( 7 )
N O C T
Noct was beginning to think that perhaps he had made the wrong decision yet again. That, maybe, the dead's wrath had been the better pick after all compared to the current situation that he had involved himself in. Either way, both choices still led to potential death, so it didn't really matter. The only question was which one he seemed to have a better chance of surviving. The answer was something he was still in the process of figuring out.
"—Kuh!" He grunted as he dodged to one side as another arrow narrowly whizzed past him, this time tearing through his shirt and nicking his arm. A sharp pain shot through him after moments. He prayed to every god he knew, hoping that the metallic blade wasn't poisoned. The cut immediately started dripping small rivulets of red blood, which Noct didn't have the chance to wipe away as he again quickly jumped to one side, rolling on his back. The dagger meister appeared from the edge of his vision and leapt towards him, wicked blades glinting as he slashed with quick, coordinated movements. Noct in turn defended with his own daggers and felt himself being forced backwards. Quick sparks lightened the darkened alley as their metals clashed together in a rapid dance of blades. The thief's face was strained. He had to use all of his concentration to avoid any major injuries, and he barely had any time to breathe without being interrupted. Any slight mistake, after all, could easily lead to a fatal injury. The biggest problem was the nimble dagger meister—Quann, he remembered, who was purposefully aiming for his vital points. Clealry, he knew what he was doing.
Slash. Jump. Roll. Dodge again.
So far, by some kind of miracle and perhaps a stroke of talent on his part, Noct had been able to hold out for this long after being forcefully separated from the witch. When he wanted to, he was a better-than-average fighter. Aided by his quick reflexes, the thief could beat almost any inexperienced person without requiring much of his effort. This was, after all, the reason why he was still able to continue his stealing even after all these years. It was not only because he was clever and careful and quick-witted. Even though Noct had never practiced before, he found it easy to wield his favorite weapon of choice: his daggers. The moment he had gotten them as a gift from the Pierrot, the blades had felt completely natural in his hands, as though they had become an extension of him. He could slash and throw them with ease, and his accuracy was good. Better than most, even. But even with those, Noct knew it was only a matter of time before he would make a wrong move. His enemies were far more experienced, far more used to fighting. Despite everything, he was simply just a thief after all.
So find a way to end this like a thief, then. Be resourceful. Be cunning. You know this kingdom inside out. This is your only advantage.
Three more arrows rained from above and Noct was forced to dodge, missing them all by a hair's breadth. He bit his lower lip, steadying his gaze. He kept an eye for any attacks from above and simultaneously raised his guard as he defended himself while Quann continued his relentless assault. Again, they moved in a blur, weapons striking, blades vibrating sharply. He jumped as Quann made a low slash, then countered with a quick strike of his own. The enemy moved to defend, using his other blade as a shield. Noct grunted. He stepped away just as another arrow embedded close to his boot, this time quick enough to deliver a vertical slash to his elbow. He winced.
The thief was at an obvious disadvantage. Noct was already occupied enough while fighting toe to toe with the dagger meister, but there was also the archer from overhead to worry about. Because of the thief's speed at dodging, all he had acquired from the arrows so far were slight scratches and his recent flesh wound, but it was only a matter of time before an arrow hit its true mark.
If that's how it is, I'll have to take him out first.
It surprised Noct how calm he seemed to be at that fatal scenario, even though this was the first time he fought with his life on the line. There was a slight feeling of fear, of course, but he was mostly overcome with a sense of ease and stillness. His determination of staying alive seemed to be the cause. As he flicked away a blade that the dagger meister had thrown at his face, Noct made a quick glance at the archer who was was already reaching another arrow and training it at him. The thief breathed in, readying himself for what he was about to attempt. His blades shone faintly in his hands as he slipped three more out of his sleeve.
If there are any gods who still favor me, please let me survive this.
As Quann ran at him again, raising his blade in a sideways arc, Noct moved with quick sudden footsteps, running to slide on the ground to avoid the enemy's dagger. Once he was out of the attack's reach, he rolled and stood up, jumping on top of a nearby wooden crate just as Quann immediately turned around with wide eyes, looking startled at his burst of speed.
Noct let loose two daggers in the semidarkness. The blades flashed for a moment before one stabbed Quann square in his sandaled foot. Noct had thrown it with as much force as he could manage that the weapon passed right through his flesh and rooted itself into the ground, holding his leg in place. The second one stabbed through his left shoulder, digging deep into the bone. Quann let out a guttural cry, bending down in pain.
Noct did not wait for another moment. He raised his arms as he jumped, reaching out to climb up a railing directly above him, pulling himself up effortlessly. Once he had done that, he leapt and continued to do the same thing, climbing up the next solid handle that he could find the nearest and quickly making his way towards the top to where the archer was at. It didn't take him long. For Noct, climbing up the building's side was an easy task. After all, the roofs were the thieves' natural territory, and it was a talent of theirs to use it for the easiest way of escape whenever they happened to be caught in the act and were chased by the kingdom's sentries.
Once Noct had arrived at the top, swinging himself up with a last effort and slightly heaving, only then did he realize that he had made a fatal miscalculation. He had been so engrossed in the idea of getting to the top that he did not notice that the archer had stopped his assault of arrows since a few seconds before. When he looked up, the hunter was a few feet away, standing on an elevated part at the end of the rooftop with a look of grim delight on his face. Three arrows were nocked at his bow. He had been waiting for the thief to arrive.
Noct did not even have the time to breathe and cuss at himself for his stupid mistake. The archer let the weapons fly in an instant.
Considering their short distance, it was impossible to dodge all three. Noct managed to twist out of the way at the last moment, but his luck was simply not enough for him to avoid all of them. One arrow had pierced into his side, tearing through his clothes and sinking deeply into the skin. He staggered back by the force of the hit. Noct gasped. It happened so suddenly, he did not even felt the pain come to him yet. The hunter gave a wide and cruel smile as he saw that his arrow had finally landed. He immediately pulled another from his quiver, attempting to finish him off.
However, the his look of joy was completely wiped away from his face the instant later as two daggers suddenly flew at him in the blink of an eye. Noct had thrown them faster than the man was able to let go of the bowstring. The archer's eyes widened as the blades sailed towards him in an invisible path. In the same way as Noct, it was impossible to avoid them. They stabbed into his shoulder and his thigh. Bright red blood splattered. The hunter winced and staggered backwards. As he did, his left leg tripped on a loose tile. Weakened by the attack, he tilted backwards, losing his balance and threatening to fall over.
"Ghh! Bastard—!"
The hunter did not get to finish his sentence. The next moment later, gravity had taken hold of him. He fell from the roof, tumbling down into the far, far ground on the other side of the bricked building. It took only a few seconds before Noct heard a loud crash, an unmistakable sound of something—a crate, most likely—breaking.
For a few still seconds, he stayed quiet, breathing shallow. Once he had determined that the archer was indeed gone, a small grin went up on his face. He could not believe himself. He had done it. He had managed to outwit him, an experienced hunter.
But his happiness was short-lived, though. Noct's vision suddenly blurred, a wave of nausea washing over him. A throbbing pain arrived, and he remembered the wound that he had acquired from the hunter. Dazedly, he looked down at himself and almost lost his strength the moment he saw the arrow sticking out from his body. His entire side was was drenched in crimson blood, as red as his scarf. He coughed. Blood came out of his mouth. He blinked.
Noct stumbled back, losing his strength.
It was a wrong move. He had forgotten that he had been standing at the edge of the tiled roof for the entire time. He lost his footing, and felt himself falling back in the same way the archer had. Noct grit his teeth, a surge of fear and anger gripping him.
Goddamn it!
As he blurred down several floors, Noct blindly reached out his arm and managed to hold on to a scaffold midway. He gasped in pain as he felt his shoulder dislocate. His fingers slipped. This time, he fell without any pause, his back hitting a crate before he rolled to the hard ground. He winced and cried out in the pain. Black spots appeared on his vision.
Not good.
Then, an alarming thought formed at the back of his mind as he remembered. The other hunter.
Noct looked up weakly despite his blurred vision and aching muscles, searching for the dagger meister, Quann, in the dimness of the alley. He was nowhere to be seen. For a brief pause, a small hope emerged at the thought that he had disappeared. However, it took Noct a moment before he noticed something on the floor a few feet away. Then, his eyes blinked once more as he narrowed them. He recognized who it was. The dagger meister.
For some reason, he was lying on the ground, unmoving. His body was positioned in a way that told the thief he was unconscious. There was something dark on the floor surrounding him. Noct tried his best to focus his eyes and concentrate amid the retching pain. Blood. He realized that the hunter was drenched in fresh blood. His clothes were torn behind his back, flesh ripped in a vertical slash. A wound from a blade struck from behind.
In the shadows, a figure moved. Noct snapped his eyes behind him, and they widened in incredulity. Behind Quann, standing there in the shadows with a wicked glint in his eyes and a bloody axe dripping by his side, was someone Noct had hoped he would never see again.
Worick.
----> thank you for reading!
Q:
What do you think will happen to Noct?