Nimran's Story
Nimran
Member Posts: 4,875
Hey guys! I've been reading a lot of good stories on this forum, from playthroughs to novelizations of the games, so I've been itching to get my creative juices pumping and share a story of my own. I hope that you all enjoy it and give me some constructive feedback so that I could become a better writer, myself.
Now, this story was originally separated into many smaller stories, but they all come together to make up the world I have created, so I decided to bunch them all into this thread. Since the format is different than pen-and-paper, it will feel more like a novel than a series of short stories, but I will still take breaks whenever I feel I need to to keep the words fresh and flowing. Okay, let's get started.
The forest was eerily silent. Neither the chirping of birds, nor the music of insects was sounded in the evening breeze. Only the trees, their leaves softly rustling in the slow and steady wind, made any effort to disturb the silence. The young girl, treading clumsily through the forest, her petite form nearly completely overshadowed by the larger child, a boy, being carried unconscious on her back. Her white dress was torn and ragged, as strips of its sleeves and hem were now tied firmly around the boy's face and the stump where his left hand should have been. They were nearly soaked through with the boy's blood. The girl's dirty, ragged red hair hung limply over her face and head, and her body, visibly trembling under the weight of her brother and her heart, seemed ready to collapse.
She carried him through the forest silently, deathly afraid of the man who did this to them. The man who destroyed their family. She could not bring herself to stop, not until she found sanctuary for them both.
Her determined grimace relaxed as she saw a cave nearby. The girl knew she could not keep pushing herself for much longer, so upon seeing the possible shelter she gladly made her way inside. She carried her unconscious brother to the cave wall and, as gently as she could manage, laid him down against it, propping him up against the cold, bare stone. She then promptly sat down beside him and started unwrapping the blood-soaked makeshift bandages.
The boy, whose dark red hair fell over his eyes, was in terrible shape. His clothes were even more ragged than his sister's, and were stained red where the damage to his body was nearest. His left hand was completely gone, torn from his wrist by an incredible force. And the left side of his face was marred by three long, deep scars that cut vertically, the leftmost scar tearing through his eye, leaving a pale, dull orb in its wake, visible only because his eyelid was ripped away by the clawed hand that ravaged him.
The girl tore another strip of cloth from her dress and tied it around her brother's face, and repeated the process with his wrist. After the deed had been done, she slumped against the wall and looked outside, scanning the trees for any sign that they had been followed. She saw nothing but the trees and the dwindling light of the sunset behind them. The sight usually brought a smile to her face, but the events that transpired earlier that day had torn a hole in her heart, rendering her incapable of feeling the warmth of the sun as it slipped down behind the trees. She was exhausted beyond her limits, so she could no longer keep her eyes open. With a final, glazed look outside, she closed her eyes and slept.
Now, this story was originally separated into many smaller stories, but they all come together to make up the world I have created, so I decided to bunch them all into this thread. Since the format is different than pen-and-paper, it will feel more like a novel than a series of short stories, but I will still take breaks whenever I feel I need to to keep the words fresh and flowing. Okay, let's get started.
The forest was eerily silent. Neither the chirping of birds, nor the music of insects was sounded in the evening breeze. Only the trees, their leaves softly rustling in the slow and steady wind, made any effort to disturb the silence. The young girl, treading clumsily through the forest, her petite form nearly completely overshadowed by the larger child, a boy, being carried unconscious on her back. Her white dress was torn and ragged, as strips of its sleeves and hem were now tied firmly around the boy's face and the stump where his left hand should have been. They were nearly soaked through with the boy's blood. The girl's dirty, ragged red hair hung limply over her face and head, and her body, visibly trembling under the weight of her brother and her heart, seemed ready to collapse.
She carried him through the forest silently, deathly afraid of the man who did this to them. The man who destroyed their family. She could not bring herself to stop, not until she found sanctuary for them both.
Her determined grimace relaxed as she saw a cave nearby. The girl knew she could not keep pushing herself for much longer, so upon seeing the possible shelter she gladly made her way inside. She carried her unconscious brother to the cave wall and, as gently as she could manage, laid him down against it, propping him up against the cold, bare stone. She then promptly sat down beside him and started unwrapping the blood-soaked makeshift bandages.
The boy, whose dark red hair fell over his eyes, was in terrible shape. His clothes were even more ragged than his sister's, and were stained red where the damage to his body was nearest. His left hand was completely gone, torn from his wrist by an incredible force. And the left side of his face was marred by three long, deep scars that cut vertically, the leftmost scar tearing through his eye, leaving a pale, dull orb in its wake, visible only because his eyelid was ripped away by the clawed hand that ravaged him.
The girl tore another strip of cloth from her dress and tied it around her brother's face, and repeated the process with his wrist. After the deed had been done, she slumped against the wall and looked outside, scanning the trees for any sign that they had been followed. She saw nothing but the trees and the dwindling light of the sunset behind them. The sight usually brought a smile to her face, but the events that transpired earlier that day had torn a hole in her heart, rendering her incapable of feeling the warmth of the sun as it slipped down behind the trees. She was exhausted beyond her limits, so she could no longer keep her eyes open. With a final, glazed look outside, she closed her eyes and slept.
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To answer your question: If you edit your first post, you can pick teh Category you want the thread to be placed in.
One of them, an old, short man with his gray hair cut short, wearing a tidy, yet unremarkable suit of leather armor, and a short but sturdy sword on his hip gazed out at the trees just beyond the town, leaning against the post at the south end of the gate. His expression was one of utter boredom as he scanned the forest. His protege, a young man barely in his twenties, with ragged brown hair, and wearing a similar suit of armor and sword, stood at the other post on the north end. The younger guard was more restless than his senior, fidgeting in place often and occasionally stealing a glance over at his companion. "No doubt wondering if this is all there is," the older man murmured to himself, letting out a long, drawn-out sigh to show his extreme dislike of guard duty. It was then that a small sound, the sound of rustling leaves and snapping twigs, reached his ears. The old guard turned his gaze back to the forest. What he saw was something he definitely wasn't prepared to see.
A young red haired girl wearing a dress that was torn so that it reached just below her knees was walking from the line of trees toward the gates, and she carried a larger child on her back, awkwardly stumbling under the weight of his body. As they got closer, the guard could make out details, such as the bloody bandages covering the boy's face and arm. He knew then that these children were in desperate need of medical attention.
He ran out to meet them and offered to carry the boy, but as he reached for the child the girl pulled away and slapped his hand. It became clear to him that she would not let anyone separate them, so instead he offered to escort her to the inn. "I'll make sure they take you in," he said with a smile. His normally gruff voice was soft, as he knew that the girl was undoubtedly scared, not of him, but of whatever did this to them.
As he passed by the gate, he looked at the young man still at his post and said "Keep watch here, while I take them to the inn. I'll return shortly." The young guard nodded silently, his eyes fixed upon the two children entering the town. "Focus!" the old man snapped at his companion, causing the young man to hurriedly avert his gaze. The old guard sighed again, and muttered under his breath "That kid still has a lot to learn."
Upon reaching the inn's entrance, the girl noticed the worn sign hanging from the edge of the doorway. The sign had apparently once been brightly colored to attract attention, though the once vivid colors had faded to slightly different shades of brown and gray. On the sign, the words 'Journeyman's Respite' were written in what could have once been red paint. The old guard, who had escorted the children after they reached the gate, caught up with them and opened the old wooden door, which let out a creak as it swung open.
Inside, the inn was just as simple as the outside, though quite a bit cleaner. There were a number of small round tables with lit candles atop them, and chairs that appeared to be comfortable without being luxurious. Across the room from the entrance, a small bar stood, barring the way to what the girl thought was the kitchen. Next to the bar, a set of stairs led up to the second floor. The lobby was devoid of people when they entered, with only the faint sound of birds singing outside to accompany them as they walked toward the bar.
The old guard knocked loudly on the bar's surface, creating a sharp echo that reverberated throughout the inn. The sudden sound was met with a loud crash from the kitchen. After a few seconds, the door to the kitchen flew open, and a tall, lean man with greasy brown hair wearing an apron rushed out. His pace suddenly halted when he noticed the children in front of the bar. His eyes then turned to the guard, who was reaching into a pocket at his waist. "Here," the old guard said as he pulled out a small purse of gold and threw it on the bar. "That should be enough for them to rent a room for a few days. This little girl here is exhausted. She'll need rest, and the boy will need a healer." "Rest, I can give them," said the lean man. "However, any healing will require a trip to the pavilion. If the girl will let me take him, I can reach the pavilion before the morning crowd pours into the streets."
The old guard looked down at the girl. Her strength was clearly at its limit, as she was breathing heavily and her knees were shaking. He softened his expression and said to her "You should stay here and rest. Let me take the boy. I promise not to harm a single hair on his head, and I will bring him right back to you after his wounds are dressed." The girl looked up at him, acknowledging him for the first time. Her eyes, though possessing a look of determination, had grown dull from exhaustion. Her face, contorted into a grimace of pain and anger, began to relax.
"Take him." The girl's soft voice was barely a whisper as she brought her brother nearer to the guard. The old guard smiled as warmly as he could manage as he gently lifted the boy off of her shoulders and into his arms. The instant the boy left her, the girl collapsed onto the floor, her consciousness finally losing out to her exhaustion. The old guard looked at the innkeeper and said "Well, don't just stand there. Pick her up off the floor and take her to her room." He turned around and walked to the entrance, turning around once to see the innkeeper carrying the girl up the stairs, and left for the pavilion with the boy in his arms.
Thumbs up!
The old guard rushed with all speed down the dirt road toward the pavilion, fully knowing that the boy in his arms may not survive the morning. The bandages, which the old guard recognized as mere strips of cloth from the girl's dress, were stained red with the boy's blood. Yet, when the old guard checked the boy's pulse he detected the faint heartbeat, and he ran without delay, hoping that he could still save the boy.
He reached the pavilion before the morning crowd took to the streets and opened the door. He quickly ran inside, his eyes darting across the room filled with beds, and found the person he knew to look for, a slender young woman with short, chestnut hair dressed in a simple white robe. The woman, a healer of some talent, stood up from the short stool she was sitting on and rushed over to them, quickly lifting the boy out of the guard's arms and setting him onto the nearest bed, where she immediately unwrapped the bandages and began to cast a spell. When she finished, a golden light emanated from her hands, and she laid them on the boy's body, letting the healing power do its work.
When the healer had finished, she looked over at the guard, who was still standing by the entrance and staring at them, his eyes filled with concern, and said "Don't worry, he'll be just fine. You brought him here just in time." "When will he wake up," the old guard asked. The healer shook her head, her face suddenly turning dark. "It will take a while, a few days, maybe." Her expression shifted then, as she considered something else. "How long has he been like this?" The guard turned his gaze to the bot and shrugged. "I don't know how long. He was brought in from the forest like this by a little girl. She's currently sleeping at the inn."
The healer's eyes widened slightly as she contemplated something. After a while, she turned her attention back to the boy and said "He will be fine, don't worry. You should get back to your post." The guard slowly nodded and, with one last look at the boy, departed. The healer returned to the boy's side then, covering him with a blanket, and muttered to herself. "He should be dead, considering the extent of the damage, as well as the time it would have taken to get here, especially considering that a little girl carried him in. I also noticed that the wounds weren't as open as they should have been." The healer took her stool and set it down at the side of the bed, sitting on it and examining the scarred flesh left behind on the boy's face. "This child is either very lucky, or someone had already started healing him before he came to town. That wouldn't make much sense, though."
Her thoughts drifted away from the boy, focusing instead on the girl who brought him in. "I would certainly love to hear about what happened from her," she said.
She saw the silhouette of her father, the largest of the three forms, pull her mother farther away from her and rip off her head. She heard the scream of pain and rage, as the figure of her brother jumped in front of her and charged at their father's form. She heard the sound of his voice telling her to run, quickly ended by the mighty hand that pulled her brother up into the air. She heard the sound of her brother's hand being torn away from his wrist, and felt the burning jolt of pain in her own arm. She saw the hand fly from the two figures as the large form tossed it aside, then brought his free hand up to her brother's face. She felt the burn of the scars as shiny black fingers etched them upon him.
She awoke some time later, her small form and the bed both soaked with sweat. She remained seated upon the bed for a time, her mind struggling to cast away the images of her dream, before finally getting on her feet and looking around. She searched the room, which was as sparsely decorated and furnished as the inn's lobby. The wood walls gleamed in the dim light offered by a single lit candle sitting upon a short wooden dresser by the side of the bed. A small round table and chairs stood along the far wall, and a small square window to her left offered her a view of the nearby street, blanketed with darkness as night began to fall once more. On the opposite wall was a large wooden door.
The girl walked to the door, opened it, and went out to a long balcony stretching across three of the inn's four walls. Thick wooden rails lined the balcony, and to her right was the staircase leading down to the lobby. She proceeded down the stairs, her bare feet making no noise at all as she cautiously made her way down. When she reached the floor, she saw the familiar scene of the empty lobby.
The door behind the bar flew open, startling the girl, and out of it came the innkeeper, his slender form wrapped up in an apron that was not as clean as she remembered. He looked up and saw her, and started fumbling with the small door on the bar's side, pushing through it as he came closer to her. The girl's body suddenly tensed, as she sensed that something was wrong. The thin man steadily walked towards her, a seemingly gentle smile on his face, but the girl had no intention of letting down her guard. Suddenly, the door leading outside flew open, and two rough-looking men walked in. Dressed in black leather armor, the men looked down at the girl, then looked to the innkeeper. "Is this the one you told us about," one of the men asked the innkeeper. "Yes," he said. "She's the one. Isn't she just the prettiest thing? I doubt you'll have any trouble selling her."
"We'll have to see about that," the first man said. "Still, the Ebon Sun pays its suppliers well. Your payment, as promised, is right here." The man gestured to his partner, who reached down to his belt and untied a small but full coin purse. The man with the purse threw it at the innkeeper, who caught it and returned to the kitchen. The two armored men then turned their attention to the girl, who was still trying to figure out what was happening. They didn't give her a chance to run, grabbing her roughly and tying her hands together behind her back with a rope. She tried to scream, but the men were quicker, stuffing a dry rag into her mouth and covering it with another rag, which they tied around her head. One of the men then picked her up and slung her over his shoulder, pinning her legs as the other man tied another rope around her ankles, preventing any more struggling from the helpless girl as they carried her outside, into the night.
The lone figure kept his head down, the large brim of his hat hiding his face as he drifted unerringly in the direction of the pavilion. His hands were perfectly concealed by the large poncho, the frayed ends of the patchwork of rags waving slightly as his body moved. As he came to the entrance, he whispered "Not a bad setting for a new beginning." He gently pulled open the tent's entrance and stepped inside. The tent's interior was empty, except for a young boy sleeping soundly on the bed nearest to the entrance.
The man walked over to the boy and lifted his face, his blue eyes glowing in the darkness of the tent as he stared at the boy lying on the bed. "Time to wake up, little one," he said, his voice still barely audible. "If you refuse to act, someone important to you may be lost forever." He brought his hands out from under his poncho, the movement revealing a silver gleam on his left hip, which was immediately covered by the poncho once again. However, his hands remained uncovered, resting on the boy's chest as they began to glow softly.
The boy's lidless left eye twitched slightly, and his other eye opened, revealing the red pupil that immediately turned to the man standing at the boy's side. After a short while, the boy sat up, his tattered brown shirt still hanging from his shoulders as he turned his head and took in the interior of the tent. His surroundings were quiet, peaceful even, though the crickets continued to chirp outside, but he knew instantly that something was wrong. His sister was not with him.
He turned his attention back to the man standing by his side. The man wasn't much better dressed than he was, but the shining blue eyes attracted the boy's attention even more. "There are evil men in this town," the man told him, his soft voice still barely audible. "They have taken your sister and intend to do terrible things to her. You can indeed stop it, but you must be properly armed for the battle that will inevitably ensue. Are you up to the task?" The boy said nothing, but nodded his head slowly, ready and eager to vent out his rage on the fools who had dared to harm his sister.
The boy stood up from the bed silently, his eyes never leaving the man's face, which was all but completely invisible under the shadow of his hat's wide brim. Only the glowing blue eyes could be seen with no difficulty. The boy shook his head and spoke, his voice full of confidence and strength. "I would tear out his eyes, if that's what it takes. Tell me though, how do you know this?"
The man's eyes squinted slightly, and the boy knew then that he was smiling. "I know many things, but just one is relevant to your situation. It should be enough for you to know that I mean you no harm. Quite the opposite, in fact." The man shrugged, his sudden movement revealing the silver hilt of a sword. "Frankly, if I had wished you harm, I would have already done so instead of waking you from your slumber."
The boy's eyes twitched at that final word. He had tried with all his might to protect his sister from the madman that was their father, but he failed. When he woke up he was alone, yet still alive. There was no other explanation, except that his sister had brought him here, but how had she kept him alive with wounds so grave, and where had she gone? He knew nothing of his surroundings, nothing outside the forest where they lived, yet he did know one thing. He would not let anything, or anyone, get between him and his sister, and if the man in front of him was correct, and the boy knew of no reason why he shouldn't be, then she needed his help.
The man flashed a toothy grin, as he gathered that the boy had decided on a course of action that would benefit them both. He then bowed dramatically, sweeping his large hat off of his head and across his chest, brushing the floor with the brim, then rose and left the tent. The boy immediately followed after him, but when he left the tent the man was nowhere to be seen. He had simply disappeared.
Upon seeing the men, the young guard immediately took cover and watched as they took the girl into the alley. He recognized her red hair, which was rather easily distinguishable from the other children, so he knew instantly who they were carrying. "Damn, looks like the night's only gonna get more exciting," he muttered as he began his pursuit, quietly turning the corner and following the men through the darkness. His tailing continued until he saw their destination, a large, squat building that was designated unsafe for use. Apparently, these men didn't get the message.
"Alright, now to find the boss." His lips curled into a smile as they formed that last word, the title he secretly bestowed upon his mentor and partner. "Hope he doesn't get too kranky from losing some sleep. Sure as hell don't want him kickin' my arse all the way to the wall again." He carefully retraced his steps through the alley, making sure not to make himself noticeable as he went. Too many guards lost their lives down alley like these because they were not smart enough to not make a scene.
When he came back out of the alley, the young guard casually walked down the street to the barracks, perfectly pretending that he didn't notice anything as he made his way to the center of town. He did stop, however, when he saw another slightly familiar person quickly walking in the direction he was walking from. His eyes met the eyes of the boy as he passed, or rather, his one normal eye and the lidless white orb that was his other eye. The boy stopped for a brief moment before asking "Do you know where I can find the inn?"
The young guard was taken aback. He hadn't expected the boy to speak so strongly after seeing him in his previous condition. "Uh, yeah, just follow the road here until you get to a big building near the entrance," the young guard said. "You can't miss it." The boy said nothing, but bowed his head slightly and quickly walked away. "Maybe I should have told him about his companion," he said, but instead he shook his head and started back toward the barracks. "He'll find out soon enough. I just hope he doesn't try anything stupid."
That all changed when a small group of adventurers who had left for the forest had been found in the woods. All but one were dead, and the sole survivor was mortally wounded. He died the next morning. It was believed by the townsfolk that his last words mentioned a demon attacking them from deeper in the woods.
The innkeeper sighed again as he thought back to that time. Since then, his inn had seen fewer and fewer guests. Eventually they stopped coming, and he had to resort to new methods in order to keep his livelihood. It wasn't a job he enjoyed, but when the Ebon Sun learned of his financial situation they offered him a deal he just couldn't refuse.
His thoughts were interrupted then by the sound of running feet outside. He looked up from the glass in his hand just as a familiar sight burst through the door. The boy who was carried to the pavilion earlier that day was already healed and had come to the inn.
The boy's eyes quickly scanned the lobby before fixing themselves upon the innkeeper, the intensity behind his gaze causing the slender man to fidget unconsciously. He quietly walked across the room to the bar, and as he reached the small door that barred his way, he asked "Where is my sister?" The innkeeper took a moment to think, then replied "She left some time ago, my dear boy. I do not know where she went. I'm sorry, it seems she abandoned you."
The boy shook his head slowly. "No, I don't think she would do that," he said. "It's far more likely that you're hiding her somewhere." He reached out his right hand, grabbing the door roughly, and tore it off its hinges, tossing it back over his shoulder as he stepped through the exposed hole in the bar.
The innkeeper nearly squealed when he saw the display. He ran back into the kitchen and closed the door, but the boy kicked through it just as it closed, shattering the door and planting a hard boot into the innkeeper's belly, knocking the wind out of him. As he slumped down to the floor, the boy reached down and grabbed his collar, picking him up off the floor to his knees before saying "How about we try again? Where is my sister? Depending on your answer, you might make it through this little chat."
Didn't see that coming.
"Come on boss, you're leaving me in the dust here," the young guard said as he began to fall behind. The old guard snorted loudly, but didn't say anything. He kept moving at a fast pace, passing through the alley's entrance without even bothering to check if it was a trap. The young guard shook his head quietly, not wanting to draw his mentor's ire when he was so worked up. Even so, he knew that just barging in would be foolish. The old building was doubtlessly well guarded, and forcing entry through the obvious entrance was a recipe for disaster.
The two guards moved through the alley until they came to the small building that the men had gone into. It was small and dark, and there were no signs of movement that could be seen from outside. The young guard suddenly felt a sense of danger, but he couldn't move fast enough to stop his partner from walking up to the door and ramming his shoulder into it several times before it finally gave way under the force and flew open.
The small building was nearly empty. Save for one corner, the floor and walls were bare stone and wood. The ceiling was starting to cave in, bending further downward as it reached the middle of the room. Cobwebs clung to almost every Inch of the walls and ceiling. In the far right corner, Fitted into the floor, was a small square door.
The two guards walked carefully to the trap door, the old guard remembering to be cautious when in the den of a group of thieves and slavers. When they reached the door, the old guard nodded to his partner, who knelt down and prepared to open it. "Let's make this quick," the old guard said. After a short pause, the young guard gently pulled open the door. As soon as they felt the coast was clear, they both proceeded down the stairs, the old guard leading the way, with their swords drawn.
You're writing is good overall, but I noticed in these last couple passages that sometimes you include information that's not really necessary. Explanatory sentences that don't need to be there, because the reader's already inferred that much for herself. For example, here: We already know from previous entries that the boy is small and very young. And unless you mention very specifically that most boys his age and size can pry a door off its hinges and throw it, every reader is going to assume that his strength isn't normal. It's not every day you go walking down the street and see a ten-year-old body-builder, after all.
You do the same thing here: We already know it's late at night, late enough for it to be dark. Drowsiness is expected, even from a guardsman (unless he's routinely given the night shift, which I don't think this one has), and as such, you really don't need to explain why he's drowsy. The circumstances should speak for themselves.
Mind you, neither of these examples are grammatically "wrong," per say. They're kinda like extra branches that need to be trimmed off a wild Christmas tree. They're there, and they're not doing anything bad, but at the same time, cutting them down can actually help the overall piece. Keep it nice and tidy, and make it all the more beautiful.
Anyway, that was all I wanted to point out. ^_^;; Nothing major, but something to keep in mind as you continue writing. It's getting very interesting! Keep it up!
After a long while of silence, the two guards stopped when a voice suddenly echoed off of the walls. "We got a squirmer, it seems," the deep voice sounded. "Keep a tight grip on her. We don't want her slipping away from us."
The guards looked to each other. The source of the voice sounded close. The old guard signaled for his partner to follow after him, then continued cautiously until he came to the end of the tunnel. The space beyond was large, easily capable of housing a hundred people, but only a few were inside.
Three men clad in black leather were walking toward the red-haired girl, while two others were already holding her. She was bound and gagged, but she continued to struggle out of her bonds. Suddenly, a larger man appeared from an alcove to the old guard's left.
The old guard couldn't believe his eyes. The man who came from the alcove was massive and carried a large axe over his shoulder. He was clad in the same black leather armor as the others, and a long black tattoo of a snake coiled around his bald head.
"So, what to do with this one, Brutus?" One of the other men asked. "Nothing, for now," the large man said. "The Master will want to see her before allowing us to make a judgment."
When he finally reached the building, the boy threw open the door, dislodging the boards placed to keep it closed. He felt he had no time to waste on secrecy. His sister was in danger, and he would not wait for anything...Or anyone.
A man jumped at him from the shadows at the side of the building, two sharp daggers glinting in the moonlight an instant before they would sink into the boy's back. That instant was enough for the boy to notice his assailant, however, and instead of meeting flesh with his dagger, the would-be assassin met a thick boot with his belly, as the boy stopped and kicked out at the man, a dull thud sounding as the man landed on his back several yards away.
The boy turned to see his attacker, a tall, lean man wearing black leather, stumble back up to his feet. He had lost his daggers, as they flew from his hands from the force of the boy's kick. As he got back up on his feet, he pulled out a sword from a scabbard on his back and rushed towards the boy, who had started running off to his right. The boy stopped suddenly, grabbed a wooden board that stuck out of a barrel on the side of the street, and swung it around, catching the assassin off-guard and slamming the board against his head as he brought his sword back to strike.
The crushing blow caused the assassin's neck to snap as he flew back onto the street, dead. The boy dropped the board and picked up the sword that landed nearby. "He's not going to miss it much where he's going," the boy muttered under his breath as he entered the old building.