Assassin Adept

by Brian Keller

  Iona went to find Emmit to ask when her bandages required changing, and where it might be done. Finding him was simple enough, there were so few people that displayed both Earth and Nature Talents, and fewer still who had that power in abundance. Emmit appeared embarrassed when she asked, replying, “My apologies, miss. I must confess I had forgotten about your bandages. I brought bandages and some instruments in case we found ourselves in a fight and someone needed immediate healing, but I hadn’t considered the privacy we’d need in order to accomplish your dressing changes. Iona grimaced as she pulled her arms out of her sleeves and spun her robes around backwards. She squinted an eye in Emmit’s direction, “I think I just tore a couple scabs open.” She turned her back to Emmit and let her robe slip open, holding her sash snug to ensure her robe remained closed below it. She asked, “Will you be able to change my bandages like this?” Emmit was shaking his head, “Well, there are those that have offered some disparaging opinions of you, but there’s no faulting your practicality.” He opened his shoulder bag and made a quick inventory, “Are you sure you want this done right now, miss? Removing these bandages is bound to be unpleasant, downright painful unless I misjudge…?” He wasn’t mistaken. Removing the bandages wasn’t as bad as the whipping itself, but the antiseptic was close to it.

  A couple of hours later, the small group ventured back to the University. On the way, Iona told the professor, “I want to come back out here tonight. Most of the times when I sense something, it’s been at night.” Her teacher’s reply sounded impatient, “Do as you wish, but I won’t be joining you, but these younger mages will certainly accompany you.” She managed to stop herself from saying, “Of course you won’t be joining us, sir. That would be inconvenient, and a distraction from your valuable and insightful research”, but she couldn’t stop herself from thinking it.

  That night, on their way back to the Waterfront, the Air mage asked, “How late do you plan on staying out tonight?” Iona smiled, “Perhaps until dawn. At any rate, plan to be out all night. Unless, we discover something before that.” With so little activity on the Waterfront, the hours seemed to drag on. At one point, two of the mages entered a tavern and brought out steaming bowls of stew and they all gathered to eat. Afraid of the distraction, Iona ate quickly and then stood away from the group but remained within sight.

  A few hours before dawn Iona spotted a young man that looked very much like the same one she’d seen a couple nights ago. “The larger of the two young men coming off the pier”, she thought. Tonight he was walking up from the south. She tried to avoid showing interest in him, instead she walked over towards the Nature mage to ask her to step further back into the shadows. When she looked back around she couldn’t see where the young man had gone, but she could feel him. She was thinking, “Air and Earth, an unusual combination. Speed and Strength… no, not Strength… Protection. Maybe a touch of Strength but he’d really need to work at it. Yes, his Talent is completely internalized.” Could this young man be her target? She’d need to sense him access his Talent before she could know for sure. A Gift might be completely different from Talent, but in an individual they were supposedly linked, inextricably.

  She was barely able to follow his movements. If it weren’t for the fact that she could detect him by his aura, she’d have lost track of him minutes ago. Even now, she couldn’t see him, but she didn’t need to see him to know he was there. It took him over thirty minutes, and she needed to move further away from him, but he eventually entered the Harbormaster’s Office. This seemed to make sense. The Harbormaster yesterday was involved with returning the slavers’ chains and shackles. Now a member of the Guild awaited him in his office an hour before his shift started. They’d be able to conduct a meeting and no one would ever know that any meeting had taken place. No one except her. As she sat and waited, she wondered whether they shouldn’t just raid the office now and try to capture him. She abruptly stopped that thought, “Maybe it isn’t him.” He was near the area where she felt the surge of Gifted power, but nothing about his aura was consistent with what she’d sensed in her Gifted target. Plus, there were surely almost a hundred people in the vicinity; triple or quadruple that number if she considered the population of the Wharf City just beyond.

  As she sat and waited, she began to question her assumptions. If a meeting between a Guild member and the Harbormaster was necessary, there were certainly plenty of more convenient methods. Such a meeting could almost take place anywhere, even out in the open. Who would really care? Of course, with the recent efforts of the Army and City Watch to curtail Guild activity, perhaps such methods were necessary but she had to doubt that, too. The more she thought about it, the more this seemed like something else. As she reached to her waist and touched the axe hanging on her belt she recalled the sensation that she’d detected initially. The Gifted person had been fighting against the slavers. If this young man was her target, then he wasn’t there to meet with the Harbormaster. He was likely there waiting to kill him, or question him. She also recalled the sensation she’d felt that night before locating the axe. There was no sense of any particular element. No one element seemed to outweigh any others, not like the Guild member waiting in the office. He was Air and Earth, nothing else as far as she could feel.

  It felt like two hours later but it was probably just a little more than one hour when the Harbormaster rounded a corner of the building and entered his office. He was inside no more than thirty seconds and she felt a powerful flash of Air energy from the direction of the office. As she ran to the door to look inside, the door burst open and the young man was upon her. His left hand held a dark but shiny blade and his right hand held a handful of her hair as he twisted her backwards and over his knee. She felt all the welts across her back tear open and the pain forced an instinctive reaction to build energy. As she felt the humid air turn icy in response to her power, she felt his blade at her throat. His speed was incredible! He leaned in close and simply said, “Don’t.” As she looked into his eyes she remembered what that man in Miller’s Flats had told her, “He has the darkest eyes you’ve ever seen.” She was thinking, “It’s dark outside and his eyes still don’t seem that dark…. It isn’t him. What was the name the man had said?” Things were happening too fast, she couldn’t remember. She released her collected energy as she felt a tiny trickle of blood course down her neck. He helped her to a standing position and said, “I hope I don’t regret this.” He released his hold on her and told her, “Go.” She scrambled to get away from him. She heard and felt the mages that were accompanying her rushing to her aid. When she looked back to where the Assassin, for what else could he be, had been standing; he was gone. She tried to reach out and find him but by then the air around her was saturated with Fire, Earth, Air and Nature. She tried to break away from the crowd to see if she could sense him again, but Emmit was already inspecting the ever-so-shallow cut on her neck. She had to accept several facts all at once; it wasn’t him, he was from the Guild, and it appeared that he’d been lying in wait for the Harbormaster… She blurted, “Emmit, check inside. There may be a man in there, dead or dying!” Emmit released her and rushed inside. Less than a minute later he was walking back out, shaking his head, saying, “Nothing I can do for him. He’s dead.” Iona recounted what she’d learned but kept her thoughts to herself, “He wasn’t Gifted. Talented certainly, but not Gifted. But he just killed a man that was working with the slavers and he is from the Guild. Her Gifted target was fighting the slavers, too… It isn’t the larger young man who’s Gifted, it’s the smaller one!” Then a second realization hit, “The Guild is at war with the slavers!?”

  Chapter 21

  Cooper was shaken awake. Kolrem’s voice was telling him, “My assignment’s done.” Cooper opened one eye and looked around. It took a moment to focus but Kolrem was still leaning over him. Cooper asked, “What time is it?” Kolrem’s eyebrows came together slightly, “Not sure. Probably just after six.” His expression became thoughtful as he
continued, “Actually, now that you mention it, aren’t you normally awake by now?” Cooper reached a hand up to rub his eyes as he sat up, “Usually, maybe. But not when Miss Eiler and Mister Ysel have made it a personal mission to turn me into the perfect valet. I swear, it seems like it’s become more important to them than it is to me! They kept me up until two or three this morning!” Kolrem couldn’t pass up the opportunity, “I suppose they look at it as the ultimate test of their teaching abilities… if they can make even you appear to be someone else, then they can teach anybody.” Cooper chuckled as he turned and put his feet on the floor. It was a little colder than he’d expected. The chill on the soles of his feet helped to wake him, “Alright, how’d it go?” Kolrem started speaking in excited tones, “Well, I waited in the office, just like we talked about.” Cooper was nodding as Kolrem continued, “There were a few more people around so I took my time, holding to the shadows. Once I was inside I just waited. He showed up for work and walked inside. He probably never knew I was even there until he was dying.” Cooper asked, “I thought you intended to let him know why he was dying?” Kolrem shook his head, “That seemed too much like gloating and would’ve made it more likely that he would’ve fought, or screamed for help.” Cooper was nodding in agreement and added, “Or both.” Kolrem agreed, “Right. Or both. Anyway, I reported to Master Vorni when I got back to let him know that I’d done it. You know, I don’t think that man is ever pleased about anything.” Cooper could only think of one occasion when Master Vorni had appeared satisfied. It was when he’d been certain that Cooper was about to be executed. Cooper stood up to walk to the privy and Kolrem spoke again, “One thing that didn’t go to plan though… there was a witness. Well, she didn’t see me kill the guy, but she was right outside his door when I came out. I’m pretty sure she knew something had just happened. I came out pretty fast.” Cooper had stopped walking. He turned and faced his friend, “Did you kill her, too?” Kolrem shook his head, “No. Almost did though. She started pulling some energy together. She must have a Fire Talent, since she started putting some ice together.” Cooper asked a leading question, “Sounds powerful. Most folks on the Waterfront in the early morning hours… well, you just wouldn’t expect that kind of Talent, would you?” Kolrem shuffled his feet, “Yeah, well, she was dressed like someone from the University. She was probably a mage.” Cooper asked, “Did you mention that to Master Vorni?” Kolrem shook his head and Cooper asked, “Don’t you think you should?” Moments ago Kolrem had looked so excited, now he looked like he’d failed completely, “Probably. But the kill went just fine.” His voice had an almost pleading quality to it, “Would you go with me?” Cooper couldn’t keep his mouth from falling open as he blurted, “You realize that me just being there is likely to infuriate Master Vorni before you even tell him? You do know that, right?” Kolrem shrugged, “I don’t care about that. I just don’t want to be standing there alone when I tell him.” Cooper supposed he could understand that.

  Master Vorni wasn’t happy when he answered his door, but as they’d observed and agreed, they hadn’t expected him to be. He looked at Kolrem and started to form a question, then he saw Cooper and sneered, “What are you doing here? Don’t you have some lessons to attend? Or are you finally ready to go kill someone?” Cooper was thinking that he certainly was ready to kill someone, but he kept those thoughts to himself. Instead he replied, “We’re going to the dining hall. Kolrem just wanted to stop and give you some additional information.” Master Vorni turned his attention back to Kolrem, “Well?” Kolrem repeated what he’d told Cooper earlier. Master Vorni became less and less pleased the more he heard. He looked from Kolrem to Cooper and back to Kolrem again, “The both of you just continue to disappoint, don’t you? Yet you walk around like you’re doing all of us some kind of favor by being here! Well, the Guildmaster will have to be told of this.” He paused and gave each of them another withering glare before withdrawing back into his room and slamming his door.

  The young men had seated themselves and Kolrem was midway through recounting his exploits for the third time when Master Vorni stepped into the dining hall. A wave of silence went through the room. Master Vorni’s eyes raked across the faces in the room as he called out, “I’m not going to search for you. Mister Kolrem! Stand!” Kolrem slid back on his seat and stood, facing Master Vorni. Master Vorni focused on him, “Come with me.” Kolrem turned his head and looked down at his plate. Master Vorni’s voice lashed out, cutting him off before he could speak, “Leave it!” Then his voice softened, but only slightly, “I’m sure someone will carry it off for you.” Kolrem glanced at Cooper, who gave him a nod. Kolrem followed Master Vorni out of the room.

  Two hours later, Cooper was in the back of the Scenarios classroom with Mister Ysel. Miss Eiler was teaching the Etiquette class near the front of the large room. She had told him that his suit of clothes would be ready later today.

  Cooper had finally told Mister Ysel of his plan on how he was going to get close enough to kill Lord Talmet. Mister Ysel’s reply was almost gleeful, “Brilliant! Simplicity that relies on the victim’s own weaknesses! What’s more, it’s almost sure to succeed; if circumstances are as you describe them, that is.” Cooper smiled, “I hope so, sir. But I still lack one critical piece.” Mister Ysel’s pleased expression immediately became serious, “And what, pray tell, would that be?” Cooper cleared his throat, adopting a stuffy, proper tone, “A suitable letter of reference, good sir.” Mister Ysel replied with a wink and a smile, “You’ve come to the right place.”

  They’d just collected a sheet of parchment, quill and ink when Kolrem approached. He looked like flag on a windless day. He spoke to Cooper, “He wants to see you.” Cooper felt confused, “Master Vorni? Why?” Kolrem shook his head, “Not Master Vorni.” He took a deep breath and let it out slow, “The Guildmaster.” Cooper’s confusion continued, “Why?” Kolrem was still shaking his head, “I don’t know. I told him about my assignment. When I was done, he told me to find you and send you to see him.” As Kolrem started to turn away, he added, “And now I’m going to meet with Lash. The Guildmaster told me to go assist him with his drawing of the young woman from the University.

  When Cooper arrived in Master Worthan’s classroom, he wasn’t alone, he had a classroom of first-year students at their desks copying their textbooks. Master Worthan stood and opened the door that led to the storefront and called for someone to watch the classroom. Master Worthan crossed the room to Cooper and said, “We’ll go to the Council chamber. There’s someone there waiting for us.” Neither of them spoke until they were inside the Council chamber and the doors had been closed behind them. Cooper was the first to speak, “Felis!” Felis had been the one who closed the doors. Master Worthan spoke next, “Yes. Kolrem had started telling me about his assignment. He reached a surprising point and I called for Felis. It took a few minutes, so I had Kolrem finish telling me his story. Then when Felis arrived, he sat with us and listened as Kolrem described it all again.” Cooper guessed, “You’re talking about the person from the University?” Both men looked a little surprised but Felis spoke first, “You heard about that already?” Cooper nodded, “Yes, sir. Kolrem told me about it.” Master Worthan turned to Felis, “Thank you for your help. There’s no need to keep you any longer. Please continue with what we discussed.” As Felis stood to leave, Master Worthan added, “And please, keep me informed.” Felis bowed his head, “Of course, sir.”

  Once Felis had left the room, Master Worthan began to speak, “The woman Kolrem described is indeed someone from the University. She is someone Felis knows about, but has only met once or twice. I’ll get right to the point. She’s a Hunter, and apparently she’s looking for someone. I am almost certain it’s you. She’s the woman that Lash saw coming out of the warehouse carrying the axe you had thrown. Now she’s been out on the Waterfront, near where you were assisting Kolrem with his surveillance. Kolrem is giving his description to Lash, to make sure their descriptions are similar. Felis
is on his way to join them, he may be familiar enough with her to assist in making the drawing as accurate as possible. Once complete, and all three of them are satisfied, I’ll insist that you take a look at it.” He paused to give Cooper a chance to acknowledge his request. He then raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing the young man, “Am I safe in assuming that you Channeled at least once while helping Kolrem with his surveillance?” Cooper nodded, “Once, sir. I wanted to use the shadows and I don’t think my Talent allows that. But it was only for a couple seconds.” Master Worthan was shaking his head, “Apparently she’s much more sensitive than we had any reason to believe. I’m sure Felis understands more at this point than I’m comfortable with. At some point, he’ll need to be told. The question is, how much should he be told?” Cooper took a deep breath, “Just tell him about me, sir. No one else.” The old man was nodding, “I believe this would only confirm his suspicions at this point. I also suspect that he intends on finding a way to kill her, in order to protect you.” Cooper’s response was immediate, “No, sir! We shouldn’t do that.” Master Worthan looked intrigued, “And why not? She could expose you, and could be a weapon against more than one of us.” Cooper was shaking his head, “Just as with the classes you’ve been teaching, sir. I’m sure you know more than I do about her, and whoever she’s working with, but shouldn’t we try and find out how much they might know? And who else might know it as well? Killing her would certainly end the threat that she poses, but does it actually end the overall threat? Killing her outright might only add the University to our growing list of enemies. Right now they might suspect us, but if she’s killed, wouldn’t that confirm their suspicions? And wouldn’t they respond? Do we know what they can bring against us?” Master Worthan was almost beaming, “Now that’s how you should be thinking! If you’d been thinking like that earlier, this whole mess between you and Jarell might have turned out differently.”