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ASHE
he was something solid to lean against.
Ashe huffed a breathless laugh at his muffled voice, eyes gleaming - the only part of her he could see. ”Does the fight ever stop?” she shot back with her voice warped by the mask, throwing herself over a ledge to keep pace with him as he made to move ahead.
The evening was late despite the shining gold that lined the collosal capital city as the sun made its last leg for the horizon. Born on the longest day of the year made it convenient for Master to fit in everything required to prove her worth once again, assessed and judged and weighed to determine just how much he could charge clients for her and what sort of contracts she could accept. Every year her worth increased with her killing prowess, and this year would be no different. Starting with beating both Kalt and the gathering night back to the Keep. The assassin huffed at his wink before he disappeared down the side of the building, down where it was harder to keep track of him. Bastard. She didn’t follow his same path, tracking his progress until he vanished while she continued upon rooftops. Sweat dripped down her back with the summer heat in her head-to-toe black uniform, but she didn’t slow for a moment. Though she fantasized about throwing herself into one of the courtyard fountains back at the Keep. Ashe knew the shortest route back to the Keep that loomed closer and closer now, the sun was sinking dangerously low.. she frowned and redoubled her efforts. No matter that she'd lost sight of Kalt for now - she needed to get home, and she needed to beat him there. When she arrived precisely on time, it took all of her self control not to plunge into one of the fountain pools as she strode by them, sun at her back at the massive doors of the Keep to her front. She didn't break her swaying stride, head high and shoulders back as she slowly caught her breath. Her legs felt like rubber beneath her, shoulders and fingers and forearms aching from her vaults and climbs, and fuck she needed water, but she kept a straight path inside. She was the Assassin in Blue after all, and she had a reputation to uphold. The heart of the Assassin's Keep was silent and seemingly empty as per usual, unlike the west wing where the lesser assassins resided. No one offered her water or was there to see her, Kalt included, but she kept her steps silent within the stone foyer, into the carpeted corridors. From the decor to the architecture, every inch of the Keep bespoke of power and luxury. Monsters lurked these halls, of course, and this one was eager to get this done so she could go and have some fucking water. Ashe didn't pause when she reached the arena - different from their sand floor and glass ceiling training room. Beyond the doors, the interior was a mixture of shadow and light. She entered a giant chamber flanked by red-painted pillars that supported the mezzanine on either side. A glance into the darker shadows of the balcony revealed figures lurking within - watching. Waiting for her to prove how much money she could be worth. They certainly weren’t underestimating her. Good. A path of glossy marble tile lead towards the dias at the end of the large room - built for large scale training clinics and for spectated assessments alike. Atop that dias, standing tall with his shoulders back, was the Master of Assassins. She could discern nothing from him beneath that expressionless, dark mask, no emotion, no show of pride or expectancy. She was used to this by now. She kept her chin held high as she approached him, following the tile path in the floor like she had done nine times before. Sweat trickled down her spine. Whatever playfulness that had been alive for her race with Silver Wing hardened. Ashe forced herself not to look for her father's face in the room as she halted before the dias, standing at perfect attention before the masked man. There would be no rehearsed speech this year, thank the forgotten gods, but she wondered what was in store for her. She didn't dare move, not until Master did and began her challenge. Last year it had been four men, the year before that had been had been a blindfold and consecutive opponents, three of which ended up dead - she never knew until the moment they began. Master's mask tilted down at her, arms folded behind his back as he cocked his head. She ignored the ice prickling in her veins. He was a predator assessing his prey. And so in the deafening silence of the room and all eyes upon her, the Assassin in Blue waited. something violent and fierce and unmoving |
