"I smell blood." Ashe's nose twitched as she produced a visible frown and her brows creased.

She had become long accustomed to the taste of blood, and with her enhanced senses thanks largely to her curse, it was extremely easy for her to pick up the scent of something she was much too familiar with. There was no mistaking it, being something she was quite keen on; undoubtedly so, this was the smell of freshly made blood. It assaulted her nose unlike that of tired blood.

However, she smiled. Evidently, there was a show to be had.

At that moment, Maria's eyes opened in a daze as she looked around. Them she puzzledly turned towards her personal guard.

"Why have we stopped?" She asked.

"An enemy," Ais stated.

"The guards are dead."

Her hand was already in the grasp of the blade at her waist, and she was preparing to set out. Unlike Ashe who steely smelled blood, she simply knew the guards were dead based on her ears alone. There was no sound of fighting, nor was there sound of scraping metal. However, the lack of such sounds only served to enhance her conclusion.

"The enemy is human." She stated firmly as she opened the door to the carriage.

Unlike beasts which attacked in whichever way they pleased, or kicked off commotions at any time they wanted, humans were much more deadly in their silence. And thus, with no sound of battle or movement, while the carriage was still stopped, she concluded the enemy to be human.

However, she did not expect this show of utter disregard.

Just as she stepped out, she was surprised to find a man standing steely in front of her with no awareness as to hidehimself.

Slowly shaking the crimson blood off the blackened dagger in his right hand, he smiled and spoke "Ah, there you are, I was getting quite bored of this little game. Did you guys really think me so weak as to have this band of 'guards' to protect you?"

Ais narrowed her golden eyes and stared expressionlessly at this eccentric figure in front of her. The area was mystifyingly foggy, and she could barely see more than a few feet from herself, however, she could seehim.

He seemed oh so calm, without a care in the world.

Blonde hair that was lightly combed to the right side, exposing a bit of his pale left scalp. Pale blue eyes that seemed to directly cross against Ais's golden. He looked a bit older than Ais, and she herself concluded him to be in his early twenties.

"Though, I would be happy to take another soul before my final prey. I would like to ask, is there any chance you could just hand the princess over?" He smiled as his calm voice sounded out.

"You see, I wouldn't like to dirty my hands too much."

Ais looked at the corpse at his feet, then stared back emotionlessly at this man, "The guards?"

"Just a means to my prey." Was the simple reply that came.

She nodded, grasped her hilt tighter, allowed the blade to glimmer into thecoweringsun, and charged forwards with swiftness.

Her sunburn eyes had already focused on its targetthe neck.

There was no hesitation in her movement.

However, just as her blade was about to pop off the head of this assassin before her...

The figure beforeherdisappeared in a blur.

"No, no no. You seem to take me for the other guy, don't you? For Brian, right?" The voice appeared by her side.

Ais turned her head rightways to see a blackened dagger hurriedly incoming towards her forehead in a bid to dig into it. Swirling the misty white fog in its speed.

Shifting her weight lightly, she allowed her owndescent,and felt the air whiz at her hair as the dagger passed by.

However, she wasn't done, she activated her skill in an instinct. In just the right time, she saw within her mind the vision of another dagger headed towards the back of her head.

As quickly as she could move her body, she jumped leftward to escape the graze of its blade.

Ais, returning to a full standing posture, stared at the man in the same emotionless nature. As traces of her golden hair fell, she could feel a slight ooze of blood at her neck.

It had been too close, a bit slower and her throat would have become clogged with blood.

She stared at the are-he was gone. She could hardly see anything, however, his figure was nowhere left to find.

"Impeccable reaction time." The voice soothed her ears, this time, sounding a bit farther.

"Now, if you don't mind, I'll be taking my prize." She somehow imagined the same calm smile, "after all, us assassins aren't truly meant for frontal collisions."

Ais couldn't see the carriage in her field of vision, even her desired ability was of no use in helping her navigate this fog.

However, she remembered the actions of herself and the direction the fight had taken. It was time to do a bit of backtrack.

Yet, as she walked around, she found herself lost as her brows creased. The only thing within her vision were trees.

"This fog..." she couldn't help but mutter with a slight frown.

Maria looked towards her right.

'What?' She frowned.

"Hello young lady," the blonde headed man smiled as he looked towards her.

"I presume you to be princess Maria Springfield, am I right?" He asked.

"You have the wrong person," Maria replied bluntly.

Did he think she was stupid? Would she just sit here and allow this assassin to take her life? Huh, you ask, how was she so sure this man that had mysteriously appeared within the carriage was an assassin?

Could it have something to do with the icy blade at her neck? Or could it have something to do with Rain's sword pointed at his throat? Or maybe it was because of the small wave of heat radiating off of the fireball directed at the man by Arthur?

The innards of the royal carriagewasspacious and allowed for some movement beyond simply seating. However, one thing was certain,Ashe-theperson sitting at her left-didn't seem to so much as flinch. Her arms were folded and her eyes closed.

"Who are you?" Rain narrowed his eyes as his blade met at the man's neck. Even with the secondary dagger of the man blocking his advance, his hand was firm.

"Why young man, you don't know who I am? Don't you realize how grave your situation has become?" He produced a visibly feigned shocked face as he turned to look at Rain.

"Once the guild sends in one of the Specialists like myself. The case has become much bigger than previously thought. After all, we Specialists are within the highest strengths in our respective ranks." He smiled, quite a tauntingly prideful smile.

"Is that so?" Arthur arched a brow, keeping the fireball at the man's face.

"Why of course, you see..."

While the man continued to blabber, Maria took the chance to simply think within her mind, 'Radiance.'

There was no light this time, it simply happened in an instinct as her body was covered in that same familiar armor.

'Isn't this man way too easily distracted?' Maria thought as her gauntlet held onto the dagger at her neck.

"Ah," He turned to look at her, "so this is the reason you could defeat Brian?"

"I have to say, quite a nice armor you have there." He produced a nod.

"Thanks," Maria replied as she began to guide her mana.

"Why, you know magic too?" The man questioned.

"Indeed." Maria nodded, "I'll show you."

"."

The man watched with a slight smile as a mana barrier appeared onto the body of every single person within the carriage--except himself of course.

"Interesting, simultaneous casting? You shouldn't be that adept at magic, am I right?" He still held his light smile.

"All thanks to my armor," Maria smiled and turned towards Arthur.

"Now, if you will."

The older brother ofher's gavea prideful and cunning grin. Whoever said a fireball needed to be thrown to produce it's desired effect? After all, couldn't the slight shift in mana allow it to manifest its power in an instant?

The fireball began to burn brighter as it grew in both hue and size.

"Explosion." He spoke calmly.

Boom

Hearing that loud explosion, Ais immediately turned towards its source. The fog swirledwithinthe air at the direction she looked towards.

Frowning slightly, she began her chase in haste.

Maria produced hasty coughs as she began to regain her stance. Looking around, as much as her vision allowed, she saw the broken pieces of the once luxurious carriage covered by a field of white fog. Unsurprisingly, however, the horse, her guards, her brother, and the rest were nowhere to be found. They could very well be just a few feet from her without her knowledge, however, it didn't seem likely.

Maria tried activating her ability