Ebony: A New Family
Round 1: Action!
New Cairo, Egypt.
June 12, 2153
Hildegard and Delilah walked on either side of their teacher and master, Lady Bedlam. The Assassins were ever vigilant, keeping an eye out for any potential threat to Bedlam. All the while, however, Bedlam seemed to be simply enjoying her time in the open air of the summer sun in Neo Cairo. She walked with a grace and poise that made Hildegard feel like she was being led by a queen.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" asked Delilah. "I mean, I know we're on a mission and all, but...you seem to be happy."
Hildegard shot Delilah a stern glance; the young sixteen year old assassin saw Delilah's question as unwarranted and disrespectful, but Bedlam simply giggled with a light smile. "I grew up here," she said happily. Hildegard's hateful glare was replaced with surprise as her head turned to face her master. Bedlam noticed her pupil's attention and nodded. "It's true, Hildegard. Don't look so shocked. Even a killer like me needs a place to call home."
Hildegard stammered as she said, "I...apologize, Lady Bedlam. I always assumed you'd grown up within the Secret Sanctuary. How...how else would you have become the leader of the Guild at the age that you did?"
Delilah chuckled. "Poor Hildie...such a diligent student, and yet she failed to learn such trivial knowledge about her own master."
Bedlam shook her head. "I was born here in New Cairo, Hildegard. I lived with my father until he died when I was nine. After that, I had no one. My predecessor, the former leader I mean, found me barely surviving. He took me in...made me the weapon I am today. And I am grateful for the gift he gave me." She stopped and looked down a nearby alley, having seen movement. "Hrm." She turned and began to stride confidently down the alley.
"L-Lady Bedlam!" Hildegard cried as she followed behind. Delilah simply smirked and crossed her arms as she casually followed from the rear.
Bedlam stopped before a lone, small figure sitting on the stone paving of the alleyway; it was a little girl. Her feet were bare and dirty, her clothes were naught but torn rags hastily stitched together, and around her eyes was a dirty blindfold. The girl's head tilted up to the direction of Bedlam's footsteps, and she tilted her head to listen closely. "Is...someone there?" she asked pitifully.
Bedlam stopped and knelt down before the girl. "Hello, dear," she said warmly. "Can you see me?"
The child was frightened, but shook her head. "No. I was born blind."
"I'm sorry to hear that. It must be hard for you."
The girl nodded. "Yes, it is."
Bedlam smiled. "Well, then, what brings you out here all alone?"
"I...live here."
Hildegard leaned forward. "Lady Bedlam...we have a mission to finish. Must we spare time with this blind child?"
Bedlam nodded. "Yes, we must," she replied, and Hildegard was shocked by the answer. "What is your name, dear?"
"Ebony," the little girl replied.
Bedlam reached out and grasped the child's hand, squeezing it gently. "I would like to offer you the same gift...that someone once offered me."
February 12, 2154 Secret Sanctuary; home base of the Assassin's Guild Ebony, now ten years old, walked alongside Bedlam through the halls of the Assassin's Guild. She wore polished black shoes, freshly pressed black trousers, a sleeveless white dress shirt, and a red necktie. Her blindfold was clean, and a solid black fabric around her eyes. "Delilah tells me you've done very well with your sensory training, Ebony," Bedlam stated plainly. "She says your sense of hearing is far superior to that of a normal human now." "Thank you, Lady Bedlam." "And Delilah has taught you how to fight without sight. She says you're very skilled with a blade, and that you've learned some basic unarmed combat." "I've done my best given the circumstances, Lady Bedlam. But...Delilah still beats me." "I certainly hope so. She's one of my best," Bedlam said with a laugh. "I am curious, though...how do you wish to fight?" "Ma'am?" "Delilah says you've been practicing with every weapon we have to train with, but haven't stuck to a single one yet. We do not allow for such diversity in our assassins, Ebony. We operate solely on specialized combat; I would rather send in an agent who is perfect with one weapon than passable with all weapons. How do you wish to fight?" Ebony stopped walking to think for a moment, catching Bedlam off guard for a moment before she too came to a stop to await the young girl's answer. "Like you, Lady Bedlam. With a scythe." Bedlam was amazed to hear the statement. "My, my, my," she said with a slight smile. "A scythe, you say? Not a standard weapon. Only a handful of assassins within the history of our great guild have ever even touched that sort of weapon, let alone master it." "I would like to be one of them, Lady Bedlam." "Well, then, Ebony, you shall be. Unfortunately, Delilah can not be your instructor. Only I am currently a master of such a weapon...so I suppose it shall fall to me to be your instructor. But take heed, my dear Ebony...I am NOT a forgiving teacher." "I know, Lady Bedlam. I will do my best."
August 5, 2155 Highland City Archon Ebony, now eleven years old, crept along the rooftops of the city Archon, capital city of the Witches of Archon. Her black hair wafted gently in the wind, her dress shoes, pants, and shirt well pressed as she adjusted her red necktie before tightening her black blindfold, ensuring she wouldn't lose it in the action. A crackle came through her earpiece before a familiar voice chimed in, saying, "I have eyes on the target. Ebony, be ready to move on him." It was Delilah; she'd volunteered to shadow Ebony on her first assassination to give her support if needed. "Roger that," Ebony replied. She stepped forward from the rooftop she had been hiding behind and made her way across the archway of the city. She moved silently, careful not to make any sound. The city was a bustle of activity, with people walking about, some stopping to talk to each other, others continuing on. An elderly man stepped out onto his balcony just below Ebony; her target, a high ranking member of the Archon council. Someone wanted him dead, and Ebony was set loose upon him to make the grade and become a full fledged assassin. Ebony crept up to the edge of the building and peered over, her heart beating rapidly. The man was on his balcony, smoking a cigar, looking out at the city. He hadn't heard her approach. Ebony listened, and smelled, and felt the ground beneath her feet; he was alone. Delilah chimed in, saying, "Now's your chance, Ebony." Ebony nodded. She dropped down from the roof and onto the balcony; she made nary a sound. As she closed the distance between them, the man turned, startled by the sudden presence of another person in his home. Ebony reached him quickly, grabbing him by the throat and pressing the blade of her scythe to his neck. "Poor timing," she whispered in his ear. "I was going to make this quick and painless for you...you'd have never seen me, or even felt me. I am sorry to have failed in that." Silently, she sliced his throat with the sharp of her scythe, holding his mouth closed the whole while to cover up any potential scream he may let out. His voice was muffled as he bled, and she gently laid him to rest on the floor as he began to fade. Delilah chimed in again. "Well done, Ebony. You've done well. I'll see you soon." "Yes, ma'am," Ebony replied. She'd completed her first assassination without incident. "Could have been cleaner," she said, criticizing herself. "It's your first," Delilah said with a slight chuckle. "Things never go right for your first. You did better than you think, Ebony." Ebony nodded, accepting that she had done well, but not being satisfied with it. "Don't be too hard on yourself," Delilah continued. "You did great."
February 12, 2154 Secret Sanctuary; home base of the Assassin's Guild Ebony, now ten years old, walked alongside Bedlam through the halls of the Assassin's Guild. She wore polished black shoes, freshly pressed black trousers, a sleeveless white dress shirt, and a red necktie. Her blindfold was clean, and a solid black fabric around her eyes. "Delilah tells me you've done very well with your sensory training, Ebony," Bedlam stated plainly. "She says your sense of hearing is far superior to that of a normal human now." "Thank you, Lady Bedlam." "And Delilah has taught you how to fight without sight. She says you're very skilled with a blade, and that you've learned some basic unarmed combat." "I've done my best given the circumstances, Lady Bedlam. But...Delilah still beats me." "I certainly hope so. She's one of my best," Bedlam said with a laugh. "I am curious, though...how do you wish to fight?" "Ma'am?" "Delilah says you've been practicing with every weapon we have to train with, but haven't stuck to a single one yet. We do not allow for such diversity in our assassins, Ebony. We operate solely on specialized combat; I would rather send in an agent who is perfect with one weapon than passable with all weapons. How do you wish to fight?" Ebony stopped walking to think for a moment, catching Bedlam off guard for a moment before she too came to a stop to await the young girl's answer. "Like you, Lady Bedlam. With a scythe." Bedlam was amazed to hear the statement. "My, my, my," she said with a slight smile. "A scythe, you say? Not a standard weapon. Only a handful of assassins within the history of our great guild have ever even touched that sort of weapon, let alone master it." "I would like to be one of them, Lady Bedlam." "Well, then, Ebony, you shall be. Unfortunately, Delilah can not be your instructor. Only I am currently a master of such a weapon...so I suppose it shall fall to me to be your instructor. But take heed, my dear Ebony...I am NOT a forgiving teacher." "I know, Lady Bedlam. I will do my best."
August 5, 2155 Highland City Archon Ebony, now eleven years old, crept along the rooftops of the city Archon, capital city of the Witches of Archon. Her black hair wafted gently in the wind, her dress shoes, pants, and shirt well pressed as she adjusted her red necktie before tightening her black blindfold, ensuring she wouldn't lose it in the action. A crackle came through her earpiece before a familiar voice chimed in, saying, "I have eyes on the target. Ebony, be ready to move on him." It was Delilah; she'd volunteered to shadow Ebony on her first assassination to give her support if needed. "Roger that," Ebony replied. She stepped forward from the rooftop she had been hiding behind and made her way across the archway of the city. She moved silently, careful not to make any sound. The city was a bustle of activity, with people walking about, some stopping to talk to each other, others continuing on. An elderly man stepped out onto his balcony just below Ebony; her target, a high ranking member of the Archon council. Someone wanted him dead, and Ebony was set loose upon him to make the grade and become a full fledged assassin. Ebony crept up to the edge of the building and peered over, her heart beating rapidly. The man was on his balcony, smoking a cigar, looking out at the city. He hadn't heard her approach. Ebony listened, and smelled, and felt the ground beneath her feet; he was alone. Delilah chimed in, saying, "Now's your chance, Ebony." Ebony nodded. She dropped down from the roof and onto the balcony; she made nary a sound. As she closed the distance between them, the man turned, startled by the sudden presence of another person in his home. Ebony reached him quickly, grabbing him by the throat and pressing the blade of her scythe to his neck. "Poor timing," she whispered in his ear. "I was going to make this quick and painless for you...you'd have never seen me, or even felt me. I am sorry to have failed in that." Silently, she sliced his throat with the sharp of her scythe, holding his mouth closed the whole while to cover up any potential scream he may let out. His voice was muffled as he bled, and she gently laid him to rest on the floor as he began to fade. Delilah chimed in again. "Well done, Ebony. You've done well. I'll see you soon." "Yes, ma'am," Ebony replied. She'd completed her first assassination without incident. "Could have been cleaner," she said, criticizing herself. "It's your first," Delilah said with a slight chuckle. "Things never go right for your first. You did better than you think, Ebony." Ebony nodded, accepting that she had done well, but not being satisfied with it. "Don't be too hard on yourself," Delilah continued. "You did great."
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