Light ran towards the city's exit, his heart pounding in his chest, adrenaline fueling every step. The guards had snapped out of their stupor and were shouting and running to gather more numbers. As he neared the city entrance, a trumpet's blare echoed through the air, its deep reverberation almost seeming like a harbinger of fate. A thin, bluish membrane suddenly appeared in front of him, shimmering in the light and blocking his path. He recoiled, eyes wide with disbelief.
"What? A barrier!" Disbelief and frustration echoed in his voice as he clenched his fists. With a snarl, Light struck at the barrier a few times, but it was like hitting a mountain; it remained unmoved.
"Damn..." Light muttered, quickly halting to search for alternatives. There was no other way; he would have to hide within the city, at least until the storm passed. His eyes scanned the shadows of the narrow streets around him, desperately seeking shelter, any place where he could disappear until he found a new opportunity to escape.
He circled the barrier, his gaze alert and his breathing ragged. His eyes swept the streets for a narrow passage or an easy-to-infiltrate house, anywhere that could offer temporary refuge. He considered every apparent chance, every shadow that might hide him. 'Maybe... maybe I could take a hostage...' The thought crossed his mind, but he dismissed it almost immediately. 'No, that wouldn't work this time... they'd attack me with everything they've got at the first sign!'
His body was exhausted, and pain began to take over as the adrenaline wore off, his muscles cooling and growing heavier, his vision blurred by exhaustion. Finally, he found a house with an open window and no one apparently inside. Without much thought, he jumped into the house, which had a simple layout, closed the window he entered through, and erased any sign of his presence. Soon, heavy footsteps passed by, not noticing the house.
He crouched near a dark corner amid the furniture and finally focused on recuperating. 'How long will their search last?' he wondered while listening to the sounds of the dwarves moving away, still on alert. A long sigh escaped him; he was safe for now.
He remained still for several hours, every noise outside making his tense muscles pulse, waiting for the confrontation that never came. Occasionally, he searched for something to drink and eat in the now-emptied residence. Eventually, the residents would return; food and drinks were plentiful here. Soon, he would have to move and the cycle of being pursued and hiding would repeat, playing cat and mouse in an endless loop.
He would stay as long as he could. When people finally approached the front door, Light withdrew. It was still mid-afternoon, the guards were busy behind him, and the light was a hindrance.
He slinked through the streets, narrowly avoiding unwanted gazes, eventually entering a dark alley with cold, filthy walls, feeling it was a good place to hide. Shortly after, a figure appeared there, not a guard. The man wore a cloak that concealed his face and carried a twisted wooden staff with a large green gem on top, several other jewels adorning the visitor from head to toe. The visitor stopped, his presence further tainting the air in the narrow alley with his filth.
"I know you're there, outsider" said the figure in a firm voice, yet laced with a persuasive tone. "I have a proposal for you!"
***
Name: Catis
Title: Advisor of Dirgrad
Status: Advisor
Rank: Initiate
Race: Dwarf
Aura: 14
Strength: 3
Agility: 1
Resistance: 2
Skills: [None]
Characteristics: Persuasive, Manipulative, Conspirator
Observation: Catis has served as an advisor for many years but received little recognition for his work, leading him to harbor resentment towards the current Administrator of Dirgrad.
***
Item: Staff
Rarity: Uncommon
Category: Magical Weapon
Skills: Wind Manipulation, Wind Blade
***
'Seems safe, no one else with him' Light assessed.
"May I know what the advisor of Dirgrad wants from me?" he asked, stepping out of the shadows.
"To many, you're just a nuisance, a threat that will bring disaster to us, the residents of Dirgrad…" Catis began, his voice laden with rehearsed words and phrases. His eyes glowed with a green hue under the hood, evaluating every reaction from Light.
"But to me" he continued, leaving a slight dramatic pause before concluding, "you're the perfect opportunity to change the current situation... for the better."
A cunning smile formed on his lips, his eyes filled with envy and obsession. "I want you to kill the current administrator!" he declared with fervent desire. "I will give you a good reward for this and in the future, I will be in your debt as the new administrator of Dirgrad!" His voice rose like a madman. "But the most important thing, of course, without you even asking, is that I will lower the barrier that, in the current circumstances, will remain up for at least a week, possibly even a month."
"It's perfect for both of us!"
Light cynically observed the unfolding scenario, pondering briefly. 'It shouldn't be a trap; otherwise, they would have already surrounded me.'
"Does he not have any guards with him?"
"Yes, of course he does," Catis continued with a smile. "Some drunken beetles, just a Initiate like the others; getting in and out of the mansion won't be difficult."
With few viable options and a certain temptation while looking at the staff. 'Damn, he probably can't even use it.'
"Hand over the staff as an advance and tell me where it's safe to enter," he firmly decided. The staff was handed over without much discussion.
The conspirator outlined the plan, demonstrating long-term planning, clearly eager for the chance to usurp his boss's position and seize power. The betrayal was about to materialize, and Catis could barely conceal his greed.
After reviewing the plan, Catis bid farewell, awaiting good news. He would try to distract the guards further, who were already quite negligent.
[Absorption Attempt in Progress]
[Success]
[Mana 20 -> 70/100]
[Two new skills are being learned]
[Wind Manipulation 10/10]
[Wind Blade 5/5]
[Skills learned successfully!]
[Mana Quality 1 -> 2]
[Mana Control 1 -> 2]
An intense whirlwind continuously flowed within him, threatening to tear his flesh and bones. The new skills would be useful for the operation. Notably, the advisor knew something about his abilities.
As night fell, it became easier to move unnoticed, the vigilance decreasing as he approached the mansion.
'Idiots, did they think I would stay forever on the city's outskirts?'
A tall wall emerged; it would be impossible to pass through the entrance, and here was the only possibility.
[Light conjured Wind Manipulation]
[Mana 60/100]
The breeze in the area began to focus, and with a wind-assisted leap, Light rose to the top and fell towards the Administrator's garden, where security was more organized, with sentinels patrolling around the mansion.
The Administrator's mansion was tall with dark stone walls and ebony doors, and windows that seemed to be made of gold, surrounded by a meticulously maintained garden and guarded by sentinels. The large golden gate was not far.
Knowing the patrol routine, when the right moment came, Light moved with agility.
[Light conjured Wind Manipulation]
[Mana 50/100]
Using Wind Manipulation, he created a curtain of gentle breeze that disguised his movements and muffled the sound of his footsteps, silently advancing to the back door, which was already open due to the conspirator's arrangements.
Expensive furniture filled the interior with brightly colored paintings hanging throughout the room. Unperturbed, Light advanced, heading to the second floor with calm and patience, passing by servants carrying clothes, food, and drinks.
He reached the Administrator's office.
Knock Knock.
Light knocked on the door.
"It's open, come in" came a tired voice from the other side.
The room had paintings of dwarves in happy situations, some portraits that were certainly of the Administrator's family. A bear skin rug was spread across the floor, giving the room an aggressive air. The dwarf's eyes were focused on some documents while he smoked a cigar. He was well-dressed, but simply so, and wore square glasses.
"Hello sir, I'm Light, the assassin of Boros" the words came out with a harsh coldness.The man stopped what he was doing and looked at the assassin.
"Not as frightening as they said" there was no fear in his gaze.
"I suppose you know or at least imagine why I'm here."
"Oh yes, of course, you've come to kill me at the request of the coward Catis. Know that he does this with some frequency; he thinks I don't notice when he tries to poison me."
"To think that little viper would try something more direct."Light frowned at the response.
"Well, you can get straight to the point; if you're polite, allow me to finish these" Somewhat confused and perplexed, Light turned to the side where a bottle of whiskey was sitting. He remembered his first experience with dwarf drinks, but now it was different; he needed to be drunk. He poured himself a glass and downed it in one gulp, the heat spreading fiercely. He poured another glass and set it in front of the worker.
"Don't you have any attachment to life?" Light seemed somewhat unfriendly.
"None at all. I've lived what I needed to live, built what I needed to build. If they want my death, why should I resist?" His focus never wavered as he compared some papers.
"Your family will be sad, won't they?" He looked closely at the portraits.
"That woman has long been seeing other men and only maintains a facade of marriage. My children only think about the day they'll get my inheritance to spend recklessly, leave this peaceful place, become powerful and know" he stated, a fact long known to everyone.
"You could divorce and try to adopt a child" Light contemplated.
"These things are reserved for the young. We old folks are good for nothing; no one wants our love or help" some frustration was visible in his words. The air grew tense and silence prevailed as Light considered this.
"Look, I really don't want to kill you. Just let down the barrier and let me get out of here. If possible, reveal the whereabouts of my companions" he pleaded with the man, who continued to flip through his papers.
"Your companions are in captivity. Rorik is imprisoned in the catacombs; the lord there won't let me free him. He's been accused of aiding outsiders and criminals. Of course, this isn't the first time" his eyes rolled.
"Triss is to the north of the city; she's been captured by the demon sorcerer. She will likely be used in some ritual due to her mystical properties" he said, resting his hand on his chin.
"You're very well-informed" Light remarked, bothered by the persistent suspicion.
"It's impossible to maintain peace for so long without some artifact that allows you to know everything that happens" the Administrator looked at Light with a slight smile.
"As for the barrier, I can't do anything about it. The city guard decreed its closure; it's beyond my power."
"How can I open it?"
"The magic circle is in the center of the city; I don't recall the exact building, but you should be able to sense the mana around it. Disable the mages maintaining the formation or damage it, and you'll gain your freedom."
"Who is Phantaminum?"
"I know little about him. His magic interferes with much of my equipment. He's a sorcerer who uses demonic magic, creating various demons in his own home, a mansion in ruins. If you wish to rescue your companion, I suggest reconsidering. Most of the creatures are disciples, and he himself is almost an apostle; we're talking about dozens of enemies."
"I don't know what might happen if she dies. I'll have to face it" Light said.
The former Administrator raised his glass and toasted, "To cruel fate and death."
"to the Death."They both downed their drinks in one gulp.
"Cartis could have been punished earlier..." Light wanted to understand his reasoning, why allow someone who frequently tried to kill you to stay close?
"He is a man of ambition and great intelligence; to be fair, he is the closest thing I have to a son and a great heir."
"Your children must be terrible" Light remarked.A loud laugh filled the room.
"Men who devote themselves to work end up like this, boy, with no time for their children or wife, coveted by their peers. This is the natural course of things. Despite that, I will still be remembered as just another of the many mediocre administrators" he said, feeling pity for the old man but still with doubts.
"Do you feel any love..." Light continued, struggling to express himself.
"To what?" The man tilted his head, somewhat lost.
"I imagine you're referring to my work. Well, yes, I liked it at first." He nodded a few times with soft movements.
"Later on, I just did it because it gave some value to my existence and fulfilled me as an individual. Now?" He showed a somewhat stoic expression. "No, it's completely irrelevant. This city could burn and turn to ashes, and I wouldn't care."
Light frowned, visibly moved. "What a sad life."
The Administrator sighed. "Don't seek sadness in an old man. That's just how things are."
"Anyway, thank you for your cooperation" Light said sincerely.
"No, my young friend, it's nothing. I'm glad to be of use, despite my age" the Administrator replied with a slight smile.
Light positioned himself at the window, preparing to jump. His eyes reflected a mixture of determination and regret while the Administrator continued to flip through his documents, unperturbed.
"Center then…"