…To be an assassin is to bring death, death which someone wishes upon another. One does not wish death upon another for no reason, and so, to wish death upon one is to accuse one of severe wrongdoing.

The assassin clans take those wishes and turn them into persuasion. If one wishes to not be paid a visit by death, then one must conduct themselves accordingly. The bad have too many to wish death upon, while too many are wishing death upon the bad.

Rose rarely takes into account the reason for a contract, but in certain, extreme situations, we may reject certain contracts for the greater good. For one, we do not accept contracts targeting any rulers of the kingdoms, as such a contract could have severe and long-lasting consequences. Nor do we accept contracts from obvious bad actors targeting good samaritans. We also do not accept contracts targeting trusted members or associates of Rose.

The core of our existence is to maintain peace and balance in the world by killing off the bad, you must remember that.

Nonetheless, being an assassin is a dangerous profession. Despite working for the greater good, we are still not excused from the law here in Eidolon, or anywhere for that matter. As such, we must work secretively and in the shadows to protect our identity.

The skills for this you will soon learn, and soon you too will be off on your first assignment.

That’ll be your lesson for today, you’re free to go.

Idris stood waiting outside the door for the five newcomers to finish their class. It had been a few days since they arrived here, and they were already settling in well to the rhythm.

“Idris!” Noah smiled when he saw Idris waiting outside the door. “Don’t you have an assignment today?”

“Yes I do,” replied Idris. “We’re leaving in a bit, so I decided to just come check up on how your lesson was going.”

“I see…”

“So how’s it going?”

“Good,” answered Menino as the group walked down the hallway together. “Physical training is tiring, but the magic is fun. The girls have been really not liking all the exercise.”

“Have you figured out what magic you five have?”

“I’m probably a fire mage. Noah seems to be some sort of healing magic. Marcus seems to be a telepath. I’m pretty sure Alice is also some sort of healing magic, and Rebecca seems to be a light mage,” said Menino, pointing to each member of the group in turn.

“Oh hey, Kaen, another one of the apprentices, is a fire mage too,” Idris replied. “Andrei is a light mage as well, and Sandra, a senior, has powerful healing abilities too.”

“Sandra has taught us a class already!” Noah said excitedly. “That’s how I figured out my ability.”

Idris nodded. “Have you learned about how magic works and secondary abilities yet?”

“Yep.”

“Figured out what your secondary abilities are yet?”

“Nope.”

“Yeah, it’ll take some time.”

They made their way down to the lobby, where Andrei and Saya stood waiting, their daypacks sitting on the ground next to them.

“Idris!” Saya called out to him. “We’re going.”

“Got it! You guys can load up first, I’ll be there in a second,” Idris replied.

“Okay! we’ll take your daypack for you!” shouted Saya as she and Andrei picked up their stuff and walked out of the door.

Idris watched as Saya threw her massive spear onto her back, suspending it in the air with her telekinesis. She always does this, partly because it’s convenient and allows her to train her magic by having a constant flow of mana, but also probably because it makes her look cool.

The newcomers watched with sparkling eyes as Saya walked away, the oversized bowtie on her head bouncing up and down with each stride.

Oh, so she did indeed decide to wear it, Idris thought, rolling his eyes.

“Those weapons they are carrying, they’re for killing aren’t they?” Asked Noah.

“Yeah.”

“I don’t… think I’ve quite gotten used to the whole killing thing yet,” he muttered, fiddling with his thumbs.

Idris chuckled. “You haven’t even gone on an assignment yet. Plus, we’re killing bad people.”

“Yeah but… I…”

“It’s okay,” Idris bent down a little so his eyes were level with Noah’s. “It takes time to get used to it, but you’ll understand soon enough. Most of the time we don’t do the killing, the Seniors are always the ones who actually assassinate the target, we just take down the guards and stuff.”

Noah nodded.

“We don’t live by the same rules most people do,” Idris continued. “We live by the way of the assassin.”

He stood back up, tied his short sword to his belt, and turned back to look at the newcomers.

“You’ll learn soon. You’ll be learning a lot,” he told them. “Hurry to your next class now, it’s almost time. We’ll be back in a few days.”

They nodded and waved goodbye to Idris.

“Good luck!” Noah called out.

“We’ll be waiting!”

Idris smiled and waved back.

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Then he walked out of the doors and into the front yard, where a horse-drawn wagon sat waiting. The paddocks are unusually empty today, most of the horses had already left earlier with other groups heading to their assignments.

Saya and Andrei were patting the horses while their two upperclassmen were busy putting the reins on the two healthy mares.

“We’re still waiting on the kitchen to bring us the food we’ll need for the journey there,” said Thomas, his short brown hair wiggling in the breeze. “We’ll be staying on the route for the night, and we should arrive at Bluewater before tomorrow evening.”

Bluewater is one of the larger cities within Eidolon, and being near the estuary of the River of Atlas, it is a little distance from the Rose Manor. With a fast horse, the journey could be done in a single day, but a wagon would take at least two.

Idris climbed into the fabric-roofed wagon and placed his daypack under the wooden bench with the others. Half of the wagon was taken up by rolled-up cots and blankets, absolutely necessary to pass the night in an open wagon during any season except the middle of summer. It was already almost midday, so tonight they’d have to sleep on the side of the trade routes in their wagon.

“Thomas! Lily!” Mintaka, another master apprentice, and the head chef called out to them, holding a big basket of food in her arms. “The food is here!”

“Oh thank you! Mintaka,” replied Thomas, taking the basket from her and placing it in the wagon.

Idris could smell the freshly baked bread and roasted meat through the white cloth covering the basket, making his mouth moisten a little.

“Alright! Get on, we’re setting off,” Thomas told the group, getting onto the coachman’s seat at the front of the wagon.

Saya and Andrei climbed into the back of the wagon, sitting on the bench alongside Idris, across from the cargo. Lilian leaped onto the coachman’s seat next to Thomas, who, once sure everyone was seated, gave the horses a gentle tap with the reins, and they were off on their journey to Bluewater.

The horses pulled the wagon at a brisk pace through the meadow, the large wheels having no problem rolling over the tall grass and the gemstones hanging from their necks making the bumps and holes feel a little smoother.

Soon they were cutting through the trees via a little green path, one of many littered throughout the forest, which offer various access routes to the outside world.

“I’m going to get some more rest,” Saya said with a yawn.

“Not only do you eat a lot, you sleep a lot as well...” Idris mumbled with a chuckle, and was met with a gentle slap on the cheek.

“Shush,” said Saya as she laid her head on Idris’ lap. “Don’t move for a while.”

Idris sighed. “Fine.”

For lunch, they had some cheese and a few pieces of bread while on the move, Lilian climbing onto the horses to feed them some sugar cubes.

Soon they were rumbling along the dirt trade routes of the wild country, the evergreen forest flashing by past them.

Idris sat looking out of the back of the wagon at the trail behind them, Saya’s head weighing down heavily on his now numb legs. After what seemed like an eternity, when the sun was beginning to near the horizon, and the dense forests turned to lush farmland, Saya finally lifted her head.

“What time is it?” She asked as she rubbed her eyes.

“Dusk. We’ll be stopping soon for dinner and to rest for the night,” answered Lilian, having heard her question from the front of the wagon.

A little while later, when the sun was beginning to touch the peaks of the distant northern mountains, they pulled off the route, stopping in a little clearing beside a sprinkling stream.

Thomas lit a little campfire with his magic while Lilian fed the horses. Idris and his friends sat next to the stream, letting the cold water run over their feet. After a day on the wagon, their cramping limbs were begging for some refreshment.

“Hey! Can you three get me some water?” Asked Thomas as he tossed a little kettle to Idris. “I’m going to boil some water for tea and coffee. Anyone want coffee?’

No one replied.

“Idris? I know you like coffee,” urged Thomas.

“Only with milk,” Idris replied with a smile.

Lilian chuckled. “It’s cause you don’t make good coffee.”

“What!?” Thomas exclaimed.

“I’m kidding, I’ll have some coffee,” said Lilian, shooting Thomas an adoring smile with her blue eyes as she began tying her lush chestnut hair into a big bun.

Being one of the many married couples at Rose, the two have been inseparable since joining together as newcomers a long time ago.

They filled the little kettle with running water from the stream, then returned it to Thomas who was busy grinding his coffee beans.

Lilian was already frying some grilled cheese and roasted beef in salted butter which Mintaka had given them, the sizzling oil throwing off mouthwatering aromas, luring Idris and his friends over, forcing them to sit down around the fire and watch the pan with watery eyes.

Soon the food was ready, and Thomas brought over their drinks. Together they sat next to their horses, eating the cheesy sandwiches and roasted beef with steaming cups of tea and coffee resting on the ground, except Saya’s, which levitated in front of her.

When it got too dark, they lit the lanterns on the wagon and laid their cots out on the grass after Thomas dried them with a quick burst of fire. The night was warmer than they had expected, so they opted to sleep on the soft grass, instead of the cramped interior of their wagon.

“Sleep well, we are setting off early tomorrow. We need to arrive before it gets too late so we can do some surveying,” explained Thomas as they sat around the little campfire. “Idris, Saya, and I will be scouting the perimeter of the mansion. Andrei and Lily, you two will survey the surrounding cityscape. Mark out locations of interest for stationing personnel, observation, and security. Understood?”

“Understood.”

“Alright!” Thomas said as he laid down on his cot. “Now let’s chat for a bit before we go to sleep, any interesting gossip?”

“Oh, I know!” Saya yelped. “How’s it going between you two?”

“Alright, we’re going to sleep.”

“No no! I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”

Lilian chuckled. “I’ve heard that we may be expecting another baby soon. Not from us, from someone else.”

“Who?”

“I heard about that too actually,” Andrei chimed in. “Haven’t you noticed a certain few people getting quite intimate recently?”

“Who?”

“Well…”

They gossiped for some time before it got late and Thomas ordered everyone to go to sleep. Saya, not at all tired after having a massive nap while on the road, was in no mood to go to sleep. Instead, she began pointing out the stars and constellations in the night sky, talking about their myths and legends until she realized everyone else had already fallen asleep.

With a little “humph” she cuddled into her blankets, taking one last peek at the sleeping forms of her friends, smiling at Idris’ gentle breathing, before she too closed her eyes and dozed off, ready for tomorrow’s assignment.

*****

The next day, late in the afternoon, they could finally see the city from the top of a little hill as they rumbled along the now tiled routes next to the many other trading wagons.

Like a web of orange and brown roofs, broken up here and there by the pointy tops of clock towers and majestic spirals of cathedrals, the riverside city panned out ahead of them. Located only a dozen or so miles from the sea, the city is one of the busier places in Eidolon, though not as much as the sprawling city of Prismarine, visible now over the horizon.

“Woah…” Saya gasped, standing atop the fabric roof of the wagon, supporting herself with her telekinesis. “We’re almost there!”

“Come back down.”

“Fine.”

With a grunt she climbed back into the wagon as they rumbled down the hill, closing in on their destination.

After two months of rest, it was time again to be assassins at work.