Taris first waking thought was that he could see. His second was that he could see, barely. He swung his legs off the bed, finding it strange that Envy was gone. The Kartaian seemed the type to make sure he was there as you woke up just to make you uncomfortable. No matter, the assassin was restless, he needed to do something besides lay there. He opened the shadows, noticing that the wards in the city had gone.

He stepped out into the training room, noticing Envy leaving on the other side of the room. He grabbed a spare bow and quiver and placed himself in front of a target. He could make out the colors of the rings now at least, which was promising. He waved a hand over the arrows, turning the fletching a bright yellow that stood out in his damaged sight. The assassin nocked an arrow and drew back, sighting as best he could. The arrow flashed out and struck nowhere near the center.

Taris grunted, but he’d expected no different. He ran through his arrows, one-by-one, aware that halfway through the quiver Hadhen had stepped up behind him and was waiting. He fired every arrow from the quiver, each shot getting closer to the bull’s-eye. He set the bow and empty quiver on a table and turned to face the blond boy. “You want something from me, Hadhen?” he asked curtly.

The young man stiffened but stayed in place, “Russel and I, we’re coming too. Aera’s been our friend for a long time.”
The shadow elf considered his words a moment before answering, “And what makes you think I’m going to take you with me? I’m not going to deliver you to your deaths, so unless you can show me that you can stand up to trained killers then you are not coming, period.”

Hadhen bristled slightly at his words, “I can shoot better than you, right now.”
Taris laughed aloud, and Russel came over at the sound. He wiped his eyes and he grabbed a pair of daggers. The elf magically blunted the edges and tossed them to the two boys. He held his hands out and his daggers appeared in them. He gestured and a shimmering barrier blunted his blades as well, “We’ll be underground likely, arrows will do little good. You want to prove that you can hold your own? Come at me and try to land a hit.”

The two pleasantly surprised him by launching at him immediately. The assassin let his ears guide his movements more than his eyes, dancing around their strikes. A few steps back and a swift strike with both of his blades, and their daggers clattered on the floor. “You have to do better.”
They picked the blades up and came on again, moving quicker, but just as controlled. Taris spun, ducked and parried, “Better, but still not enough.” He struck out, stinging blows on their ribs. He grimaced, “Come on, do you want to help save her or not?”
They growled and attacked anew, and Taris had to move even faster. The two moved as a team, striking well, getting closer and closer to making a hit on him. The assassin grinned and sped his own strikes and parries. Still they came on, faster and faster, playing off each other’s movements. After several minutes Taris ducked inside their reach and punched out with the hilts of his dagger, knocking their blades out of their hands once more.

He sheathed his daggers. “Very good. We will train more every day until we can leave, and if I find your progress satisfactory, then yes I will bring you.” The elf turned and walked out heading off to find Envy.