This is what I came up with for the next chapter. Following some of the advice I got earlier, I changed some things around and am really happy where this is going. On another note, though, I think this is going to be the last piece of Weavers that I'll post. I might post a few more if I'm stuck or something, but I'm pretty sure this is goona be it. Hope you guys like it! Sorry if it was too slow again ^^;;
Andre Dienle
Age: 23
Blood: Pure
Location: Family house
Father: Geris Dienle, Deceased
Mother: Clarisse Dienle, lives in family house
Brother: Kaimen Dienle, lives in family house
Knowledge: First son of the Dienle clan. Has been in control of family estates since death of father two years ago. Elected into the Vampyre Council at age 21.
I felt my brows rise as I skimmed over the report for the sixth time. The name Dienle was not a foreign one to me—it was just one of the many I’d learned in my years of study—but it had never been on my list before either. The bold black letters stared up at me, shockingly clear against the creamy white paper they laid on.
Andre Dienle…The infamous pure-blood was to be my first target. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the rough tree behind me. I’d heard much of this young vampyre’s actions—word of his ideas for the reformation of the vampyre world had spread far over the past two years. It was rare for a member of a pure-blood family to take control at such an early age, and Andre had done so with more energy and passion than his quiet, timeless race had ever seen. He had been a blaze of ideals and change in a society as unchanging as time itself, making his name one known to houses everywhere. The world was fascinated by this erratic vampyre’s behavior.
And I was to be the one who took his life.
I sighed and opened my eyes, looking up at the canopy of jade leaves above me.
“Of all the assassins picked to kill him, it would have to be me wouldn’t?” I asked the empty air. Biting back another sigh, I rose to my feet, cutting my break short. My pace had been fast enough over the past several days that I was now deep in the Dienle family’s lands and I didn’t feel safe this far in vampyre country, especially in the forests sprawling with locals. I’d had two near run-in’s in the past four days.
I checked my map and compass one more time to make sure I was heading the right way, and then started walking.
Though my magic would warn me of another’s presence long before my other senses could, I still kept them all on high-alert out of habit. My eyes darted back and forth all on their own, taking in the scenery around them.
The forest was packed with close-growing trees and tricky bushes that kept trying to trip me. The varying oak and maples were all at full bloom thanks to the season, their lush green leaves spread wide above me as they fought for the summer sun. Rays of light strong enough to make their way through the dense canopy were stained a light jade by the leaves and the color suddenly reminded me of the last day I’d been home, when I’d carried Katie on my back through our own forest. The wave of homesickness that flashed through me was staggering and I had to take a moment to recover.
Katie will have begun her lessons by now, I thought as I started walking again. Our parents had started teaching me two days after my fifth birthday and Katie’s had passed a week ago. I knew them better than to think they would have spared their second child any more than they would of their first.
Not for the first time, I wondered how she was taking it. She would have been disappointed that I wasn’t there for her, but I was pretty sure that she’d adjust to the first part of her lessons easily. Katie had always been fascinated by the stories of magic I’d told her, so the idea of learning magic herself would please her more than anything. Plus, our parents would start her off slow—like they’d done with me—gently easing her into her powers so as to not imbalance them with their sudden awakening. Those first days of ignorance had always been my favorite since my lessons began; I hadn’t known to worry about control then, or about what I’d have to do with my powers when the day came for it.
As for the second part of her lessons, the ones on how to kill…Our parents wouldn’t begin to give her those for hopefully another two weeks. They would give Katie time to get used to her magic before they went that far.
And when that part of Katie’s world began, I would be there. No matter what, she wouldn’t face that alone. Not like I had.
Which meant that, if I wanted to meet my self-imposed time limit and be there for my sister, I’d have to achieve my mission as soon as possible. I’d have to kill Andre and get back on the road in the next couple days if I wanted to make it back home in time. At most, I had five days to complete the assassination.
A shiver went down my spine but I ignored it. I refused to feel anymore qualms about this. I was a Senri, a member of the strongest assassin clan in the entire world. Death was a part of my life I would just have to accept.
A few moments later I heard the sound of trickling water to my left and altered my course. The stream came into my view in another couple of moments and I bent down eagerly, splashing the cold water on my face and arms. After I had quenched my thirst and refilled my canteens, I looked down into the clear water, trying to examine my reflection.
My hair and clothes were streaked with dirt and strands of my hair stuck out at odd angles, begging for a brush to sort through its tangles. I looked nothing like the proud assassin I’d painted for myself moments ago and I couldn’t stop the quiet ripples of laughter from escaping me as I thought of the look on my mother’s face if she could see me now. There was no doubt in my mind that she looked just as elegant and pristine as she usually did on her own missions.
I sobered myself up as I continued to study my reflection. Now was as good as time as any to get my disguise over with, I decided. At least this way I’d be able to see the finished result. With a nudge to my magic, I sent it dancing around me. I let it spin its power all across my skin, its soft caress raising goose-bumps on my arms as it cloaked my entire body in its shimmering casing.
Once that part was over with, I began to mold the casing into another form. I gave it a far paler hue than my own skin color, a nice creamy milk one instead of tan, and I let its hair grow longer than mine, ending it just short of my thighs. It took me a moment to decide on the color, but I finally dyed the hair a rich black, the usual color among vampyres. I moved on to my face. I made the features soft and delicate, with a hint of stubbornness and smugness that years of pride had given them. My mother’s face looked strange with such different colorings, but the result was the same as it was with hers: beautiful. I knew it was a risk to give myself such noticeable features, but I was hoping that the appeal of them would help me slip closer to Andre when the time came.
Lastly, I moved on to the most important part; my eyes. I watched as my own hazel ones lightened, swiftly melting away until bright, crimson eyes looked back at me. The blood-red iris’ belonged to any young vampyre and added the finishing touch on my illusion. There would be no doubt now of what race I belonged to and I would be able to blend in perfectly with any vampyre crowd.
I smiled at myself, testing out my new look. The venom coated fangs glinted dangerously in my mouth and my smile grew at how lethal I looked compared to my old self. The sad part was that my new appearance was ordinary by vampyre standards.
After one last glance, I stood up and continued on towards my destination.
