Fate Online...

Surface- Valley of Origins Region

Empire of Night- City of Eternal Night

Outer City- The Pit

Ailis walked into the Pit for the first time and wanted to walk right back out. It was a dive bar, but the bad kind. Too many drunks with the possibility of fights and blood being spilled. It was also the heart of House Bloodkol territory in the outer city. Since Ailis was part of the House, it ensured that she was allowed access but did not assure her safety. Ailis beelined for the bar. "What's safe to eat and drink in here?" Ailis asked as she placed a Silver Talon on the bar top.

The woman behind the war smiled, "Don't drink the water, half the time someone pukes in the well outside where we get it from. Don't eat the fish platter. Chicken is ok, deer and wolf meat are better. All the alcohol is good, but the Vampire Slayer shot will kick your ass if you have never had it. Considering I have never seen you in here before, I don't recommend it. You will end up in a compromising position if you do." the Bartender warned earning a snort from Ailis at the drinks name.

"Mead and the wolf meat," Ailis replied as she put another Silver Talon on the bar top as the bartender got her the drink.

"Food will be out in five minutes. Enjoy the Pit, music will start in about an hour. Don't stay late unless you feel like getting into a fight. If anyone from any of the head branches comes in and tells you to do something, do it." the women finished before releasing the tankard. Ailis nodded her thanks and headed for a table where she could put her back to the wall. The crowd was mainly Immortals and Bonded of the House. The Bonded gave her some space not knowing her standing, but the Immortals eye-balled her gear. Hers was head and shoulders above most of their due to her constant questing and dungeon dives. These people were just enjoying their lives.

Before her food was even there, someone was already bothering her. He was a half-drunk Immortal who thought just because he could twirl a throwing knife through his fingers, she would be impressed. Ailis ignored him until he got confrontational. "Hey BITCH, I'm talking too---" He grabbed at her shoulder. Ailis looked at his hand and quickly grabbed it and placed it onto the table before driving a dagger through it and pinning it to the table. With no pain dampening, the pain was real for him and his screams were real too as Ailis looked around at the nearby crowd.

"If you have something to say. Say it. Be respectful. If you touch me again, I will drive my dagger through your eye and send you to respawn. Am I understood...BITCH." Ailis told him as her eyes roamed the room.

"Bobby is an idiot, but he is also in good standing with House Bloodkol.' Ailis looked at another man who was sitting with two others. They were more relaxed and compared to the current atmosphere of the Pit. 'However, he is not associated with any Guild much less earned rank within one." the man continued as he looked at her Assassins ring marking her as a member and giving her rank to those who knew what to look for.

"Your point?" Ailis prompted.

"My point is House Bloodkol and the Assassins Guild have a long-standing relationship. I would hate to see it tarnished in any way. Please release him, no one will bother you tonight.' the man let his eyes roam over the room and everyone nodded their accent. 'Please join us up here cousin." Ailis almost cursed. This might be her in with the House, but if anything or any mutterings about the coup were talked about, she would not hear anything if she was watching her back against someone with real power within the House.

Yet Ailis stood and walked over and joined him. It was not a real invitation, this was his chance to get a feel for her and for her to get a feel for him. "Can I have a name cousin? I can always use Analyze but I prefer honesty."

The man smiled, "Please call me JJ. I was tasked with overseeing this place by our House and scouting out any potential. Bobby is a low-level Enforcer with some links to the Thieves Guild. You, on the other hand, are a complete unknown. Let's start with your name, hmm?"

Ailis smiled as she leaned back against the wall. A server ran her food up and placed it in front of her. Ailis tossed her a copper before cutting off a piece of the steak and trying it. The bartender had been right, the wolf was very good. "I am Ailis. You do not know me because this is the second time I have been here in the capitol. I have spent most of my time questing to the north and west after getting out of the Underdark. As you noted, I joined the Assassins Guild and earned some rank there. For House Bloodkol, beyond the initiate quest. I have not done anything for them. I plan on spending a couple of days exploring the city though, so that might change."

JJ nodded and smiled, "So you got caught up with the excitement of being a Vampire and took off running. Well, I can respect that. The Houses don't have much respect for the Immortals. We have to earn that just like you did with the Assassins Guild. However, if you want to try and increase your rep with House Blookkol, we can always use a good Assassin."

Ailis frowned and looked around, "I am sure you can point and ask someone here if you need anyone killed. Why me?"

"There is a difference between a killer and an assassin. I am sure you are aware of that. I can count on one hand how many Guild Assassins are in the city right now that is a part of House Bloodkol. So if you are willing to work and want to gain some Rep with the House, I can find you work." JJ responded and his count of lack of Assassins surprised her. Ailis thought the House would be overflowing with the professional killers.

Ailis considered the options then nodded, "As long as it does not go against the Guild or put me in the negative with the Empire, yeah we can work something out." JJ smiled at her and clapped her shoulder.

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Three hours later, Ailis was finally walking out of the Pit and heading back to her temporary home of the Gilded Dice. The place was putting her up for the next week, already paid for by Darren so it cost her nothing. She could feel the people from the Pit following her after about five minutes. She wasn't even a quarter of the way back, so she had plenty of time to either shake them or eliminate them. Her preference was the first, but if they had not been sent by JJ, she would use her second option.

Being the middle of the night didn't change the fact there were Legionnaires, city Militia, and Inquisition Units everywhere. Eternal Night was full of Vampires, so it was the middle of the day according to them. So Ailis headed for the nearest market. From there she could scope out who was following her and make her decision. Killing people within the city limits was a huge risk this early in her mission, but she could ill afford to have people sniffing her trail.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Shopping for some Potions and ingredients to make poisons was an acceptable reason to stop and eyeball her tails. Of course, it was the genius Bobby with an equal idiot that looked like a Duelist considering he was equipped with two light swords. Ailis was considering how to deal with them when she spotted someone ghosting across a roof. Could be a wannabe Assassin, but with a bow strapped to his back, it was unlikely. Probably a Marksman or Scout. Their long-range support would have to go first before she could take out the other two. Then she would be home free.

Time to plan Ailis thought, she immediately scoped out the market. It was one of the smaller types with multi-story buildings all around. This gave their archer plenty of places to hide and keep track of her. It also provided plenty of alleyways for her to disappear into so she could hunt down the bastards. Once she was up top, she could disappear into Stealth and start hunting the archer, then Bobby and the Duelist would fall last.

Ailis waited for the crowd to obscure her, then darted off. The Archer would relay what she was doing to Bobby and the other partner but by the time they caught up, she would be gone. The hunt was on!!!

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As good as the Scout had been, he was only level twenty-two. The Silver he had dropped would be well spent though and now they had no eyes in the sky to watch and track her. The Immortal's corpse dissolved within a minute of his death leaving no proof of his demise other than a couple of drops of blood on the rooftop that would disappear soon enough. Ailis stayed in Stealth as she watched Bobby and his friend looking confused at the rooftops wondering where their partner was now. Too late she chuckled, he was dead. Ailis didn't particularly like PvP, but killing idiots like this didn't count. Right?

Finally, the Duelist lost his patience and headed to the nearest ally she had last been seen on the ground. Ailis shadowed him from the roofs and watched as the man awkwardly climbed the side of the building. Idiot she thought as she waited while he climbed. Bobby continued to stand at the end of the alleyway to discourage any onlookers or for anyone to walk down that particular alleyway. Once the Duelist reached the top, Ailis put one knife through his extended hand and the other through his right eye as he was climbing onto the rooftop. The Duelist jerked in his death throes before going still. Automatic loot grabbed whatever she had earned as his body dropped down back to the ground.

With a splat, he landed and disturbed a rat or two. Bobby immediately moved to inspect his friend and froze as he saw the carnage Ailis had reaped on his former friend. Then his body started to dissolve. Two PKs in a few minutes, Ailis dropped her Stealth and smiled at Bobby before waving at him. This seemed to infuriate the man as he went Feral and started to climb the side of the building towards her. Ailis backed away from the edge of the building and waited. It was cocky and arrogant, but the idiot had pissed her off.

When Bobby jumped up onto the roof he was still in a semi-feral state, but he also activated Frenzy buffing attack speed and health regeneration. It made him almost as fast as her. Almost did not count for shit in a fight to the death though. Ailis placed her Assassins Mark on him as she slid under his first attack. It would increase all damage he received from her and negate his increased Health Regen. After that, her knives went to work. Achilles muscle, back of the knees, kidney, lungs, all were pierced as Bobby continued to flail around with the oversized ax in his hands.

After that Ailis just continue to dodge and let him wear himself out. Soon Frenzy died down and he collapsed, his health strobing above his head as his life was in the critical range. "Well, Bobby. Did JJ send you?" Ailis asked as she circled him. Without the Frenzy Ability, he felt all the pain she had inflicted. Most of the wounds had sealed shut, but there were a few stab wounds that were still open were in critical areas.

"No." Bobby whimpered out as Ailis recorded the conversation in case JJ gave her shit later.

"Why did you come after me, Bobby? You and your two friends hunted me, why?" Ailis prompted the man. Finally, Bobby worked up some courage...or stupidity.

"You all think you are better than me. JJ...You, bitch in this world we can do anything we want as long as we have the power." Bobby smiled as blood poured from his mouth.

"Your right, but you don't have the power, Bobby. You never did...bitch." Ailis hissed out the last as she moved forward and drove her dagger through his eye into his brain killing him. Ailis quickly reviewed the loot she had received from the last two idiots and froze when she saw the Poison he had on him. Oh, she was far from done with Bobby. She was going to kill him every chance she got from now on.