Opening the door you see a little girl you would guess is no more than 14 years old wearing what looks like hand made, and not even very well, clothing. “Hi.” Is all you can think of to say given your current situation.
“The man you were expecting is here Mistress.”
“Thank…” As you start to speak a flood of images hits you. It is like déjà vu but not quiet, you are not sure if it is a memory, premonition or what, but as you look at her you see yourself, well this body anyway, follow her down to the large old cafeteria like room down stairs. In the far corner of the room you see a large man in what looks like somewhat regal attire for the period, with a bottle of wine with two glasses already filled. As your new body walks up to him, he stands and motions for you to sit, you do as instructed, turning the wooden chair around as you do so, straddling the back as you do. He then hands you a glass of wine as he asks a question, “I take it everything went as planned? The guards inform me that Prince Desmond has been assassinated.” You then see yourself smile and gulp down the wine before answering, “Not the easiest kill I have ever done, his pet tiger destroyed my favorite top. But I suppose I can buy a new one with what you are paying me.” The man across from you smiles at this, and seems to wait for the right moment before he speaks, “You know, I thought this would never work. You are far too trusting for someone in your field. They say no blade can penetrate your skin. It seems you are not so resistant to poison though.” As he says this you see yourself try to stand before collapsing on the table on your stomach. He then looks your new body over and smiles, “What do we have here, such silly rumors, magic gauntlets of protection, how simple.” Pulling his sword he runs the blade across your bodies neck completely severing the head before he turns and walks out the door. Then impossibly the crystalline creature is there and time seems to stop. You see a black mist flow out of your new body and into the night, the creature then takes the doll they made in your dream and touches it against your new body. As it does time reverses and speeds up, like you were watching a movie rewind, till you see your new body fall back into bed. Then with a flash of light it is gone, and the girl is still there in front of you as you finish your sentence with, “…you.”
Not sure of what else to do you follow her down the stairs and into the common room, it is just as your vision, or whatever it was, showed. The room itself is right out of any movie set in the middle ages, but the man sitting there is quite real, and planning to kill you. As you walk up to him he motions for you to sit, turning the chair around you straddle the back, he then hands you the glass of wine and you hear him ask the question you were expecting. “I take it everything went as planned? The guards inform me that Prince Desmond has been assassinated.”
You gulp in fear, your mouth suddenly extremely dry, but without taking a sip you answer, “Not the easiest kill I have ever done, his pet tiger destroyed my favorite top. I guess I will have to get another.” Then setting the glass on the table untouched you add, “But then I don’t suppose you are planning to pay me. Are you?”
“You know how it is with royalty, no witnesses.” As he finishes saying this he kicks the table at you and draws his sword in one fluid motion. He watches you deftly avoid the table with a grin on his face, “I have to admit after hearing the tales of how you fight naked because you are invulnerable, I have always wanted to test my blade against your skin!” He leaps at you with the speed of a panther as he finishes his comment and though you are able to pull one of your pistols, you are forced to parry the blade with your arm guards. His assault is relentless and as much as your mind tells you to use your pistols, you soon realize you are never going to get a shot at him with him on top of you and as one of his thrusts sends you back a few steps you quickly transfer the pistol to your left hand and draw your sword. “I was beginning to wonder if all you could do is block my attacks.” He spits at you, laughing as you stand there, chest heaving, glistening with sweat, your cloak long cast aside when one of his thrusts caught in it and threatened to spoil your guard. Once again he is on you relentlessly, but to your amazement you are not only holding your own, you are pressing him back with each exchange. Finally you see an opening, and you are able to get an attack past his formidable assault, your attack overextends your thrust allowing him to pin your sword against the floor with his boot, he seizes the apparent advantage and slams down in a blow meant to decapitate you, however as you predicted he forgot your pistol and as he raises up to deliver the killing strike your shot catches him in the belly. “Bitch.” He hisses at you as he stumbles back holding the wound. “I had hoped to kill you myself, but I know when I am outmatched.” He runs for the door still clutching his belly calling, “Burn it to the ground, the murderer of Prince Desmond is trapped within.”
You follow him to the door leveling your pistol for a kill shot, but sadly just as you get his head in the sights you see a dozen or more archers with flaming arrows pointing at you, choosing safety over revenge, you slam the door shut rather than taking the shot. The arrows slam against the door with a series of thuds. Looking around you see the girl that led you here, as well as 4 other apparently innocent bystanders huddled horrified across the room.
“Is there any way out of here other than the front door?” You call to them as the smoke begins to creep under the door.
A rather portly man wearing an apron is the first to respond, “The back door is barred shut, we tried to flee when the two of you started fighting.” The girl starts to whimper.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t go through all of this to die this quick.” You reassure them, trying to come up with an idea.
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