty in his voice that left no room for doubt. "I have a feeling that's where he'll be waiting for us."

The assassin, amused by Michael's impatience, let out a soft chuckle. "Impatient, are we?" he teased before continuing. "The gem I used to teleport us here is one such reward. It can get you out of anywhere... well, most places. Imagine how useful that could be for an assassin."

His explanation shed light on the unique benefits of guild membership, highlighting the invaluable tools at their disposal—tools that could very well save their lives in the direst of circumstances.

As they continued their journey deeper into the shadowy confines of the guild's hallways, the assassin imparted more of the guild's rules and expectations. "Until you've earned your place among us, you won't meet the others," he stated matter-of-factly, guiding them past walls adorned with a macabre collection of heads and blades, each telling its own silent story of death and skill.

Gaya, intrigued by the earlier mention of an initiation, couldn't help but inquire, "What's this initiation you talked about?"

The assassin's response came with a light-hearted chuckle, tinged with a hint of darkness. "Don't worry, I'm not going to ask what Abran did," he assured them, a sly reference to their earlier encounter.

At the mention of Abran, Gaya couldn't suppress a growl, though she managed to say, "Thank you for getting rid of him."

"Don't mention it," the assassin replied coolly, his chuckle growing colder. "He made many powerful enemies. And powerful enemies often have a horde of gold coins at their disposal. Make enough ripples, and you'll eventually draw our attention."

Michael, keen to steer the conversation back to the matter at hand, pressed further. "Back to the topic, what's this initiation?"

The assassin's explanation was straightforward and devoid of any mystique. "Nothing freaky. We'll just give you a name, and you have to kill the target on our terms," he outlined simply, setting the stage for what was to come.

As they followed the assassin through the labyrinthine corridors, the air around them seemed to grow heavier, charged with an unspoken anticipation. Finally, he stopped in front of a door shrouded in darkness. With a swift motion, he pushed it open, and they stepped into a room that contrasted starkly with the dimly lit hallways they had navigated.

The center of the room was dominated by a small pillar, atop which sat a glass box. Within the box, Michael and Gaya could see several wooden strips, each presumably carrying the weight of a name, a life soon to be targeted. The assassin beckoned them closer with a gesture that held an eerie formality.

"I will pick a name from this list of targets," the assassin announced, his voice carrying a hint of excitement, "and you will get to do the fun part, killing."

With deliberate slowness, he lifted the lid of the glass box and reached inside. His hand moved amongst the wooden strips, teasing out the fate of one unlucky soul. Finally, he grasped one and pulled it out, his movements sure and practiced.

As he read the name silently, a smile crept across his face, the kind of smile that spoke of dark coincidences and fate's twisted sense of humor. "Seems like I picked someone you know," he chuckled, the sound echoing slightly in the sparse room.