chapter 4, the masked assassin

In the estate's medical bay, Clara carefully laid the injured woman on an examination table.

Jenkins stood by, his energy glow already at work mending her wounds and scanning for internal injuries.

Eon entered, still processing all that had transpired. He watched the awakened servants at work with a mix of wonder and apprehension.

"How is she?" Samuel asked, concern etched on his face.

"No serious injuries, just cuts and bruises," Jenkins replied. "She'll come around soon."

As if on cue, the woman's eyes fluttered open. She blinked in confusion at her surroundings before noticing Eon and Samuel. Fear flashed across her features and she tensed as if to flee.

"Please, do not be afraid," Samuel said gently. "You are safe here. We want only to help you."

"Who are you people?" she asked, with fear and confusion.

"My name is Samuel Bain and this is my estate, me and my grandson, Eon found you in front of our gate, however after taking you in, assassins appeared out of nowhere, we managed to deal with them but i'm curious as to why they are after you"

The woman eyed Samuel warily, still uneasy but willing to offer some explanation.

"My name is Alicia, I was and I'm being chased by-"

Before she chould finish a larg explosion, rocked the estate, shaking the walls and sending debris flying through the air. The sudden burst of chaos sent everyone into a state of alarm, their attention turning towards the source of the explosion.

Eon quickly moved towards the window, peering outside to assess the situation. Thick smoke billowed from a section of the estate's grounds, obscuring his view. The distant sound of shouting and gunfire reached their ears, indicating that the danger was far from over.

Eon squinted through the hazy smoke, trying to grasp what was happening. His question was soon answered as figures emerged from the gloom.

A group of hulking men in body armor advanced, armed with vicious energy weapons. Leading them was a lean, masked figure clad head-to-toe in black - the assassin he had seen attack Clara and Jenkins.

"They've breached the outer defenses," Clara grimaced, energy already wreathing her ready form. "Jenkins, get the others to safety. I'll deal with trash."

She blurred toward the intruders in a flicker of golden light. The assassins spun, weapons charging instinctively to the new threat. But Clara moved faster - two quick jabs knocked guns aside, followed by a spinning back kick that pulverized an assassin's chestplate and flung him screaming into others.

Weapon fire roared as the survivors regained focus. Clara weaved between the blasts, closing the distance with each breath. One assassin swung a heavy rifle like a club but she slid beneath the strike, redirecting his momentum to hurl him into his compatriots.

Three remained, opening fire in tandem. But Clara phased through the blasts, reappearing behind the grouped assassins. Her aura flared gloriously as she struck - one punch shattered a mechanical spine, a second crushed a helmet like an eggshell. For the last she spun low, taking his legs from under him before launching skyward in a blazing Somersault that pulverized armor and flesh alike.

The masked assassin watched impassively as the last body sank to its knees, then collapsed. "Impressive display," he spoke, voice like a whetstone's scrape. "But the real fight is only beginning."

The assassin blurred into a lighting Assault, his katana biting air as Clara raised her guard. Their weapons met with thunderous force, energy rippling across Clara's bracers under the blow. She pushed him back and retaliated, aiming a precise series of jabs. But he seemed to anticipater every strike, weaving between the attacks with fluid grace.

His katana darted in, drawing the first blood - a shallow cut tracing Clara's side. She grimaced and resumed her offensive, amplified strikes cracking the earth. Yet for all her speed and ferocity, the assassin matched her blow for blow, his blade a gray whisp cleaving any opening.

Finally an opening arose - Clara spun low to sweep his feet but met only empty air. She whirled to see him already upon her, katana singing down with lethal intent. At the last instant she brought her gauntlets up, energy blazing as metal struck metal with a thunderous crack.

The shockwave sent both combatants skidding back, surveying the other for weakness. A grim smile tugged at the assassins' masked lips - this dance had only just begun.

With a blur of motion, the assassin renewed his assault on Clara, katana whistling through the air with deadly accuracy. Though her combat energy blazed, defending against such precision was all she could manage. Blow after blow rained down, each grazing her aura and drawing ever closer to breaking through.

Summoning her strength, Clara spun beneath his latest strike and launched a kick aimed at his chest. But the assassin twisted nimbly aside, retaliating with a jab of his elbow that caught her square in the back and sent her sprawling. Before she could rise, his boot slammed down onto her hand, eliciting a cry of pain as bones crunched under his weight.

"Pathetic," the assassin spat, raising his katana high. "You fight like an amateur."

Clara strained against the crushing force, energy sputtering weakly as agony shot through her frame. Through blurred vision she saw death descending, powerless to stop it.

At that moment, a swirling vortex of indigo shielding materialized around Clara, deflecting the assassin's strike with a sonic boom. He leapt back just as Jenkins emerged from the smoke, combat aura pulsing menacingly as he interposed himself before Clara's fallen form.

"You will not touch her again," Jenkins said, tone calm but eyes blazing with fury.

"first a maid, now a butler, seriously, what is up with this estate?, but that was seriously cool, how just saved her like some cool knight in shining armor," says the mysterious assassin with a tone of excitement

Jenkins ignored the assassin's attempt at banter, fully focused on protecting Clara. Helping her stand, he said gently, "Go, I'll handle this."

Clara nodded gratefully, clutching her broken hand as she retreated into the smoke-filled ruins. Jenkins stepped forward alone, indigo aura swirling menacingly around his poised form.