Home, Sweet Home (2)

Hei Su watched the spectacle for a moment, in amusement, before his hand darted behind his head and firmly gripped the wrist with the dagger. The second assassin that had snuck behind him was stunned for a brief moment. He couldn't react fast enough when Hei Su pulled his arm and swiftly swapped places with him.

The fire-serpent struck his body before he could let out a last cry. The penetrating smell of burned flesh and blood hoovered in the air and the place where Hei Su had stood before was now enveloped in a dense pillar of smoke that came from the burned grass and earth.

The man with the brown eyes watched anxiously, not daring to let his guard down until he saw what was left of the body he hit.

When the fire-serpent attacked, it blocked his view on Hei Su and so he didn't notice what happened in those last moments. He saw the corpse sway and his eyes widened in shock when he noticed the silver hibiscus on the burnt sleeve.

'That's not right! No! No! Where is he!?' The man clenched his teeth and searched for a trace of Hei Su but only when the corpse of his friend eventually fell, did he notice the dark shadow behind it.

The shadow was unclear and hidden within the smoke but who else could it be?

The man in black knew very well that he wouldn't stand a chance and prepared to back away only to hit a firm back with his.

Hei Su had long since moved behind him.

Back to back they stood in silence for a few moments. Sweat trickled down the mans face until he finally couldn't endure it anymore. "H-How?"

He stared desperately at the figure still standing in the slowly dissipating smoke.

Hei Su sneered, "So now you want to talk?"

"You can only blame your bad luck for that. Look a bit closer don't you notice something?" Hei Su was in a good mood and felt a bit talkative today so he was willing to explain. Hearing his words without any killing intent, the man in black looked back in front of him where the figure stood. Only that it became more and more hazy. Nevertheless he noticed something that left him speechless.

The figure in the smoke, was exactly like the burned corpse of his fellow disciple that was sprawled across the ground; even their pose was exactly the same. But how was it possible for his corpse to lie on the ground and at the same time stand in front of him?

An ice-cold shiver ran through his body as he gasp in fear. Was it – a ghost??

Hei Su tried very hard to hold back his laughter. Even without looking, he knew what the other was thinking right now so he cough twice to straighten his face and lectured. "Of course its not a ghost. Ghosts like this don't exist! What you see right there is but a reflection*. See, when the light from the sun suddenly hits a warmer layer of air, like the one you produced to impressively with your attack just now, it gets reflected! Your luck was just so bad that you stood right there where you could see your fellow deadman."

Reflection? Layer of air? The man in black couldn't follow but the calm chatting tone of his interlocutor made him regain some of his calm demeanor. His brown eyes darted back and forth to search for a possible escape route.

Hei Su, "You want to live?"

The man didn't have much of a choice than to play along for now. He needed more time to find a way out. "What do you want?"

Hei Su stroked his chin, seemingly thinking about it when he remembered that the man couldn't see his action so he quickly took his hand away and said, trying to hide his embarrassment, " I do have some questions that have bothered me for a while now."

"I could tell you that I would let you go if you answer them to my satisfaction but I think both of us know that that is pure bullsh*t. Instead I can promise you, that if you find a way to escape while answering, I won't pursue you."

The man gave an unhappy groan but it was more a definite statement than a question anyway. Hei Su on the other hand was feeling excited at this moment and his voice was deep and ominous, revealing nothing of his excitement.

"Let's begin. I have four questions for you. You better think carefully and answer honestly. This little game of hours can only continue if we abide by the rules, alright?"

No answer.

'This is quite the calm one, huh.' Hei Su couldn't help but think. But the mind of his enemy was racing at an increasing speed. Three questions wasn't much, what would happen if he made a rash choice and his escape failed? Would he get killed that instant or would the game continue? Both were terrible options. So his mind continued to search for a solution.

"Question number one: What sect are you from? They seem daring to send a puny little rank three into such a deadly place. Others would even call it stupid."

"Answering to your Excellency. We are from the Ghost Hall, you may have heard from us, Sir. Ghost Hall is the most feared assassin sect in the north-west of the continent. We came with some Senior Brothers but when our leader saw that there were others that covet the treasure he send us out to get rid of any new arrivals. Our original path was well planned and we are prepared for any eventualities only.....we never expected to end up so far away from our original route."

The man swallowed heavy when he finished speaking. His hand had all the while, slowly, moved towards his waist where he hid a batch of throwing knives.

Hei Su at his back was caught up on the news of a treasure being found. He had already suspected there to be something good. Nobody would run to their deaths for absolutely no benefit so a treasure only made sense. Was it the red-feathered abyss eagle he had send out? No, that was way too fast. If that was really one of his treasures then that glorified chicken would make a better meal than a henchman. While fiddling with the batch of small knives in his hand he continued.

"Question number two: What is that treasure you are talking about?"

The man who came up empty-handed was slightly stunned. He didn't know? Then what was he doing here?! The man had only followed Hei Su because he thought that man was with the other party and could lead the way to find his own brothers but when Hei Su didn't seem interested in finding them, the man already suspected something was wrong and chose to eliminate this competitor instead. As it turned out he kicked that iron for no reason at all!

When he snapped back he found that Hei Su had already moved his foot. The man had planned to dive out of Hei Sus arm range and make a roll before running away in a zigzag-line. Now, however, he would fall over Hei Sus leg if he were to lift his own foot and if he were to use the other one for the first step, he couldn't completely move out of range. He could only answer and keep thinking.

"We aren't sure what it is either. Rather than a single treasure, it's better to say that we believe there to be a whole lot of treasures."

The man swallowed hard again. His mouth had completely dried up and his heart was beating so forcefully that it hurt! His entire body ached from the tension and his veins felt like they pumped mud instead of blood.

"What was found seems to be a grave. And not the grave of anyone. It is said to be the grave of an immortal! The different sects aren't sure how to handle the matter so they only send some disciples to test out the waters for now but this is bound to evolve into a huge fight so everyone tries to get as much information as possible."

He spoke the last words with some difficulty as his lungs were burning like fire.

Hei Su had is brows drawn together that they almost touched each other. His thoughts were hidden behind a deep frown. If it really involved an immortal then even he himself couldn't take this matter lightly. Those mortals probably didn't even know what calamities they could set free with only a bit of carelessness.

This time his silence was unusually long. Much to the delight of a certain someone.

The man with brown eyes and black clothes was sweating profusely and his breaths were deep and rattling. His face was swollen and so red, it looked like it was about to explode. He had no time to think about that. All that filled his mind was to somehow get away, somehow escape. He still had two questions time but this time he decided to bet it all.

After what seemed like half a day, Hei Su finally opened his mouth again.

"Ah, right. What happened with those guys that fought back there, in the forest? It was you who ambushed them, right? But even though the traces are relatively fresh....I don't believe they are from you and your friend." He gestured over his shoulder at the burned corpse.

"Where is the rest?"

This time the man had only listened with half an ear. This time he would move. He had to!

"No idea where they are! We came because our brothers wouldn't come to the meeting point in time so we went to see--"

And he ran!

One step, two steps and he was out of Hei Sus range. Three steps, he struck out behind him with his sword, blindly. Four steps, five steps and he dived and dodged to the side. Six, seven, eight, he hid behind a boulder. Nine, he dashed for the trees that were so near to him.

Ten, he fell.

Hei Su still stood at his original place as if he hadn't realized that the man was escaping. After thinking over his short answer, he turned to the man who was lying flat on his stomach, only a step away from the life-saving trees.

Hei Su slowly trotted to the mans side, rapping his own head and smiling apologetically.

"Ha ha, how embarrassing, I actually counted my questions wrong at the start. I'm such a silly-billy, it was only three all along." He playfully rubbed his own head and stuck his tongue out.

The man was overcome with panic and despair the moment he fell. He tried to drag himself into the trees, crawl, but his body refused to budge. Now all he could do was ly on the ground. His whole body burned like fire, his muscles slightly twitched and tore apart. Blood started to pour out of his nose and mouth.

Hei Su only leisurely squatted beside him and cut the mans robes at his back open. What came to light was a huge patch of decaying, sweet smelling flesh that covered almost the entire back. If one looked hard enough, one could notice a light cut, no more that a light scratch in the middle of that patch.

Hei Su couldn't help but poke it a bit. This alone made the man groan in agony.

Still, Hei Su was pouting as he was staring at the slowly growing patch.

"Slow. Too slow!"

So he got up and after some rummaging through his bag he found what he was looking for right at the bottom. What he fished out was a small, clear crystal bottle with a colorless liquid inside. Very carefully he pulled the crystal cork and trickled about one-third of it on the two sect members.

The moment the liquid touched them, a loud sizzle was heard and white mist enveloped them as it corrodes their flesh and bones at a visible speed.

The man with the brown eyes was soon completely shrouded in mist but his groans turned into screams, so loud and distorted it sounded barely human.

Hei Su stood by the side and watched with satisfaction. Within a few of minutes there was nothing left of the corpses besides some grayish-green goo. Barely noticeable on the forest floor.

The person who acted like he had nothing to do with the nightmarish thing that just transpired, stored his crystal bottle away and turned to head down the cliff in a good mood.