Queen of Swords 13


    As cknail slipped through the trees and around the nearby thorny bushes, a bird sang out from up above in the trees and drew his attention for a second. It had been a while since hest remembered hearing such a sound. There werent a lot of songbirds among the dirty streets of Daggerpoint.


    He could reminisceter though; right now he had people to hunt. Or were they hunting him? It was a little confusing


    The rustling of nts reminded the hobgoblin that Malthus was chasing him. cknail threw a quick look over his shoulder and was surprised when he saw nothing but living green nts and a canopy of leaves fading to red and autumn gold.


    He could no longer see the shaped stones and squat buildings of Daggerpoint. The hobgoblin stretched and straightened his posture as he felt an unseen weight leave his shoulders. It was good to be back among nature and away from the ces humans had made their own.


    He reached up towards his face with a wed hand and pulled his smiling mask off. The hobgoblin then tossed it aside into a bush where he could retrieve itter. This was not a ce for wearing masks. His green angr face broke out into a wide toothy smile as it was exposed to the world.


    In the wild, even in this little isted patch of it, things were different, purer. There was nothing to hold him back or make him question himself. His thoughts could run free without restraint or the weakness that came from hesitation.


    A branch snapped off to his left and the hobgoblins long green ears twitched as they picked up the noise. Without a doubt it was Malthus and his pack. The assassins were making quite a bit of noise as they moved through the woods, much more than cknail.


    The area here was more brush than true forest. The trees were small and spread apart enough that there was no real canopy to block the light. That just made the undergrowth thicker, though. There were bushes and tall stands of nts everywhere for him to hide in, and walking in straight line was difficult.


    The hobgoblin had assumed the assassins would be unustomed to wilder ces, and it sounded like hed been right. He was having no trouble keeping track of them and slipping ahead of them unseen.


    He wasnt even trying to conceal his trail but they didnt seem to be able to follow it regardless. Thus, he would have to remember to make some noise every once in a while. The humans couldnt be allowed to believe he had escaped. He needed them to follow him.


    It was a delicate game he was ying with these hunters of men. There was an uneasy bnce that had to be kept. To win and im his prize cknail would have to prey upon their instincts and shape their desires to his own end.


    He had to appear weak and vulnerable so to lure them in, and yet he couldnt allow them to draw in too close. He had to get them to walk into his trap and believe that it had been their own idea. Luckily, most humans were very stupid.


    As he approached a cluster of thin white barked trees the hobgoblin heard movement off in the bushes from a fair distance behind him. A secondter he heard the rustle of leaves from out of sight and over to his left. cknail took a second to look over his shoulder and scan the forest behind him.


    It really was quite easy to track Malthus and his men in here. He could hear their untrained footsteps crunching twigs and leaves as they pushed their way through the brush. The assassins were spread out but it sounded like they were keeping in sight of each other as theybed through the grass and bushes for any sign of him.


    Right now his prey was falling too far behind for his liking. cknail coughed and sputtered loudly, as if he was in pain and couldnt help it.


    He wanted them to think he was wounded and vulnerable, and not thinking about how stupid of an idea it was to have followed him in here. The more they underestimated him the easier it would be to trick them. The coughing wasnt really fake though, he had just fallen off a roof after all. That had hurt a lot.


    A loud twang-like noise suddenly split the air behind cknail.


    Eep! the hobgoblin squeaked in rm as he dropped to the ground and covered his head.


    A crossbow bolt ripped through the greenery with a whipping sound. There was then a loud crack as the projectile sunk deep into the bark of a tree trunk thaty several feet ahead of him.


    The forest behind cknail suddenly echoed with the crashing and snapping of nts as Malthus and his men shot forward and pushed their way through the forest towards cknail. It was time to get going!


    The startled hobgoblin jumped to his feet and dashed forward deeper into the trees. As he ran he snuck a look back and saw Malthus form burst out of a thicket of bushes and throw an angry look around. cknail quickly stepped behind a tree and out of sight.


    Okay, maybe he had let Malthus get a little too close that time. cknail was d the assassins only had one crossbow


    Damn that bastard to all hells! I thought we had him this time, Malthus hissed angrily.


    The master assassin was standing next to where cknail had been a few seconds ago and staring hatefully at the crossbow bolt stuck in the tree.


    Do you want to turn back? one of his men asked with more than a hint of nervousness in his voice.


    No, were right behind him, Malthus replied angrily.


    I still think this is a trap, the other man replied.


    Of course its a trap; we know that, and it doesnt matter. Stop letting a little patch of bushes and trees unnerve you and lets get after him, Malthusmanded his men.


    cknail took advantage of their discussion to slip away to the side and put some distance between him and his pursuers. He really needed to take care of that crossbow. It was too much of a wild card, and being shot would probably hurt a lot.


    The hobgoblin crouched down behind a bush and squinted as he watched the assassins. All six of them had been close together while they talked but now they were spreading out again. It was the one on the far right that held the crossbow.


    There was no way he could charge the man before Malthus intervened, and even using his sling would involve getting dangerously close and revealing himself. It also wasnt guaranteed to take the man down in one hit, and it might convince Malthus to turn around and leave.


    Well, it was probably about time to begin anyway. He had lured them deep enough. He would just have to position everything just right so that the crossbowman got taken out first.


    The hobgoblin slowly got up and crept further away from the assassins. When he was far enough away that a screen of bushes and leafy tree limbs concealed him he stopped. Then he looked down, selected a fairlyrge twig, and stomped on it.


    The twig snapped beneath his boot and a loud cracking noise echoed through the forest. cknail was already diving behind a tree. A secondter another crossbow bolt tore through the greenery and sliced through the air where his chest had been mere moments before.


    cknail picked himself off the ground and peered around the tree he had used as a shield. One of his eyebrows rose in surprise at how urate the shot had been. That assassin was really good with a crossbow. The hobgoblin was definitely killing that guy first.


    cknail hurriedly got up and began dashing through the forest. He made absolutely no attempt to be quiet about it, and instead just focused on keeping ahead of his pursuers. Underneath the sound of his own footsteps he could hear his pursuers. It was also important to keep the crossbowman too busy running to reload.


    Arge tree with dark droopy branches appeared on cknails left and he recognized it. With a cunning grin he ran up to it, and then threw himself onto the ground beside it. He coughed again loudly and then moaned dramatically.


    Secondster, Malthus and his men burst out of the bushes and saw him. cknail picked himself off the ground slowly as if he was in pain and had just tripped. The hobgoblin had discarded his mask but his hood was still up. It wasnt quite time to drop that yet.


    Ive got you this time! You cant escape now, and no one will being to your rescue, Malthus gloated smugly as he smiled.


    cknail ignored him and stepped around the tree. Which way would each assassin go?


    There was a click as the crossbowman began reloading and cknails heart skipped a beat. The trick here would be to predict exactly what the assassins would do. He needed to be careful though, Malthus had fooled him before by pretending to be too angry to think properly.


    Malthus signaled to his men using a quick series of hand gestures that cknail didnt understand. Immediately though, two assassin including the crossbowman started circling around to the left. Malthus and the other 3 men headed straight for cknail.


    The hobgoblin turned to face them and drew his sword. The crossbowman raised his weapon so cknail took a quick step backwards. The gnarly trunk of therge tree was now in the way of a shot, but the crossbowman and his guard just started nking cknail to cut off his escape as the rest of theirpanions descended on the lone hobgoblin.


    cknail had them exactly where he wanted them.


    So much for the Faceless Assassin! When you die at my hands it will be just another chapter added to my legend. You werent even much of challenge, although I have to admit youre a lucky fool and not half bad at running away, Malthus bragged as he drew his own weapon.


    Things are not-ss always as they seem, Malthus. Perhaps you are the one that-ss is about to die, cknail replied.


    I am the best killer in all of Daggerpoint and youre just a creepy little freak. No man is my equal. Ill take great joy in ripping that hood off your face and seeing what lies beneath it, the assassin leader responded angrily.


    cknail began tough and he didnt bother trying to sound human. His shrill malevolentughter rolled over the assassins and they flinched in surprise. Even Malthus looked startled by the sound.


    Stupid human, Herad is not a man and you ran from her. Soon, you will see my face and then you shall run from me as well, the hobgoblin cackled.


    Shoot him! Malthus roared impatiently but with a hint of fear. He had clearly been unnerved by the strangeughter.


    The crossbowman aimed his weapon and began to take a step to the left to get a better shot at cknail. The hobgoblin leaned around the tree and gave him a toothy grin. The assassin stared in shock and his eyes widened in horror at what he saw beneath cknails hood. That was when the spear took him in the stomach.


    The spear was a long sharpened branch that had been tied to a forcibly bent over sapling. It had been concealed in a bush and been triggered by the assassins foot hitting a trip wire. Saeter had taught him how to make them to hunt deer or wild boar but it worked on humans just as well.


    The crossbow fell from the mans ck hands and hit the ground. He gasped as he looked down at the wooden spear that was stuck in his guts and started shivering uncontrobly.


    The rest of the assassins gaped in confusion as they tried to make sense of what had just happened. That was when the sling stone smashed into the forehead of the assassin standing next to the crossbowman.


    There was a loud crack and a spray of blood as the stone tore through his flesh and mmed into his skull.


    cknail was already burning Elixir and dashing forwards before either of the assassins bodies began to crumple. The hobgoblinughed again as he ran towards the fallen mans weapon.


    It had worked! That was two men down. The first piece of the puzzle had fallen into ce and now all cknail had to do was follow the rest of the n. He was truly a sneaky super genius!


    Shit, what in all hells! a surprised Malthus cursed as he sprinted after the hobgoblin.


    The man was fast but not as fast as cknail. He may have been closer to his fallenpanions but surprise had slowed his start as well.


    cknail reached the weapon first and scooped it up. He spun around and grinned as he aimed it at the master assassin. Malthus reacted quickly this time and dodged away to the side, but cknail had predicted this. The hobgoblin shot the assassin that had been following in Malthus footsteps instead.


    That was three down. The man shrieked in pain as the bolt punctured his chest and then copsed a secondter. cknail quickly tore the string off the crossbow. He then threw it straight at Malthus charging form.


    The assassin flinched and batted the flying weapon aside with his de. cknail jumped to the side and dashed away. Thest two of Malthus minions that were still standing tried to intercept him and cut off his escape.


    No, dont chase him. There are more traps! Malthus roared suddenly.


    His cloaked subordinates froze in their tracks and warily scanned the ground at their feet while keeping one eye on cknail. They didnt want to be caught off guard by a shot from his sling.


    The hobgoblin himself ran to the edge the bushes and then turned back around. He was a safe distance away now.


    Malthus slowly and carefully walked over to hispanions side. He looked calm but cknail could see rage smoldering behind his eyes. It amused the watching hobgoblin. He liked pissing off Malthus.


    The master assassin suddenly whipped a throwing knife at cknails head, but he easily leaned out of the way. He was too far away for such knives to be much of a threat. Malthus growled as he stared at cknail.


    Do you think that just because you managed to take out a few of my men that youve won? Nothing could be further from the truth, Faceless One. As long as I live your days are numbered, and it will take more than a few traps made from pointy sticks to kill me, he hissed angrily.


    cknail justughed again. The time for hiding who and what he was over. Now it was time to spread delicious fear and panic.


    I have just gotten started, arrogant man. You wont-ss leave this forest alive. It was so very stupid-ss of you to follow me-ss here. Also, my name is cknail, and-ss I have a face, the hobgoblin replied haughtily.


    He grinned broadly and then reached up slowly to pull down his hood. His enemies froze as they got their first view of his green skin, pointy ears, long nose, and sharp jagged teeth. cknail could see the blood drain from their cheeks as they took in his inhuman visage. It made himugh again.


    Cor-Dius cloak shield us. Hes not human, one of the assassins whispered in horror.


    cknail took a step forward and stared into the eyes of the closest enemy. The man stared back with wide eyed dread.


    Rawr, the hobgoblin yelled as he lurched forward a step.


    The man shrieked and fell over backwards as he tried to stumble away. cknail chuckled darkly at the stupid human and licked his lips in anticipation of what was toe.


    He then turned to the still frozen Malthus and gave him a brief bow, before stepping into the bushes and out of sight.


    Soon the hobgoblins eerie voice promised as he walked away.


    He shivered in excitement as he crept through the forest and circled around his prey. The humans had yet to move. They stood there for several seconds without saying anything.


    We should never havee here. Were going to be killed and eaten! one of the men whispered fearfully.


    Shut up or Ill kill you myself, Malthus told him as he stared his subordinate down.


    The man was shivering in fear and he couldnt meet his boss eyes. Malthus snorted in disgust.


    So hes not human; it changes nothing! It wont stop me from cutting his head off with my sword, and it actually exins a lot, Malthus eximed.


    Hes right about one thing, though. We should not have walked into these woods, thest man added fearfully.


    Malthus grunted darkly in reply as he scanned the nearby greenery for signs of cknail. He was still looking more than a little pale and jumpy.


    That was definitely a mistake, but were far from finished. Im not scared of a little green freak that likes to hide in bushes, the master assassin told his men, but judging by their skeptical expressions they didnt seem too reassured by his speech.


    As cknail watched from his new hiding spot next to a pile of rocks and thorny nts, he smiled. Malthus was clearly lying. The wind reeked of blood and terror, and those delightful smells were only going to grow stronger