Chapter 90: A dark night
"He is..." Tiamat murmured, watching how Strax was walking, after they had made a contract with him. Both Tiamat and Ouroboros now sort of... shared the room, if we can put it that way.
"Yes, he is very angry," Ouroboros said as she observed her master from afar, for some reason... "Why is he so handsome?" She questioned to the wind and Tiamat's face turned dark, then she roared, "Of course he's handsome! He's my Master!" She shouted, "Your master?! He's MY Master!" They started to argue inside the spiritual world trembled, fortunately...
Strax was just walking silently in the darkness, the night was... tense. The night was closed, and the shadows seemed to writhe around Strax as he marched down the path. Christine's assassins were all around him, silent and deadly figures, ready to execute their orders without hesitation. Strax's aura gleamed like a dark fire, his fury fueling the intensity of his presence.
"The Olarin Clan is powerful," remarked one of the assassins, his face hidden in the darkness. "They have magical defenses and ruthless guardians. But nothing will protect them."
"I don't care about their defenses," growled Strax, his hand tightening on the sword at his waist. "I will destroy everything until I find who did this to Beatrice."
First, all that was passing through his head was that, nothing really mattered, perhaps a foolish thought? Well, he didn't care, once again, it was just a bunch of idiots who grew up to kill each other, that's how he saw this Olarin Clan that Darius made a contract with.
Strax from the shadows finally saw his target. His Real Target.
The Olarin Clan's estate was a fortified complex, surrounded by high walls and guarded by armed sentries and defensive spells. The shadows of the towers projected against the night sky, and a sense of threat hung in the air.
Strax stopped at a distance, his eyes scanning the terrain. "Just guards and spells," he murmured, "they are not prepared for assaults like this, clear the sides, without mercy... We have to be swift and precise, I will create a distraction," said Strax, watching the guards with keen eyes. "We need to get in and out before they can alert anyone.
Failures are not permitted," he said and the assassins nodded.
Strax gripped his swords, feeling the power pulsating within them. "I'll make a mess. Hopefully they won't let any of them escape, that will be a problem," he sighed as he emerged from the shadows towards the main gate of the compound.
He came walking calmly while opening his arms, giving wide spaces between his body and the swords that began to emerge in golden and purple lights.
Tiamat's voice whispered in his mind, a constant reminder of the power he carried. "They don't know what awaits them, Master... Destroy them for Beatrice." Ouroboros, on the other hand, was a soft murmur, but equally seductive, "Be relentless, Strax. They must pay for what they did."
He continued to walk calmly, channeling the forces of the swords directly ready to cut everything in his path.
Without hesitation, Strax raised his sword and struck the gate with devastating force. The impact reverberated through the complex, and the magical barrier protecting the entrance shattered like glass under Strax's energy. The sound of the gate falling echoed through the night, followed by shouts of surprise and alarm from the Olarin Clan guards.
"What's happening?" shouted one of the guards, trying to draw his sword. But before he could react, Strax was upon him, his blade cutting through the air and descending with deadly precision. The guard fell, blood staining the ground beneath his feet. He died without even defending himself.
It wasn't just him who started killing, Christine's assassins moved like living shadows, spreading out to the flanks of the complex. They eliminated the tower guards with cold and lethal efficiency, their blades cutting throats and disabling defenses with surgical precision. The magical defenses fell like dominoes, unable to withstand the coordinated assault.
Strax advanced through the irritated location, the main courtyard was his first target, with Fire Manipulation, he launched his energy into the foliage of the place starting a fire, they really weren't a very strong clan, just Strax's flames that burned naturally since they broke their magic shields.
"Disgusting," he said as he walked past completely mutilated bodies. "Indeed, an assassin's guild has its value," he murmured, seeing that Christine's assassins were indeed more than competent, the Path for him had been cleared.
Inside the hall, the leader of the Olarin Clan, Thalion, was surrounded by his counselors and closest guards. They prepared to resist, but fear was clear in their eyes. They knew they were facing something far beyond what they could control. "But who the hell are these people?" The Noble trembled in fear. "Who is attacking us?" Continued
"Is this shit his voice?" Strax questioned the assassins waiting at the entrance. "Yes, there are a few people in there, but... well, they are weak," he replied. "I see," Strax said and kicked the door.
KRAK
All the wood shattered and the door flew in front of the man named Thalion, who was genuinely terrified. Thalion's eyes widened in terror as he saw Strax enter, his swords gleaming with an energy that heralded death and destruction.
Thalion's counselors hesitated for a moment, but Strax's imposing presence and the efficiency of Christine's assassins accompanying him made it clear that any resistance would be futile. The Olarin Clan guards positioned themselves to protect their leader, but Strax's determination was unwavering.
In a split second, the heads of all who opposed Strax fell to the ground, staining the entire area, leaving only two guards and a few counselors. "Much better this way," Strax heard from one of the assassins who seemed eager to kill.
"Thalion," Strax growled, his voice filled with restrained fury. "How about you start telling me who brought Beatrice to you?" Thalion swallowed hard, trying to maintain a composure that was rapidly crumbling. "We... we didn't know she was important to you," he stammered, his eyes darting to the assassins now filling the hall.
Strax advanced with slow steps, his swords still glowing with a menacing aura. He raised one of the blades, pointing it directly at Thalion's heart. "Who brought Beatrice to you?" he repeated, his voice cold as winter.
Thalion, aware that his life depended on his answer, stuttered, "Darius delivered her to us... we only followed his orders."
The mention of Darius fueled Strax's rage. He clenched his jaw tightly, his fists trembling with anger. "You will pay for every injury you caused her," he said with a voice that carried promises of vengeance.
Before Thalion could say anything else, Strax swiftly and accurately struck, his sword piercing the Clan Olarin leader's chest.
"AHHH!" Thalion let out an agonizing scream, his body falling heavily to the ground, blood spreading around him.
The remaining counselors and guards who hadn't died watched in horror as their leader was killed before them. Some tried to attack Strax, but they were quickly dispatched by Christine's assassins, whose blades showed no mercy.
Strax looked coldly around the hall, his mind already planning the next move. With a nod, he signaled for the assassins to advance and cleanse the entire clan. The night was far from over, and he was determined to erase them all from existence.
"Ouroboros, he's all yours," Strax said, and the sword took the form of a snake, beginning to pierce the still-living man's body, expanding and shrinking in size, torturing him effortlessly. Meanwhile, Strax scanned the surroundings, searching for something...
"We found this," he heard from one of the Assassins, who handed over a kind of contract... "Well, with this, we can go," Strax said. "Now, only Darius remains," he said...
He turned and opened the System tab, after several days without even using it, now he had a lot to check before fighting against his incredible brother.
"Predator," he murmured, reading the description.
[Like a Dragon, you are the greatest living predator, the merging of the Dragon Aura skill and your immense will to consume your enemy and bring them to death created this ability. Skill: Every time the Dragon aura is used to antagonize creatures, they can feel colossal fear. It can be used on any race below your cultivation level]
"This will be useful," Strax muttered to himself, briefly closing his eyes to focus his energy. With a quick movement, he closed the System and mentally prepared himself for the imminent confrontation with his treacherous brother. With everything in order, he looked at the assassins around him, "Let's go," he said firmly. "Darius is next, and he will suffer greatly."
The assassins nodded in silence. The night was no longer so dark now, the light from the burning property was something everyone in the Duchy could see, and of course, the soldiers quickly arrived and came upon the scene... So many burned and dead bodies, so many lives lost... They didn't even know what to do, but they needed to put out that fire.