After tracing Ashelia's scent for minutes and a couple of wrong turns since the smell in the air was faint, Azrael finally arrived at a bend in the road leading to an abandoned part of the market district.
His brows furrowed. 'There's someone with her…' He thought as his jaw clenched. 'Did he force her to go with him?'
His frown deepened as he mused. Could it be that she was kidnapped? No normal person in their right mind would go this way, after all. There was something suspicious about it.
He stared down at the hairpiece in his grasp and smirked. 'I do hope you are safe, my lady. If you have gotten yourself into trouble again, I might just take you with me to keep you safe.'
Azrael's ears twitched and he sharply turned to his right to see a shabby shop standing a few meters away from him. He frowned as he moved toward it quickly, swinging the doors open before he could think about it.
If he had not seen so many unusual things in his lifetime, he would have sputtered at what he saw. Things like this were not unusual on empty streets. Still, that didn't stop him from freezing halfway in surprise.
Inside the shop, on one of the long wornout, wooden tables, was a couple having a passionate moment with their clothes half-gone… maybe, passionate was a bit of an understatement.
Azrael's lips twitched. He should have paid proper attention to the sound before he opened the door.
Before he could slip away unnoticed, the couple spotted him and stopped midway, staring at him with shocked and embarrassed expressions mixed with a little irritation.
The silence between all three of them hung heavy and uncomfortably in the air for a few seconds before Azrael went back outside a few steps.
He put a hand to his mouth and cleared his throat to hide the laughter in voice. "Ahem… My apologies," he murmured and closed the door quietly.
He walked a few paces away from the wooden door before he broke into a chuckle. "Honestly… how am I going through this much trouble to find a single woman…?"
He took another look at the hairpiece, and held it to his nose. 'How lovely…' he mused. 'I have to hurry up and find her soon before her scent vanishes from the air completely."
Azrael sighed. "Wouldn't it be nice if you ran out from somewhere and bump into me like last ti–"
He suddenly stiffened and subtly sniffed at the air, the scent in the air had gotten stronger, but there was something mixed in that made his brows furrow.
The fragrance of jasmines tickled his nose, making a pleasant tingle go up his spine. He smirked. "Found you, my lady."
Azrael slipped the headband into one of his pockets and started in the direction of the scent, but before he could go far, he froze again.
His eyes widened as his hand went to hover over his nose, slightly quivering. "...Blood?"
….
"Edward!"
What Ashelia did next was on impulse. She had no idea of when or how she had done it, but all she knew was that a gust of wind had escaped her outstretched palm and hit the assassin square on the chest.
It sent him hurling backwards a few meters and he fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. Ashelia stood with her eyes wide and one of her arms extended in front of her, trembling slightly.
She froze. Did she kill him? No, she couldn't have, that kind of power wasn't supposed to come out of her while she wore her pendant!
But then, even if she had, was it wrong? No, it wasn't wrong to kill someone who was aiming for your life!
Still, even though she tried to convince her heart, her stomach couldn't take the possibility. A jolt went through her, making her stumble and almost fall, but Edward was quick to steady her, his eyes still on their attackers.
"Thank you, my lady." He said with a grateful smile. "I owe you my life."
Ashelia could only look up at him and nod, she was unable to form words.
"That was truly impressive," he complimented her, then his brows furrowed. "But they won't go down that easily."
As if on cue, the assassin Ashelia had thrown back, struggled unsteadily to his feet. He took a moment to gather himself before his dark eyes found her, making her flinch.
The bloodlust coming from him was terrifying. She could almost feel it coiling around her neck.
That was it? All these people had gathered here just to kill her?! Ashelia stared around, barely managing to keep her composure. Who could have sent them?
Before she knew it, another assassin ran toward them with unmatched speed, but this time, Edward was alert enough to catch him sword on sword, then he kicked the man in the gut, throwing him back.
Which gave him just enough time to call out to her. "Please run, my lady." He told her. "I might be strong but I will not be able to take care of all of them. I hate to admit it, but they are well trained."
Assassins were known to possess average strength and if they intended to beat someone like Edward, they would have to wear him down first. From the looks of it, that was what they intended to do.
The Knight spared a quick glance her way and saw that she was unwilling to move.
Ashelia's feet were rooted to the ground, her body was slightly trembling but there was unmistakable determination in her eyes.
She knew she wouldn't be able to do much damage to any of them in her current state, but she would try. All she had to do was assist and he would do the rest.
Two of the attackers leaped toward Edward only moments after she had that thought. Normally she would call out his name to warn him but she clamped her mouth shut. Any kind of distraction was fatal to him in this situation.
Edward clicked his tongue, apparently irritated by her reaction, and met the both of his attackers head on. Leaning far enough to dodge one's blade and kicking the other away in the abdomen.
The one he kicked was now out of sight but almost immediately the first took another swing at him, he managed to deflect the sword strike and stabbed the assassin right in the throat.
"One down." Edward breathed quietly as he pulled out his sword with a sickening crunch, then entered fully into the fight.
Ashelia watched slightly trembling as everything unfolded, clutching the ceramic jar tightly to her chest. So this was what a fight to the death looked like?
What on earth could she do in this situation?!