War of Shadows, part ten

New Orleans, Louisiana

An old plantation that had been long abandoned. Statues of people in odd positions adorn the yard and the porch. They are so lifelike and they share a similar quality about them. They all look either surprised or afraid.

Up in a tree just outside of the fenced in property is D. He has a view of the property within and looks for guards of any sort, finding none.

He leaps out of the tree and over the fence, using his hand along the wooden surface to slow his fall to the ground. He lands into a roll away from the fence where he begins to silently run across the great empty courtyard to the porch.

More sculptures of frightened people from all time periods. Some of them look like modern treasure hunters who go to explore abandoned properties.

D picks up a stone from in front of the porch and throws it toward the front door. It’s only a few seconds before a dragging is heard. The front door to the mansion is opened and the tip of an arrow is seen as a Medusa glides out of the door to look around. D hides behind a pillar. He reaches into a pocket and pulls out a blindfold, applying it. He reaches into another pocket and pulls out a glass globe filled with a smokey green liquid.

The Medusa snaps her head to the side to where D is hiding and sends an arrow in his direction. D ducks as the arrow goes through the wooden column.

Medusa: I see you.

She nocks another arrow and sends it at the pillar, only lower. She nocks another arrow as the first is in flight and sends it right to where D twists to.

D deftly plucks the arrow out of the air with one hand and throws the globe with the other. The Medusa opens her eyes wide as the projectile comes at her face. The globe shatters against her face, the smokey green fluid splashing around her face. She screams in pain as her eyes (and the rest of her face) begins to melt from the acid.

She recovers quickly enough and nooks another arrow.

Medusa: I can still see you even if I cannot turn you to stone!

She looses an arrow at D, but he sidesteps it with ease as he races toward her. He plunges a poison coated dagger into her side. It takes effect immediately, the Medusa changing her serpentine lower half into legs. She drops to her knees.

Medusa: I…will kill…you.

She tries to nock another arrow, but D knocks the bow from her hands.

D: You are the Chief Assassin of the Red Thirst. Esmeralda wishes to speak with you.

The snakes that form the Medusa’s hair begin to droops as the poison takes effect.

Medusa: Kill…yo-

D catches her as she falls and lays her gently onto the ground. He grabs his cell phone out of a pocket.

D: Janis the Medusa has been neutralized. I will have her with you as soon as possible.

Esmeralda von Krauss: Excellent, dahling. You didn’t get hurt? Are her eyes ruined?

D: She will never petrify another living being.

Esmeralda von Krauss: Good. I shall see you soon, dahling.

D hangs up the phone and begins tying Janis the Medusa up to be able to transport her.