Edited by: tommyjl7
It was already the middle of the night when the merchant left the inn. He wasn’t just a merchant, he was THE merchant. The very person that was smuggling cargo for Redfeather’s family, it was THE merchant that kept resupplying them with moondust drug of the highest quality. And in the end, he was THE merchant that the grand house wanted dead.
Yet, what was important, actually happened a few hours earlier…:
Jason bothered himself a lot to find him. He needed to travel to the small trade-town east from capital, then he would drink at a couple of inns (and there were plenty of those in trade city – in the end, merchants need to sleep somewhere, so on every street there were at least two building offering bed, meal and… other attractions) where he kept asking discreetly about someone who could sell him some… highest quality merchandise. And this time, he did not mean alcohol. Normally, every inn owner would kick such client through the door, for hey never saw him before, nor did he call names of mutual friends. But, thanks to his shady appearance and not saving his coin for other barely-legal goods, he has been re-directed to the moondust seller. How did he – drunk head and vagabond - have money for such not-very-cheap stuff? Before leaving the capital he had a talk with the king, who generously did not skimp a coin. He didn’t like the idea of spending national money on booze and drugs tho, still, he didn’t have any other option, did he?
A few hours later he would sit next to the merchant by his table, smiled politely, and informed him about his desire of making a purchase. As soon as they finished formalities (and there wasn’t any), a small bag of coin traveled from Jason’s hand to merchant’s, but in return, smaller, much lighter bag filled with some ash-like substance was given into his possession. After checking if he wasn’t watched, Jason, still next to the merchant, coated his fingertip in saliva, burrowed it in the bag, and brought it back, this time coated in thin layer of a drug.
Moondust, one of the greatest garbages that exist in this sorry world. Jason hated it with all his guts, for he watched not once, nor twice, what this can do with people. Bah, sometimes, when there was someone possessing valuable information, inquisitors would use it to make people talk. For days they would give prisoners huge doses, just to suddenly cut the supplies. Oh, the faces, their pained faces. They wanted to give everything they got, tell every dirty secret, betray friends, family and ideology. Just for another dose.
And then, he put the finger in his mouth and rubbed it into his gum. Second, two, three..
And then it hit him. He took a very small quantity, just to lower suspicions of the merchant, yet, the shit was pure. Very pure. The smuggler had to get it right from the source. First, the stinging sensation that made him almost want to scratch his mouth open, yet, a moment later. A bliss. Numbness. The part of his jaw experienced nirvana.
His eyes must have betrayed what he was feeling, for merchant smiled deeply content.
- “Wonderful, right? I was told that no other person has access to such high-tier merchandise.” He boasted
- “You must have it right from the source, right?”
Man squinted his eyes.
- “I am not going to tell you whe…”
- “And I don’t want to know. Ha! I still treasure my life. The less I know, the better.”
Merchant eased himself a little.
- “You have to forgive me my suspicions if someone sells such goods like myself, he needs to be constantly on guard.”
- “This is why you hired those three guys?”… Jason smiled a little “… judging by their moves, they try to be sneaky. Sorry to say that, but they are green-horns. Intimidating, for sure, but I wouldn’t call them a professional.”
- “How did you know?” merchant titled his head to the side.
- “Oh, let’s say it is my job to get as much information as it is only possible. How do you think I found you?”
- “… Well, you called the name of one of my friends so..” he meant one of the inn keepers.
- “And before that? I am not into playing games, so I will keep it simple. I am from Syndicate…” man instantly turned pale. Technically, Jason didn’t lie. Zariel did hire him, not for this purpose, but still.
- “Look! I didn’t mean to get in your way! I…”
- “Shhh! Sh-sh-sh! Easy there, pal. We don’t mind. Syndicate did not take over drug market… yet... so you are free to abuse this freedom. Even more, your merchandise and our services are complementary products. You see, you make people have a good mood, and when someone has a good mood, he is more likely to hire a hooker and buy another glass of beer.”
Man once again relaxed. Only a little though.
- “… even more. Our relations could get a little bit… nasty, if you would sell some garbage that would make people sick. But this… what are the side effects?”
- “Hangover that will make you wish to kill yourself, sometimes some strong dehydration, but nothing serious! If you wouldn’t take triple of suggested dose, there is almost no threat to life nor health!”
Merchant assured quickly.
- “Wonderful. Back to the business then. Lately, I paid the visit to the Redfeather’s main house, back in capital…” the gaze of plump man was darting everywhere, as he was more than just nervous “… your name appeared in one of the papers…”
- “Can’t be!...” He said almost offended, as if he did not believe that someone could be so unprofessional, definitely not the Grand House “… We have a deal that was supposed to keep my personal data…”
Jason pushed a piece of paper to him.
- “What is it?”
- “An assassination order. Found in their vault.”
- “But… there is…”
- “Your name. Correct.”
If man was pale before, right now he could be easily mistaken for an undead.
- “B…But why?”
- “Oh, I have my assumptions, but that is for later. I have a deal. Safety for cooperation in a matter of certain information you possess… No, I do not mean the drug!” he quickly added seeing man’s expression.
- “… What guarantee do I have…”
- “You and I are both members of the underground. We are members of a society of hookers, assassins, smugglers, and instigators. We kill, steal and intimidate people. We ruin someone’s reputation and kill their social status. But we have one, golden rule while making an agreement. You know what I am talking about.” He stated
This was a rule that someone calling himself Rogue said to him as he was having a drink in the guild bar. He appeared out of nowhere, no one paid any attention to his unfamiliar face, and when he was done he vanished the same way he appeared. He quickly informed him that his services may be occasionally required, of course for compensation, yet thanks to this he will have access to absolutely new reality.
Right now, he was playing cards he was given that day.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
- “Honor of a scum.” Man sighed
The honor of person deprived of everything. A promise, that no matter what would happen, the agreement is as honest as it is only possible. Syndicate, smugglers, villains, dark lodges and even stray bandits, all hailed that vow. And if someone was to break it, all organization would hunt such person through their whole life.
- “Very well. What do I have to do?”
- “For now? Keep doing your regular business. We are already talking too long. I will be watching you. I will be in the crowd, I will be a person selling you bread and a pimp sending a hooker to you, though you will never realize it was me. The order was meant to be executed within the next few days. It may be wise to hire an additional guard… but do not spare a coin for this one. One good protector is better than those three idiots. When the time would come, I would act and save your hide. Then, we will have a talk.”
- “… To think that they would decide to kill a member of the Rosewood trade company! When the guild head would hear about i…”
- “He will NOT!” Jason put his hand on the hand of the merchant and squeezed it painfully “… that’s what I need from you. Do not inform other parties. The information you will give to me will most likely bring doom to their house, much worse than you can imagine.”
He finished his drink, paid and left. He moved outside, to the well, he lowered the bucket filled it with water and brought back. Then, he started to quickly clean his mouth from the reaming of the drug.
He looked at the bag, still in his hand, he waited for the wind to blow before releasing its content. He watched grains of ash-drug scattering on the wind.
He washed his face, put on another illusion and changed his coat inside-out. Reason? The coat could be worn on both sides, and each had a different color. This way, within a second he could become a completely different person.
It was already the middle of the night when merchant left the inn. He wasn’t just a merchant, he was THE merchant. The very person that was smuggling cargo for Redfeathers family, it was THE merchant that kept resupplying them with moondust drug of the highest quality. And in the end, he was THE merchant that the grand house wanted dead.
Jason inhaled cold, night breeze and did what he promised. He became the crowd. The shopkeeper. The pimp. Everyone and no one. Watching over people around the merchant, waiting for the attack.
His next few days were about to become quite busy.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Elana fell on the ground, kicked in the guts by Aiele. The Syndicate’s assassin stopped being gentle with a petite girl, no, she was far from being cruel. She just greatly reduced the handicap. Right now, she started teaching a young girl about the pain. Nothing serious. Some bruises. Some damages on perfect, alabaster skin, a little cut here and there, mostly on arms and legs. She spared her face.
The girl was panting as she kept getting up.
- “I am disappointed, you know?...” Ay said “… you have the charm, girl, refusing to use it is just a foolishness.”
- “…I… can’t… rely…on it. I don’t want to! I want… to be strong! To make a difference! Just like Mister Zariel!”
Assassin snorted.
Girl charged holding dagger with both hands. She thrust with her body mass. Her teacher just moved to the side and with a karate-like chop, she smacked dagger-wielding arms making her drop the blade. Then, a knee in the belly, still holding back, yet it was more than enough to make the un-trained girl start gasping for breath and fight back with a desire to puke.
- “I’m starting to believe it is a waste of time…”
She wanted to go away, but the girl grabbed her leg. She still was curled on the ground, one of her hands was still holding her tummy, yet in her eyes, a determination kept burning with a bright flame. It did not make Aiele respect her or anything like that. In her eyes, she was simply not fit to become a rogue. No matter how much time she spent with the girl, there was barely any progress. Her body did become stronger, much more flexible than before, but she was still weaker than most of the girls her age. Her technique was still non-existing as she was more than clumsy with a dagger.
Or short swords.
She was quite good with throwing knives, at least as long as the targets were not moving, but these are just a situational weapon! Something you used to either eliminate one of the opponents at the beginning of combat or to gather some distance. How many throwing knives could she carry at the same time? How many of these could she utilize? There was no we…
Wait.
With a light kick, Aiele released her leg from El’s grip.
- “Wait here. I will be back soon.” She said as a joke as she moved toward armory.
She returned a few moments later with a dusted bag. She put it on the nearest table before looking again at the girl. She was now sitting in the middle of the room waiting for the next instructions.
- “I think I know where I made a mistake…” Ay said unpacking weapons “… I skipped the basics. I have tried to teach you how to run, before teaching you how to walk, as for right now, you are crawling like a baby. Here, have these.”
Older woman threw in front of girl a set of tonfas.
Blonde girl looked at them confused.
- “Pick it up.” Assassin hasted girl with irritation. “.. Instead of attacking, first I will teach you to defend yourself. Step-by-step. Pick a stance.”
- “W-which one?” blue-eyes living angel asked confused
- “The one that will let you to survive! I will be the one attacking you! Do you think your opponent would inform you what kind of strategy you should use in order to beat him!? No need in copying other people’s movements. Let’s make you create your own!”
Aiele picked a simple wooden sword stylized to look like a katana.
- “I will attack from your left.”
Ay said, before raising her sword and attacking. Just like she said.
A swift, precise swing barely blocked by Elana that just managed to raise one of her tonfa-wielding hands. If Ay wouldn’t tell her about the attack, her bones could be fractured.
- “Good, but try blocking with the middle of the tonfa, otherwise you are risking that you would lose your balance, or that my blade would slip off and damage your skin, that’s a wooden sword, but if it was iron one, or even more, iron one coated in the poison, you would be dead. Same. Attack from the right!”
Once again, quite a fast swing, this time blocked properly.
- “From above!” this time Aiele gave her student almost no time for more preparation, yet information, where the attack would come from, was enough. Elana crossed her tonfas above her head blocking the blade in cross-stance defense
- “Thrust!”
Ay withdrew her blade, lowered her body in a quick squat and thrust her weapon from the level of her pelvis.
Girl was confused. She once again tried blocking with tonfas. It did not end well. The wooden tip painfully poked her ribs
- “Are you crazy? Trying to stop thrust? Blocking swings is all you can do with tonfas! You need to be some sick tonfa-master to pull this shit!”
- “T-then h-how?”
- “Why are you using only your upper body?! Legs! You have legs, forget about ‘em already!? If you can’t block, avoid! Move back, or to the side! Again. Left. Right. Above. Thrust. Prepare yourself.”
Yet she gave her no time for preparation. Swing from the left was blocked perfectly, yet instead of stopping, Aiele withdrew her weapon a little a let it slide over the tonfa to girl’s right. During mid-flow, she changed the grip over her blade, so “edge” once again was facing girl’s body and attacked from girl’s right.
Managed barely in time.
Assassin took a step back, raised her blade and quickly brought it down. Once again, the X-block stopped the attack, yet assassin once again allowed the blade to slip. Within a second she took a stance to thrust, and once again her blade “ended” in girls belly.
- “To slow. Again. This time I will not stop after one sequence. Left-right-up-thrust, left-right-up-thrust. Left-right… and so on. Got it?”
Girl nodded.
And the hell began. Assassin once and for all showed El how fluently can one switch from one attack to another. These were not separate attack, it was almost as if the first move was an opening for another as if she never stopped moving. Yet El managed to keep with the tempo. Barely. Over and over again, when one sequence ended, she would make a little jump back which would save her frothe m sequence-ending thrust. Again and aga,in she would let her teacher get some ground advantage.
Until she would jump back one last time… and her backs hit the wall of the room. And the blade of Aiele once again made another bruise on her ribs.
- “Never stop paying attention to surroundings. Every now and then evade to left or right, this way you could at least keep running around forever. Now. I will change the combination. It will no longer be left-right-up-thrust. I will be mixing it. It is your job to foresee where the blow would come from. What I show you just now are four most basic… no, most PRIMITIVE forms of attacks. And what you did were four most primitive forms of stopping it. I will train your reaction time and stances flow. I will no longer tell you how to move. I will no longer tell you how to stab, pierce, swing. We will start with defense, then with hand-to hand combat. And in the end…”
She looked at the table. Dozens of different, exotic weapons that were piled there made Elana dizzy. She couldn’t name most of them.
- “Many words can be said about the demon continent, but they have mastered the art of war to perfection. They have dozens of weapons that were based on the martial combat arts. They believe that the real strength comes within your body, and weapons are only tools to empower the forces you already possess… well, it is easy to say that when you are three meters tall Oni made of muscles and bloodlust… Yet, still, if you would compare them to humans, which in most cases without a weapon are completely defenseless... Why am I talking about the philosophy of war with you, little morsel? Where were we? Ah, yes..”
And she attacked from the left. This time El was completely not prepared.