Hayashi was a whisper in the forest. Silence had never been so complete and absolute, as it was when he ran across the dead leaves and fallen twigs. His target was blissfully unaware of his impending doom; the guards hired knew nothing of the assassin's approach. The merchant sat in his carriage without a care in the world, eagerly counting the coins he'd acquired from his latest "transaction' again and again. Greed was a sin, punishment had to come in some form. Hayashi was that punishment.
It was without warning, that the carriage stopped, the road barred by fallen trees, thick and healthy, seemingly in their prime. There were no cuts, when the guards inspected them; they saw that the trees were literally bent downward over the road.
"What in the?"" asked one card, baffled by the sight.
"Do you think-" the other was cut off, his words dying into a gurgle as his throat opened with a clean line that spouted a torrent of blood. He fell to his knees, hands at his throat in a desperate attempt at staunching the flow of blood. Within moments, the guard was dead, slumped over in a lifeless heap.
The other guard had drawn his broad sword, twisting on the spot to scan the outer tree line, where he suspected an attack to come from.
To his surprise, the attack did in fact come from the tree line, but there was no one present, or at least visible. Leaves flew down from the branches, slicing through the air with wicked speed. The man soon had long, thin cuts all along his arms and face, his sword flailing wildly in an attempt to defend himself. His meager attempts came to a sudden halt as a blade sliced through his spine and cracked out past his ribcage, extending out of his chest.
The quick spray of blood started the horses, both of which soon began to jump and whinny in unease, slowly drifting into a panic. As Hayashi wrenched his blade free, he walked toward the horses, quickly freeing them from the carriage. Words of encouragement were whispered to the wind and the beasts soon galloped off.
He could hear the merchant whimpering in frightened confusion in the carriage. His lips curled, disgust palpable on his pale face. A hand lifted, grasping the handle of the door to tug it forcefully. Locked. His eyes rolled at the futile last attempt to protect the merchant. His blade flashed, slicing through the wood to cut the lock, and again Hayashi tugged at the door, opening it soundlessly.
The merchant let out a scream of fear as the blade cut through the wood and quickly rose from his seat to barrel out the door on the opposite side of the carriage. Much to his dismay, Hayashi was over there already and all his running did was secure his death. His reaction was too late, he impaled himself onto the assassin's outstretched blade, his grip loosening on the box of coins.
Hayashi reached out, easing the box from the merchant's hands while wrenching the blade forcefully. Jerking it free, he let the man drop and walked down the road toward the bent over trees. They lifted, making a path for him and he continued down the road, back toward home to report a mission success.
It was without warning, that the carriage stopped, the road barred by fallen trees, thick and healthy, seemingly in their prime. There were no cuts, when the guards inspected them; they saw that the trees were literally bent downward over the road.
"What in the?"" asked one card, baffled by the sight.
"Do you think-" the other was cut off, his words dying into a gurgle as his throat opened with a clean line that spouted a torrent of blood. He fell to his knees, hands at his throat in a desperate attempt at staunching the flow of blood. Within moments, the guard was dead, slumped over in a lifeless heap.
The other guard had drawn his broad sword, twisting on the spot to scan the outer tree line, where he suspected an attack to come from.
To his surprise, the attack did in fact come from the tree line, but there was no one present, or at least visible. Leaves flew down from the branches, slicing through the air with wicked speed. The man soon had long, thin cuts all along his arms and face, his sword flailing wildly in an attempt to defend himself. His meager attempts came to a sudden halt as a blade sliced through his spine and cracked out past his ribcage, extending out of his chest.
The quick spray of blood started the horses, both of which soon began to jump and whinny in unease, slowly drifting into a panic. As Hayashi wrenched his blade free, he walked toward the horses, quickly freeing them from the carriage. Words of encouragement were whispered to the wind and the beasts soon galloped off.
He could hear the merchant whimpering in frightened confusion in the carriage. His lips curled, disgust palpable on his pale face. A hand lifted, grasping the handle of the door to tug it forcefully. Locked. His eyes rolled at the futile last attempt to protect the merchant. His blade flashed, slicing through the wood to cut the lock, and again Hayashi tugged at the door, opening it soundlessly.
The merchant let out a scream of fear as the blade cut through the wood and quickly rose from his seat to barrel out the door on the opposite side of the carriage. Much to his dismay, Hayashi was over there already and all his running did was secure his death. His reaction was too late, he impaled himself onto the assassin's outstretched blade, his grip loosening on the box of coins.
Hayashi reached out, easing the box from the merchant's hands while wrenching the blade forcefully. Jerking it free, he let the man drop and walked down the road toward the bent over trees. They lifted, making a path for him and he continued down the road, back toward home to report a mission success.