An Assassin's Anthem

The barracks shook. Stone slammed into stone, and thunder filled the air in a growing storm of sound. Riley’s eyes snapped open. Oh gods. They must be done with their forts. She rubbed her eyes and looked at her notifications.

[Your base level has advanced: 289 → 297!]

[Assassin (C) has advanced: 198 → 200!]

[Bard (C) has advanced: 198 → 200!]

[Ranger (C) has advanced: 223 → 225!]

[Spell Thief (B) has advanced: 198 → 200!]

[Noble (D) has advanced: 256 → 257!]

[Infiltrator (E) has advanced: 77 → 82!]

[1426 people have sworn loyalty to you. This bond will break if you fail in your noble duties.]

Almost three hundred. Maybe I should have done it. She shook her head. It would have wrecked me to go that fast, and Dad would have given me more if he wanted that. She looked down and froze. 1426 people? Riley stared at it, and it shifted to a giant list of names that stretched forward. A few more popped up. What the condemnation is happening? She frowned. And what are my noble duties?

[Noble Duties are based on your current class.]

[Current Oaths: Aid Lady Riley and be loyal to her causes. (1429).]

[Current Duties: Support and be loyal to your people. (1429).]

Are these coerced? Why don’t we get everyone to do this?

[Coerced oaths have additional limitations. The penalty will only be executed under strict criteria. War oaths only extend until the end of the conflict or to the point where they cannot fulfill the oath. Criminal contracts only extend to a set duration. Intentions matter in this. We act as judges for all contracts. ~Beauty]

“Thanks,” Riley looked back at the list of names. I need to figure out what that’s about. She sat up and looked around the room. It was empty. They must have gone out. Standing, she stretched, and her attire shifted to a shining silver dress. Oh, Beauty. I don’t want to know what the soldiers think about my outfits.

[They think you look great! ~Beauty]

Riley chuckled and opened the door. She peered into the room. Various commanders were huddled around the table, pointing and gesturing.

She walked forward and looked at it, grimacing at the sight. They got four forts up? She looked at the wood chips on the map. Are reinforcements inbound? I should help.

“Sorry, Lady Riley,” a captain said, looking at her. “They just finished the forts. We’re debating waking people. An early group is trying to assault the reinforcements.”

“Thanks. I’ll go look at things.” Riley walked to the door and opened it. Looking out into the courtyard, she saw fire arcing down.

Slamming the door shut, she waited. The sound of flames roared outside. Opening the door, she dashed to the mage tower.

Entering the spiral staircase, she traveled past the ragged night crew before walking into the room at the top. Walking to a small slit, she slid the metal aside and looked out across the fort.

The sun’s light was breaking over the horizon. Archers were volleying arrows out into the distance. The clouds above churned, sending rangers fleeing back toward shelter.

A mage inside turned. “Lady Riley, good to see you.” He leaned against the wall. “Are you here to help?”

Riley nodded and pulled out her book. “As soon as the void magic hits, I want four trailing fireballs.” She walked over and looked through his slit toward the reinforcements.

Flipping pages, she pulled up Void Blast and fed it the smallest amount of mana she could. They’ll overreact. She fed in a bit more, pushing it to a hundred mana. Nodding, she held up her fingers.

The mage swung the door open. “Void!” he shouted.

Riley unleashed her massive web of purple lightning. It crackled and arced through the sky. Fire and arrows followed it.

The distant reinforcements shouted. The lines broke; soldiers scattered to escape the chaos, and panicking mages cast spells. Balls of water flew and were ripped apart. Stone walls were sucked away, consumed by the crackling web of purple that continued undeterred.

The fireballs spread and exploded. Steam and smoke billowed. People screamed, and arrows rained into the smoke.

A stream of kill notifications passed into Riley’s vision. She looked up. Clouds formed above. Panic. It will kill you. Reaching up, she grabbed the lightning and felt the connections form with the distant mages. Feeding psychic energy into her spell, she slammed her will into them.

Mages dropped, and she took control of the spells. The lightning crackled back toward the enemy reinforcements.

A captain ran up. “Lady Riley? Can you shield us again?”

“Where?” Riley asked, a few kill notifications appearing.

“The forts,” the captain said. He pointed at the two behind the fort.

Riley nodded.

The captain turned toward the door. Gesturing, he passed a signal out along the wall. He held out his fingers, counting down.

Riley looked out the slit and fed mana into her book. It lit, and she released the spell.

His fingers closed. A web of purple light streamed across the sky, and a glowing barrage followed it.

The defenders shouted. Clouds churned over the fort.

They’ll time it. Riley watched. Her magic washed across the fort, and magic slammed into place, shielding the fort against the barrage.

“Where’s that canon thing?” Riley muttered, frowning at the distant fort that survived the barrage without much issue.

“They’ll deflect it. It’s slow,” a mage said, sighing.

“Let me figure out a way to slow my spell down then,” Riley said, turning her focus to her book.

~~~

Roger sent an arrow streaking through the air after the void magic. He frowned and leaned over. “You or me?”

“I’ll keep an eye on her.” Nicole turned and walked toward the mage tower.

We need to get her a proper guard rotation. He turned and studied the fort. They’re not panicking now.

“Is it true, Roger?” a soldier asked, walking up to him.

Roger grabbed another arrow. “What?”

“If we swear loyalty to Riley, we always get her auras?”

“That’s how they work, assuming she keeps them equipped. Given that we’re in a war, she probably will.” Roger paused. Is she really becoming a noble? He turned. “Where did you hear that?”

“From one of the captives. They said that they just had it now, all the time. They got it before they even walked back.”

“Yes. That is how noble auras work. She’s worked hard on hers. I sacrificed mine.” Roger turned back, searching the fort walls for anyone in charge. Spotting a man wearing a polished set of armor, he fired. The arrow streaked forward and was knocked aside. He grabbed another arrow and frowned. How many do we even have? He searched for someone more exposed.

“All nobles have these auras?” the man pressed.

“All nobles can get them. Most don’t bother,” Roger said, firing at one of the soldiers who was on the edge.

“But they’d get loyal people.”

Roger grabbed another arrow. “And it costs them skill slots and a class. That’s what she’s paying for it.” He studied the group, who had gathered back together.

“Void!” a man shouted.

Roger grinned and saw the web streak forward. He fired and grabbed another, rapidly firing several shots at any exposed soldiers.

“She’s losing a class?”

“She has to equip Noble, which is borderline useless apart from the auras,” Roger said. “The group debated things repeatedly, but with the boost to her aura, no one will tell her to swap.”

The soldier went quiet. Roger studied the horizon and turned. “Simon, are those reinforcements?” he gestured to the distant blob on the horizon.

The ranger studied and nodded. “Aye.” He turned and whistled. “Reinforcements. Get Lady Riley to target them.”

Roger waited. Another web of purple streaked through the sky, and he aimed at the reinforcements, targeting the one on a horse.

The arrow zipped away, following the void magic. Roger fired off another shot and watched. The reinforcements panicked. Magic crashed into them, and the horse tumbled over.

Turning, Roger walked toward the tower. Maybe I can go kill him.

“Will she keep her auras?” the soldier asked. “Outside of here?”

“No idea. We’ll see how long it takes her to unlock her third class.” Roger strode across the battlements. Bows twanged. Arrows flew toward the enemy, arcing through the air.

Clouds gathered above, looming ominously. Roger raced toward the door. The clouds lit with a vibrant blue light, veered away, and crackled toward the distant reinforcements.

Running toward the open door, he saw Nicole fire toward the distant fort. Riley’s eyes blazed a vibrant blue, and she flipped pages.

Roger smiled at her. “Sleep alright?”

Riley nodded. “Though something strange happened.” Her hands flashed. “I had a lot of people swear loyalty.”

Reaching forward, Roger hugged her and used it as an excuse to reply. “Do not share that with anyone. The royals will be livid.”

“Did you get enough sleep?” Riley asked, releasing him and flipping her book to another page.

“Yes.” Roger turned. “Are you going to keep doing that?”

“My budget has two more,” Riley said, grinning.

Roger nodded. “I’d like a few knives after that.” He jogged to a nearby box of ammo.

“Fire!” the captain barked, and a web of purple shot toward the reinforcements.

Riley Milvsky

Level: 297

Bard (C)

Level: 200 + 2

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.

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

Restoring Presence B +2 to the assigned class. Subjects regain 1% stamina and 1% mana every 30 minutes; their healing is augmented by 50%. Allies within 100 meters count as subjects. You know of injuries and may use mana to heal allies within fifty meters. 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: 200 + 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(B)

Level: 200

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.

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.

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: 225 Inactive.

Noble (D)

Level: 257 Inactive.

Enchanter (F)

Level: 63 Inactive.

Alchemist (D)

Level: 140 Inactive.

Infiltrator (E)

Level: 82 Inactive.

- -

Psionic Storm C +1 to the assigned class. Conjure a storm of void or psychic energy. Variable cost.

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

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

Dexterity 1185

Strength 578

Speed 428

Intelligence 974

Charisma 807

Stamina 788

Mana 1372

Inspiration 488