Chapter 131 - The Silent Siege
Khisa stood at the edge of the Assab port, the salty breeze brushing against his skin as ships creaked gently in the harbor behind him. The scent of ocean wind mixed with firewood and roasted lentils from a nearby cookfire. It reminded him of home—of Nuri—and the long journey that had brought him here.
Khisa had begun the process of pulling back his influence in Abyssinia. He no longer attended strategy meetings unless requested, and even then, he deferred to Tesfaye and Prince Tadesse. It was no longer his war. He had planted the seed, grown it, and now it was time to return to Nuri to ensure its roots did not rot in his absence.
He had drafted a formal handover of responsibilities, sealing it with the royal seal of Abyssinia. Tesfaye had accepted the scroll with solemn honor, his expression unreadable but his voice firm.
"I will not disappoint you, Prince Khisa. You’ve shown me what our nation can be. I’ll see it through."
The Shadow Guard had orders to start training solders to leave at the checkpoints. A new navy unit from Nuri, trained but untested, had arrived to maintain the alliance and offer support for ongoing operations against the Adal resistance. They were to remain in Assab under the command of Commander Chumo.
That night, Khisa made one final round through the port to ensure everything was in place. He walked alone, cloaked, but without guards—a decision he would soon regret.
It began subtly.
A fisherman dropped a basket of eels at the edge of the dock, cursing under his breath as Khisa passed. Nothing unusual. Then, a child ran past him with a stolen mango, laughing while a vendor shouted behind. Again, nothing strange. But then came the sharp flick of movement from the shadows behind a stack of crates.
Khisa’s instincts screamed.
He spun just as a dagger hissed toward his throat—only barely grazing his neck before he ducked low and swept the assassin’s legs from under him. Another figure dropped from above—this one with curved Adal daggers in both hands.
The clash was swift, brutal.