An Assassin's Anthem

Riley walked toward the portal, the prince and his group walking alongside. This is weird. I was just in here. Feels like a repeat. She looked around at her old group.

“Don’t do anything foolish,” a guard said. “Death is real in there.”

“We know,” Timothy said, checking his gear.

Riley gave her gear a final inspection and took Dwight’s hand. The world flashed, and trees appeared. Spinning, she gasped.

A massive, worn building stretched out in front of them. Trees and vines were growing around the ruins. Worn steps led up the stone structure. This thing is going to have levels inside.

Dwight groaned. “Ruins? I hate ruins.”

Riley nodded. “That’s what we get. Stay close, and stay alert.” Walking forward, she began ascending the steps, lightly traversing up the structure and leaving her group mates behind.

A hawk soared overhead. Insects chirped loudly, and Riley climbed up the worn stone steps. Pausing halfway, she looked out at the forest canopy. The green foliage blanketed everything.

Continuing upward, Riley poked her head over the top of the stairs and saw a large troll city sitting atop the structure.

Primitive huts and makeshift buildings lined the top of the structure while large trolls wandered or lounged among them. In the distance, a massive troll lumbered near a massive opening into the structure. Masking her sigh, Riley peered out at the mess, counting the dozens and dozens of trolls. Traps or an inferno? She frowned and mused on the best option to remove the massive group.

Turning, she began climbing down the steps and saw what had to be the first level of the dungeon. A group of trolls was charging towards the steps, and the group had turned to fight them.

Pulling down her bow, Riley jumped onto the side of the ruins, nocked an arrow, and fired, sinking it into the trolls. A barrage of boulders and fire rained down with it, slamming into troll and step alike. Several lit on fire. One bellowed, the sound carrying up the steps.

Riley grimaced as the village behind her went quiet. Nocking another arrow, she sent it flying, sinking it into the shoulder of a troll while her party members continued to rain death on the small group. A burning troll screamed. The sound rolled up the stairs, and another roar echoed back.

With a grimace, Riley shot up the steps and looked out to the village. The trolls were gathering and jogging toward the steps. Huffing, Riley looked at the steps that led into the village and pulled on her magic.

Triggering Conjure Potion, a potion of living flame appeared in her hand. She lobbed it nearly straight up. Like some psychotic juggler, she repeated it over and over, lobbing potions full of purple fire.

The glowing vials arced. A troll looked up and pointed. The bottles rained down, smashing on stone and spreading flames everywhere. It licked across the stone, burning anything it hit. Trolls began racing away from the madness that rained down around them.

With a growing grin, Riley glanced down at the mayhem below. The last troll crumpled, and her allies charged up towards her.

Spinning back toward the village, Riley used Spirit Blades and threw them straight through the rock. The blades shot through it unimpeded, zipping out the other side and sinking into the approaching trolls.

Timothy raced past her, and his eyes went red. A massive gout of flame erupted through the village. Dwight did the same. A wave of heat passed over the group. Smoke billowed into the air, and Riley peaked over the stone to see a massive inferno burning away everything. They’re out of mana. Sheesh. This is anticlimactic.

Dwight grinned. “We got them good.”

“Who’s out of mana?” Riley asked. She watched the fire slowly fade away, and they all raised their hands. “I’m going to scout. Feel free to make your way toward the entrance because we aren’t going to die.”

“Scout for what?” Timothy asked, peering into the smoke.

“Anything from the village or what’s inside the temple.”

“I’m not dying,” Dwight said. “Fools.” He turned and began his descent.

Timothy nodded. “Don’t die, Riley.” He turned and walked down the steps, pausing as a chest formed in front of him.

Riley turned and watched, carefully counting the crystals. Then she turned and darted up the steps. We did clear level two. Level three will be difficult, and I’m sure it’s inside. She crept down the steps, moving silently and searching for anything.

Turning the corner on the stairs, she looked out into the dark, relying on her skill to cut through it. Something shuffled in the dark. Squinting, Riley tried to see what it was.

She crouched low and waited. A troll began chanting, and a soft glow lit the room.

Riley clamped her mouth shut. An army of undead stood in the massive room. A troll nearby was bringing back a dead tiger. Next to it was a massive, undead crocodile. It snapped at the air, and Riley retreated back up the steps.

Do I try to take it alone? I’m a lot stronger. She felt her mana and grimaced. Undead suck. I need them to get mana back.

Nodding to herself, she walked across the platform and looked down the steps. The group of boys descended. She raced down the steps, chasing after them and making a ruckus as she got close.

Timothy spun, and the group stopped.

Riley ran down to them. “There’s some necromancer inside with a horde of undead. If we can get some mana back, you can clear it.”

Timothy paused and frowned. “Are you sure?”

“We’ll camp near the temple’s base so we can still leave.” Riley gestured to a ledge near the bottom of the pyramid structure.

“Sounds good to me,” Dwight said with a nod. “She can heal us still.” He turned and made his way down.

Riley followed. We’ll be fine if we keep scouts.

Ignoring the platform, she walked to the bottom and collected wood, gathering any branches that she could find and carrying them up to the camp.

The group joined her, rapidly gathering a pile of wood before moving back to the steps.

Leaning against the warm stone, Riley pulled out a knife and vial of enchanter’s ink.

“You have got to be joking,” Kamal said, shaking his head.

Riley grinned. “What? I want to try for the enchanter class.” She pulled out the etching pen and started making engravings.

“She’s half-mad,” Kamal said, laughing and looking out at the swamp.

Dwight chuckled. “Do we just sit here all day?”

“Yep,” Riley replied, nodding. “Keep a lookout. You may get a skill or class from it. Sentry wouldn’t be bad if you don’t have one like it.”

“You have Ranger. You’ll never get it,” Dwight said with a chuckle. “I’ll watch up the steps.” He laid on the stone and looked up the steps.

“I’ll watch the forest,” Timothy said, leaning against the stone beside Riley. He watched her and shook his head. “I shouldn’t be surprised. Only you would do this in a wild dungeon.”

Riley ignored him, carefully making a durability enchantment on the knife.

Minutes turned to an hour, and Riley finished the enchantment. Grinning, she happily checked it. It’s not perfect, but it’s good enough to get the class. Yawning, she looked out into the woods.

The moss-covered trees were still. Frogs croaked, and birds chirped. Off in the distance, something roared. Riley ignored it and swapped her skills. Burning mana, she made five healing potions and five potions of living flame. Finishing that, she swapped her skills back and looked at the group.

Kamal looked at her. “Want to play cards?”

“I can’t risk getting a card-playing class,” Riley said, chuckling back. “I can take lookout.”

Kamal pulled out cards and started dealing. Riley took over the watch, studying their surroundings while the sun descended and cast their camp in shadow.

As the night rose and the light faded, Riley swapped off and drifted off to sleep.

~~~

Riley’s eyes snapped open. She looked at Dwight and nodded. He leaned against the stone and pulled his cloak around his shoulders.

Standing and stretching, Riley looked out into the black. We went the entire night with nothing. A smile spread across her face. The structure is the dungeon. Maybe we can get a level four.

Looking out to the forest, she yawned. Nothing was amiss. The noisy swamp continued its cacophony of noise, and she looked at her notifications.

[Your base level has advanced: 219 → 223!]

[Assassin (C) has advanced: 130 → 134!]

[Bard (C) has advanced: 130 → 134!]

[Ranger (C) has advanced: 130 → 134!]

[Spell Thief (C) has advanced: 130 → 134!]

[Noble (D) has advanced: 205 → 207!]

[Maid (F) has advanced: 36 → 42!]

[Infiltrator (F) has advanced: 26 → 30!]

[Alchemist (E) has advanced: 15 → 19!]

She shook her head. I didn’t clear it at all yesterday. Whoops. Clearing it away, she turned and looked up the steps, burning stamina to boost Hunter’s Sight. The noises surged. Things croaked and chirped. Something soared overhead, and an owl screeched. Peering into the dark, she didn’t see anything concerning.

Continuing her watch, the minutes passed slowly. A few splotchy clouds passed over the stars, and Riley yawned while she watched.

After a few hours, the sun crested the horizon, lighting the distant sky. Riley smiled. Finally. Turning inward, she checked her skills and temporarily swapped in Conjure Water.

Refilling waterskins and rinsing her hands, she took a drink and swapped her skills back before pulling the bread from her bag. She munched on it and watched the sunrise.

The group stirred. Kamal stretched and took a drink, waking Timothy and Luiz, who woke Dwight.

“I refilled your waterskins,” Riley whispered. “Everyone got mana?” she asked.

“Yes,” Dwight said, rubbing his eyes. “Gods, that’s uncomfortable.”

Timothy nodded and looked at the other two, who nodded. “Good to go.”

“I’m going to scout.” Riley turned and ran up the stone steps.

Cresting the top, she looked out at the top. They didn’t come out? Why? She pondered on it and looked at the smears of blood that led down the stairs. Building a force first?

With no other guess, she headed across the top and entered the pyramid again, winding down the stairs and poking her head into the out.

The necromancer stood in the center of the room, chanting over a corpse. Riley looked at the pile of corpses that had been dragged in. Okay. This is obvious. But what’s inside? She looked across the room and saw the undead everywhere.

Future problem. Shaking her head, she turned and headed back to her group, spotting the boys as soon as she left the room.

Smiling, she gestured. “Quiet. Four fireballs. Together. Quarter mana.” She gestured.

“Got it,” Timothy signed back.

Reaching into her bag, Riley pulled out potions of living flame and handed them to each.

Using them as makeshift torches, they followed her down the steps.

Poking around the corner, Timothy’s shoes scuffed. The undead turned, and Riley conjured her blades. “Now,” she hissed and threw the blades at the necromancer. He turned and took both blades in the chest. Looking down, he gasped. The blades vanished, sending a spray of blood across the room.

Riley tossed again, sinking them into his neck. He gurgled and fell to the ground. The undead surged forward, and four balls of fire shot into the room. Riley covered her ears, and the balls exploded, engulfing the entire room in flame.

Undead burned. A massive undead alligator charged forward, and Kamal conjured up a wall of stone with a grin.

Riley tossed her blades through the wall, sending them straight through the stone. Do these even work on undead? They aren’t sentient.

[They don’t. ~Death]

Thanks. Riley turned back to the group and grinned. “Well done.” A massive thump turned her back around. The stone cracked, and she grabbed her bow.

The wall toppled, smashing into the burning alligator. It stopped moving, and Riley peered into the gloom.

Kamal grinned and clapped Dwight on the back. A ribbon of gold flowed out of the room and coalesced into a chest. Timothy flipped it open, and Riley walked into the room, searching for anything noteworthy.

Starting with the necromancer, she searched the corpse before searching the table and every alcove. Nothing? She sighed and returned.

“Anything?” Dwight asked, walking up.

Riley shook her head and gestured. “I’ll scout.” Walking to the end of the room, she descended a small staircase and looked into a large chamber below. Her mouth dropped.

Naga slithered through the large room. The humanoid snakes hissed at each other. Riley paused and watched. What are they doing?

Carrying some torch, the group brought it to a circle filled with runes.

Nope. Riley turned and promptly ran into her eager compatriots, who’d descended. She gestured. “Naga. Fireball. Dwight, save for wall. Drain and run on my signal.”

Each nodded. Timothy gestured to her.

Riley pulled out her spellbook and flipped to the page with chain lightning. She nodded and flooded the runes with nearly all her mana.

Timothy gestured. “Go when the lightning hits.”

Riley triggered the spell. Clouds formed above the area.

The naga looked up, and the entire room lit. Lightning chained through the naga, and a massive boom echoed through the area. The smell of burned flesh filled the air. Naga hissed and surged toward the stairs. Four balls of fire streaked forward and exploded, bathing the room in blinding light once more.

Riley blinked and looked out at the mess. Bodies were burning everywhere. Nothing seemed to be moving. She turned and gestured. “Go. I’ll catch up after a quick look.” She raced out into the room while they turned and ran.

Searching the alcoves, Riley found piles of foul-smelling waste.

A massive naga burst out of a room on the end. It hissed, and Riley conjured blades. Slinking into the shadows, she threw, letting them slice into its dark green scales.

The naga whirled and hissed again. Riley threw her blades and ran, blending into the shadows again.

The naga spun. A knife clipped its neck, sending a spray of blue blood across the ground. Slithering forward, it ignored her and raced toward the center of the room.

Riley threw her blades again. What’s it doing? The blades sunk into its back and vanished. Blood flowed down its spine, and Riley edged into the room it had come from. The small room was filled with skulls, blood, and random barrels. A small, locked chest sat in the corner.

Spinning, Riley threw her blades once more, slicing the exposed naga’s neck. It collapsed, blood leaking onto the ground and filling the runes on the floor.

Condemnation! Riley grabbed the chest and triggered Ambush, flickering across the room.

The ground trembled. The runes glowed a vibrant red, and Riley used Ambush to jump the stairs. Flickering across the room full of smoldering undead, she raced up the stairs and shot across the top floor. The entire structure shook, and the boys turned.

“Run!” Riley shot past them, taking the stairs three at a time, half leaping down the steps while the temple rumbled.

A massive roar filled the air. Riley raced down the steps and stopped at the exit to the place of power. Dropping the chest, she pulled out her picks and carefully inserted them.

“Shit!” Dwight shouted, racing down the steps in reckless abandon.

The sound of wings filled the air. Riley carefully pushed a pin into place and hit the next one.

“Dragon!” Kamal shouted, leaping down steps.

Riley pushed another pin into place and fiddled with a second. The lindworm roared, flapping its wings furiously while its long serpent body stretched out behind it.

Popping the final pin, Riley looked inside.

[Bag of Storing(D)]

Her eyes went wide. She grabbed the bag and ran, racing right into the exit.

Timothy leapt into it, followed rapidly by the others.

Riley spun and looked at the winged serpent. That’s amazing. Text flashed into her vision, and the swamp faded.

[Reward: Enchanter Class (F): +1 mana per level. Grants one skill slot while active.]

[Warning: Max class count exceeded.]

Riley frowned. Enchanting was useful, very useful. Looking at the others, she sighed. Goodbye Maid. You won’t last, anyway. She willed it into her noble class.

The class swirled and churned away.

[Noble (D) has advanced: 210 → 230!]

Riley sighed. Oh well. I didn’t expect it to give me much. Text appeared again.

[Your base level has advanced: 223 → 227!]

[Level 2 Cleared: Pick class experience or a D-tier skill to upgrade.]

Riley looked at her skills. Empowering Presence will need help. I don’t know what else to give it. Nodding, she selected it to be upgraded.

[Empowering Presence (E) → Empowering Presence (D): Your subjects gain +10 strength, +10 dexterity, and +10 movement speed; allies within twenty meters count as subjects. You may use Bardic Inspiration to temporarily boost the range and the effect.]

More text rapidly appeared.

[Level 3 Cleared: Spirit Blade (D) upgraded to Spirit Blade (C). +1 level to assigned class. Manifest an ethereal blade of psychic energy that will vanish after thirty seconds or six seconds after being thrown. Costs one stamina or one mana to manifest a blade.]

[Level 4 Cleared: Class and base experience granted.]

[Your base level has advanced: 227 → 235!]

[Assassin (C) has advanced: 134 → 184!]

[Bard (C) has advanced: 134 → 184!]

[Ranger (C) has advanced: 134 → 184!]

[Spell Thief (C) has advanced: 134 → 184!]

[Noble (D) has advanced: 230 → 250!]

[Infiltrator (F) has advanced: 26 → 126!]

[Enchanter(F) has advanced: 1 → 50!]

[Alchemist (E) has advanced: 19 → 119!]

Riley stared at the notifications. That’s what level four in a wild one gives? This is going to wreck me. She felt her vision dimming.

[Don’t push further for a few days. ~Death]

She barely had time to read it before her vision snuffed out.

Riley Milvsky

Level: 235

Bard (C)

Level: 184 + 1

Dominating Presence D Enemies within sixty meters of you lose 10 strength, 10 dexterity, and 10 speed. You may use inspiration to boost the range and the effect temporarily.

Spirit Blade C +1 level to assigned class. Manifest an ethereal blade of psychic energy that will vanish after thirty seconds or six seconds after being thrown. Costs one stamina or one mana to manifest a blade.

Restoring Presence D Subjects regain 1 stamina and 1 mana every half hour; their healing is augmented by 10%. Allies within 50 meters count as subjects. You may use mana to send out a burst of healing. You may use inspiration to expand and increase the effect.

Empowering Presence D Your subjects gain +10 strength, +10 dexterity, and +10 movement speed; allies within twenty meters count as subjects. You may use Bardic Inspiration to temporarily boost the range and the effect.

Assassin (C)

Level: 184 + 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.

Momentous Tempo B +10 speed. This boost will increase to up to +100 for every ten seconds you are in motion. Slowing in any way will reduce the effect. +2 levels to assigned class. You may use a charge of inspiration to boost your movement speed by an additional 10 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: 184

Predatory Sight D Your perception and insight are boosted by 25. This boost is not reduced by low light or no light. You may use 1 stamina to double this effect for 10 seconds.

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

Pretty D Your appearance is nice, but it could be so grand. Use a mana to get Beauty’s help! She may provide it anyway. Oh, and you’ll stand out in a crowd! After all, everyone knows a Beauty.

Music's Lute - You may summon this lute from the heavens. It will return to the heavens when you will it away.

Spell Thief (C) Level: 184 Inactive.

Noble (D)

Level: 250 Inactive.

Enchanter (F)

Level: 50 Inactive.

Alchemist (D)

Level: 119 Inactive.

Infiltrator (F)

Level: 126 Inactive.

- -

Conjure Storm D Manipulate or conjure up a storm. Mana cost varies.

Conjure Potion D Create a potion. Cost varies based on the poison type and requirements.

Dexterity 1035

Strength 470

Speed 400

Intelligence 470

Charisma 685

Stamina 850

Mana 1024

Inspiration 420