Avira

Avira scrambled onto the small stone walkway as she hacked her guts out. Her senses were overloaded, her body was screaming, mind racing. She spit out sewage and calmed her breathing, willing the stench to fade so she could focus.

She had three bolts in her. One in her shoulder and another in her side, but what was really worrying her was the one through her knee. As Avira tried to move her leg, pain shot through her, forcing a scream from her as she punched the stone brick under her. Pulsing in her fist distracted from the agony of her leg. Avira let out a shower of expletives as the pain pulsed lighter and lighter, then laid there to catch her breath.

The joint was probably shattered. She wouldn't be able to walk again without a potion, spell, or a long stint of rehabilitation. Spirit's curses, that pissed her off. For now, she had to focus on getting out of these sewers.

The tunnel was dark, light emanating from alcoves irregularly. She couldn't tell what the source was, but it was bright enough to see the passage stretching into the distance and branching off into other tunnels. The hatch she fell down didn't seem to have a ladder leading up to it, probably because they didn't expect derelicts to use it.

The water was murky, dark and colored like an infected wound. Waste flowed from spouts on the walls, splashing into the water. Going in with these injuries would risk the even worse infection than what was likely already brewing. She spoke a word of thanks to the Spirits that there were thin walkways along the sides.

Avira sat up and started to slide herself along the path, whimpering every time the arrow shaft bumped the stone bricks. She looked pathetic, crawling on the floor like that. She tried to think of other things.

That lamia. She knew Avira's clan name and tribe name. Wolf wasn't a hard tribe name to guess considering their size, but Gray? Did she know her dad? Dad did have dealings with the lamias before, and she looked like a tribal mage. Those tattoos alone gave her away.

But a lamia mage working with Drima, in their prisons? One her dad knew? This was a lot to unpack, and Avira's cloudy mind wasn't helping. The more pressing issue was Avira's destination. Where was she going?

Avira heard movement and splashing. Flattening herself to the ground, she looked around as slowly as possible. It was getting closer. Didn't sound human though. Sounded like it was half swimming, with more than four limbs.

It passed her, a gelatinous mass squeezing past the walkways. A large tentacled creature with a center made of a slimy substance. Its tentacles skimmed the water, picking up trash and depositing it into the center, creature leaving a trail of crystal clear water behind it.

She recalled her conversation on the way to this town about the squid people. She wasn't much for the ocean, but that barely looked like a squid. It looked closer to an armor-less chiron crossed with one.

It either lacked intelligence or its senses weren't good enough to detect her. It vanished down the dim tunnel, taking the filth and grime with it. The timing was fortunate, as Avira had managed to reach an intersection where she'd have to go in the water to continue. A breeze from one of the corridors hinted at her objective. The fresh air revitalized her, filling the wolf girl with energy and determination.

Loathe as she was to swim through the trail of that creature, this was a good chance to get this grime off her before she got sick or infected. With a grunt, Avira hoisted herself to the edge and splashed in. Her leg burned with pain, intense even as the water dulled it.

Splashes began down the tunnel where the creature had vanished down. Sounded like it was running towards her. Shit, was it only interested in things in the water?

Avira didn't want to be here by the time it came by. Her goal was still to cross however, and she was desperately paddling over. It was shallow enough that she could use her good leg to propel herself and her efforts caused a lot of splashing, which seemed to encourage the monster behind her.

The giant creature sloshing through the water boomed and resonated against the walls so much that it made Avira's ears ache. She whimpered, almost at the walkway. She risked a glance back to see the hulking mass emerging from the darkness. It didn't have any visible eyes, but she knew it was looking at her.

A bright light shone behind her. Avira flinched, eyes used to the dark after her time in the cell. She heard flames in front of her and a bubbling cry. Opening her eyes, Avira saw a wall of fire separating her from the now retreating monster. It seemed just as scared of fire as a chiron.

Penn stood on the walkway above her with another cloaked figure. Avira could smell perfume from them, and saw black hair and a pale face. When they saw the wolf girl looking at them, they smiled gently. “I take it you're Avira?” It was a woman's voice.

“Uh... yeah. Are you Penn's wife?”

“That's right, dear. I'm Grace. Not an assassin name, just my birth name.”

“I keep telling you not to use that word...” Penn sighed. “Anyways, nice escape, girl. I hear you're injured? Can you walk?”

“Arrow through the knee. Leg's fucked unless I get a potion,” Avira said, grabbing onto the walkway and hoisting herself up, grunting as her leg shifted.

“Let's talk about this somewhere that smells better. And here,” Grace tossed a cloak around Avira while Penn helped her up. “You should at least have something to cover herself up with...”

“Thanks.” Avira replied, groaning in pain as she put weight on her foot. They felt weird, and not just the one on her injured leg. “My feet...”

“Soaked your feet too long. We'll take care of it. Grace?” Penn looked at her.

Grace nodded and wrapped her arms around the two. “Close your eyes now.”

Avira complied. Light shone through her eyelids despite the dark tunnel, stomach flipping as a horrible sense of vertigo overtook her. As soon as the light faded and Grace let go of her, she fell to the ground and gave a terrible wretch. What little she had in her stomach spewed out of her, Avira's skin burning. This day was not being nice.

Avira spit out what was left in her mouth and let Penn help her up again. Looking around, they were back at the hideout. “What the... wait.”

“Don't worry!” Grace raised her hands in innocence. “It's not teleportation. Just... similar. I'm a runic, you see.” She pulled her cloak down slightly, showing a branded arcane symbol on her collarbone. “We just turned into another form of matter for a moment. Trust me, not even this group would risk another Tear.”

“You're not looking so good.” Mareth cleared his throat to announce his presence in the room.

Avira took stock of the room but didn't see Hawke, just the normal shady folk muttering to each other at a few tables. She focused back to Mareth. “You can fix me up again, right? I'd like to use my leg again.” She nodded down to her knee.

Mareth knelt to look. “I'll have to use a potion.”

She winced. This day sucked. “Can't you do the thing you did last time?”

“Oh, no.” Mareth smiled, standing up. “As well as that worked, you don't want me to do it again, trust me. I've got a potion for you though, don't you fret.”

“Fuckin spirits...” she mumbled, “let's go...” She was way too out of it for this shit.

#

Mareth

“So, I'm going to take a guess and say you've always had a poor reaction to these?” Mareth retrieved his potion: A bottle of glowing pink liquid.

“Yeah. How'd you know?” Avira asked, laying in her bed while Grace and Penn examined her wounds. They'd slid out the bolts, but properly cleaning the wound was important before the application of a potion. She had bandages on, soaked in scarlet.

“Well, the first time I healed you, I noticed that your body kind of... seeps up magic,” Mareth explained.

“Huh?” Avira didn't know what he was talking about. Penn listened in nearby.

“It's like your body is starved for it, so it takes more energy to achieve the same result,” Mareth said, “It's fascinating, really. I've never seen anything like it.”

“Huh,” Avira said, “cool.”

“Yes.” Mareth smiled. “Very... cool. Anyways, are you ready?”

“Ready as I'll ever be. You boys can leave the room during this.” Avira glanced at Grace nervously.

Mareth handed her the vial and a wad of fabric for her to bite into. He and Penn filed out as she drank it. The moment they closed the door, screams of agony began to emanate from the room. Avira sounded to be in a lot of pain.

“Well, she should be fine tomorrow. In time for our departure, at least.” Mareth looked at the door, her screams not ceasing.

“She'd better be. Can't imagine you'll be too much help to the old man.” Penn walked back to the common area. “Damn though, never seen such a bad reaction. Those rooms are supposed to be soundproof.”

“Yeah. Almost makes you wish you could help her out, eh?” Mareth said coyly.

“What are you getting at?”

“Well, I do know one way to make her feel better after this. I know a certain person who gave her hell.”

“And why do you think I care?” He stopped, looking Mareth in the eyes.

“An apology for getting her into that mess in the first place, maybe?” Mareth grinned.

Penn glared at him for a while, then chuckled. “Fine. His name?”

“Benton.”

“Town guard? Those go missing all the time.” He laughed, waving as he left.

Valisa appeared next to Mareth, a smile on her face. “That bitch sure is suffering.”

“Avira,” Mareth responded, finding himself a spot to read.

“Like I care. She killed me, after all. You think I'm going to respect that?”

“She did it with her bare hands. That's pretty impressive.”

Valisa huffed up and crossed her arms. “If you're some kind of savage...”

“Don't be like that. You attacked her with a knife while naked.”

“I... fair.” She sighed.

“How is it being dead, though?” Mareth looked at her, catching a few weird looks from others in the room.

She shrugged. “Mostly annoying. Nobody but you looks at me,” she said, “I feel like I'm getting... more aware, though.”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“True, she's getting stronger.” Witness appeared besides Mareth, in human form.

“That so?” Mareth looked at Valisa closer. He could detect greater magical power than before, but barely.

“What's that mean?” she asked.

“Don't worry about it.” He waved the topic away. “It just explains your self awareness.”

“Alright then.” Valisa leaned back in her seat, her ethereal body going right through the cushion.

Witness nodded to him, then vanished. Mareth focused on his book, though Valisa floated around him all the while trying to distract the scholar.

#

Hawke

Hawke was at the bottom of the tower after a long walk down. The bottoms of these mage towers had little more than a large open room most of the time, and it was up to the residents of each one to decorate it for visitors. This particular one had fountains aplenty, pillars of water being suspended in the air and flowing into the main column where the elevator was. The room as a whole was adorned with blue and golden tiles, animated images moving along the walls.

There were a few mages scattered around, some speaking with citizens and city officials. He noticed many lamias, marked hybrid slaves, and a few walking hunks of rock, metal, and clay. Golems always weirded him out. He'd always hide from the odd few in the castle whenever they passed him.

“Despite their prejudices, human magic is so uncivilized,” The lamia woman from earlier slithered up, coiling next to him.

“How so?” Hawke looked over.

“Using a soul like that.” She motioned over to the golems, who were hauling crates or just following mages around. “And for what? A servant? The lack of value you lot have in your souls is disgusting.”

“Don't bring me into this. I'm not a mage.”

“True. How do you like the tower, by the way?” She grinned. It felt like she could lunge at him any moment.

“Well...” Hawke looked at the blue and gold tiles. “It's, uh, gaudy.”

She held a laugh. “I know, right? I don't think I've seen one that looked good. Now, our soul-speaker communions, those are stylish.”

“You aren't a mage here?”

“Thank the Spirits. No, I just cooperate with them and help oversee certain things in the city.” She spoke casually, as if it was nothing to her.

“I'm surprised they let a hybrid have such responsibilities.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” He could feel a glare burning into his head.

He gulped. “I just meant that it doesn't seem Drima particularly likes hybrids. I know they afford the lamias and harpies some liberties, but there is a whole slave trade and all. I don't have any problem with hybrids myself of course. I'm traveling with some— rather, one now. A free one.” Hawke realized too late that he probably shouldn't mention Kalani even if he was actually traveling with her.

“Ah.” She softened. “Right. The slave trade.” She looked away, towards some slaves nearby. She paused on them. “A hybrid companion then? What type?”

“Oh, a wolf. Name's Avira.”

The snake woman straightened up, something flashing in her eyes but she regained her composure easily. “That's a nice name. I'm sure I'm keeping you busy though. I've got things to do as well. I'll see you another time, likely. Name's Sherani, by the way.”

“Hawke.” He said. “May we meet again.”

Hawke was out the door when he stopped and cursed himself. He gave away his real name again. He rubbed his forehead in frustration, gave a sigh and proceeded down the street. She was nice, if a bit smug. Her reaction at hearing Avira's name caught him as strange. Was she well known among the hybrids? Chief's daughter perhaps?

Either way it was nice finding a conversationalist around, smugness aside. Mareth was interesting, but he creeped Hawke out. Avira was quite crass. He couldn't talk with Kalani much as he'd like because she was supposed to be his shadow in secret. He couldn't wait to be back home.

#

Avira

Avira went through pure agony for what felt like an entire day before it relented. She had already cursed the Immortals, the Spirits, the planet, the Great Moon, and the Shattered God that made it all by then. What she hated most of all going through that was the mages who had to make these potions so excruciating. At least she had Grace with her. The woman was sitting next to her the whole time, doing her best to help.

Avira turned her head to look at the kind woman. Grace smiled, looking weary. Avira's forehead was slick with sweat, the hybrid tired as well.

“I'm glad it's over,” Grace rubbed her ears, relieved. “Are you okay?”

Avira tested herself, flexing. “I'm, uh, fine actually.” She wasn't sore except for an ache in her knee, side, and shoulder. She didn't even have any visible damage on them. “Exhausted, though.”

“That's understandable, but it's best if you walk around on your knee a bit,” advised Grace.

It was only until she sat up that Avira noticed this was her room. She hadn't used it much, but being on a bed was nice.

Grace gave her the desert wear that Avira had left at the baths. “We got these back after you got arrested.”

“Actually, could you get my other clothes from my supplies?” Avira gestured towards a pile of stuff haphazardly tossed in the corner.

The clothes in question was her old hide outfit. “Hey, this is pretty nice.” Grace tossed them over.

“And warm.” Avira spoke. It might have been hot outside, but she had been in cold dungeons for days and needed some warmth. “I made it myself. With help. Hunted a white bear with my dad up at a northern tribe.” Avira dressed herself, slipping on her top and baggy pants. She didn't wrap her stomach to save time.

“I, uh, wear linen dresses.” Grace smiled at her own joke, then looked embarrassed about it. “I didn't know there was a northern hybrid tribe.” She changed the subject. “I've heard a lot about white bears though.”

“Oh, I'm never going after one again. Those things are giant,” she said, “this one was a threat to the village so it was a necessity. Took all of us to take it out. Side note, bear meat reeks.” Avira propped a foot up, examining it. It wasn't pruned anymore, though it tingled.

“I'll keep it in mind. I doubt I'll ever have to eat any though...” Grace walked over to look at her foot as well. “Should be fine. Usually after those dungeons the feet need special care, but the healing potion should have done it. Probably added to the pain though.”

“'Course it did...” Avira scoffed, “thanks for all your help.”

“Oh, it's no problem dear. I'm used to helping Penn and others with their wounds.”

“Others? The other, er, assassins?”

“They don't like that word, but no. We host hybrids every now and then. Provide them somewhere nice to sleep, get them somewhere better. Usually Axiam or Vakia.”

“Oh!” Avira was pleasantly surprised. “Wow, that's great. I don't suppose you could get me to Vakia, then?”

“Sorry, border tensions are too high at the moment. They have a blockade across the whole border, expensive as that is.”

“It was worth a try. I wonder what they did to piss each other off.”

“Well, you'd have to ask the prince. Though they've never gotten along, ever since the draining began.”

“True enough,” Avira said.

“Oh, right, Ruin wanted to talk to you and the others. I shouldn't hold you up.” She wrapped her arms around Avira and gave her a hug, a gesture Avira didn't receive often. “You stay safe, honey.”

“I, uh.” Avira was surprised, lightly returning the gesture after a moment. “Thanks. I'll try.”

The common area was empty aside from the people she knew. Mareth, Hawke, Penn, and Ruin. They were in the middle of the room, sitting around a table. They watched as she entered.

“Ah, Avira! I'm glad that the healing potion worked. I'll have to research your reaction to it.”

Hawke glanced at Mareth, thinking about something. “You feeling alright?” He asked the wolf girl.

“Yeah.” Avira said, putting some weight on her knee. “Knee's just sore.”

“Hopefully you won't get any more injuries like that. I would have offered you a good potion had I packed one.” Hawke said.

“Good one?” Avira looked to Mareth.

“Rich and royalty only.” Mareth waved it off. “No way I would have been able to get one.”

“Come sit, hybrid.” Ruin waved her over casually, a drink in his hand as usual.

“You know you reek like booze?” Avira told him, finding a place between Hawke and Mareth.

“So I've been told. Here.” The drunk tapped a paper on the table. On it was a diagram of a cargo ship. “This is the ship in question. Thanks to Kathan shore leave and their business taking so long, they didn't leave while you were busy.”

“I'm guessing you would have left without me?” Avira leaned forward to look at the diagram.

“Most likely,” Ruin shrugged. “Anyways, the job's fairly simple. We sneak onto the boat, kill the crew, we get you all onto another ship and you forget about us.”

“I won't be going on the ship myself,” Penn spoke, “I'll be taking care of your other ride.”

“And I'm assuming you still won't tell us why this ship is important.” Hawke said.

“Nope,” Ruin said, “now, we can sneak— or should I say, smuggle— ourselves in by simply hiding in some empty barrels that we've prepared in advance. We'll then be brought to the ship, loaded in, and can take over when I give the signal.”

“I think I'll let you lot handle the killing part,” Mareth said, “if that's alright.”

“As long as it gets done. Hawke, you're not too pampered for this, are you?” Ruin smirked.

Hawke patted the rapier at his side. “I don't use it much, but I know how to.” He stared Ruin down. “You'd do best to remember that too.”

That forced a chuckle out of Avira. “There's what, four floors?” She examined the diagram, though it was hard to make sense of. “And the captain's quarters. That's three decks excluding the cargo hold? We should each be able to take one, no?”

“Quite.” Hawke nodded. The top deck would be best for my talents.”

“I'll handle the bottom. And Avira can have the middle. It'll have most of the men, you ready for that?” Ruin leaned back casually, inhaling and exhaling a puff of smoke.

Avira waved the fumes away, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Just don't be surprised at the carnage.”

“Right, inviting a feral to a fight always ends in a bloodbath, eh?” Ruin mocked her.

Avira's gaze iced over immediately, full of contempt. “I'm going to bed.” She stood abruptly and kicked over her chair before leaving.

Penn sighed and rose up. “I'd better go after. Have something for her.”

Avira was about to slam the door to her room when she saw Penn walking towards her. “Need something?” she asked bluntly

“Ignore Ruin, he gives me that shit too,” Penn said, “I do have something that could cheer you up though, if you'll follow me.”

“What is it, jerky?” She rolled her eyes, letting the door shut in front of her.

“Not quite.” He walked to the end of the hall, where a steel reinforced door was.

Avira realized that the door hadn't been there before today and raised an eyebrow. “This isn't some creepy sex dungeon is it?”

“Oh, Immortals, no.” He raised his hands in innocence. “Does the name Benton mean anything to you?”

She raised both eyebrows in surprise. That creep that jailed her? “How did you— ”

“Not important. You've got tonight with him. Here.” He handed Avira a key.

She got a devilish grin at the possibilities before her. “Thanks,” she said, “I hope this is soundproof.” She entered the room, door slamming shut behind her.

#

Hawke

Hawke and Mareth were quiet for a time, looking towards the doorway she walked through. After the awkward moment had passed, Hawke turned to Ruin, “Maybe don't call her that.”

“Why? It's not like she isn't one. I heard about the bathhouse incident.”

“After she was forced into it,” Hawke said, “and you shouldn't be even bringing it up.” He locked eyes with Ruin.

Mareth looked to the side, listening to something none of the others could hear. “Yeah, but he doesn't know we know that,” he whispered.

“What are you accusing me of?” Ruin lazily took a sip of his booze.

Hawke planted his hands on the table and stood up. “Don't be coy, you drunkard. You and your burnt husk of a colleague set her up.”

“Penance isn't a husk, just burnt. And I'd watch how you speak. I'm still the only way you're getting home soon.”

Hawke grit his teeth and glared at Ruin until he had enough and left.

#

Mareth

Mareth and Ruin sat there alone, before Mareth slowly stood. “I, uh... I'd better go too, I guess.”

“Wake up early tomorrow, that goes for all of you.” Ruin put his feet up on the table and watched the scholar shuffle off. “You lot are interesting. Shame our business will be concluded soon...”