Chapter 3- The greatest responsibility

Lord Downey was back at his desk. Leaning eagerly against it was young Jonathan, still wearing the same smile. Aleva was lying in the middle of the floor like a Djelibeybian statue, seemingly half-asleep.

"Now….", Downey began.

"It seems that the dog has chosen you. Naturally, I am quite concerned about this. Especially since the…. incident…."

Jonathan giggled at the memory. This particular 'incident' involved him impaling four cockerels and a piglet on a sharpened hat rack. He then proceeded to pull the intestines from each animal and wrap them around the rack to make a very macabre and bloody version of a maypole.

"That is why I am, quite coincidentally, readily prepared."

Jonathan ceased giggling and reverted to a fainter form of his previous smile.

Downey placed on the desk what appeared to be a syringe carved of walnut. Two feathered serpents of polished ebony were entwined around it, their white quartz eyes seeming to glow if you looked at them from the right angle.

"I was given this device by Aleva's previous owner. Now, hold out your arm."

Jonathan did as instructed and Downey swiftly plunged the syringe into his arm.

The boy didn't even flinch.

Not that you're supposed to flinch when someone's giving you an injection. In fact, it would be quite foolish! But whether you do or don't flinch, your arm still manages to give itself rigor mortis two hours later.

"I have just injected you with one of the most intelligent viruses on the Discworld. This pathogen is so advanced that it can be trained much like a hawk. It remains dormant and undetected by the defensive system, until the time comes for it to do the trainer's bidding. This particular version of the virus has been trained to eat you from the inside if ever you allow Aleva to become killed or mortally wounded."

Jonathan's smile faded completely and was replaced, not by an expression of fear, but by an expression of perplexity.

Was the Guild allowed to do this to its students?

"Why would anyone be so protective of a dog?"

"I do not know.", Was Downey's reply.

"But he did say the dog was almost like a daughter to him."

"Oh. I see, sir."

Jonathan's voice sounded innocent, but something in your head told you it wasn't. You didn't know exactly what it was; it was just a gut feeling this wasn't the sort of boy that you'd give a work placement at an animal farm. Speaking of which, I did my work experience on an animal farm. For some peculiar reason, several small mammals kept dying the two weeks that I was there. But that's another story.

"And because you are now officially Aleva's master, you will be given a small assignment to see if the dog's abilities are as refined as I have been told they are."

Jonathan's face lit up, like a child who has just discovered he is allowed to have his Hogswatch a month early and has also received permission to torture the school bully. Aleva twitched one ear and opened one eye a fraction. She appeared to be smirking, too.

Lord Downey placed on the desk a small, slightly torn note. Attached to it was a poor-quality photo. Through the stains, you could just make out a figure wearing very regal clothing. It may have been the stains, but his face looked as if it had been swapped with a hideous monster's and been crushed by a boulder specifically designed to bestow ugliness on whomever it fell.

"His name is Paremvi Tsrifeno. Initially, we dismissed his case, as he didn't sound all that dangerous. The individual wishing him to be inhumed also offered a relatively, rather small pay. All we know is, he has been reported to have stolen a large number of very valuable animals."

Jonathan started to show signs of boredom and disappointment. This client didn't sound much of a challenge.

Downey noticed this.

"I know you prefer more formidable clients. But you have to remember that Aleva is just a dog, however extraordinary a dog she may be. A supernatural, near-immortal creature would be too much for her."

A low, soft growl emitted from the great, blackened beast. Aleva seemed to have been somewhat infuriated by the Guildmaster's statement. Here was a dog who put high expectations upon herself!

"Remember, this is a test for her. To test her full capability."

Jonathan nodded.

"I see. But I may need more information about this 'Paremvi Tsrifeno'."

"I am afraid that this is all the information we have been given. But there may be something in the Dark Library that could be of some help."

"Thank you, sir. May I go, now?"

"Of course."

The young Assassin got up from the chair and walked towards Aleva. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, Aleva. We're going to have some fun!"

As he and the black canid walked out, Lord Downey swore he heard the boy say:

"And if you're a good girl, maybe I'll let you have the cadaver for your dinner."

He sighed and rolled his eyes.

Perhaps he could prevent Jonathan from killing something for once, but the boy could still be a very bad influence.