by Logan Jacobs
“But he’s trained me well,” the boy hastily added. “Honest, I’ve worked really hard, and I don’t want to leave, and I’m sorry, don’t make me leave. I will try and learn better, it’s just--”
“We’ll train you,” I promised the kid. “You aren’t going anywhere.”
“Are you sure?” he asked uneasily. “What if I hurt someone?”
“Master knew what surrounded you when you came here,” I reminded him. “He saw you at one of your worst moments and gave you a chance. This is his estate, his building, and his team, so for as long as he allows you in his home, you shall stay.”
“Thank you,” he meekly replied. “Thank you.”
“I should have asked sooner, but what is your name?” I asked as I studied his moppish hair and pale face.
“Elis, I guess,” the boy answered. “I haven’t found a name that suits me yet, but for now, it is Elis.”
“Well, Elis, you need to work at your powers,” I sighed. “Otherwise, especially in this line of work, it can mean the difference between life and death. But in saying that, I have no doubt in my mind that you will succeed with this and turn out to be a very fine assassin.”
The boy’s face lit up with my sentiments as he vigorously nodded, but then a look of confusion swept over his face. “Alright, but… how am I supposed to work at my powers if I don’t even know what they are, or how they work, or when to use them, or why?”
“Ahh.” I tapped my fingertips against my leg as I considered his curious gaze. Then I decided if the Master sent the boy to me, he probably intended for me to guide him in more than just his sword work. “Well, I can’t say I have all the answers, but I could clear up some of your confusion. My best guess is that you’re a conjurer mag--”
“But what does that even mean?” Elis pressed. “I’ve seen conjurers all over the city, but I don’t see what’s the difference between them and the warlocks, or the mages, or the witches, or--”
“Yes, I understand your confusion,” I chuckled. “As far as conjuring goes, depending on what power you’ve been born with, you’ll be prone to conjuring a certain thing quite well. In your case, you’re conjuring some form of spirit. A conjurer usually works with magical items in order to learn how to summon magic in most forms, though. That’s what a lot of the conjurers are doing over at the Conjurers’ Estate. Most magic users need some sort of ‘item of power.’ It could be a spell component, like a fire elementalist who needs a bit of ash, or a warlock that needs a bottled shadow, or a sorcerer with a carved stick. Different schools call them totems, or fetishes, or staves, or wands, or components. Whatever.”
“But I don’t do anything with magical items,” the kid pointed out. “This happens to me all the time, and I never touch or use anything.”
“I know,” I said with a frown. “This means you’re also a ‘mage.’ You require nothing to harness the powers you were born with. The magic comes from within you.”
“I thought mages only work with elements, though,” the boy argued. “Fire and stuff like that… Of course, I saw a sorcerer use fire once… are they mages, too?”
“Maybe,” I laughed. “Here, I’ll explain it more clearly. Witches, warlocks, conjurers, elementalists, sorcerers, or any type of magic user are all born with an innate ability to use magic through an external conduit. But being a ‘mage’ simply means you can harness your magic, whatever it is, with your body and mind alone. No magical conduits are needed.”
“Are conjurers a force to be reckoned with?” Elis asked and tilted his head.
“Absolutely,” I assured him. “Conjurers can summon creatures with intelligence to work for them. Elementalists work solely with the four elements of nature and require even simpler tools. Even just a scrap of the element they wish to influence is enough for them to work their magic. Simple enough?”
“Yeah, okay, but what about wizards?” the boy probed with wide eyes.
“Wizards are mere humans who learn magical spells and work individually on their craft,” I explained. “Some of their spells might overlap. For example, a fire elementalist can throw a fireball, but so can most wizards, but they use different magical conduits to get that ability. And before you ask, the warlocks are humans, too, but they learn magical spells for darker and more selfish purposes. Their entire estate dabbles in dark magic, soul possession, and all manner of dangerous energies that wizards couldn’t care less about.”
“Kind of like the witches do?” he asked.
“No, the witches are decent humans. At least the ones I’ve met.” I shrugged. “A little prone to radical study, perhaps. They certainly don’t fear darkness, but they are different from wizards and warlocks in other ways. Witches prefer to ingest magical plants in order to become possessed by the powers entirely. This amplifies the effect of their spells, and it’s why they have an estate when the wizards don’t. The wizards are not feared by anyone. They can practice as they please in this kingdom, so long as the king approves it. But the witches’ practices are somewhat frowned upon, and they’re safest as a collective.”
“Wow,” Elis breathed.
“Yes, there’s a lot to learn about the magic of our world,” I chuckled. “There are hundreds of different schools of magic, and like I said, some of their spells overlap. I couldn’t possibly explain it all to you today, but the easiest thing to remember is that if someone has the word ‘mage’ attached to their profession or name, it means they don’t need a totem, or component, or book to use their magic. They can do that all on their own, and they are normally more powerful than someone who uses an item to harness their power.”
“So…” he started. “An air elementalist might use a feather to cast a wind spell?”
“Correct.” I nodded.
“But an air elementalist mage could just cast the same spell without the feather?”
“Yep,” I said, “and most of the time that would be a more powerful spell. Not all the time, though. There are new mages, like you, who don’t know their ass from a hole in the ground, and then there are magic users who could use a totem to level our entire kingdom. Hard and fast rule is that mages are more powerful, for the most part. They tend to have more natural ability.”
“But what about the inherent magic of beings like faer--”
The sound of footsteps approaching from the higher ground silenced the boy, and the entire combat area seemed to go quiet, as well.
The quietness could only mean one thing: the Master was walking in our direction.
“Master Abbot,” I announced and swiveled my body around to meet his feet on the ledge.
“So… you have met the boy,” he said in his same baritone voice, and he folded his hands as he looked down on us both. “Keeps you on your toes, yes?”
“To say the least,” I chuckled.
“Would you mind helping out with the maintenance for a moment?” the Master asked the boy.
“Yes, Master!” Elis chirped, and he dashed off before I could mention what had just happened.
“A conjurer?” I asked once the boy was out of sight.
“And a powerful one at that,” Master Abbot agreed.
“A mage?” I mouthed the words so nobody around me could hear.
The Master nodded and smiled. “I’m sorry to cut off your training session, but I have a job for you.”
“Sure, what is it?” I jumped up on the platform and looked at him in his ageing eyes.
“Just a bit of fun,” Master Abbot said with a small shrug. “I have a dragonkin for you to murder.”
Chapter 5
My standard work uniform was a tunic slightly more fitted than the one I trained in, simple brown trousers, and my trusty cloak I carried around with me everywhere. The attire was simple enough that anyone might be seen wearing the same thing around Ocadia, and it was easy enough to cover up with any number of disguises my jobs might require.
I adjusted the ties at my neck as I stood near the mirror in my room, and then I looked at the w
eapons rack on my ivy-covered wall.
I had never killed a dragonkin before. I’d never killed a dragon, either, so I needed to decide which weapon would give me the best possible advantage. Dragonkin had scales tougher than anything I had managed to pierce, so for this, I needed something with a sharp, conical tip. I’d already concluded a bow and arrow would be the best weapon considering a dragonkin was so large, and I preferred to kill it before it had a chance to spot me or attack first.
I rifled my fingers through my collection of arrows before finding the perfect one.
It was circular at the bottom with an aerodynamic tip and made from a mixture of steel and Pluto rock, so it was almost indestructible. The tip had been dusted with foxglove pollen, too, which was notoriously known to be poisonous to dragons. The wood of the shaft was meticulously carved into a perfectly straight line while the base had small feathers that had been plucked from a peacock.
I decided to use my favored longbow as its component.
Then I threw my equipment into my bag and slung the bow over my shoulder, shifted my cloak over it, and closed my bedroom door.
It wasn’t usual for me to have two jobs in only two days. Most months, I only worked a handful of assassinations, but I felt blessed to be given a big job such as killing a dragonkin. They were notoriously difficult to defeat, but someone had to do it.
And that someone needed to be the best.
It used to be the Master who took difficult jobs like these into his own hands, but now the reins were slowly being passed, and it was up to me to prove my skill set, not only to him, but also to myself. I’d always dreamed of slaying a dragon, like many other men in Ocadia, but there was a low survival rate for those who actually tried.
I made my way down to the Master’s office before leaving and knocked on the door.
“Come in, Dex,” he called out.
I confidently entered, set my supplies on the floor, and took a seat opposite of Master Abbot at his desk.
“I am ready to slay this dragonkin,” I announced. “I will not fail you, Master.”
“Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves,” he chuckled. “Let me go over everything first.”
“Sure.” I smiled. “What do I need to know.”
The Master pulled out a scroll from his drawer and unraveled the blank paper. Then he glided his hand over it until water droplets formed over the top. Suddenly, a collection of writings and a map appeared in front of us, and he swiveled the paper in my direction.
“This is where the dragonkin resides,” Master Abbot said as he placed his finger on the left side of the map. “And that is where the assassination should take place.”
It was to the northwest side of the kingdom, just past the Alchemists’ Estate, and the quarter was known for shady deals and dark magic.
“I see, and what are the grounds for the killing?” I was intrigued as to why someone wanted this particular dragonkin dead. It would have cost them an exorbitant amount in gold, so the reason must have been unavoidable.
“The dragonkin has been sloppy with his hunting tactics,” the Master confessed. “Apparently, he has gone outside of his boundaries and caused destruction to the surrounding houses as well as taken their livestock.”
“This seems like feeble grounds to kill someone so large,” I told him.
“Indeed,” Master Abbot agreed. Then he lifted his long finger and shifted it slightly to the side of the dragonkin’s home. “You see by here?”
The paper underneath his finger started to flow with a thin stream of water.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Here by the river is where the latest incident happened,” he explained. “A few days ago, the dragonkin killed a whole group of elven servants there, and the duke who employed them is seeking retribution.”
“How many servants?” I cringed.
“Around fourteen,” the Master said with a tired sigh. “They all lived in the borough. Some who died at the attack made up a whole family.”
I nodded. “I can see why they are upset.”
“As can I,” the Master said as he lifted up his finger and let the paper go blank again. “That is why I said we would take on such a dangerous task. Justice is hard to come by in the city, but for the right price, we can ensure those who deserve to be punished are.”
“Especially if their wealth means they are untouchable by the kingdom’s law,” I agreed.
“When you are Master, you’ll need to do your diligence to ensure we are only taking contracts that fit within the scope of our estate. We don’t kill innocents, we let the evils of this world feed upon each other, and we let those who do not have justice grasp it.”
“I understand.”
“Of course, the greater risks involved mean higher pay, and our prices often prevent frivolous jobs.” He continued as he grabbed a hefty sack from the drawer and let it rest next to the scroll. “Quadruple what you have ever earned on a single mission before.”
I wasn’t in the business to make money, and I rarely spent much of it, but it was nice to see the burlap sack that gleamed with the shiny metal. The increase in my earnings was quantitative proof that I was getting better at my career.
“It’s a difficult task,” I hummed.
“It is,” the Master agreed. “But a necessary one. The duke who asked for this hit said this most recent incident actually isn’t the first time something like this has happened to his servants.”
“What happened last time?” I asked.
“I don’t know the details so well,” the older man admitted. “Something to do with a couple of the duke’s kitchen staff being left half-eaten in the forest after they went foraging.”
“So, similar to this time,” I replied. “I must admit, I don’t have any experience with those of dragon descent.”
“Not many people do,” the Master responded. “They tend to be rather solitary creatures and usually aren’t much trouble, but I am sure you will be fine.”
“And what happens to the binding,” I posed. “You know, if something happens to me in the process. What if I am not victorious?”
“You have never failed me once,” the Master reminded me. “And I don’t imagine that changing now. Although, if you were to die in battle, then the binding would be broken, and I would have to find someone else.”
“I know I will come out of this victorious,” I said. “What is the timeline?”
“Our client wants it done within the next few days. Hence another increase in price. Most assassins would need many weeks to plan such a job, but your magic makes the task not as difficult. With that said, this will be your hardest job yet. Are you okay to take on this task alone?”
“Of course, I am.” I smiled. “If anything, I have been waiting for this opportunity for many years now.”
“Good lad.” The man smiled back. “Here’s something to get you there.”
Master Abbot tossed me a few gold coins from the hefty sack, and I quickly shoved them in my pocket.
“I’ll be back less than an hour after nightfall,” I assured him.
“That quick?” He raised an eyebrow.
“If it can be done. I will do it.”
The Master bowed his head to me and then rose from his chair. I returned the bow and headed for the door, and I grabbed my supplies along the way before I swung the door open and carefully closed it behind me.
In the corridor, the lanterns glowed red and reflected on the teak wood flooring. The dragonflies that were stitched into the tapestry beside me disappeared suddenly, but they reappeared on the tapestry closest to the water element fountain by the time I made it there. Then the gold-stitched snakes uncoiled from the carpet in the reception area, but they quickly returned to their posts when they sensed who I was.
“Are you off?” Mazne asked from behind the counter.
“I am,” I returned.
“Okay, one minute, then.” The receptionist got up from her seat and crouched under the desk to pull out a
pile of clothing. “The Master had this gathered up for you for your mission.”
I grabbed the clothes off her and shoved them into my satchel. I hadn’t the time to see what I’d be looking like, but judging by the weight, I was to wear multiple layers for protection.
“Thanks,” I replied as I tied up my bag and slung everything back over my shoulder.
“Be safe,” Mazne said in her sweetest tone. She was always so worried when we went out in the field, as if we didn’t do it most days of our lives.
“Of course,” I humored her.
She smiled at me as I reached for the ivy-covered knob, and the stems retracted back into the walls so I could exit.
Just before I left, I noticed the boy, Elis, hiding in the shadows of the door, so I scruffed his moppish hair up and smirked.
“What are you doing out here?” I asked.
“Where are you going?” he eagerly blurted out.
“Just on a job,” I informed him. “I’ll be back soon.”
The kid nodded and flattened his hair back over his eyes.
“Good luck, Dex,” he shouted.
I turned to face him, and in the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Mazne, who looked startled by the boy’s sudden voice. I figured she’d never heard much from him before today, either.
“Thank you, Elis,” I returned to the child.
The fresh air hit me like a wall as I exited the building, and the harsh breeze hit me through my tunic. It was colder than it was the day before, and thick clouds had gathered in the sky since I’d left the training grounds earlier.
Like usual, I decided to walk to my destination. It was going to take a few hours to reach the dragonkin’s home, either way, but walking helped me prepare for the task at hand. There was always something so refreshing about walking in the crisp air, and it made my mind a lot clearer, and my body less tense.
I jostled with the bow beneath my cloak until it perfectly aligned between my shoulder blades, and then I headed west. I walked through the abandoned coven and the alley paths where a collection of houses sat. Some were made from clay, but most were made up of wood. My feet kicked up the dusty mud with each step while my cloak flicked behind me in the wind, and I crossed between the houses until I came to the same route I’d walked down yesterday.
