The Assassins (3)

The Governor was sitting at his desk, looking far more tired than he had ever been as he looked through report after report of the victories that DASF was undergoing.

Simultaneously he eyed some of the reports from a legislator that was based in the north half of the city had sent him. Reports that had vague information on the arrival of new Sanguis forces.

'How would one of the least popular men in the legislation have access to this kind of information?' thought the Governor, but then a report that DASF had given him just the other day came to mind.

'The other Houses are finally starting to spread their influence? It has to be....They are confident enough to no longer stand completely in the shadows and slowly grow their power hidden from their competitors.

'The game has begun...'

In his hand was the source of most of his troubles, an order that he had crafted as per his agreement with Bazel Vasa. If he agreed then DASF would guarantee his own life, but he would also be put in harm's way without a doubt.

'I graduated at the top of my class, I easily read the political climate and landed myself a cushy job with no difficulty. Not to mention how the entire city is under my thumb, so much so that I could easily replace all these silly legislators who are getting into bed with these Houses...

'But am I willing to put myself in harms way? Am I going to continue to be the cowardly hypocrite or will I finally take a stand?'

He was still undecided, for in his heart of hearts there was still a vain hope that everything that was happening as of late was just a bad dream. Alas, that bad dream was now skulking in the shadows and was set to become a reality.

Still holding the document, his pen in hand ready to sign it, he struggled to make a decision all the way up until something caught his eye.

From above a black mist descended, collapsing on the ground and slowly turning into the form of a well dressed man.

"Sanguis..." muttered the Governor, his instincts alerting him to the amount of danger he was now in.

"Governor, Governor" said the man, who was none other than the assassin Jake, "I see you are having trouble coming to a decision. But don't worry, soon you will have no need to make such a hard choice."

Though the Governor knew what was meant, for he was no fool, he asked anyways as a method of buying time as his hand shot for the button under his desk.

"Oh? And why is that, member of House Sanguis? Have you come to force my hand? I have tried to maintain as much neutrality as I could, given the circumstances."

Jake had an amused expression, not even bothering to stop the Governor from pressing the button,

"Buying time for help? Alas, none will come. All those strong looking guards of yours were dealt with quite easily, I even had the luxury to help myself to that pretty little assistant outside. Quite delicious she was."

Jake licked his lips, a lustful and sadistic flair clearly emanating from him as his blood red eyes flashed.

A fire lit up in the Governors heart upon hearing this, for he was always one to enjoy the control he had over his kingdom.

'Passive, so passive I am. This is my land and MY city...these beasts taking that which I own, even breaking my favorite things?'

The Governor had smelled the thick iron scent that the man in front of him was covered in, as well as the bloody footprints that he did not even bother to hide.

Laughing while reclining back in his chair, the Governor felt a weight lift off his shoulders as his foggy mind finally cleared up from his timidity and cowardice.

'Too late, far too late. If only I was not so weak, if only I was not so foolish. Hindsight, huh.'

The assassin was surprised by his targets reaction, hoping to at least break him mentally before breaking him physically.

"Aw, that's no fun."

Then with a shrug Jake created a red spear in hand, thrusting it towards the Governor at a speed he could never hope to match.

Time slowed as the Governor enjoyed his last second on earth, lamenting that if only he was strong enough to have a second chance...he would not mess up then.

"Does thou wish for power? Sweareth thine soul to the Astral, and with thine eternal service thou shall receive your wish."

The pin that the Governor shook with intensity and vibrated madly, glowing with the color of the milky way galaxy, a power...no... a consciousness of infinite yet finite scale and scope was emanating from it and stopped time itself with its power.

The Governor who could still move being the origin of the mysterious force had on a sad smile while thinking,

'Is this my brains last delusion? The wonders of naturally released DMT I suppose."

Fully intent to enjoy this last respite before death took him, or so he thought, he answered without the slightest doubt.

"If I were able to get a second chance, I would swear anything. If only..."

"Contract accepted. Summoning from the Astral...."

Time started once more and the same scene as before played out, with the spear inches away from the Governors brow.

But then the projection of a massive white stone gate appeared in front of the Governor, colliding with the spear and stopping it dead in its path.

A voice from behind the Governor rang out, as from an ethereal cosmic mist the figure of a man joined the world of the living from a plane unknown.

"The gate of my great London, one of my greatest achievements and yet it was but one of six. Behold how stalwart it is, defending against any and all attacks from foreign invasion."

The white gate glowed gold, and the same amount of force that it had received was sent back towards the assassin thus knocking him back several feet.

"Of course, what is a gate without its defenders?"

Stepping out from the Governors shadow and walking front and center, was a man of legend come to life. With red hair carefully cut and maintained, sparkling blue eyes and a face fit for a king...He was wearing a medieval cuirass but had no sword and instead he was holding a long stave fit more for a wizard than a king.

"King Ludd, King Of Britain and Prince of Wales. I have come in service of my contractor, but it seems the formalities will have to wait until later. Is that not right, assassin of House Sanguis?"

Jake the assassin snarled in return, several strings of hardened blood flowing all around him as he shorted his spear and prepared to face the great enemy that had appeared in front of him.

"A summon from the Astral? You...you are a member of House Astra?" asked the assassin in confusion, for the commoner he was supposed to eliminate had just turned into a very real threat much like himself.

The Governor was confused at first, but his mind quickly spun as he put two and two together.

'The pin that I had dropped...that man who put it on me...hahaha, I see. I will play your little game. But by MY terms.'

Laughing while fixing his clothes and getting comfortable, the man who was full of confidence and a new outlook on life cast a passing glance at the assassin who had failed his duty.

"Who knows? But it seems today will not go as you would like. I can only wonder what you will do now."

Jake who looked cautious for a moment looked between the two and came to a quick realization, which made him at ease once more,

"You summoned something powerful, but seeing as how I am still alive it is clear that you are still green. How unlucky, summoning a powerful man from legend who is unable to do anything due the ignorance of its wielder."

The Governor looked towards the man he had summoned, King Ludd in all his resplendent glory with a raised brow.

"Contracter, the devil is right. Right now I am running solely off of a power source that you were given by someone very powerful, but most of it was expended to summon me. Furthermore, I am only able to use the tools from my legend that I remember

"But history was not written by me, but by those who came after. It is up to you to discovery all my abilities and how best to use them, and until you do all I am able to do is manifest the core of what I am: The Gates Of London."

As if to confirm his words, the assassin sent a series of wild blows towards King Ludd who with a casual wave of his hand blocked each one with a piece of the great gate appearing to deflect the blow.

While the assassin received the inevitable counterattack, he had plenty of stamina to spare to heal himself while King Ludd did not.