An Assassin's Anthem

Riley jogged down the road; the fort was far in the distance. Please don’t let them all die while I’m gone. A forest loomed around them, and snow descended from the clouds above.

She turned. “Are they going to survive?”

“Althea is nearby,” Lucas said. “Where’d your father go?”

“No idea.” Riley shrugged and focused on the rapidly passing road. “I thought that he’d be back. Maybe he found someone worth killing.”

Lucas grunted. “They’ll need him.”

“I know, but I don’t know that he’ll stay there.” Riley’s breath billowed. “Is Althea returning? I was going to ask her about her nefarious plans.”

“Nefarious plans?” Lucas asked, quirking his brow.

Riley raced out of the forest, the ground blurring around her. “What else would you call them?”

“A better path forward,” Lucas replied.

Riley laughed. “She’s plotting something.”

“Well, that’s certainly true,” Lucas said, chuckling softly. “I should warn you. I reported that you have unlocked the Psion class. It was necessary.”

Riley nodded. “I understand.” She looked at him briefly. “Who are you? Really?”

Lucas looked over his shoulder and judged the distance before turning back. “I’m a bastard.” He let out a long breath. “From the kingdom of Shorove. When I fled for my life, a group of orphans took me in. Then Althea showed up and helped us all. That started this whole thing.”

“So, you want them to fall,” Riley asked, looking over at him.

“Yes, I do.” Lucas nodded and looked at her. “Then we’ll take the next step.”

“The elves? Are they better?”

“No one is as bad as Shorove,” Lucas whispered, shaking his head.

“Why?”

“They use any class, Riley. Any class.” He shook his head and picked up his pace.

Riley sped after him. “What happens to you if we fail?”

Lucas grimaced. “If we fail, we leave the country. We can’t risk staying here.”

“How are we going to succeed then?” Riley asked with a growing frown. “We’re losing. My only plan is to push my skills and borrow books.”

“And I’ll inform their majesties of that,” Lucas said, racing alongside. “We’ll need the help.”

Riley ran forward, vaulting a hole and spotting the distant capital. Too bad we can’t stop and see Althea. I was going to ask her some things.

Masking her face, she raced to the city gate and waved at the guards, who were standing next to the flame.

Slowing slightly, she followed Lucas, avoiding the line and racing through the gate without stopping. That’s handy. Smiling, she shot down the city streets, looking at the cottages and shops.

Turning down the main thoroughfare, she skirted around people and raced up toward the academy. Okay. Steal stuff and push yourself. I need tier C to survive this madness.

Slowing, she approached the palace gates and waved at the guards.

“Welcome back,” a guard said, chuckling softly. “How is the war?”

Lucas kept walking. “They are pushing.”

Riley looked over at the academy. “Can I visit the academy?”

“Yes. I’ll give the status report.” Lucas continued walking toward the palace.

Riley darted over to the academy and flung the door open. Running inside, she shot down the halls and knocked on Seeker Holt’s door. Then she waited, anxiously looking up and down the polished halls.

The door swung open. “You should head to the temple,” Holt said. He paused. “Why are you here?”

“I need every book on Void Mages that you have. We have a problem.”

“They have one?” Holt asked with a growing frown.

Riley nodded. “He said he was a psion.”

“A Psion class is a precursor to Void Mage or Spell Thief, typically Spell Thief.” Holt frowned and walked over to his shelf. “You’ll need to make a ward.”

Riley nodded. “I need any books on those too. Which is better?”

“Better?” Holt shook his head. “They are just different. Spell thieves specialize in psychic magic more than void, which makes them far more terrifying if you ever spar mentally.” He pulled down a book. “But they aren’t as good at just nullifying everything.”

“Can you get both?” Riley asked.

Holt shook his head. “If you can, I don’t know a way.” He pulled down another book, turned, and handed them to her. “I assume he’s countering everything?”

“Yes. And candidly, we’re struggling. The mages can barely keep up.” Riley shook her head and looked at him. “What would you do?”

“Be smart about it,” Holt said, his emotion fading away. “You, of all people, should know what I mean. You’ve cleared levels three and four. How?”

“Fight unfairly,” Riley said.

Holt nodded. “Do the same. Stockpile and launch living flame. Conjure a storm of acid.”

Riley shook her head with a growing frown. “When was the last time you were at the front?”

Holt paused and met her gaze. “A few decades, why?”

“They’d blow the storm off and block the vials with walls of stone.” Riley looked down at the books. “They stop everything. That’s the entire fight now. Trying to sneak things by the defenders.”

“They react that quickly?” Holt asked.

“Yes.” Riley frowned. If there were some easy answer, someone would have broken this stalemate. She sighed and placed the books in her bag. “Thanks for the books. Do these cover options to drain mana or get more back? That is what I need.”

“If you manage a psychic spell, that’s possible,” Holt said. He looked back at his books. “I’ll do research.”

“Please do. It’s a mess, and the physical combatants have to deal with walls and strong perception skills. It’s just a spiral of defense and offense.” Riley shook her head.

“So, it’s a full siege?” Holt asked.

Riley nodded.

“You could cut off supplies?” Holt frowned. “But that leaves you exposed.”

“Yes. There is no simple answer, is there?”

Holt frowned and shook his head. “No. There isn’t.”

Riley sighed and pulled her cowl tight, tossing the bag over her shoulder.

“What happened to your hair?” Holt asked.

“Fireball after they breached the wall. It was close.” Riley turned. “Thank you for the books. If you think of anything, let me know.”

She walked out of the room and down the halls. I do have ranger spells, and I could try to get a druid class. Should I? She considered it while she walked. It would give more mana than Assassin.

Walking out the front door, she headed across the grounds toward the temple, checking her gear while she walked.

Walking up to the solid oak doors, she opened them and walked inside. The princess was standing there with three others.

“Finally,” Lily said, huffing and holding out her hand.

Riley strode across the stone floor and up to the glowing arch. Taking the princess’s hand, the world flashed around her, and text appeared.

[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 world shimmered around them, and Riley looked down at the familiar snow-covered village. This again?

“We should just burn it,” Lily said.

“Let’s figure out what it is first,” Riley replied, shaking her head and walking down the snow-covered road toward the village. Pausing halfway down, she sniffed the air and paused. Why does it smell so bad? Looking out toward the village, she searched for anything to explain it.

Lily stopped. “Why does it stink?”

“I’m not sure. Do you see anything?” Riley spun and searched, finding nothing before she looked back at the city. What is that smell? She listened and heard coughing from a nearby cottage.

“Oh gods,” Olivia said, walking forward. “Is this a plague?” She wrinkled her nose.

Riley studied the city. “Hello!” she shouted and took a step back. I don’t have a spell for sickness. She frowned and looked at her skills. Maybe I could make a potion?

A guard poked his head out and coughed loudly. “Please. Do you have a healer?”

Riley looked at the splotches cutting across his face. “Okay. It’s definitely a plague. I might be able to make a potion if I—”

Three streams of fire streaked forward. Waves of heat blasted around her, and the village exploded in a massive wave of flame. Cottages burned, and people screamed.

Riley looked at the village. Her mouth dropped, and a note of sorrow played through her. We didn’t need to just burn it to the ground. She watched the girls target anything. A group of guards charged forward, and Riley contemplated running away. A ball of fire shot forward and exploded, ending that threat.

Riley swallowed. I guess I should have committed to the slaughter to ensure I got crystals.

A quiet fell on the area, and ribbons of gold streamed out, forming a chest. Riley reached down, flipped the chest open, and placed the crystals in her bag.

“What now?” Lily asked, looking toward the smoldering town.

Riley shook her head. “I have no idea. We just destroyed it without learning anything.” She turned and scanned the area. What would they have taught us? The hair on her arms stood, and she spun, searching the forest.

Lily frowned. “Where do we go?”

“Be alert. Something’s watching us,” Riley said, and then she felt it, the surge of a spell being cast. Grabbing her book, she flooded the same runes she’d spent days using.

A black ball of energy shot toward them. Riley grabbed it and felt another mind wrestling it back.

“Who are you?” an ancient voice echoed through her mind.

Riley slammed her will into the creature and sent spirit daggers streaming down the link. Feeling for the entity, she saw through the woman’s eyes.

The hag snarled and tried to break the link, throwing up mental barriers. Riley burned mana, smashing through them with her eyes blazing.

“Riley?” Olivia asked.

“Hags,” Riley hissed, slamming her skill through the defenses. “Southwest.” She gestured, and the hag screamed, toppling over with blood leaking from her eyes and ears. Black spells rippled from the trees. Riley flipped the page and sent out a wave of purple. It crackled and snuffed the spells out.

“You know void magic?” Lily said, turning to Riley in shock.

Riley ignored her and raced for the shadow of a tree, willing blades into her hands and using Ambush.

A woman in rags snarled and gestured. Appearing behind her, Riley slammed the blades into the hag, sending a spray of blood into the air. The hag staggered, and Riley slashed while looking at the other.

The other hag cackled and lifted her hands. A ball of fire engulfed the hag, surging in intensity and sending heat waves through the air.

Both hags toppled, and their corpses streamed away, forming a ribbon of gold that flowed around them and coalesced into a chest.

[Your base level has advanced: 244 → 248!]

Riley shook her head and looked through the forest. So, that was level two, even though it probably was level one if they hadn’t murdered the village. Then, level two would have been cleaning up the disease.

Reaching down, she grabbed the crystals and placed them in her bag. Then she turned back toward the woods. Time to figure out level three.

Riley Milvsky

Level: 248

Bard (C)

Level: 190 + 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: 190 + 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: 190

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: 190 Inactive.

Noble (D)

Level: 252 Inactive.

Enchanter (F)

Level: 53 Inactive.

Alchemist (D)

Level: 127 Inactive.

Infiltrator (E)

Level: 42 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 1079

Strength 496

Speed 412

Intelligence 496

Charisma 717

Stamina 888

Mana 1068

Inspiration 439