Chapter 13 – The Guardian's Secret
"In all honesty, I have no idea what to do. I know she is a powerful mage, but little else apart from the vague understanding of the fight circuit," SJ said.
Fas nodded in understanding. "The Chief, or going by her real name, Urani, is exceedingly secretive. Even those who work directly for her know little about her. Even after her time in Asterfal, including her time in the spotlight running the Black Gryphon, she remains elusive."
"But you said you have had dealings with her?"
"Yes, business dealings, I have never looked into her personal life. In all honesty, our paths rarely cross. Most involvements have been investment schemes."
"Investments? What sort?" SJ asked, piquing her interest in financial matters.
"Various schemes. My largest investment was here," Fas replied.
"The Black Gryphon?" Surprised by Fas's reply.
"Yes. I invested heavily in the refurbishment and expansion of the facility. That is one of the reasons I stay here; I own partial rights to the inn."
"You've never mentioned that before?"
Fas shrugged. "I have investments all over the city; I have said so before."
"You mainly mentioned orphanages. Not actual businesses."
Fas smiled softly.
"I really don't know much about your dealings still," SJ sighed.
Fas chuckled in response to her comment. "We don't usually discuss business; our focus is normally rather niche."
SJ blushed. Her visits to Asterfal mainly involved arriving to complete an assassination quest and then departing again. She spent little to no time socialising in the city or discussing any matters outside of the quests unless she was on a task for Killic at the tower. Although she now knew more of Asterfal and its workings, many aspects were still a mystery. Its infrastructure and political intricacies were vast, to put it mildly.
"True. I would actually like to get to know more about you at some point," SJ said.
Fas raised an eyebrow at her comment. "About me or my dealings?"
SJ's blush increased tenfold. "Dealings," she stammered in response.
The laughter from Fas caught her off guard. "And there I was thinking I was about to be wooed."
"You're a 500-year-old dragonling, my guardian and sponsor. It wouldn't exactly be a good idea for us ever to be involved, would it?" SJ snapped.
Fas now roared with laughter, joined by Dave. SJ felt heat flood from her cheeks to her neck. The room felt impossibly small. "If you're just going to act childish, then I will leave now," SJ said as she stood, her voice tight.
"No. No. Stay. I'm sorry," Fas said, attempting to stop laughing. "For an assassin, your emotions still play a heavy role."
If looks could kill, then Fas would have dropped dead from the stare SJ gave him. Her embarrassment was now fuelling her anger.
"Do you have anything useful to tell me about her?" SJ snapped.
Fas coughed as he calmed himself down fully. "As I said, I know little about her personal life. I only know where she resides, but I have never been there."
"Oh. Where is that?"
"She lives outside the city. I'm not sure if you have ever been to the mines or know their location? If so, she owns an estate not far from there. Several of the wealthier nobles do; it's like a private enclave for them. They have their own security force, and entry into the main compound area is strictly prohibited without proper authorisation."
SJ had never heard of such an area.
"Why have you never been?" SJ queried.
"Wards. Unless you have the authorisation, you can't enter the grounds. You remember the wards used by the shamans in Killic? Well, these wards are even stronger and not bound by individuals. I once had a quest to assassinate a noble who lived there, and I could find no way in."
"Well, that makes things a little challenging then. The only time I may be able to do anything is when she is here."
Fas shook his head, almost emphatically. "Unlikely, she has wards wherever she is. Her office is also bound. If any being ever attempts to attack her, it ends up suffering the consequences."
SJ remembered the crackling sensation the air held in Urani's office when she had first met her as a promoter.
"And she never travels without her bodyguards. I've never seen any with her in the Black Gryphon."
"Why would she need them here? No one who knows would ever be stupid enough to attempt anything. The Black Gryphon is known as neutral territory for most in Asterfal; even the tower leaves it alone. Over the decades, it has at times been used as neutral ground for high-level negotiations between various factions. Not as much over recent times, but historically, there have been several held here."
This was all news to SJ; she still knew so little.
"I'm not the only one who has been assigned the quest, by the way, and one of them has already been killed, from what Navina said," SJ said after a moment's silence.
"I see; well, that may make things more difficult," Fas said. "If someone has already attempted something, then you can guarantee that her security will be on high alert."
"Do you know who they are?"
Fas smiled. "I know several of them. Only one on a personal level."
"And?" SJ asked.
"They are formidable. You see one of them nearly every time you visit the Black Gryphon."
"Who's that?"
"Tsongy, the troll who is always on the steps."
"That troll is one of her personal guards?"
"Yes, and a powerful one as well. He cut his teeth in the mountains of Plowetra fighting the giants, but since he left the territory over seven decades ago and moved to Asterfal, he has continued to grow. He may seem fairly innocent, but believe me when I say that troll has an eye for detail and threats. He is an exceedingly skilled combatant."
"What class is he?"
"Ah, he is a specialist warlock."
SJ's face contorted in shock. "Warlock?"
"Yes. Warlock. His specialisation is agony."
"Now, that's not good. Agonylocks are renowned for their ability to inflict long-lasting damage. Their curses are severe, and few clerics I am aware of can counter them. You may find some paladins who have the skillset, but they would require being specialists in holy magic," Dave mused.
"I never would have guessed from looking at him. I always thought he was just a bouncer here at the inn."
"That's the point. Few even know what his full capabilities are. I have only ever seen him react once while in the inn, and that was when a mass brawl started in the pits at one of the cage fights. The crowd was going crazy, and he suppressed the whole pit in moments."
"Ooo. That sounds like the skill anguish," Dave said. "If he was able to control the whole pit area with it, then he has specialised it significantly. Probably with affliction and spectral echo to cover such a large area."
"Did you suffer from it?" SJ asked.
"No. I wasn't present when he did it, but I heard from those who were. The description was as though a huge weight had been forced onto them all, freezing them in their places."
SJ shuddered at the explanation." And he is just one of her security?"
"Yes. There are several," Fas nodded.
"This doesn't sound as though it's going to be an easy task," SJ sighed.
Fas scoffed. "Did you believe that Navina would ever issue an easy quest directly? I was a little concerned when she asked to see you, but I am guessing the reward is worth it?"
"Why didn't she offer it to you? It doesn't make sense. Are you not the best assassin in Asterfal?"
"The terms best and assassin don't really work together. I have my own specialist areas, which I work in. Various assassins have different roles and approaches. You know this yourself, with your chosen subterfuge branch. Not all are fit for certain tasks."
"So you believe that my subterfuge skills are what may be needed here?"
"Potentially, although from our last discussion, you are still a way off triggering any skill upgrades, and with your current level cap restriction, you potentially won't improve further any time soon without a serious focus on them."
"It looks like when we get back to Killic, you need to have a serious conversation with Zigferd about your growth," Dave said.
SJ couldn't agree more. She wasn't sure what she would gain upon reaching level 30, but if it meant that she would be required to focus on her subterfuge skill branch, then the extra skill points earned from the level increase could be a substantial benefit.
"Was there a time limit on completion?" Fas asked.
SJ frowned. "No."
"Good. Some quests don't have time limits, which in this instance is beneficial. I doubt you would be in a position to contend with Urani for some time still. In all honesty, I'm not even sure how I would fare."
"Well, that fills me with absolute dread," SJ said, her eyes wide in panic. "If you're not sure you could deal with her, then how on Amathera am I supposed to?"
"Time and patience," Fas said calmly. SJ listened to the words, absorbing their meaning. They didn't offer comfort; instead, they compounded a dread that was slowly seeping into her stomach. What had she agreed to?
"I could always cancel the quest if it's going to be that difficult," SJ said.
"No," Dave said immediately, before Fas could reply, filling her mind. "This is an opportunity to get our hands on the earrings; we can't waste it."
'Waste it? From what Fas has said, this is going to be virtually impossible.'
"Where there's a will, there's a way," Dave replied philosophically.
"You could, but if you cancel the quest, then your standing would be impacted in the guild. Navina rarely offers personal opportunities, so there must be something tied to this for her as well. She would look at it in a very poor light."
"Yes, but from what you say, it's not something I could even attempt soon?"
"No, perhaps not immediately, but it depends on what and how we can get you closer to Urani," Fas scratched his chin as he looked into the distance, thinking.
"Could you not support?" SJ asked. "If you are already close to her, wouldn't it be easier for you to assist in her demise?"
Fas looked at her, his eyes meeting hers as he shook his head emphatically. "No. I'm not able to get involved in a direct quest like this. It hasn't been issued to me. The other quests you have completed in the past have always been open tasks. Specifically assigned guild quests can't be completed by others, unless offered to them themselves."
"What if I asked Navina also to include you?"
"You think she would?" Fas smiled.
"No, not really," SJ said, her shoulders dropping in defeat.
"I am intrigued as to who requested Urani's assassination. I know she has created many enemies over her time, but for one to specifically request an assassination, it must have been serious."
SJ thought for a moment. "That may be the inroad I need. If I can discover the reason behind the request, maybe I can discover what or how I can gain access to her."
"Not a bad thought, but Navina will never disclose the requester's details, even if she knows herself. Typically, transactions are conducted through various external parties, allowing for anonymity. Many quests come through a multitude of layers. Only those brought directly to the tables by normal residents are openly acknowledged as the requester. Those familiar with how the guilds operate are unlikely to reveal themselves. That is how even those in the tower can get around using the guilds."
The overarching complexity of her class was ever-increasing. She had little idea of the various guild structures and how the assassin guild in particular operated. Her involvement usually only ever went through Fas, assigning her quests he had secured from the various guilds.
"It doesn't look like we are in a rush to resolve this quest. If the chief's security is that strong, I doubt the other assigned individual stands much of a chance. At least we know the main threat apart from Urani seems to be the warlock," Dave said.
'I still know nothing yet of her other security she has,' SJ thought. 'I doubt I am going to have time to find out much while I am here. I need to head back again tomorrow as it is.'
"True. But you may as well glean as much information from Fas as you can while you are here."
"What can you tell me about the other security measures or means of getting around the beings she has protecting her?" SJ asked.
Fas thought for a moment and pushed himself up from the sofa before walking to his writing desk. There, he removed a small leatherbound book from its drawer; its black leather binding looked battered and worn. He stood holding it in his hand for several moments, looking at it, before he walked back to the sofa and sat again.
"What's that?" SJ asked.
Fas was still looking at the small book in his hands, as though contemplating what to do. He looked up at her. This time, his eyes held hers with a deep sense of foreboding.
"If I give you this book...," Fas held the book tightly in his grip, his knuckles white, as he paused, looking down again.
"What about it?" SJ asked. SJ felt a spike of concern as she witnessed Fas's unusual behaviour; he appeared almost nervous, something she had never seen before. His demeanour was always calm and controlled, even in what many would call dire circumstances.
Fas shook his head. "No, I can't," he said, standing and returning to his desk, placing the book back in the drawer from which he had taken it.
"Fas. What is it? What has you so flustered?" SJ asked, now seriously concerned.
A disarming smile erupted on Fas's face. "Oh. It's nothing really," his attempt to shrug off his bizarre behaviour not in any way deterring SJ from questioning him.
"You don't just get to show me something, then put it away without an explanation," SJ urged.
Fas's smile vanished instantly. "No, it's too dangerous; it was stupid of me to even consider showing it to you."
"Showing what?" SJ said, frustrated with his response. "It's like telling someone you bought them a present and then not giving it to them."
His eyes met hers again; this time, they held a secret, something Fas wasn't even willing to share with her. SJ felt hurt; she trusted Fas emphatically, yet he had just hidden something that could potentially be beneficial to her cause.
"I'm sorry. I should never have considered it. Maybe in time I could, but not now; the timing is not right."
"When could the timing ever be better? I need as much information as I can about her?"
Fas closed his eyes and sighed. "The content of that book isn't about the chief."
"Then what benefit would it give me for you even to consider showing it to me?"
Fas's eyes were still closed as he rubbed his forehead. "We need to change the subject, going back to your original statement about her other security."
"Come off it. You think I am going to let this drop?" SJ huffed. "Aren't you my guardian and supposed to protect me? If that book contains something to help keep me safe, then shouldn't you let me see it?"
"NO!" Fas shouted, startling SJ. His face was no longer the placid calm she knew; its hostility and anger were apparent, his teeth bared.
Fas had never shouted in anger at her before, and the shock silenced SJ in an instant.
"Whoa. That's unusual," Dave said, his own voice almost nervous. "Whatever that book contains holds significant weight around Fas's neck."
SJ stared at Fas wide-eyed, his eyes holding hers for several moments, before he looked away. "I'm sorry. I was out of order." His voice was now quiet and calm again.
"I shouldn't have pushed you," SJ said nervously. "I'm sorry."
Fas turned back to her, his eyes almost pleading for her to let it go. "I really should have thought ahead. I'm the one who should be sorry. If I allowed you to read the contents of the book, you would be privy to a truth that has broken minds. I can't be held responsible for that. I still shiver to this day remembering the content, and I haven't read it for decades myself. It was a whim, a stupid whim."
SJ was completely flummoxed. What on Amathera could ever scare a dragonling, never mind an elite assassin? And that was how Fas now behaved, as though a fear shrouded him. Whatever that book held had to be a deep, dark, and obviously dangerous secret, yet if it was a solution to assist with her current quest, SJ couldn't just ignore it. How could she get Fas to agree to her reading it?
"Are you hungry?" Fas suddenly asked. "I could do with food. Let's get some. You like that orc restaurant, don't you?"
The immediate transition off-topic jarred SJ, as her stomach rumbled quietly. The last time she had eaten had been at breakfast, and it was now approaching late afternoon. "I could eat, but you still need to tell me about the security."
Fas smiled. "I will, let's go eat," he said, standing before pulling the cord that rang for Benji.
Benji soon knocked and entered. "What do you need?"
"We are going out for food. Could you order a cart, please?"
"Sure," Benji said, disappearing again.
"Shall we?" Fas said to SJ.
SJ stood and moved towards the door where Fas now stood. Before she left the room, she turned back and looked at the desk where the book had been placed.
She would find out what that book contained, one way or another.
