An Assassin's Anthem

Walking into the place of power, text flashed into Riley’s vision.

[You have entered a place of power and are being transported. This place of power has been tethered. Damage and death will not persist, but they will come at a price to experience and rewards gained. Resources are temporarily recharged for your trial. May you find your path!]

The text vanished. Riley looked out at the seashore and turned toward the ocean. The water extended out to the horizon, glittering in the sun. Does that just go forever? What even would be in it? Spinning, she looked at the cliffs. If I ascend that, would I go to a new level? She walked over and studied it.

“Not yet,” Randalf said, walking forward.

Riley spun toward him and glared. “If you try to take my crystals, we’re fighting here and now.”

Randalf scoffed. “Please. I’m not that foolish. We each get our own.” He stepped forward. “Now, we can work together and get real benefits, or we can doom ourselves to a mediocre future.”

Riley inspected him.

Randalf Hanson 63 - Ranger 57, Duelist 57.

“You’re already sixty,” Riley replied. “And you’ll just let me have my share?”

“You really are new, aren’t you? Fine. Let me spell it out for you. We are at war. All our resources go to the front, but we still have to fight off the sea. If you lack the power, you end up like this barony, destitute, broken, and ready to be replaced.” Randalf met her gaze. “I will not let that happen to mine.”

Riley swallowed. “Oh. Everything is about power?” She felt her dream of a high road sink, crumbling away with the information.

“It always is,” Randalf replied, shaking his head. “Welcome to nobility, Riley. We can either work together to get more or fight each other for it. Right now, you are more useful to me alive. So, let’s work together while our grandparents squabble.”

“Fine. I guess I can believe that.” Riley watched him. Can I trust him? Can I trust any of them? And how do I get them to stop hating elves? She frowned. How am I even supposed to be a baroness? She failed to find an answer to the question.

Randalf coughed and gestured. He turned back to the coast. “Watch your step. There are crabs that burrow in the sand.” He walked forward, searching the sand for movement.

Pulling out a knife, Riley followed, carefully stepping through the sand.

The sand erupted around them. A massive crab burst from it. Riley vaulted back and slashed, severing a flailing leg. A crack rolled through air. Randalf stood on top of it and pulled his axe from its carapace. Then he hefted it and turned.

He’s good at this. Riley blushed and looked at her knives. And these are not.

“Don’t worry about it. Those will get used soon enough. Now watch me!” Randalf called and leapt, slamming the axe down on a patch of sand. The shell of the crab underneath cracked.

He leapt again. Riley followed, carefully observing the signs that he began pointing out. Little mounds marked the crabs. He pointed at one.

Leaping once more, he smashed through the sixth one. Golden streams of light swirled around them and formed a chest. Reaching down, he flipped it open and tossed Riley her imperfect crystal.

Grabbing his own, he stashed it in his bag. “Right. So, the next will have the crabs, but they’ll attract things from the water.”

Riley stashed the crystal and nodded. “What comes from the water?”

“Don’t know. It always starts with the crabs. My father told me that. The rest can change.” Randalf moved closer to the cliff and skirted along it.

Riley followed and searched before grabbing him and jerking him back. She pointed up on the cliff wall.

Randalf nodded and stashed his hatchets, pulling out his bow. Riley did the same. Nocking an arrow, she took aim at a crab clinging to the rocks.

Aiming for a spot between its joints, she fired. The arrow zipped up and sunk in the hole at its head. The crab fell, hitting the ground with a thud. Grabbing another arrow, Riley fired it off, sinking it between the plates.

Another crab dropped, slamming into the ground with two others. The remaining crabs leapt. Riley used Conjure Water, creating a small field of icicles under the crabs.

Randalf grabbed his hatchets and laughed as the crabs slammed into the ice, breaking their legs. Skirting around the pincers, he rapidly finished them off, smashing into their carapaces.

As the corpses vanished into nothing, Riley grimaced. “Nothing?”

“Welcome to an overrun dungeon. The power in this place is waning.” Randalf sighed and started walking. “They’ve farmed it too much.”

“So, they need to let fewer in,” Riley asked, quickly following.

“Yes.” Randalf walked forward. “If you go deep enough, you’ll get something, but not this close to the entrance. Oh, and you won’t get anything from finishing this floor, either. It’s way too taxed.”

Riley sighed and followed, walking down the sandy beach. “What do the other nobles do to stop this problem?” A looming cliff appeared in her vision, and a massive crab stood there waiting. It clacked pincers that were the size of Riley’s legs.

“We all struggle with it,” Randalf said, studying the massive crab up ahead. “Can you sneak up on it?”

Riley frowned. “Probably? What’s the plan?”

“Sneak up and prepare to stab it if it charges for me.” Randalf pulled out the bow. “It’s the boss.”

Riley nodded and pulled out her knives. She walked forward and began sliding along the cliff. “Can I get a black disguise?” she triggered Assume Disguise.

[ Nope! Cheers! ~Mischief ]

Should have asked for dark purple. Riley slunk against the cliffs, trying to blend in.

After several steps, she was halfway between the crab and Randalf. Turning, she looked back at him.

He was searching and squinting, trying to see her. Pushing herself behind a small outcropping, she turned back and waited - and waited - and waited.

With a growing desire to throttle the guy, Riley scowled and whistled once.

“Riley?” Randalf whispered loudly. He continued searching for her.

The hair on the back of her neck stood. Riley felt every instinct scream out. There was no need for him to do this. Would he do it? Why? She looked at her bag. For more crystals? She looked back at him.

“Riley!” Randalf hissed.

Reaching down, Riley picked up a rock and threw it, sending it clattering against the wall. The crab perked up, and Randalf fired. His arrow zipped forward and clattered off the stone.

The crab charged. Riley flattened against the wall.

“Condemn it,” Randalf hissed and fired again, sinking an arrow into the charging crab’s face.

Reaching out, Riley slashed through the leg joints that passed, severing two and sending the crab staggering away.

A bowstring twanged. Randalf fired the arrow straight at her. Riley’s vision went icy blue. Triggering Ambush, she slammed both knives into his side, ripped them free, and triggered Ambush again.

Appearing on the crab’s back, she slammed both blades into its head and rolled off to the side.

Randalf staggered. Blood poured out of him. “Gods, condemn —“ He vanished in a stream of gold along with the crab.

Riley’s rage slowly faded, and a chest formed. Reaching down, she flipped it open. Two crystals were glowing there. She picked up the imperfect one and then picked up the red and black one.

[Fallen Advancement Crystal (F). You may use this for a chance to advance F-tier skills or gain experience. This crystal resonates with Riley Milvsky, granting more experience or increasing the chance significantly.]

[This crystal bears the experience lost from the one who was slain, Randal Hanson. It may be consumed to gain a portion of the lost experience.]

Riley frowned and slipped it into her bag. He wanted everything. Can I kill him? She considered it. They’d get a seeker. That would doom this entire thing.

Growling, she kicked the sand, walked forward, and took the crystals he’d dropped. Whatever, he started it. I’ll just tell the duke.

Shoving the thought away, she looked up at the cliffs. Do I climb up there? Reaching to her side, she grabbed the bag that Roger had given her.

She opened it to see fishing gear and Hassan’s crystals. Why’d he include those? With a shrug, she pulled out the fishing gear.

Stringing out the line, Riley affixed a shiny metal bauble on the end of the line, removed her moccasins, and waded out into the surprisingly warm water.

Casting the hook out, she began slowly jerking it back towards her, causing it to flicker in the sunlight.

A fish swam lazily by. She jerked the hook, and it swam away. Looking out at the sparkling water, she tried again and again and again.

It took two dozen tries before another fish got close. Not bothering with the hook, it charged straight for her. Dropping the line, Riley grabbed her knives and stabbed, slashing into the water with a splash.

The fish altered course and shot off out to sea. Riley groaned loudly, grabbed the line, and tried again.

The sun above shone brightly. The water sparkled and crashed against nearby cliffs. A large shark swam up and then swam away. Riley continued tossing the fishing line.

Riley huffed angrily and reeled it in after another hour. I wasted so much time on this! Sighing, she searched for a place where fish might hide, eyeing the nearby cliffs that ran right into the sea. Maybe. Wish I could swim better.

With the thought, a grin spread across her face. “Disguise, I’d ask a favor. Can you alter on a whim? What of gills or the frills that would aid me as I swim?” She triggered Assume Disguise and waited eagerly.

You are stretching, but we can make a few minor alterations. ~Disguise.

Riley felt the magic wash over her. She raised her hands and saw webbing between her fingers. “Thank you!”

She waded forward. The water’s depth grew quickly, reaching her stomach. Spotting a shadowy alcove in the cliffs, Riley tossed the line into it and resumed fishing.

As the lure flashed, a fish struck, latching onto it. She jerked and then raced for the shore, pulling the fish behind her.

The fish fought back, slamming into the line and ripping Riley from her feet. Slamming into the water, Riley twisted and started swimming, churning her way back to shore.

The line went slack, and the fish charged. Riley burst out of the water and dashed forward. The fish burst out of the water. Diving, Riley let it fly by.

The fish hit the sandy shore and flopped. Riley splashed her way to the shore, pulled out a knife, and examined it.

[Level 158 - Grouper.]

The fish slammed against the ground, launching itself into the air.

Riley jerked it back toward the cliffs and waited, letting the fish wear itself out. As it went still, she walked forward and stabbed it in the head.

The fish went still and turned into a ribbon of gold, vanishing back into the water.

Riley turned and waded back in.

Riley Milvsky

Level: 44

XP: 42231

Bard (C)

Level: 27

Inspiring Song F Bolster your allies with magic and music. Strength and Move Speed increased by 1 for one minute. Costs five Bardic Inspiration and impacts allies within ten meters. The radius of influence expands by one meter for each additional inspiration spent.

Psychic Spike F Wield your mana to cause psychic damage to a target. Cost varies based on allocation.

Manipulate Water F Manipulate the water around you. Cost varies based on amount.

Assassin (C)

Level: 27 + 12

Assume Disguise S +30 charisma. Enhance your current disguise by altering your displayed information and taking on the disguised form. Grants +5 levels to the assigned class. Perception and Insight suffer -250 levels against your disguise and -50 levels against your deception or stealth. Penalty applied: Gods’ Oversight.

Dancer's Form B +10 speed. +2 levels to assigned class. You may use a charge of inspiration to boost your movement speed by an additional 5 for a minute.

Death's Cloak A Slain enemies will grant experience to your base level and active classes. +3 levels to the assigned class. Perception and insight suffer -25 levels against you. Penalty applied: Covenant.

Ambush B +10 speed. +2 levels to the assigned class. Costs one stamina to use. On use, you teleport to a shadow within 20 meters. Penalty applied: Covenant.

Ranger (C)

Level: 26

Predatory Sight E Your perception and insight are boosted by 5. This boost is not reduced by low light or no light.

Pretty E Your appearance is better, but it could be even grander. Use 1 mana to get a little help from Beauty! (Upgrade me again!) Penalty applied: Unequippable. Beauty may alter your appearance at her whim.

Spell Thief (C) Level: 19 Inactive.

Dexterity: 180

Strength: 88

Speed: 85

Intelligence: 88

Charisma: 145

Stamina: 153

Mana: 168

Inspiration: 71