The Eternal Assassin

After grabbing some of the steamed buns to go, Asher focused on his marks and couldn't help but laugh. Hilariously, Samantha and Brian hadn't even noticed he'd left. He found the two of them right where he left them, listening to the excited shopkeeper going into extreme detail about the benefits and drawbacks of different materials when used for bowstrings. Asher slid up next to them, and Samantha grinned as she gestured toward some of the bowstrings on display.

"I never thought I'd say this, but after listening to this man's pitch, I think I actually understand the difference between using corded griffin hair versus fibrous living wood in a bowstring. I didn't expect this shopping trip to be so educational."

"Glad you're having fun," he said, leaning closer and lowering his voice. The market was too crowded to risk putting up a Spatial Lock around him to deafen sound. Even though he could make it so the barrier only blocked noise and didn't stop people from walking through it, people might grow confused when they accidentally moved through the field and went deaf for a split second. "I just had a run in with Bordan… I have a lot to tell you."

"Bordan? Truthseeker Bordan?" Samantha gasped, quickly turning to scan the market as if she'd spot him sneaking up behind them. "Was he following you?"

"No, I'm pretty certain it was a completely chance meeting. At least it looked that way when I interrupted his lunch," Asher admitted.

"What did he want?"

"I'll tell you everything in a bit, but trust me, this is not something to talk about in the middle of the market," he said, eyeing up the hundreds if not thousands of people moving all around them. "The short version is that we need to get out of Whikoga, preferably today."

"Okay." she nodded, before glancing at her brother with sadness in her eyes. "Poor Brian… He was really looking forward to having his shopping day."

"I have a few stops I need to make before we can leave," Asher said, nodding toward the twelve-year-old currently testing out the give and feel of different bowstrings on a few example bows the man had available. "Why don't you two spend the next few hours finishing up? I'd feel bad taking this away from him right after everything that happened. I'll come find you when it's time to go."

"Thank you, Asher." Samantha smiled, leaning forward and giving him a gentle kiss. "If we're about to hit the road, should I pick up any sort of gear or anything? How long will we be travelling?"

"Only a few days, but that's actually a good idea." He nodded, glad she'd thought of it. "I don't think I should Recall back to Whikoga for the evenings like I did the last time I travelled, so we'll definitely need some supplies. Whatever you think we need to make the trip comfortable."

"Alright, I'll keep my eyes peeled. Do you know where we're going? Depending on the terrain, that might change what I buy."

"Yes…" he said, thinking back to Donvath's warning about Leighann's impending resurrection. "...we're heading to Dormaul."

Trusting in Samantha to pick up supplies and provisions for their trip and help Brian purchase whatever caught his eye, Asher left the two of them as he headed over to his first stop. He had a few stops he needed to check in with before leaving the city, but this first one was the most important.

Coincidentally, his first target was also in the second ring market, albeit on the far side.

"Asher?" Rosh blinked, no doubt surprised to find Asher actually walking up to him for once rather than just appearing out of thin air at his side. "It's not often I see you out and about during the day. Is something wrong?"

"Not wrong, per se," he said, glancing at the bundle under Rosh's arms. From what he could tell, it looked like the man had purchased a nice rug of all things. "...Living that bachelor life, huh?"

"Excuse me for having cold feet in the morning," Rosh drawled, before his grin overtook him. "Well, if this really is just a social visit, it's good to see you! Looking for anything specific? I've spent a lot of time at the market recently. I could introduce you to a few good vendors if you'd like."

"Maybe some other time," he said, happy to hear the excitement in Rosh's voice. After the man had been forced to lay low for so long on account of his forbidden element, it made sense that he'd been out and about, enjoying life once more now that he had his tier two concealing necklace. "Actually, I need to talk to you super quickly. Do you mind coming with me?"

"This better not be gang related," Rosh warned, narrowing his eyes but following him all the same as Asher began heading toward the edge of the market. Unlike with Bordan, Asher didn't bother pulling them down a nearby alleyway. Once they were free from the throng of people, he threw up a Spatial Lock to prevent eavesdroppers.

"How many shards do you have on you?" Asher asked, wanting to get the awkward part out of the way first.

"What?" Rosh blinked, clearly confused where he was going with this. "A few thousand, why do you ask? Do you need them or something?"

Taking a deep breath, Asher hummed to himself, wondering just how much he should tell his friend. Rosh wasn't quite like Samantha or Draken. Despite their friendship, there were still plenty of things the man didn't know. And after seeing how desperately Rosh wanted to return to a simple, normal life, he was hesitant to start now.

"I can't really explain why… But I was told by a trusted source to tell you to keep 18,342 shards on you at all times," he said, deciding to just go with the blunt truth, at least in part. "...I think they have some method of seeing the future."

"Asher… There's not a single element or skill I've ever heard of that would allow someone to see into the future," Rosh scoffed, a small smile growing on his face. "Is this some sort of prank? Gotten tired of popping out of nowhere behind me, have you?"

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He's not wrong… Time definitely didn't appear in The Big Book of Elements: Sixth Edition. Of course, I know better than anyone that there are elements that those books don't contain.

"I know it sounds crazy, but just trust me on this. Please," he tried, focusing on his core and holding out a shining orb of shards in his damaged hand. "Here. Promise me you'll keep these on you at all times."

It said a lot about his current wealth that his new total barely even dipped down after he summoned the required shards to his hand.

Shards: 333,805

"Asher, what happened to your hand?!" Rosh gasped, ignoring the shards completely as he stared at his nubby fingers.

"I got in a fight," Asher said, rolling his eyes. "Remember, I have a healing skill. Don't worry about my hand, just take the damn shards."

Rosh hesitated, clearly not wanting to leave it at that. But after seeing the expression on his face, he nodded, carefully taking the orb and absorbing it.

"Alright," Rosh said, his eyes never leaving Asher's own. "I'll keep them on me."

For the first time in days, Asher found Kree not holed up within Draken's manor. After figuring out that Asher was teleporting to him specifically, the young thief had made sure to stay close to Draken and his resources in the event Asher appeared out of the blue half dead again. But seeing as Eight was finally taken care of, Kree must have decided he could stretch his legs again.

So it was Asher found him lying on top of the roof of the Crafter's Guild in the third ring, staring up at the sky. Rather than risk anyone spotting him getting up there in broad daylight, Asher used Recall to teleport himself up to the roof.

"Reaper!" Kree gasped, reflexively turning into a puddle of shadow at Asher's sudden appearance before realizing who he was. "Do you need something?"

"No, but I'll be leaving the city soon, and I wanted to have a quick chat with you before I did so," Asher said, motioning for him to remain sitting as he plopped down next to him. "I know I've been a bit busy these past few days. How have you been?"

"I've been fine," Kree said quickly, as if even hinting at the fact that Asher may have inconvenienced him was absurd. "You paid me enough shards that I haven't had any issues with food or anything like that."

"Glad to hear." Asher smiled, meaning what he said. In his eyes, Kree was functionally the poster child for 'dealt a bad hand.' Having grown up on the streets, stealing to survive, it was astonishing that Kree was as thoughtful as he was. "I told you when we started all this that once I finished what I came to the city to do you'd be free to go off and do your own thing. You've gone above and beyond everything I asked of you, not just getting me the leads I needed into the Guild, but making sure I had a safe location to retreat to. Do you know what you'll do now that I'm leaving?"

"Honestly, I haven't really thought that far ahead," Kree admitted, leaning back and staring up at the clouds once more. "You were right about Draken. I know he's not a ruthless killer like everyone thinks he is, but being around him still scares me. He hinted at possibly giving me a job, but I told him I'd have to think about it."

"I think you should take him up on his offer," Asher admitted. "I know his Death Aura is scary, but he's a good man. He'll make sure you're treated well."

"Probably…" Kree hummed. He was silent for a few seconds, before glancing over at him. Lowering his voice to the point it was barely audible, he spoke. "...is there any chance you might need a thief wherever you're going?"

Asher blinked at the question, caught completely off guard. Never in a million years would he have expected the young man he'd all but extorted into joining him on his crusade against the Guild to want more to do with him once the dust had settled. He almost said no by reflex, before hesitating and actually giving it some thought.

Kree is a good kid. Not to mention his Shadow element has a lot of uses. Even so, I'm not sure about dragging him into whatever craziness I'm about to dive head first into. Who knows what kind of trouble stopping a resurrection is going to be. Not to mention the fact that The Council of Death is after me, and the goddamn High Prince himself has taken a personal interest in my existence.

"For now, I think you should stay in Whikoga and help out Draken," Asher said, noting how Kree's shoulders sagged at the rejection. "But… in the future, I very well might need the services of an expert thief, if you'd be interested."

Kree's disappointment, did an immediate one-eighty, and he grinned up at Asher as he nodded.

"You know where to find me!" He laughed.

"Welcome back, Asher," Wilna said, smiling at him as he walked into the library for the first time in weeks. The craston looked just as strange as he remembered her, with dark cracks running down her porcelain face. At this point, she was still the only non-human person he'd met in the entire world, though everyone seemed to treat her like a regular human. "Need help finding anything?"

"In fact I do." He nodded, not bothering to switch over to his librarian class and start hunting for what he needed himself. Tossing her a hundred shards, he ignored the way her eyes glanced curiously at his injured fingers as he cleared his throat.

"I need whatever books you can get me on Dormaul, as well as records of famous Water element holders that were known to have the Wet Warrior skill."

His final stop, the one that he thought would be the hardest and most difficult to explain, was surprisingly fast. Seeing as Draken knew pretty much everything at this point, after being let back into Draken's study, all it took was showing the gang leader the letter he'd received for Draken to lean back into his chair and pinch the bridge of his nose as he scrunched his eyes shut.

"I know little about the current High Prince, but I have heard tales about his uncanny ability to steer the kingdom in the right direction. There have been a handful of times where High Prince Donvath disregarded the obvious solution to a problem, even going so far as to blatantly ignore the nobles under him and draw their ire, only for it to be revealed a few years down the line that his choice was in fact the best one. But a Time element?" Draken shook his head, tossing the letter back at him. "...This is a bit much, even for me."

"There's more to this world than most people seem to think." Asher shrugged, picking up the letter and tossing it in the fireplace. "I know we have a lot going on right now with the Head trying to push me to take over Whikoga's Guild, but I'm going to heed the High Prince's warning. I don't know what tragedy my being in Whikoga will bring about, but I don't want to take that chance."

"No, you shouldn't," Draken agreed. Without even bothering to open his eyes, he groaned. "...Though this makes things so much more complicated."

"You're a pretty capable guy, I'm sure you'll figure it out!" Asher laughed. "Oh, and I told Kree he should take you up on your offer. Make sure you treat him well, alright?"

"Have you ever seen me treat any of my people poorly?" Draken frowned, fixing him with an annoyed look. "Perhaps you should be more worried about yourself. The Head of the Assassin's Guild, The Council of Death, and the High Prince and his truthseekers all seem to want a piece of you. I don't think you've got the freedom of worrying about others right now."

"No." Asher chuckled, feeling both nervous and excited at all the powerful players coming after him. The thought of taking any one of them on was as scary as it was blood pumping, let alone all three at once. "I suppose I don't."