Chapter 21:  Fighting like an Assassin

Today Iris received a report that Aion and some of his friends were headed to the merchant district. Because of the fact that she couldn’t just run into another academy she had not seen Aion face to face in close to three years. 

Previously she found Aion to even the score, but lost their duel putting Aion ahead by two wins. And although this angered her, that anger was directed at herself for losing. Regardless seeing Aion become strong enough to beat her made her incredibly happy. 

After all he would join her in becoming a knight and together they would be the strongest forces the kingdom would have. She dashed out of her room followed by Zemar heading to the merchant district to meet Aion for the first time in a while. 

Once outside she jumped on the large chimera’s back carrying her weapon. Zemar was now one and a half meters tall and three meters in length, his fur shone a brilliant gold with faint traces of red mixed in, and this year it had reached the third rank. 

On Zemar’s back Iris followed the advanced rank human stage assassin to were Aion would be, in a good mood. She thought about how she would find Aion and surprise him by challenging him to a duel. 

After all she was quite confident in being able to win as Zemar had reached the third rank and she tirelessly worked on her mounted halberd skills. 

Previously she used a claymore but swords were meant for more finesse as opposed to her strategy of pounding her opponent, if not for the fact that war hammers were considered a berserker’s weapon she would have chosen it instead of the halberd. 

“Young miss, the boy should be just around that corner meeting with the Redmane Caravan group.” Snapping out of her daydreaming Iris looked at the assassin who she had been using as a messenger for the last three years. 

“Good work, you will be rewarded as stated in our previous agreements.” The assassin felt a little down hearing this, three years ago they came to an agreement regarding his services and costs. 

But how was he supposed to know that keeping an eye on a knight would be so difficult, the boy hid his presence better that some of his seniors and if he lost sight on him he would have to visual search through the campus instead of trying to feel for the boy’s unique presence. 

From what he learned all living creatures possess a unique presence but the boy didn’t, making it difficult to track. 

“Iris keeping an eye on Aion this way isn’t good, and you my dear student, I'm going to have to ask you to stop.” Both Iris and the assassin jumped in fright hearing a voice that seemed to come from nowhere, but quickly they realized who it was. 

“Instructor Second Assassin, I apologize for tailing him and will go back to the academy.” The assassin didn’t know why he was asked to stop but would not argue And immediately left. 

“Grandpa how else am I going to find Aion to duel? And I don’t get to see him often enough to know if he’s becoming a good knight.” Iris looked towards her grandpa with a slight glare as she had just been deprived of a good worker. 

“Iris trying to make Aion a knight isn’t a good idea the boy wants to be an assassin, so let him. Plus I'm sure your father has scolded you before for similar things.” Ban patted her head and disappeared while laughing. 

Iris paid him no mind, she knew that Aion was destined to become a knight with her. Returning to her happy mood she urged Zemar to walk towards where Aion was reported to be. 

Even if he had moved she knew that he would be visiting the Redmane Caravan group. Her happy mood did not last however as she found Aion. Currently he was with another girl and was being presented clothes suitable for an assassin. 

The little girl who was probably around fifteen years old was handing Aion black clothes with hard leather pieces that only covered the most vital spots of the human body. 

With the clothes were a scarf made to also cover ones nose and mouth along with an detachable hood that would cover one’s face with shadows. The girl was laughing loudly as she spoke.

“Good thing I brought these for you now let's see them treat you like a knight when your wearing attire fit for the greatest of assassins.” Even from a distance Iris could hear the girl speak. 

“Zemar hurry let's get there before she infects Aion's mind and turns him into an assassin. Humph she’s probably the one who put all those crazy ideas about Knights and assassins into Aion's head.” Zemar ran as Iris instructed, jumping off from his back she landed in front of the girl while wielding her halberd. 

“Iris.” The first to speak was Aion as he felt her presence and her making an entrance gave him no surprise. 

“Aion give back those clothes to her and I'll buy you something fitting of a knight.” Iris used a pleasant voice but her aura gave people the feeling that disagreeing with her was asking for trouble. 

“Can’t.” Aion however stopped caring for following the orders of others even when they seemed like nice suggestions. 

“Aion how many times do I have to tell you to explain yourself properly, and hello young miss I am Clad Redmane daughter of the leader of this caravan.” 

“I am Iris Corvidae. Would you be so kind as to take back what you have given Aion and bring him something more fitting his position as a student of the knight department.” 

“Sorry but Aion paid for those clothes so as a merchant I can't simply take them back. Also as Aion’s friend I need to ask if your one of the people trying to force Aion to be something he doesn't want to be.” 

Clad could tell immediately that Iris was not in favor of Aion becoming an assassin so she intended to argue on Aion’s behalf considering that he stayed silent about it. 

“Well I'm Aion’s rival and we will be together in the future. So I have a right to help Aion chose the correct path for him.” Off to the side stood Aion, Zack, and Bar and the latter two had a misunderstanding hearing Iris’s words, as she meant together as comrades in arms. 

“Aion why didn’t you say you were already promised to such a demanding person, now we have a fight growing and me and big bro are gonna have to throw you in to stop it.” Zack said this with a smile on his face intending to tease Aion. 

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“Not promised, cousin.” Aion began to walk towards the two that were arguing intending to stop them and clear the misunderstanding that Zack, Bar, and Clad were sure to have. While he thought it wouldn’t matter much, he learned in the past that not clearing up misunderstandings could lead to troublesome situations. 

As he drew closer the two reached the climax of their argument. 

“Fine you’re a knight then I challenge you to a duel the winner is right. That's how things are done with you right.” Iris stared coldly at Clad who had challenged her to a duel. 

“Humph you’re an apprentice merchant and you want to fight a knight in training you'll lose before anyone knows what happened.” 

“Fine Then I'm a merchant, so I'll hire Aion to fight in my place!” Iris was startled by this declaration but then thought about it and it made sense. She was a merchant so hiring someone to fight in her place was fair and her original goal was to dual Aion so this would be a great opportunity. 

“Fine Aion your fighting in her place.” Saying that Iris turned around and held her halberd in a ready stance. Not really understanding what was happening Aion still prepared and took a stance to fight her unarmed. Seeing him ready Iris launched her strike. 

She was faster than any ninth level warrior Aion had fought before and the force was much greater as well. Aion's strategy was simple he would slip past the halberd’s effective rang and beat her quickly before she could retaliate. 

However Iris wasn’t aiming to hit Aion with her downward strike instead she used her halberd to vault herself and landed on Zemar. 

Seeing this Aion smiled, fighting Iris was always fun and provided him with a good sparring partner. Although for a while he was beaten because of Zemar’s involvement, but now he had Melli. 

“Melli distraction construct.” Melli woke up releasing an etherial green flame that took the shape of a small palm sized saber rabbit moving to rest on Aion shoulder. 

“Master what construct do you desire you need to be more specific.” Aion couldn’t help but send a slight glare at Melli, they shared a bond of the soul so she knew what he wanted, she just liked to make him talk knowing he didn’t want to. 

Everyone else looked at the green rabbit for a different reason, simple put it had just spoken perfectly. Melli had begun to speak from the time she reached the third rand, Aion didn’t really understand how but she said it was thanks to her strengthened soul and intelligence gained from reaching the third rank. 

“Mount for distraction.” Aion paid no attention to the astonishment of others and told Melli what he wanted. From the dagger electricity started to form into a larger saber rabbit of about one meter in hight and two and a half meters in length. 

Having a mount made of pure electricity made it impossible to ride but it would provide Aion a distraction for Zemar, while he fought Iris. Iris on the other hand began laughing loudly. 

“You found a way to make a mount, good although Melli will have to grow for it to make something you can ride, this is a good start.” Melli then attacked with her electric construct while Aion began to circle and draw closer to Iris. 

Using minor teleportation while everyone's attention was on the construct Aion moved behind Iris and declared his victory while resting Melli on her shoulder. 

“I win.” 

“Yes we won, humph who still has to grow I could beat you and that little kitten alone but Master just wanted a distraction so you got lucky.” Iris realized her defeat but didn’t understand how Aion had arrived at her back so quickly. 

“Fine I lost, Clad you won this time because you hired Aion and beat me but next time I'll challenge you to something we will both personally compete in then we can better determine who is right.” 

Aion jumped down from Zemar’s back thinking how to explain the situation. 

“Melli please assist.” Everyone was then distracted by Melli’s charming laugh that seamed to resound in their souls. 

“For now let me try to understand the situation and explain to everyone what's happening so Master doesn’t have to confuse everyone further.” Having cleared up all misunderstandings and thoroughly embarrassing Iris for causing such misunderstandings in the first place they all returned to their respective homes or dorms. 

Ban watched this go on from start to finish and looked happily at Aion who had just fought like an assassin for the first time. He followed Aion into a deserted ally just in time to see him place everything in his storage space while becoming a crow and flying off. 

Aion had rarely changed into a crow for the last couple of years because Melli who would be angry if he left her and could not carry her with out attracting attention. Quickly Ban caught up to Aion. 

“Aion come here. We have some things to discuss now that you've reached the twenty seventh rune and have some proficiency using teleportation and your holding space.” Aion quickly landed on Ban’s shoulders not going back to his human form. 

“That's fine just listen. I'm going to take you to register with the Assassin’s Society there they will allow you to take contracts for assassination work as you are equivalent to a primary rank warrior you will only take jobs for assassinating minor bandits and the like but real experience is important.” 

Aion nodded enthusiastically now that he didn’t have to worry about taking Melli with him as she was comfortable in his holding space he could easily travel and gain real fighting experience. 

The holding space was one of the things Aion felt most adept with as inside it time did not pass but by simply willing it Melli would feel the passage of time, this space seemed to greatly resemble his soul but that didn’t really mater to him as the most important thing right now was refer steering as an assassin.