An Assassin's Anthem

The sunlight bounced off the waves, and the water crashed into the cliffs, creating a delicate, rainbow-filled mist.

Riley enjoyed the beauty while sighing at her empty hook. Her fishing expedition wasn’t going well. With only one other crystal to her name, she peered into the mist, searching for islands or anything else.

Finding nothing, she turned back toward the inlet. So, I either swim or try to go in there. Riley rolled up the fishing line and tied it to her arm.

Looking out at the endless blue one last time, she turned and swam into the inlet. Waves flowed around her. A cave in the rock below was visible.

With a deep breath, she dove and peered into the cave, pulling out her knife while searching for a fish.

A massive eel shot out of the sand and streaked up for her. Riley rotated and brought the knife down, cutting into the eel’s flesh. The eel sunk its teeth into her leg and thrashed, sending a burst of red into the water.

Silently screaming, Riley pulled on her mana and used Psychic Spike. The eel’s eyes turned red, and it released its hold, opening its mouth again. Reaching down, Riley stabbed it repeatedly in the neck while her air slipped out.

The eel stopped moving. Riley churned up and gasped. Her leg throbbed. The dark walls of the cave surrounded her, and the sound of water echoed off the stone. Swimming forward, Riley grabbed onto the edge of the rock and pulled herself up into the cave. Then she looked down at her leg.

Like a river of red, blood flowed from the jagged teeth marks. She felt dizzy. The salty water mingled and stung. Reaching into a small bag, she pulled out a small potion and downed it. The skin knit back together.

Rinsing off the blood, Riley turned and saw the cave end about ten meters away. Riley walked forward and peered into the pool.

A dozen fish stared back, each stuck in the trapped tide pool. Well, that makes this easier. Riley grabbed the fishing gear. Better hurry before the tide comes in.

Lowering the hook into the water, she wiggled the lure and jerked upwards, snagging a fish that had swum close.

Jerking it out of the water, she grabbed her knife and stabbed it in the neck. The fish bled out and went still, vanishing into golden mist.

Riley happily opened the chest that formed and pulled out the crystal. Stashing it, she returned and began a marathon of fishing her stocked pool.

The water grew higher. It started to trickle across her feet, and Riley jerked the last fish from the water.

Spinning, she lowered herself back over the ledge and shot out of the cave, swimming quickly and emerging on the other side.

Enjoying the warm water, she swam out away from the cliffs and looked up. Trees dotted the clifftop, and vines crept down them like living ropes.

Not wanting to take the same path as everyone, she turned and swam out to sea, searching for anything else.

After a hundred meters, she stopped and squinted. A small smudge of land stood in the distance.

Looking over at the descending sun, Riley grinned and swam. Skimming across the water, she shot across the depths and entered shallows once more.

Crouching low, she crept forward onto the beach and searched. A small crab skittered off into the water, leaving her alone on the island.

Walking up to the trees, Riley looked out and saw the rest of the island. It was small, only a few dozen meters across. Shrubs and grasses were growing around the trees, and in the center of it was a massive pearl that came up to her waist.

[Quest: Recharge this place of power! You have compatible innate mana to help recharge this place of power. Will your mana into the orb. You may also channel Advancement Crystals into it for an increased reward.]

[Sponsors: Nature.]

[Rewards: Experience, skills, or possible class augmentations depending on contribution.]

Riley walked forward and placed her hands on it. Willing her mana into it, she felt it all drain away. Do I channel crystals in it? She looked down at the five crystals she’d managed. That’s a sacrifice. Wish I had -- Then she remembered the bag from her father.

Riley chuckled and took out the stolen crystals. With each one, she brought it into resonance and willed the flowing energy into the pearl. Each vanished as it consumed them.

With a growing smile, Riley spun and looked around the tiny island once more. No others came into view. Back to the cliffs, then.

Checking her gear, she turned and swam across the way. An errant fish shot by her feet. Riley groaned and continued swimming, eventually hitting the coast and wading onto the shore.

Then she turned her focus to the towering cliffs. Reaching up, she carefully grabbed handholds and scaled up the damp rocks.

The waves crashed softly below. A breeze rippled through her hair, and her hand slipped.

Riley slammed against the wall, scratching herself in a dozen places. Her heart boomed through her chest. Reaching up, she picked a different crack in the stone and resumed her ascent, scrambling over the top a few minutes later.

With a triumphant smile, she looked out at the forest, and her smile wilted.

Dozens of trees had hatchet marks on them. They were all dying. Ferns, grass, and other bushes were wilted and brown. In the distance, a stream bed was empty.

What happened here? Riley wondered as she looked at the mess.

[Balance. They need time to recharge. ~Nature]

Riley sighed. No more killing things for crystals, then. Instead, she gathered the fallen branches and leaves, piling up a small shelter for the evening and drifting off to sleep while the waves crashed below.

~~~

The sun rose, bouncing off the water and lighting up the sky. Riley pulled up notifications and grinned.

[Activity experience granted to Assassin, Bard, Ranger, and Spell Thief.]

[Assassin has advanced: 27 → 28!]

[Bard has advanced: 27 → 28!]

[Ranger has advanced: 26 → 27!]

Willing it away, she stood and stretched, looking out at the mess and debating the next steps. Cleaning might help.

With little else to go on, she focused on the stream, walking over to the dry creek bed and following it up into the forest.

The sound of the ocean faded away and was replaced by nothing. No birds chirped. No bugs flew by. The hairs on her neck began to rise, and the unnerving quiet caused ripples on her arm.

Slowing, Riley shivered and searched, trying to see the reason. A shadow flickered.

[Level ??? Wraith.]

Panic gripped Riley’s throat; she grabbed her sword and started to retreat. The wraith billowed forward and solidified. Riley encased her blade with ice and swung, smashing into the wraith.

The wraith charged, lashing out with its clawed hands. Riley ducked and slammed her sword into it. Black shadow erupted from it, and claws ripped through armor and flesh. Screaming, Riley poured half her mana into Psychic Spike and slammed it into the wraith.

The creature staggered backward, black smoke oozing out of it. Riley dropped her sword, willed her mana into two sharpened icicles, and stabbed furiously.

Riley plunged the ice spikes into it over and over. Smoke billowed and ripped out of the creature. It lashed out, ripping into her chest and sending a spray of blood across the forest.

Riley screamed. Icy cold plunged inside of her, and blood flowed around her. Pure animalistic fury surged through Riley, and she stabbed recklessly into the shadow.

With smoke leaking out of it, the creature exploded into mist.

Riley crumpled to the ground; blood pooled around her. She grabbed her bag and ripped it open.

Riley pulled out a red potion, popped the cork, and downed it.

The potion flooded through her and started to mend the damage. Pulling herself into a ball, Riley started sobbing. It felt like part of her soul had been ripped apart. Even as she thought it, text popped up.

[Warning: Spiritual Damage has been inflicted. Rest is strongly advised.]

Staggering to her feet, she looked down and saw a black and red crystal.

[Corrupted Fallen Crystal (E). Do not consume. You may take this to the heart of the place of power for purification.]

Reaching down, she picked it up and retreated. Her breath billowed out in a cold fog. Her chest burned, and she shivered while walking the creek bed, leaving bloody footprints on the rocks and gravel behind her.

Passing by the dying plants, she continued her retreat, wanting nothing to do with the creatures that were behind her. Why’d it have to be wraiths? They’re the worst of the worst. She blinked back tears and shivered.

The sun broke through the branches, and she approached the cliffs. Even the rays failed to make her feel warm. Instead, she shivered and tied her rope around the tree.

Then she descended. Shivers rolled through her. Her hands went numb, and she slipped, falling the two meters and slamming into the sand with a thud.

Groaning, she rolled and waded into the water. The warm water seemed to pull away the cold. Her shivers stopped. Her goosebumps faded, and then her breath fogged as an icy chill passed by.

Vaulting up, she retreated and searched for the only possible source, locking onto a shadow for just a moment.

The wraith flickered and vanished. Riley eyed the exit. Can I make it? It was far. Very far. She grimaced and pulled on her near-empty mana pool.

The air next to her went cold. She dropped, and claws flashed, ripping into her arm.

Red blood fell, and water splashed, coating the wraith and freezing it in a layer of ice. Riley looked up through the water, and the wraith flailed, breaking away the pieces of ice.

Riley didn’t surface. Instead, she splashed it, coating it with more ice. It ripped away the ice while she splashed.

Locked in a stalemate, Riley burned the last of her mana and created a spear of ice. She slammed it into it from under the water, rapidly striking deep into its heart. The wraith wailed and exploded.

Riley burst out of the water and gasped. Air. Precious air. She gulped it greedily. Another Corrupted Crystal formed.

Grabbing it, Riley waded toward the shore. Blood ran down her arm and chest. Her tears mingled with them.

Staggering to shore, she reached into her bag, pulled out bandages, and wrapped her arm. Looking down, she saw three large gashes across her ribs.

Wrapping them with the fabric, she choked out a sob. Wraiths. Why wraiths? She looked at the exit, and her heart ran cold. The air rippled. Three shadows formed and vanished.

Hoisting up her bag, she turned and swam, trying to escape the madness on the shore.

The air turned frigid. She didn’t slow and swam frantically, kicking up water in her wake

Waves crashed by. Wraiths appeared, and a wave smashed into them. Ice formed around them. With a wail, they broke free and vanished.

Riley was left with the sound of crashing water. She enjoyed it and swam back toward the island with the pearl, walking up onto the shore when she arrived.

Spinning, Riley searched and couldn’t see them. All that was left was the water and the island. She trudged up onto the sand, and her adrenaline faded, leaving frustrated sorrow. I’m going to die in here. She blinked back the pain at that fact.

Carrying her soaking wet bag, she walked over to the few trees and hung things out to dry. Then, she considered her best options. You needed magical items or magical attacks to hurt them. And they were strong, so very strong. Three? That was impossible.

Ice. Ice and run. That was the only plan she could think of trying. Huffing, she ate part of her salt-water-logged rations. Then she lounged on the beach and debated what to do next.

Riley Milvsky

Level: 44

XP: 43465

Bard (C)

Level: 28

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: 28 + 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: 27

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: 183

Strength: 88

Speed: 87

Intelligence: 88

Charisma: 146

Stamina: 155

Mana: 171

Inspiration: 72