The Blackhat was very much displeased. His day had not at all started off desirably: an egregious meeting with a certain Navylan minister — who wished to remain anonymous — spelled disaster when the man refused to honor his side of the bargain. Then, later in the afternoon, a platoon of veteran states-guards ambushed him mid-battle, and thus, allowed Justice and Libra to escape almost unscathed. And now, both quarries — by a streak of pure misfortune — had bumped into a summoned Voidling.

​

Normally, this would pose no threat to a famed assassin the likes of 23, but this particular Spawn was like no other; in essence, the Void had bestowed a great deal of its power unto the infernal creature, and what would once be easily dispatched of in mere seconds, had grown into somewhat of a major problem.

​

He would have to tread carefully; one misstep could very much guarantee his bounty's escape, and perhaps even his long sought-after death.

​

23 tallied the odds: the Voidling would, without a shred of doubt, prove to be more than just a challenge. To deal with Justice and Libra was exigent enough as is, but to sprinkle a prestigious Void Spawn into the mix — The Voidmother, herself? That would certainly tip the scales; there could be no telling who would emerge victorious.

​

But alas, there was little choice.

The Blackhat Foundation had expectations, and should those very expectations be put to question, 23 would most definitely be held liable.

​

Additionally, there was his irritable Navylan employer to worry about. Although the man proved difficult to work with, 23 had no choice but to honor the foundation's age-old code of conduct: no matter the crown, kings and queens kneel to the noblemen.

​

A troublesome saying, but one that triumphs even time itself, nonetheless.

​

And so he went.

***

Asi'Grayaa was fast — far faster than Libra was able to anticipate. With a mighty bound, she leaped forth and knocked him right off his feet. If it hadn't been for Justice, he would've crashed into a nearby dumpster and stained his coat in one too many places.

​

That, most probably agreed, would be foul, grotesque, and an utter disgrace — not to mention, quite obviously, the absolute horror-of-a-wash to come. Imperium silk wasn't popular with the cleaners, and perhaps rightly so; such arduous treatment for such fine fabric, only the most capable of hands would suffice.

​

And, as if the Father Destiny thought it fitting to spin a tad bit more drama unto their predicament, 23 had finally caught onto them. Judging by the irritated look splayed across his hideous, monster-like face; and the sorry state of his once gorgeous suit and tie, the states-guards sure had a good go at him — to no avail, of course. Every graze upon skin, every bullet upon flesh, and every crack of the bone had seemingly bettered themselves miraculously, vanishing without so much as a trace.

​

Blood dripped from one end of his sickle-like claws, while tears and scratches robbed his coat of its once lavish appeal. The monster stepped forth.

​

"Finally. . . Found you two," 23 said between breaths. "You've lived. . . Long enough. Far. . . Too long."

​

As he stepped forth to administer the final blow and fulfill his duties to the Foundation, so did Asi'Grayaa The Broodmother Spawn. She dashed a spiked leg towards the Blackhat and threatened his advance, eyes darting to and fro.

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"S-S-Stay out of this-s-s, mercenary; thes-s-se are my quarries-s-s."

​

"As if! I've hunted them day and night through much of the Navylan; to think that I would let you have their heads without so much as a bout? Preposterous! Leave now, monster, or take your chances with the likes of I."

​

"You do not fear me, Blackhat? You do not fear the s-s-sight of impending doom? Few mortals-s-s are quite as-s-s foolis-s-sh."

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"I have faced greater evil, Voidling; I do not cower from the likes of you."

​

"You s-s-should."

​

With that, Asi'Grayaa lunged forth, her venom-guzzled fangs desperately trying to sink a bite into the elusive Blackhat assassin. While 23 dodged and weaved, the Void Spawn only grew ever more frustrated. She leaped and thrashed; bit and tore; and each time, her mark was off by mere inches.

​

With each passing second, 23 became somewhat of a ghastly apparition, ducking and side-stepping in between strikes without so much as a struggle. And finally, when the opportunity presented itself, he made his move.

​

23 somersaulted through one of Asi'Grayaa's raised legs and sliced at an exposed tendon, drawing streams of violet blood. As the Voidling whirled around and attempted yet another bite, the Blackhat assassin leaped high into the air, clung onto an exposed brick, fell, and landed atop her back.

​

He brandished his claws and readied a lethal strike, all the whilst clinging on for dear life. A stab at this distance would tear right through the Voidling's skull and spill whatever brains it once had, rendering the spawn lifeless. Physically, it would die, just like any other living creature devoid of mind and head; its soul, however, would return to the Void and materialize another day, once, twice, thrice more in the near future — however many times necessary.

​

But a bit of time was all 23 needed.

​

He dropped his claws.

​

Only to stab at nothing but the shell of a decaying carcass.

​

Where Asi'Grayaa once stood thrashing about, there were but drops of blackened ink glimmering in the afternoon sun. 23 landed on the dirt pathways without so much as a thud, looking almost as perplexed as Justice and Libra themselves. His eyes darted to and fro, searching for signs of the Voidspawn; it vanished completely, seemingly into thin air, and without so much as a trace too. A peculiar ordeal, indeed, and not one the assassin was quite fond of. It had not died — certainly not — but if so, where had it decided to wander off? And what exactly was it planning?

While the Blackhat assassin stood befuddled, both revolutionists seized what little window of opportunity they could and took off running, leaving but a trail of dust in their wake.

​

Justice delved yet deeper into the alleyway, while Libra vaulted atop a scaffolding of scrap metal and leaped for a nearby rooftop. His fingers closed around an exposed rebar; with a heave of the arms and a push of the knees, Libra surfaced from the alleyway shadows and was immediately bathed in the sun's warm embrace. The same could certainly not be said for Justice.

​

While her brother trailed along the glorious Navylan rooftops — above, away from all the filth and muck and grime — she was stuck amidst overflown dumpsters and neglected backstreet pathways. Oh, what she wouldn't give for a pair of wings right now.

​

"Running, are we?"

She craned her neck, catching a glimpse of the gaining monstrosity, arms outstretched and claws at the ready. Justice didn't think it possible, but with each passing second, 23 grew ever more terrifying. He was no longer a man, but rather, this. . . Tall, ghastly thing with withered strands for hair and arms far too long for arms.

​

"Come back here!" he called out, rounding a corner with a twist of the heel. "I promise it won't hurt, Justice!"

​

23's hollering served only to bolster her once crumbling spirit. Justice's lungs gasped for air, her body screamed for a break, her mind tired from the endless running, and yet, she willed herself to go a step further each time.

​

The Blackhat assassin lunged.

​

And was promptly yanked back.

***

23 felt the flimsy bricks of an alley wall slam unto his back; a split second later, he was sent barreling through and tumbling out the other side. A surge of searing pain coursed through his every vein, making even the slightest of shuffles a day's work. Who had the audacity to lay a finger upon him? Who, furthermore, had the audacity to strike a blow against the famed Blackhat assassin? Who. . .

​

"My, my, what pathetic creature you humans-s-s are."

​

Asi'Grayaa stepped from the shadows, hands by her hips.

​

Where the grotesque monstrosity once thrashed and whipped, there stood a slender figure of void black, crimson red, and pearly white. Where ravenous claws and blackened fangs once scraped against the backstreet pathways, there were but trimmed fingernails polished to a shine. And where Asi'Grayaa the Void Mother once towered over her two quarries, there rose a fair maiden fit for the most wealthy of nobles Escardia had to offer.

​

Justice found herself at a loss for words. Was this truly her Void Spawn assailant? Was this the spider Voidling who so desperately sought her end? Was this. . . It?

She had seen magic before, but none the likes of this. . . Creature's. Such sudden transformation didn't seem to even phase her brother, who, by all accounts, was doing far better than she had ever expected.

Surely, he was bleeding to death ever so slowly.

​

And yet, he seemed unbothered.

Not even the slightest.

​

The missing eye.

​

The stab wound.

​

The blood loss.

​

It was as if he. . .

​

That's when she caught glimpse of it — something to question her brother's very existence. Violet blood poured from every one of his open wounds, dripped unto the grounds below, and sizzled right through the dirt. It was blood, no different than the Blackhat's.

And just like that, it suddenly all made sense.

​

All it took was a glance his way. She knew. He knew she knew. "L-Libra. . ."

​

"I'll explain. . . Later."

​

"B-But. . ."

​

"We've a whole can of worms, Justice; unless you fancy dying, I suggest you listen, and listen well."

​

Justice's head was starting to spin; she found herself back against a brick wall, hands cupped to her face and knees buckled close to her. So many questions, so little time: just who was the Voidling? The Blackhat? They sought to claim her bounty, surely, but who had sent them? Most importantly, just who was her brother? Is he even still. . . Human?

​

23 leaped from the darkness, managing to clip a strand of Asi'Grayaa's jet black hair. He launched a flurry of dices her way, all but the last drawing a speck of blood. The Void Mother, in her human guise, was quite the tricky target, indeed: she was elusive, slippery, and above all, fleet footed.

​

The Blackhat monstrosity cocked an arm back, and moments later, brought down a swift end upon the Voidling. An entire brick wall came crashing before him: a compliment to his triumph. In his arrogance, 23 failed to adhere to one, simple yet ever-so crucial Blackhat lesson: always check for a body.

​

This time, there lay no carcass.

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No shell.

​

No corpse.

​

Asi'Grayaa the Void Mother was nowhere to be found.

​

Except behind the monstrous assassin himself, of course.

​

Trimmed fingernails grew into sickle-like claws in the blink of an eye; with both eyes still on her two quarries, Asi'Grayaa drove a hand deep into 23's back, through his spine, and out the other end. There, sitting complacently within her grasps, was none other than the Blackhat's beating heart.

​

Now, it was his turn to drop.

​

Within mere seconds, a famed assassin was rendered completely powerless.

23 collapsed onto the alleyway grounds, limb.

​

Both his bounty sat just within arm's reach, staring back at his lifeless eyes.

​

"And then, there were two."

​

Asi'Grayaa's voice too had changed. No longer were there the echoes of tormented souls and lost spirits; instead, there was the silky smooth whisper of an Imperium songbird. Truly a beauty, if not for what lay underneath the seemingly human masquerade.

​

"Come now, don't be s-s-shy. I'll be gentle."