An Assassin's Anthem

Vials of healing potion decorated the room. Enchanted weapons lined the walls, and Riley felt like screaming. She listened to the growing wind. How is this rotten storm still going? Huffing angrily, she crossed her arms and scowled at the knight.

“Lady Riley, stop that,” Matilda sighed. “This will save people’s lives, and the palace would request it.”

“But I need to get out of here.” She turned and looked at the room. “I am not spending the rest of winter trapped in some fort.”

“It has been two days.” Matilda turned. “Nicole, talk some sense into her.”

Riley looked around the packed armory. This is so boring. She turned toward the approaching girl.

Nicole walked up and pulled her into a hug. “Just wait it out, Riley. You’ve done that before.”

“I’m trying. It’s just full of so many people.” Riley looked at the dozen people scattered throughout the room. She buried her head into Nicole’s shoulder. And I need some alone time. Just a few minutes, even.

“Well, now,” Roger said, a smile spreading across his face.

Riley jerked up, sending her shoulder-length blue hair flying. She looked at her father. “Tell me the storm is over.”

Roger shrugged. “Only the gods know.” He chuckled. “What brought on the hug? A breakthrough?”

“Yes,” Riley lied. “Exactly that.”

Snickers erupted through the room.

Matilda smirked. “She was breaking down again.”

“Ah. Cabin fever again.” Roger stretched. “Either way, Travis agrees. We’re moving up the line. Get your things.”

Finally! Riley broke free of the hug and ran to her room, dancing through the crowds.

Grabbing her blanket, she wrapped up her books and slid them all into her bag. Cheerily tossing the bag over her shoulder, she turned and blushed.

Her guards stared at her.

“You really aren’t like any of the other nobles,” one said, staring at the bag.

“She packed… by herself,” the other replied, shaking his head.

Riley shrugged and headed for the door. Nicole shoved her blanket into her bag and nodded. The two walked out of the room and over to the conference room.

“What is the plan?” Roger asked, pointing at the map. He sketched along the line. “If we take the opposing front without recruiting them, we’ll be in trouble.”

Travis nodded. “Yes. As far as we can tell, there are six baronies in the northern duchy. Our goal is to take the southern duchy and get them to yield. If we can push inward from the four forts, we can take territory back and then some.”

Roger nodded. “I agree. We can collapse it from there and hopefully break morale. They’re far too hopeful.” He sighed and looked over. Reaching out, he drummed a message on Riley’s back. “I hate this too.”

Riley studied. “Those are the duchies? Two of them? And those are the baronies?” She reached over. “How can we speed this up?”

“Break them. This will give us easy passage to the elves.” Roger glanced over.

Riley looked at him in surprise. “Grandma and grandpa?”

“I don’t want it, do you?”

“No.”

Roger smiled and stepped back. “Let’s do it.”

“Riley, the plan is to weaken the enemy forts along the line,” Travis said. “We’ll then push inward, pushing to overthrow the dukes.”

“What about the blizzard?” Riley asked, looking at the shut door.

“We’re going to use it. They won’t want to leave.” Travis stood, his chair squawking on the stone floor. He walked to his room along with the other knights.

Riley studied the map and stepped up to her father. “If we assassinated their rulers?”

“Right now, who knows? That’s the trouble. We’ll do it after we push inward. That will get most to run. It’ll snowball, and we can contact the elves.” Roger turned. He reached out and touched a strand of blue hair before his hand dropped.

“Dad?” Riley asked.

“Just remembering it before it changed,” Roger said. He shook his head and adjusted his bag.

Riley swallowed. I miss it, too. She let out a breath. “How was the trip?”

“I ran into their reinforcements. They’re far too confident. Oh, and they are very snowed in. I imagine ours are in a similar state.” Roger frowned at the door. “I thought the storm would break.”

“Did you make them more snowed in?” Riley asked, a smile spreading across her face. He did.

“Of course.” Roger chuckled and reached over. “Give me your bag. This is going to be rough enough with all the snow.”

“Should I swap to Ranger?” Riley asked.

“No. I don’t want them to realize it’s you. Keep those for now.”

Riley nodded and looked over. “Joining us?”

Nicole nodded. “You’re stuck with me for a while.”

“Have you heard from Lucas?” Riley asked, turning to her.

“Just one letter. They’re snowed in and fortifying. Everyone is.” Nicole turned. “How exactly are we going to weaken them? I don’t think Riley will agree to slaughter everyone inside.”

Roger nodded. “There is another option.” He grinned and tossed the bags to Travis. “We’re taking a little detour before meeting you there.” He jogged for the door.

Riley followed, darting through the masses and emerging onto the snow-piled grounds. Looking up, she saw white. Snow fell and blew around the place, piling up near the walls and buildings. The clouds above continued their assault, dumping more of it down.

Turning, she jogged down a small path that cut through it, following her father out the gate and into the field of white. She looked down at her clothes.

“Beauty. You know I love you.

Please now, help me out.

I need to blend and not be seen,

hiding like some Scout.”

Her attire shifted, becoming white leggings and a white shirt. Thanks! She looked down to see small snow shoes. Yes! With a small leap, she jumped onto a drift and ran on top of the snow.

“Nifty trick,” Roger said, smiling and vaulting onto the surface. He stood there without sinking.

“How are you doing that?” Riley asked, her eyes widening.

Nicole chuckled and did the same. “Ranger trick.” She jogged forward, her attire shifting like a mirage. “What’s the plan?”

“We’re going to assassinate people through the walls using Riley’s blades.” Roger turned and jogged across the top of the snow, leaving hardly a track.

Riley followed, her shoes sinking in but keeping her atop the snow.

Like three white wolves, the group dashed to the northwest, becoming little more than phantoms in the blizzard that surrounded them.

They raced along the front, quickly leaving the fort behind them. Squinting into the white, Riley frowned. How do you not get lost in this? It’s just one giant, blank canvas.

Focusing entirely on her father, she followed them. Minutes slowly passed, and her breathing created small clouds in her trail. Dropping down into a valley, Riley jogged along the piles of snow that were slowly and surely filling the entire valley.

The snow turned shallow, and a hill rose before her. Jogging up it, Riley slowed further and further. The faint sounds of fires and conversations reached her ears, and the outline of a fort appeared.

Slowing further, she walked up to the snow-covered wall.

Roger turned and held out his hands. Riley walked up and conjured two blades. She handed them to him.

He spun and threw them, sending both streaming through the wall. Riley slammed a hand over her mouth. She grimaced as she felt a connection form and rip into at least ten people. Wobbling, she grimaced. Okay. No more than three. No more than three. She fixed the limitation in her mind while ten kill notifications popped up.

Nicole reached out and steadied her.

“The condemnation was that?” someone shouted.

Roger turned. “Ready?”

Riley nodded. She felt the connection form again. Three kill notifications popped up.

Conjuring another set of blades, Riley handed one to each of them. They turned, aimed, and threw them straight through the wall. For a moment, Riley saw a room filled with soldiers around a conference table. They were standing and looking in horror at the dead in their midst.

Her mind lashed out. The sight vanished and was replaced by kill notifications.

“Wraith!” someone inside barked.

Handing another set of blades to them, Riley walked up against the wall and waited.

Images fluttered into view. The soldiers inside panicked, grabbing weapons and trying to find the source of the attack. Blades ripped through them, and Riley found her perspective shifting. Her blades changed as they traveled.

The blades started cutting through flesh in addition to their mind. Blood sprayed. Kill notifications streamed by, and she continued summoning them.

As the panicking soldiers failed to find anything, new soldiers started rotating through, using skills to nullify the attacks. The blades hit them and vanished. The kill notifications slowed to a trickle, and Riley waited.

Catching a glimpse of the room, Riley burned more mana, creating a storm of psionic energy throughout the soldier-filled rooms.

“Spell Thief!” a soldier shouted. He spun and ran toward the door.

Riley blinked and found herself in a field of white rather than the room. She looked and saw Nicole.

“Come on,” Nicole hissed, grabbing her arm and pulling.

Riley nodded and ran, following Nicole across the battlefield. Insight and Perception Skills began slamming into her own. Burning mana, Riley vanished, becoming invisible. The skills slid by her and vanished. Arrows flew and sunk in the snow behind them.

Fire exploded around them, lighting up the area for just a moment. Purple light crackled through it, and it disappeared. Screams ripped from the fort. Kill notifications streamed by, and Riley ran, her feet moving lightly across the snow.

Racing toward the distant fort, the two slowed and looked up at it. Riley bumped into her. “What now?”

“Will they know you’re safe?” Nicole turned toward her and shrugged.

Riley shrugged back. She turned and saw her father appear.

Roger grinned. “Got a couple.”

“How do we get in?”

“Swap your outfit to something noble and go to the other side.” Roger chuckled, and Nicole joined in.

Riley rolled her eyes and watched her white outfit become an ostentatious silver gown. Of course. She turned and walked around the fort, heading to the other side.

Climbing up the massive mound of snow, she walked up to the gate and let some skills through. The soldier near the gate jerked to attention, and the gate swung open.

“The other knights are just inside,” he said. “And it’s nice to see each of you.”

Riley smiled and walked inside. Looking at the snow-plastered fort, she followed her father toward a door and walked inside. She looked in to see a very similar sight: soldiers lounging everywhere. They littered the place and blocked all traffic, including the group of knights struggling to get through.

“Enough!” Travis bellowed. “Either make a path, or I’ll send you out there to scout!”

Soldiers turned and blanched. They rapidly piled toward the walls, leaving a small pathway through them. Darting forward, Riley shot through it and entered a crowded room. Gods, we should have stayed at the other one.

Travis huffed. “What the condemnation is going on?” he bellowed at the commander.

“Sorry, but we are hard up for space,” the commander said, looking up from what appeared to be a map.

“Not for long. It’s time to take a fort!” Travis bellowed. “At arms, people! Move!” he shouted and sent soldiers scurrying everywhere.