The character Angjra belongs to me, the world of Everquest, its cities and locations belongs to Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) which I'm just borrowing for a non-profit story.
Assassin
By Rachel
Halting, the dark elf ears twitched listening for any reaction caused when her foot came down onto the creaking roof shingle, counting her heart beats she waited until she got to a hundred before she once again started making her way across the roof tops of the Big Bend district.
It would've been an almost impossible task for anyone to do during the day considering the uneven housing, buildings put up for the needs of the daily influx of refugees, with the Big Bend area designated for Trolls and Ogre's, but to do it at night would be considered insane by most. But for a Tier'dal, a race that lived in caves for most of their history the partial moon made it almost bight as day to her elfin eyes.
Carefully she picked her way over the roof tops towards the location she chosen during the day for her best chance, as the back of her mind played over the series of events that brought her to this point. Of course being an assassin played into it, accepting coin for killing, and the victim of her latest employer lived here among the trolls and ogres, even though he was a human! Holding back her chuckle, it had been like finding the pearl in a bucket of rocks, but that had been the easy part. Like most times she's been hired it'd been by one merchant wanting a rival eliminated, one that was under-cutting his prices, so rather than lowering his prices, he just hired her to kill the rival, unfortunately the fool boosted that he hired an assassin, so her prey was now locked behind sturdy doors with over twenty trolls and ogre's guarding him.
She spent a day and night scouting the house before she gave up the idea of trying to sneak in. The guards were good, they patrolled in three's with no time table, they had a good lieutenant, one that mixed up the patrol times. So then her thoughts went to another way, a human locked up, unable to go outside, he'll desire a diversion. So a dark elf courtesan appeared in the area making introductions to the merchants in the area, making pleasant conversations and learning the local gossip. She would plan a night with her prey and before she would leave in the morning with coin for 'services' she would slip the human some slow acting poison. Only during her rounds she found that the reason the human lived in the Big Bend area was his passion for troll women. A shutter came unbidden at the memory, while as a Tier'dal she was not without her own kinks, yet the idea of mating with a troll…shuttering again she glanced around to get her bearings and continued onwards.
As she came to the edge of the roof, she looked down almost four stories, three would be about fatal to her small frame but without pause she pulled a coil of rope from her pack and checked the street again, then the roof top she was aiming for while her mind went back to the previous day.
Besides finding out about the human kink for trolls, she also learned that he was hiring. Posing as a guard for a kill was not one of her favorite methods, while the city guards may not search too hard for the criminal elements, having a face to go with a murder made the guards look a bit harder so that they could at least make it look like they could do their job. So with a change of hair style, some black paint on her face to add some shadows, and a nose ring, by the gods she hated that nose ring, kept on wanting to sneeze. With a prayer to the god of hate she went to the meeting, hoping that maybe the merchant would be conducting it but she didn't really expect it. And to her non-surprise it was held by the troll lieutenant, which turned out to be a completely different job and not guard duty at all. After a long talk about the services required an idea came to her, so she asked for a high amount of coin, the lieutenant seemed at first ready to send her on her way, but with a second thought told her to wait.
Doing her best not to look interested, the troll left the room leaving her with three guards to discourage any thoughts of leaving the room. But the troll and thankfully most other races forgot about her elfin ears. She listened as the heavy footsteps turn left, counted how many steps before the barest creak of the first stair. Most races would've lost track by now, even among her own. But with decades of practice and concentration she could hear the faint knock, a long pause of unheard conversation before the sound of the steps coming back.
It was shortly after that she left the house with fresh coin in her pouch, it had been a mistake to have allowed her inside, no matter how many guards, she got what she needed. Pausing as the gate was shut behind her, she gave a quick glance upward, front left of the house behind wooden shutters lived her target. And across the street from the house three stories upwards, the place for a perfect shot with a bow stood a troll guard. Just as she started to think of ways to kill the guard, she received a shock as the rooftop guard seemed to wave to her. Instinctively her head jerked back her body turned to check behind when her eyes took in the party of four guards walking the perimeter of the house, the lead guard hand dropping to his side. So she knew then, not only was there a guard on the rooftop, they also checked to make sure he was a living guard.
The throw was perfect, with the loop around the large chimney the assassin pulled and it seemed secured, but here's when she started to be fun, with a gentle exhale, she jumped off the roof quickly pulling herself along the rope easing the drop downwards, it was all timing, years of experience fighting back the instinct to just hold onto the rope. But then she'll end up near the second floor, and the reason for this leap would be voided, she most likely would be seen. But as she twisted her body around to soften the impact by hitting the side wall with her feet instead of the facing wall and use her momentum to run up the side and over the edge, turning to land on her front with a soft thud.
Seven heartbeats her mind said, from the leap to the landing, only seven, if anyone was looking up she was caught, but no sound came from below. It would've been just a flash of darkness caught out of a corner eye, a bird, bat, must of only imagined it someone on the ground would think. But she was now on the roof she wanted, the alert patrols below were continuing in ignorance. Releasing the rope she stood and thanked the god of hate for watching over her, plus her padded armor she admitted with a smile before loosening the rope and throwing it back to the other so her escape would be ready.
Taking a second coil from her pack she spend the next quarter mark working her way across the shingles, here all her skills came into play, for about fifteen feet away and a few feet down stood the troll guard. Any sound now would alert the troll she knew, anyone standing high above the ground, alone, for hours with no one to talk to would be bored out of their minds, and any sound out of the ordinarily would rise their curiosity. Moving inch by long inch the Tier'dal made her way across the roof, the house of her human prey stood across the street, dark but she knew alert, for this was the time of assassin's. Turning her head downwards she could see the top of the bald head of the troll guard, so she started the next phase of her plan. Taking the second coil of rope she tied it around the nearest chimney and made a pair of foot size loops then added a second shorter rope before she laid flat on the roof top and watched. She watched for a full mark, during that time the roving patrol of guards in the house compound made four circuits each time waving to the rooftop guard and only moving on after he raised his hand in return.
Quickly now, she knew it was time to act, easing the bow off of her back strap, Angjra carefully placed it on the ledge beside her along with the pair of special arrows she'll need for the work. Then waited and watched until the patrol did their round and the guard waved back then the mixed group of trolls and ogres continued onwards. Quickly moving she placed her feet into the loops of the chimney rope and slowly edged towards the side backwards on her rear while gripping the second rope in her hands. As she got closer she said a prayer to her god for the shingles not to break as she leaned over the side, inching her way further and further until at last she allowed her knees to bend, she hated this position because for a short time she was unable to see the guard below, but as her knee's flexed the trolls head came into view, until at last she hanging upside down her own head inches from the guards. Then slowly so not to rise even the sounds steel upon leather she pulled her twin Kris' for the nights first death.
Tilting her head, Angjra looked down at the Troll, she could see the sparse hair on top of its head, hear its breath, smell its scent, this was a joy to some assassin's, a curse to others, to see, hear and smell those they kill as close as a lover. Without another thought and trusting her aim, she shifted her grip on her Kris' and swung her arms downwards with all her might.
She wondered what the Troll saw in the fraction of a heartbeat as her Kris' came into view and penetrated his eyes as the force of her blow kept driving the pointed blades through his brain before exploding out the back of his skull, the tips plunging deep into the wooden walls with only a small thud to announce the Trolls soundless death.
Releasing her grip, it took a fraction of time to see that her blades kept the Troll in place as if standing to those on the ground she thought. Quickly she grabbed the rope she used to lower herself with and pulled herself back up onto the roof. Not wasting a second she grasped the bow and pair of arrows and trailing the rope behind her dropped down to the balcony with the dead Troll. Setting her weapons down, she pulled out a line of cord out of her pocket and tossed it over the hilt of one of her Kris's tying one end to the Trolls hand, the other end she let out as she laid down on the balcony and watched the scene below.
Her view of the courtyard was perfect, only the bored gate guards were in sight which was all the better to her as she touched the dark cap covering her hair. That was one thing many young dark elf always forgot about, while their dark skin allowed them to hide in the shadows, their snow white hair would give them away to an alert eye. But lying on the balcony floor she would be almost impossible to see from the ground, nor should the gruesome spectacle of a Troll held up by a pair of daggers thrust through his eyes be evident. Her musings were interrupted when she saw the small party of guards enter the courtyard look up and waved. Slowly she pulled on the cord from her hiding spot, not too fast, not too slow her mind told her. The guards would see what they expected, one of their cohorts standing his post giving a gesture back, which seemed to satisfied the ones below as they turned and walked back into the house.
Swiftly Angjra rose and grabbed one of the arrows, this was one of her special arrows, and costly, but one that never failed her yet, the tip was a razor-sharp and over a finger length long with more than a dozen barbs carved into the sides. A healer would have to butcher a victim to remove it, not that would've helped, as she pulled a metal vial from her inside pocket and removed the cork so she could drip the arrow head within pulling it back out a green slime seemed to cover the head as she laid it back down and put the vial away and seized her bow.
She looked down hoping they would be there soon while stringing the bow, and with a prayer of thanks smiled as the city guard came into view. While the Overlord searched the land for more refugees to bring into the city, that never meant he trusted them, so even the Big Bend area was patrolled by the city guards, the very human city guards she thought with a smile. It has always been a conflict that here in the district of Troll's and Ogre's, they were watched over by human guards, which has caused more than one brawl, picking up the second arrow, the Tier'dal smiled as she looked over the tip anticipating very soon the latest dispute.
Notching the blunt tip arrow to her bow, Angjra carefully watched the human guards approaching the gate and recalled the advice of the master assassin that taught her. "Being an assassin means more than just killing," the old Drow had said, "It means knowing your enemy, and who Angjra is your enemy?" Pausing in her thoughts to check once again the rawhide patch tied over the blunt tip to ensure it would not puncture the skin. "Everyone," she had answered crisply, which to old Drow nodded in approval, "Correct, know the races, know what makes their hearts beat faster, what fear catches their throats, who's face calls for blood, what would bring them from safety into your range, learn those steps, and you'll live to an old age like me."
She wondered what had happened to her master for a moment, one day he told her there was nothing more from him to learn and that was the last she saw of him. She heard rumors that he had retired to a comfortable life with the riches he earned, but she wondered if she could live long enough to earn that.
But hastily she thrust those thoughts to the back of her mind and locked them away, for the guards were now closing in to the pair of Trolls guarding the house gate. Know your enemies her master had said as she lined up her shot, pulling back the bow string she aimed carefully, timing for an assassin was their life, too soon or too late was success or failure, timing the guards approach to the sentries, how soon her arrow would hit as they pass the Trolls all was timing and race she contemplated as her fingers relaxed and released the arrow.
Angjra watched as the arrow flew to its mark, just behind the human guard as he passed the Troll, who cried out in pain as he was stuck in the back of his thigh. The human turned at the cry spinning around and lowered his spear before seeing the Troll clutching his leg in pain, then just as swiftly he noticed the arrow lying on the ground, putting two and two together the human came up with archer. While the Troll grabbed his thigh in pain and looked around seeing a hated human city guard with a lowered spear, put two and two together and came up with ninety-four. As she expected the Troll swung a clutched fist upwards slamming it into the guards chin, lifting him off the ground and snapping his neck, the guard's partner cried out for help and attacked the pair of Trolls.
Within moments more city guards came rushing down the street while a gang Ogres and Trolls locked up and bored out of their minds charged out of the gate to meet the onrush of reinforcements.
Grinning at the chaos, the Tier'dal hastily grabbed her killing arrow and turned, her dark enhanced sight at the wooden shutters on the left side of the house. Now came the time for human nature, a master of a house, whose guards for some reason were fighting the city guards, it'll take a minute or two to understand what was happening, then another half minute to summon the lieutenant and instruct that the fight be stopped at once, then…..waiting, hearing the sounds of battle, time passing, wondering what was going on, if his commands were being obeyed then…
Any other but a Tier'dal would not have seen it, slowly one of the wooden slats rose until there was half a fingers gap, and a pale human eye stared out looking at the scene below. Without taking a breath Angjra pulled back her bowstring once again and aimed carefully, quick she had to be, but only one chance she'll have as she released the arrow and watched it speed across the street within a single heartbeat and pierce through the human eye peeking out of the shutter.
The instant the arrow shaft left the bow, Angjra slung it over her head fitting it into its harness while her elfin eyes tracked the arrows path, the tip pieced the eye looking out between the windows wooden slants driving the face backwards along with the rest of the arrow. Even though she watched the projectile hit, the assassin didn't hear a sound expect for the fighting going down on the street, if anyone would even look up all that could be seen was a slightly cockeyed window slant.
Spinning around she forgot about the target, he was either dead or dying, or she could have hit the wrong man, whichever happen it was too late to worry about it now, her concern now was escape. She was not one of those that would look at dying in order to complete a mission, she was paid to kill not be killed and she intended to enjoy her coin. But first she reached up gripping the handles of her Kris' and pushed them both up before jerking down hard, the tips came free of the wall and the body of the Troll slumped to the balcony floor, with her foot on the Trolls chest she jerked back pulling her blades free.
As she put her Kris' back into their sheaths, the assassin took a fleeting glance toward the street below, the fight was mostly over it seemed with over a dozen city guards holding about five of the house guards prisoner. She knew their fate, looked like two guards were dead, the five would pay for the deaths, while the now slain merchant would be expected to paid bribes not to be included in the executions.
Gripping the rope that she left hanging down, Angjra swiftly made it back up to the roof and gathers her ropes then in seconds where earlier she spend minutes she was across the roof and swinging across to the other side. She stayed on the roofs as she made her way across the district to the hiding spot she had picked out at the beginning of the night. New assassins would've tried to get out of the district before the murder had been discovered, but that would mean the gate guards remembering a dark elf passing though during the night. Then there was the docks and the overseer, most of the population thought the overseer was there only to greet the new refugees for the district, but he also kept track of the coming and goings of every citizen and what time they passed. No, she thought, find a hiding spot and just walk out with everyone else going about their daily business.
Setting the bow down, the dark elf slid into the small empty space between two buildings and closed her eyes, even a fellow dark elf would be hard put to see her in this spot unless they were right on top of her, so feeling safe for now, she slept.
Her eyes opened twice during the night, once at the sound of a rat scouring across the roof, the second time was the sound of a large party of men on the streets below checking the doors, her ears followed the sound of the footsteps going down alleyways, she knew they were looking for the merchants killer. Once again she closed her eyes and waited for morning in order to leave the district and complete her business with her employer.
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Easing her way down the street, Angjra fitted in with the morning crowd of hunters, mercenaries, and the common citizens of Freeport. Just about everyone went about armed, so a Tier'dal carrying weapons coming out of an alley was..normal for the city.
Turning the corner at a slow walk, she noticed the gate to the merchant's house not only stood open but a steady stream of Trolls and Ogre's was coming out carrying pieces of furniture, though she wondered what the Troll wearing a chamber pot over his head thought it was. Yet her path took her to the tent some enterprising peddler who had set up across from the open gate, although he didn't seem all that busy. "Greetings" she said with the standard nod, which meant mostly 'let's get our business over with so I can go on my way' yet she looked over the merchants wares eyeing some treats in the back of the stall.
Since he was in Big Bend with a Tier'dal customer, the peddler first looked around for the nearest guard, seeing none he nodded and replied "greetings" or 'please don't rob me, nobody is buying from me in the first place.'
Pointing to the back of the stall the assassin smiled "I like the look of those chocolate feyberries in the back, how much?" Surprised at the request the merchant set the tray before the Tier'dal and spend the next quarter mark haggering over the price. "What's going on across the street?" Angjra asked as she pulled a small empty sack out of her pack, when the merchant turned his head to follow her gaze at the exiting looters, the assassin quickly dumped a vial of dark powder into the bottom of the bag and then started to carefully select the best berries and gently place them in her sack.
"The house lord's dead" the peddler replied after a moment, "some bastard shot him in the eye with a poison arrow they say." Turning back to his customer he watched and counted the number of berries she was picking, feeling as if he may get some profit after all, he smiled, "Either way, their was a big skirmish last night, one of the trolls killed a couple of the city guard and of course the city guard killed bout eight..ten of the house guards, and when they went to get payment from the lord for the dead city guard, they found him. Since then they been looting the place since no one's paying them any more."
Nodding, the Tier'dal reached into her pocket and flipped the merchant a gold coin and turned heading for the docks. Catching the coin the peddler smirked he knew the women was shorting him, but then he was expecting it from a Tier'dal, but least he made a profit and forgot about her as he turned back to watch the steady stream of looters.
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The boat ride to Beggar's Court didn't take long, as she expected her employer was already feasting at the open tavern, taking a Feyberry from her sack, she slowly ate as she ambled towards the merchant. The man looked up and smiled at the approaching woman and nodded to the seat across from him, "His shops are already mine!" He boasted gleefully, as the Tier'dal sat across from him taking another treat from her bag.
"I should get a bonus" Angjra said in annoyance between bites, "Your bragging send him into hiding and I had to spend extra time setting it up"
The human looked around and quickly set a small bag on the table in front of the assassin, "I paid you well in the first place, so what if I made things more…exciting, you enjoyed it didn't you?" He asked as he glanced at the sack of chocolates the Tier'dal was eating.
Shrugging her shoulders Angjra grabbed another berry out of her bag and looked inside as if seeing how many were left while giving the sack a shake before setting it on the table and grabbing her sack of coins. "It was an..interesting kill" she said with apparent disinterest.
Smirking, the merchant grabbed the bag of chocolates and took one out eyeing it with relish, "See, so what if he was on his guard, you had a appealing kill, I got rid of a rival." Smiling he bit into the juicy berry feeling the combination of tart and sweetness run down his throat, "Besides, I'm sure you'll find more work soon, after all this is Freeport."
Chuckling the assassin nodded, "In a way I did," she remarked as the human looked at her while eating another berry. "Since your rival heard about you hiring an assassin, he went out and hired his own."
Freezing in mid-bite, the merchant's eyes widen then fearfully looked around. "Relax," the dark elf said with a chuckle, "while I was trying to get close to him, I was hired for the job, even got paid in advance."
Laughing out loud the human finished his chocolate berry and smiled at the Tier'dal as she started getting up from her seat, "Sounds like you got your bonus after all!" He exclaimed loudly.
Joining the merchant in his laugh Angjra nodded, as she said in a tone keeping with the human's mirth, "One thing, when I'm paid for work, I finish the job." With a wave of her hand, the assassin turned her back to the merchant and walked away towards the docks.
The merchant kept chuckling for a few moments longer until the Tier'dal's words finally started to sink in, then with clear understanding he leaped to his feet dropping the bag of sweets, running in the opposite direction his only thought was to get to his house and lock the doors. The crowd parted angrily as the human shoved his way pass before with a gasp he stopped and clutched his throat, dizzily he spun around trying to catch sight of the assassin before slowly falling to the ground.
As Angjra got into the ferry to take her back home, she started to calculate how long it'll take the crowd in Beggar's Court to strip the merchant leaving nothing to show who he was, and how long it'll take before someone misses him. A few days at least she thought with a smile, plenty of time for shopping and finding more work.
Fin