The Ardent Saga Omnibus

by Nathan Howe

  Amaithinar slowly rose in the air. She now touched the ceiling, barely seven feet away, still well within reach of Babel and her claws. Amaithinar fired an arrow at Babel. When it landed, a tiny explosion occurred. Then, Babel was covered in a gooey substance.

  “Please, this won't hold me.” She thrashed and soon her arms were free. Before Blazes could even fire a blast of fire at her, Babel moved. Damn, she was fast. The four team members shuffled back to back fending off attacks from her.

  “Guys. There are four of us and only one of her,” Charges said. “What are we doing? We need to be on the offensive.”

  “Agreed,” Shocking said. She lunged forward with her swords, out she didn't even look for Babel. Amaithinar fired at Babel. Both moving as a team, predicting what the other was thinking without talking. That kind of teamwork took years of training. Blazes stood in awe.

  Just as Babel attacked Shocking, an arrow struck her. Babel dropped to the ground. Shocking quickly place her blades over Babel’s neck encasing Babel with the edges. “Talk. The bombs.”

  “Never.” Babel laid on the ground. She didn't fight. If she moved, she would cut herself.

  “You lost,” Amaithinar said. She landed next to the Ardent on the floor and reached into a pouch in her uniform. When she pulled her hand out, it held a tiny vial. “Tell me, or I'll make you drink this.”

  Blazes eyed her. Amaithinar didn't take her gaze off Babel. “What is it?”

  Amaithinar jiggled the vial. “This. Fey blood. You know what it does to human's, right?”

  Babel gulped. “Kills us.”

  “Correct. It's a slow, painful death.”

  “You wouldn't.” Babel’s eyes were wide in terror. She feared for her life. Blazes couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

  The vial hung over Babel. Amaithinar opened it. “Try me.”

  “Fine.” Babel stared at the vial. “There are five of them. Across the city. You take me in I'll tell you.”

  They secured her and called the police. An hour later, they stood in front of City Hall with Captain Briggs. He coordinated the bomb squad who rushed to the five locations.

  Blazes’ body sagged. She felt exhausted and dirty. She turned to Amaithinar, “Were you really going to kill him?”

  “What with this?” She held the vial. “No, Fey would never carry our own blood. It's against Fey law. Here you can have this.”

  “What is it?”

  “Try it.”

  Blazes drank the vial. “Expresso.”

  “My secret stash. Shocking doesn't like it when I drink it.”

  Blazes burst out laughing. “Gee. I wonder why.”

  “Don't tell her.”

  “I won't.”

  They finished up with the Mechajunks in the sewers. Most had been captured. The ones who got away would be dealt with later if they needed to be. It made Blazes happy to be out of the sewers and rid of the Mechajunks.

  Blazes searched for Heated who showed up shortly after they exited. “Can I go?” she asked.

  “God, yes. Take a shower.” Heated plugged his nose. The smell of the sewers was disgusting. It lingered on both of them. It was an awful mix of filth.

  “I plan on it.” Blazes left. She was going to take the longest shower in her life.

  Enter Assassin

  In the corner of a crowded room, a well-dressed woman stood both in plain sight and completely hidden to those around her. Few knew her. Even fewer recognized what she did. Those who did simply called her Assassin. She enjoyed it that way, it allowed her to keep her anonymity. No one knew much, other than she was an Ardent, and she killed anyone if the price was right. That knowledge frightened and soothed those she worked for.

  Tonight was no different. On the job. Scouting out the target. Assassin sipped her wine as she peered over the glass at the target, an Elf dressed in a striking black tux with his deep black hair slicked back allowing his pointed ears to be visible. Assassin herself wore a pantsuit instead of a dress like many of the other women wore tonight. Some of the dresses so extravagant, she'd never get away if someone gave chase.

  This was the first night of the Elf's visit to the city. He was a Prince of the Elves. Assassin tried to read up on the culture but stopped when it provided little that would help her with the task at hand. They were in Johnstown not the Elven land to the south. Tonight, a ball was thrown to welcome him to the city, to the country. Music played as a backdrop, some danced in the center of the room with their gowns flowing behind them. The room filled with excitement and joy over the occasion.

  A server walked up with a tray of wine. “Another drink, madam?” He held the plate up for her. Assassin gently set her empty glass and took another. Her Ardent ability let her out drink every person if she chose to. Which was convenient for a night like this, no one would look at her twice if she were drinking. Instant healing allowed her the freedom to take risks others couldn't. It also allowed her to train more and longer than others. It's what made her the best killer for hire around.

  She meandered around the perimeter of the ballroom. The Hero Coalition's presence stood out tonight. Try as they might to blend in, they didn't. At least, not to well-trained eyes like hers. A bulky figure with a white Mohawk dressed in an ill-fitting tux stood next to a short blonde. She leaned over the man whose face turned red. “This is so boring,” the blonde whispered as Assassin passed.

  “Just be grateful we aren't stuck outside,” the other said. “It's hot as hell out there.”

  Assassin continued past them. There were other members scattered throughout. Assassin, in total, clocked nine members plus their leader, a Phoenix, who never left the side of the Prince. The leader was the only one here who worried Assassin. With the Phoenix shadowing the Elf tonight, Assassin would have to wait. The target would travel to Cynosure next week. That would be a much more difficult place to strike. Johnstown wasn't ideal, but it would have to do.

  Assassin placed her glass down. She departed the party. Out in the night air, Assassin let the wind blow through her short hair. She took a deep breath in. More scouting was required. The Elf booked a room at an upscale hotel along the Riverwalk in town. Assassin managed to snag a room there as well. Only a mile walk from her current location. It was a brisk walk down the street to the hotel.

  She entered the lobby and sat in a chair facing the door. From her pocket, she retrieved a tablet and reviewed what she knew. This Prince was critical to making peace between Elves and Fey. The man who hired Assassin wanted to start a war, that much was clear. While she dealt with a human and not an Elf or Fey, Assassin got the feeling he worked for another person, most likely a Fey. From Assassin's experience, Elves were peaceful, unlike the Fey. Many of the Fey liked battles and wars. It's why there were members of the Fey in the Hero Coalition. But you wouldn't see Elves. When you did, it was in an administrative liaison capacity.

  The hotel doors swung open around two in the morning, and the Prince walked in. With him two members of the Hero Coalition. Assassin remembered them from earlier. While she waited, she had checked out their powers and code names, Frosty and Valiant Glow. No surprise, Frosty controlled ice, and the other had a magical sword that granted fire powers. Both would be no match for Assassin.

  The two scanned the area as they entered completely missing the only real threat, Assassin. Not really their fault, no one expected the small woman to be a killer. She grinned as they continued past her into the hall that held the bank of elevators. Assassin pocketed her tablet and stood. She drifted over to the elevators. Once there she waited with the others who barely glanced at her. When the elevator opened, they boarded. Assassin tried to, but Frosty held up his hand. “Sorry, you'll have to get your own.”

  “Uh. Okay.” Assassin stepped back. Smart of them to not let strangers ride with them. Assassin waited to see what floor they stopped at, her records told her the twelfth floor. Hers was one below. Sure enough, they stopped at the twelfth. With that Assassin decided to call it a night. Even sh
e needed sleep and tomorrow promised to be a long day.

  The next morning after a few hours of sleep Assassin stood down on the main floor of the hotel. She was in line at the coffee shop, the Prince was a few people in front of her. This time, two different members of the Hero Coalition shadowed him. She needed to investigate them later. Assassin located the Phoenix. From what Assassin gathered and the way the others both respected and feared the woman they called Wildfire, she was the one in charge of this merry bunch of Ardents.

  Assassin inspected the menu, coffee wasn't normally her first option to drink. The scent of coffee filled the room. It was robust and earthy. Unlike most, the caffeine didn't offer her a pick-me-up. Since most beverages did nothing for her, she stuck to water unless on the job. “You look confused,” the girl at the counter said when Assassin made it up to the front.

  “Oh. I didn't realize there'd be so many different types and flavors of coffee.”

  The girl smiled. “You don't drink much coffee?”

  “No. Any suggestions?” For a woman who could kill without fear or stand in the most dangerous conditions, the thing that scared her the most was having conversations like this. Assassin smirked shyly.

  “My favorite is the Mocha Latte.”

  A drink she never heard of, but she figured it wouldn't be awful. “That sounds great. A small.”

  “Okay, five fifty.” Assassin's jaw nearly dropped. “And I'll need a name for the order.”

  Assassin handed over the money reluctantly. “Richelle.” It wasn't her real name, but the current pseudonym of hers. She started using it for this job. She changed her aliases often. Once her order was ready, she sipped it. Surprisingly, it tasted of a mix of chocolate and coffee. Different. In her experience coffee tasted awful but this was good. The Prince took his and left the hotel which allowed Assassin a chance to sneak into his room. She finished her drink as she exited the elevator on the twelfth. The hall was empty. When she first arrived, she bribed an employee of the hotel for a master key card. She went up to the Prince’s room. More money spent on getting this information as well. Both employee’s knew if they told a soul they'd be dead. She made that clear. She slinked into his room.

  The room was an exact copy of her own, right below. It reeked of lemon disinfectant. They kept this place in much better shape. The benefits of being a foreign dignitary. Assassin searched the room from top to bottom. Not a single place left untouched. Assassin made sure they wouldn't be able to tell she disturbed a thing. She painstakingly put things back in place.

  She learned a great deal about the Prince. With him being second in line to rule the Elven Kingdom, he had unlimited money, and it showed in the room. He had the most expense items Assassin had ever seen. His shoes here cost as much as her fee to kill him. Part of her wondered if she had held out for more if she would have gotten it. She already charged triple for this one. It had initially worried her to take out a member of any Royal family. But she had a reputation to uphold.

  After completing the search, she found nothing of real use. They didn't leave any details in the room about his trip. Assassin hoped they would have left the itinerary. That way she would be able to plan the best place to attack. She was told the rough outline for it, but she wanted something more itemized. She might have to break into the Hero Coalition. Not a promising thought. She shivered. While Assassin didn't like the Hero Coalition, they were a force if assaulted directly. Not like the training she received in the military. Most people thought all Ardents received their training from the Hero Coalition, this wasn't true. Many Ardents joined the military. They had a special unit for them. Assassin excelled in her training. She was the leader of her own black ops team. Her team put fear into those they assaulted.

  Assassin's body tingled thinking about that. Many, many years ago. So long ago she used her real name. Since then, she changed so much those from that time, her friends would hardly recognize her. She exited the room, “Hey. How'd you get in there?” a voice asked in surprise.

  Assassin turned to see Frosty and Valiant Glow standing in front of the elevators. “Shit.” She assessed the situation while she was certain she'd take these two easily she didn't want to hurt them. Valiant had her sword out and was covered in flames. She marched towards Assassin without hesitation.

  “Don't move,” Valiant Glow said. A sneer crossed her face. This Ardent desired to prove herself, a weakness that Assassin could make use of if she had to. Unlike most, the advancing woman didn’t appear scared of Assassin. For a brief moment, Assassin was impressed with her, but Assassin couldn’t afford to let that last. Assassin had a job and intended to do it.

  “Don't make me fight you.” Assassin spotted a window she could break and land on the canopy out front. The only problem was she'd have to go through the two guards. Assassin groaned. She'd do her best not to harm them. She pulled out her razor-sharp swords instead of her pistols. As she clutched the handles, the swords unfolded to full length. She had used them for years, they allowed her to surprise her opponents. This morning was no different. The look in Valiant's eyes said it all, shock and terror.

  With both momentarily caught off guard, Assassin sprinted at them. As she reached Valiant Glow, the hero regained herself, but not in time. Assassin vaulted into the air passing over Valiant Glow. Assassin's feet skimmed the ceiling. She used the sides of her blades and smacked Valiant on both sides of her head. Valiant Glow dropped to her knees and screamed out in agony.

  Frosty stood in front of her with an ice shield and sword. “That won't work on me,” he said through gritted teeth.

  Assassin smiled. “It doesn't need to.” He lunged at her, but she dodged it with ease. His size slowed him in comparison, but it gave him an advantage too. He blocked the hallway and made it difficult to maneuver around him. Not impossible but she'd have to use other tricks. She spun with both arms extended and swords as fast as she could. Her swords sliced his ice shield to shreds. Assassin felt the air cool around her. The shield repaired itself. “Impressive,” Assassin said. These two put up more of a fight than she initially thought they would. Assassin enjoyed the challenge but needed to end this.

  Frosty grunted. “You won't escape, others are on their way.”

  Assassin figured as much. She didn't like her next idea, but it would work. With his shield still repairing, she rushed at Frosty. Her swords down, she was completely exposed. Frosty attacked with his ice sword. He plunged it all the way to the hilt through her right shoulder. Assassin cringed in pain but managed to grab hold of his arm. Blood shot from her wound staining both the sword and his shield red. Assassin stuck her feet against the wall and used it as leverage to turn Frosty and herself in the hallway. Now, she was on the side to get to the window and out. She pulled herself off the sword. “Ahh,” she yelled. It hurt like hell. Burned. The ice cooled the wound, but her body singed trying to heal. Once the sword was out, the wound closed though it still hurt like a bad movie. Frosty stared at her in disbelief.

  She didn't give him a chance to react as she turned and sprinted to the window. She reached into her pocket, pulled out a micro explosive, and threw it at the window. It exploded on contact seconds before Assassin arrived. At that moment, the elevator doors opened, and several Hero Coalition members exited it. Assassin jumped out the window and turned to watch them give chase. Her back to the ground as she fell, the impact on the canopy softened the fall. Not a lot. Heads poked out the window as she rolled to the right and dropped to the ground. She waved at them and dashed off before they could follow.

  The element of surprise had vanished when Assassin exited that hotel room earlier, and the Hero Coalition saw her. Her mouth foamed. She now sat on the bed in a rundown hotel across town. Many people avoided this area even with the Inciters removed. From reports, Assassin read the two she battled today had been the ones to clean up this area. It surprised her because she’d gotten away from them so easily.

  This hotel had been her backup place because it didn't ask ques
tions. Mold ran along the edges of the room, water stains on the floor. She'd been in worse though she longed to be back in the hotel she left. That luxury bed was soft and sucked you in, this one was like concrete. It angered her that she had been spotted. It was so unusual for her. She slammed her fist down.

  One thing was certain now. More information was needed because all she had gathered before went out the window. The Prince would change rooms or even hotels. The Hero Coalition would double or triple his detail. This job just got hard. But Assassin had never failed before, this one wouldn't be different. She'd find a way, there was always a time when the target was exposed. Didn’t matter how hard they tried, she would find that moment. She would shock and awe them. That might be the best route.

  With half a day wasted, she departed the room. The vehicle she rented, after escaping the Hero Coalition, sat in the parking lot. She used her second set of IDs to rent it so the coalition wouldn't be able to track it to her or rather the person that attacked them. It fit in well in this part of town, but she'd need to find something different if she wanted to blend in downtown or at the events the Prince would be attending.

  First things first, she needed to change her appearance before heading back to the events. She knew the Prince would be giving a speech on relations between the Elves and the Hero Coalition. The event was in a quaint theater down the street from where the grand ball was held last night. It meant she needed fancy clothes again. Assassin drove to an upscale mall. Johnstown had many different ones, catering to all types of people and incomes.

  She cruised the mall for a new wardrobe. One that said upscale, but not too much. After visiting several shops, Assassin found the right outfit, plus a few extra for the coming days.

  One last stop at a drug store. She needed hair dye and scissors. Her hair required a change as well. With pitch black dye purchased, she drove back to start the transformation.