It was a fine morning for a stroll along the riverbank. The sun was out, and the temperature was cool with nary a monster in sight. This was my type of adventure. I approached the edge of the forest and started looking for the herb.

  I almost immediately found a patch of the herbs. I pulled off my backpack and cloak, then started pulling the herbs and placing them in the backpack. It was so easy that I got lost in thought. At least lost until something bit me. At least, I thought it was a bite, but when I looked it was a dart. I immediately activated Slow-Time, pulled the dart out and cast Cure All. I didn’t cast Diagnose, because the only reason to use a dart was to poison someone. Since I have become very skilled in Cure All, I knew it worked.

  Arem’s Defense was on my cloak, so it didn’t stop the dart, but that was for future Trevor to think about. Current me looked around, while drawing my sword. I couldn’t see anything, so someone must be stealth. My workaround for that was Magic Sight. I might not be able to see them, but if they wore any magic item, I would at least be able to see it aura. Yep, there they were. At least three of them, close together about 20 feet away.

  I turned and cast Fireball at the one in the middle. The Fireball flew straight to them. The ones to the side were able to dodge, but the middle guy got a gut full of Fireball. He was out of the fight until he got healed, maybe drank a potion. The others broke stealth with their sudden movement and became visible. I used my sword and cast Wind Blade at the one on the left, who will be called Lefty. Lefty did something amazing. He cut my Wind Blade with his short sword. Wind Blade went around him and dispersed. Okay, I may be in trouble here.

  Righty shouted something I didn’t understand at first, then he pulled his short sword and dagger out. He advanced toward me, much like a normal fighter would approach a monster. Carefully. Lefty shouted back, and bingo Linguistics brought understanding. I have to hear a few words in the language before Linguistics works. I know the language is Thieves Cant. A coded language only Assassins and Thieves know. I cast Identification on Lefty and Righty:

  Name - Abada aka Lefty

  Race – Human

  Class – Merchant

  Level 15

  Name – Rubop aka Righty

  Race – Half Elf

  Class – Merchant

  Level 12

  Merchants, my ass. Okay, this looked bad. These two screamed assassins, no matter what their class said. I couldn’t trust anything Identification told me. They must have some type of magical device that makes Identification give out the wrong information. Luckily, Slow-Time was working. Even though both were moving faster than others had been, they were still slower than me. I assume high dexterity, speed skill, or magical augmentation.

  I waited for them to approach a little closer, I threw Mjolnir at Lefty and rushed Righty. While Lefty was blocking Mjolnir, I swung Balmung with all my might at Righty. Righty was able to bring his sword up to block, but it wasn’t enough. Balmung cut straight through. It was slowed down and deflected enough so the that Righty didn’t die right away but received a deep cut to his chest. Before I could do more damage, Lefty attacked and I had to block with Balmung. Righty, bleeding profusely, moved back out of attack range. In the fight with Lefty, I positioned him so that he was between me and Mjolnir. I had practiced this move at my mandatory Adventurer training with the Guild master. I called Mjolnir back to me. Silently, Mjolnir flew towards me. Right before it hit him, Lefty turned and deflected Mjolnir just enough. It must have been a danger sense, but it wasn’t enough. With Lefty distracted by the flying dagger, I was able to land a hit, and cut through his wrist. Plop, his sword and hand hit the grass.

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  Now, the last time I dealt with assassins, when they were disadvantage, they disappeared in a puff of smoke. I expected this and was on the lookout for any tells. I didn’t see anything that warned me, just puffs of smoke and the two assassins were gone. It had to be an escape device. However, that left the third one. I found him unconscious right where the fireball had hit him. I quickly searched him, using magic sight and removed all magical items. I found a small glass vial that identified as ‘Smoke of Return’. Simply break the glass and you are turned into smoke that returns to a predesignated location. I also found the Identification masker.

  I used Identification on the burn victim.

  Name - Boriak

  Race – Human

  Class – Assassin

  Level 19

  That brought up the question ‘Was the agreement between the Assassin Guild and the Adventurer Guild no longer in force?’ If that were the case, then my life just got a whole lot more complicated. I would have to check with Gorver when I got back. But in the meantime, I have questions for my burn victim.

  I healed Boriak up, just enough to speak without being well enough to move. Tied him up, and then I slapped him awake. Maybe I have a few unresolved anger issues, but he started it. He tried to move away, but between his injuries and his being tied up he was unable to do more than squirm on the ground. I grabbed him by the neck. It would have been by the hair, but that was all burnt off. Turned him to face me and said “I have questions. You have answers. If you want to live, I suggest you give me those answers.”

  Boriak speaking in Thieves’ Cant, he said “Filthy scum, I will tell you nothing. You are already dead. You just don’t know it,” then smiled at me.

  “Yeah, I don’t think you can call me filthy scum, since you murder people for a living.” I replied in Thieves Cant. His eyes went wide when I spoke in Thieves’ Cant. “As for being dead already, I’m not the one covered in burns, waiting to bleed out or die of infection.”

  I took out a healing potion I had removed from him. “This could probably help with that, but you will have to earn it. And the only coin is answers. Who sent you?” I placed the potion in front of him.

  “The Guild master hands out all assignments. He is the only one who knows who the client is. Give me the potion.”

  “How did you know I would be here today?”

  “We have been watching you for weeks. We followed you from the Adventurers Guild. It looked like the perfect opportunity when you started to pick the herbs.”

  “Why are there three of you? I am only an unclassed level one.”

  “No one believes that. Your ability to heal, your swordsmanship, your speed. All indicate a higher level. We know you use a masker. It’s obvious to everyone now. Give me the potion now. I have answered your questions.”

  “Not yet. Where is the return location for your Smoke of Return item?”

  “It’s my chapter’s safe house.”

  “Why did you break the agreement between the Assassins Guild and the Adventurer Guild? Is your guild ready for the consequences?”

  “I broke no agreement. I am not from the local chapter, and the agreement is only between the local guild chapters.”

  “Last question. Since you are not from Forest Glen, where is your chapter house?”

  “Decharte City, now give me the potion.”

  “Well, since you aren’t part of the local chapter, I wouldn’t be breaking the agreement, if I killed you.” I said to him harshly. “But then again, I don’t have to do anymore. I can, and will, just leave you here.” I picked up the potion and left him there, screaming profanities at me.

  The likelihood of him surviving the night was zero. Hell, he probably wouldn’t even make it to dark. Which was fine with me, since I don’t have any sympathy for those who try to kill me.