F-tier Assasin - Chapter 2

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I'm still trying to figure out a release schedule for this story. But think I might make it every Friday. The aim is to have Book 1 done before it hits RR in February.

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Chapter 2

“Ashlan Grey, Assassin!”

            “F-tier!”

            The announcement seemed to echo across the plaza, before it was swallowed up by laughter and jeering boos.

            Ashlan was red-faced with embarrassment as he quickly stormed off the podium, though not before catching sight of the rich boy, who’d been behind him in the line. He was keeled over on all fours and laughing so hard it looked like he might puke.

            A rare Profession that is extremely lucrative and exciting, but with the worst damn Rank possible!? What kind of farce is this!?

            He was so outraged that he leapt from the altar’s stage and landed on the flagstones several metres away. His homemade sandals absorbed the impact and the sound was swallowed up by the volume of the crowd. With the sound they were making, it would clearly take the Announcer several minutes to restore order and allow the next youth to be assigned.

            But he didn’t care. He just had to get out of there.

            I wish I was invisible. This is so embarrassing!

            Just as there was a ‘tunnel’ cleared for those ascending the altar, so too was there a tunnel through the crowd that led away from it. Ashlan ran away from the Idol on the podium, while the laughter only seemed to grow louder. He passed by the smiling and crying newly-assigned Carpenter in the blue dress, but she did not even notice his passing.

            At the end of the unobstructed tunnel was the edge of the plaza, with shops set into the wall and raised up a few stone steps from where most people were standing. Here, the spectators were seated by the various cafes that lined the outer rim. He knew, from past observations, that many prospective employers waited by the tables for a chance to snag a newly-assigned with the right Profession.

            None of those seated and watching the podiums noticed Ashlan’s shameful face, as he weaved around their tables and the servers walking to-and-fro. They carried plates of sweetmeats and porcelain cups with foamy coffee or hot cacao. Normally, he would have snagged a few pieces here-and-there, as sweetmeats were not an expenditure he could justify with what little he scraped together every week. But not today.

            He stormed by the shops and went through one of the open gates that led to the ‘outside’. The sounds of mockery were immediately suppressed as the gate’s stone walls surrounded him. It felt like the moment when he’d dived into the ocean and experienced the strange calm from only being able to hear his own breathing and heartbeat, after his head went under the water’s surface.

On the other side of the wall, he emerged into the thick stream of people walking down the sunlit boulevard. He immediately headed north towards his home. Golden-leafed trees ran down the middle of the large road carving its way through the Plaza district, separating foot-traffic from the carriages on the other side. Tall apartment buildings with balconies lined the wall opposite the plaza.

< < Contract Update > >

< < New System Contract assigned > >

A System Contract already?? he wondered, surprised.

It wasn’t normal to be assigned a Contract by the System right after undergoing Assignment. Usually most people wouldn’t get their first one until Sol’s Day, since tomorrow, System Day, was a day of rest where Contracts were generally not assigned.

But, I can’t check it here, I’ve got to find somewhere quiet.

            As always with any large thoroughfare, the pedestrians were split into parallel streams. There were those who set a leisurely pace to wherever they were headed, and those walking so fast that they might as well be running. These two types came-and-went in both directions, intermingling in a way that was incomprehensible if you hadn’t grown up in Eventide. Despite the seemingly-chaotic nature of it, it had a flow that could be learnt, but there were unwritten rules to follow.

            Running at full tilt was frowned upon and definitely a faux pas. Ashlan fully expected disapproving remarks from his reckless behaviour, and yet no reprimands came, as he moved around people like water around rocks in a riverbed.

            It is as if, by the very utterance of the Announcer, I have become invisible… Just like the Unassignable everyone pretends don’t exist.

            He couldn’t explain why no one saw him, until the reality of his situation truly hit him.

            I’ve been assigned. As an Assassin. Perhaps my Skills aren’t entirely useless after all!

            Speeding up, Ashlan moved down the boulevard until coming to one of the tributary streets that led eastward. Here, he found a shaded spot below a workshop’s blue-painted awning, squatting down in its shadow to take in his new reality. Immediately, a sense of calm overcame him.

“Assignment,” he said. It was the phrase that he’d heard a thousand times before and always eagerly awaited to use himself, for it contained within it the power to access the System and appraise one’s own strength.

< < Assignment > >

< < Ashlan Grey — Assassin (F-tier) > >

< < Proficiency > >

< < Novice I — 0/10 Proficiency > >

< < Skills > >

< < Lurk > >

< < Contracts > >

< < System — Assassin Intro > >

            Lurk? He had never heard of that Skill before.

            “System, describe the ‘Lurk’ Skill.”

< < Skill — Lurk (F-tier) > >

< < Become inconspicuous amidst crowds and blend into shadows at will > >

< While Active >

< < Crawling and crouching movements improved slightly > >

< < Movement sounds reduced moderately > >

            That explains why no one noticed me! It seems like the most obvious kind of Assassin Skill I could get… but is this it?

            “System, where are the rest of my Skills?”

            [Ashlan Grey, you possess an F-tier Assignment. This means you only receive one starting Skill. An additional Skill may be unlocked by acquiring 10 Proficiency Points and reaching Novice II. Proficiency Points are acquired through completing Contracts, with System Contracts rewarding the most.]

            Great…

            He knew that the logic made sense, as E-tier and D-tier both received two starting Skills, C and B received three, and A and S received four. Still, he felt it was extremely unfair, as his Skills would also match his horrible Rank.

            Chin up. Let’s have a look at the Contract.

            “System, describe my System Contract.”

< < Contract — Assassin Intro (System) > >

< < Rewards — 500 Silver Coins & 1 Proficiency Point > >

< < Locate the entrance to the Assassins’ Guild > >

< < ???? > >

            Damn, five-hundred Silvers! That’s twelve weeks’ worth of rent! At least the Contracts are no joke!

            Both of his parents would have to work for a full five weeks to make that much combined.

Not surprised that this Profession also has a Guild, though I’m guessing finding the entrance is easier said than done…

He felt a vague pull towards the south, as though an invisible hand had grabbed his linen shirt and gestured for him to follow. He’d never even heard of the Assassins’ Guild before, so he felt sure that it was hidden well. After all, if it was common knowledge, people might retaliate, as Assassins seemed to straddle the line between lawful and criminal, with only the System seeming to understand their true role in the world.

But, as an F-tier, what worth can I really provide to the Guild?

Unprompted, the System addressed him:

[It is common to feel trepidation about your new Assignment or its Rank. Fret not, I have a place for you mapped out. The other members of the Guild are awaiting your arrival.]

“I had no idea you did pep-talks. Still, an Assassin welcome party… Not sure how I feel about that.”

No reply came.

His parents rarely ever invoked the System, as though frivolous questions would inconvenience it somehow. Others constantly relied on it for advice or explanations of the most basic things. Probably the fact that his parents didn’t rely on it was what had made him who he was, as he’d learnt to find his own answers.

Ashlan sat down on the ground completely, leaning his back against the wall of the workshop. The noise from Hrothgar’s Place radiated through the street and its buildings. It seemed like that probably brought the property value down around the plaza, while, ironically, the balconies within it were some of the most expensive real estate you could buy.

“Fucking F-tier…” he muttered. Then chuckled to himself, with a mix of disbelief and self-pity.

Perhaps this is punishment for working around the System and utilising the Unassignable it threw aside.

Ashlan had never spoken directly to someone with an F-tier Profession before, but his Unassignable friends had, and they said that these were people more miserable than them, if such a thing was possible.

He thought of Marky, the Unassignable man who’d wanted to be a Barber, and who always shaved Ashlan’s stubble and cut his hair. He didn’t speak much, on account of once having been beaten so badly that it left him permanently addled. But, he was content and made a decent living as a cheap Barber in Northside district, where Ashlan’s apartment lay. To him, Marky was an inspiration to not give up, no matter what kind of shit life, or the System, threw in your face.

I’ve always considered myself more than what the System thought of me. It called my bluff, but I won’t be broken that easily! I won’t let this F-tier define me!

Ashlan pushed himself back onto his feet.

“Time to find this Guild and make myself some new friends.”

The large thoroughfares in Eventide were clearly the fastest way to get around, but Ashlan had always made a habit of avoiding them, due to the Sentinels monitoring these roads. He ran down one narrow alleyway after another, swerving around the Street Sweepers diligently doing their jobs. If not for them, much of the city would be overrun with filth.

            Plaza district didn’t lay far from Oceanview, which was where it seemed the directional tug of his Contract was leading him. But Plaza was a densely-packed place and cumbersome to navigate, thanks to all the sandy-white high-rise apartments constructed around the plazas, which gave the district its name.

< < Contract Update > >

< < Contract — Assassin Intro (System) > >

< < Locate the entrance to the Assassins’ Guild > >

< < Escape the Trackers on your trail > >

< < ???? > >

Wait… Trackers??

            Ashlan came to a halt at the mouth of an alley leading out into a street with sparse foot traffic and a few carriages rolling through. He looked around, trying to spot anyone paying particular attention to him, but didn’t notice anyone.

            He sprinted across the street to reach a particularly-narrow shadowed alleyway, but had to throw himself forward into a ducked roll before he could get slammed to the curb by a horse that’d zoomed around the corner. Ashlan sprang back to his feet and hurried into the darkness that awaited him a few metres away.

            As soon as the shadows enveloped him, he turned around to look back at the street, trying to spot anyone tailing him. Somehow, despite his insane stunt, no one seemed to have noticed and he wondered if it was due to his new Skill. After all, a person’s being was remade in subtle ways according to the Skills they obtained. It was the whole reason why new Bankers understood complex economic theories or youths, who’d never threaded a needle before, could instantly know how to sew a dress from scratch. Sometimes, Skills could also alter the reality around an individual, such as what seemed to happen with Wizards, Magical Crafters, and, apparently, Assassins.

            Working theory: Lurk makes me stand out less, even when I’m clearly drawing attention to myself.

            It wasn’t actually that far-fetched an idea. Announcers had something that did the opposite, since they could immediately draw attention to themselves by just speaking a single word.

If it is this powerful at F-tier, then its normal effect must be way more impressive, he considered.

            Still, I am up against actual Trackers, so I probably need something better than that to escape them…

            He had to wonder, since this was a System Contract, if the System had also hired the Trackers to follow him. It seemed such a peculiar thing to orchestrate, unless it served the purpose of teaching him an important lesson.

            “System, what is the purpose of this Intro Contract?” he asked, while he continued down the dark alleyway and kept an eye trained on the way he’d come.

            Strangely, being submerged in darkness made a sense of calm wash over him and he could tell that his heart rate was falling down into a relaxed state, almost like meditation.

            [The Assassin Assignment requires a wide range of Proficiencies to Master. Among these are evading pursuers; subterfuge; poisons; observation; impersonation; patience; improvisation; spatial awareness; ambush tactics; not to mention utilising a host of weapons suitable for any given task; and many other similar subjects.]

[The purpose of this Intro Contract is not to introduce all of these subjects immediately, but rather to focus on the ones most necessary for your immediate survival.]

            That makes sense, I guess.

            Since Ashlan was F-tier, he was expected to go for the most obvious kind of assassination attempts, and thus evading pursuers would be integral.

            Best thing right now is to put some distance between me and whoever is on my tail.

            He continued running again, vaulting some rubble crammed into the narrow space that the Street Sweepers had yet to find. Although he hadn’t travelled down this particular route before, he knew Oceanview wasn’t that far away now.

            The main Ocean Port, the Faraway Markets, and Songbird Castle all lay within the district, as well as the Waterfront Opera that’d made the family its fortune. It was really quite astounding what a single S-tier Assignment could do for a family and its hierarchy within the world. In the case of the Songbird family, they’d had not one, but two S-tier Performers, Elissa and Armand. Elissa had specialised in theatre and song, and Armand had focused on music.

            I wonder what the song of an S-tier sounds like.

            No doubt such a voice could dominate the minds of lesser people, so it was a miracle that she had instead focused on entertainment. But soft power was often more profitable anyway and didn’t run the risk of earning the ire of the Goldentide Dynasty, who considered themselves the rulers of the province. They certainly had the power necessary to convince anyone that argued the contrary, thanks to two A-tier Wizards, a host of B-tier soldiers, and a single war-stopping S-tier Archer.

            After breaking from the narrow alley, Ashlan came out into another street split in half by a line of golden-leafed trees, with heavier foot traffic here and several carriages rolling up-and-down on the other side. There was a crossing some metres to his left, where the trees parted and a Low-Ranked Sentinel conducted traffic, such that people could walk to the other side without a carriage rolling over them.

            Ashlan stayed in the shadows and surveyed the surroundings.

            Suddenly, movement caught his attention, as a dark-tanned woman with sharp eyes and her black hair in a ponytail moved up to one of the gold-leafed trees. She then ran her gaze along the side of the street where Ashlan was hiding. Based on the way she was staring, he guessed she either had the ‘Eagle Eyes’ or ‘Spotter’ Skill, which were both excellent for picking out minor details from a complex whole.

            The careful speed with which her head turned and the form-fitting-but-worn flexible black cloth suit gave him some idea about what her Rank was. Although it was never a sure thing, judging someone’s attire, gear, and appearance was generally an easy way to categorise them in the social strata of the System, where Rank determined status and income.

Ashlan liked to look at people’s tans, as an even one usually meant money, an uneven one meant middle strata, and a dark tan meant you couldn’t afford to worry about appearance. But, this was a Tracker, an Assignment that spent all of its time outdoors, at least as far as he knew. Therefore, judging based on the speed of her Skill and the state of her clothes was a better way to get an idea.

            She’s probably a C-tier, he concluded.

            Her eyes passed right over where he was standing, either unable to pierce the shadows or defeat his Lurk Skill.

            Hmm. Maybe D-tier. An S-tier with her spotting Skill would probably just blink once and notice all the things that stood out, while she has to take her time.

            Unable to find him, she ran down the line of trees about twenty metres further away, and did the same careful scan again. It was clear she had some way of knowing his general location, but it didn’t seem very precise. It could also be that the System had given her a helping nudge to begin and now took its hands off to allow them to compete fairly, Assignment vs. Assignment. Although it didn’t seem very fair to him, since there was clearly a Rank disparity.

            I think this Profession normally works alone, but the Contract said ‘Trackers’, so there must be another one somewhere around here, or maybe even two more.

Depending on when they were given their own Contracts, it’s possible they were waiting in the crowds of Hrothgar’s Place, so they might’ve seen my face. But I shouldn’t work based on assumptions.

            His position in the alley, along with the row of trees in the middle of the road, meant that he didn’t have a great overview of the whole area.

            I need to keep moving, this place is too narrow. I won’t be able to outrun them here.

            The Faraway Markets were clearly his best bet for losing their trail.

After carefully traversing the street to the other side, by sticking with a group for cover, he moved back into the alleyways and quickly found a route he was familiar with. Ashlan picked up speed before coming out into another street, where the crowds were thick and only growing denser with every moment. It seemed that the many people watching the Assignment Ceremony had returned to their daily toils, and a ton of their Professions were centred around the Ocean Port and Markets.

While weaving his way through the crowds and using them as cover, he did his best to avoid the City Sentinels who patrolled the area. He couldn’t rule out that Eventide’s peacekeepers weren’t in on whatever Contract the Trackers had received, and, even if they weren’t, they certainly were no fans of Ashlan’s.

It was hard to see his surroundings well as he continued following the vague pull of the System Contract, given that he still had some growing left to do and the people surrounding him were either of similar height or taller. But he used the nearby buildings rising above the crowds to get a sense for his location and knew that the Markets were just around the corner.

The buildings here were no taller than five stories, but the carvings on their sandy-coloured façades were quite elaborate and unique to each building, making them perfect reference points for navigation. The way the warm sunlight hit their walls made them look almost golden.

Wait a minute…

Ashlan paused to look back at one of the buildings.

There was a person on top of the roof, sitting on the flat edge and dangling her feet playfully. Her black hair was cut shoulder-length, her tan was dark like cacao, and her attire was dark-green and fit her like a glove. A bow crafted from the horn of some beast was slung over her back and there was a sword strapped to her hip.

What’s more, she was looking right at him.

He was utterly certain that she hadn’t been there a minute earlier, but he couldn’t rule out that she’d waited for him to notice her. As soon as she knew he’d seen her, she started descending from her vantage atop the tall building, scaling the side of the wall with casual ease and jumping between balconies as though it was all a game.

B-tier, at least!

Ashlan immediately picked up speed, but did his best to not bump anyone, so as to not dispel whatever special camouflage his Lurk afforded him. Since he’d yet to figure out its exact properties, it was best to play it safe.

He didn’t even get more than ten metres ahead, before the Tracker hit the ground and disappeared into the crowds. The heavy foot traffic would slow her down, but she displayed the prowess of someone with several movement-based Skills, like ‘Climber’ and ‘Hunter’s Prowess’, so she still had the advantage.

“System,” he said, breathless from the exertion, “Can the Trackers see my Rank?”

[Yes, they were informed of your name, Assignment, and Rank.]

Okay. I can use that to my advantage.

I don’t think the Trackers are working together, he then considered, based on what he’d observed. I might only have to worry about the High-Ranker.

Ashlan ran as fast as his legs would carry him, not bothering to look back over his shoulder, as he knew it would only trip him up.

If I can make it to the Markets, then I have more options, but I need a distraction.

While weaving between people moving in the same direction as him, he began tapping them randomly on the shoulder, yanking on exposed coin pouches, and slapping the hilts of the weapons a few people carried. It wasn’t full-on body contact and he wasn’t in their line-of-sight when he did it, so he figured his Lurk wouldn’t falter.

Normally, such behaviour was a good way to catch a beating, but, miraculously, he got away with it, making him wonder just how powerful his Skill really was.

The result was immediate and far more disruptive than he’d envisioned, as people began to accuse one another of trying to steal or start a brawl. Within just a minute, the shrill noise of a Sentinel’s whistle rang out, bringing the traffic to a standstill around the commotion Ashlan had started, while he continued on.

He spared a single glance over his shoulder and immediately regretted it, as the Tracker was staring right back at him, patiently waiting amongst the front row of pedestrians brought to a halt by the Sentinel attempting to restore order. Her amber eyes seemed to glimmer in the sunlight and an amused grin was plastered on her face.

Terrifying. She believes she is the fox and I am the mouse.

She probably isn’t wrong, but if she really took this seriously, I would’ve been caught already.

Ashlan continued running towards the Markets, where he knew Frelly would be hanging out this time of day, plying her ‘trade’, while teaching mischievous kids how to earn some Silvers.

“System, what happens if the Trackers catch me?” he asked, realising it had never mentioned any failure states for the Contract. “Are they going to hurt me?”

[You will fail the System Contract and be denied entry into the Assassins’ Guild, effectively rendering you an outcast amongst your fellows. All those who are currently in the Guild have passed this intro test.]

That’s strict…

[While the Trackers are not allowed to kill or maim you, they may restrain you and use non-lethal force to catch you.]

Awesome… Giving me a lot of motivation to not be caught here.

He pushed himself to go just a little bit faster, even as the muscles in his calves began to burn.

“System, is it possible to receive Contracts as a lone wolf?”

[You will still be able to acquire System Contracts, but all Private Contracts have to go through the Guild, thus barring you from them.]

            Well, that’s no good.

            You couldn’t expect to get that many System Contracts and, from what he’d heard, the payments for them were all over the place. Rare Professions made their fortunes through Private Contracts. Even his parents worked almost exclusively through Privates to make a living. Granted, the opportunities for a Tanner or Seamster to receive a System Contract were basically zero, unless they were High-Ranked.

            The salty wind of the ocean suddenly washed over him, bringing with it the scents of spices, raw fish, sweet fruits, nuts, fragrances, and countless other things. The crowds around him began to fragment, as people left the organised pedestrian paths to pursue whatever stalls caught their eyes or noses.

            Ashlan cast a quick look back, but didn’t spot either of the Trackers, before heading into the enormous Faraway Markets that easily spanned a kilometre in diameter. The place had enough stalls that the pathways became so narrow in places that only two could walk abreast.

The adrenaline of the pursuit quickly died away, as the shadows of the sun-shading canopies embraced him, and he slowed down, feeling more secure now that he had a home field advantage.

            Above, the canopies were attached to metal rings fastened into tall ancient stone pillars, which were planted at even intervals around the grand courtyard. It lay between the various residential buildings and the Ocean Port, where ships were loading and off-loading cargo.

He’d often wondered what the place looked like from above, but down below the canopies was a beautiful chaotic mess, as stalls of every imaginable type were crammed under the shade to shelter their wares from the relentless sun.

            Ashlan spotted a familiar stall amongst the frontmost ones, ogling the many fruits on display as he drew close. Somehow this guy always managed to secure one of the coveted spots on the outer edge of the Markets.

            “Hey Joel!” he called.

            “Ash! Didn’t see you there!” responded the old B-tier Vendor. “Come try my new nectarines! They just arrived this morning!”

            He beelined for the proffered fruit with glee in his eyes, the pursuit momentarily forgotten.

Once, he had helped the man’s Unassignable daughter out of a tough situation with a Euphorics Smuggler, and now he got a free sample of fruit every time he came by the Markets.

            “Thanks Joel,” he said, snatching the fruit, before quickly adding, “If a Tracker comes this way looking for me, send them towards the Opera, won’t you?”

            Joel shook his head. “Two weeks ago it was the Sentinels, now Trackers?”

            Ashlan managed a shrug before running off with the nectarine in his mouth.

            Unfortunately for the Trackers who were after him, Faraway Markets were full of Ashlan’s acquaintances. Although he had never expressly helped out or befriended Unassignable for personal gain, many of them and their families felt indebted to him in varying amounts.

Time to show those Trackers that I shouldn’t be underestimated!

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