Fantasy Project Anima

[From Darkness]

Maes raised his eyebrow when he heard her laughing. "What's so funny?" He asked, readying to chant another spell. Riz started to move closer to Crimson, confident that she could block her attack anytime she tried to strike at Maes directly.


"I was right," the glasses-wearing man noted again. "You are invincible against weapons, but can be harmed by Magic. While that power was indeed superb against most people, fighting by yourself against a Mage like me, who is heavily guarded by someone with high defensive skill, would prove disadvantageous to you. I'll say this again: you have NO chance at winning. Give up."

 

[Srion Receno]

She smiled at them happily "that is why I am laughing because I could most likely die from this." she spun around were she stood then looked at them again. "I enjoy the feeling of fear" she giggled a bit hearing him talk. It was a once in a wile feeling were her life is on the line and she needs this feeling to feel like she is alive.


She smiled for a moment as she stood there. " what would happen if I gave up hmm? " she tipped her head at him waiting for a good answer that might make her stop.... Might.

 

[From Darkness]

Strangely, Crimson's answer didn't surprise him that much. Maes had heard that kind of reply before. Yes...this was nothing new. Riz's vacant eyes, on the other hand, showed a bit of light upon hearing that.


"...Join me," Maes replied. "Join me, just like this kid has done before."


"My liege?" Riz looked at him in disbelief.


"There is no point in fighting without purpose. If all that you want is fighting a worthy opponent, then join me. I'll give you the strongest, deadliest opponent that you can find. After all, that is all I have ever got to fight against. I got her," he glanced at the petite girl in front of him. "I got you. There will be more to come. Therefore..."


He opened his hand toward her, waiting for her to take it. "...join me. Work for me. For the Kingdom. If you are not employed by the Kingdom of Lapant...then you have no reason to keep doing this job."

 

[Srion Receno]

She sat on the desk and swung her legs a bit in thought, then smiled at him as she shook her head. "I'm OK with my job it may be a long one and irritating...but its...a fun one" she looked at him with a more of a softer smile. "I may be confused about it" she tailed off as she looked at his hand.


"then again I would have so much fun" her body changed from a calm to the more blood thirsty killer she had been trained to be. She wanted to see the blood, hear the screams, and fight for her life. she looked at his face again then back at his hand u able to decide to between sanity an nsanity.

 

[From Darkness]

Maes didn't withdraw his hand, keeping it extended upon her. Waiting for her answer. He hoped for a positive one. "It is okay if you want to think about it. But let's stop this useless fight. You know you can't defeat me. I know I can defeat you, but it will take a lot of time, and the sun is almost up. If we drag this for longer, this will be bad for us both."

 

[Srion Receno]

She bit her lip as she looked at his hand and shook her head. "I took a job I need to see it through or be killed " she stood up and moved her dagger to face him. "just you and me though you were the main target" she smiled then moved her stance to one that she could use her blade but be faster when using it. She would rather be beaten to a bloody pulp then give in She shivered thinking of this.

 

[From Darkness]

Maes let out a heavy sigh. "Is that so...that's really a shame. Well, I still don't have the time to humor your interest." His hand changed into a Magic-casting stance, and another Magic circle appeared in front of it. Yet he didn't shot it immediately.


"Riz, come here." He called, which the petite girl complied, although with a bit of confusion in her face. When she got to his side, he quickly pulled her by wrapping his free arm around her chest.


"Huwa...?!"


"Until we meet again, assassin," he ignited the Magic circle. Instead of flaming projectiles, it created a bright, loud explosion. Maes used the distraction to jump out of the window.


"I'll leave the landing to you, Riz!"


The petite girl grabbed his body and rotated mid-air such that she was the first to land on the ground. Falling from the third floor like that would've caused some damage to normal people, but her skill allowed her to distribute the force over her hand and feet, not taking much damage in the end.


The two ran into the dark of the night.

 

[Srion Receno]

"wait!" she yelled then moved to the window after getting up from the floor. When the flames exploded she had moved to the ground. She watched them move into the night dissapointed, she got maybe a few burns from this nothing else. She sighed sadly then teleported her self down to the bottom floor and to the bar.


Making it to the bar she walked in and looked for the man that payed for the job.

 

[From Darkness]

The rat-like man, Lucus, had been drinking that entire night. Anxiety and fear stopped him from functioning properly, and only alcohol could temporarily fixed his broken nerves. The bar was mostly empty saves a few drunkards like him who had decided to chug in until the sun rise.


The other drunkards cooed and whistled upon seeing Crimson entering the bar, but Lucus only reacted with fear. What if she failed? What if -worse yet- she now come to kill him...??


"Y-you're b-back, *hic*" he slurred groggily, the alcohol coursing in his veins still altered his ability to speak.

 

[Srion Receno]

Entering the bar and hearing the men whistle and coo at her helped her now bad mood as she smiled and winked at some. she made her way over to the man and placed 13 of the coins back on the table along with the silver ones. "he could of killed me yet ran away....im sorry I failed...mind if I join you in a drink?" with out waiting for him to answer she sat down and got a Ale. her burns stung but not as much as her pride, she had always got her target even when they were tough she got more then a few burns. "and before you ask the reason im keeping 12 coins is because for keeping you a secret as well for the burns.

 

[From Darkness]

He was already shaken to his bone just by watching her coming closer, and now after she mentioned the word 'failed', his brain stopped working. No...that can't be. But she did return the coins, which mean that what she said was true...no...no...


"A-are you kidding me..." He snapped, "Y-you're con-conspiring with that auditor, a-are you? Did he p-pay you m-more?!?! How can you f-fail!? You tricked me...you-you...backstabber! You stupid...STUPID!" He banged the table, causing his mug to roll over and fall to the floor, broken into pieces. The bartender and everyone else around the vicinity had stopped their activity and was now watching the two, curious about what had happened.

 

[Srion Receno]

Crimson did nothing as he snapped at her, but the more he talked the more she got angry. the being called stupid was her tipping point as she looked at him, her eyes showed the anger mixed with the blood lust that had been building up. "so you believe I am backstabber and stupid huh?" she slowly stood up and drew her dagger, and quickly placed the tip of the blade under his chin. "should I tell the people my self? or rip your family up in front of your eyes before I do the same to you" she growled at him there was nothing other then pure anger for the man in front of her. "I wonder how your wife and kids scream as I slowly skin them alive hmmm I bet they have lovely screams" she licked her lips thinking about it.

 

[From Darkness]

The more he listened her talking, the more life was sucked away from the man's body. He slowly grew silent, then crumbled on his seat, an empty husk of a man. "No...I'm sorry...pl-please forgive me...not my wife...not my daughter...I'm s-s-sorry..." he fell face-first to the table, his trembling hands covering his head. The terror in front of him, as well as the fear that he would be found out, was too much for him and broke his mind.


The other patrons felt a bit sorry for the man, but ultimately left him to his own device. It was not rare to see someone fall to despair in this cruel world.

 

[Srion Receno]

Seeing the man crumble apart be for her made her smirk, but he needed to be taught a lesson. she flipped her blade then brought it down landing less then an inch away from his head. after bringing the blade down the bent down "dont ever talk to an assassin like that you will die....and if you are worried leave this town now with your family" she mumbled to him then pulled her blade out of the table before heading to the door, she was no longer in the mood for anything.

 

[From Darkness]

The man grew silent on his seat, his head hung down with a vacant expression. He was ruined. His entire life, disappeared in an instant...the auditor knew someone was aiming for his life, and now that he had gotten away, rumors will fly fast. Not to mention by the time he found out all the embezzling in the department, everything will be brought to light.


His life was, in utter honesty, done. he didn't say anything else to Crimson, giving her only a slight nod upon her warning, and just sank down, having no more drive to live.


Just by chance, Gills was walking toward the bar when he saw Crimson coming out from it. Looking perplexed, he rushed toward her. "There you are! Where have you been? Arty is so worried about you! ...what happened? Why you got those burn marks all over you body..."

 

[Srion Receno]

Seeing the prince only fulled her fire at the moment, she was tiered and felt like a useless assassin. "its nothing we should go soon...now...lets get Arty and go" she mumbled, she was done with this town wanted nothing to do with it. she walked past him and headed to the inn. she was tiered now it wasn't even a physical thing she was just mentally drained from this night.

 

[From Darkness]

Gills didn't approach her any further. She looked so angry that every glare she had felt like throwing daggers at him. Nevertheless, her suggestion coincides with what he had in mind. "Oh yeah, about that, I talked with Arty about the informations I've gained on the day, and she got agitated over the news of explosion in the capital. She urged us to move at once, so I've readied the horses. She was already with them at the inn, if...oi, wait up," he followed her toward the inn. Time to leave the town.

 

[Srion Receno]

Crimson payed no mind to him as she walked and only hear they were leaving and the horses were ready. she seen the horses and went up to hers and patted it down before getting up on it, there was no way she was talking at this moment unless she was spoken to. patting its neck she leaned down on it and waited until they said they could go.

 

[From Darkness]

Finally reaching the inn, Gills saw Arty already mounted up on her horse, and watched as Crimson took hers. She still didn't look friendly...whatever had just happened which could break her mood that much? Arty went to his side and gave him the same question.


"Miss Crimson doesn't look well...did something happened?"


"Beats me...she's like that when I found her," Gills shrugged nonchalantly. If she didn't want to talk about it, then he couldn't force her. It still weigh down on the back of his mind though. "Anyway, do we really need to move this sudden? That explosion could mean anything. I think it's just some Magic training went wrong, or soldiers displacing bombs..."


"It means everything, big brother," Arty replied hastily, her tone full of impatience. "The explosion is the start. If we do not hurry, the war will really happen."


She didn't say anything else after that. Taking the lead, she paced her horse faster than his expectation, until they had wandered a fair distance from the town. The sun had finally rose on the horizon. "Big brother, miss Crimson," She gave them a grave look. "I could be wrong, but...the Dragon Princess might have been freed right about now. Please prepare yourself to fight the Dragon."

 

[Srion Receno]

she didn't care to hear the words shares between the siblings she just wanted to get far away from this town. Her failure weighing heavily on her mind as they rode. Artys words finally broke through her thoughts as she looked up at her, after hearing dragon.


"grate just what I need right now" she mumbled as she looked at the road. She had failed at taking down a mage and a small girl....she groaned thinking of it and laid back on the packs that were on her horse.

 

[From Darkness]

The ride was mostly uneventful. Crimson was...grumpier than usual, and Arty didn't seem like she wanted to talk. The princess took the unusual lead role, pacing her horse up and down on the vast prairie. They didn't take the usual paved road, which is better for carts but curved around on the south. The path they took was a straight road from the city they'd just left right to the capital of Lapant. Arty had shown a considerable endurance over the non-stop ride, and it was Gills who had to remind his companions to take a break every once in a while.


Usually it would've taken them five days to reach their destination, but the combination of taking shortcut and bullishly pushing forward had cut it to three. Even that didn't make Arty happy. The more days passed, the more she got anxious. As the sun started to rise on the east, so did they have finally arrived. The capital of Lapant. An enormous city-fortress thrice the size of the last town. Gills pointed at the gate nearest to their position. It was heavily guarded by a squad of soldiers.


"There it is. Not as big as our capital, but ridiculously fortified to the point of fault. I wonder if my trick can still works on the guards..." Gills pondered.

 

[Srion Receno]

Riding on the horse for so long her legs cramped but she really didn't care, she even had to be stopped just to take a break. She didn't want to stop she just wanted to keep riding. Thankfully the journey was quiet except for the necessary words that were spoken every so often.


When they made it to the city she sighed, she didn't want to go in it was almost sad but she felt... Fear...what if she failed again? How would she be able to handle that? She looked at the guards at the gate and shrugged. "try it it might" she mumbled with a slight irritation

 

[From Darkness]

Gills scoffed at her off-handed response. "Gee, thanks for the moral support." He took the lead like before and did the same story: they were travelers, sightseeing on capital a tourist, not dangerous people I swear, here, some gold, would that help?


Surprisingly, it did. Soon they were ushered inside alongside the others and now were inside the capital. It was different than the capital of Serion, which had become familiar sight for Gills. Alongside civilian buildings, there were lots of military complex, with soldiers and citizens alike mingling together. So this is what a militaristic nation looked like.

 

[Srion Receno]

Ridding in she sighed again "what is the plan now?" she didn't want to be around the crowds at this moment or anyone really. She looked around the crowd annoyed with them and her self, maybe if she had a good kill she would be happy.....or perhaps a long hot bath.


"when ever we can we should find a hot spring of something" she mumbled to Arty as she got beside her. "it would probably do us both good'

 

[From Darkness]

Arty wasn't her usual, cheerful self, constantly looking down while falling into deep thoughts. When Crimson mentioned about hot spring, her face lit up a bit in delight. Gills heard their mumbling too, but didn't have much interest in that. Why women like to take baths, he wondered. Out of curiosity, he asked a random person beside him. Turned out that the city did have a bath house. Not necessarily a true hot spring source, but they did keep the water warm using Magic. He was perplexed by the ingenuity of the people here, until Arty pointed out that they had similar stuff to back in Serion.


"Big brother really ought to go out more," she giggled.


"It's not like I'm interested in that kind of thing in the first place...hey, wait, how'd YOU know about that then?"


"Don't mind, don't mind~ so, miss Crimson, do you want to go?"