Chapter 1 Introduction

They Called her V it was just that simple just the one letter. No one knew if anything followed any that did were long gone. That's why they had to have her she was the best. She could fade away into obscurity at the blink of an eye. No one who had seen her do her work lived to tell the tale.

She strolled into the building undetected she was in plain sight but no one seemed to see her her heels made no noise as she walked through the building. She walked into a corner office to find no one there she sat on the desk. Taking an apple from her small bag she took a bite from it. She sat there surveying the office her eyes going over every detail looking for ways to escape when she needed to.

She could here the sounds of someone coming down the hall way. A smile crossed her lips as she made her move disappearing with the greatest of stealth. A man entered the office he looked around and picked up the apple that was left behind. He smiled slightly and took another look around.

“o.k. V you got me I know you're in here somewhere go ahead and come out now” he said putting his hands up.

V stepped from out of the shadows reappearing right behind the man flicking her black hair from in front of her face. She grabbed the apple from his hand and took another bite from it chewing slowly she stared at the man intently.

“not much in the mood for conversation are you” he said looking at her.

“only when the conversation is interesting and so far you haven't said anything interesting” V said looking around bored with the current proceedings.

“OK well then I have assignment for you and this time it's one that is a lot more dangerous” he said handing V a manilla folder.

She opened the folder quickly and looked at the picture inside it was of a man named Astare a well known practitioner of magic he worked as an aide to the king of Ceylon. V knew he would be a fearsome opponent to try and kill. V smiled at the prospect of this job it would be entertaining to have to end the life of someone who could actually put up a decent fight without having to rely on the strength of hired thugs. She looked up at the man who was looking impatient she threw the files back at him.

“I’ll take it, it's about time you gave me something fun” V said leaving the room.

Leaving the building V wanted to hurry and get ready for what she had to do. She already knew if he was as good of a magician as they say then he would already know someone was coming after him. She would have to be extremely prepared if she were going to get out of this alive. V had to admit knowing the risks of what she had to do made it all the more fun. She climbed into her car a sleek silver car it's make and model unknown.

She loved driving fast especially through the crowded streets like this. She weaved in and out of traffic deftly knowing no one could catch her. She drove out of the city and to a large ranch house. Her home away from home the blade house as she named it. It was the place where she kept all her supplies and where she crafted her weapons.

She stepped out the car and into the clean country air it was a nice area not to many people, nearest neighbor was 4 miles away. They never heard when V had a new creation which suited her just fine. She walked into her barn and opened it up the walls were lined with books on plants and books on arcane magics. V passed all them and picked up one book the cover was old and barely legible.

V knew this book well this book was passed down through her family it was her family book of magic. She flipped through the book until she found the page she wanted she looked at the page and copied the rune onto another sheet and then closed the book she stepped to the middle of the floor and placed the piece of paper onto the ground it instantly expanded as it touched the ground she stepped to the middle of the rune. It lit up as she stood in the middle of it.

“oh powers from beyond the void. I call to you to give me power. Power to strike down my enemies and feed their souls to the power beyond to the void. Imbue thine blade with the powers of my lineage allow me control over the forces we have tamed throughout the centuries.” she chanted

The circle continued to glow and the light grew in strength as she said the incantation. Once she finished the light dimmed then flared out throwing V backwards. She easily righted herself landing on her desk gracefully, she looked over towards where the light came from the paper was completely torched. It still had some green flames that continued to burn then slowly went out.

A sword was floating where the middle of the paper was, a very ornate blade the handle was covered in pure gold taking the form of a rose with the thorns on the outside of the hilt. The blade was thin about normal size for a sabre. The blade was decorated with leaves and flowers petals it sparkled in the small shafts of light that drifted in through the ceiling of the barn.

V smiled at the new blade it was beautiful she knew she would be able to cut through anyone that stood in her way. She picked up the blade the thorns didn't pierce her skin they felt as soft as cotton. She looked over the sword and swung it but nothing really happened. V looked at sword slightly disappointed was this blade nothing more than something pretty to look at? But then petals started to fall from the sky she watched them fall and saw them cut anything they touched. She moved the sword again and the petals followed the swords movement. V smiled as the petals danced she placed the sword in a sheath and the petals disappeared.

“this blade will serve me well.” V said as she placed it into a holster and attached it to her belt. “now to finish my other preparations” she said walking back towards her work table.


V continued to work throughout the night filling up vials with different liquids. Special potions and enchantments that have been passed down through the history of her family. She had to make sure she made them carefully. One small mistake could mean her death. She finished preparing all the potions and enchantments she figured she would need. She grabbed a couple of ingredients just in case she had to make a few more. She placed the vials along her belt in miniature holsters and in other small holsters placed strategically on her person. She put the extra ingredients into a small bag, hanging it from her hip opposite of her sword. She stepped out of the barn into the sunlight. It was at least noon she thought to herself. She looked around the farm something seemed off to her.

“so you've noticed that someone is here haven't you?” a voice said that came from all around her.

V looked around and saw no one she placed her hand on her sword hilt and looked around. She had never had someone enter her property without her detection. The person was no normal adversary. He had to be using some kind of magic to elude her detection. She felt a breeze behind her and quickly turned around drawing her blade blocking the blade that would have sliced through her neck had she not have turned around. She only looked at the mans face for a second before he disappeared again in thin air.

He was a magician probably sent by Astare. A preemptive strike against her. She smiled to herself. She steadied her breathing he had actually given her a shock. This would be fun. She thought to herself. She stood still waiting for his next strike. She already knew what trick he was using. Either an invisibility potion or enchantment but they both had one fatal flaw. No matter the potion or enchantment anything that touched them would give away their location. V swung her sword in a circular motion around her. The petals began to materialize and fall around her. She smiled to herself now it was her turn to test her.

“you think a few measly flower petals will stop me” he said

“then come at me if you're so brave” V said as she readied herself.

The attack came swiftly but V was ready for it the petals gathered around him giving him a shape she swung down the sword and the petals began to cut through him she could see the blood spurts from where he was cut. V laughed at the site.

“no matter where you are you can't hide from Rose's attack” V gloated. “now dance my petals and find your target” she said

The petals swirled around as if sensing the invisible man the had locked onto his presence and were swarming around him. V reached into her pocket and took out a small bag she reached in and pulled out some blue powder. She blew it into the vortex and it made the man visible again. He was handsome he had a young face brown hair that was slightly messy he had a average look to him. One would not expect him to be a hardened killer or a seasoned magician.

“dispelling powder so you are just as good as they say” he said as his enchantment faded away.

“no I’m not as good as they say I’m better” she said smiling devilishly. “that's not just dispelling powder it is also a paralytic powder that enters through cuts on the skin it should take effect in 3...2...1” she said

V looked as the mans face changed to a look of surprise as he fell to the ground. V sheathed her sword making the petals disappear she walked over to the man he could still see her and talk but he couldn't move.

“now what should I do with you? Kill you? Or get some information then kill you?” she said nudging his body with her foot. “I think I will torture you a bit” she said smiling maliciously.

V drug the mans body into the workshop and tied him to a chair. V could tell his eyes were following her around the room she walked to her ingredient cabinet and pulled out some items she began to mix them in a bowl whistling to herself as she did so.

“oh yes this potion will loosen your mouth quite nicely” she said as she walked towards the man with the steaming bowl. “open wide”

V poured the liquid into the mans mouth and stepped back smiling. The mans look on his face changed to a look of intense pain. He screamed out in pain. V knew exactly how this potion worked it was Tarah's painful brew. A potion that when drunk created pain inside the victim's body in intervals of five minutes. Giving the victim five minutes of rest before the pain would come back doubled in its intensity.

“hurts doesn't it?” she said as she sat in a chair watching his face.

A half hour had passed and the man was still conscious despite the pain. V was impressed at his will power. This man would be here either until she decided to let him go or he was dead whichever came first.

“so who sent you” V said as she leaned back in her chair.

The man looked at her with eyes of contempt he refused to speak. V was more impressed with his fortitude. If he lived she may have to keep an eye on him. She watched as the cycle of pain started again. V liked seeing how much pain this man could take. Torturing strong people was always something she enjoyed yet rarely got to do.

“now I shall ask you again who sent you” V asked standing up and walking towards him.

“Astare sent me” he spit out in between gasps of breath.

Now that wasn't so hard was it” she said sweetly. Walking towards him slowly as she pulled a small dagger from her right pocket. “now where is Astare hiding” she asked as she pressed the dagger to his cheek.

“when he isn't in the castle he is in his laboratory on the island” he said breathing shallowly.

“well then since you were so helpful I guess I can let you live” V said dripping another liquid down his throat “don't worry its an antidote to the pain potion” she said seeing his resistance.

The man swallowed it reluctantly but as soon as he finished his body relaxed slightly and his breathing steadied. V could see him try too move but couldn't the paralytic was still in effect. V grabbed the man by his shirt and drug him out of her workshop. She tossed him into the backseat of her car and sped off she drove into a forest and stopped. She grabbed the man and threw him from the car.

“if you survive look me up I wouldn't mind torturing you again.” V said blowing a kiss to him before speeding off.

V drove through the forest she knew the man would most likely be back. She looked forward to the next time they could fight hopefully his skill would be better next time. Cause next time V wouldn't hold back on him. He would feel extreme pain next time they met. This thought made her chuckle slightly. She continued to drive an soon arrived at the airport.

She drove into the parking lot and climbed out of her car. The parking lot was dark V could hear the dripping of water somewhere off in the distance. She could hear the chatter of the pigeons hidden in the eves of the garage. She could sense another magical energy inside the garage. It was a large aura that was almost suffocating.

V smiled in anticipation this would be fun she thought to herself. She pulled a vial from her coat and opened it she poured it on the ground and a purple haze rose up from the ground. A simple illusion potion to conceal the fight from anyone that could get in the way. V drew her sword as she saw a woman walk up to her. She was at least the same height as V and carried a bow on her back. She had silver hair that covered her right eye. She had a very young face she looked to be around 21.

“so you are the assassin” she said mockingly “well I can see why the last assassin failed”

“yeah I tortured him and then left him in the woods” V said nonchalantly as she sized up the girl that stood before her.

“oh so you like to torture as well” the girl said flipping back her air revealing her right eye it was a jade green color different from her left eye which was a dark blue color. “i think we could be quite good friends If I didn't have to kill you” she said

“so you are from the Chromia family” V said “the eyes are a dead give away” she said as she circled around the girl.

“bingo and if you know that much I assume you know what my family specializes in” she said as she began to follow V's movements

“only a story told to me long ago” V said trying to remember the story herself.

“a girl with two different eyes that appears out of thin air laying waste to an entire town” the girl said smiling.

“the only thing they saw was a flash of green and blue then they saw black” V continued the story coming back to her.

The girl disappeared suddenly and reappeared behind V her arms around her waist. Her tongue flicked V cheek gently. She chuckled before she disappeared again and reappeared again sitting on top of V's car she moved around quickly showing off her teleportation skills

“it seems you only know the power of my right eye but not my left eye” the girl said. As she drew her bow.

The girl pulled back the string and released it. V had seen techniques like this many times before, archers that used arrows that were invisible or made from their energy. V moved to her right assuming the arrow was going toward a vital spot on her body. She tried to sense the arrow but she felt something cut through her shoulder.

“it won't matter if you can sense the arrow if I already know where you're going to move to” she said laughing.

V's eyes widened the girls left eye could see into the future. What a bother V, thought to herself she knew she could teleport and was waiting for her to start using that. But she didn't know the Chromia family could see into the future. V sheathed her sword she knew that in this fight her sword would be useless. She had to use her natural magic.

V began to make her move she knew she would have to keep moving to have any chance of staying alive. She ran towards the girl in a erratic pattern attempting to screw up the girls aim as she had been taught when fighting a ranged opponent such as this one. The girl just laughed as she pulled back her string again and launched another shot. V made her movements more erratic but she felt at least three new cuts on her body.

“oh that was a nice idea keep your self moving erraticly to try and confuse me.” she chuckled “cute but it won't matter as long as I can see your future.” she chuckled readying her bow for another strike.

V had almost figured out the girls attack she new it was a energy strike. So that would mean the arrows can bend their trajectory. V knew very little about future sight except a few basics of it. She tried to remember what she had learned about it. The basics were gonna be what saved her there was one key rule that she needed to remember.

Future sight can not be stopped when two fates are intertwined so blinding her would not work she can still view her own future. She thought to herself about the next basic she learned. Future sight by an object is limited to having the object in the users possession. V's eyes widened when she came to that realization. But how could she remove this girls eye. V drew her sword she knew using the sword would be useless for attacking her but she could use it for defense. She moved the sword slightly testing out the girls reaction to it. She only looked on as if bored with the proceedings.

“OK I think it's time to end this she said brushing back her hair again to reveal her green eye.

The girl instantly vanished and began reappearing. She continued to do this rapidly. V had seen many teleportation users but none as adept as this girl was. V could barely follow her movements she knew soon the girl would begin launching attacks from all directions as would most people do in this sort of situation. V readied her blade as she felt the energy from it grow. The rose petals began to fall. Circling around them both. V knew she would be able to block incoming attacks with the rose petals.

The girl continued to pop about firing off shots but they were being deflected by the petals that were scattered around. They swirled around able to track the shots. V new if she wanted to catch this lady she had to find someway to be able to hit her before she could see her hitting her. Just the thought of it made it seem nearly impossible, but V had a plan. She began to swing the sword around creating more and more petals with each swing.

“do you think you can hide among your flowers forever?” the girl said chuckling.

Her words told V exactly what she needed to know. She can't see into the future of objects. Which included her petals from her sword. V stood still she knew doing this would take a lot of concentration and she would only have one shot. After doing this she would be a sitting duck. She pulled in all the petals around her swirling them around her like a shield.

She sat in the middle of them and began to meditate. The girl stopped her assault and tried to see what was coming. She readied herself expecting an attack from behind her. V continued to meditate until she thought she had the right moment. The mass of petals struck out toward the girl striking her square in the face. The force of the attack knocked her to the ground, giving V just enough time to catch the girl with her small dagger. V swiped the dagger across the girls blue eye.

“you bitch” the girls cussed placing her hand over her eye. She staggered back the sudden loss of sight and the pain she must have felt incapacitating her as she dropped to her knees.

V rushed forward getting ready to deliver the finishing blow and end the girls life. Her sword was only inches from the girls neck when she teleported away. V could still hear her voice as if she was still there.

“this isn't over yet we will finish this fight and I will kill you” she said her voice fading.

V breathed out and let herself relax slightly. She knew the girl would be back but she wouldn't be back to soon with the injury she has. V wasn't sure how much damage she caused to her eye. She only knew it was enough to end the fight. There were still too many secrets regarding the Chromia family for her to know the extent of their ocular powers. V sheathed her sword and left the garage quickly.

Walking into the airport she blended in with the crowd she knew she was at least somewhat safe from attack, being in such a large crowd moved quickly looking for the board that posted all the flights. She soon came across the board and quickly studying it she found the flights that were heading to Ceylon one leaving in an hour the other in three.

She walked up to the lady at the front desk who smiled like her face was permanently stuck that way. She gave V her whole practiced speech about sales and special promotions until V cut her off. The lady gave her a grateful look at being cut off mid sentence.

“one ticket to Ceylon please” V said barely paying attention to the the lady.

The lady put in the information and asked for V's passport. V handed it over quickly after fishing in her purse. She handed it over to the lady with a smile.

“oh okay here is your boarding pass and ticket Miss Carol.” the lady said handing back the passport and her ticket.

V walked away from the counter and slipped through the security line again. She walked onto the plane easily and without much attention being drawn to her. She took her seat near the window. She was the last person to board. She took a look around the cabin at all the people there.

She noticed another person board the plane as the doors closed a mother and a baby sat next to her. V looked at the baby it smiled at her happily and laughed. The baby squirmed around in the mothers arms like it was trying to get a good look at V, the baby finally settled down when the mother repositioned the child to where they could just simply turn their head and look at V all it wanted. The baby reached out a small hand towards her trying to grab out toward her. The mother took notice and looked over at V

“she seems to have taken a shine to you miss” the lady said as she rubbed the baby's head.

V smiled not sure of what to say back. She wasn't really used to children running up to her or taking that much interest in her in the first place. Honestly she wasn't even sure if she really liked kids in the first place. But the little girl laughing and smiling up at her makes her think. This little girl had her mother and was going somewhere exciting. V was going there to commit a murder. If only this mother knew who her baby was sitting next too. She would definitely freak out and probably run away.

V sometimes wished she could run away but new she couldn't her path had been chosen for her. She was a killer as long as she could remember. She was born to kill and she was raised to be a killer. She wondered where would she be if she had been born differently. Maybe she would have grown up in a nice normal house with a mom a dad maybe a brother and a sister. Every day she would get up to go to school just like all the normal girls and only have to worry about make up and boys and school. But growing up she had to worry about being poisoned in her sleep, murdered for being too weak or killed on a assignment.

V was never too much of a religious person but she prayed this baby would grow up to be normal and have the life she sometimes thought about. V even occasionally entertained the idea of giving up being an assassin. She knew that wasn't possible even if she quit she couldn't have a normal life she had to many enemies that would still come after her. Her life was doomed to be red with blood until the day it was red with her own blood. But at least sometimes she could dream of having a normal life and masquerade at having one it was rare but at least she got to have that short moment of being a normal everyday girl.

V looked away from the baby she felt if she kept looking at it then she would taint the poor child with her own evil. She looked out the window watching the clouds as the plane flew towards the city of Ceylon and the magician Astare.


To Be Continued...