2A/N: I'm really sorry for not having this chapter in sooner. But I was lazy and actually have almost finished the chapter after this but just didn't feel like putting this chapter up yet. Eheh ; yeah sorry about that. The one after this should be up pretty shortly, too unless I get lazy and just don't feel like it for awhile. Well alas, here it is. Enjoy.
Remember, " " means spoken dialogue and italics means thoughts. Luna's POV.
Chapter 2 - The Arrival
The Next Night
"Sister, are you ready?", asked Crystal.
No response. This is my chance, she thought. She crept up to the mahogany door that led to Luna's room. She slipped out a shuriken from her belt pocket. The door was slightly ajar and a shadow could just be seen by the candlelight. Crystal edged out a bit from the door and like liquid, fluently tucked, rolled, and threw the glittering weapon. It struck with a dull thud. A dummy?!, she cried out in her mind. She ducked and spun around just in time to avoid the blade of my sword.
"You could have killed me with that!", Crystal yelled at me.
As I held up the sword to the candlelight I said, "Only if I swung it hard enough. It's a Sakabatō, a reverse-blade sword."
Crystal stared at the blade. She's right, she thought. The blade is on the opposite side of the sword and a dull part was where the blade itself should have been. Crystal 'humphed' and sat down on a nearby chair.
"When are you going to teach me that dummy trick of yours?", Crystal asked me.
"In due time. You're not ready for it yet. While you are good with your hands, I have no doubt about that, this skill requires a calmer hand than the shaky ones you have right now", I calmly stated to her. "You need to focus more and calm yourself. Then maybe I'll teach you," I smiled as I said this.
Crystal's face lit up and she nodded.
"Oh and t answer your first question, yes I am ready," I stated turning back around to gaze at the quickly blackening sky.
It was almost time. We would set out at midnight. I was wearing my black cloth and light armor with a cloth face mask, gloves, and padded boots. My short swords were fastened securely to my back, a couple of daggers hidden on my arms and legs, and a small flask of poison in my breast pocket. I had a few other hidden surprises on me as well that I didn't like to show Crystal because knowing her, she would ask how I use them. I don't like showing her how brutal I can get. Crystal was also wearing black, but wore more padded armor in comparison to my light armor. Thieves don't fight as much or as well in close combat as assassin's do. She also wore a cloth face mask, gloves, and padded boots. This was strictly a stealth mission. We couldn't afford to screw this up. All the barons who are close to the king are meeting in a few days. Our target was Baron Vladimir Wolfgang. He was one of the top three most trusted, and most powerful, of the barons going to the meeting. The reason we targeted him was because he was closest to us and there would not be enough time for us to get to the other two before the meeting. If we can get our hands on the meeting plans then we can plan our next attack on the king.
"Come on let's go", I said.
"Shall we take the fun way or the normal way?", Crystal asked with a hint f amusement in her voice. The boring way was leaving via the front door. I could already tell which way she wanted to go.
"Let's go the fun way then", I said with a slightly mischievous glint in my eyes.
We both took off running and jumped out the open window, soared through the air as the ground rushed up at us with blinding speed. We both grabbed the same branch of a tree that broke off in two opposite directions and corkscrewed down. We both landed next to each other and took off running again; like ghosts in the wind, we were there one minute and gone the next as we disappeared though shadows.
The baron's castle was guarded by the Belóme River. It wasn't much of a guard but it was wide enough where if one were to try and jump, they would find themselves in the water. The water also gave off much noise if you tried and waded though it. We reached the river and stopped. It was time to get serious.
"Are you ready?", my sister asked.
I nodded, "Alright, then you go right and I'll go left. We will meet up at the front chamber of Vladimir's in a couple hours. You do remember your part now don't you?," I asked.
"How could I not, it's only the thing I do best," Crystal bragged.
We split up. Crystal was to head to the treasury and alchemic chambers, while I am to head to the armory. After a little reward in advance, we would meet up again. I chose the armory because it would be more heavily guarded than the other two rooms. Plus, I can't keep my hands off of such beautiful, shiny weapons. I arrived hidden in some bushes near to the castle walls. There were three guards on patrol. I thought for a minute. I picked up a small rock and hurled it to the opposite end of the castle wall. The guards were immediately alerted.
"You two stay here. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious!", the guard barked to his allies.
The one guard ran in the direction of the hurled rock and disappeared around the corner. Immediately, I took out a dagger from my belt pocket and hurled it at one of the two remaining guards. There was a wet thud. It stuck between one of the guard's eyes and he fell over dead. I rushed from my position and activated the hidden cat claws in my gloves. I drew my right arm back, palm face forward with my fingers extending forward, I speared the other guard in the heart. He died before he could make a sound. I walked over and drew my dagger from the dead guard's face and tucked it away while sneaking around the corner after the other guard. He was poking around some bushes. I carefully snuck up to him. I covered his mouth with my left hand and with my right palm facing up, I speared him in the lower back where a nerve cluster was. He instantly became paralyzed. I twisted my right hand sideways and slashed across the rest of his lower back effectively tearing everything important. The guard dropped dead. I turned to the stone wall, and using my cat claws began climbing up. I reached the top and swung over landing with a soft thud. Well that's one way to get in, I mused to myself.
Crystal's POV
I was perched on a tree branch surveying the scene. There were four guards on patrol. I pulled out a folded up windmill shuriken. It was at least twice the size of a normal shuriken. I unfolded it until each of the four ends locked. I threw it at the guards. I was satisfied when it knocked three of the four guards' heads off. I caught it as it came back and threw a kunai at the remaining guard, striking him in the forehead. I folded the windmill shuriken back up and tucked it away. I slipped off the tree and took the kunai out of the dead guard's forehead, I walked between two pillars and prepared myself. I wall jumped back and forth between them and up over the wall. I landed quietly in a flower garden. Piece of cake, I thought.