The
assassin's guild
was buzzing with activity when Seraphis pushed through the heavy doors. The scent of
burning oil, steel, and damp stone
filled the air, mingling with the murmured conversations of killers-for-hire.
She strode toward the front desk, where Sophie was flipping through a thick ledger.
Sophie looked up, then
sighed dramatically
.
"You again? Let me guess—another job?"
Seraphis smirked. "What gave it away?"
"The fact that you’re here instead of enjoying your new
castle in the mountains
like a normal person." Sophie arched a brow. "So, what do you want? Another contract?"
"Preferably something interesting."
Sophie tapped her quill against her chin. "Well, there's one... but it's weird."
Seraphis leaned in. "Weird how?"
"See for yourself."
Sophie slid a sealed
black envelope
across the counter. Seraphis picked it up, flipping it over. There was no
sender's mark
, no
crest
, nothing to indicate
who had requested the job
.
Just a name.
"The Silver Mask."
Seraphis frowned. "Never heard of them."
"Neither has anyone else," Sophie muttered. "The request came out of nowhere. No one knows who the client is, but the pay is
huge.
"
Seraphis broke the seal and pulled out the parchment inside.
Her eyes scanned the
neatly written script
.
Target:
Unknown.
Location:
The city of
Duskveil
.
Instructions:
Retrieve a
stolen artifact
. The artifact is hidden within the estate of
Lord Venaris
, a noble with a fondness for rare magical objects.
Warning:
The estate is heavily guarded, and the artifact is
cursed
.
Seraphis tapped the paper. "A cursed artifact?"
Sophie shrugged. "Yeah. Like I said—
weird.
"
Seraphis smirked. "Perfect."
The Road to Duskveil
Duskveil was a city carved from
black stone
, its towering
spires
wrapped in
perpetual mist
. The streets were a
labyrinth
of narrow alleys, hidden doorways, and
watchful eyes
lurking in the shadows.
Seraphis moved through the city with practiced ease,
blending into the crowd
as she approached the towering estate of
Lord Venaris
.
The mansion was a
fortress
, surrounded by
high walls
and patrolled by
armed guards
. Blue lanterns flickered at the gates, glowing with
enchanted fire
.
Seraphis crouched in the shadows,
observing
.
The guards rotated every fifteen minutes.
The estate had only one main entrance—but several small side doors used by the servants.
A magical barrier shimmered along the upper floors, likely to ward off intruders.
She smirked.
Too bad
magic barriers
didn’t stop her.
Breaking In
She
waited
until the shift change. When the guards turned away, she
moved.
A single
silent leap
carried her over the wall, landing her in the estate’s
inner courtyard.
The air smelled of
damp earth and expensive perfume
, and the soft glow of enchanted lights illuminated the path ahead.
She stayed
low
, slipping through the shadows until she reached a
servant’s entrance.
Locked.
Seraphis reached into her belt, pulling out a
thin metal card
. With a practiced flick of her wrist, she slid it into the lock—
Click.
She was in.
The Artifact
The estate's
interior
was lavish—
polished floors
, towering
bookshelves
, and
gold-trimmed tapestries
depicting battles of old.
She moved swiftly through the halls, avoiding
patrolling guards
and sidestepping
traps hidden in the floorboards.
Finally, she found what she was looking for.
The
artifact
rested on a pedestal in the center of a
circular chamber
, bathed in the glow of blue-tinted magic.
It was a
small obsidian box
, carved with
glowing silver runes
. The air around it
hummed
, charged with an unseen force.
Seraphis frowned.
Curses usually felt... oppressive. This felt
alive.
She reached out, hovering her fingers over the
box—
A whisper brushed against her mind.
Who are you?
She
froze
.
Voices weren’t
normal
for cursed objects.
Touch me…
Seraphis narrowed her eyes.
"Yeah, no thanks."
Instead of grabbing the box directly, she pulled out a
cloth-wrapped pouch
and used it to scoop the object up. The moment it was enclosed, the
whispering stopped.
Problem solved.
Now, she just had to get out.
The Chase
She made it halfway through the estate before
everything went wrong.
A
sudden explosion
shook the hallways, and the distant sound of
shouting guards
filled the air.
Seraphis
cursed.
Somehow, the artifact had
triggered an alarm.
She
broke into a sprint
, weaving through corridors as armored men poured into the halls. The sound of
metal boots
echoed behind her.
She reached the
balcony
, eyes scanning for an escape—
Too high to jump.
Her fingers tightened around her
metal cards.
Fine.
She turned to face the incoming guards, a
wolfish grin
spreading across her lips.
"Alright, boys," she murmured. "Let's dance."
The Getaway
The fight was
fast and brutal.
Her
metal cards
spun through the air,
slicing throats, piercing armor, and severing tendons.
She moved like a
shadow
, dodging swords and using the chaos to slip past the bulk of the guards.
By the time the
last body hit the ground
, she was already on the rooftop.
She
vaulted
over the ledge, landing in the
alley below.
A horse was waiting for her—a
rental from earlier.
With one final glance at the
flaming mansion
, she smirked,
kicked the reins
, and vanished into the
night.
Back at the Guild
Seraphis arrived at the guild just before
dawn
, tossing the
artifact
onto Garrick’s desk.
He raised an eyebrow.
"That was fast."
She shrugged. "They weren't very good at stopping me."
He leaned forward, eyeing the
obsidian box
. "You open it?"
"Not stupid enough to try."
"Smart girl."
Garrick sat back, stroking his beard. "Well, you did the job. Payment's already in your account."
Seraphis nodded, turning to leave.
But before she reached the door—
"Seraphis."
She paused.
Garrick’s eyes were
sharp
, his expression unreadable.
"Next time," he said, tapping the
black envelope
, "be careful. Whoever sent this job... they're watching you now."
Seraphis smirked.
"Let them."