After crossing the large arch leading to the northern district, I found myself plunged into an atmosphere which dragged radically with the rest of the city of pleasures.
Here, decadence took another form: it was no longer raw, vulgar and noisy, but refined, silent and terribly heavy.
Where the lower districts were full of crowded taverns, clandestine arenas and black markets, the North district displayed overwhelming opulence.
The streets of marble shone under the light of the magic lamps suspended in height. The facades of the buildings were carved with exquisite precision, adorned with gilding and complex symbols belonging to the large families of the city.
The smell of fine wine and expensive perfumes floated in the air, almost masking the underlying scent of blood and intrigues that were going here.
I walked, silent, observing everything.
My omni charmcape allowed me to blend into the crowd with supernatural ease. Those who looked at me saw an ordinary man, unimportant.
A shadow among the shadows.
I had three priorities:
. Find the Mans district.
. Recolling information about Darius Ventmorth.
. Introduce me to him without awakening suspicions.
I followed the streets lined with luxury shops and refined shops.
The signs sparkle with a magic glow, displaying prestigious names:
"The house of wonders", an establishment renowned for selling rare and illegal artifacts.
"The Black Opal", a tavern where only the most influential customers were accepted.
"The night rose garden", a place of entertainment where the pleasures of the flesh took an unusual turn.
I ended up reaching a large circular square, where a colossal stone statue representing a veiled woman was entitled.
The goddess Solaria ...
I could not suppress a sneer.
"Even here, in a lair of criminals and corrupt nobles, they display its image."
Behind this statue, a large paved avenue extended in a straight line, leading to a large black iron grid.
Heavily armed guards patrolled in front, watching the comings and goings with extreme vigilance.
It was necessarily here.
The Manoir district: the Sanctuary of the rich and powerful, where the lords of the crime and the crooked nobles led their affairs in the shadow of the large walls.
Crossing the large grid was not going to be as simple as using my cape as with the mercenaries at the entrance to the North district.
Here, the guards were different.
Their looks were cold, calculators. Veterans mercenaries, accustomed to intrusion attempts and manipulation games.
I had to change my approach.
I made a detour to a discreet tavern, located in an alley adjacent to large square.
The worn wooden brand indicated:
"The silver croc"
A place for premium hunters, independent mercenaries, and informants.
As soon as I entered, I felt the weight of looks on me.
The noise of conversations calmed down slightly, while everyone has evaluated me.
No sudden movement.
I walked quietly to the counter, where an old man with a balafed face wipe out a drink.
"A silent customer or a talkative customer? he asked, throwing me a piercing."
I slipped a gold coin on the counter.
"A curious customer."
The old man haussed an eyebrow, made the piece disappear from a skillful gesture and leaned slightly.
"It depends on what is your curiosity, foreign."
I put my hand on the smooth wooden wood.
"Darius Venmorm."
The atmosphere in the tavern changed immediately.
The few conversations that had resumed died again.
The old man stopped, his gaze analyzing my request.
"Many want to know where he is. Little come entirely after finding it."
I had a smirk.
"I'm not much."
He let out a raucous little laugh.
"Hehe ... A confident man, huh?"
He slid a piece of folded paper towards me.
"Darius Venmorm lies in the villa of the Black Serpent, in the heart of the Manoirs district."
"Interesting."
"But ... his manor is more watched than a king's palace."
I slipped another gold coin on the counter.
"Details."
He shrugged and took the room.
"Four protective layers."
. A magic barrier covering the whole domain.
. Sentinels tirelessly patrolling.
. A limited access to visitors, with a pre -established list.
.A main room monitored by his personal murderers.
I slowly straightened up, storing the piece of paper in my pocket.
"I knew worse."
The old man fixed me for a moment, before shaking my head.
"Good luck, kid ..."
With the exact location of the villa of the black snake in mind, I started up on.
Infiltrate discreetly? Too risky with the magic barrier.
Manipulate the guard with OMNI charm? Too random.
Force entry? Suicidal.
I needed another approach.
I observed the guests and businessmen who entered the mansions district.
Among them, an obese merchant, richly dressed, spoke with his guards.
"HMPH ..."
A plan immediately came to my mind.
I was waiting for the right time, then skillfully slipped behind the merchant, placing a knife under his throat.
"Walk. Not a noise."
He stiffens immediately, sweat flowing on his forehead.
"Q-What do you want?!"
I slipped my cape around him and modulated my voice:
"As if I were your guard. Otherwise…"
The knife pressed slightly on his skin.
"... you will no longer need to enter the villa of the Black Serpent."
The merchant swollen with difficulty, then resumed his path with a trembling step.
We approached the entry grid.
The guards checked his guest card, and took a suspicious look at me.
"Who is he? One of them asked."
The merchant hesitated for a second, then reluctantly confessed:
"My… new personal guard."
The soldiers frowned but, after a moment of silence, let him pass.
As soon as we were inside, I broke the neck into a dry movement, and abandoned his body behind a bush.
One less obstacle.
The black snake villa stood in front of me.
An immense building with the appearance of a fortress, covered with intertwined snake statues.
Darius Venmorm's lair.
And my next goal.
Go around the magic barrier
The biggest problem with the Villa du Serpent Noir was not its walls, or even its guards. It was his magic barrier.
A complex spell covered the whole domain, forming an invisible but impenetrable layer.
The spells of this level generally function on three fundamental principles:
1. Detection - The barrier scans any foreign magic presence.
2. Reaction - An alarm is triggered as soon as an intruder is spotted.
3. Rejection - Any attempted passage ends with a forced referral or a magic attack.
In other words ... no way to cross without being instantly identified and neutralized.
But I had two advantages:
1. My analysis system was capable of mapping the barrier in real time.
2. My omni charm cape could make me undetectable ... but not intangible.
If I touched the barrier directly, it would react.
So, I opt for another approach:
The large statues of snakes around the villa were nested in the magic field, probably serving as anchor for the barrier.
By bypassing these statues and exploiting fluctuations in the magic flow, I found a tiny dead point where the barrier was weaker.
I slipped through this space, slowly, centimeter by centimeter.
My body stiffens when I felt the magic pressure grazing my skin ... but nothing happened.
I had passed.
Without losing a second, I founded myself in the shadows and continued my progress towards the main room.
The black fangs - the assault of the assassins
As soon as I opened the doors of the fortress, a blinding light fell on me.
"TSK ... they were waiting for someone."
Furtive silhouettes leapped darkness, and in a fraction of a second, tapered blades arose against my throat.
I was surrounded.
Eight assassins in black leather armor, their faces hidden under masks decorated with a snake emblem, fixed me without a word.
Their posture was perfect, calculated. Not a single superfluous movement.
These men ...
Pros. Trained killers. Blood and shadow veterans.
They belonged to the Black Fangs, an order of ultra-elitist mercenaries, specializing in assassination, hunting and spying.
If I had tried to resist them, I would have been riddled with daggers before I could even raise my sword.
But instead of reacting, I kept my calm and slowly raised my hands.
"You are effective ..."
No answer.
One of the murderers, no doubt their captain, slowly approached and pointed out a blade to my throat.
"Name and reason for your presence."
His voice was freezing.
I had planned that.
Without wounding, I took a guaranteed and professional tone:
"I am here to respond to Darius Ventmorm's private offer."
Silence fell.
The black fangs had not yet lowered their weapons, but I knew that I had drew their attention.
"A private offer? repeated the captain with distrust."
I nodded.
"The elimination of ancient holy knights."
The murderers exchanged furtive looks.
There was a brief moment of floating, then their captain slightly lowered his weapon.
"Who informed you of this contract?"
I support his gaze.
"I can recognize a well -paid mission when I see one."
A discreet sneer escaped from under his mask.
He scanned me for a moment, assessing my confidence, my posture, my lack of fear.
Then he made a simple gesture of the hand.
The murderers immediately recurred, rejoining their blades.
The captain approached and set me through his black mask.
"Very good ... But Darius Venmorm does not give his confidence easily. If you want to see him, you will have to convince him in person."
He turned to the large door leading to the main room.
"Follow me. And avoid making a misconduct ..."
I hid my smile.
The fish had bitten in the hook.
Now I was heading straight for Darius Venmorm.
And the real part was going to start.