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The city was yet dressed in the darkness of the late night when the dozen left the inn. Dawn was fast approaching, and muggers were hiding in the holes they spent the light hours. Not that it mattered, for any who would dare jump on a group like theirs was probably dead by then. The awkward profile of a drunk sleeping against a column, like a newborn creeping vine sprouting invisible flowers smelling of booze, was the only person in their way.

A plan had been set up. A simple one, more like a sketch of a plan. Not that the team she had been assigned to needed more. Kick the front door and start dropping bodies as loudly as possible, so more bodies notice and join the dropping, leaving the path clear for the stealthy ones to get to the vault —or wherever— and get the Scriptures, and then probably get the nine hells out of there. And anyways, Baster was itching to get into the action, so she didn’t thought to complain.

Dawn surprised them on the road to the palace. It wasn’t dark anymore, yet a dense blanket of wet mist had descended upon them, leaving them blind. A good thing, if they hoped to approach the palace unnoticed.

You reckon they’ll have lookouts outside? she asked the burly brother and the lithe woman.

The oldest brother steps in strides, pushing forward so fast, he is obviously anxious as well to get in to action. Breathing deeply the damp cold morning breeze that raises from the shore at your right, his face lightens up as soon as each step gets you closer to the palace.

- They might - answers plainly 

Then he turns his head towards Baster and his eyebrows raises questioning.

- Do you want to start the action there? or would you like to sneak in through the outer fences? It wouldn't be so hard, there is no wall surrounding the area, just a simple fence and some outposts. Then we could start making noise in front of the main façade. -

He unfolds again the plans of the palace and outlines an invisible circle some yards away from the main building to indicate the extension of the outer fence. It really looks like it is there just for delimiting the extension of the property rather than for defensive purposes. Then he places his finger in front of the main gate between the two wings to show the second option.

The castle can already be seen in the distance and the night is already gone, first lights breaking the horizon. Baster's worries are reasonable. Yeah, there probably are some lookouts. They must know someone is gonna go there at some point to get the scriptures back.. That's why when I hear the old man's son other option I can't help but agree with it. 

- Yeah. That sounds good to me. Sneaking in, I mean. That way, we'll have the element of surprise. Maybe we can take down some of the men- assuming there wouldn't be many female guards.- before the rest even realize we are here. 

I keep on walking towards the castle, following...what was his name?...Erard. 

Baster shrugged. It wasn’t necessary. The point of it all was actually making noise so the rest could get in safely and unnoticed. But she saw how having a side of the battlefield for themselves, and enemies coming just from the other side, would be useful.

I don’t care, she replied. We should be careful, though, that we get their attention before your sister, the bard and that other girl.

Something else came to her mind. She had accepted the job and she was going to fight beside the elder brother and the woman with the swords, but she hadn't seen any of them in action.

So... how good are you two in a fight? she asked.

The oldest brother looks at Baster through the corner of his eye showing a confident smile. Then, he produces a massive one-handed battle axe from a harness at his back concealed by his cloak. Just by the look of the blood thirsty weapon you feel this man has seen more battles than you thought at a first glance.

- I can handle myself - answers with a blink.

Sneaking in through the outer fences surrounding the immense extensions of the palace gardens wasn’t hardly as difficult as you would have imagined. There were only some spare outposts scattered through the perimeter, and none of them seemed to be manned. Not really a surprise though. By the look of it, it is clear the outer fence is not a very smart strategic defense post, so probably the enemy has prepared the defenses and fortifications closer to the palace.

Still, you decide to move quickly and silently through the yards, orchards and gardens that comprise the extension between the fence and the marvelous building that suddenly shows up just in front of you after climbing a slow mound.

The Palace is astonishingly beautiful. Not by its dimensions, since its size is not impressive, but by the polishness of its white walls. Refracting light from the sun makes it shine like a lone star in a moonless night. The walls are made, or covered, with something pretending to be white jade… or perhaps they are made of white jade. In any case, you can’t prevent a drop of jaw of pure awe as you see the beauty in front of you.

But presently you start focusing in your mission. You are approaching the palace from the North. There, patrolling and guarding the façade facing you, four mercenaries, two swordsmen and two spearmen, stand vigilant patrolling the entrance.

- Good enough- I answer the woman as I draw my twin swords and follow the man. He seems to be quite skilled or at least quite confident in his skills. I nod my head. Maybe it was good to have him on our team instead of any of the other heir. 

As we sneak into the palace I can't help focusing on its walls. Amazinly brightful. I wonder if it's actually made of jade...They must have spent a fortune making it, I thin to myself as I realize I wouldn't mind living in a place like that. It might be too shiny. Not a good thing if you don't want to attract attention. 

When I focus on the façade I notice there are a few spearmen and swordmen there. Play time. I look at my two companions.

- Ok. What do we do now?- I ask and then state my idea.- We could get a bit closer so that we can throw a couple of knives to the spearmen preventing them from using their spears and then fight the others. What do you reckon?

Two swords, not a style she cherished, but fit for a slighter woman, she guessed. Erard’s axe, on the other hand, looked almost like a weapon fit for a goddamn hero.

Quite an axe, Baster nodded appreciatively. I reckon it may win some battles even afore they’re waged.

By the look of its blade, it might cut through good steel, turning armor and even shield into a disadvantage. The same could be said of her ogre cleaver, but the crude weapon, being both heavy and unwieldy, made combat too dangerous to rely on it with everyday opponents.

Everyday opponents like the guards that were patrolling the palace. And quite a sight it was, sparkling white, like polished alabaster, though its name suggested it was made of some rare snowy jade.

As they were waiting from a safe distance, Ilesys suggested taking them from afar. She could put a javelin through a wooden board or shoot a large longbow. She carried none of those, for her aim wasn’t any good, and she had to clench her eyes so hard just to clear her sight that they hurt like hell after a few tries.

Can’t say I’m a good shot. Blurry far sight, she explained, pulling the eyelid of her right eye, although nothing there evidenced anything wrong with it, family thing. If you can take all four of them at a distance, it’s good. If you can´t, get their attention and I, or we, in case Erard here isn’t fond of ranged combat either, will round them and drop the survivors before they can raise alarm.

- Ok, Let's do that, then.- I say, putting my two swords back in place and taking out a couple of throwing knives. I aim with one of the knives to the closest spearman's throat and throw it. I fail, but I don't dispair. Then, taking the second knife, I do the same aiming at the spearman left. I fail again and, this time, I'm starting to get annoyed. 

Turning towards the two men, I say sarcastically.- Maybe we should just get into close combat. Apparently I've lost all my skills. 

Suddenly I realize that both my knives have actually hit the target, though none of them have managed to inflict a wound. I draw two more knives and give it another try. 

- If these don't work, we'll have to get closer.- I tell Baster and the old man's son. 

Again, I aim at the spearmen's throats. Both knives hit the target, but this time the second one wounds the spearman. My face shows a wicked smile. He's gonna have trouble using that spear of his. 

Two knives plow through the sky from Ilesys's hands towards the standing figures of the spearmen guards. The aim is precise, and the killing daggers hit the targets. However, they bounce their bodies amidst layers of clothes and armor inflicting no wound to the guards.

But the impact of the flying objects presently alert the spearmen and their companions that they are under attack. It doesn't take them long to figure out where did the knives came from and to find their assailants. 

Like well trained fighters, their drill entitles them to immediate combat, and as a single man, the two spearmen and one of the swordsman advance towards your position. 

The third swordsman runs towards a nearby alarm bell with the intention of ringing the alarm and alert everyone that the palace is under attack.

The trio waited till the four guards stopped together to chat for a moment. While Ilesys took her throwing knives, the old son and Baster got out of sight of the quartet, hiding behind some rose bushes, sword and shield in her hands, ready to close the distance and pounce on them before they even noticed what had befallen unto them.

She was skeptic about the effect those tiny things would have on armored guards, at least from that distance, yet she saw one of the guards drop before the volley of knives the other woman had thrown.

Waiting not a moment longer, she jumped over the bushes and closed to the group of guards with long strides, turning at the last moment to pursue the one who was running to the mansion instead of the attacker.

She got to the swordsman before he could sound the alarm, hacking at him with abandon. Somehow, though, the guard managed to fend all of her attempts. Baster fell to the side to let Erard close in with his axe.

The plan is in place, and action is in motion.

Ilesys smiles wickedly at the sight of the enemies approaching her. Slightly closing her eyelids, she unsheathes her twin swords and jumps forward running to the encounter with the three approaching enemies.

Meanwhile, Baster and Erard charge presently towards the lonely swordsman who was to ring the alarm.

Baster swings her big sword possessed by the frenzy of battle. Several quick moves engulf the lonely foe. However, eager on anticipation, Baster has produced her fury to quickly, and too far from her target. Only one of the cuts reach the guard, but barely touching him and scratching his chest armor.

Erard however lets himself get a little closer to your foe. A couple of steps no more. Enough for his massive axe to reach precisely the poor fool's head. With a shocking blow, the impressive weapon sinks in the swordsman helmet, bone and brains, killing him instantly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Erard smashing one of the guard's head. I smile broadly as I keep running towards the other three, swords in my hands and mind ready to fight. I can feel the adrenaline running through my veins and I suddenly forget what the aim of coming here was, as concentrated as I am in the combat. 

Before the foes even notice it, both her swords are falling over them, hitting the target and managing to inflict three deep wounds. Got you!, I think, preparing to defend myself in case the foe tries to hit back. 

Ilesys thrust forward like a whirlwind of blades, her curved swords cutting flesh and armor as an invisible whip smashing her foes in a myriad of swings.

In a blink, the three opponents lay in the floor, dead upon a pool of blood.

Standing past them, Ilesys smiles wickedly at the astonish look Erard faces her after such a deadly performance.

There is no more time to rest or celebrate the triumph tough, as a shadow that moves on the upper floor and can be seen through the windows reaches a strange device standing on the room at the second floor.

Presently, a loud noise burst out. A magic alarm that sounds like a score of trumpets and that surely has been heard in the entire palace.

The distraction, your plan, has been definitely a success.

But now you stand in front of the main door of the palace surrounded by four dead guards.

Erard gets in motion immediately.

- Should we get in? - he asks you two while pointing the main door with his thumb.

By the time Baster turned, there were no more guards to engage. The other woman had slaughtered the porr sods in mere seconds.

She wasn't that fond of fighting people, but she couldn't deny the rush of blood the came to her as the song of many invisible trumpets filled the air. Someone had seen them from the inside. It was what they wanted, but not how they wanted to do it. Maybe the guards would even bring the big guys with them.

Indeed, she nodded at Erard, and started for the main doors.

I stand there, three dead bodies at my feet, my eyes looking to the façade of the castle in front of me. I pull a red hair lock, which was blocking my eyesight, out. I can hear my heart beat, quick due to the adrenaline and the short fight. A wicked smile in my face, I stare at the look on Erards face, amused by it. Did you think being a woman meant not knowing how to do well in a fight? 

Suddenly, I catch a movement from the corner of my eye. Someone's moving behind one of the windows. The plan worked. Just a couple of seconds after I turn to stare at the window, the sound comes. We got their attention but we cannot let them get to the rest of the group. Either they come to us or we chase them. 

- Yeah, we should.- I agree to Erard's suggestion.- I'll catch you up.- I add, kneeling to examine the three dead bodies in search of some coins, and taking any small knives (if any) I can carry with me. 

Then, I follow my two mates inside. 

- So be it - says Erard nodding with his head before pushing the door with his shoulder to help it open while holding his axe on the ready with his free hand.

Meanwhile, before stepping in, Ilesys remains a little bit behind looting the dead bodies of the unfortunate guards who dared opposing her¹.

Under the decorated door frame, Baster and the oldest brother make their way to an exquisite receiving hall. It so far empty, but you are certain it won't take long before whoever lays inside comes to your encounter².