THE RAVEN KING, yoonkook

chapter i: an impossible job

Any assassin can kill a man in the dead of night, while he's fast asleep in his bed, but it takes a great assassin to kill a man in broad daylight, with an audience and nowhere to hide.

Yoongi stands in the loud marketplace, pretending to examine some of the wares of a jewellery shop as he watches his target. The male ― a currawong, with wings preened like they're something to be proud of ― is busy shopping with a dove. The assassin doesn't even disguise his staring, watching openly as the male moves through the crowd. He disappears behind a group and Yoongi decides it's time to move on.

Glancing back at the store, his thumb brushes over the jewellery he'd been pretending to examine: a purple gemstone, not even real (but doing a decent job of pretending to be), in a silver chain. Dark eyes flit up to the distracted store keeper, hand dips into his pocket. He's gone before the shopkeeper even has a chance to realise he's been robbed. 

As he tails the target, Yoongi pulls his hood further up his head and secures its position to ensure it doesn't fly off. At the same time, he reaches inside his sleeve and touches the hilt resting there, keeping it within his reach. His pace picks up as he grows closer, keeping the fat currawong within his sights. He's so close he can distinguish the incomprehensible noises of their conversation from the others, although he's not so close that he can make out distinct words.

The couple stop again, examining the bread at one of the baked goods store. For a brief second, Yoongi feels bad about the food he's about to spoil. But he swallows these hindering feelings and pushes forwards. What follows takes place in a matter of a few seconds: using his magic, Yoongi boosts himself forwards; faster than the average eye can follow, he's moved from his spot to behind the target. The blade within his sleeve pushes out and is pushed into the male's back, right between the base of his black wings. The target can't even comprehend what has happened before Yoongi has withdrawn the blade and is sprinting off into the crowd, once again sped up by the abilities of his magic.

He slows down once he's got some distance between himself and the dying target. He can hear from the shouts behind him that some are already alerted to his threat. Footsteps follow behind him, voices pointlessly call for him to stop.

Someone must have cast a fire spell because a poorly aimed ball of flame soon impacts with the edge of the shoulder. While it causes more damage to his cloak than his body, the force of impact does cause him to stumble forwards. He regains his balance and keeps running, simultaneously trying to put out the flames on his shoulder.

"Shit," He mutters as he pats tentatively at the charred material. The stench of burning wool and acrylics fill his nose. The dark haired male glances over his shoulder, noticing that this distraction has allowed those chasing him gain on him. One of them are already preparing another flaming ball in their hands, ready to hurl it at him. Yoongi returns his attention forward, noticing an upcoming wall.

Once again, he propels himself forwards, artificial wind pushing himself up onto the top of the wall. He then propels himself upwards into the air, shifting into a bird as he does so. With his wing boosting himself forwards, the magpie is soon able to outrun the others. He lets out a squawk of triumph as he flies back, surveying the scene of the murder to ensure the currawong is indeed dead. He is, much to devastation of his dove date.

The job now done, Yoongi returns to his home and workplace. Pride at a job done well and in a manner that allows him to brag to the other assassins swells inside of him, boosting his ego just that little bit more.

*   *   *

It's late at night when the next client visits. Yoongi is at his desk, storing his coins away, when he hears the knock at the door. It's loud and assured, already telling him a bit about this client: he'll be confident and know what he wants, maybe even think he's better than the assassin (although this is not uncommon, because Yoongi is a magpie and it is common understanding that a magpie is the lowest of the low). But above all, this client has killed before ― first time killers always knock softly, as though they hope Yoongi might not hear, to give them time to talk themselves out of it; people who have killed before generally don't share this fear.