An Assassin's Anthem

The sun descended, and fire streaked across the sky. It shot forward, and a ball of water crashed into it. Steam billowed everywhere, and Riley stared in horror. Gods, this is a nightmare. She followed her guards toward the barracks. I need to swap my skills.

A seeker’s skill blasted across the area, and Riley felt it wash across her skill. She let out a breath of relief and continued walking toward the towering fortress of stone and metal. A steel portcullis raised, and the group filed into the structure.

Looking at the massive stone walls, Riley passed inside and looked around what could be considered a small village. Soldiers milled around the massive structure. A captain raised his hand, and the group stopped.

“Command hall now, recruits!” he bellowed, gesturing toward a stone building next to the wall.

Riley frowned and followed. I need to find Lucas. She walked into the building and pulled her cloak closer. A line of desks sat against the wall, where various people discussed things. Behind the line of desks was a hallway that led back to various rooms.

Following the line forward, Riley listened. The people behind desks gave assignments, telling people where to go and who they’d report to. Riley waited and bit her lip. This is going to be bad.

A bell tolled, booming a thunderous alarm through the compound and sending people running. The sound of boiling water filled the air, and a flash of light lit the place. Gods, are they throwing fireballs at us? She grimaced and stepped forward.

The woman at the desk looked up. “Oh, Lady Riley. You are to report to your betrothed. We’d also appreciate any help you can spare for the medical tents.” She gestured to the hallway behind her. “Your room is back there.”

“Thanks.” Riley moved through the small crack between the desks and walked down the hall. She glanced over at her frowning father. “Dad?”

“This position may be defended, but it’s extremely exposed.” He frowned and strode past her, turning into a side room.

Riley followed, walking into the room. She looked at the cots sitting on the floor. A pile of papers sat on the desk, and Lucas was sleeping, lying on his desk like he’d been run ragged.

Sitting in the chair, Riley heard the bell ringing again, and Lucas jerked up from his desk.

Blinking, he groaned. “Gods, when did you get here?” He reached up and rubbed his eyes.

“A few minutes ago,” Roger said with a growing frown. “What happened?”

“They are pushing, and we are losing,” Lucas said, rubbing his eyes. He looked at Riley. “I’ll need you to equip your presences. We need them.” He let out a long breath.

Roger shut the door and walked over with a growing frown. “The knights?”

“Still wounded from the last battle. We’re out of potions and low on mana.” Lucas grimaced.

Riley leaned back in the chair, her mouth dropping. “We’re losing?”

Lucas wiped his eyes and nodded. “Badly. Your friend was most upset when she realized how ill-prepared this kingdom truly was.”

Roger huffed and searched the desk, grabbing a roughly sketched map. “And you want us to win?”

Lucas nodded. “You’ll understand soon.” He looked at the paper and groaned. “Can you help?”

Roger sighed and looked at Riley. “What’s the most slow-acting, lethal, undetectable potion you can manage?”

Riley paused and nodded. “We’re poisoning them?”

“Yes. I need bulk poison. The mages need to go. If you can prepare void magic, we can take care of that next.” Roger frowned and leaned back in his chair. “How long will we last?”

“A week at most. I’m hoping Riley’s auras will help,” Lucas said, looking over.

Riley frowned. “I don’t know if I’m strong enough. I’ll try to push to C-tier, but it’ll take time.”

Lucas gnawed on his lip. “I’ll ensure you get your two runs at some point, but we need you here for the moment.”

“No, we need to end this before we lose it.” Roger turned and pulled out vials from nowhere. “Riley, I need poison that can be dumped in their water. Undetectable poison that doesn’t take effect for twenty-four hours. Make it last three days.”

Riley looked at the vials and grimaced. “There’s no way we can get them to surrender?”

“No,” Lucas said, shaking his head. “They are winning.”

Reaching forward, Riley frowned. I need to swap my skills. Should I swap out Ranger or Assassin? She grimaced. They’ll see through it. Turning inward, she swapped out Ranger for Spell Thief. Then she slotted in Conjure Potion and turned to the vials.

“Do you have my books?” Riley asked. I should return some of those. Eh. I’ll do it when I get back.

Roger dumped them on the desk.

Grabbing the one on poisons, she flipped through the pages. “Will they use void magic on this? If they do, it won’t work.”

Lucas laughed and shook his head. “I don’t think you realize how difficult it is to get void magic or use it like that.”

Riley looked up from her book. “That rare?”

“No and yes,” Lucas said, leaning forward. “Some soldiers have a void skill to nullify magic against them. You can train it by getting hit by magic, but that’s a problem because you’re getting hit by magic.” He grimaced. “And the magic needs to be damaging. Some soldiers here have one, but none of it is to nullify poison. It’s to stop damaging spells like Fireball or Chain Lightning.”

Lucas turned. “If you can learn those spells, it’ll help. Most can’t. You need the right class and skill to even be able to cast it.” He smiled. “It’s like you trying to cast Wall of Stone. It’ll never work. Even fire spells for you will be dismal, maybe impossible.”

Riley nodded and frowned at the vials and the book. “But you could make an enchantment to nullify any magic in something.”

Lucas nodded. “You could, but many things are preserved by magic. Worse still, you’d need the right enchanter and would lose something like a void shield. Do you know how valuable it is to absorb a spell instead?”

“So, anyone could poison us?” Riley asked with a growing frown.

“No. We have seekers and soldiers everywhere.” Lucas turned and frowned at Roger. “How are you planning to avoid that?”

Roger smiled. “I’ll take a lesson from Riley.”

Riley turned. What? She looked at him in confusion.

“I’ll do it in front of them with a cheery smile.” Roger chuckled.

“You have a disguise skill?” Riley asked, looking at her father with a look of shock. “Since when?”

“Not exactly,” Roger said. “But I’ll make it work.”

Riley shook her head. “I want to watch this disaster.”

Lucas sighed. “It won’t work. They have guards over all the food. They track the people who serve, cook, or access it. We do the same.”

Roger smiled and looked at Riley. “Can you make an invisibility potion?”

“They won’t last long,” Riley said, her mouth quirking up. “Five minutes.”

“Good enough for me.” Roger leaned back in his chair.

Lucas frowned. “Can you avoid the seekers?”

“Yes.” Roger smiled and leaned back in the chair.

Riley flipped to a page and started replicating poison, filling the vials with a liquid that had a light blue hue to it.

A massive explosion shook the building and the ground, making the vials ripple. Gods, is this going to collapse? Riley looked around the room nervously.

“We’re stable for the moment,” Lucas said, frowning upward. Another massive boom rolled through the place, shaking everything.

Riley turned back to the vials, rapidly filling each of them. Grabbing another book, she flipped through the pages in search of the invisibility potion.

Roger set another vial on the desk and stood. “The condemnation is going on?” he asked as another boom filled the air.

“It’s evening,” Lucas said with a grimace. “The mages are trying to break it.”

Riley’s chair vibrated on the stone floor. She grimaced. “Will they?”

Lucas stood. “I’ll check.”

Riley set the book down and followed, walking down the quaking halls. The smell of smoke filled the air, and another explosion rolled through the building.

Walking out of the hallway, Riley looked around the room. People were clearly seeking cover, and many of them turned to stare at her.

Riley blushed and moved closer to her father. What’s going on?

“Gods, my lady, thank you,” a soldier said with a growing grin.

“Thank you for bringing her here,” a captain said, grabbing Lucas’s hand and pumping it up and down.

“She has worked hard to ensure that she can help,” Lucas said with a nod.

They can see my auras. Riley bumped out a message to her father. “Dad! What’s my skill saying?” She practically pounded it into his back.

Roger reached over and patted her back. “It states Riley Milvsky - Empowering Presence and Riley Milvksy - Restoring Presence. They’re strong, but you’re fine.”

Riley let out a breath of relief and turned back to the captain. “I hope it helps.”

“More than you realize,” the captain said with a growing smile. “We’ll get those bastards.” He turned and headed for the door.

Riley stepped forward, and an explosion of flame lit the place. She grimaced and stepped back toward the hall. I need to study the void spells.

Roger nodded. “Work on that potion for me, Riley,” he said, turning her back around.

Riley nodded and walked back to the room. I really hope this works.

Riley Milvsky

Level: 236

Bard (C)

Level: 186 + 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: 186 + 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.

Spell Thief (C)

Level: 186

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.

Ranger (C) Level: 186 Inactive.

Noble (D)

Level: 251 Inactive.

Enchanter (F)

Level: 53 Inactive.

Alchemist (D)

Level: 121 Inactive.

Infiltrator (E)

Level: 32 Inactive.

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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 1043

Strength 472

Speed 404

Intelligence 472

Charisma 689

Stamina 856

Mana 1032

Inspiration 423