III | Discovery (2)

Urielle's blood froze at the sight of the playroom's open door, making her open to an attack from the assassin who confronted her.

The man in black saw his target froze momentarily and he took it as a chance to plunge his dagger onto the neck of Urielle. His speed caught her off guard and she barely dodged the attack, wounding her right shoulder instead.

Blood spewed from the open wound, immobilizing her right arm. She clicked her tongue, finding it extremely annoying that she made a fatal mistake that might cost her, and her daughter's life. Making a mental note to berate herself and train later, she took no notice of her injury, knowing that it is not at all critical, and finished off the assassin with her signature move.

Urielle took a step back as she swiftly passed the sword on her right hand to the left, gripping it lightly like it weighs nothing, and like it wouldn't fall off with a light grip like that. She switched her center of gravity by crouching down ready to pounce on her opponent, and released the coiled energy on the balls of her feet while she swung the sword on a wide arc, effectively separating the assassin's head from his shoulder.

Not minding the blood that splattered on her pristine white and black striped blouse, she dashed towards her daughter's playroom, but stepped back when she felt an oppressive aura flare towards her.

Recovering from the shock, she prepared herself to attack, only to stop again when she saw an all-too familiar mop of long, messy black hair dancing with the wind and along the body of a beautiful woman, dancing with the rhythm of Death.

On the corner of Urielle's eyes, she saw her darling daughter sitting down the floor, coated with blood that probably came from the man in black at the mercy of the raven-haired woman, stone-shocked and unmoving. At that moment, Urielle found no fault at her daughter's reaction to the slaughter for her mind itself is also in a mess.

Slitting the throat of the assassin, the woman then let go of the man, letting him fall on the blood-stained play mat in a dead heap. She lovingly wiped the blade of her dagger with her white silk handkerchief and then tucked it away, before facing Urielle who's standing frozen on the doorway.

"Oh, hello there, Archy. I thought you were finished off by the guys outside." the woman greeted with an inconspicuous smile.

--

Before that encounter, Lauriel, who decided to hide, was suddenly snatched out of her hiding place and was lifted by a man in black. Fear gripped her fast-beating heart as she looked at the malicious gaze the assassin is giving her. Involuntarily, she shivered, screaming in her mind for her mom to come and save her.

Unfortunately, Urielle didn't.

The assassin, who's currently holding her up high, snickered, seemingly thinking of wicked things he would want to do with her.

As Lauriel saw this, the only thing she thought is that this assassin is a newbie. After all, no assassin would dilly-dally upon doing their paid missions as no one knows what misfortune would come their way as they do so.

Lauriel wanted to grit her teeth in anger, taking a hint on the lecherous thoughts of the assassin, but then she remembered that she's still a babe, and the teeth she has is a pair of soft incisors. 'Ah, what luck' she disdainfully thought, finding herself strangely calm in this situation—which is absurd because she is obviously no match for the assassin, and that she's still a baby.

But then again, there's another presence in the room, and if she'd base it on the calming aura that person is exuding, she knows that that person means no harm and is actually guarding her.

Testing the waters, she wiggled her body, as if uncomfortable—which she is in all actuality—and let out a small whimper. The assassin heard this and tightened his grip on her, making her wail in pain.

She deserves an Oscar award to be honest.

The other person in the room visibly stiffened at her cry, becoming alert and ready to pounce on the assassin in case he would do something bad to Lauriel. This confirmed Lauriel's thought that the person is indeed protecting her, even though she didn't know when and where that person entered their home.

"Damn kid! Shut your filthy mouth!" the assassin hissed when she increased the volume of her cry. Sensing that the child is in a full-blown breakdown and is not going to stop crying any sooner, he lifted his sickle, planning to shut her up for eternity.

Chills run down Lauriel's spine when she saw the assassin lifting the menacing glint that the sickle's blade emits, finally destroying the calm that built up on her heart.

Smirking maliciously, the assassin swung his sickle with the full intention of cleanly beheading Lauriel, not noticing the woman that attacked behind the baby, a crazed smile grazing the woman's lips. He only did so when he felt pain on both of his arms, and felt warm blood gush out of the open wound.

Staring at his arms horrified, his grip on Lauriel loosened up, making her slip down and fall.

Lauriel squealed in fear, but soon found herself in the arms of a woman with long, messy, raven hair. She stared in awe, completely seeing the crazed smile on the woman's vermilion lips, her grey eyes emitting a strange glow—it seemed to be bloodlust in Lauriel's opinion, having seen on Jean when he went on a killing spree before.

The woman laid her down gently on the floor before attacking the assassin, who took a step back in cowardice, intending to escape. But it's too late, the woman is already on him, her dagger dangerously close to his chest.

The woman did not hesitate and stabbed the assassin on the chest, making sure to torment him by narrowly missing to hit his heart. Blood splattered on the woman's black shirt and Lauriel who's just sitting nearby, shell-shocked to even comprehend the blood coating her body.

That's when Urielle entered the scene, staring at them, dumbfounded. Lauriel heard the raven haired woman snickered quietly in front of her, and she couldn't help but be confused. To her horror, the woman immediately slit the throat of the assassin and let him fall on the bloodied mat, not caring about a single thing.

"Oh, hello there, Archy. I thought you were finished off by the guys outside."

Lauriel was even more confused by this—she already suspected that this woman is connected to her parents in some way.

But how exactly?