Cecily tapped her finger against the com sitting in her ear.

"This is Cecily and Zeph, checking in. I'm ready for the first drop."

"Hold on," Reiko's voice whined. I'm almost there. Give me a second."

"Orion, checking in. I'm in position."

"Alma, checking in. I'm ready."

"Hold. On," Reiko bit out.

"You're sure this is going to work?" Zeph asked from behind the hunter. "Not that I'm questioning your ability, just... You're sure?"

"Mostly," she replied, fingering the ball of gauze that rested in her hand. "This is based off what you told me, remember."

"I know, it's just-"

"Hey. We're gonna be ok."

Cecily watched for his reaction. He looked back at her with a tense expression, but he must've seen something in her eyes, because he nodded.

"Reiko, in position."

"About time," Orion answered, an easyness in his voice.

"Shut up."

"Okay," Cecily cut in. "Getting ready." She took the match from her pocket and drew it against the stone of the building. "Dropping the first bomb."

Cecily lit the guaze and tossed it into the old building.

She grabbed Zeph're hand, secured the cloth thhat was wrapped around the lower half of his mouth, then hers, and they were running.

---

"You're sure this portion of the city is unoccupied?" Cecily questioned, motioning to the map.

Zephyr nodded. "It's under constrution. My father was planning on setting up a new section of town dedicated to refugees from the neighboring countries and any slaves that happened to be freed during the games."

Cecily nodded, tracing her fingers over the boundry of the section.

"Now, what did you way you wanted to do with it?"

Cecily smiled.

"I want to blow it up."

---

Orion watched the smoke rise From his perch near the palace entrance.

"You were right, Zeph," he said into the com. "They're still following the original protocol. It's like someone poked the beehive."

"Good," Alma replied. "The Saints are all ready. I'm inside."

"Did I mention how glad I am that you're a Saint?" Orion asked. "Cause I am."

"Remind me what you put in these bombs," Reiko's voice chimed in.

"Saltpeter and powdered sugar, on the inside," the hunter informed them, though her voice was a bit muffled. "Then wrapped it in gauze, then poison ivy, then more gauze."

"It'll spread thin enough to not kill, but hurt."

---

"Ok," Orion said, "so you want to put some of the guards out of commission."

"Without killing them," Alma had said.

Cecily nodded. "And some civilians. I'm gonna make a bomb."

Zephyr choked on his water. "Excuse me?"

"Not too strong, it'll blow in an unpopulated part of town, so no one will be bady hurt. You said the protocol for the palace soldier was to immedialty check for casualtties. How many will they send out?"

"Twenty, at least. And that's if the protocol hasn't been changed."

"Rosalynd's got a target on her back," Cecily said. "She'd too busy protecting her own skin to worry about the citizens. I'd give her another month before she actually looks into them. That being said, she does have a target on her back, so she's not leaving the palace, which means we have to go in."

"That's not exaclty easy," Rei said. "Especially if you want to go through the front door. There'll be guards crawling everywhere."

"So, we thin them out. With the poison ivy in their systems, it'll be hard to fight properly, if they do happen to find us."

"With the guards injured, the Saints will open the doors for the injured," Alma said, relization dawning on her. "That's how you plan on getting in."

Cecily nodded.

"But all the evacuees will be heavily guarded," she continued. "I mean, Rosalynd's waiting for us, isn't she?"

"That's where you come in."

---

"You see them?" Alma's adoptive mother whispered from besides her, as she ushered a coughing guard into the hospital wing.

"Dropping the second bomb," Reiko said in her ear.

There was a moment of nothing, and then another explosion. There were a few shouts and more guards rughing and-

Alma caught a quick shift of red hair before it was once again covered.

"I'll meet you in the back, mother," she said, their agreed upon words.

Her mother nodded, hope in her eyes, before hurrying the guards and a few coughing civillians who happened to be nearby to the back. Alma felt bad and she would pray to Sheek-Ala for forgiveness, but that would be later. Right now, she fit herself under a disguised Zephyr's arm and moved him and Cecily to one of the curtained off sections.

"Got both of them," she whispered to the comm over the hustle and bustle of the crowding hospital wing.

"More guards leaving the palace," Orion answered. "You're sure this won't cause permenant damage?"

"The guards all have monethly physicals to ensure they're healthy. It'll be dispersed enough that the most sever conditions should only last a week at most."

Cecily grabbed the Saint's attire from the bed and pushed it at both of them.

They threw the white robes on over their heads. Alma helped Cecily hide her hair and then her weapons before turning to Zephyr and doing the same.

---

"Once we're in the hospital wing, we'll need a way out," Cecily said. "This is where the plan gets rough."

"We could go for a supply run," Alma offered, simply. "It wouldn't be unusual for an outbreak of that proportion to require more supplies than the Saints are usually equipped with. We store most of our supplies deeper in the palace, where they won't be damaged or stolen by the civilians that need help."

"Perfect," Cecily answered. "But that means we'll need disguises."

"Easy enough. Saints keep multiple robes around in case they get dirtied. It won't be hard to steal a few."

"Just two."

"What?" Orion replied. "If you, Zeph, and Alma are inside, what are Rei and I going to be doing?"

---

Orion picked the lock on the window and carefully maneuvered himself inside of the old storage room. It would've been hard for any normal person to lift themselves up and into the tiny window, but this was what the assassin was trained to do since he was young.

He was careful and quick in his movements, making his way to the door that was mostly unused except by the cleaning staff who were most likely cleared out do to the 'unknown substance' that had effected the guards and the nearby citizens.

The plan wasn't ideal, too many people would be affected, but it was effective. Cecily and Zephyr had easy access into the palace without having to worry as much about being spotted, the citizens were too busy worrying about what was ailing them and the guards were too busy trying to make themselves useful.

Meanwhile, Reiko was keeping them distracted while Orion kept watch over it all - reporting the comings and goings of the palace goers and making sure everything went according to plan.

"I'm in," he whispered. "Waiting for a target."

A minute passed before a guard turned the corner and rushed down the hall. Orion counted his footsteps before rushing the door open and bringing the guard back in. Knocking him out was a quick process.

The assassin stripped the man of his armor before stepping out into the hallway, doing a quick once-over of the area to make sure no one noticed.

"I'm good," he said. "Going to find Rosalynd."

---

Reiko ran like the town was on his heels. Because they were.

Not too long ago, one of the guards had spotted him lighting a bomb and got through part of a report before the former guard had knocked him out.

He turned, rushing down an abandoned alleyway, and jumped a fence, hoping to loose their trail.

He ran until he reached the next drop point.

His lungs burned and stung at the same time. Cecily had warned him that keeping the rag over his nose and mouth would only help so much, but he hadn't counted on feeling it this early.

He tried to hold back a cough when he tapped his com.

"I'm gonna have to lay low for a while," he half wheezed. "They're starting to pick up my trail."

"No," Cecily's voice replied, quick and stern. "You're starting to feel it, aren't you? Get out of there before it gets any worse. You're no good to us if you can't breath. We don't have time to send Alma out to help you."

"Gee," he bit back, "thanks for the concern."

"She's right," Alma stated. "You need to get out of the area before you inhale too much. Make your way to the med wing. I'll make sure you get medical attention without being spotted by one of the guards."

He thought it over for a second. "Fine. how're things going on your end?"

"Good," Cecily replied. "Our only problem is finding the target."

"I got her," Orion answered. "She's heading west towards the guards chambers. Time to shine, Your Majesty."

---

Zephyr ran his fingers over the knife that rested in his hand, hidden under the sleeve of the Saints robes.

How ironic, he thought, that he would commit murder in a outfit meant to save lives.

Cecily and Alma were flanking him on either side. The former was looking forward with sharp eyes and the latter was trying to look confident with a similar blade hidden under her robes.

The guards had easily let them pass when they saw the robes.

"Cecily," he finally, whispered, his voice quiet and the com off.

She glanced back at him in acknowledgement.

"Do I have to kill her?"

"You know there's no other way."

He bit his bottom lip between his teeth. Of course he knew that. He knew how succession worked, but the dagger felt heavier and heavier each step they took closer to it's target.

He knew, but he couldn't stop thinking about it. Cecily, when she took her mother life, she hadn't had a choice. It was her or them. And it landed her in a world of hurt - even if it had put the small group together. Now she could take a life without blinking an eye.

It was a succession of murderers, and that was not the kind of kingdom he'd wanted.

He glanced at Alma holding the dagger in her hand.

Murder bred hatred and hatred bred murder - it was a vicious circle that they were all caught in.

---

Cecily and the others met up with Orion just a turn away from the main hallway.

"She'd hiding out in the study," the assassin explained. "Heavily guarded and they know were coming. Got another plan?"

Cecily wracked her brain, but came up empty.

So, she shrugged.

Orion sighed. "Force it is. Will you need my help?"

"How're they set up?"

"Five of them, outside of the room, not sure how many she has with her. Two on either side of the door, one in the center, all armed with spears."

She thought about it. Spears were easy enough to deal with, weak against short ranger attacks, but five was a lot. And they were likely to call for help at the first sign of trouble.

Their best bet was to separate them, but that was unlikely.

"Yeah, I'll need help," she decided. "Think you can take two of them?"

The assassin nodded, ripping the baggy clothing off and taking out the dagger. Cecily was quick to follow.

"I'll go first," she whispered, "and take the one in the middle out. You take the two on the right. Alma, make sure no one escapes, and keep Zephyr safe."

The Saint nodded determinedly.

The hunter inched around the corner, getting a quick glance at their arrangement, and then drew her sword.

She had the advantage on the first attack - the first guard didn't see her coming until it was too late. He ended with the pommel of a sword against his temple.

He was dead weight when he fell.

Cecily moved onto the next, who already had their sword drawn.

She matched his with hers, and caught Orion doing the same out of the corner of her eye.

The hunter made quick work of her prey; the first one was no match for the pure strength of her metallic arm. The second one, however, tried to outmaneuver her. He flanked her from the side and swiped downwards.

Cecily barely had time to inch back.

She was about to go for a fatal blow, when something hit the guard in the side. He coughed before his eyes blurred and he dropped.

Alma stood over him, with a surprised Zephyr at her back.

Cecily couldn't help but smile while she turned to Orion, who had quickly dealt with his two.

The four of them faced the door.

"Should we make a dramatic entrance?" Zephyr smirked.

Cecily huffed, but kicked the door right besides the handle, knocking the knob out and swinging the door open with a dramatic flourish.

They were met with two archers, bows trained on the prince.

---

Zephyr watched in shock.

Everything happened in slow motion, from there.

There was the musical snap of two bowstrings, and the smile of a King from the other side of the room.

There were two distinct shouts that Zephyr recognized.

And then something slammed into him, sending him sprawling onto the floor.

The lost prince paused for a moment, and then time wsa flowing.

Orion and Alma moved before anyone else could, both reacting on pure rage and determination.

Cecily was pressed against Zephyr's chest, breathing ragged.

"Cecily?" He gasped.

She pushed herself up, slowly and carefully, before looking down at him.

"You're okay?" She asked.

"Yeah. Yeah. Yes. What about you?"

She pushed herself up and into a sitting position, where Zeph took in what he was looking at.

An arrow protruded from the far side of her stomach, and blood was dripping onto the floor. Her good hand twitched as it tried to cover the bleeding.

"Not so much," she choked out.

He rushed towards her, stopping her from tipping or moving.

"Alma," he tried. "Alma!"

"Don't worry about me now," Cecily said, pushing him back. "I'll be fine for a little." She pressed something small and sharp into his hand; the dagger. He didn't know he'd dropped it. "Right now, you finish what we came here to do. I'll be here when you get back."

Zeph bit his tongue, because he knew she was right. They came here with a purpose and they all knew the risks. He pushed all other thought to the back of his head as he propped his hunter against the wall.

Alma and Orion were looking at him with concern in their eyes, and guards lying below them.

Alma didn't need to be told, she was already moving towards Cecily.

Zephyr's eyes were locked onto Rosalynd, who was pressed against the back of the study.

Her eyes were locked on the dagger resting in his hand.

"You know you've already lost," Zephyr bit out, gripping the dagger with a newfound strength.

"Do your worst, prince," the King retorted, a wild grin on her face, but fear in her eyes. "Kill me like your father killed his enemies."

"Orion."

The assassin moved quickly, incapaciting the King, who put up no fight. She already knew she'd lost. But she looked at him with a familiararity that sent shivers down his spine.

He lifted the dagger, and let rage roar through his ears.

I'll feel so bad inside and then I'll remember that I'm human.

Gods he wanted to.

And this is something you gave me.

He wanted to so bady. And it would be so easy. So easy and he could be a king just like his father.

You gave me hope.

He lowered his hands and dropped the dagger to the floor.

"I will not make the same mistakes as my ancestors," he answerd the confused look in Rosalynd's eyes. "I will not let this string of murders continue. I'm giving you a chance, Rosalynd Jessa. Leave. Never come back to my country. If you so much as step foot in past my boarder, I will have you hunted and jailed for the rest or you life."

"What?" She whimpered. "What? No! No, you're supposed to kill me. Be your father's son. Be who you know you are."

"I know who I am," the King replied. "A long time ago, maybe I would've given you what you want, but that's not me. Not anymore. As King, I'm exiling you. Leave, and never come back. Orion, make sure she's taken care of."

"He'll be attacked on sight," Alma replied. "You need to go with them."

"What about Cecily?"

"I'm gonna be okay," Cecily replied weakly. "Didn't hit anything major. Alma can take care of me." She paused to breath. "You never cease to amaze me, your majesty."

He let out a sigh of relief at Alma's nod.

Cecily was in pain and tired, but she was going to be alright.

"Okay then, your majesty," Orion said, a bit of mockery in his voice, "let's show the people their new king."