An Assassin's Anthem

The sound of battle shifted like the wind. Soldiers turned and fled, only to be cut down. The army surged forward, and Riley followed her father to the battlements.

She walked up to the magus in charge. Her hair was a vibrant red that almost seemed to flicker.

The magus nodded. “Hello, Lady Riley. We’ll need your spell to clear out their keep. Wait for the army to get into position.”

Riley nodded and watched the distant army. She pulled out her book and looked at the runes while Nicole peered over her shoulder.

Fireballs shot overhead, arcing through the falling snow. Water flashed into view. The fireballs snuffed out. Walls of stone burst into view, trying to buy the retreating enemy time.

“Squad B, ready walls!” the magus barked.

Riley stood there and watched arrows fly from the enemy fort, raining down toward their charging forces. Shields and stones lifted, forming a temporary barrier.

“Lady Riley,” the magus barked. “All of your mana onto their fort with that storm.” She turned. “Squad C. Lightning!”

Riley pulled on her mana, flooding it into the runes and unleashing it on the distant fort. Clouds churned. Purple and blue lightning filled the air, and the defenders broke, fleeing the storm that raged through the fort, passing through walls and any cover they had.

More clouds swirled. The enemy defenders raced for the gates, and lightning cracked into anyone leaving the four gates. Riley watched notifications roll through.

“Augment your auras, if possible, Lady Riley,” the magus called and spun back to the mages. She barked out additional orders. Spells rained on the panicking enemies, who threw up defenses as they burst out of the gates.

Riley looked at the enemy fort and felt a mental nudge. Reaching out, she connected to it.

“Please?”

A flood of images came with it. Some chef was lying on the ground, blood leaking from her ears. Riley changed her viewpoint. Anyone not willing to fight is an ally. She prayed that it would work. Her frown grew as the chef whimpered and pulled up in a ball. The chef spasmed, and text flashed up.

[You have killed a level 112 human and have gained 112 experience.]

Looking at the kill notification, Riley felt like vomiting. Her stomach roiled, and she slumped onto a bench. “Gods, forgive me.” Pulling out her book, she studied the runes. How do I stop it from hurting the people who surrender? She pored through the copies of spells for any that had the capability while tears trickled down her face.

~~~

Travis stood outside the enemy fort, towering over the enemy forces. “Throw down your arms, and you’ll be spared!” he shouted to the throng of enemies fleeing the gates.

A man bellowed and charged. Travis swung his sword and used Smite. His glowing blade went right through the man. “Surrender or die!” he shouted.

Enemies tossed down weapons. Soldiers bound their wrists and began pulling them aside.

“Cowards, they’ll enslave you!” a woman shouted. Bows twanged, and the woman dropped.

Travis kept his blade at the ready. The enemy troops filed out and were bound. Troops began slapping cuffs on them.

Travis paced up and down the line while gesturing to the strongest. “Listen up, you lot. I am going to make you an offer. I suggest you take it.” He stopped in the center. “Swear allegiance before the gods to King Titus and Queen Lisa. Vow to serve or lose all progress.”

“I’d rather die,” a man spat on the ground.

Turning and striding forward, Travis stopped in front of him. “You will not be made a slave if you take the deal here and now.”

“You’ll lose as soon as the assassins kill that Void Mage,” a prisoner said. He glowered up. “She’s the only reason that you’re winning.”

“The assassins are dead, and she is very much alive,” Travis said. “But you know that.” He looked up and down the line. “Last chance.”

“Your nobles are all cowards,” a kneeling enemy replied. “We fight with our soldiers. Join us, and I’ll see you rewarded. Tell that Void Mage that we’ll give her a duchy.”

Travis walked up to him and held out his blade. “Fine. You want your escape option in case our edge is gone. Swear it on Lady Riley if you prefer.”

The man glared at him. “We will win.”

Grabbing him, Travis dragged the man to Ivan, who attached the manacles to a long chain.

Travis returned to the line and pointed his sword at the next one. “Choose.”

“I swear my allegiance to Lady Riley for as long as she is loyal to me. May the gods strip me of my power if I betray her,” the man said.

“Unchain him. He’s joining the army,” Travis ordered. He walked to the next.

“Gods,” the man said, looking at the distant fort. “You condemning cheaters. A boost of sixty to your stats?” He spun and stared.

Travis ignored him and gestured to the next soldier. “Choose.”

The captains moved forward and demanded a choice, each walking down the line and either getting an oath or shackling the prisoner to the slowly growing line.

Whispers spread down the line of prisoners.

“You’ll turn us into slaves?” a soldier shouted.

A captain turned. “You can earn your freedom after five years.” She walked up to him. “Choose.”

The line of shackled prisoners stopped growing. Travis walked down the line with a smile. Good. We’ll need them.

Minutes stretched by while they worked. As the last of them swore an oath, Travis gestured to Ivan. “Take them away.”

“Got it,” Ivan called, dragging the prisoners toward their distant keep.

Travis turned to the group. “Good news for you all. Lady Riley has your orders.” He turned toward the captains. “Get them organized.”

~~~

Full of confusion, Riley looked at her notifications.

[Your base level has advanced: 288 → 289!]

[Quest: Aid the sick or wounded. Progress: 129 → 182]

[Rafael has sworn his loyalty to you. This bond will break if you fail in your noble duties.]

[Sarah Wilson has sworn her loyalty to you. This bond will break if you fail in your noble duties…]

The list of oaths rolled by, and Riley cleared them away. Aren’t they supposed to be swearing loyalty to the king? Why are they swearing loyalty to me? She looked across the fields.

“Lady Riley, they may have you move to the other fort,” the magus said, peering into the distance.

Riley nodded. “Which one will they attack?”

“Both,” Roger said. “But they’ll attack that one first. It’s too risky to be in the range of both.”

“Are we moving then?” Riley asked.

Roger nodded and walked to the steps.

Riley followed him, heading down the steps. She moved closer. “Dad, why are they swearing allegiance to me?” she whispered, straightening her dress.

Nicole chuckled. “Because you’re you.”

Riley blushed and turned, raising a brow.

“If you die, no more oath. And you’re here. The king isn’t,” Nicole said.

“She’s right,” Roger said, walking out the gate. He peered into the blizzard.

Riley paused and did the same, peering through the snow before jogging after him.

The small group raced across the field. Riley dodged through the carnage, grimacing at the fallen that littered the ground. Do the rulers even care? Guilt washed through her. I killed innocents today. Yes, they were helping but still. She ran across the field, looking at the shackled line being led away.

Jogging forward, Riley peered through the snow and saw soldiers milling everywhere. Some were igniting a funeral pier, and others were dragging bodies. Travis barked out orders.

Riley looked through the group of new recruits. Most of them turned and looked at her. Can they tell it’s me? She painted a mask on her face and moved slightly closer to her father. “Can they tell it’s me?”

“It’s likely,” Roger replied.

Travis broke free and approached. Riley jogged up to him and looked at the bodies. “Casualties?”

“We lost roughly eighty soldiers,” Travis turned and jogged with them. “Lucas is in the barracks. That’s the large, stone structure just inside the far gate. He’s interviewing and gathering information about the surrounding area.”

Riley nodded and looked at him. “Is the king going to be upset by this? You know that I saw it.”

“We’ve sent him a letter. If he wishes it changed, that’s up to him.” Travis shrugged.

Riley masked her frown. I’m not letting him kill them. I’ll tell them to run off or something. She walked through the gate and looked around the courtyard. Like a contained village, a blacksmith sat inside. Beyond it were the barracks and several buildings to house all the soldiers. All of it was made from stone. Just like ours.

Walking toward the barracks, several soldiers turned to look. Riley embraced it, waving at them while walking across the muddy grounds.

Nicole chuckled and nudged her, pointing at a group of bowing soldiers.

Riley waved at them and leaned over. “What’s funny?”

“… Is she always so clean? I thought she fought,” one whispered.

Riley turned to Nicole. “They’re right. I am always clean.” She chuckled.

“I was there, Riley.” Nicole smirked. “You had so much blood on your face. It’s not decent or proper for a future duchess,” she teased.

Riley stuck her tongue out. “You sound like my grandma.”

Roger grabbed Riley’s shoulders and steered her into the barracks. “She’d give you a lecture for a day for doing that.”

Riley stuck her tongue out at him.

“I’m going to make you visit your grandparents over the holiday,” Roger said, nudging her through the large room toward a table where Lucas and several others were sitting.

“I don’t want a lecture about keeping my tongue in my mouth,” Riley said, groaning and then blushing. The table had risen and bowed. “Rise, please,” she stated, walking toward Lucas and sitting beside him.

She looked across the table at the group of soldiers. They sat, and she looked at the map and notes.

Lucas dipped his quill. “Now. Tell me of any other potential defensible locations.”

“We need to focus on holding this. The king will be livid, and he will pull out all the stops,” the soldier said sternly, gesturing at the nearby forts that ran along the border. “Make no mistake, they’re marching now.”

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