As night began to set, a raven swooped down past the training fields, landing on the Master of Shadows' arm. The raven cawed, and the man pried the slip of paper wrapped around its legs. Letting the bird fly off, the masked assassin turned his back to the darkening sky, rolling the slip of paper open as he began to decipher the message. A mix of emotions rushed through him in waves, but ultimately it was a dark, sadistic grin that settled on his face at the news.
Zed vanished into darkness, and in the blink of an eye, reappeared beside a training dummy, catching Kayn's scythe. "Swinging at a dummy all day long will not do you much good. Let's go," he ordered. Panting, the young man leaned down, resting his weight against his scythe.
"Where are we going?"
"I have an assignment for you, or I suppose us," Zed corrected, thoughtfully shaking his head. "If you want to learn to control your Darkin and its powers, live targets will be more practical." His tone was uncompromising, and Kayn nodded along.
"You mean I can finally fight?" Zed did not feel the need to answer and disappeared once more. Kayn had grown used to his master's vague ways, but deciphering such a man was training in itself.
Away from prying eyes, the two men regrouped, making their way towards the objective. Zed's shadow had gone on ahead to scout the enemy's location. Soldier camps always set a perimeter for security, and while Kayn wasn't one for patience, he was already calculating the odds of taking them all on at once. He didn't need Rhaast's help to take on Demacian footsoldiers.
Zed stuck his arm out, halting Kayn mid-step, and his hand balled up, his index finger pointing to the canopy above. "We wait and observe."
"Why? We can take them," the young man argued, tapping his fingers impatiently against his scythe.
"Get in the habit of waiting then. Not every enemy you encounter will be easy to dispatch. Before striking, you must spot their weaknesses. For example, the guards on lookout routinely walk around the perimeter of the camp. That tent positioned to the north of us holds about five to six men. Simple observations like that will save you a lot of hassle and a few arrows to your chest." Zed wasn't here for bloodshed, but if it came to that, he was more than willing. However, he was merely here to retrieve a scroll.
"Your job is to silently take out as many soldiers as you can while I retrieve the scroll. This is a Demacian convoy; hence you can expect a few officers, so do not underestimate their swords. A lot of them take after their fearless leader at the head of the Dauntless Vanguard," Zed chuckled before disappearing into thin air.
"And there he goes again," Kayn sighed, jumping down from the branch where they had been observing the camp. As Kayn stealthily took out two of the patrolling guards and hid their bodies, Zed snuck into the camp, blending with the shadows around him. He headed for the northern tent, readying his blades.
And then...shouting.
A loud rambling entity stormed through the Demacian ranks, alerting the rest of the camp as he swung his scythe like a mad man.
"Rhaast," Zed sighed, shaking his head as he emerged from the shadows, the need to stay hidden no longer relevant. Quiet and stealthy wasn't a word Zed would use to describe his partner. Kayn was always loud and outgoing, traits he usually hated, but with the boy, it was tolerable.
The sudden change in personality that Kayn could not control as a superior being attempted to gain control struck him deeper than he initially thought. His constant fight against the dark forces threatening to turn him mad reminded him of his younger days. He saw a part of himself in Kayn. Of one man against the world.
"You there!" The guards shouted, closing in on Zed, their spears at the ready. "Stop!" The Master of Shadows did not answer as he kept walking in long strides towards the northern tent.
"Get back here!" another soldier yelled, drawing his greatsword as he charged the masked man. "Didn't you he-" Before he could finish his sentence, the man collapsed to his knees, blood gushing from his throat. The soldiers stared on in shock as they took a step back, none wanting to meet the same fate.
The assassin's shadow darkened, and if anyone drew too close, he would be sure to mark them for death. However, Zed didn't have to worry about that as Rhaast emerged from a crowd of soldiers, and with a roar, began to slice through their ranks with surprising ease.
Zed did not bother looking back as he sheathed his hidden blades, throwing the flap of the tent aside. He gazed at the strongbox sitting idly on the wooden table, and his eyes glazed over with want as he reached for it. He had purposefully chosen to ignore the terrified man standing in the corner of the tent with a crossbow pointed at him...until he released the bolt. Zed stopped the arrow in its tracks, crushing it in his grip.
All knew his name, but few dared to speak it.
Without a word, the Master of Shadows strode towards the protected party, his hand sliding through the man's brown locks with a firm grip. The frightened envoy dropped his crossbow, a trickle of liquid running down his leg as his hands shook violently. Zed drove his hidden blade through the man's heart.
The assassin took a step back, ignoring the dull thud as he made for the strongbox, breaking the lock with a swift strike. He let out a quiet growl when he found the scroll missing. Had someone taken off with it? If so, when? Exiting the tent, Zed was immediately met with Rhaast's scythe, his breathing stopped, and he disappeared, reappearing behind Kayn, throwing him off balance with a sharp kick. "What are you doing?" Kayn did not answer as he got to his feet, cracking his neck in the process, a dark chuckle emanating from the reaper. "You're losing control," Zed informed calmly.
The man who had made off with the scroll would surely be within running distance, but Kayn came first. He had to get the boy under control, preferably without causing too much harm. "What do you know!?" a deep voice rasped, his eyes glowing a furious crimson color. And with a sudden burst of energy, Kayn transformed, mind and body overtaken by Rhaast. Zed sighed. Things always got complicated.
He couldn't imagine the difficulty of trying to control a Darkin, especially when the sight of blood was enough to excite the Ascended. Glancing over his shoulder, he peered into the dark abyss between the trees, the man who had made off with the scroll would be long gone soon, and there was no way for him to dispatch Kayn that easily without killing him.
"Keep your eyes on the prize!" Rhaast taunted, charging at the distracted assassin. Zed, however, was far from distracted as he parried the reaper's blow sending him flying back with a ruthless kick. Rhaast prepared to hit the ground, but instead, he was trapped in a headlock as a shadow captured both his arms, and Zed took off his helmet. His frustrations turned to Rhaast, daring the reaper to give it his best shot.
Rhaast broke free from the shadow's hold, his scythe slicing in a full circle where Zed had been before he melted back into the embrace of his shadows. As much as the assassin didn't want to hurt Kayn, Rhaast was starting to become a thorn in his side.
His attacks were relentless.
Dodging the Darkin's next attack, Zed reached up and grabbed Kayn's collar. He moved swiftly, his foot sweeping the boy's legs from underneath him, and with a loud thud, Rhaast hit the ground. Zed drove his blade into Kayn's shoulder, taking no pleasure in the pained scream that followed. "Get. Out."
Rhaast retreated, along with his bloodthirsty aura. Kayn returned to his usual self, and Zed knocked the boy unconscious. "You are more trouble than you're worth."
When Kayn awoke, he shouted, fury breathing from his lungs when he found his arms confined with rope. The sharp pain in his shoulder, however, forced him to relax. Zed looked on unimpressed, waiting for Kayn to come around.
"I'm tied up..."
"And you tried to kill me," Zed retorted, his tone laced with a hint of amusement as he wiped the blood off his blades.
"You stabbed me?"
"Rhaast began the fight...I merely finished it." Kayn's lips thinned into a bitter scowl, knowing he was unable to restrain the Darkin. Sensing his frustration, Zed sighed, throwing a shuriken at the boy. The rope loosened, and Kayn glanced at the shadowy figure. It was the dead of night, and Kayn had no idea how long he had been out, but Zed had remained watching over him. "It takes time, and with time comes patience. You'll learn to overcome those temptations; I won't always be there to stop you," Zed whispered.
"You almost sound sad," Kayn joked, rising to his feet, but the sudden rush of blood caused him to fall back, earning Zed's attention. He rose to offer a hand, but the prideful male declined, clearing his throat. "I'll be fine."
"You lost more blood than I anticipated-"
"What about the scroll? Did you get it?"
"It wasn't all that important." Zed averted his eyes for a brief moment. The Master of Shadows was never one to lie, but Kayn, however, saw right through him, and a coy grin tugged at his lips.
"I'm flattered."
"Don't be," Zed growled, turning his back on Kayn as he kneeled, gesturing for the reaper to get on.
"And now not so much..."
"Don't waste my time," Zed ordered, and with a sigh, the boy leaned onto Zed's back, awkwardly adjusting himself as his master rose to his feet, securing both of Kayn's legs between his arms.
"Would it kill you, to be honest for once?" Kayn whined, tapping his broad shoulders. His silence indicated a yes, which made the reaper smile. "I'll make you say it one day."
"That would be the day..." Zed scoffed, hiding the small smile that had crossed his lips under his mask. He continued their trek home while Kayn slumped against him, snoring softly. "More trouble than you're worth."
Beep Boop Blop