In the secret depth of the castle, he also taught to a few the art of hunting, interrogating and killing. They were then used by high rankings men or women as mercenaries all around Ellesniya. But on that dark day, they all came back in the city to honor, one last time, their mentor.
From the top of the white marble tower, you could guess their shadows watching over the procession which was taking Linagon to his last dwelling. All over the city, lonely shadows lost in their sadness. Only one of them was following the casquet of his master, former assassin who became the guards' captain of the white fortress. He long lost his assassin's ways but still noticed his old brothers.
- so ... Are they all here ?
- I couldn't know Sir, but many of them are here.
- well, well ... As we thought, they came in numbers to see one last time that old idiot.
Front row of the procession, they were walking side by side, the blue warrior Sothe Igan and the great Chancelor of the white fortress, minister of Ellesniya Elwin Bridurak, whispering while walking. But the last words of the Chancelor annoyed the warrior. He suddenly turned his gaze to stare down at the man.
- master Linagon wasn't an idiot! He trained us and made Ellesniya as peaceful as it is now.
- don't take it personally captain. I wouldn't dare to offend you.
The captain's gaze was still on him and started to made him uncomfortable.
- nor your master of course.
Even if he knew those were empty words, he accepted them and kept walking in silence until the chancelor started taling again.
- do you think your trap will work, captain ?
- this isn't a trap, you just want to talk to them, right ?
- of course ... What else ?
- I don't really know what you're thinking, Chancelor, but know that no army, as mighty as it can be, could defeat those men or forced them to do anything.
- that's why I want to talk to them.
The Chancelor was boiling inside, thinking of all those mighty men that would soon become his. If they were as strong as the captain proved to be, many times in the past, he was soon to become the strongest man in Ellesniya.
The procession finally arrived at the top of the tower and the ceremony was soon over. The Chancelor could felt gazes on him and he had the feeling they were not from the crowd behind him, but the men hiding behind the walls of the city. One after another, everybody put a white rose on the old masters casquet that would lie there until the next morning to leave enough time for anyone to come and give their last respects. One by one, people were going the tower and back to their life, Sothe was about to leave but something drove him to come back.
When he got back near his master's casquet, he saw something he could have never imagined. Someone, completely covered by a black hooded cloak, was kneeling in front of Linagon. And at his feet, two black sabre-toothed tigers were curtsying in front of the old master. Sothe looked all around him but nobody else was here, all the assassins already left.
* so ... What is this one doing here in the open ? *
Because there was no mistaking, one knee and two fists on the ground while bowing the head, this was the assassins' curtsy. He tried to come closer without a sound, but one of the tiger looked back at him as to explain they already knew he was here and discretion was now useless. The same tiger suddenly stood up and silencely walked towards him, he stopped few meters from him and examined him the captain from head to toe.
- you lost your talent for discretion, shadow warrior.
Sothe wasn't sure of what just happened, but if he was right, the tiger in front of him just talked to him.
- you're not dreaming shadow warrior. My name is Neko and I can't let you go further than this.
- are you a magical being ?
- I am a tiger warrior, and I live to protect our master.
- who's your master ?
- to this question I can't answer, I'm sorry.
The tiger didn't move an inch during that discussion, but his brother came to join him and sat by his side. The hooded assassin didn't move.
- why are you here ?
It's the second tiger who talked that time.
- we're here to honor. My name is Keiko and I'm the second tiger warrior.
- do you know Linagon ?
- he was our master's master.
Suddenly the hidden assassin stood up and turned towards them. His hood was completely covering him. A sign of the hand and both tigers slightly bowed their heads then went back to their master. Sothe knew they would probably disappear in the blink of an eye. A noise behind him made him turn his head for a split second but it was enough, they were gone.
* a child's trick ... I really lost my touch *
