Anby and Kiara are busy jumping on the rooftops followed shortly by their group leader. It is the first day of the scouting mission. They effortlessly traverse through the city, trying to find any straggling assassins and Elusives. Many survey teams are scattered around the city to make the search faster. The sky is a saturated blue with the intense golden rays of the sun casting deep shadows on the earth.
"You enjoying the city, Anby?" Kiara inquires, feeling the cool breeze blowing through her hair. "It is your first time outside the temple right?"
"Oh yes, it is," Anby acknowledges, stopping momentarily to catch her breath. She looks over the city's skyline, a mix of towering skyscrapers and apartment buildings.
"What do you think about it?" Kiara shakes Anby's shoulders, looking over the beautiful view around her. Anby's shoulders tense, not knowing how to describe what she's thinking.
"There are so many homeless people," Anby says nervously, looking at the big city above her.
"It's pretty normal around here, especially the Romano zones," Kiara nervously chuckles, trying to calm Anby down.
"That old man is fighting another old man for an apple," Anby points out below her, two elderly civilians fighting on the street using professional martial arts skills.
"Yeah," Kiara dryly says. She grabs Anby's shoulders and pushes her forward. "Let's keep moving. The city has a lot of fun and crazy stuff that you will love to experience."
"Other than the homeless people fighting?" Anby raises her eyebrow.
"Ugh no," Kiara staggers on her words, leaping off the rooftops. "After this is over, I'll take you to the local food. Burgers. Hotdogs. That one occasional sketchy food stand that might be run by rat people, all of the above."
"Rat people?" Anby questions, her voice high-pitched.
"There's like a rumor the city is run by giant humanoid rats," Kiara remarks, rolling her eyes at the mention of it. "This city is full of chaos but what's more ridiculous than this?"
"Everything," Anby mutters softly, her mouth slightly wide open.
"Exactly," Kiara grins. "I wonder how Adam and Seth are doing."
Adam and Seth were having an adventure. Instead of conducting a proper sweep of the area they were designated in–the two of them were busy hanging out and exploring the city like it was an amusement park.
"That's the best part of being a C rank," Adam remarks, taking a big bite out of a large hotdog. " I'm basically a mentor."
"You're milking your privileges," Seth responds, his expression blank but his voice teasing. "Shouldn't we not be preparing to search for any assassins?"
"It's called a break, Seth," Adam responds, his voice filled with reckless amusment. "While Kiara and Anby are left with a bland group leader. You get me, Seth."
"Guess it's one of those days," Seth mutters to himself, tapping the edge of a photo safely tucked in his pocket. He glances at the slightly faded image before tucking it back in. He breathes out, shaking his head to clear the lingering thoughts.
"Where do you want to go next?" Seth says, giving a long straight face look.
"I hear there's a big tech store downtown with a sweet arcade within it," Adam suggested, scanning his nearby surroundings. "We might find some loose change to play some techy games. What's the worst that can happen?"
"Don't jinx it man," Seth rolls his eyes. As the two of them are busy walking off into the busy streets, the countdown on Kiara's and Adam's hitlist nears. Thomas Maloum taps in a rhythmic manner looking over the details and timer on his laptop in a dimly lit room. The Carnal Requiem has already been deployed out onto the streets.
In the American warden temple, Zhang looks over the surveillance cameras, reading up on the newest reports as they are coming in. Edward stands in the background, casually sipping his cup of hot coffee.
"In the first couple hours of sunrise, 20 assassins have been captured," Zhang relays the information to Edward. "They must not like you."
"It's $5 million. Personally, I would have done it as well," Edward casually jokes, crossing his arms together.
"I can't believe you're like this," Zhang mutters under his breath. "You should take this more seriously."
Meanwhile, as Kiara and Anby are following the group leader across the city, the cold breeze blows against their faces. The city continued below them unaware of what was happening in the background.
"Don't fall behind," the group leader orders, not paying any attention to them. He effortlessly moves through the air, as his body crouches and pushes forward. "We've gotten sudden reports of disappearances of many survey teams in this area so make sure to—"
Suddenly a light glare momentarily distracts the leaper before a flying projectile hits his neck. The man falls and crashes into an alleyway with a sickening thud. A charm spell slowly forms around the area.
"What was that?" Kiara's eyes widened. Her instincts kick in as she leaps down into the alleyway.
"Kiara–wait," Anby worryingly says, following her friend into the scary alleyway. She turns her head to see the veil covering the entrance and the surrounding area. She turns her head back to see a large suited man in a blood apron slamming the group leader's head into a bloody pulp. His head is now just a squished-up, bloody piece of pounded raw meat, with his blood staining the walls like paint.
His life is snuffed out with a moment's notice.
"I–I didn't…I don't know…I didn't think we'd be up against this," Anby whispers, her voice barely leaving her lips. She can barely hold her ground with her body churning, especially after witnessing the gruesome act happen in front of her.
"I can't let you little cattle leave like that," Hanger twists his hand, smearing the group leader's crimson blood onto the wall. Before Kiara can react, the air around her starts to cut off their escape.
What? Did he put a veil over the charm spell? Kiara's eyes wander, seeing a dark spiral of smoke form over the translucent barrier. Great, we're cut off from the outside world and they can't see what's happening inside.
Kiara and Anby stare face to face with one of the Carnal Requiem's hit men. The man in the butcher's apron gives off an unnatural heartfelt smile to the two girls in front of him.
"I'm sorry that I'm scaring you two," Hanger says in an overly sweet tone, picking up one of
the dead warden by the arm, "I'm just having a light snack." He mockingly uses the dead warden's arm to wave toward the girls as if it were a stuffed animal.
Kiara felt disgusted by Hanger's actions but the unease and dread exuding from his aura is unclear- this man has killed people before.
"Kiara, do you think?" Anby mutters, her voice barely a whisper.
"There's no doubt about it. He's an assassin," Kiara orders, summoning her katana in her hand. "I've seen this in a movie once. He's going to kill and skin us, using our flesh to make humorous dioramas of us in tiny Ferris wheels with googly eyes slapped onto our faces."
"Oh no. I would never do that," Hanger says in a soft reflective tone. "Only the killing and skinning part."
"He's going to skin us?" Anby screams out, her voice shaky and higher-pitched.
"No. I don't want to skin you," Hanger shakes his head in disappointment. "I'm just going to eat you two. Skin and all."
"Let's get to know each other," Hanger says, his voice bright and cheery, taking a bite of the recruit's arm, "What's your favorite cut of meat?" He slowly licks his lips looking at Anby, drool practically dripping down his lips.
"Uh…I…." Anby says worryingly, her arms and legs trembling under Hanger's presence. His narrow blacked-out eyes stare intently at her.
"Sorry. We're vegetarian and we don't taste good," Kiara quickly lies, raising her katana defensively towards Hanger. Her grip falters but she pushes herself to stand tall and protect Anby.
"Oh really?" Hanger questions, his eyes narrowing on their presence. He quickly drops the dead recruit like a discarded toy onto the ground and he slowly unveils his butcher's knives towards the two girls. "To be honest I always preferred to eat young girls like you and…. I don't like liars." Hanger utters, his tone irritated by their answer.
"Well that's a shame…because I'm good at telling people exactly what they need to hear," Kiara says, giving a playful shrug, leaning forward for a wink.
"You are a fiery one," Hanger compliments, his gaze resembling that of a predator. "You must be Kiara. I don't know about the little one next to you. I'll still kill her to leave no witnesses."
"How do you know my name?" Kiara inquires, her posture becoming rigid as if comprehending what the assassin had just said.
"You're a target on a hitlist," Hanger remarks casually, pulling a cleaver out of his pocket. "$250,000 is the reward. I don't know why you're targeted but as long as I get a good meal, I don't care that much."
"Tch. I guess I am special," Kiara locks her eyes on Hanger. She gives off a heartfelt smirk, getting ready into stance. "What do you all want? First my grandfather and now me. We must be celebrities."
Kiara charges towards Hanger, her entire body taut with energy. She pushes off the ground in powerful strides, each foot landing with an intensity.
I'm going to cut her down the middle, Hanger's head pulls back, maintaining a level of distance. Kiara's katana swings with a powerful arc, cutting through the air like a paintbrush. Hanger carelessly shifts his weight, dodging Kiara's attacks. He smirks at the near miss, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
The blade misses, and Kiara's feet scrape against the ground. Once again, Hanger shifts around Kiara like a dancer sidestepping around a bigger partner.
"Remember fighting Elusives is much different than fighting a human," Hanger says casually, as if reminding a small child. Coiling up his arm, Hanger rotates his body in the opposite direction. With a maniacal grin, Hanger releases the energy, landing with a hard impact on Kiara's face.
Kiara's vision blurs, and her mind races as she staggers back. Her body aches from the impact and her breath comes in short bursts.
"It's all too easy. You all think alike," Hanger joyfully laughs. "Just because you kill a bunch of Elusives doesn't automatically mean you can take out an elite assassin like myself." Swinging his cleaver, a grey blur appears in Kiara's peripheral vision.
Kiara quickly bends her body back dodging the attack. Hanger turns his head down seeing Kiara on the floor below him. As her body lies on the floor, she spins around building up momentum. Her torso stays low but her legs move like a blur. She uses her planted feet and hands on the ground in a fast rotational motion.
"Is that a school dance you want to show–" Hanger mockingly taunts but he is cut off as Kiara's leg kicks him below the jaw like a lash of lightning. Her leg winded up in a sharp arc as Hanger's head tilted back from the impact.
Hanger staggers back, the pain searing across his face. He clutches his jaw and looks mildly amused by Kiara's spin kick.
"Okay," Hanger mutters with a dry, sharp tone. "Now this is going to be fun." Stepping his foot back, Hanger appears like a smear in front of Kiara. Her eyes widen as she sees a big hand about to grasp her face.
That's so fast, that Kiara's mind races like a stampede. Even though my reaction time has improved since that Distortion Zone, this guy's speed is on another level. I'm still too weak.
Her heart pounds against her chest, her adrenaline kicking in. A familiar sense of danger creeps in as her breath quickens. She couldn't move in time as her body tensed. As Hanger's hand nearly grasps Kiara's face, a sudden nudge pushes her out of the way.
Anby, reacting in time, manages to push Kiara out of Hanger's attack. The assassin's gaze sharpens with a cold indifference, annoyed by her interference. As Hanger's foot slides across the alleyway floor, he locks his gaze at Anby.
"Aren't you a new player," Hanger remarks, his tone good-humored and joyful. "Usually the scaredy cats are the first to freeze up and run away. Funnily enough, they're also the first to die."
"Get away from us," Anby's voice wavers as she tries to sound tough. Her hands glowed with a spinning spell circle. The light illuminates parts of the alleyway in colorful hues as Kiara slowly gets up on her feet, regaining her surroundings.
"You pretend to act tough…noble yet childish," Hanger's eyes narrow as if he is preparing to snipe down a wild animal. "I'd rather just kill my target… but since you're showing so much bravery despite your fear, I'll make a meal with your heart."
Hanger swings his cleaver down with a powerful force, cutting through the air. Anby tenses up, raising her arms trying to defend herself.
"Protectio," Anby screams out, her voice trembling as a teal translucent barrier appears above her. Hanger's cleaver bounces off the shield like a spring. Kiara's foot pushes her off the ground, moving around the narrow alleyway to catch the assassin off guard.
"Hmm. You're so dull," Hanger disinterestedly remarks before twisting his torso, and clashing his weapon against Kiara's. Momentarily distracted, Kiara doesn't notice Hanger pulling out a hidden steak knife. Kiara's eyes widen as she notices too late as the blade arcs towards her.
Serrated and sharp, Hanger narrates to himself as if presenting for a knife commercial. High-quality steel–perfect for cutting filet mignons and…HUMAN FLESH.
Kiara pushes back trying to dodge Hanger's attack. In a seamless motion, Hanger's knife grazes her arm, cutting a deep line of crimson, and spilling out tears of blood onto the ground. The blood stains the surface of the weapon. Kiara stumbles back, clutching her arm where the knife grazed her.
"Don't take this seriously, kid," Hanger reassures, his voice soft and calm, "This is just the circle of life." Anby points her arms towards the assassin, and her hands glow a deep red and orange spell circle.
"Hm?" Hanger slowly turns his head back, seeing Anby about to launch a spell at him. He raises his arm trying to defend himself from the upcoming attack.
"Inferno song," Anby yells out, her voice trembling but exuding a sense of power. A spiral flame shoots out from her hands engulfing Hanger's arm in a wave of smoke. His stance remains absolute as he backhand smacks Anby out of the way. Reacting quickly, Kiara extends her arms forward catching her friend.
The two girls were being cornered and outmatched. Hanger stood tall and defiant as they stood at a standstill.
The assassin raises the serrated bloodied steak knife and graciously licks the dull part. Anby nearly threw up at the sight. Kiara stares on, not understanding why he just did that.
"That was great. Wonderful job. Attagirls," Hanger says, his tone unnaturally jolly, "Y'all are adapting quickly."
Hanger crouches a few feet away from Kiara and Anby. He slowly rests his elbows on his knees like how a teacher would give a lecture to his class.
Kiara and Anby breathe heavily, their bodies tensing from the fight. They both stay silent, watching cautiously.
Stretching his arms, Hanger rolls his shoulders like he is having a light workout.
"Come on, you two. I believe in you," Hanger says with a grin, his tone too sincere and encouraging, "Don't give up. You can do this."
A long awkward pause passes as no one makes a sound.
Kiara just stares there all confused not knowing what to say. Anby just stays quiet, too afraid of what to do next.
"We can't underestimate him," Kiara mutters, raising her daggers in front of her. "Don't let your guard down. This guy kills for fun."
"Aw. You're picking some big words but I don't kill for fun," Hanger remarks, looking at the cynical air around him. "It's all about the marbling. People always judge their meals, not even caring about the taste, only the presentation."
Kiara stays silent, listening to Hanger's messed-up worldview. She maintains her distance leaving a good amount of space between her and the assassin. A sweat droplet trails down her forehead.
"You don't need a long build-up for the main course because a swift sharp strike is all it takes to end it," Hanger muses with a strange calmness. "You're all fine pastry. All so delicate, elegant, and…final. The last bite should always be satisfying."
Smiling to himself, Hanger tilts his head, his bloodied apron swaying on the ground.
"Cattle are bred in endless lines, fattened up behind metal bars with no freedom," Hanger smiles softly like a teacher instructing a lesson. "No one cares about a single bolt to the skull and packaged in shiny packages. Nobody thinks twice about their fear."
Hanger smiles, flashing his gold tooth. He steps forward, his arms raised in the area like an embrace.
"Humans aren't so different," He adds, dripping with a twisted warmth. "Living life, fattened by comfort. Packaged. Forgotten. Just as tasty, too."
"Hope you save room for dessert, Hanger," Kiara steps forward, a mocking smirk tugs on her lips. Her breathing starts to falter a bit, becoming heavier by the second. "I bet your favorite's a nice human souffle. Too bad what you're going to eat tonight…is the pavement."
"Oh you're funny," Hanger says bluntly, a blank expressionless gaze crosses his face. His voice is as flat as a knife. "I'm going to rip you in half."
The alleyway falls into an oppressive silence. Kiara felt very lightheaded as her vision started to blur. Everything feels like it is spinning around at high speeds as Kiara falls onto the ground. Anby worryingly shakes Kiara's shoulder trying to wake her up.
"Kiara. Are you okay?" Anby worryingly screams out, trying to wake her friend up. Hanger just laughs at the sight in front of him.
"She's under the effects of my technique. Harvest," Hanger lectures, as if he is instructing the rules of a game. "Remember me like her blood off the knife, that wasn't for nothing. While her blood was tasty, there was another purpose. Harvest allows me to get my victims intoxicated and light-headed."
Anby wraps Kiara's arm over her shoulders trying to get her off the ground. Hanger just laughs condescendingly, mocking their efforts.
"Yes. Are you scared?" Hanger laughs maniacally, pulling out the serrated knife from his pocket. "It's intoxicating for me. I know wardens love their swords and staffs but a small knife can just be as deadly."
Anby picks up Kiara from the shoulder and they travel deeper into the alleyway. Kiara's legs stumble next to each other as they tremble violently under each step. Hanger shakes his head unamused by their attempt to escape. He slowly follows them, his steps measured and calm as he tries to catch up to them.
"Don't even bother. This alleyway system is a maze with many dead ends. You can still run though, it makes it more fun for me," Hanger lectures, his voice bouncing off the walls reaching Kiara and Anby. "The veil is still up–the young girl is too fragile to jump the walls and you Kiara... too affected by Harvest to even try. You are sitting ducks."
Hanger scrapes the serrated edge of his knife on the walls, the sound reverberating loudly off the alleyway surface. Anby could feel a faint sharp metallic screech in the background as she hoisted Kiara through the narrow paths and dead ends.
"Who designs alleyways like this?" Anby screams out, trying to maintain the situation but a sense of unease weighs on her shoulder.
"We're in a Romano zone, Anby. Places like this are common," Kiara utters, her voice faint and airy. "We need to…maintain a level of distance and catch him off guard. We also need to remove his techniques' effects on me."
"You can't remove Harvest's effects," Hanger's voice echoes through the alleyways as if he were hearing Anby's and Kiara's conversation. "How about this–I'll let the curly hair girl go and I'll just rip you in half. You'll be too dizzy to feel like your muscles tear apart."
"Oh my god, he's going to tear you in half like Swiss cheese Kiara!" Anby worryingly says, pacing around anxiously. Kiara tries to stand on her own two feet, her legs trembling under the pressure.
"I'm not ending up like Swiss cheese, not today," Kiara promises to herself, trying to maintain control of the situation. "We're not done yet. We got this."
"We? What do you mean we?" Anby's voice comes off high-pitched and faint. "He wasn't even fazed by fire. Fire, Kiara."
"You acting like… fire solves all your problems," Kiara remarks before taking a long deep pause. "I mean it does but it's not the answer in this situation…yet. We need to catch him off guard."
They weren't becoming prey, not yet. Kiara's heart races but she forces herself to think of a way out. Hanger's presence is felt in every presence, in every corner of the alleyway. He is getting closer than ever, removing the distance between them. They had to act…and act fast.