Ghost hid in the shadows of one of the large decorative granite statues in the compound. Instinct made him move for cover the second he stepped out of Lord Zhang's chambers. Something was not right.

Listening, he scanned the area carefully letting his training take over. The beautiful partial moon aided him, flooding the area with bright moonlight on the cloudless night. He waited patiently like what seemed an eternity.

There!

The shadow of the tree outside Xi Xiu's window fell wrong. It did not match the shape of the tree he knew grew there. He squinted, trying to make out the discrepancy. Shadows moved. A man was making his way to Xi Xiu's room? His figure looked familiar. Ghost move stealthily closer.

The next few seconds were a blur. The shadow lunched at him, dagger glinting in the moonlight. Ghost deflected the blade in time with his own. A few more moves and both had the sharp edges at each others neck.

"Ghost?" a rough voice hissed.

Ghost blinked. "Glass?"

Upon identification, both Shards withdrew their weapons.

"What are you doing here?" growled Glass. "You're supposed to be with the Zhai brat. Aren't her rooms a ways from here?"

"Mission," answered Ghost curtly.

He did not like what Glass's presence at the Zhangs' accommodations meant. Hopefully it was just to gather information, but then, Glass did not accept such jobs. He preferred jobs with action. He was known for it.

"What are you doing here?"

"Mission," Glass replied smugly. "Now move away, you're blocking my Target."

"Target? What? Who?"

"None of your business. Now if you please, I'm working."

Ghost tensed. Was his Target Xi Xuan? No, Glass' position indicated otherwise. Xi Xiu? Dread filled him.

"No."

Glass hissed. "What do you mean 'No'? Didn't you hear me? I'm on a job right now. If you don't move, I will report you."

"No."

"I'm not going to kill the girl. I'm just going to have a little fun with her before I take her to Lord Zhai. He wants her alive. Now get out of my way so I can do my job."

Glass' words confirmed his Target was Xi Xiu. He knew what Glass's meaning of fun meant. By the time he was done with her, Xi Xiu would be traumatized for life and barely breathing but alive. Rage built up and exploded in him. No one was going to hurt Xi Xiu!! No one!!

"I'm warning you. Abort and cancel this mission. She is my Target too. I've been assigned to protect her."

"Liar!! I know for a fact you have no such Target. Zhang Xi Xiu is not on the Target list. Nightshade would never make the mistake of overlapping Targets."

Ghost's heart dropped.

"Old Wolf is stupid for rejecting this job. It does not jeopardize any other missions. It'll make me rich." His thin lips stretched into a sinister smile, "I'm warning you that Nightshade has given me complete discretion for this mission. I can proceed however I see fit, even if it means cutting you."

"Nightshade said that?"

"Yep."

Both Fives glared at each other. Glass' statement left Ghost chilled to the bone. Nightshade took on a job that Old Wolf rejected? What in the world was the Six up to? Did Old Wolf know? Was Nightshade undermining Old Wolf?

"I'll not say it again, abort this mission and I'll not report you to Old Wolf."

"You have no authority over me," sneered Glass, his hold tightening on his dagger a second before he attacked.

Ghost was taken off guard. A Shard never attacked another Shard except during training. Despite his shock, his fast reflexes saved him. He blocked with his own blade, pushing Glass' weapon out of harms way. The veteran Five jumped back to reach into his clothes. Grinning wildly, he threw a handful of darts at the younger man. This time Ghost was prepared. He somersaulted backwards, twisting his body violently in the air. The move drilled into every Shard would knock off most lightweight weapons thrown at them. Glass' small darts clattered harmlessly to the ground.

Ghost snarled landing on his feet like a cat. Without pause, he sprinted forward. Blades clashed and kicks were exchanged. Soft grunts and curses accompanied every punch, jab and slash. The Shards fought as silently as possible keeping noise to a minimum. They automatically muted the scuffles of their boots and the swish of their clothes. No Shard ever wanted to attract attention whilst in the field. Both were fast and neither paused to think in the intense fight that followed. Instinct and training took over.

Punch! Block! Turn, backhand slash! Turning kick! Spin, dodge and block!

"Not bad! I've always wanted to spar with you," goaded Glass falling back into a ready stance. An angry opponent was a careless opponent. "You're probably not as good as they say."

Ghost did not bother to reply.

He moved forward spinning on the ball of his feet at the last second for momentum to deliver a back kick! Glass ducked to counter attack with a powerful double side kick which Ghost readily blocked with his forearms. Then turning swiftly on his heel, he followed with a back hook!

The bigger Shard did not back down. He dropped to the ground to rise up the next second waving his weapon aggressively.

Hiss! Swish! Swish! Clank! Clank!

Both daggers whispered threats and promised pain as they flashed in the moonlight. The Shards moved in a blurred whirlwind, they were so fast. Punches and kicks were delivered and blocked instinctively with slaps and dodges. Darts, needles and shards flew in the air every time they were apart. Zhang's small courtyard became a deadly battle zone.

They used their surroundings too, parkouring on every available surface to gain the advantage. At one point, Ghost jumped on a granite statue to gain leverage whilst Glass used the stout tree to meet his opponent in the air. Flying kicks hit chests as both went down.

Glass' broke his fall springing up to continue his attack. He raised his hands bringing them down in a chopping motion aiming for the vagus nerves on the other Five's neck. It would have maimed Ghost had he not dropped to a crouch rolling away to safety. He continued rolling as he heard the giveaway whistle of flying projectiles.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

As expected, sharp slivers hit the ground forming a neat row where he was a moment ago. Ghost glanced at the weapons identifying them immediately! Those were poisonous!! Glass wasn't just trying to stop him, he was trying to kill him! Stark realization hit him. If he didn't stop Glass here and now, Xi Xiu would be lost. No one would be able to save her then.

"That's against the rules!" Ghost hissed panting.

Shards were not allowed to maim or kill each other intentionally. The Dark Sect needed every Shard whole. Any problems, disagreement or fights between them were brought before Old Wolf and a council of Sixes for judgement. Usually a solution or compromise could be found.

"Who cares? There are no witnesses," grinned Glass. He too was breathing heavily. Although the fight had just been a minute or two, it was already too long for his liking. It was time to finish the kid off before the whole Zhang household woke up. Maybe he'll frame Ghost to take the blame for Zhang Xi Xiu's abduction when his body disappeared along with the girl. That would be the cherry on top. His smile broaden, liking his ingenious idea.

"I'll just say I never saw you on this mission. No one will ever know who killed you."

"You wouldn't!"

"I would and will soon," said Glass. 'You've taken up too much of my time already."

He knew he had to end this scuffle soon or it would sabotage his mission. Every second he spent fighting Ghost was one more second too long. He was not going to risk his lucrative payout for a glorified orphan, especially one taken in by Old Wolf.

Glass flung his dagger at Ghost and attacked with an aggressive front kick when the smaller man avoided the weapon. The younger Shard had barely landed when Glass twisted his agile body to deliver a powerful turning side kick to Ghost's head. It glanced off the top of his target's head but not before Ghost retaliated with a powerful hard jab to Glass heart's meridian and a palm strike squarely to his chest.

Both Fives jumped apart bleeding. The numerous small cuts and injuries both had sustained during the short fight was negligible but these blows were not.

Ghost blinked and wiped his eyes. His head hurt and his ears were ringing. Blood dripped down from a nasty gash from his head into his eyes. Glass' had hammered little sharp studs into his boots which had torn into his scalp. Now everything was red-tinged in the bright moonlight.

Meanwhile, Glass had doubled over and was holding his chest in pain. His laboured breathing was punctuated by disbelieving snorts. He had always despised hand to hand combat and preferred to rely on his famous glass shards and quick reactions. He knew Ghost too disliked close combat but the boy had slogged through the various complicated techniques and practiced diligently to perfect them because of Old Wolf.

Unfortunately, Ghost was also fast. Moments later the older Shard coughed up a mouthful of blood. Ghost's powerful hand strikes had probably damaged something inside. His lungs were burning and his heart was beating wildly like a caged bird trying to break free. He spat it to the ground in contempt.

"Why you little brat!! You'll pay for that!" His face became an ugly mask of cruelty as he threw another slew of slivers, followed by a bolas. Ghost used his dagger to flick away the needle like slivers. Too late, the bolas caught his hand, the unexpected weight surprised him just enough for Glass to swoop in.

A thin cord was expertly wrapped around his neck in seconds. Glass was bigger and stronger than Ghost and he pulled without mercy, using his whole body's weight against the taut cord. He was not giving up his advantage now that he was so close to killing this pest.

"Acckkk!!" choked Ghost. "You can't do this! You can't kill a brother Shard!"

"You may be a Shard but you're not my brother!" snarled Glass. "And before you preach to me about the rules, I don't care! Never did! And I don't care about the consequence either! No one will know anything other than my version of what went down!"

"Acckkk!!"

"No matter what anyone says, you'll never be as good as me," Glass grunted, "Cos' you're too soft!"

The cord cut deep into Ghost's neck breaking skin and strangling him. He choked, unable to get his fingers in between. His heart hammered wildly and his lungs burned at the lack of oxygen. He knew he could not break the cord, it was the silver thread. There was one last chance, his vision was already darkening. He would either pass out soon or die. He was dead anyway if he passed out, Glass did not leave loose ends.

He could not, Xi Xiu was at stake.

Thankfully, he had not dropped his knife. Ignoring the threatening darkness, Ghost flicked his dagger at Glass's hands and his own neck. Another cut meant nothing if he could save Xi Xiu. Glass did not loosen his hold when his opponent's blade sliced the back of his hand. He only flinched, pulling the cord even tighter.

It was good enough.

Glass' micro movement gave him the chance he desperately needed. Flipping the weapon in his hand so that it faced inward, he exerted all his energy to twist his body away. The move pulled at the cord more cutting off air completely. In a practiced move, Ghost plunged his dagger into the Shard behind.

Glass grunted in pain and surprise. The next thing he knew, Ghost pushed violently backwards. Both fell to the ground with Ghost landing heavily on top of Glass, the momentum ramming the blade further into soft tissue. Glass gasped in pain gritting his teeth. He squirmed trying to get out from underneath the younger Shard but Ghost kept his position gripping onto the hilt for dear life.

Glass finally released his hold on the cords, kicking Ghost violently away to struggle up. He held his bleeding side, swaying with exhaustion. But Ghost remained on the ground groaning and gasping for air.

Grinning, he pulled out another blade and started advancing on the fallen Shard.