Non-Canon Memory Closed Kill

[Kage]

[Dated Thousands of years ago. Non Canon Thread]

Kage lifted his dagger and crept along the edge of the treeline that surrounded a clearing. His steps were not so quiet, but he was far too absorbed in looking for his target than he was to think about how quiet he was being. It was the consequence of not being all that good at his job – yet. He walked slowly and deliberately even though he knew that he was running out of time. His target needed to die by sun up or else he would surely be chastised by his superiors.

He paused when he finally saw someone rummaging about. It could have been someone who'd woken up early, or maybe they had heard him. Either way, he wanted them dead. He ran at them with his dagger held close to his chest. He leapt when he got with a few yards of them and shifted his grip so that the tip of the dagger would be aimed right at his quarry. He could see the kill in his mind, anticipated how it would look when they collapsed on the ground.

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[Shadow]

The camp was silent, the only noise being the sizzle of the almost extinguishing fire in the background as the sun rose. All of the inhabitants of the camp were still asleep, huddled under worn-out pieces of cloth, or embracing the tree trunks, hoping to get a few more minutes of rest before they had to start working.

But one figure was already awake, and was stalking silently through the clearing. This man, a middle-aged man, rugged, and very careful was going about his business of collecting firewood to kindle the fire before the others woke up. His senses as a result of years of monotonous work were not acute enough to hear Kage approaching.

The man looked shocked when Kage lunged at him and his hands immediately released the small bundle of sticks he was holding. He moved back half a step, the urge to run kicking in a little too late. The knife shone dimly in the early morning light and was headed straight for his heart, and the old man choked back a cry, knowing that there was no chance to shout, no chance to flee.

Unfortunately, the attack was not as well developed and all focused as it could of been due to the fact of eagerness as well as desperation from Kage. The man was not stabbed through the chest, but the blade ran along his ribs and he fell back, groaning. Blood oozed out and dyed his tunic, but he didn't fall down like Kage expected him to. But the old man tried to make only several steps, his voice was hardly audible and trembled when he shouted, "Help!" Someone's here!"

The shout rang out and woke up the sleeping occupants of the camp. Muttering of sleep was replaced by whistles of surprise as the heads of people rose to identify the interloper. Some men jumped up from the bed, their hands going to knives and sticks, pieces of metal and sticks they had managed to scrounge together. Some just sat stunned, watching the spectacle of the old man holding his wounded side, trying to comprehend.

A young woman, not more than twenty-five years of age, struggled to her feet and went over to the old man. "What happened?" she asked hesitantly, her voice going up high as she noticed blood. "Who did this?"

Through the crowd of men across the clearing, a hulking man shouldered his way through the crowd, his gaze darkening when he set eyes on Kage who was still holding the knife. "You! Hold it right there!" he shouted, waving a club in his hand. He looked at the others, some of whom were getting up from the chairs, their eyes heavy but open.

Some of them looked at each other shifting from one leg to the other wondering if it was safe to confront this man. Some, encouraged by what they saw of the injured man, regained their fighting spirit.

 

[Kage]

Kage, or rather Kage in the guise of a woman, closed her eyes for a moment to collect herself. When she opened them, she saw someone before her. It was someone she had never seen before, meaning she wasn't supposed to kill this one, but alas she had a knife in her hand and she knew that it was probably a matter of time before she put it to good use.

"Hi," she said with a devilish grin. "Don't suppose you'd mind standing still?"

She knew that fighting and causing more of a commotion was the last thing she ought to be doing, but she needed practice, and going around killing people was the only way that one could get good at it.

She rushed forward and tried to slash the target in front of her with a horizontal sweep of the blade. She was not skilled in using a dagger, but this was all meant to be practice.

 

[Shadow]

The woman's eyes popped open when she saw the dagger flying in the air, but she was quick in her movements. Without pause she lowered into a defensive position bending her knees so as to avoid the blade from slicing her throat. The swipe just brushed past her, going over her head and she could feel the wind as it passed where her head was moments ago.

Without thinking, she leaned with her hands on the ground and swung her body around using her leg in a circular motion. She kicked out at Kage's ankles, and her foot hit him squarely in the back of the legs, toppling him over. The move was fast and calculated, meant to off-balance and knock out her opponent, to the ground.

The moment she saw Kage stumble she quickly got up from the floor her body stiff and alert for the next move. She wasn't a fighter, but she had picked up some moves that would help her to defend herself in case of an attack. She had to be ready; if this was an ambush, then she must be ready to know where the next punch would be coming from.

Panting softly, she moved back a little out of Kage's reach. The meeting made her feel nervous but she was not going to be afraid. She had been here for too long learning how to live, and she was not stupid enough to face her back to a danger.

"Whoever you are," she whispered to herself, "you made the wrong decision choosing this camp to bother."

 

[Kage]

Kage's female frame was knocked backwards and onto her back. It was humiliating to be bested in combat by someone like this. Still, she had a job to do, and that job required her target to die. She had other powers at her disposal, but it was prudent that she win without using those, lest she give away who she really was. It would not do good for this woman or any potential onlookers to know her true power.

So, when her back hit the ground, she let out a yelp of pain and quickly rolled over onto her side. She propped herself up with her dagger swiping through the air to prevent some sort of follow-up attack. None seemed to come—at least her opponent had the decency to give her a moment to breathe.

She rolled sideways and onto her feet, then eyed her opponent. Oh, how she wished she could use magic to slaughter her. Ah well, her dagger would have to do. She took a step forward and feinted a throw, then took another step. This time she threw the dagger as hard as she could, aiming for the center of mass. Her aim was probably off, but it was the best she could do.

 

[Shadow]

The woman did not back down and she stared at Kage as she tried to anticipate the next step. When Kage faked the throw, she jerked back but realized immediately that it was a bluff. Her lips clamped into a thin line and she shifted her body weight, preparing to avoid the next move.

The real throw came a second after, and the dagger spun through the air, shining faintly in the moonlight. It was targeting her chest region but the woman had seen it coming. She moved to the back foot and turned her whole body to the side as the blade sliced through the air and barely missed her. It landed softly on the ground behind her with a thud.

She did not let the chance slip. As soon as the knife flew from Kage's hand, she began to shift her body. In the shortest time possible she advanced towards Kage determinedly while still holding a measure of apprehension on her face. Now Kage had no weapon to hold over her head and that was something which she was going to take full advantage of.

When she got close she attempted to grab Kage's wrist in order to turn his arm and pin him on the ground. She moved like a woman who had been attacked before and had learned to fend off her attackers. She was not going to take any chances; she had to regain the situation and that was not going to happen anytime soon. The faster she could restrain this would-be assassin the better.

 

[Kage]

Kage growled when he was overpowered by the woman. He couldn't believe he was this outmatched by some random person he'd come across. He felt so… inferior. He hated it, but he could do little in this scenario. He ended up with a broken wrist, a consequence of pulling himself away after being brought onto the ground. He cared little for the wrist – it could heal with rest and magic.

Their location was a clearing in a large forest. The trees around looked straight out of a storybook with ridiculous colors and proportions. They acted like a wall to prevent anyone from escaping. This was like an arena for a fight to the death. Kage breathed in deeply, trying to find the courage to do what was necessary. He had to fight if he ever wanted to prove himself.

He held out a hand and flicked his finger up to point at the newcomer. "So, you're my opponent," he muttered under his breath. "So be it, let's see what you can do."

He looked out towards the distance and thought about running. He hated that it was his first thought when he realized he was outmatched. Where was his pride? He gritted his teeth and turned back towards the woman with hate filling his eyes.

"Now stand still! I'm trying to kill you, isn't that obvious?" he spat out. He had no weapon now, but he still had a job to do. He threw himself back at the woman with his fists clenched into tight balls. He would throw a few jabs and then try for a right hook.

 

[Shadow]

The woman just smirked as Kage ran towards her and started punching her. She had already demonstrated that she knows how to best him, and she was in no circumstances going to relinquish that edge. He was very fast and his punches were very swift but she was also very fast and seemed to know what he was going to do next. Every punch thrown was an attempt that was dodged as she moved her body just out of the way of the erratic blows.

"Not a chance," she said sarcastically. Her attention was fully directed at him, her gaze was predatory, waiting for him to blink, or show vulnerability. She bent low to avoid the last wild punch of the man and his fist went sailing past her and landed in thin air.

The moment she saw him off-balance she struck. In one quick motion she stepped into his range and grabbed his wrist with her free hand. A sudden turn and a jerk and she was attempting to drag him off his feet to make him fall forward. She moved gracefully, it was as if she had been doing it for years.

She didn't say another word but the mocking grin on her face was still intact. She was challenging him in some way, as if she wanted to see if he could ever get the better of her in any way. She was standing loosely with her arms at her sides, but her gaze was steely and unemotional, ruthless.

 

[Kage]

Kage didn't know why, but his mind was going wild. He just wanted to kill, kill, kill. It was frustrating to not be entirely in control of his mental faculties, but he just knew that if he killed, he would feel better. That's why when he took a deep breath and opened his eyes, he was pleased to see the woman in front of him.

Despite how things had gone in the recent past, he felt that he actually had a chance against this strangely powerful woman. He said, "I think we got off to a bad start before, but how about we settle this once and for all?"

Kage yelled, and his hands started to grow wood. Within moments, a flurry of twelve sharp spikes extended from his hands. He strafed as he let the branches grow, and when he ran out of steam he switched to extending another couple sharp stakes from his fingertips that he hoped would cut the expression clean off the woman's face. Kage pictured how the woman would look without a face. Ugly, probably.

He had held back so far, but now he would not – he was here to go all out or go cry home to mommy.

 

[Shadow]

The woman chuckled as Kage fought; her expression was a little amused, a little bored, and her eyes never left him as his hands change into wood and grew spikes at the tips – pointy and deadly. He rushed at her with anger and the wooden spikes raised to stab and cut.

But before his attack could reach out and hit her, she disappeared, teleported away at the exact moment his strikes were almost upon her. She returned several steps to his right and then was gone again, blinking to his left and avoiding every strike with grace. Her actions were smooth, and even provocative, and every time she closed her eyes, it was a small indication of how slippery she could be.

When Kage was almost out of breath from his efforts, she moved back just enough to have her smirking face even more prominent. She waved her hand and suddenly a glowing portal appeared behind her with flashy motioning interdimensional mark. "Well then", she smirked, "let's get to it. Come along if you feel you are a man enough."

With that she moved to the side, and retreated into the portal and her form faded into the glowing tunnel. The portal was still open and barely glowing, inviting him to come through. Silence filled the clearing and was only accompanied by Kage's frustration and a decision.

 

[Kage]

"My target was right in front of me this whole time," Kage said with an evil grin. "I'm here to make sure you get payback."

Kage was disappointed to see that his attacks didn't seem to be doing much. He watched in annoyance as his attacks either missed or were blocked somehow. It was hard to tell because there was so much stuff flying out of his hands. All he really knew was that his target was totally fine.

He shook in his boots when the woman not only got away unscathed but also seemed to be interested in the portal.

"You bastard!" he shouted when he leapt after her. As soon as he passed through, he unexpectedly started getting punched and thrown around. The attacks came at him fast, far too fast to even comprehend properly. He held up his hands, but even that didn't help as the punches were simply thrown around his defenses. Within a few short moments, he had been hit hard enough to barely be able to breathe until a sudden gust of air rushed into his lungs.

He didn't even think it was the woman who was attacking him. It seemed to be someone else who was on the other side of the portal. When there was finally a moment to breathe, Kage shouted and sent a surge of healing power throughout his body and started attacking back, blindly, wildly.

The initial burst of speed faded quickly, but Kage wasn't done yet. He took a deep breath, then cracked his knuckles before lacing his fingers together and throwing his fists around like a wrecking ball. He swung wildly, hoping he might land a blow or two. He swung, hoping to smack his attacker across the face.

And still, he kept getting hit. Kage couldn't believe how incredibly outmatched he was. He was used to getting his ass handed to him by other aelves during his training years, but he usually didn't do this bad. There was only one explanation – his opponent must be cheating somehow.

"I don't know what kind of trick you're playing at," he said after being on the receiving end of several more blows.

"But know that I'm still going to beat you!" He truly believed that he had a shot.

He put a hand to his side and drew his sword, using a horizontal slash and a display of power to put some distance between the two. He leapt back in the same motion,. The cells of an aelf coursed through his veins, for better or worse.

Then, he leapt back at his mysterious assailant with two hands gripping his sword. He brought his sword down toward the person's head, hoping to cleave them in two. He put all the strength he had into the attack, though he felt his body was not wanting to reply. Perhaps he was still feeling a little stunned from all the attacks he'd taken so far. No matter, he would power through and get his revenge somehow, someway.

Just before his sword was meant to collide with their head, he circled around to her rear, slashing at her while he did so. He then twirled with ease, attempting to slash her several more times before trying to drive his sword right through their middle.



Kage felled the monster, but just when he thought that there wasn't any other strange and terrible thing he could encounter, he spotted something truly heinous. It was so large and… evil-looking. It had to be put down. The trouble was, it was so large. Their surroundings were odd too, representing things he had never seen before. It was truly a strange situation to be in.

Still, he had to do what he could to kill the monster. He couldn't have this thing wreaking havoc. He took his sword and shouted to a treant as he created it. "I'll distract it, you hit it in the neck! Try to take its head clean off!" He didn't feel the need to sit and explain himself. There was no time to waste. With every passing moment, there was a chance that this monster would be able to do something strange and painful, as monsters tended to do. It was their duty to make sure they dealt with it before things got too crazy.

He had no idea if it would work, but it was worth a shot. He ran and circled around the base of the creature while swinging his sword wildly. His battle experience told him that the best way to take out a giant sack-like monster like this was to cut open the sack. Whether he would be able to actually cut through was another question. He would do his best and keep swinging. Even if he wasn't doing any damage, it would at least give his partner a chance to accomplish something great.

After several slashes, he had to stop and catch his breath. Was the monster even paying him any attention? It looked like he'd arrived at some sort of battlefield with many people fighting the monster. There was a good chance that he would go unnoticed in his attempts, which would certainly be a turn for the worse as it would mean his setup would have been for nothing. "I really hope this works," he muttered under his breath. He had magic coursing through him that begged to be put to use, but right now he wanted to be conservative with his energy usage. Something told him this wasn't going to be over quickly, no matter how much he wanted it to be.

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