42nd Trial, Ymiden, Arc 718
Outer Perimeter, South Side
13th Bell
Continued from hereOuter Perimeter, South Side
13th Bell
He was dripping sweat and his arms were throbbing, but the chainmail was bloody well staying on. When he was out about his trade, he wore the metal vest. So when he put into practice what he'd learned, he'd be wearing it. So it followed that when he trained, he wore it, too.
You don't train for ideal circumstances, he reminded himself as he shrugged on the metal torso protection, then put his tunic on over it, and finally his cloak over that . You train for the normal, and the worst. No such thing as "ideal" in this bloody city.
He thought it, he believed it, and he knew it was true... but Fates, stepping out into the glare and heat of the suns above his head made him fucking grumble anyway. The cats around the backyard mewled and purred and pressed around his ankles. He knew it wasn't sympathy or solidarity, now he seemed as encumbered as their furry forms. Little bastard just wanted feeding, and he was far from finished with his day.
Twin sheaths were strapped to his arms now. Hidden under his ratty cloak. He looked to his sides, at where he'd manhandled the dummies. Now they were on opposite walls, to his left and right. Kasoria rolled his shoulders and walked back to the door... then started walking again, only with the shuffling limp that could speak of a man leprous or just drunken. He'd played both, in his time. He maintained it until he was between them, arms hidden under his cloak. Just an armless, cowled, formless figure, walking along aimlessly, until-
-his right arm snapped out, drawing the knife from his left sheath and tossing it as his arm straightened-
Let go at the apex, when everything lines up.
THWACK
-the assassin spared himself but a trill and a quick quirk of his lips, as he saw the blade embed itself in the "throat" of the target. Granted, it was only ten paces away, but for the speed he'd attempted... he was happy. Anyone with a length of sharpened steel in their throat wouldn't be thinking about fighting back for a few trills, at least. The wound would probably kill them, of course, but killing blows... Kasoria was already realizing they were problematic with these little flying weapons.
So go for the soft spots. And remember your poisons.
He was already turning before the thought had finished flashing through his head. Keeping the motion going, the movement, the bloody dance that was a brawl. He span around on the balls of his feet, changing direction in a blink, and as he did his left arm thrust to his right forearm as he drew it back, and when he was facing the other way-
-he drew from the other forearm, snapping out the blade as he faced the opposite target-
THWACK
Bugger...
Not a throat shot, that one. The blade went wide, and smacked into the arm of the target. Kasoria cocked his head to onside, mind placing the body of a man over the lifeless wooden frame he'd created. That... could have worked, actually. The blade would be sticking almost entirely out of the ball of the thing's shoulder. He knew from experience what a stone cold cunt it was, trying to use a limb when the joint in it was fucked. The "man" in front of him would barely be able to life his arm, let alone his sword. The wound would not be fatal, but it would slow him down, rob him of a quarter of his limbs, blind him with pain.
Gotta be precise, though, he thought, right hand sliding to his left as he pictured the same man, only behind him, where the other dummy was. Smaller target. Thinner. But...
The blade slid out of the sheath and into his hand. Only this time, Kasoria held it so more of it was in his palm. Looking down, he could see on the tip of it showing, easily covered by the length of his cloak. He closed his eyes for a moment. Listened carefully... to the creak of wood... where the target was still swinging softly from the last impact. He dared a glance over his shoulder. It would have to suffice for his aim, then he turned-
-and his hand snapped out, fingers opening and throwing knife flying out from between his fingers, tossed underarm-
Less force than the others ways. But sneaky, like. That'll do just as good.
THWACK
Right in the thigh, or thereabouts. Kasoria doubted he'd nick an artery, but a solid kick to that spot could hobble a man for half a day. Four inches of sharp steel, especially when coated in something nasty, could do much the same without a problem. The man would be limping, maybe even down for good, more worried about the bloody gushing from his leg than anything else. He walked forward, reaching down as if to reclaim the blade, and then turning around again, faster-
Gotta be fast. Fast and sneaky and accurate. Just as long as you don't give the fuckers a chance.
CLANG
Kasoria sighed as his last throw clattered against the bricks and a slew of furry freeloaders went scattering in all directions. It should have gone into the dummy's arm at the elbow, but clearly he had much left to learn. It wasn't the torso or the stomach, something big and broad that he had some leeway with. Going for a limb for be harder... but worth it.
You don't always need them dead. Just damaged.
The assassin went from dummy to dummy to the wall, picking up his blades. They went back into their sheaths, until each forearm was now loaded with three light blades. He walked back to the doorway of his house... then paused...
Not enough. Not yet.
They were over his shoulders. Almost at angles to them. He barely even needed to look over them to see where they were. Cloaked and hunched he became, sliding back into the role of beggar, hands clasped under his cloak... only they weren't. Hidden by the flowing material, Kasoria drew a blade from each sheath, and held them in each hand. He knew he was better with his right. So that's where he began-
-turning fast to his side, arm snapping out at the same time, releasing at the apex but playing it safer this time. The blade flew out at the center of the target, and Kasoria saw it smack into the ribcage. Embedding between the thin, curved bone, maybe even finding a lung to bite into. Out of the fight, most likely, if only for a few moments, long enough for him to deal with-
-the target on the left, and he twisted again, lower back screaming at him as he did. He ground his teeth and kept moving, left arm straightening and whirling this time. Between his shoulders and his hips and his back, he knew there was an ungodly amount of speed in that limb now, and power to go with it. He almost barked as the swinging, whirling, knife-tipped arm came out and he barely had time to line up hand and blade and dummy before he let go-
CRACK
It was deeper, that time. He'd been right on that score. Almost all four inches of the throwing knife's blade was buried in the dummy... only not even close to where Kasoria wanted. He'd been aiming for the throat and it was in the forearm. As he got closer, he could almost see the tip of the blade peeking through the other side of the wooden arm. So, he wouldn't be using that anytime soon... but what if his other hand was holding a pistol crossbow, with Kasoria dead to right? Then he'd still be dead. Ditto if he was a mage, and Kasoria needed him off the mortal coil within the first trills of the fight. Now he was still alive, and Kasoria could be a walking candle by this time.
Faster your arm, less accurate you'll be, he told himself as he pulled the blade free with quite some effort. Definitely need to remember that.
He looked up and past the squad of roaming cats on the walls, occasionally giving him a look of curious disdain. The suns were high but past the apex of their flight. He'd been living at that house long enough to know what that looked like. His stomach growled before the thought of feeding himself even formed; mind and guts in accord, beyond his comprehension. Kasoria chuckled at the idea, shrugging out of his metal vest and cotton tunic and bed-sheet cloak as he found the relative comfort of his kitchen.
Food and water, he told himself, cracking his knuckles before he started gathering ingredients. Then back to it. The day is barely began...
Concluded here
