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Chapter 125: A Promise of Death
Chapter 125: A Promise of Death
A Letter from the Ivory Tower
The air in the dining hall was thick with anticipation. Seraphis, Theia, Elowen, and Sylvaine sat around the long, darkwood table, the flickering candlelight casting long shadows on the stone walls. A sealed letter lay between them, the wax stamp bearing the unmistakable insignia of the Ivory Tower.
Seraphis picked it up, turning it over in her fingers before breaking the seal with a casual flick of her knife.
"What does it say?" Theia asked, leaning forward slightly, her golden eyes sharp with curiosity.
Seraphis unfolded the parchment and read aloud:
"Don't laugh."
Her expression remained unreadable as she continued.
"We know your tricks, White Raven. We are not afraid. You hunt in the shadows, but even the hunter can be outplayed. We invite you to step into our world, if you dare."
A slow smirk curled on Seraphis’s lips.
"So, they want to set a trap?" Elowen mused, tilting her head. "How utterly predictable."
Sylvaine scoffed. "They think we’ll walk into their little game like blind mice?"
Seraphis set the letter down and met their gazes. "No. We won’t walk in. We’ll burn their entire game to the ground."
Theia chuckled. "You have something in mind?"
Seraphis leaned back, fingers tapping against the table in rhythm. "We hunt them down. Every last one of them."
The room fell silent for a brief moment.
Then, a collective understanding passed between them.
"Who’s first?" Elowen asked, her voice almost eager.
Seraphis’s white eyes gleamed with lethal intent. "Victor Hollowgaze."
The Bait: A Daughter’s Fate
Victor Hollowgaze was a man who delighted in cruelty. He was infamous for his torturous methods, his merciless executions, and his unwavering loyalty to the Ivory Tower. But he had one weakness.
His daughter.
Her name was Marissa Hollowgaze, and she was as sadistic as her father. A woman who enjoyed tormenting prisoners, breaking them both mentally and physically.
And so, she became their first target.
Under the cover of darkness, the four assassins struck.
Marissa’s personal guards were slaughtered before they could even scream. She barely had time to react before she was gagged, bound, and dragged into the abyss of the night.
By the time dawn broke, a letter had already been sent to Victor.
A Father’s Desperation
Victor arrived at the designated location, his breath coming in ragged huffs. A cold wind cut through the abandoned warehouse district, carrying the scent of blood and rot.
He clutched the letter in his hand, his fingers digging into the parchment as his eyes darted around. "I’m here!" he bellowed. "Let my daughter go!"
From the shadows, a figure stepped forward.
Seraphis.
She stood with an eerie calmness, her white hair illuminated by the dim moonlight. "You want her?" she asked, her tone almost mocking.
Victor’s eyes flickered past her—Marissa stood bound, her arms pulled behind her back.
His heart pounded. "If you hurt her, I swear—"
Seraphis tilted her head. "You want me to let her go?"
Victor’s jaw clenched. "Yes."
A slow, cruel smile crept onto her lips. "Alright then."
In a single, fluid motion—
Seraphis’s blade flashed.
Marissa’s head rolled from her shoulders.
Victor froze. His breath caught in his throat as his daughter’s lifeless body crumpled to the ground, blood gushing from her severed neck.
Seraphis bent down, grabbing the dismembered head by the hair, lifting it high.
"There. I let her go for you."
Victor’s body trembled with rage.
"YOU MONSTER!" he roared, unsheathing his massive greatsword.
Seraphis let the head drop, unfazed. "Shall we begin?"
A Battle of Shadows and Steel
Victor lunged forward, his blade cutting through the air like a guillotine. Seraphis sidestepped effortlessly, her own daggers flicking outward in response.
Steel met steel in a deadly clash, sparks flying as the two assassins moved in a lethal dance of death.
Victor swung again, his strength immense, but Seraphis was faster.
She weaved between his strikes, landing precise slashes along his arms and torso.
But Victor was no amateur.
He anticipated her next move, suddenly twisting his blade at an angle that forced her into a defensive retreat.
Then—
A blast of dark magic erupted from his palm, aiming straight for her chest.
Seraphis barely dodged in time, flipping backward as the attack shattered the ground where she once stood.
Victor smirked. "You’re quick, but let’s see how quick you are with a broken leg!"
He sent another blast, this time faster.
It clipped her thigh, sending a sharp jolt of pain up her body.
Seraphis gritted her teeth. "Annoying."
She whistled.
From the shadows, three more figures emerged—Theia, Elowen, and Sylvaine.
Victor’s smirk faded.
"You didn’t think I came alone, did you?" Seraphis taunted.
Victor cursed under his breath. He was outnumbered.
But he wasn’t going down without a fight.
He roared, his greatsword enveloped in a dark, pulsing aura. "Come then! Face your deaths!"
The assassins moved in unison.
Elowen struck first, her daggers slicing across his ribs.
Sylvaine followed, sending a barrage of throwing knives toward his exposed neck.
Victor blocked with his sword, but Seraphis had already maneuvered behind him.
"Checkmate."
Her dagger sank deep into his spine.
Victor stiffened, his body freezing in place.
He tried to move—but couldn’t.
Theia delivered the final blow.
With one swift motion, she sliced clean across his neck.
Victor’s head separated from his body, hitting the ground with a sickening thud.
His body followed a moment later, blood pooling beneath him.
A Message to the Ivory Tower
Seraphis wiped the blood from her blade.
She turned to the others. "Gather the heads."
Elowen and Sylvaine obeyed, lifting both Victor and Marissa’s severed heads and placing them into a dimensional bag.
Theia crossed her arms. "Where do we send them?"
Seraphis smirked. "Straight to the Ivory Tower."
Theia chuckled darkly. "And what message shall we write this time?"
Seraphis gazed at Victor’s lifeless eyes before replying:
"We’re just getting started."
And with that, the assassins vanished into the night, leaving behind only the scent of blood and vengeance.