MEMORIES OF ASSASSINS 03 THE SISTERS

"Aria..."

"Aariaa"

The panicked whispers of a timid young girl could be heard.

"Whaat?" A hushed jab, the young dark-haired girl replied glaring from the corner of her eyes as her hands continued to undo the screws that held a steel beam in front of the window, in place.

"Let's not?" Isis's reply was filled with fright, now of Aria as well, "What if we get caught?"

"Ice, don't be a scardy cat now, besides it's already..." Aria with a rather forceful pull took off the bars." Too late" there was a grin on her face as she opened the tinted window to reveal a beautiful night sky outside littered with stars.

The orphanage was very strict when it came to rules. Aria now stood in the opening looking at a thick branch that seemed near enough to jump onto.

"Are you coming or what?" She whispered anxiously and with just the slightest hesitation she jumped.

The small few yards that separated her from freedom felt like miles as she sped through the air, she was falling short, the realization dawned upon her instinctively her hands stretched out,

"Almost... There..."

Her fingers reached just barely, trying to grab hold she ended up pushing herself back, the branch shook gently as Aria came crashing through the dozens of branches and boughs that broke her fall and possibly her.

With a thud, she landed on the ground, back first, her eyes wide open. looking at the trail she had left while coming down the tree.

She couldn't breathe.

Without a moments pause, Isis had jumped out the same window, owing to her agility, she easily landed on her feet atop the bough, with a swift shift of her weight and her hands for torque, she appeared to glide down the tree as if phasing through. Quickly landing beside Aria, who was smiling.

Isis was blessed, her specie feline in nature granted her super human strength, agility along with magical biases and healing.

She was strong, and when it boiled down to it, ferocious. Her only drawback was that utterly timid, shy attitude of hers.

Aria on the other hand, was ordinary. She had to try several times as hard to even be able compete with Isis and there too it was her wits that played a major role. She had the attitude to conquer the world, a spirit that could not be caged and charisma with which she had many a times gotten away with her antics without being punished.

Isis in her, saw strength she could never have and yet at the same time realized how fragile she was. Thus, seeing her in trouble she had rushed without regard of any other fears.

Aria coughed as she sat up, her arms and back bruised, as Isis gently licked the wounds,

She was pretty much used to healing Aria on a daily basis, Aria had this wild grin that remained.

"You were beautiful," She spoke in a low voice, "the way you came down that tree."

Isis smiled, pinching her arms, a slight gasp, "You were pretty elegant yourself" she laughed looking back up.

...

Quietly Isis opened her eyes, a smile on her face, her memories of Aria were one of the main reasons she was still going forward. Soon, soon she would be with Aria again she would know what to do.

The rendezvous' point was at the edge of the desert and for her specie, such harsh climates were difficult to bear but due to her training and preparation, she could manage with ease. After failing to assassinate the entire royal family of Neraya, she had escaped Al zarar, along with her client, parting ways with him she was lost as what to do next, her companions who had the plans had been lost, she felt alone.

Despite being an assassin Isis had always been overly sensitive in private, one of her qualities that lead to her current situation.

She had escaped the Dark Continent, she wanted to forget all that had happened there, and yet even though this side was so different it was still the same in most regards. She had been caught by sand drifters' bandits and mercenaries alike after she had collapsed from exhaustion.

Bound, she had plenty of time to consider her options, and so she did, until that boy rescued her. Parting ways with him, she set out to meet the only other person she knew, Setna her aunt and an assassin.

Isis had been going on for days, surviving, heading towards the meeting point. Minimizing the use of magic in fear of being caught.

The desert was filled with all sorts of creatures, the night sky, her guide, the blazing sun a sign, almost there.

Isis happened upon a village. It was abandoned, rather deserted. The whole village seemed like it had been lively mere days ago. She keenly observed her surroundings. It seemed there had been a small battle here or a massacre. She could not sense a single sign of life. Not even dead bodies. Although the many inhabitants of the desert could have seen to that.

Fortunately for her, the village in its state provided her with shelter, food and rations to restore her supplies.

There was an oddity though, for Isis could sense something of the Dark Continent. The presence rather the remnants of a shade.

A shade was like a magic servant, it was an entity possessing the traits of its owner and bound by absolute command. Its own strength was borrowed from the owner. But for a shade to leave remnants like this, it had to be exceptionally strong. Strong enough to take form. But why here. And who. Isis could feel the unease creep up inside her.

...

Clad in black, the shades attacked relentless. Aria and Isis stood back to back fending off.

What started as one on ones with the shades a few years ago had now become ten on one, both ladies had progressed remarkably.

Their skills honed to the point of perfection, attacks quick, effective and lethal. The shades had been made stronger at intervals, each with different roles.

Conjuring these shades was a special magic technique that only a few could perform. While they practiced their control and dynamics over the shades, Isis and Aria faced the blunt of them, fighting their hardest every time, often getting badly bruised cut and wounded before calling it a day. To the summoners it was a test of their mana or magical stamina, for these two it was about endurance, stamina and skill.

Although no matter what they were up against or how Isis lost hope, Aria had always been one to cheer her on, Isis was naturally gifted but to her was also her meekly nature, Aria had been one to draw out the fierce warrior that she was, when needed.

...

The memories of the past only reminded Isis of her purpose. All this confusion, All this chaos, She needed Aria. Aria would know, Aria would solve everything.