Ch9 - Shadows

Always fear your shadow... For it reflects the true darkness of your soul.

Suddenly the darkness faded.
Damiaan dropped in a forest.
He shivered, and rubbed his arms.
He felt like all the light and warmth of the world had vanished.

"Sorry, first trip is the hardest."

Damiaan looked to the speaker.
The speaker was a male, wearing a black outfit.

The male had a metallic mask covering his mouth, and emerald eyes.

Damiaan was ready to fight or strike, before he paused.

He stood up, looking to the male.

"I told him not to give you that assignment.

There's now way you could kill the target and get out unseen."

Damiaan looked annoyed, he could accomplish any contract he set his mind to.

"Now wait here.
I'm gonna complete the contract.
Don't worry, I'll make sure you get credit."

Damiaan tried to silently protest but the male vanished into darkness.

He rolled his eyes, and finally his shivers left.

The warmth had returned, and he looked around.

He wasn't sure if he knew this forest.

Suddenly the male reappeared.

"Alright, how did you turn him purple?"

Damiaan shrugged, and began walking.

"What?- Don't walk away when someone is talking to you."

The dark dressed male quickly grabbed Damiaan's arm.

Damiaan quickly turned about and grabbed the metal mask.
He knocked the male off balance, and pushed him onto the ground.

The male spoke, unphased, "You're stronger than you look."

Damiaan got up, and scoffed a bit.

The male got up, "You probably don't recognize me.

Don't let the mask fool you.

I'm actually-"

Damiaan put his hand against the male mask again.

Not knocking him over, simply stopping the male.

He had a deep glare that read 'Don't finish that sentence.'

The male shrugged, "Fine." he said, stepping back a bit.

The male began to intensely watch Damiaan, as he spoke.
"I began this persona a couple years back.
Mainly to escape my family.
Plus, something to keep my skills sharp.

I had no idea you would take on the same career."

Damiaan was listening, even if he was feigning disinterest.

The male sighed, "I suppose it works though.
It gives me two ways to keep tabs on you.
I could join you on assignments, keep you safe."

Damiaan stepped back, with a glare.

'Safe'? He didn't need anyone to keep him safe.

He'd dedicated his life to being self-sufficient and a loner.

He didn't need a protector, the idea of it actually agitated him to no end.

The male spoke again, "Come on, you're the only one who knows.
I make very certain that no one deals with both personas.

I can help you. I already found you a representative..."

Damiaan recalled the nearly dozen appointments.

However, based on those he felt the male didn't understand him in the least.

Each had come with the black paper.

It had been trick paper, so only Damiaan could read what it said.

Mostly it was a letter of recommendation from the prince.

Yet, each letter spoke about how the people could 'help' him.
Or they'd guarantee easy contracts.

He didn't want help, or easy contracts.

He wanted challenges, things that would test his skills.

So when the last letter simply read that they'd met at a charity event.

And how Kipsy seemed excited about the challenge of being an assassin's rep...
He'd already decided that he liked Kipsy.

Yet here the prince was again, trying to 'protect' him.

"So, what do you say?"

He reached out his hand, offering it.
"Shall we work together?"

Damiaan looked to the male's hand.

Mostly, he didn't understand why this male insisted on trying to help him.

Because they'd met as children?

Surely that was an awful reason.

So instead he gave a deep growl, and turned away.

"Why do you insist on refusing my help?

You asked me to get you a rep, then refuse any other help I've offered in my letters.

Why? Why do you refuse?
I want to help."

Damiaan turned back, then paused looking up, behind the male.

The male noticed his gaze, and turned about.
Standing behind them was a giant orc.
A massive thing, easily bigger than a two story house.

It was green, and had huge tusks.
And in it's hands was a large ax.

Damiaan had been purposely tuning out heartbeats.
Mainly cause the other male had none.
It bothered him to see someone, but be unable to sense them.

The orc gave a mocking laugh, as he brought his huge ax down.

The two dodged in opposite directions.

Damiaan rolled, and stood ready to face the orc.

The prince suddenly appeared behind him.
"Let's get you to safety."

He said, and grabbed Damiaan's arm.

Damian quickly turned around punching the male in the face.

The punch caused the male to release him, and nearly knocked the male over.

The male looked startled, and confused.

Damiaan then growled at him in a huff, before moving to face the orc.

He moved swiftly, jumping into a tree as he formed a blood sword.

He pushed off the tree and stabbed the orc in the belly.

But it might as well have been a large toothpick.

The orc swatted at him, nearly catching him.

Damiaan righted himself, contemplating the next attack.

There was a small blood spot, but he'd never manipulated the blood in such a large creature.

That was a lot of blood.

He decided to test the new skill he'd learned.

So he focused on trying to burst the blood.

Yet another swing came down, and he jumped away.

He wasn't experienced enough with it, and now wasn't the time to risk his life on practicing.

So he created blood needles, and jumped up before throwing them.

He hit the orc in the eyes, and the orc roared with rage.

And began to swing his ax wildly.

One wild swing clipped Damiaan knocking him against a tree.

He got up, and grabbed his side.

Fairly sure that had cracked at least one rib.

Damiaan looked to the orc, as the orc's head suddenly exploded in a violent shadow twister.

Landing on the ground having been the twister, stood the prince.

His expression a rather somber anger.

Damiaan looked to the prince, as the orc's body collapsed to the ground.

The weight of the fall startling various wildlife, and knocking over more than a couple trees.

The prince looked to Damiaan, before giving a hefty breath.

"Like this I am known as Black Death...

Since you refuse to accept my help, consider us rivals.

I will still employ you, as the prince...

But that will simply be out of protocol or necessity.

Such as if I cannot risk a contract myself."

Damiaan nodded softly, in understanding of the terms.

"Also, this orc was actually part of a contract I took.

I hadn't expected him to sneak up on us.

Anyway, I'll send Kipsy a share for your help distracting him."

The male paused, but looked like he desired to say more.

However he closed his eyes, almost in defeat, before vanishing into the shadows.

Damiaan stood a little lost in thought.

Today had been a good day, minus the broken rib.
He looked around, and began to walk in what he hoped was the right direction.

As he walked, he focused on healing his rib.