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Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Blades and Bonds

The basement warren beneath Arjun Mala's estate was a labyrinth of shadows, its damp stone tunnels lit by flickering torches that cast eerie glows on rusted armory racks and locked cell doors. The air hung heavy with the scent of sweat and steel, the silence broken only by the faint clink of blades from a distant training pit. The 15-year-old girl leader, her black outfit blending with the gloom, moved like a wraith, her daggers poised as she sought her sister among the eight child trainees locked in the warren's heart. Her Agility and Stealth, honed since age five, guided her past sleeping assassins—until a shadow stirred. A man, lean and fit as a man half his fifty years, stepped into the torchlight, his blade drawn, eyes sharp as a falcon's. He lunged, steel flashing toward her.

Their blades clashed, sparks skittering across the stone. The girl parried, her movements a blur, but his technique was masterful, each strike precise despite her superior speed. She ducked a sweeping cut, her voice cutting through the din. "Master!" The man froze, his blade lowering as recognition dawned. "Maya?" he rasped, voice rough as gravel but laced with shock. "I thought you were on a mission. Why are you sneaking here like a thief?"

Maya—her name a secret she'd guarded until now—sheathed one dagger, her eyes fierce yet pleading. "Master Nishil, I'm back for my sister, Mira." She hesitated, then spilled the truth. "Mala's dead. Jai Vora, a boy of nine, led a team that burned our warehouse, killed my men, and tonight—he struck Mala in his chamber." Nishil's brow furrowed, skepticism etched into his weathered face. "A boy? Took down Mala? You expect me to believe that, girl? Your team was the best—twelve assassins, and you survived?"

Maya's voice hardened, her loyalty to Jai's promise at 10%. "I saw it, Master. Vora's team is sharp—smoke arrows, blades, strategy. They outmaneuvered us. Mala sent us to loot Vora Trading Company, kill their guards, but Jai turned it against us. Now he's here, with allies as strong as Mala. He's promised to free Mira, and me." She stepped closer, her gaze unwavering. "I need her, Nishil. Let me take her."

Nishil's grip on his blade tightened, memories flickering in his eyes. He'd been a soldier in his youth, a warrior of Mughal armies, but the battlefield's simplicity bored him. Seeking thrill, he turned mercenary, tackling impossible tasks—until a failed assassination of a noble left him bleeding out. A woman, A kind-hearted assassin, found him, nursed him back to health, and brought him to Mala's fold. They fell in love, married, and ran missions together, her compassion a light in their dark world. She cared for the warren's children, teaching them to survive. But a mission gone wrong claimed her life, leaving Nishil broken. He stayed, training Mala's assassins—not for loyalty to the noble, but to ensure the children, like Mira, grew strong enough to live. "I don't care for Mala," he said, voice low. "But the children… they're all I have left of her."

Maya nodded, her heart aching. "I know you care for Mira, for all of them. You trained me to be the best. But Mala's gone, and Jai's different. He didn't torture me, didn't break me. He wants to end this cage." Nishil's eyes narrowed, assessing her. "This Jai—can he be trusted? I won't let Mira go to another master's chains."

"I can't fight you, Master," Maya said, her voice soft but resolute. "You're not as fast as me, but your experience, your techniques—I'd rather die than hurt you. Meet Jai. See for yourself. If you trust him, let me take Mira." Nishil studied her, his blade still half-raised. He wasn't as powerful as he, but his decades of skill made him a formidable foe, and his care for the children was no lie. After a tense moment, he sheathed his sword. "Take me to him. Now."

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