1.09

Cord took half a step forward lifting his cudgel as if to start an overhead strike hoping that he could draw the assassin into an early attack. He knew that the longer a fight went on the more his opponent would learn about the way he fought. The assassin seemed to see that it was a feint, and merely raised his swordpoint slightly. He was not an amateur that would be lulled into false sense of confidence. No doubt the fact that Cord had evaded his first attack showed him what sort of opponent Cord was.
Cord edged towards the assassin, falling automatically into khudin. Thought disappeared, and time slowed. In his state of heightened awareness Cord perceived every movement of the assassin, but his mind did not dwell on any details.
He edged forward, slowly closing the gap between him and his black-clad opponent. Suddenly the assassin launched himself at Cord, his sword flashing forward impossibly fast. Cord automatically responded, executing Horses Tail and following through with Serpent Strikes. The assassin similarly deflected Cord's attack and struck again. The two warriors danced across the roof in a deadly choreography of wood and steel too fast for an ordinary person to comprehend. After several strikes and counterstrikes Cord changed tactics. Instead of blocking the next attack with his cudgel he executed a simultaneous parry with one hand and downward strike with his cudgel known as The Waterwheel. His blow landed on the top of the assassin's head. The assassin slumped to the roof unconscious. Quickly Cord knelt and made a search of the assassins clothing, looking for something in particular. He found it in a sheath tied to the assassin's shin. A long needle-like knife with a round Greenstone in the pommel. The assassins were what he had feared. The weapon he held was left thrust into a victim's left eye as a signature by a group of assassins known simply as Cul'Shan, or 'The Green Eye'. They were the deadliest assassins in existence and would not rest until they achieved their mission. Whoever the target was had very rich and very powerful enemies. Quickly Cord untied the cotton belt from the assassin's waist and used it to bind the man's wrists and ankles together. If he came around he should not be able to get very far. He would take the assassin's weapons with him and dump them further along the roof so that they could not be used to facilitate an escape. Knowing he could not afford to waste any more time Cord set off across the roof again. He had to find the other assassin very quickly. Hopefully the one lying on the roof had not delayed him for too long...