An Assassin's Anthem

A quiet spread over the fort. The last rays of the sunlight faded, and Roger carefully stashed the vials of poison. Pulling a small blanket out of his smuggler’s cache, he laid it on Riley. Sleep well, Riley. A thunderous boom echoed through the air, and Riley jerked up.

“Go back to sleep,” Roger whispered, patting her shoulder.

“Trying,” Riley mumbled, blinking at him groggily. “Be careful, Dad.”

“I will.” Roger turned and walked from the room, shutting the door behind him. I need to find someone else to guard her while I’m gone. He looked down the hall to see huddled soldiers everywhere. And get her a lock.

Pulling up his cowl, he walked down the hall and dodged through the throngs of armored soldiers. A few sat near the wall, nursing wounds. He frowned and walked outside. The sound of battle reached his ears. Swords slammed into swords. Looking toward the front portcullis, he saw a battering ram and the fighting soldiers. Gods, what a mess.

A soldier screamed. A spray of blood splashed through the air, and Roger watched a cowled figure slip past him.

The cowled person walked toward the gate and began flinging nothing.

What? Roger paused and watched the strange person. The enemies outside started dropping, blood spraying from knife wounds that appeared from nowhere. A soldier swung his sword and gurgled, blood spraying from his throat like a small geyser.

Of course. Roger walked up to the disguised person. Been a while since she slipped by me like that. “Hello, Riley,” he said softly.

Riley looked up and winked. “Hi, Dad.” She launched the phantasmal weapons that passed right through the metal grate. She moved, and a wave of healing crashed across the area.

Roger gasped as he felt his stats surge. He looked at his stats to figure out how much. Fifty roughly? His eyes widened, and he looked over at his daughter. “Be safe. I need to go.”

“I’ll stay inside,” Riley whispered, launching a knife at a soldier who turned to run. “Go, Dad. Be safe.”

Roger frowned and ran up the barracks steps, racing to the top of the wall. With his cloak fluttering behind him, he leapt from the wall and landed lightly.

Turning away from the fight, he downed an invisibility potion, and his form vanished. Racing across the field, he left the barracks behind, vaulting over small craters that marred the dark field.

A stream of fire shot overhead, casting flickering shadows everywhere. Roger continued his mission, vaulting another crater and racing for the distant fortress.

Picking up his speed, he dashed. The first insight skill hit, washing over him and the potion. Another followed.

The skills slammed over him like a growing storm. One smashed into him and ripped the potion’s effect away. The condemnation?

Triggering his skill, he became smoke on the wind, flowing up the structure’s wall like some cloud of heavy smoke. Cresting the wall, he grimaced at the constant pressure. What would Riley do? He landed. I don’t belong to that kingdom, nor am I here to harm. I’m just out exploring. A crooked smile spread across his face as the pressure reduced.

Looking down, he saw a large fire blazing in the courtyard. A mage on a platform above raised her hands and sent another stream of fire across the sky.

Roger slunk into the shadows and followed the smells, locking onto the scent of cooked meat and ale. Pausing at the top of the stone steps, he waited. A groggy soldier walked up, and Roger dropped behind him, landing lightly before moving down to the large barracks.

Skirting inside the crowded hall, he looked into the kitchens. Guards stood in every corner of the room. People washed dishes and worked. Looking into the corner, he saw the stairs leading down into a cellar. Flickering once more, he became smoke that streamed along the wall and rushed down the stairs to find barrels of food everywhere.

Guards lounged among them. Some played cards, others were sleeping, and others stared into space. Some things never change. Pulling out a vial, he lied to himself. Just a little pick me up for you. It’s probably not even lethal. He crept down the steps and moved towards the barrels of ale and water.

Crouching behind one, he waited until a vigilant guard looked away. Popping up a lid, he poured the vial inside and closed it before crouching and moving on to the next barrel.

With his hands brushing cold stone and cold wood, he crept forward and pulled out another vial, dumping it into the next barrel. I should have gotten a powder, too. He mused on it while moving to the next, dropping to the floor to avoid being seen.

The soldier sniffed the air and walked forward. He frowned and looked among the barrels.

“It’s just another rat,” a woman muttered, kicking at the stone.

The soldier turned and frowned. “Those will eat our food. We have to kill them.”

Roger stood, popped open the lid, and poured the vial into the next barrel. The soldier shot forward, a knife flying from his hand and sticking into a rat that scurried out.

Roger capitalized, rapidly dumping the remaining vials in another ten barrels and creeping up the stairs. Flickering into the shadows, he streamed out of the kitchen and large dining area. Skulking up to the wall, he waited. The skills pushing on him dimmed, and he waited.

He looked up to see a mage fire off another stream of flame. The flame arced across the sky, turned purple, and reverted direction, blazing back in an arc of fiery death. Roger gasped, and a mage screamed in horror.

“Void mage!” someone shouted, his voice carrying through the fort and sending everyone into a frenzy.

Soldiers came alive. A barrage of water blasted upward, snuffing out the flame in a burst of steam. Moments later, the purple magic engulfed the mage, who slumped onto the ground.

Roger used the distraction, turning to smoke and vanishing through the gate. He turned and headed back towards the barracks. Gods, Riley. What did you do?

~~~

Riley’s eyes blazed. She looked down at her book, which had a title atop the intricate runes: Hijack Spell. Maybe I shouldn’t have done it. Dad was there. She grimaced. I just need some sleep. She looked at the group of knights who retreated into the fort, looking exhausted and battered.

Beyond them were fifty dead soldiers. Riley peered into the gloom, locked onto a fleeing soldier, and willed a blade into her hand. Flinging it, it zipped forward and caught the soldier in the back, sending them stumbling.

The knights walked toward her. Several smiled and nodded.

“Thank you for the healing, Lady Riley,” a knight said as he looked down. He frowned at his blood-covered body.

“Is everyone alright?” Riley asked, studying the bloody group.

One knight pulled off his helmet. The portcullis slammed down. “Just need some rest.” He yawned and headed for the fort.

Riley looked at the dark sky. Clouds obscured half the stars and the moon. She ignored them, searching for another spell to hijack. That was a lot less mana than I thought. She looked at her notes. I’m not a mage. I’m an anti-mage. Even with the thought, she felt her magic thrum happily at the thought.

The hair on her arms stood, and she flooded her book again. A connection snapped into existence, binding her with the forming spell and the distant mage.

As the lightning blared into existence, she slammed her will into the magic and the mage, wrestling it under her control. The lightning turned purple, and she slammed it toward the distant fort.

Conjured stone rose and took the blast. The connection to the mage faded away.

[Level 349 human mage killed. You gain 349 experience.]

Riley cleared the text. Gods, that psychic feedback is nasty. She looked up at the sky and waited. They won’t be foolish enough to try again, will they?

As things stayed quiet, Riley turned and smiled at the man who’d walked up. “Welcome back.”

Roger took her arm and led her back to the barracks. “You have to be nearly out.”

“I am,” Riley admitted.

“Well, you’ve terrified them now.” Roger shook his head. “They’ll likely plan some counter to you.” He led her through the halls. “Is there a counter?”

“Sure,” Riley said, nodding. “Void magic. They can also build wards against psychic damage, but wards are tricky.” She shook her head. “They cost crystals, like enchantments.”

“That’ll reduce them,” Roger said, leading her back to the room.

Riley yawned. “Dad? What if this doesn’t work?”

Roger frowned. “If all else fails, we leave and find a new place.” He sighed and opened the door. “Get some sleep.”

Riley walked inside and sat on her cot. She pulled the cloak tight around her and pulled off her shoes. Then she laid down and buried herself in the blankets, peering out at her father and sleeping boy across the room. “Dad, what do you think of him?”

Roger sat on the cot and took off his shoes. “He wants this too much. That’s my biggest worry.” He shook his head and pulled off his armor. “If this doesn’t work, we’ll need to plan something else.” He walked over and handed her some crystals. “Pass out, Riley. I’ll watch over you.”

Riley frowned. “It’s risky, Dad. That’ll be fifty levels in five days.”

Roger nodded. “Do it. Then, no more for the week.”

Riley pulled them close and willed them into herself. Power ripped into her, and her vision went black.

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