IMPERIUM INSECTUM

*Assasin POV*

“Have you found the target?”

I Shook my head. “Negative. Jester went to follow them, but he’s been silent.”

I paced around the corridor. “I don’t like this…. I don’t like this at all. We should cut our losses and leave.”

“What! You know we can’t. Desertion during a mission is grounds to get you executed!”

“Then what then! Stupid Jester! He had the fucking girl. All he had to do was grab her But NOOOOOOO, he had to be himself and screw what was meant to be an easy operation!”

“Woah, easy. Cool it, blaze. I get your anger, but it won't help….Look, I’m going to go look for the girl and maybe find that idiot Jester whilst I’m at it. I suggest you do the same.”

Like, I'm gonna stick my neck out for that dumbass. “Yeahhhhhhh, I will. Stay safe out there.””

He gave me a nod before disappearing with a gust of wind. Blitz really is a fitting codename. I walked back and forth for a while. Dammit Fine! I'll go look for the idiot. It beats standing around here doing nothing. I Snapped my finger, and a small flame erupted from my fingertips and fell onto the ground. The flame grew and grew and swirled onto itself, forming the shape of a fox with a big red crystal in his chest.

“I guess blaze is also an accurate codename. Even if it's corny as hell.”

I shook my head again. Complaining won't change anything. Let's hurry up and find this girl so I can put all this stupid stuff behind me.

“Okay Haze. You know who we are looking for?”

The fox did a twirl and yapped with happiness “Hahaha, good boy! Let's find our little lost lamb, shall we.”

Haze yapped once more before dashing down the corridor, leaving a fiery orange trail in the direction Blitz went.

I quickly followed behind. Man, I love this little fox. Well, technically, he isn’t a fox. He’s a sprite. A small collection of worldly mana that’s clumped together and developed a sort of sentience. As to why it happens, I have no clue; all I do know is that he was attracted to the fiery mana nature I have. I found Haze on a mission in the forest. Let's just say things went tits up halfway through; I ended up with an arrow in my stomach. I would have died if Haze hadn’t come up and cauterise the wound there and then. The rest after that was a blur.

I picked up the pace, following the orange line haze left in his wake. The line took a left and winded down several corridors. She really couldn’t have gotten that far, could she? Either way, Haze has a great nose, and as long as she’s still in the building, we will find her.

*Whine*

Wait that whine. Hahah hes found her! I quickly ran towards the noise. Hahah too think it would be this easy!

“Good job Haze lets-“

My feet slowly came to a stop.

“How….how did this happen?”

The walls and floor were cacked in crimson red Blood. The once-white ceiling dripped Blood onto the floor Like a leaky tap. But that wasn’t the most shocking. No far from it. The thing that stopped me was the 6 cleanly sliced body parts in front of me. Legs, torso, head. Each section of his body is cut into 2 pieces each. I walked closer to the body parts on the ground. Blood still oozed from some of the torso pieces. This kill was recent. I reached down and dragged my finger through the Blood, confirming my theory. The Blood was warm, hot even. I looked at another piece Lying on its side, with a familiar-looking tattoo on it.

“It cant be. Haze is this……blitz”

a sad whimper escaped Haze as he nodded.

“No dammit! How could he-“

I looked up and noticed a familiar silvery wire. It couldn’t have Jester? Did he betray us? No, He may be a brash idiot, but a traitor? No. He is-

“GRRRRrrrrrrrr”

I snapped my head around to see Haze growling towards Something down the corridor.

“Oh dear. It seems the mutt got a whiff of me.”

I snapped my head around in time to see a red-headed woman covered in Blood. I looked down towards her arms. They were shredded, but they weren't bleeding; instead, all I could see was this pale yellow… stuff shining through.

“Who are you?!” I yelled.

“Not important. The real question is. Do you like what I did to your friend?” She said with a smirk. This bitch.

“You did that. How?”

“How about a demonstration.”

Suddenly, several high-pitched whirs rang out.

“shit!”

I snapped my finger, and a wall of fire erupted in front of me, incinerating the wires before they could even hit me.

“Haze retreat!”

We need to regroup and come up with a way to beat her. Shit, I hate having to make plans on the fly, but I have no choice. I waited behind the crackling wall of fire for Haze to appear, but nothing. Dammit! is he fighting her?!

“HAZE RETREAT!”.

Nothing. Not a peep.

“GET BACK HERE NOW!

Nothing again. This isn't like him he always-  No, she couldn’t have!

“HAZE RETREAT NOW!” I snapped my finger, bringing the wall of fire down In an instant.

“No! haze!”

I stared at the woman as she held the crystal in his chest. The smell of her burning flesh drenched the air. Any normal person would pull their hands out, but not her. She acted like nothing was even happening.

“Fiesty little one. Isn't he.” She said with a grin on her face. I looked down towards her body and saw she had several burn marks on her feet and body.

“This little mutt gave me quite the burn. I'll have to punish him for that!”

“HOWWWWWOOOOOOO!” Haze screamed as the crystal in his chest cracked.

“STOP IT LET HIM GO!”

“I could do that. But where is the fun.”

“HOWWOOOOOOOOO!!!!!”

“OKAY, OKAY STOP PLEASE Ill do what you want just drop Haze!”

“Tell me who sent you and why!”

“That…that’s not possible.”

“Is that so.. Oh well”

“HWOOOOOOOOOOO”

“No! [IGNIS!]”

A Blade of fire erupted in my hands as I charged towards her.

“Hahaha predictable”

Suddenly, she dropped Haze as a long white blade shot out of her arm. I raised my blade to block, but she was fast. All of a sudden, my vision switched to the ceiling, then the ground and the ceiling again before switching back to the ground. Before finally reaching darkness

******

<How very underwhelming.>

I held the man's still-dripping head in my hand. I was accepting a better fight from these two. Instead, I got 2 idiots falling for all of my tricks. I mean, I didn’t even get to fight the first guy. He just sprinted full speed into the razor-sharp wires and killed himself. I let out a deep sigh. These assassins have been nothing but a joke. Oh well, fighting for fun is not why I'm here. I looked down towards the flaming fox who was trying to wake up his dead master.

“I don’t think he’s going anywhere without this.” I gently waved his head towards the fox. The fox looked up and growled back at me.

“Oh, learn to take a joke. And besides, you will be meeting your master very soon.”

In an instant, I lunged for him and grabbed the crystal that sat in his chest, causing him to howl again.

“Be silent MUTT.”

I clamped down hard on the crystal, shattering it and causing a large burst of fiery mana to shoot everywhere. But finally, the mutt was down

<That’s 3 down. 7 more to go.>

At this rate, it will take me all night to kill these fools. It is tempting to go fully aggressive, but I can't afford to do that. They outnumber me 7 to 1 if I get into an all-out brawl…. It won't end well for me. I let out a sigh. I guess I have no choice but to stick to the hit-and-run tactics I have just used.

I snapped my finger and watched as all the wires began to sag towards the ground. Surprisingly enough, these wires are very easy to control. They would have to be used by an idiot like the previous guy. All I need to do is the right-hand gesture, and they move accordingly.

<Picking this up from his dead body wasn’t that bad of an idea.>

I dropped his head and continued the hunt. I had searched all over the ground floor, and these were the only fools I could find, which meant the Other remaining 7 were patrolling the upper floors. I silently sprinted towards where the main stairway was. There were no signs of anyone or anything. This means they are most likely upstairs, searching the upper rooms. I slowly made my way up the stairs, making sure to be as quiet as possible. I took each step quietly and methodically I didn't want anyone to know I was here I took a few more steps. So close now I can almost see-

“Where is this Girl? We need to leave this place quickly.”

I stopped dead in my tracks and leaned forward. There he was, another assassin waiting at the top of the stairs. Hahaha, easy prey. The blade in my arm slowly slid out as I approached from behind. Being even quieter than I was before. My stomach turned as a wave of unease washed over me. Haha, why the cold feet? This isn't my first kill. I kept walking up the stairs, and with each step, the unease worsened. Dammit! What's wrong with me? Pull yourself together and focus. I buried the unease as deeply as possible and focused on the target; my blade twitched with every step as I got closer. The temptation to lunge at him now was strong, but I had to contain myself. 1 step, another, another until I was right behind him. Finally, In a flash, I brought my blade up and through his chest, killing him, however..

<This feels wrong. His body…….. its too…Thin>

Suddenly, like a mirror, the world around me shattered into millions of pieces.

“Sorry, boss, she figured it out.” I turned around to see myself back on the ground floor, surrounded by 7 men.

“It’s okay mirage. You managed to lure her out, and that was the plan.”

DAMMIT, THE WHOLE THING WAS FAKE, FUCK. FUCK. I KNEW SOMETHING WAS UP BUT I STILL IGNORED IT FUCK!

“Don’t beat yourself up about it too much, young lady. You killed Jester, Blitz and Blaze. You did well. You are more capable than most. I'll tell you what. I'll forgive the fact you killed them if you tell me where the girl is. I’ll leave you alone. How does that sound.”

“You’re a moron if you believe I will be swayed that pitifully easy. You will die here tonight. That’s all that matters.”

The man let out a long sigh. “I can't say I wasn’t reasonable. Any last words before my men finish you off.”

I looked around for an escape, but there was nothing. I was completely surrounded on all sides. If I can't escape, I'll have to fight my way out. I slid my blades and got ready to fight. My odds of surviving this are slim. DAMMIT. This is the one thing I wanted to avoid. Mother's gifts may have made me stronger but this is too much for me to handle. No. I can't give up here. Think Sally think; winning is completely off the table, so what can I do. Dammit, I only have one option, and that is buying time. Mother is surely coming here as we fight so holding out until she arrives would be best. Hell, if I'm ever able to weaken a few, that would be good.

“NOW!”

In an instant, all of them jumped towards me. Launching a flurry of ranged and close-range attacks at me. My body instantly jumped back easily dodging the slew of attacks. Evasion! Focus on not getting hit! I retracted my blades as I sprinted across the room.

“Oh no, you don’t!” I looked up just in time to see a man falling towards me. My blade instantly shot out as I lunged to the side.

“Nice try.” Before the man could even land on the ground, I slashed my blade forward, catching him in the chest.

“YOU BITCH!” Suddenly, the man's throat swelled as large as a balloon before suddenly a large torrent of green slime shot towards me. I ducked below The blast just in time to see it sail over my head. I jumped up and kept running.

“Hey….GET…Back Ah,” I looked around and saw the man on his knees. It's good to know the poison is still working. However, that slime is dangerous and guessing from the acidic smell, it's corrosive. I'll have to -

“THINK FAST”

My feet ground to a halt just in time to see an axe bury itself into the wall next to me.

“peh lucky!”

I looked towards the voice; it was a large, brutish man with mountains for muscles and about as much subtlety as a brick being thrown through a window. Seriously, how is he an assassin?

“Lass, can ye stop ducking ma attacks, I cannae be fucked, trying to hit ye with all that dancin and prancin yer doin.”

{a/n translation Lady, can you stop dodging my attacks? I cannot be fucked, trying to hit you with all that dancing and prancing you’re doing. (this man speaks with a heavy Scottish accent. I tried to replicate it here, but I think it might be too hard for some non-native English speakers to understand)}

He raised his arm, and the axe flew back towards him. Okay, that one has an Axe he can control. Gotta steer-

Suddenly, my vision went purple, causing me to jump to the side instinctively. A purple bolt of lightning destroyed the ground I was standing on.

“I see what you mean Brute. She’s a slippery one.”

I looked up towards the second floor, where there was another man holding a glowing purple bow. Suddenly, the ground started shaking. Oh god, what now! I looked around, expecting an attack, when suddenly I started sinking slowly into the ground.

“Sorry lady….. jus’ followin orders”

I snapped my head down where the voice came from, only to be met with the mushy, disfigured face of a man. Who had been hiding himself on the floor?

I gestured upwards, causing two wires to shoot up and wrap themselves around a chandelier and with the force of a charging bull, I was yanked up and into the air and out of har-

“Did yeh think it was gonna be that Easy lass!”.

“AUGHHHHHAAAAAAAAA” I Screamed as the axe smacked me in the chest and sent me flying backwards into the nearby. My vision went blurry as Waves of pain wracked my body. I looked down to see the axe buried deeply in my chest.

“Not…… good.”

I tried to pull the axe out only to have it forcibly torn out by the big Brute, sending more waves of pain throughout my body.

“I'll kill you…Ill KILL YOU ALL”

Suddenly, The same bright purple light lit up the room. I looked up, and there it was, the archer again. I gotta move. I tried to stand up, but I was stuck on the ground, unable to move.

I looked down, and there it was, the same stupid face.

“Sorry. It’s not personal.”

“Hahah, good work, sludge. Hold her still. I'm about to paint the walls with her.” 

“Like…… hell….. you…. will!” Instantly, several wires shot up into the air. Come on I need to hit the=

*CLANG*

The same axe from before flew into the wires and into the nearby wall. I launched more and more wires, but every time I did, the axe flew back and sliced them to pieces.

“AGHHHHHAAAAAA!” I yelled in fury, “YOU ARE ALL INSUFERABLE!”

“Lass, give up! Your time ends here.”

“SHUT UP! I won't die here.”

I shot the blade out of my arm and stabbed it into the face of the man below me.

“Ouch”

Again and again, I brought my blade down into his face, but nothing, no reaction, nothing! It's just the same annoying, sad little face.

“Say good night, little lady”

I kept stabbing in the face. Come on! He has to die. He has to. I can't Die here. I won't die here! The purple light got brighter and brighter, but I kept on stabbing. I looked up just in time to see the purple arrow hit me. No, this can't be. I kept stabbing until the last moment when I finally closed my eyes and waited and waited. But there was nothing.

“AGHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAA!”A loud scream rang out. Just what is going on now? I slowly opened my eyes only to be met with a figure shrouded in a dark black mist.

“It's okay, my daughter. You held the line well. Rest now. I'll take it from here.”

I felt my eyelids get heavy as soon as a heavy sleep washed over me. Everything is going to be fine.”