New hero comes to Praia!

eufloria5

A client and a contractor

The full moon hid coyly in thin clouds. The young man grinned contently and bowed to the mistress of the night. A ray of moonlight stroked his hair, slid over his rich scarlet cape to the slim figure of a girl sleeping under a big oak tree. Was she sleeping though?

“Fly, robin, fly…” the man sung under his breath, while he wrapped the unconscious girl in a piece of expensive adornian silk. “I’ll remember you!”

He brushed his hand over the girl’s black wings spread across the grass around her. With a flash of a blade, several feathers became a trophy to adorn the man’s vest – for what hunter doesn’t gather trophies?

After carefully placing the unusual burden on his shoulder, the young men set out towards the castle seen nearby. A walk in the moonlight – how romantic! Especially in the company of a beautiful young girl. Never mind that she’s unconscious.

A playful ray of moonlight lit up a sly smile on his lips.

An unexpected turn

“Clients. They all look alike – same big cowl, hiding the face in deep shadows. Which is understandable – who wants a simple contractor to remember you and spill the deals you engage in by night? But one does grew weary of it…” such thoughts occupied the head of the moon’s darling, while he counted the gold coins with his deft hands. The reward was indecently high, but he did chase the little bird all over the continent.

The last coin slid into the purse. The client, who remained anonymous under his cowl, picked up the girl still wrapped in silk and nodded at the contractor.

“Your work is done,” the client turned to the door, “Kill!”

Guardsmen flooded into the room from all sides. The scarlet cape moved towards the window in a blur, yet the guardsmen were faster – the man was professionally surrounded.

“Great plan, my Lord!” the phrase thrown at the client’s back made him flinch. “Now though I am angry!”

The man smiled a wicked smile and flung his cape’s laps aside, revealing guns that were hidden by his clothes moments ago – and now in his hands.

The sound of the closing door informed everyone of the lord’s departure. The Guardsmen breathed a sigh of relief – now they didn’t have to worry about stray shots, – while the man frowned. The lord was his target, he insulted him and broke the code. Well, he’ll come back later for this debt.

After 30 seconds of gunshots and flashes, the chamber held no live guardsmen anymore. The man shook his head and slurred ironically “Well that’s no fun! There were so many of you and now you’re done – and I was just getting into it!”

He approached a wall, lit a torch and in its light wiped his guns with a soft cloth. They were his pride – massive barrels decorated by intricate ornaments shone brightly even in the dim torch light.

Mysterious mask

On his way out of the castle, a mask collection caught the man’s eyes. Gold, silver, precious inlays of gems and prime crystals bewildered with intricate artisanship. One mask, however, stood out to him…

It was plain compared to the others – apparently wooden, with and intricately carved pattern of flames and a fierce grin. The mask seemed to wake some kind of memory or emotion in him. Without contemplation, the man picked the mask from the wall.
“Not bad,” he placed it against his cape, “beautiful, unusual, with character. And it suits the guns well!”

Whistling a simple tune, he jokingly placed the mask on his face…

A bright flash lit up the hall.