The bitter salty aroma of burning crystals was thick in the air – it seemed to cake Arlandra Knight’s body as he moved prudently through the camp. There was a deep pit at the very bottom of his stomach, and a voice in his head telling him that Juliet had been captured. Just as a hero would react by assuring himself to save his accomplice, Arlandra knew that Juliet had to be saved, but he couldn’t decide if it was because she knew too much about him, or because it was merely the human thing to do. Memories of the Order flashed before his eyes, following by the burning image of fire, and the despairing cries of a dying breed.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡhW3rHB14wQ 維尼
Whether he was human or not, Arlandra knew that Juliet had to be saved, and that was reason enough for now. He pulled from his belt what he called insurance. Good old dynamite.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAov9cFQUD 維尼
After moving back through the camp – trying to piece together a somewhat desperate escape plan in case things went bad – Arlandra found himself standing again at the sight of the imprisoned orc.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xtJvkVTlY 維尼
The beast no longer struggled as it had before. It looked as though it was asleep, as if it had succumbed to its chains after an eternity of fighting, evident in the sheen of sweat that gleamed over the creature’s pale-green skin. Arlandra felt sympathy for the creature, but then a plan came to life in his mind, so he approached the orc.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRxzyCQczE 維尼
At the sound of Arlandra’s deliberate footsteps the orc raised its head and opened its yellow eyes. “Human!” It cried.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMfb8aLJap 維尼
“Shhh!” Arlandra raised his hands and hushed the orc.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgH7qXUGgB 維尼
It looked around with an exhausted expression on its face. “Other humans are gone,” it said, in a deep grunting voice.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlU621o0Ze 維尼
“Yes,” Arlandra said. “They’re gone now but they won’t be for long.”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1u5ClYK2eN 維尼
“You are not like the other humans. Are they not of your clan?”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡgptwUl958N 維尼
“That’s right. You are right. These people are no friends of mine, just as they are no friends of yours.”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sGrytQDYo 維尼
“Not my friend,” the orc mumbled.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3BkGW8rmb 維尼
“Exactly, no friends. But we, we could be friends. You see, my other friend is in trouble and I need your help.”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10FCXAxRjn 維尼
The orc glanced at his feet as if contemplating something. “Free me from these chains, and by clan-law my life will be yours.”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡCqVA86Szfo 維尼
“Clan-law, right.” It suddenly occurred to Arlandra that this beast of a creature could easily rip him to pieces as soon as the chains were undone. When they were off Arlandra took three very long steps back, and for the first time he saw the orc standing straight and tall. He wondered if a bullet would break its skin. He assumed so. The orcs skin was stretched tight and thick over the muscles in its chest.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFffBlrPDa 維尼
“By clan-law are you sworn to do exactly as I tell you?”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFjnuFgUIT 維尼
“I am Ul’Shaan of the Maak clan. My life is sworn to you.”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOcCeRPS3q 維尼
This might actually work, as long as the orc does as I say.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6o83rl9CV 維尼
Ul’Shaan was too large to be able to move quietly, so Arlandra had to find Juliet by himself. Just as he was about to move out he heard a voice yelling out. The sternness of it ricocheted through the camp. Arlandra hoped it would have been Juliet’s voice, however it wasn’t.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7N8rUKSxGQ 維尼
“Assassin!” The voice of a man called, hoarse and booming. It sounded wild, as if coming from a drunken man. “Assassin! We know you’re back there. We got your girl!”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmUj7qiV65 維尼
His girl had technically served her purpose. She had led him to the camp and soon enough he would have Garn. So how far was he willing to go to save her?8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59OlLZRFCX 維尼
In the moments before, Juliet had just finished planting the second of the EMP charges when she spotted out the corner of her eye an opportunity that she simply couldn’t pass up. She had been keeping an eye on the man who she assumed was the manager of the camp – or something of the sort. The man was relatively fat and his suit was too tight to work in. His bushy moustache looked like it had been combed only a few moments ago.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡyD1cA1iTKy 維尼
Of the opportunity, Juliet was watching the manager from outside the window of his office – a relatively small and portable building stockpiled with papers – when out of the blue he just stood up and left. Juliet had thought nothing of it until she caught a small movement in the door where the wind nudged it on its hinge. The manager had left the door unlocked – in fact it was opened.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRIQtc5SEg 維尼
When the manager and everyone else were all far from sight, Juliet slowly crept along the outside wall and slipped easily through the doorway. The inside smelt like man, in fact, Juliet was probably the only woman in this entire vicinity. She tried to make a mental note of every important document that she could find. There were so many, and surely one of them could be used against Garn. In the end it didn’t matter. Hopefully the assassin would eventually find Garn and put an end to him. However Juliet liked to have insurance.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyRcFgmkkE 維尼
She looked across the office and found something, a piece of paper, that had been set aside from the others. She walked over to it curiously, picked it up, and read:8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTwLHIXhxr 維尼
‘Please join us for a special occasion masquerade ball in honour of Maryanne Lynn, owner of the Taellian treasury. Saturday, June 15th, at seven o’clock in the evening. The Piae Tovuus Taellian treasury…’8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡuj69f4imAO 維尼
Now that is interesting. Juliet stopped. The door swung open behind her. A shot of icy fear crawled over her body. She stuffed the invitation into her jacket pocket and spun around. To no surprise she found the manager – or rather he had found her – and he was more shocked than she was.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAaKyXnZCl 維尼
Juliet felt as if she were encased in a block of ice. She didn’t know what to do, and she resorted to trying to talk her way out. “Umm… hey!” It was a desperate effort, one that didn’t work.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSegpPqyJo 維尼
The manager’s face turned red. “Guards! Come here at once! Restrain this woman!”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpJqUpHPHh 維尼
Juliet tried to run but found herself stuck in the empowering grip of one man’s arms, and another had a rifle aimed at her head. The manager took a handful of her hair in his big hands and yanked it backwards. A terrible rush of pain screamed from her scalp. The man looked at her with wide eyes and red cheeks. There was something wrong about him. He’s a mad man!8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98BgvrHmId 維尼
“Who were you with?” he started, with bitterness in his tongue. “You didn’t come here alone so who were you with?”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLHlrAGeKB 維尼
Juliet summoned her courage – because this man scared the life out of her – and met his eyes with a cover of defiance. “Taelliwey’s Assassin. No one you’ll be able to catch.” She spat.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyUEIxVWzT 維尼
Juliet noted the change in the man’s face at the mention of Arlandra. Was the assassin really that good? Oh, he must be. He’ll defeat all these smelly men and save me.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQXsOUbg93 維尼
The man tightened his fingers in her hair and she succumbed to a weakened cry.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4ham0ib1G 維尼
“We’ll see about that!” he challenged. He turned to his guards. “Take her, and follow me.”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡNP79DdQ6kA 維尼
“Where are we going?” the guard asked.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dxvlQK0Db 維尼
“We’re going to catch an assassin.”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡrj5KhvnQw2 維尼
Arlandra carefully listened to the repulsive voice of the brute of a man who he had by now assumed was some sort of commanding officer. After managing a peak around the corner he found that the man had taken Juliet hostage, and was holding a revolver against her temple. She still kicked and struggled, and there was a gleam of sorrow that reflected off her iris, even from where he stood Arlandra could see it. Fool of a girl.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7mPlnpbYp 維尼
Even if everything went according to his plan, there was still a massive chance that Juliet would be killed in the crossfire – either shot instantly at the slip of a trigger finger, or caught in an explosion, or crushed by a falling object. Arlandra had no doubts that Juliet most certainly could die, however he really wanted her to live. She was the first person in a long time who had made him feel human again.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡPROcukdLtZ 維尼
The annoying voice of the officer cried out again: “You better come out here assassin! I’m running out of patience!”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡoR4Yr1AXgW 維尼
It was almost time. Arlandra glanced over to check that Ul’Shaan was in position. He placed the orc a few meters away, crouched behind a pile of barrels, ready to strike. Excellent.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6ACP2Opnh 維尼
The voice cried out again. God he’s annoying. “You got ‘till the count of five. Otherwise I’ll blow her head off. I don’t lie. I’ll do it. One!”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡWaPewhj4dU 維尼
Arlandra kneeled down, poised with his detonator held firmly in his grip.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWaCsIHnMh 維尼
“Two!”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡvO22pSidxV 維尼
He checked his pistol, the one that he kept hidden in his sleeve. It seemed to be working fine.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMnFcArYmI 維尼
“Three!”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHWtISnngM 維尼
Arlandra took a deep breath, and pulled his mask over his nose.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8j6mRUvIUQ 維尼
“Four!”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaPxEEpnQX 維尼
The assassin stood up and removed himself from cover, revealing himself for everyone to see. He didn’t have his sword out. He simply raised his hands slowly, with the detonator in hand.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VKxRkrfPy 維尼
Arlandra heard the feint click of a cocked rifle hammer from somewhere within the mass of guards and workers. “Uh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” He showed them the detonator. “See this? If I hit this button the entire camp goes boom.”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhlXG6Y8vm 維尼
The officer remained with his revolver pressed hard against Juliet’s temple. “Show me your face, assassin.”472Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6xSMucSuP
Arlandra let out a chuckle. “Not going to happen.”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2moOApy12f 維尼
“Okay then. What is it you want?”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡSB7PoMcuYV 維尼
“Funny that the man with the hostage is asking me that question.” Arlandra waited but there seemed to be no response from the man, other than his inflamed cheeks glowing gradually redder. “Why, isn’t it obvious?” he finally stated. “I want to see this place burn.”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTC1bJBiZF 維尼
That was the signal he had told Ul’Shaan to look out for. And just as he had planned the hulking bellows of Ul’Shann’s attack soon followed. The first stage of the attack included crashing through the pile of barrels, Arlandra didn’t know if they were full or not, but they certainly didn’t stop the orc. The barrels went up in a deafening appeal, and then rained down without mercy over the officer and his guards.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyslsaqNZ9 維尼
Arlandra waited for the split second that the manager turned his gun away from Juliet. At that exact moment he extended his arm, flicked his wrist and fired his hidden pistol. The bullet whizzed through the air and collided with the manager. Thank god I didn’t hit Juliet.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHcOcQHrkU 維尼
Arlandra figured the man would be dead from a clean headshot, however as the manager stood doubled over and clutching his ear, he realised that he had shot the poor man’s ear off.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyqD7PLY1i 維尼
The barrels finally ceased moving and the men were now raised and ready with their machine guns. Juliet took the very first chance to get away and ran desperately into Arlandra arms. Good, he didn’t want her over there during the next phase of his plan, which was about to take place in about three seconds.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡSc40VMPyCr 維尼
Bang! Excellent timing. Just as the men were lined up with their guns, an explosion of fire and splinters ripped through their ranks from the building behind them and ruptured their positions. There was no recovering from that. Good old dynamite. Arlandra had Ul’Shaan plant the explosive just before the officer and Juliet had come out. Good thing he did, too.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8jUKbEHql 維尼
There was just one final phase to the plan. With the guards disoriented – or more or less ‘broken’ – and the camp in chaos, Arlandra had to disappear. Ul’Shaan followed closely as the assassin took Juliet’s hand and ran for the exit. The orc behind them almost blocked their view with his giant hulking mass. Arlandra hit the button on his detonator – the final piece to this chaotic puzzle – and almost immediately he began to see the effect. He expected the machines to shut down – to slow to a dull and broken pace and then simply stop, but they didn’t. In fact, the machines began to do the opposite. They started to gain power. Arlandra watched in wonderment, as the giant saw became a spinning blur of destruction, and a generator vibrated furiously and spat black dust over everything.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmRmLEYnjv 維尼
Eventually they found their way to the entrance that Arlandra had come through. Ul’Shaan was instructed to keep running into the forest, and he quickly disappeared into the dark collation of trees and plants and shrubs.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡULrbbUSmz7 維尼
Arlandra suddenly stopped running once he had reached the gate way, and so Juliet stopped too. He urged her suddenly to stand against the outer wall. “Stay there,” he instructed, as he himself stood against the wall on the other side of the gate. He waited, waited and listened for the rapid crescendo of shouts radiating from within the camp. Suddenly two men ran out, dressed wholly in the full paper-brown garments of the other guards. Arlandra was on them before Juliet could even blink. He moved like the shadow of a soaring bird of prey. With the bottom of his dagger’s hilt, he knocked one guard over the back of the head. As the first guard fell to the ground Arlandra gripped the other by the shoulders and hurled him with all his might into the wall. Just like that both guards were unconscious.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WwDlBioTR 維尼
“Help me hide the bodies,” he breathed as he began to drag one of the guards by the feet. “Hurry, there isn’t much time.”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPSCzEcbpG 維尼
It was difficult, but Juliet managed to lug the second guard through the dirt and into the shadow of the trees.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kTMM4kTSV 維尼
“Good,” the assassin said, “now take his clothes.”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡnb6u8U878Z 維尼
“There’s no way –” Juliet started.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZxbmrfffc 維尼
“There’s no time to argue.” Arlandra took the man’s coat, trousers, and other clothes. Soon he was unrecognisable as an assassin. Juliet did the same.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEyYV3c5pc 維尼
She came to realise that she didn’t really know what she was doing – just following orders from an assassin… a man who, a few days ago, had tried to kill her.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmbcNdbMT0 維尼
“How did you know that man wasn’t going to shoot me?” Out of sudden realisation it came to her that a million things could have gone wrong in Arlandra’s plan that resulted in her death.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zUBeN1Y3M 維尼
Arlandra found and held her gaze. “I didn’t,” he said sharply.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQGUOjZN14 維尼
To her surprise Arlandra ran straight back towards the camp, where he stood near the gate and pretended to be hurt. “Just follow my lead and don’t talk, we’ve still got a lot to do before Garn gets here.”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVqQM6SCY8 維尼
The next moment a band of workers and guards, like themselves, came storming forwards. “Which way did they go?”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVjhtsWReE 維尼
Arlandra was doubled over, puffing. “They… they ran into the woods. The assassin is dangerous. Don’t underestimate him.”8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡqaCCfnFPYz 維尼
“Right, this way!” The band of people ran off into the woods. When they were gone Juliet looked at Arlandra. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw a certain crease near his eye as if he was smiling.8964 copyright protection468ＰＥＮＡＮＡchLS9Jux50 維尼
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