Journeyman Assassin

by Brian Keller

  After lunch, when the two boys entered the Smithy, Dailen was already there speaking with Master Loril. The big man was pointing at some of the ingots that had come in as part of the shipment they’d accompanied from Kalistos City. The boys knew they were those ingots since they had helped him unload and stack them. As Cooper took a few steps into the room, Master Loril turned and waved him over. Kolrem followed. As they drew near, Master Loril spoke, “Dailen has asked some interesting questions and it would be a more effective teaching method to show him the answer rather than attempting to explain it. It takes three people to accomplish this lesson. Having the three of you will allow me to teach while I work with you to get you started, then allow you to continue it yourselves while I continue to teach the remainder of the class. He directed the boys to bring one of the standard ingots and one of the new ingots to the forge. As the class gathered, the Smith explained that they would be taught a valued technique. The boys delivered the ingots and Master Loril grasped each of them with tongs and then locked the tongs in position by wrapping wire around the handle, before pushing the ingots into the coals. He told the class, “The metals must be brought to a very high temperature, almost white hot. The forge and the coals are the key. One of the metals is simple steel, the other is a metal that has been specially created using methods I don’t fully understand but I’m told it involves mixing it with glass during the smelting process. We will blend these metals in such a way that they’ll become one. Once they are hot enough, we will hammer them together and then stretch and twist them until they become too cool to manipulate. Then we will heat them again. It takes days of heating, twisting and hammering and repeating in order to create the metal we’ll use to form a blade. To be most effective, it takes three people to work the two ingots together. One hammers while two are at each end twisting against each other. Everyone put on a leather apron and your gloves. You’ll get hot today.

  Cooper hadn’t realized his forearms could ever feel so fully fatigued. Months ago, after Mister Skran’s early weapons classes, he and his classmates would have difficulty grasping silverware in the dining hall after class, but his hands and forearms had never felt this thoroughly used and abused. Today, his fingers couldn’t even seem to follow simple commands. On several occasions, as the metal became cooler, he’d been unable to twist the ingots further and merely held them in place as Kolrem twisted. Once Dailen had struck the metal several more times, he’d then take the tongs from Cooper and submerge the metal in the coals again. It was during these moments that Cooper could try to massage some life back into his forearms.

  As he walked to Scenarios class, Kolrem walked beside him flexing and relaxing his hands. They seemed to be sharing the same thoughts but walked in silence. During the first scenario, Cooper drew the dagger card. He knew he’d need to figure out a killing method that didn’t involve gripping a weapon. Perhaps he could subcontract the job to one of the mark’s bodyguards? Now, if only he could convince Mister Ysel and Miss Eiler… In the end, it was accomplished by getting the mark alone, then delivering an elbow strike to render the mark unconscious, tying the free end of a bell cord around the mark’s neck and dropping him off a balcony; simulated, of course. After the scenario, Boyd voiced his experience with Cooper’s elbows and vouched for the technique’s viability. Thankfully, Cooper drew blank cards for the remaining scenarios that day.

  As Cooper, Kolrem and Boyd walked to the Arena, Boyd was the only one who didn’t have a bow strung over his shoulder. Cooper wondered out loud, “How am I supposed to hold an arrow and draw it back?” He asked Kolrem, “Do you think you could do that right now?” Kolrem shrugged, “Maybe. I hope I won’t need to try.” Whether consciously or not, he began massaging his forearms until they got to the doorway and walked into the Arena. The three Assassins were sparring on the Trap. The beams were pitching with considerable violence. Cooper couldn’t believe what he was seeing as the men were leaping from beam to beam to stay engaged with each other, occasionally having to adjust their stance to maintain their balance but otherwise seemingly unaffected by the upheaval taking place beneath their feet. The boys stood silently, mesmerized by the scene in front of them. They didn’t know how long they watched the sparring match but it had to have been a minute or two later when one of the Assassins announced, “They’re here.” As the men backed away from each other and sheathed their blades, Cooper wondered how anyone could hope to stand against just one of them, never mind three of them working together.

  As the three of them dropped down off the Trap, the two that Cooper didn’t know introduced themselves. Cooper hadn’t noticed right away, but one of them was a woman. This was even more unmistakable when she spoke, “Good evening. I’m Rayna.” The other Assassin raised his hand in greeting, “Lash”. Felis pointed at each of the boys, naming them in turn, “Kolrem, Cooper, and Boyd.” His gaze lingered on Boyd, “You’re job tonight is to point out where we’re going, and then identify which man is ours. Do you have any idea how many people we might expect to find inside this place?” Boyd shook his head as he replied, “No, sir. But there’s usually no more than six or eight people there as far as I’ve ever seen. Usually half of them are passed out drunk, while the others are half-drunk and angry that there’s no more booze.” Rayna chuckled, “So we deliver more booze and come back in three hours! Easy!” Felis appeared to consider this for a few seconds then he shook it off, “Too much left to chance and they likely wouldn’t trust free booze.” Rayna chuckled again, “I was joking.” Felis nodded, “I know, but that doesn’t make it a bad idea. Usually ‘simple’ is the best.” He turned to face the boys and indicated Cooper and Kolrem, “Your shared job is to keep him alive.” He pointed at Boyd, who shuffled his feet, wanting to speak but remaining silent. Felis continued, “-and keeping anyone from slipping out past us or coming in behind us. Anyone comes out of that place that isn’t us, punch them with an arrow.” He paused, “Try not to kill them if you can help it. We need information.” As they were moving towards the ropes that lead to the hatch in the ceiling Rayna indicated their bows, “I’m one of the newest Adepts. It’s been a few years since I was in the woods. How is Utsef?” Cooper wasn’t sure how to answer that. Kolrem replied, “Full of life. I don’t think he’d rather be anywhere else.” Rayna nodded, “That’s what I thought, too.” Boyd asked, “Who’s Utsef?” Cooper replied, “Our instructor in the forest. He taught us how to make these bows, among the great many other things he taught us.” Boyd’s eyebrows shot upward, “You made those?!” Kolrem answered him, “Of course. Now be quiet and climb.”

  Chapter 34

  Twenty minutes later they were perched on a rooftop. They kept near the edges, anywhere towards the center made the beams groan under their combined weight. Boyd pointed at the doorway to a two story building, “It’s there. A few steps inside that door are the stairs going up to the second floor. That’s mostly bedrooms, though usually the people inside are all laid out somewhere in the main room downstairs. At the foot of the stairs there’s a door that connects to the next building over. That door’s never been used as far as I know. It’s always been nailed shut. There’s another door out the back, but that is out through the kitchen. The kitchen’s just been used as a storeroom and a place to throw busted up furniture and other stuff they were too lazy to throw out.” Lash grunted, “Sounds charming. Roof access?” Boyd replied, “Never been on the second floor. I couldn’t say.” Lash turned to Felis, “This is your show. You want me to check the roof?” Felis told the boys, “You three stay here. The three of us will circle around the building. I want to see it from all sides. We might come back here before going in, but probably not. Just keep to the shadows and stay alert.”

  The three Assassins disappeared within a few minutes and as the boys observed the building, five minutes turned into ten, then they saw one of the trio up on the roof. It looked like Lash. Within thirty seconds, the other two came around to the front door and without a moment’s hesitation entered. Lash, or
whoever it was on the roof, had already disappeared from view. After ten minutes the boys began to become impatient and after fifteen minutes Boyd spoke quietly, “Should we go check, or something?” Kolrem made a shushing sound, but Cooper replied briefly, “What are we going to do that three Assassins couldn’t?” After five more minutes, Boyd spoke again, “So how long do we wait?” Kolrem shushed him again. Cooper had nothing to add. Several long minutes later the boys breathed a collective sigh of relief when the door opened and Rayna leaned out and motioned them forward.

  As they entered the house the stench of rotting garbage assaulted their sinuses. In the main area of the floor, there were six people laid out, face down in a row, bound and gagged. Lash was kneeling next to them. Felis entered from a connected room, he pointed toward Lash, “I hope we got the right guy. There were nine people in here, not all of them expressed an interest in hanging around to chat with us. Lash, introduce our hosts to their newest guests.” Lash reached down and grabbed a handful of hair of the two people closest to him and pulled their heads high enough to lift their torsos off the floor. Lash looked at Boyd with his eyebrows raised. Boyd shook his head. Lash released his hold, letting the two bound prisoners’ faces slam into the floor. There were some muffled complaints. Lash kneeled on one of them as he reached across to lift the next two. Boyd stepped forward and leaned down, then stood and kicked one of the men on the side of his head. He announced, “That’s him.” Felis swore then growled, “We need him alive.” Boyd shrugged, “He’ll live.”, then he turned and punched an entryway wall. Plaster fractured and wood splintered, several crumbled pieces fell to the floor. Boyd brushed his knuckles off with his sleeve, “If I wanted to kill him, I’d have kicked him harder.” Lash grinned, “Earth, huh? Nice.” Felis was frowning, “Enough banter. Cooper help me carry this guy into the next room. The smell is better in there and that’s where we’ve laid the bodies of his friends. Better to let him see how serious we are when he wakes up, rather than feel hope by seeing those that are still alive.”

  Cooper helped Felis carry the man to the next room. Felis hadn’t quite gotten the man positioned as he started waking up, but the bound man had no means to resist. Felis got him standing with his hands bound behind his back. He tied a rope to the man’s wrists and tossed the rope up over a beam in the ceiling, pulled it snug and tied it off to a sconce. The man now had his arms pulled up behind him and he was bent slightly at the waist in an attempt to relieve the twisting of his shoulders. Felis turned to Cooper, “I’ll be back in a moment. Don’t kill him.” He then leaned in and whispered, “He needs to believe he’ll live if he tells us what we want, not just what he thinks we want to hear. Let that hope develop.” Felis left the room and Cooper stepped to stand in front of the man. He just stared at him. The man seemed to display a myriad of expressions in a rapid succession; fear, defiance, fear again, pain as he shifted his posture, anger. The man finally settled on a mix of anger and defiance. Cooper found a wobbly three-legged stool in the piles of clutter and turned it upright in front of the man. Close, but not close enough for the man to kick it, even if he stepped forward and stretched. The stool might not be suitable to sit on, but it was enough to support the lantern that Cooper placed upon it. Cooper never took his eyes off the man as he lifted the globe from the lantern and lit the wick. Warm light filled the room and Cooper unsheathed his camp knife and held the tip of it in the flame. It was then that Felis re-entered the room. Felis called out, “Whoa, whoa. Slow down. You’re assuming this man doesn’t want to talk to us. I believe he knows what’s at stake. I think he knows why we’re here, and that his only chance of survival is to answer our questions honestly.” Felis turned his full attention on the man and leaned in close. Felis’ voice was very calm, almost soft, “I’m quite sure he knows what I do for a living.” Felis gently released the man’s gag and stood back abruptly, as if he expected the man to spit. He didn’t. The man shifted his posture again, seemingly trying to find the least uncomfortable position. In a raspy voice the man spoke, “I don’t know nuthin’.” Felis smiled as he replied, “Now, I don’t believe that’s entirely true. And for your sake, I hope that’s the only exaggeration you tell me tonight.” At that moment the door was pushed open and Lash dragged a body into the room. The corpse left a smear of blood on the floor as Lash dragged it and then dumped it unceremoniously in a corner. Felis was glaring at Lash. Lash shrugged, “What? He said he didn’t know anything and I believed him. How’re you doing in here?” Felis turned his attention back to the man, “Oh, we’re just getting started.” Cooper saw that all semblance of the man’s defiance and bravado had melted away. Felis acted on this change of mood, “Answer my questions honestly. I’ll ask some questions that I already know the answers to, just to check your honesty. So, if you’re telling me your best guess, don’t try to pass it off as the truth. Understand?” The man let his head drop forward, “Yer gonna kill me anyway. Just do it and be done.” There wasn’t defiance on his voice, just defeat. Felis made a tsk-ing sound, “Not at all. In fact, I have no interest in killing you. No one has paid to have you killed. I was sent here only for information. I’ll add that it does you no good to protect this information. As long as you answer my questions honestly, I won’t kill you. In fact, as long as you don’t lie to me, I won’t even hurt you more than I’ve already done.” Cooper could see that the man was doubtful, but Felis had accomplished something Cooper wouldn’t have believed if he hadn’t seen it. Felis had given the man cause to hope and the man was grasping at it.

  Felis calmly leaned back against the wall, “Tell me about the crossbow bolts and the poison.” The man started off with considerable hesitation. Felis patiently helped guide the man through the process of revealing what he knew. The bolts were delivered in a box from the back of a cart. The man didn’t have to do anything with them except shoot them, and handle them carefully. Felis then asked, “Who instructed you to handle them carefully?” The man’s only reply was, “The thin, gray man who hired me.” Felis’ calm voice changed in modulation to add tones of appreciation and encouragement, “And what else did this man tell you?” The prisoner’s speech seemed to be gaining tempo; the more he spoke, the easier it became to speak. “He told me who to look for, how you all dressed, when and how you moved around. Yep, he was right about everything.” Felis was nodding, “That’s very good. You’re being very helpful. You might live through this, after all.” Felis tried to smile warmly, but the effort never made it higher than his mouth. The man didn’t seem to notice this, he just nodded. Felis asked, “I’m sure if you knew this man’s name you’d have already told me… How did you first meet this thin, grey man?” The man became pale, “No, sir! I never got a name! Please, I’m tellin’ the truth!” Felis spoke with a calming tone, “Don’t worry. I believe you. Now, how did you meet him? Don’t make me ask you again.” Felis spoke this last sentence as if he were speaking with a misbehaving child. The man began speaking in a hurry, as if he were worried that Felis might become too impatient and go back on his word. “He contacted me and a few of my boys to come help clean up a mess at that Baron’s house. His house in the Grid, where the Baron, three guards and one of you folks got themselves killed. Last year? You probably remember it..?” Felis nodded, “Yes. I remember it. Tell me what you remember about it.” The man relayed how the Baron was still slumped in his chair. The three guards had been hacked up a bit and the Assassin had been shot a couple times with a crossbow and had been hamstrung and cut in a bunch of other places as well. He described it as, “There was blood ever’where. We were told to roll the Assassin up in a rug and carry him out to the wagon that brung us, then come back in and mop up where he’d bled ever’where.” Felis encouraged him to continue, “Alright. You packaged the body, then cleaned up. Then what happened?” The man was speaking freely now, telling it how he remembered it, “Well, the thin man got on the cart with us and told one o’ my boys to drive the cart along the university wall to the Dregs. As we passed the Scribe’
s shop that’s when he told me about you folks. And said that we’d be getting a box delivered, and that we should go out a few nights a week, he didn’t care which ones, and ‘go hunting’, as he put it.” As he spoke this, some significant hesitation entered the man’s voice again. He knew this topic was going to test the strength of Felis’ promise not to kill him. Felis was nodding, “And how did you get paid?” The man answered without hesitation, encouraged by the fact that Felis hadn’t displayed any anger, “Once a week, some kid would come by with a pouch of coins.” Felis considered this information for a few moments then asked, “Did you ever get instructions from anyone else?” The prisoner quickly replied, “No, sir.” Felis was building a tempo, “Meet anyone else?” “No, sir.” Was the man’s reply. “Did you meet the gray man again?” “Yes, sir.” Felis leaned forward off the wall to stand, “When? And what was discussed?” The man looked fearful for a moment when Felis changed positions but he was captured in the flow of the verbal exchange, “One night, little less’n a year ago, we was called up to the Waterfront while some people were gettin’ off a boat. They wuz put on a coupla wagons along with some crates that come off-a the same boat and carted to the west, prolly to Batter’s Field. Me’n my boys were there ‘just in case there was trouble’, he said. Then he give us each three gold coins. Pretty good for one night of doin’ nuthin’, we thought.” Felis turned to Cooper, “Any of that mean anything to you?” Something about the thin man had been tugging at Cooper’s mind. Cooper took a few steps towards the prisoner. He tried to mimic Felis’ tone, “Describe the thin man. What did he look like?” The man looked at Felis, as if to ask for approval. Felis nodded, “You’d better answer him.” The man seemed to be thinking back, trying to recollect, then looked at Cooper, “He had a long nose, pointed chin, and long, stringy gray hair. I remember his mouth was wide and thin, like someone dragged a knife below his nose to make the hole. I remember wondering why a man with a mouth so wide sounded like he was talkin’ through his nose.” Felis was watching Cooper for a reaction. Cooper asked, “Anything else about him?” The man thought about it, “He was always dressed in nice clothes, and he never put his hand to nuthin’; like he didn’t want to take a chance of get’n dirty.” Cooper was motionless, as if moving would interrupt his thoughts. After about thirty seconds he shook it off, “I just don’t know… there’s something, but I just don’t know.” Felis asked Cooper, “Anything else you can think of to ask?” Cooper thought a little then asked, “That night at the Waterfront, describe the boat.” The man appeared worried, “The boat? I don’t know about that kind of stuff.” There was a trace of panic in his voice. Felis spoke, “It’s allright. We don’t expect you to know everything.” Cooper wasn’t satisfied, however, “I’m not asking hard questions. Square sails? Any banners or flags?” The man was shaking his head, “I dunno. I never paid any attention to anything like that!” Felis was watching Cooper. Cooper shrugged, “I believe him. You think that’s everything he knows?” Felis looked at the man, “He might know more, but probably not much more.” The man was shaking his head, “That’s what I know! Honest! I answered all yer questions! I don’t know much, like you said! Now, you said you’d let me live!” Felis smiled, “I said I wouldn’t kill you… that’s not the same thing.” As Felis turned to leave the room, he said to Cooper, “Don’t drag this out. I’d like to get a little sleep tonight.” Cooper couldn’t hide his surprise, he’d actually begun to believe that Felis intended to allow this man to live. As Felis left the room and closed the door behind him, Cooper turned and faced the man. So many thoughts began to race through his head; memories of laughing and sparring with Habbon, wondering whether this man had been the one who had killed Osrim, thoughts of the painted diagrams in Miss Camilla’s Anatomy class, and Felis’ instructions to not ‘drag this out’. The man was still bent forward at the waist. Cooper almost couldn’t hear the man’s pleading voice. He stood beside the man and let his eyes trace the line of his neck down to where it ended behind the collarbones. Cooper leaned forward and whispered, “The body you disposed of… His name was Garoth.” With no further warning he sank the blade of his knife down behind the man’s collarbone and wrenched the handle to force the blade more towards the center of the man’s chest, slicing the carotid artery and jugular vein with the same violent slash. It didn’t take long for the man to die, but there was still some blood spray. More than he’d thought there would be. Cooper left the room thinking, “It’s a good thing I was standing off to one side.”