FWAP!
CLING!
CLANG!
Percy disappeared for three seconds then reappeared as a dark blur of motion hurling toward his opponent.
Murai stood still, unfazed by the ninja’s stealthy approach.
She quickly pivoted on her left foot, twisted aside, catching Percy’s wrist with the palm of her hand.
In one quick jerk, she pulled Percy close redirecting his attack while kicking straight at his head.
Percy pivoted on his left foot, causing him to spin in mid-air.
He used the momentum and forced to drop down on top of Murai with a powerful right kick.
Murai expertly timed her counter by performing a backflip and using her right foot to catch Percy’s kick, pinning his foot to the ground with her foot on top of his.
With his mobility reduced, Percy unleashed an onslaught of punches at close range.
Murai effortlessly blocked the barrage and planted a kiss on Percy’s right cheek immediately before she landed a massive left kick that sent Percy flying some 30 yards.
“Sorry love, I’m not here for you.” Murai said as she signaled her men to handle Percy.
“I’m here for you.” She said as she redirected her attention to Arthos.
She darted forward in a black blur of shadow and figure.
Arthos blocked her double dagger downward strike with a one-arm sword parry.
Pushing down against his blade, in one acrobatic motion, Murai performed a flip landing behind Arthos.
Pivoting on her left foot, she unleashed a massive round-house right kick aimed at Arthos’s head.
Having spared against Percy many times, Arthos predicted the assassin’s next move.
He instinctively blocked the incoming round-house kick with his left arm.
Murai smiled in satisfaction as she pressed her attack with a flurry of surgical strikes.
CLANG, CLANG, CLING
CLANG, CLANG
CLING, CLANG
Arthos struggled to match her blazing speed and twin swift daggers using his longsword.
She agilely surged forward in a ferocious volley of attacks with increased intensity.
Finding an opening in Arthos defenses, she kicked him in the stomach knocking him backward 15 feet.
“Arthos!” Neva, Kristan, Wain, and Kay shouted at the same time.
“Is that really all you have?
I’m disappointed!
I was expecting far more from the great Verdant Knight…I heard so many stories about your fighting power.
I guess they were all exaggerated rumors after all,” Murai said in disappointment.
Arthos wiped the corner of his mouth and smirked in response.
“Ok then.
I was hoping to avoid killing you…but if you insist.” Arthos said as the look on his face hardened with concentration.
Instinctively, he increased his mana output.
He felt power surge throughout his entire body…fortifying and enhancing his arms, legs, core muscles, sight, and senses. This chapter was taken from novelping.com without permission.
He dashed forward and sliced the air with a massive horizontal strike that was both powerful and swift.
Murai dodged the strike by performing a perfectly timed backflip during which Arthos surged forward catching her foot.
He anchored his sword into the ground and used it to teether himself as he spun around at dizzying speed and flung Murai like a rag doll.
She tucked her body into a tight ball and focused on regaining her balance in mid-air, enabling her to land on her feet like a professional gymnast after performing dazzling successive spins.
SWOOSH!
TUNG!
With no time to dodge, Murai was forced to block Arthos’ sword swing.
The sheer force of the attack sent shocks into her bones.
She felt her arms tingle and go slightly numb for the savage force.
Arthos followed up by hammered down in one massive brute swing that cracked the earth under Murai’s feet as she blocked.
SNAP!
She let out a muffled whimper as her left leg femur snapped from the force.
‘Damn, my body feels like its breaking apart…this feels like blocking a train with two little daggers.
How is he this strong?
And how is he this fast?’ Murai thought as she gritted her teeth and fought against the pain.
Without letting up, Arthos pressed the attack with powerful blows…no longer a fight, he swung like a lumberjack against a tree.
Hammering down with massive blows, each sent electric blots into Murai’s bones.
She whimpered loudly for the pain, no longer able to dodge and struggling to block each savage attack.
FWOOP!
Unable to hold her grip, her twin daggers were ripped away from her hands by one brutal strike.
Seeing an opening, Arthos landed a solid kick on her chest that knocked her to the ground on her back.
“It’s over!
Say your prayers.” Arthos threatened as he prepared to finish her.
“Wait!” She shouted as she waved her hands up.
Arthos halted, which allowed her twelve assassins to rush to her side.
Bright light emitted from one of twelve assassins and enveloped their fallen leader in a bright aura of healing magic.
After a few seconds, Murai said in a battered tone, “you passed the test.”
“What?” Arthos asked in disbelief.
“If we wanted to kill you or hurt you, we would have burned your village, massacred your guild members, or kidnapped a few of them as hostages.
We did none of that.”
She continued, “I needed to be sure you are the right man for the job.
I have a business proposal for you.”
“We can’t trust her.” Kristan said in response.
Wain, Neva, Hector and Kay nodded in agreement.
Percy remained silent as he observed her carefully.
“Now, now…don’t be that way.
This is about the Elysian Accord.” Murai said softly as she sat up to enjoy watching the reaction those words caused.
“How do you know that name?” Neva asked greatly shocked as if seeing a corpse resurrect.
Her reaction was mirrored by Wain who also recognized the name. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
Murai raised her hands slowly and gently removed her crimson mask.
Under the mask was a beautiful young face, dark eyes, and long polished obsidian black hair with streak of red that resembled blood highlights.
Her features held the quiet beauty of ancient royalty…gentle brows, an expressive gaze, full red lips curved in a whimsical smile…a dangerously beautiful face too difficult to decipher.
“Murai Takeda.” Neva said softly as if saluting an old colleague.
“Do you know her?” Arthos asked in disbelief.
Neva nodded her head still visibly shocked.
To think the infamous assassin, Death’s Hand, and leader of the notorious Executioners guild was a billionaire heiress was beyond imaging.
“Oh, come on sweety!
Don’t be so cold.
The two of us practically grew up together.
Our parents shipped us away to the same boarding schools since we were little children…I’m practically your big sister.” Murai added with a playful smile.
“The Elysian Accord.
That is what the founders called it.
When NAVA was founded by Morgan and Marlin, they needed money to finance their massive operation.
So, they made an agreement with three of the most powerful families.
The families were the Ardens from America, the Takedas from Japan, and the Sahirs from Turkey.
They were the three families that signed the Elysian Accord.” Wain explained to the group like a tour guide giving a history lesson at a museum.
“Handsome and smart.
I like you…want to play with me?” Murai offered suggestively as she caressed her figure.
“Let me kill this whore, Arthos!” Kristan said in anger.
“Wait!
What do you want Murai?
What’s your proposal?
Say it quick before we change our minds and end you here.” Arthos said holding Kristan back.
“It’s more of a “show and tell”.
Next time you are in Avalor come and see me.
Percy my darling knows where.
My time is up…bye bye sweeties.” Murai said in a deliberately sweet voice as she threw invisible kisses to the group.
In a blink of an eye, she equipped her crimson fox mask and vanished along with her twelve assassins like whispers in the wind.
“That was weird.” Arthos said.
“She wanted to meet you in person and measure your strength.
You passed her test.
Whatever mission she has, it’s big.” Percy said seriously.
“Let’s check on the village then we can talk about the matter some more.” Kristan suggested.
The group agreed and moved forward.