[ - Author's Note - ]

So here we are, Qatil vs James is ready to go... And... no one is betting on Qatil...

Given that one is the main character I can... kinda see where that's coming from; even though I've been building Qatil up for a bit. Still, I will say no one has gotten how he operates down yet. Oh, that will be a fun reveal; to be fair what he can do has been mentioned like, what... once or twice?

Needless to say it'll be the main focus of this chapter which is closer to the average length. Yay for consistency?

I will say it'll be the chapters after the next that I'll struggle with the most as I'll need to start on the planned main conflict for Act Four. Yes, the whole Roxford thing wasn't meant to be the main conflict, even if it'll be the largest this act...

Needless to say that'll be a future problem; this chapter all but wrote itself! So... let's get into it, one of the most fun chapters to write for awhile!

Let's go!

[ - Act IV - Chapter XII: He Who Knows No Failure - ]

Primus City, Nobility District
Dominion of Geofu
Levantine Manor
Office of Grave Levantine

"There was a mistake made." Grave let off upon entry to his office once he saw Lorcan was lounging on his 'L' shaped couch. The man shrugged in response as he flicked a thumb over one of his falcatas as if checking for damage.

"So I heard. Don't look at me." Lorcan said as he sat up, sheathing the blade. "I managed to kill them before they could do a thing and smuggle them out of town before anyone noticed; those three had one job and screwed it up." Grave huffed in annoyance; that the bodies were found was... frustrating. He had used the pair of Dawn Templars behind Claudia's back to handle smaller tasks for the Storm; dealing with bandit leaders to make their followers more ' open' to recruitment by the Black Dogs, silence possible snitches, quiet idiots who might open their mouths too wide... Sending them to handle his son's weird, retarded friend Terson Awl was both a preventive measure and a good way to just cause him some pain...

... and caused doubts in his cat's paws meaning they had become loose ends in their own right...

"It's still a mistake." Grave let off, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and two glasses, walking to the couch. In a moment the glasses were filled and both men picked one up. "They would be missed eventually but everyday made discovery worse for anyone else. All because my brother's men couldn't handle a few, mere goblins ..."

"Bad luck for them, I guess." Lorcan mused as he sipped his glass. "But we're not compromised; none of them had a chance to say anything to anyone and I made sure no one saw me meet with those girls. Nothing will tie back to me or you and Pantielle should have gotten their homes cleared out of anything pointing anywhere."

" Hurmph... That's true... That's true..." Grave let off before sipping his own glass. " Still... We need to avoid screw ups... That Noxdecus brat was helping that failure sniff around; where ever he goes he causes problems; like exposing Beardsley. We need to deal with him; sooner or later..."

" Welllll..." Lorcan let off with a grin, swirling his drink. "If a lil' rumor I heard is true we might need to do nothing... He Who Knows No Failure is in Eostia..." He said as Grave stiffened and, in a rare moment, looked spooked... "And he's going to Mungale..."

" Thank goodness for that..." There was few men Grave could say he feared... In fact there was only one he could name; that assassin... "...Who hired him..? Surely no lord in Eostia?"

Among the victims of Qatil Aleaql was one Gwen Byran; a former Shield Princess of Thorn who served for seven years... her death was over twenty years ago now. They were alerted to his arrival and target and Celestine herself offered to help bodyguard her until the threat was neutralized. Details were scarce but based on the rumors he killed Gwen under the High Queen's nose with some saying Celestine had her back turned for less then a minute on her friend and aide. She went from alive to dead in that time without a hint of the assassin having been in the room.

Gwen was stabbed through the throat, dropped to the ground and all without the assassin being seen or heard by Celestine in the room, the two Templars outside of the door, the four by the windows, more along the hall, in the adjoining rooms and the building was designed to prevent any possibility of teleportation. It should have been physically impossible for the assassin to get in without notice or escape without being seen. There were precautions to deal with illusions of any sort and as the one the few details they knew of Qatil was he was male Celestine had the building manned by women only to prevent the possibility of him blending in.

Even so he pulled it off, perfectly. No one saw him enter or leave the building; no one even saw him. No one could even find a hint that he was ever there; it was as if a fucking ghost killed the Shield Princess of Thorn. Qatil Aleaql had built a strong reputation over the previous five years he was active before then; that kill however made him go from a person of note to a legend and someone that all who heard him had feared...

If anyone told Grave they feared Qatil Aleaql he would lose no respect for them...

In fact Celestine ordered, by Royal Decree that if a death in Eostia was caused by Qatil all houses would be audited to find the cash flow used to pay him as a measure of preventing his hire; one unopposed by the majority of the Council of Lords to the point there was an unspoken rule to never hire him for use inside of Eostia. That meant it was, likely, someone outside of Eostia who hired him... Was it Vult? No, it didn't seem his style... A Cloaked Crown? No, he doubted they could move that much coin through the shadows right now without notice... A benefactor of the Storm? ... Maybe...

One thing was for sure...

Noxdecus' days were numbered...

Grave raised his glass in time with Lorcan, a silent moment of respect before drinking deep of their glasses.

[-]

A weapon and a spell both are mere tools. And like all tools, in and of themselves, they are a force for neither good nor evil. Once taken in hand, however, their capacity for both is made plain. In delivering one man to salvation such may doom another; making a lie of its creator's every good intention.

~Welsh the Mighty Smith, Founder of Ansur

[-]

It was, at first, a day off for everyone; Sunday and all. I opted to make a new game (Yes, I found this relaxing) based on Othello, also called Reversi. It would take time to make but once done would be a new product for the workshop to sell. The hard part would be making it play itself against an opponent. More over I wanted to do more then a normal two on two game on an eight by eight board; make it go up to a sixteen by sixteen board and up to four players. Sure it would take work but I wasn't afraid of that.

As for everyone else; Aeris was playing delivery girl by flying Enterprise out to Ansur with another load of spell fiber. Local enchanters knew what to do and Lulu would only use the most trusted ones she had for her train project. Miria, Mokria and Miika were all off on a little hunting trip with Cress which would be productive I hoped. Ur was hosting a swordsmen tournament (That it included swordswomen as well didn't need to be said) that Makoto was participating in. That left, of the usual suspects, Tiffany and Riri in the Manor along with Dawn. Even my parents opted to lounge about...

Of course, as life is wont to do, something happened; in this case a manor guard calling my voxlux. "Yes, is something the matter?" As I answered a... worried looking guard looked back at me from the projection.

"Ahh, Yes Sire... there's a strange man at the gate in weird armor... He says his name is Scarecrow and he wants to talk to you." The guard replied as I blinked. Scarecrow? Of the Death Legion? That was... confusing.

"I'll be right over. Just stay calm and relaxed." I said as I stood up. I set my saber to my side and grabbed my Radiant Gemini; my armor was being cleaned but I was wearing my Armor Weave outfit at the moment. I wasn't expecting trouble but I had no reason not to prepare, just in case. I walked out of my room, down the hall and so on until I was out of the door, moving down the path to the manor's gate. My parents were already there along with Riri and both my mother and my maid looked ready to start a fight with nervous guards about.

Scarecrow, in that tunic covered armor, melted looking face plate and hat, was just standing there... maybe menacingly; it was hard to tell as I couldn't see his face. He stood with his hands folded into his lap as he stood, legs parted shoulder width. His head turned as I approached and once I joined everyone else he gave me a nod. "Scarecrow... I can say I didn't expect you to blow by here." I said calmly.

" Lord Noxdecus. It has been awhile, indeed. " He admitted as my mother stepped forwards; I had to lift an arm to make sure she didn't rush him.

" What are you doing here!? You tried to kill my baby !" Did she have to put it like that?

" Indeed. I tried. " Scarecrow admitted. " And I failed; more so when the Blood Bear showed up. "

"Easy mom." I said softly. "Last time we met he said him and his Death Legion wouldn't come after me again." I let off before lowering my head and giving Scarecrow a stern look. "And, if for some reason he changed his mind on that, he's not dumb enough to just walk up to the threshold of my home, by himself with everyone here. So... what business brings you by Mungale Manor, Scarecrow?"

" Indeed, my mind has not changed as the death of Belyy Klyk brought glory and honor to Lord Hallow. " He said, bowing slightly. " It is that you have brought such for him I have come with a warning, although how useful it is I do not know." He said as I gave a slight nod of my head to encourage him to explain. " You have been marked for death once more and the next assassin coming for your head nears. An assassin of a caliber... beyond my own. " That got everyone's attention as my father frowned and stepped ahead of me for a moment.

"Does this assassin have a name?" He asked, taking control of the situation from me for the first time since I arrived. Scarecrow nodded once.

" Tis but rumor... but my source is a reliable one. " Scarecrow said as he looked right at my face; I was sure dead in the eye. " The man who comes for you now is Qatil Aleaql... " He let off as I blinked; I never heard of guy befo-

thud

"Huh?" I let off turning to see.. my mother had fainted. " Mom!?" I let off, rushing, nearly diving to her side as I moved to cradle her; she seemed fine but why was-

Looking to my father it was like he saw a ghost... What... the... fuck? "Dad...?"

"... Qatil... ... Qatil Aleaql is an assassin of an impossible level ..." He began softly, quietly as if forcing his voice to come to him. "... He is the one said to be the one to have killed Gwen Byran..." That got my attention. The name Qatil Aleaql didn't ring a bell with me but I knew of Gwen Byran; a former Shield Princess who wasn't the greatest fighter you'd find but one of the most powerful supportive and healing mages who ever lived. It's said she made those under her twice as powerful through her magic and was, in her day, a major bachelorette before settling down with a knight. A noble who thought he deserved her decided on the 'if I can't have her' approach and hired an assassin. The details aren't clear but Celestine was guarding her personally in a hidden facility along with Dawn Templars, staffed only by women to make picking out a male assassin harder, enchantments to avoid disguises, illusions and more... and he not only got through but killed her under their noses... " He Who Knew No Failure..." ... oh...

Now I knew who I was dealing with... The guy was known to me only by those nicknames, as if to invoke his name would have him pop up behind you... I felt my jaw clench; this was a big deal... The guy cost five hundred platinum to hire... and one hundred just to talk to the bastard... "Well, I pissed someone off..." I said as I lifted my mother off the ground, bridal style before looking back to Scarecrow. "...Why come with a warning, then?"

" To allow you to prepare for your last moments... That and..." I could feel the smile under his helm. " ...I'm curious if you can be the first to survive him... Killing Belyy Klyk was an impressive feat... Can you manage another? " He said before bowing once more and stepping backwards. " I bid you farewell... May Lord Hallow offer upon you his favor..." It wasn't until he was over a hundred feet away did he turn his back and walk normally.

Once my mother came to I opted to get to work.

[-]

" Hmmm... How interesting..." Within an office building in the infinite cosmos one Fredlocall watched on through a computer monitor. Honestly; why did those fools care so much about their course change of this Cluster? Was there no enjoyment for them in seeing mortals engage in their base desires? Ruin and break one another through sexual means? Honestly, it was fascinating to watch how depraved mortals could be... And they wanted to change it with their little pawn...

"Of course his newest challenge is... a creative one... But he'll need a small bit of help..." He let off with a smirk. He had kept a... small backdoor into Benterra's system for an event like this and pulled out a small key; one normally used for an office cabinet but colored gold. He would set it to the monitor and twisted it for a fraction of a second. " Perfect. That will ensure this Qatil figure has his opening..."

And with that he leaned back and laced his fingers, glasses shining from the monitor's light. And thus would this ' experiment' end...

[-]

I directed four more voxlux cameras set up to keep an eye on things, one in the foyer, one in the back door, one in the hall where the family's quarters were in and another watching the main gate. While that was being done I opted to call Celestine up and once she answered and saw my serious face asked what was wrong.

The moment I mentioned Qatil she paled. When I mentioned he was likely hired to come after me she almost dropped the voxlux and looked ready to fall over. Her lip was quivering and she looked... resigned. " Oiy!" I let off, making her jump in the view. She did drop the voxlux at that as she looked back at me. " Cele! I need to know what I'm even up against; what do we even know about this guy?"

I saw her slump into a seat before picking up the voxlux finally, white as a ghost. " Are you... Is this report reliable..?" She let off softly; she was clearly scared.

"The man who told me is an assassin in his own right and well connected; the leader of the Death Legion from the Blood Bear incident." I told her as I tried to beat down my own fears; holy crap she looked... ready to give up... "Cele... Cele!" She jumped once more as I barked at her before she lowered her gaze.

" That he knows no failure is accurate... Gwen was in the room with me... A guarded one... It should have been impossible to get in without notice but he did ..." Her voice was soft and almost despondent as she spoke. " That is... the tale of most of his kills. Well guarded men and women, palaces swarming with guards... One man jumped on a ship and sailed to the middle of the lake to avoid Qatil but... he still got there, found him and slew him... He... He can't be stopped... Y-you're already -"

" Do not finish that statement." I said sternly as she looked at me. "I'm not going say I'm not scared or anything but I didn't beat Olga by throwing in the towel before the fight even happened." I replied as I kept my face neutral and calm. "And I have some defenses in the Manor that weren't available to anyone before. I don't plan on dying just yet."

" ...I expect nothing less from you..." Her tone didn't change a hint... " ...I will pray for you... To answer your question however; I have no idea. It's known he kills with bladed weapons and he's able to get past any Armor Weave or Mana Armor. The manner he manages it is unknown; possibly titanium but... there's suggestions he's a mage of some caliber so it's unlikely. But no one knows what sort of blade he uses, his face, anything... Given his name it's assumed he hails from Bahr Alrimal or around it but that too can be a diversion to hide his real identity... He could be from the East for all we know... He is the deadliest man in the land; no one can even claim to reliably have seen him... Be careful... This foe, whatever he can do, is like none you've faced before... Your chances, I... hate to say, are slim... "

"I understand. And have some faith in me, Cele." I said, giving her my most reassuring smile.

" ...Of course... Good luck and may all the gods look after you, my friend... " She said, opening her mouth once more before closing it and just hanging up. Sighing I pocketed my voxlux and moved to step outside to start to direct things.

If Qatil wanted to come by then I'd direct the defenses myself... no one else to blame that way...

[-]

Argon City, Capital of the County of Mungale
Merchant District

The man known as Qatil donned his mask at long last, the last part of his equipment. Unlike the meeting with the Primus he bore a weapon at his hip; a scimitar of plain but high grade steel. A dagger was at his right hip but it was rarely needed; plain steel but well made. Both weapons bore brass handles and guards with a simple, opulent ruby in both blades in the pommels. Finally he left down the alley; having left from the backdoor of the inn he and his handler (Along with their aides and guards) to the street. He walked with purpose, not hiding himself in anyway; even so no one spared him a look. None even seemed to notice him. A man he brushed into looked about but noted no one he could have brushed into. Four guards were outside of Argon's gates...

Hmmm... It seems the Lordling was forewarned of his arrival.

No matter. They didn't even acknowledge him as he left the city and moved towards the Manor beyond...

It was time to earn more easy money...

[-]

With two men at the monitors of the voxlux cameras and extra on the walls and by the gate the chances of this guy getting the drop on us should be zero... Should be... But if what Celestine said is accurate he didn't give two shits about reality. I was sure I wasn't dealing with a god but damn near everything else was on the table... I wasn't sure what to expect but I had to consider the unexpected...

That doesn't help...

"Are you... sure you can handle this guy?" Dawn asked me as we stood outside (Me in full kit), overseeing the guards as I tapped a foot, arms crossed.

" No." I said honestly as she flinched. "But I'm not going to lay down and die either. We just need to use what we do know and do what we can to fill in the gaps." I said as I frowned deeper. She bit her lip as I saw my mother flit about; her spear in hand as she shouted directions. The guards heeded her and tried to... not take offense at her tone; once everyone understood what we were up against they knew she would be... testy... "I just can't think of what this guy does that's special..."

"I mean... didn't you say about something 'if it was easy someone would have figured it out already'?" Dawn replied as I nodded.

"Right... So, let's relax as best as we ca-"

And then I jumped as a loud bang sounded as I looked behind and to the side; the stables were set to the eastern wall as well as the fences that kept the horses in and that was where the sound came from; White Peach rebounding off the fencing. That was surprising, doubly so as she seemed to rear up, slam her hooves into the fence, turn about and bucked her legs at the strong wood as I started to jog over. The fence was deigned to be just too high for her and the other steeds to jump over with any ease. " Peach! What has you spooked, girl?"

"Th-think it's about Qatil?" Dawn offered as I slowed and looked around...

No one around that I could see... "I don't know." I said as I reached the fence, whistling. She came right up to me and let me pet her face; or rather she pressed her face to my palm as I looked to her eyes while trying to understand what she was trying to tell me... It was like she was trying to escape to me... but why? What did she sense I couldn't that had her panicked? "Calm down girl... What do you know I don't?" I whispered...

" You really should just ignore her..." Serra, our animal handler let off as I blinked at her. " I'm sure it's nothing, she's been acting nervous for awhile now." ... Weird wasn't Serra the one who was the first to tell me that animals were-

̶̗̳͊h̸̝̲̊ẽ̶̹͎e̷̢͛d̶̲̏̌ ̷̺̑m̷̩̯̓̈́e̴̯̼͂͐

-liable to be spooked by small things. Just a mouse, surely. " I'm sure you'll work out what's going on with her." She said as I started to step away.

"Master, are you... Of course , you would know her best." Dawn let off, following me for a moment as my mother seemed to calm down as I neared her, her spear at her back with her shield.

" Dear, why don't you go to your room." She suggested as I blinked at me. " We have things covered here." That was strange, why wasn't she panicking like usual-

̶̗̳͊h̸̝̲̊ẽ̶̹͎e̷̢͛d̶̲̏̌ ̷̺̑m̷̩̯̓̈́e̴̯̼͂͐

-but she was likely just confident, that's all. " Of course. I'll leave it to you..." Something nagged at me for a moment... I turned to Dawn as White Peach banged on the fence. "Why don't you help Serra; maybe see what's bothering Peach."

"Sure thing, Master." She said walking back to the fence as I started to go to the Manor's door...

Even as I did Peach banged on the fence and something nagged at me... Maybe I should stop and-

̶̗̳͊h̸̝̲̊ẽ̶̹͎e̷̢͛d̶̲̏̌ ̷̺̑m̷̩̯̓̈́e̴̯̼͂͐

-...no, it was fine... It was all fine...

[-]

Qatil chuckled... Easy as usual. He eyed the horse, of course, as he followed the lordling inside his own home. The animal was the only one to see him, no one else took note. If only animals were as easy to control...

The last sight the beast would have of her master was him walking into the manor. The lordling greeted the maids but it didn't matter, nothing did now...

He would make sure the comforts of his room was last thing he knew...

[-]

Something nagged me as I walked to my room; something was off but I couldn't put it to words. Serra dismissed Peach's actions... Sure, she often had a reason for the horses and other animals doing what they did but... she acted like White Peach had done this before; she hadn't as long as I could recall... And my mother being so calm was... out of character for her right now... It was weird... I...

No, that wasn't weird; what was weird when I considered these things my mind just... slipped off of them... I can't explain it but I knew these were out of character and yet something made them seem in character... It was off putting...

Finally I arrived in my room, a soft desire to pull my circlet off in me as I looked ahead and-

...

Why did I see a computer on my desk?

Not just any computer; the one I built for myself in my old world... ... And that table was from Enterprise... And my old school's sports banner hanging on the wall? Also, didn't I leave that book on Enterprise as well? It was one of my favorites in this world... Each of them a comfort in their own right... Something was wrong-

̶̗̳͊h̸̝̲̊ẽ̶̹͎e̷̢͛d̶̲̏̌ ̷̺̑m̷̩̯̓̈́e̴̯̼͂͐

Nothing was wrong, I can just take off-

No! Why did I see my computer !? That should be impossible! How is it-

̶̗̳͊h̸̝̲̊ẽ̶̹͎e̷̢͛d̶̲̏̌ ̷̺̑m̷̩̯̓̈́e̴̯̼͂͐

My head started to itch, I'd need my circlet off to scratch it... my protective circlet... Something is-

̶̗̳͊h̸̝̲̊ẽ̶̹͎e̷̢͛d̶̲̏̌ ̷̺̑m̷̩̯̓̈́e̴̯̼͂͐

righhhhhh-

̶̗̳͊h̸̝̲̊ẽ̶̹͎e̷̢͛d̶̲̏̌ ̷̺̑m̷̩̯̓̈́e̴̯̼͂͐

My head was hurting, why did I want to-

̶̗̳͊h̸̝̲̊ẽ̶̹͎e̷̢͛d̶̲̏̌ ̷̺̑m̷̩̯̓̈́e̴̯̼͂͐

Realization! I used Ring of Alarm and felt it finally; someone in the room with me, pacing behind me! More on instinct then anything else I turned, drew and swung my blade at that space-

" Gah!"

- and blood came to the tip of my blade as I, for lack of a better term, took my Mana System and shook it with an internal pulse. The moment I did that I saw a man in middle eastern garb in my room, a shallow cut on his shoulder. I grit my teeth as I realized what I was dealing with; a psionic mage!

If a being a dragonborne was a one-in-ten-million chance then being a psionic mage was one-in-ten- billion... The rarest type of anything I could think of and the only reason I knew what to do was studying the Psionic Theory of the Dread Field! I used Observe then and there.

(-)

Name: Qatil Aleaql
Title: He Who Knows No Failure
Class: Rune Blade
Level: 34
Alignment: Hostile
Reputation: 46
Status: Healthy, Surprised, Impressed

Known Traits
[Psionic Scion] You have access to the rarest of all powers in the realm; Psionic Magic! You can use all sorts of mind altering magics!

[Deep Pools] You have a large and deep Mana Pool. 8% to Mnc
[Sword Master] You are a master of any sword set to your hand. 2 Damage to all one handed swords in your use, 4 Damage to all two handed swords in your use.

[̵͓̆Â̸͍v̸̳́a̸̹̎ṭ̷̕ä̷̭́r̷̺͝ ̵̲̈́T̸̩́ṟ̵͠a̴̩̕ỉ̸̥t̴̜̃ ̵̲͊B̶̦̈́ÿ̶͇ṗ̴̬a̵̲͑s̴̜̋ș̶͘]̶̜̈ ̴̖̿ ̵͔̏Y̷̬͗o̵̼̔u̶̘͋r̷͕̒ ̸̪̑m̷̬͌a̸̹͘g̶̺͌i̴̞̓ć̷̭ ̵̭̊b̷͌͜y̶͖͗p̴̺̀á̵̼š̷͓s̸̳͝ȩ̵̀s̷̢͆ ̶̗̚ţ̶̌h̷̩̊e̵̠͒ ̴̙̕ṅ̶͉a̴̐͜t̶͔͐ư̸͇r̴̼̀a̴͎̍l̴̟͆ ̸̋ͅm̵̱̉e̶͎̐ń̸̬t̵͙͋a̴͎̓l̸͖͝ ̵̬̈́d̸̰̚e̴̢͝f̷̲͠ȩ̸͝ņ̴̋s̸̳̆é̶̝s̵̲̓ ̷͙͐o̸̜̎f̸̲̐ ̵̘̔t̷̪̊h̶̟̓ẹ̴͌ ̴̪̈Ä̷͕́v̷̘̋ả̸̗t̵̩̋á̵̝r̷̯͘ ̴̖̊o̸͖͝f̵̤̀ ̴̭̏t̷͉̍h̸̪̐e̶̫͝ ̷̘̀Ġ̷̪a̴͊ͅm̶̬͑e̸͈̐r̵͈̔ ̷͎͑T̵̛̲r̸̡̐a̶̘͝i̶̺̿t̸͍̔ ̷̣̽á̴̙s̴͈͒ ̸̼̄w̶͇͑e̸͕̕l̴͝ͅĺ̴̰ ̵̖̒a̸̤̔s̶̖̀ ̸̩̊a̴̡͆ṇ̶͗y̷̛͙ ̵̲̉ȍ̴͍t̵̘̔ḧ̴̞́ḛ̴̃r̴͓̈́ ̵̦̀T̸͈̈́r̶̗̿a̶̖̍i̶̜̍ẗ̸̼s̸͎͆ ̷̜͂t̵͍͆ḧ̷̙́ä̵̗́t̷̖̿ ̷̙͒w̴̠͠o̴̚͜u̴̼̕ḽ̶̅ḑ̸̛ ̵͈͌p̷͓̔r̴͈̂e̶̠̿v̵̭͌e̸̪͠n̴̩͝t̶͓̂ ̸͎̅a̸̱͐ ̸̞̚ẗ̸̯́a̷̻͆r̴̦͆g̶̻̈́e̴̞͑t̶̯̉ ̶͖̇f̶̰̃ṛ̵̛ó̸̠m̵͙͑ ̴̢̎b̷̥̃e̷͔͠i̷̤͋n̴̥̂g̵͐͜ ̶̰̄ẹ̶̇f̷̘̄f̷͉́e̷̳͒ċ̴̹t̶̝͑e̶̼͘d̴̺̕ ̸̝̆b̴̳́y̴̪͋ ̸̲̀P̴̪͝s̷͔͋i̸̫̎o̵͇̽n̵̻̾i̷̛̹c̸̤̈́ ̴̢͂S̶̟̏p̶̝̚e̸̟̓l̵̤̔l̵͚̽s̸̟͊

Little is known of the man called Qatil Aleaql; his origins, his homeland, his creed, all are secrets kept to himself and his lone handler. Capable of powerful, psionic magics he's employed himself as the greatest assassin to have ever lived; a title none can deny him.

(-)

It was hard to read that last trait from the... glitched out text that I only saw once before which was... worrying but I managed it; Avatar Trait Bypass. Your magic bypasses the natural mental defenses of the Avatar of the Gamer Trait as well as any other Traits that would prevent a target from being effected by Psionic Spells. That must have meant my Avatar of the Gamer Trait that I... kinda forgot about...

What a convenient trait... He was a lower level but psionic spells was a worrying X-Factor I wasn't sure how to account for fully... but it did explain why everyone was so out of charact-

{ Impressive} I heard; not in the room but in my mind as he spoke to me. It was a dull, unaccented tone with a hint of amusement. { Few have resisted my control. In fact over twenty five years only three have done so before you} He said, drawing his scimitar as I felt him smirk under his cloth mask.

"I aim to impress." I replied seriously as I thrust my saber at his head; he deflected but rather then attack he opened his eyes wide as they glowed a bright, intense purple. I jumped back, ready for a counter before our eyes met and-

- the world around me vanished.

[-]

Dawn couldn't help but think something was off... Sure everything seemed... fine, but as she looked at White Peach she knew it wasn't... if anything the fact things were wrong just kept slipping off her focus; like her mind was under a spell... but that was impossible, right? "What do you know...?" Dawn asked biting her lip as she decided to do something that maybe she shouldn't but with a strange assassin due any day she thought it was worth looking at as she moved to the gate and gave a quick whistle. The mare quickly noted where she was and trotted over, ignoring Serra as she opened the gate and let White Peach free as she ran out. She wondered where she would go but she would stop by a spot in the grass and stomped down, over and over, calling Dawn's attention to it as she walked over.

She would look ahead of the spot; it was... weird a spot where the grass was thinned and let her see the dirt. She remembered; she and James walked over it. She saw his boot print there with hers and... ... umm...

...

There was a third print... She knelt down and set her fingers to it; it was faint and hard to see. "Huh? That's weird... One of the guards?" She mused to herself. "...No, it would be deeper, right? Could it be Q... Riri?" She shook her head, no the halfling girl was too small for a print like this... wait, did she have a name in mind that just... slipped from her?

A slight ache came to her mind... What was going on? "What's with my head? Is it magic? No, no it couldn't be..." For a second there was an answer at the tip of her tongue but it slipped off it; a topic her Master covered with her, if in brief... ... It likely didn't matter but still...

...

"Maybe I should talk to Merlin..." She said, jogging off towards where she knew the patriarch of the family was.

" Hey! You can't just let the horse out and not put her back!" Serra called out after her. " Hey! Hey! "

[-]

One moment I was in my room, the next a small island of some sort with stormy skies. Grassy, surrounded by rocks with harsh, crashing waves slamming into them. I did my best to focus and recall all I knew on psionic magic. There was what I just dealt with in the form of the manipulation of the mind and perception which made me think things were fine until I noticed what was out of place; likely he did... something to try and make me feel as comfortable as possible and my mind placed the comforts of my old life where they didn't belong... or maybe my mind or the Avatar of the Gamer trait was trying to warn me somehow...

This was one of the other, few known skills of the psionic mage; a mind link. We were in, for lack of a better term, in my mind and I was sure he planned an attack on it. How it would be formed I didn't know but I'd have to work it out fast.

My armor was on but my weapons were missing as I looked about and tried to pin down where he was as the gray skies drew a dark cloud together that spat a lightning bolt down and Qatil showed himself...

... as a fifty foot tall giant in the middle of an island maybe three hundred feet around... { Behold, lordling! } He bellowed out, his voice sounding out in my mind in a booming manner. { Rare is it I slay men in their own minds! Rarer still that I need to do so! Be honored... }

"How about no." I let off, glaring at him as I drew on my mana and... nothing!?

{ Here I am god and I am creator! } He let off, a chuckle sounding with it. { Magic as you know it cannot be used here! We are, after all, inside of your mind! The realm of the mental! Here you are nothing! } He let off, rushing me; slowly due to the size but he still cleared the distance quickly, making me dodge the stomp as I quickly tried to think of what I could do.

Okay, okay... I've seen stories like this before in my old world; this is a place of willpower, right? I mean isn't that what a mental battle is in the end; willpower verses willpower? I dodged the next stomp but made sure it wasn't by as much before grabbing his heel, while bent over. { How amusing } He let off as I focused; not with my body, or projection there of, but my willpower... I willed myself to lift upwards like watching a mental duel in that old X-Men cartoon- { Do you really that that's do anythiiiiing!? }

- and chucked him over my head like a sack of potatoes! He hit the ground with a thunderous impact as I turned around to see him land on his shoulders. "So... I was right; everything here's determined by willpower."

{ Gah! } He let off, rolling over his shoulder and pushing up to all fours to glare at me. { ...So... I finally meet a challenge... } He let off as he rose up to slam his fist down as I held my hand up and grinned as I started to form something in my hand. I didn't know exactly how to win under these conditions; I was sure if I died here I died but as the attacker in my mind and psionic mage besides I didn't know if that applied to him as well. If not then I needed to either one) work out a way to escape into the real world, two) outlast his mana reserves since he had to maintain this spell (A spell with an unknown cost that could be anywhere from heavy to near nothing) or three) hold out until someone could come and save me. Either way to do any of the above I had to keep him off balance.

And boy howdy did I have an arsenal to call upon in that regards! I hopped away from the fist as it slammed down and slashed at his hand with my new dagger, making his yelp out and pull his hand back, shaking it out (With no visible damage or blood) as he rose to his full height as I grinned. The dagger I had wasn't one I used before, no, no, no... It was better.

A black handle with small buttons like the keys of a flute, a black guard with a serpentine like length in gold moving to one side and a silver, flute like opening on the other, a black tube with four gold rimmed holes on it set in the middle of a silver blade with green coloring part of the flat. The most notable item was in the guard's center; a gold, coin like emblem with a three toed, lizard like foot to it.

Translation; it was the fucking Dragon Dagger. And of course I set the piece to my lips and played it. Despite being a flute it sounded like a proud trumpet as the sound echoed across the mindscape. I played it once more as Qatil sneered down at me. { And what is that supposed to- }

RAAAAAAAAWWRRR!

{ Eh!? } He let off as the water behind me bubbled up like it came to a boil in one spot as a giant thing rose up and out of it; mostly black with silver legs and tail with a drill end, gold panels and green accents as it stomped out. Was I grinning? Oh yeah! This would off balance him! { What in the gods name is that!? } He let off, the metal monster standing before him, roaring out as it turned it's head up and around before charging him.

I played the dagger once more but I could feel it; I could just... control the Dragonzord I had summoned! Qatil threw a punch that was blocked, blocked a clawing strike in turn before dodging the follow up; the massive giants stepping past each other before turning on one another before the Dragonzord screamed out and swung it's tail at him. Qatil caught it but six lights on the Zord's chest flashed as the drill spun up to his surprise and you could see him struggle with the limb before the tip drew across his chest.

Sparks flew as he let the tail go and backed up, screaming in pain as I played the Dagger once more; Dragonzord turning with lights flashing as what seemed to be dull claws stuck out of the finger tips of it.

They weren't claws. The missiles fired off and impacted Qatil with enough force to knock him off his feet and into the water. { Bastard! } He cried out... as the world flashed and I was left blinking as the whole world around us changed; when it reformed he stood before me with a glare, scimitar in hand. The Dragon Dagger was gone, as was the Dragonzord as he panted before me. {I give you some credit... Only one man fought against me for more then a moment here... And none managed to cause me pain in here... But do not think you can win... All that you just did? It costs you mana ...}

I narrowed my eyes at him but I imagined it made some sense; it cost him mana to cast and hold the spell, it would cost mana to wrestle against it. Of course on that note... I grinned back at him and I saw his eyes turn to confusion. "Thanks for the information... Because that means everything you do costs mana as well." I saw him narrow his eyes for a moment. "Which means I don't have to beat you; I just have to outlast you."

{ I have quite the magical endurance... Do you? }

"Guess you'll have to find out, eh?" I replied as I remade my saber in my hand, noting the world around me; a long, pointed cliff. The back end was a wall and the other end was a sheer drop; hundreds of feet down. Of course my back was to the point He let off a ' tsk' and rushed me with his scimitar. I stepped back and out of his reach as he swung once more. I stepped in with a thrust to his chest; I got a grunt from him at the impact but he opted to power through and attack as I stepped back. I winced at a sharp pain; he grazed me and while no damage showed it hurt and was like a... small piece of me was damaged. It was hard to explain but after a moment that ' piece' recovered as I gave ground and let him followed. I prepared an attack of my own that would be from the... Roadrunner playbook...

I waited until I was near the end before hopping back and slashed down into the cliff itself; cleaning cutting through it- { You bloody fo- waooooooooooooooool! }

-and made the part of the cliff I was standing on stay still as the rest fell down; Looney Toons style. " Meep-Meep, mother fucker!" I called down to him as I saw him fall down, spiraling as he went.

Followed by a thud and poof of dust from the impact.

[-]

"Strange... And I agree..." Merlin said as he frowned. "...In all honesty despite the situation I feel strangely... relaxed..." Dawn had found the Count up in the Manor's tower and once she explained the footprint and her odd feelings he stroked his beard and frowned. "...Even as we speak I have the urge to relax, trust in my son despite full well knowing the dangers... I should be... more worried and active; yet I desire to look out for an intruder from here..."

" Seriously..." Dawn let off, biting her lip. "It's not just me?" As she set her hand on the edge of the tower's crenelation. "Why can't I think about it then... like the answer is covered in oil..?"

"...We need something more solid; something that will force us to confront the occurrence... But what?" He mused, tapping his chin for a long moment. "...I'll check the grounds. You check the monitors; maybe someone there saw something on the cameras."

"Right!" Dawn let off, nodding as both turned to the stairs. Still; shouldn't the men at the monitors have seen something? Called it in?

Why did it all feel so... weird right now..?

[-]

Qatil shook off the impact and set a hand to his face; even as he changed the world around him. This wasn't the first time someone resisted him in the Mindscape, as he called it, but Noxdecus was the first to cause him any true trouble... Every other foe he brought in here was rendered helpless and impotent; only Mehdi had ever learned to fight him here over the course of years and it was in experimentation when he was young and learning his powers and limits... All others within the Mindscape was unable to fight back and could run at most, and rarely far...

Noxdecus worked out in minutes what took his partner years... That was vexing before the... strange metal, dragonic titan stomped out to challenge him... What sort of imagination did Noxdecus possess to create such a beast? Whatever... Unlike him he didn't test the limits of his sort of power... As long as Qatil had mana he could hold the spell and regenerate his avatar even if it was destroyed...

Where if Noxdecus' avatar destroyed he would die with it, his mana system collapsing in on itself... And he'd spend his own mana to regenerate damage, summon his monsters...

Qatil was the one in control still as the world became an Arena; his arms clad in metal with spikes upon the end of his fists. He spotted Noxdecus quickly as he, to his credit, oriented himself almost as fast, even as he was charged. Qatil was well trained; his powers making it easy to direct master monks and swordsmen to train him in the unlikely event his power was not enough. He led with two stiff jabs before using a straight right; the Heir of Mungale dodging the fists as Qatil lined up for a haymaker. To the dragonborne's credit he dodged it too; rolling to the side. Qatil sneered and turned to face him...

Only to see Noxdecus holding up an odd object over his head; it was like a chair... but flat as if folded up and made of metal, held by it's legs as it was swung and, with a loud bang impacted his turban covered head. The pain wasn't that terrible, but he was stunned for a moment, long enough to be struck in the back of the head, dropping to his knee and taking another, loud impact to the upper back. He pushed through the pain to rise back up as the weapon was thrown down before him on the ground, discarded as he sneered, turning to his opponent.

" Oh, watch out, watch out, watch out!" Someone, somewhere shouted out as a running Noxdecus leapt up, grabbed his head as his body went horizontal and, somehow, pulled his head downwards as he fell as his own body turned to be yanked down with his arms shooting out to the side, his face being slammed down and driven to the metal thing below him-

- and sent a blinding pain into him upon the thunderous impact, making him roll to his back, cover his face and kick out as that voice cried out once more! " AR-KAY-OH! " As he screamed and he kicked out he had to wonder; what did that even mean!? Arkayoh!? What was an Arkayoh !?

[-]

The world changed once more and as it did I took a moment to reorient myself. We were now in a giant desert; sand as far as one could see. It took a moment to find Qatil as he slammed into the ground some fifty feet away; once he was visible I noticed he was on fire and looked like a muscle bound warrior in a metal mask, poofy Arabic style pants, pointed shoes and wraps around the wrists and biceps was all the clothing he had on. It was like some sort of fire genie in a metal mask; some god or mythical figure if I had to guess. { Behold! I have become Ifron! God King of the Sun!} He let off as he jumped into the air before finally hovering some thirty feet up.

"I have become unimpressed, plain prince of annoyed." I shot back with an annoyed look; already considering my counter. He glared back to me as I looked back up at him. "Honestly; all the good you can do and you waste it on killing people. But I suppose your psionic magic is the only special thing about you, isn't it?"

{ Do not mock me, hypocrite! } He barked back, his fire flaring up for a moment as I glared at him.

"I might be a dragonborne but that isn't how I made the voxlux. Or defeated the Dread Field." I shot back to him as I pointed my finger at him. "Nor how I defeated Olga Discordia. Without your psychic powers what have you left that another man cannot have?"

{ Silence, Infidel !} He barked out as he drew flames to him. { As our battle wages your mana will drain! You! Will! Die !}

"Maybe..." I let off, grabbing my armor's pauldron and pulling on it as my armor (All of it) came off, anime style... fitting as doing so left me in an iconic orange gi with a notable emblem on the back and a black undershirt. Lifting my arms up I gave a quick ' ha' as I brought my fists down to my hips as an aura of golden power came around me, my hair tinting to blonde as I did so. " But if I die here you're coming with me!" I let off jumping before rocketing off at him at high speed!

{ What!?} He let off before my fist met his face knocking him back through the air. He flipped twice before rushing back; he ate another fist to the face as I flew at him but he was able to stand up to the strike and throw his own punch back; one I blocked but not the torso shot that followed. Even so I got a jab in right after followed by an elbow, both to his face, and followed with a knee to his gut.

What followed was a fast-paced furball of punches, elbows, kicks and knees as we battled up in the air; as the fight carried on I took some hits but landed more which showed a difference between us. I didn't think he was weak per say but I have been in a lot of fights against equals and those who were stronger and came out on the winning side; I think I was the only one to really put up a fight against him. Moreover having been in multiple tough fights mean this airborne scrap leaned to by favor due to simple experience... Also, I watched enough Dragonball Z to know how one should scrap in the air.

He seemed to come to the same conclusion I had, spreading his arms outwards as the flames around him blasted out and knocked me back before blasting fireballs at me as he backed up; as he did I fired off ki blasts to both knock his attacks from the air but power through to hit him...

...at least until he threw a curving fireball that wrapped around to hit me directly from the side and knocking me from the air, my body bouncing on the sand twice as I impacted the ground. { Just! Die! INFIDEL! } Oh, he mad... He held his hands over his head as I rose to my feet, fire gathering to then between them as I clicked my tongue and cupped my hands by my hip as I started to prepare my own attack.

" Ka!" I let off as power collected to my palms. " Me! Ha!" It started to swirl and condense in a deep, blue color as his flames condensed in turn. " Me!" Finally my own attack burned brightly as he roared out firing a stream of flames at me as I thrust my hands forwards. " HAAAAAA! " Streams of blazing, red hot fire met a wave of blue, Kamehameha power as the two attacks smashed into one another in the middle of the air; the streams pressing into one another and struggling for supremacy. Soon it came to a stalemate... one I let happen for the moment.

I knew we were both spending mana in this mental combat and we both had Deep Pools but I also knew that Mana Capacity was my best stat, I wore equipment that improved it and had a higher level then him; based on that alone I had an advantage over him... however there was an unknown to me; how efficient was this spell for him. Sure, maybe he had half the mana I had; if everything he did cost a tenth of the mana then did it matter? I could well die from this; more so as I couldn't tell in the moment what I had left in the tank.

If that was how it would be then I'd die both swinging and having a blast! "Is that all you got, half wit?"

{ I SAID DIE! } He let off as he screamed out loud and blasted a burst of stronger flames out that made me grit my teeth as he started to win the beam-o-war... If that's the case I only had one choice!

" Kaio Ken! " I shouted out.

{ Kaio- what? } He let off confused... before my Kamehameha doubled in power and blew through his flames and blasted him into the sky { INFIDEL! } He screamed out as he rocketed into the sky as I ended my attack.

" I know you are, but what am I!?" I (Kinda childishly) let off.

Then a pillar of flame blew up before me as he reappeared and had some sort of odd gauntlets on his arms; ending with lion heads with open maws full of fire that blasted at me at near point blank range!

[-]

{ DIE!-DIE!-DIE! } Qatil had never been so humiliated in his life as in this moment as he blasted flames at his dodging foe, rushing towards him to blast more flames at him. It was supposed to be an easy job... why did it have to be so hard !? He screamed out and saw him duck the next blast, moving his arms down to hit him-

-only for black gloved arms to grab the gauntlets and push them to the sides as his foe wore an new, odd outfit as he stood between his arms; black pants, undershirt and cowl with a blue vest, lioncloth, shinguards and mask over the face... and somehow his gauntleted arms became iced over and froze to a brittle state as Noxdecus stomped down as the sands under him became ice cold... before his arms were snapped off like they were made of glass before he was hit with a heavy front kick... that made him scream as something pointed was run through his torso from behind, something he was kicked into; blood coated ice now sticking out of his chest. Noxdecus would grab the spike, break off the end, invert it and slam it into his face, through his eye-socket!

Had it not been for his spell's protections he would have died there; as it stood he was left screaming and convulsing for a moment before slumping in pain as he focused, needing more effort and mana then he cared to admit to reform the Mindscape as bold text formed overhead, an echoing voice bellowing the words written on them out for the both of them to hear.

SUB-ZERO WINS
FATALITY

[-]

It took longer for Dawn to get to the monitor room then she cared to admit. She kept thinking it was all fine, it was all fine... but soon she finally arrived, despite the idea it was all fine and that nothing was wrong...

Then she found an empty room and blinked. That... that wasn't right... That wasn't right at all, there was supposed to be two men here watching over things but the post was abandoned... That was... something was wrrrrrrooight... She shook her head and fought past the odd thoughts and paths her mind wandered as she set her hand to the controller, going back to just before White Peach went berserk and sought to look for something out of place...

She saw it in an instant. " Who is that!?" She let off; seeing a cloaked and masked man walk onto the Manor grounds with the guards doing nothing to stop him... Or Countess Saxon! "How didn't they see him!?" She let off as she saw her past self on the recording... looking in his direction as a lead weight was felt in her gut. " How didn't I see him!? That's not riiii-is riigh-nooo..." She winced as her head pounded... Why is it only White Peach reacted? What was it about her that made her see, her mind not slip off-

-and then she recalled her master speaking to her a week ago; ' yeah I discarded the Psionic Theory... It didn't fit the Dread Field's symptoms; not to mention that by shaking your mana system you should shake off such spells and it doesn't do anything for the field. '

She focused and made her system shudder and felt something akin to a soft pop as clarity hit her. " He's Psionic!?" She let off as blood drained from her face. " Oh no! Master !"

She turned on her heel and bolted down the hall; if everyone in the manor was under the influence of that man's spell then it was up to her to save him!

Assuming it wasn't too late already!

[-]

Storms overhead brewed as I looked about as Qatil had changed the field once more; a massive keep with no crenelations meaning just a sheer drop to a field of blades below. Finally he appeared; back to his normal self save that his entire figure, clothing and all, looked like mythril. " You have angered me, Infidel..." He sneered as I smirked at him.

" Oh, we can use our outside voice." I teased as I readied to fight. Unlike the mental voice he used before it bore a pseudo-Arabic accent but was clear and smooth. "Still want more humiliation?"

" SILENCE! " He barked out as he charged at me. " I am Qatil Aleaql, and I am the Unstoppable Assassin! " He let off, jumping with a punch as I side stepped and anime-pulled my outfit to change once more; a mostly magenta bodysuit with purple briefs, belt, gloves, belt and collar plate from where a purple cape hung. A bucket style helmet was on my head; magenta with matching, small horns at the front moving up from the forehead with purple trim. A wave of my hand and he yelp as he was lifted up as I hovered over the keep's roof.

" And I am Magneto, Master of Magnet!" I let off as I lifted him up higher with magnetic power before sending him down, back first into the keep with force; enough to collapse the stone building in on itself... with him under the debris. I backed up and hovered as I waited for his response, sure one was about to come. I didn't need to wait long as a giant fist of stone rammed upwards and through the rubble; Qatil having turned himself into a stone giant of some sort as I hovered back and lifted a hand upwards.

" DO NOT MOCK ME!-!-! " He screamed out as he reached for me; forcing me to fly up and back as he howled out.

"I admit, it's kinda easy." I replied as I thrust my hand at him...

Nothing happened. " You weaken, you fool. " He let off as I smirked under the helmet.

"Give it a moment." He sneered at my reply, stomping closer and pulling a hand back to reach for me... just as a shadow came over his face, making him look up a little higher-

- before a Star Destroyer crashed into his face! I winced as the star-ship crumpled and broke under the impact, making me hiss softly as I watched the destruction. That poor ship... Qatil was knocked over, falling onto his back and given the giant size he was it was a hell of a thud.

Another shift and the world changed to a graveyard; tombstones sticking out on a dark night as he stood up, glaring at me, seemingly unharmed. He panted in anger as he summed an orichalcum blade that came to light on fire as I snorted and opted to generate a simple long sword with a guard shaped like purple wings and boasting three, golden triangles set to the hilt as I took a combat stance. " You... infuriate me..."

"Exhaust too, I bet." I let off, grinning as he snarled. I couldn't tell my own mana levels in here but I bet he knew his and if I was reading his response right he was starting to flag... Of course I didn't know my own levels, unlike him, so I could only guess... It was possible we would both exhaust our mana back-to-back leading to a purely physical contest in the real world; one I thought I could win... Of course I had to last that long... Could I do it?

The question would quickly be rendered moot as he gasped out and looked down as, to my (And clearly his) surprise a rapier blade ran through his heart from the rear as the world around me quivered and-

-I was back in my room and reeled back as I nearly collapsed; holy crap! My mana was almost gone! My hand shook, grabbing a mana potion and downing it quickly before I could focus on what was before me; Qatil looking to a real blade run through him as he fell to his knees. " N-no... I can't- gah! " A second, shorter blade drove through the back of his neck and out his throat as Dawn stood behind him, blades run through him. He gargled on his own blood for a moment before falling forwards as the blades were pulled out before landing on his face as I panted and looked down at him.

" Master?" Dawn let off as I slumped forwards, hands on my thighs, noting at some point my saber fell to the floor. She ran to my side, sheathing her blades, as I groaned, the soreness of mana exhaustion hitting me as the potion worked to counter it. "Are you okay?"

" I am now..." I said, as she slipped her head under my arm to support me. " ...although he came closer to killing me then I thought..." I admitted while I recovered. "Find my father, tell him to shake his mana system and then start going through the manor to shake everyone's systems who can't control their own. We need to act fast; I know this guy has a handler and we need to find him before he realizes what has happened to his buddy."

[-]

Argon City, Capital of the County of Mungale
Merchant District

"What is taking him so long..?" Mehdi let off in annoyance as he ticked off his sheets with a quill. Sure, pretending Qatil was his nephew explained why he let the man get away with more then his other aides, under his real name of Ghaleb, but these longer absences were hard to explain at times. He was in his inn room, working on his inventory counts while waiting; perhaps the so-called Champion gave the legendary assassin more trouble then expected but it was of little matter.

It wouldn't be the first time someone was able to resist to a degree, requiring a battle in the Mindscape... but even so he was taking his time; perhaps he was enjoying the kill more then usual. That wasn't uncommon but it was more unprofessional then his usual... unless Qatil was angered enough...

Finally the door opened and a glance told him that he finally arrived. " Finally! Laqad 'akhadht waqtak! I swear, you should have been back nearly an hour ago! How long does it take to kill one lordling, eh?" He said smiling as he went back to his sheets as footsteps came closer. "Now get changed quick; everyone is wondering where-"

The moment he realized the footsteps were too heavy for Qatil was when a golden hued blade was set to his neck, the glare of his friend shifting as an Illusion was dropped and revealed... James Noxdecus. "So I was right, you're his handler." The lord said with a glare.

" H-how..." Mehdi let off in shock...

And then we was taken away, quietly and subtlety.

[-]

(-)

Name: Mehdi Hadi
Title: Assassin's Minder
Class: Merchant
Level: 13
Alignment: Hostile
Reputation: 88
Status: Healthy, Terrified, Horrified

Known Traits
[?]

[Here Comes The Money] Investments you make seem to pay back more the usual; 5% money back on all profitable investments

Having discovered the man who would become Qatil Aleaql as his psionic magic became known to him, Mehdi helped the man harness, focus and train in his powers. Soon the two came upon the idea of hiring him out as the ultimate assassin with Mehdi, under the alias of Ayman Yataklam, as the spokesman. They have made tens of thousands of platinum over the years; creating a mercantile empire in his name...

(-)

Thanks to Sora, Riri, some Illusions (Mostly my father's but one of my own added in) we dragged a frightened Mehdi to Mungale Manor and dropped him in a small room in our holding cells. Before we put him in I made him look at Qatil's corpse to drive home the point I wanted him to know; he lost and he was at our mercy. Dawn's involvement wasn't mentioned so as far as he knew I killed him single handed.

Truth be told I didn't know how much Qatil had left in the tank when our fight ended; whatever was left in his body was too low to scan. He must have been close to exhaustion as well but how much closer I couldn't tell... He... could have outlasted me, which is a scary thought. He was the most dangerous person I've faced since maybe Olga which is saying something; and worse of all I felt like I was winning... how much of an illusion was it? If Dawn didn't show up when she did...

...

I didn't want to think about it. I set my hand on the table, my mana recovered a bit now so I was running on more then fumes on that side of things as I glared to him. "I think you understand your position but I'll make sure regardless. We know Qatil was one of your aides; thanks to our maids stopping in at your wagon." He gulped louder. "And I know you were his boss or partner. By all rights I can sentence you to death without a courtroom or judge should I wish. And I can choose as painful an execution as I desire. Do you understand your position?"

He nodded quickly, sweating like a leaking water pipe; likely the fact that Sora, my mother and Riri were glaring at him with enough force to make Superman nope out wasn't helping. Thankfully they let me take the lead as I kept speaking. " But I am feeling generous. I will allow you to leave alive and peacefully in exchange for three things. One of which is the six hundred platinum you would have earned from my head."

" Of course, my lord!" He squeaked out as he nodded. " It is your right!"

" Second; when you leave you will speak of nothing of what happened in here and do as you're told before you leave Mungale." I told him firmly. "If I hear so much as a hint you let anything be said I will hunt you down like a dog. There will be no where you can hide from me if you cross me."

" Not a peep, sire!"

"The third, and the one that determines if you leave alive in peace or in a box in pieces is that you answer every question I have, honestly and with as much clarity as possible." I said as I leaned in more; and yes we were recording this via three voxluxs. "So here's the first and most important question I have; who is willing to put forwards six hundred platinum to kill me." He gulped and shivered before nodding dumbly.

" Th-that would be Primus Achelous Chryso of Zenith, sire." He said as my eyes narrowed making him whimper. That... wasn't a name I expected to hear but when I thought about it it made sense; he had the money to throw at Qatil, if nothing else and he wasn't a friend of Eostia.

"Do you know why he wanted me dead?" I asked as he nodded rapidly.

" Y-your airship... It scares him... mostly the thought of what a fleet of them could do to Zenith..." He admitted as he bit his lip... before offering something to me unprompted. " I... also hear rumors he funds mercenaries inside of Eostia... to what end I am unsure..."

The Black Storm, maybe? That's an important clue, if true... I tapped my finger to the table as I thought.

"Good... You're keeping your head where it is." I said as he gulped. "I'm sure, given Qatil's powers, you have other details about the Primus. What did he share with you that can be useful?"

He gulped and started to speak, almost babble about a few things about the Primus; his taste of women, rivals he fears, rivals he's manipulating, who he's blackmailing and so on. Over half an hour of facts and trivia; not useful to me but maybe the Black Watch could find value in it. Near the end, however, he let drop something interesting. " And he's using a pair of agents in Eostia, t-to what end I don't know..."

"Do you have names?"

" N-not first ones but I know they're pigmen brothers, the Mortadellas." I knew of them; my friend Edmund dealt with them. He wasn't fans of them but they offered cheap warehouse storage. I had hoped for more details but I expected the Black Watch would get those.

Some other facts I got out of him over the course of another hour of interrogation; Alundra van Bludhorn hired them once to handle a powerful slavery reformist in Balanar, Qatil refused to kill Celestine on the basis she was a goddess and it would be sacrilege to do so, he also refused to operate in Garan due to the Dread Field and was hired to kill two eastern lords (When I talked to Makoto, once she returned from her tournament, on that she suggested doing that set off a major war ten years ago...), and they once had turns ( Sexually) with Iris Sofia and made her forget the incident.

Much of it was... nothing I needed to know and that last one made me glad Qatil was dead. Once question and answer time was done I nodded. "Okay... I am almost satisfied with everything... Tell me, when you communicate with spell paper do you use any spell paper or specific ones?"

" R-red sheets only and red wax." He said lifting a hand and, slowly, reached for his belt and pulled out a small stamp for wax. I took and examined it; the imprint was a scimitar with the point downwards and the handle on fire. I set it down and gave Riri a look and she nodded; neither of us needed psychic powers to get or receive intent.

"This is what you will do." I told him firmly. "You will write a message to the Primus. You may pick the words but don't mentioned this interrogation."

" B-but what will I tell him, My lord?" He let off as he gulped under me.

"You will tell him three things." I began. "One; Qatil is dead, dying in the assassination attempt. Second; I am still alive so you cannot accept further payments. Third; you were not caught. You and yours went under the radar. As far as you and your other aides need to know; Qatil, or whatever name he used, died when he got mugged. The criminal isn't caught but local guards are on the trail. You were summoned for questioning in relation to his death. Got it?" He nodded and as soon as Riri returned with a red sheet of spell paper, quill with ink and a candle.

I watched as he wrote the letter and made sure there was no hidden message in the text then watched as he folded it into a bird like shape and set a bit of wax to the top and used the stamp on it. A couple words and he threw the sheet as it flew to the door; Riri snatched it from the air and would take it outside to let it fly to it's destination.

We spent another fifteen minutes asking questions and giving instructions before I let Sora and Riri sneak him back in town. He was to spend another two days selling in Mungale before leaving in order to avoid getting the wrong kind of attention. I would go up the tower and watch as they used a cart to sneak him into the city in the evening. " Dear... Are you sure you're okay?" My mother had followed me up as I sighed.

"I will be... I think it's... It's not what I..." I sighed as I crossed my arms, turning as I tried to find the words. "...The mental fight doesn't bother me, not really... It's all that led up to it... I... I felt fully at ease... Relaxed... Things that should have seemed out of place seemed fine... You weren't as... well, finicky as your usual and I just considered it... normal... To have your mind just... altered to make things that should be alarming be comforting... That frightens me... Thank every god psionic mages are as rare as they are..."

"Yeah... Once your father spiked my system, or... whatever it was, I went from perfectly calm to panicked..." She told me, shivering a bit.

"Yeah... To be able to alter the mind..." I let off. "I can only imagine what he could have done if he bothered to use his powers for something other then killing..."

It was... a thought.

[-]

I took a short break before forwarding the interrogation video to the Black Watch, directly to Akane Lee, before sending another copy to Celestine before calling her up as I sat at my desk. Last time I called her she paled once I mentioned Qatil and spoke in a subdued tone even as I questioned her. Needless to say that was the tone she answered with and looked... resigned until I mentioned Qatil was dead and we interrogated his handler. She was sure I was pulling her leg until I mentioned the video and her visage broke as she... well...

" Cele, Cele, hey, hey, come on!"

" Oh goddess you're safe... he's gone, he's gone he's... haaaaa..!" She was weeping; I couldn't even see her as she dropped the voxlux on the table and hunched over it. I couldn't tell her exact pose given the voxlux was upside down.

" Cele! " The table shook as I called out to her. " Calm down. I'm okay. I'm not going anywhere. Okay?"

" Right... Right..." She let off as I heard her sniffle for a moment. Something shuffled and for a long moment all I could hear was her move a little before blowing her nose (Someone would buy that handkerchief which is... scary) before she finally picked up the voxlux; her eyes were red and you would see the tear marks as she finally spoke. " I... My apologies... When you called before I was beside myself with worry. I... suppose I can end that worry..." She said finally managing a smile.

"There's the smile I've come to love." I quipped as she blushed while I smiled back for a long moment. I kept smiling but took on a more serious face. "But I didn't just call to reassure your worries; we caught Qatil's handler and interrogated him. I forwarded the video to Akane and yourself but the man who hired him is the Primus of Zenith."

" Achelous Chryso... " I don't think I ever heard her say anything with that level of... vitriol before. "Tell me everything."

"As I said, I sent the video to your voxlux as well, but for the important notes..." She stayed quiet as I mentioned his admittance of Achelous hiring them, details about some of what he was up to, the Mortadellas (A name that she clearly knew given her reaction) and that he funds mercenaries in Eostia, even if he didn't have a name as to which ones. Finally I ended with the spell paper letter I had him sent out.

"Well done... And I do mean that..." She said as she spoke with full control over herself now. "With the Black Storm overhead we cannot afford to start a conflict with Zenith; at least not until I'm fully ready to take Aerarium City by force." That made me take note; she outright, casually dropped that she was going to pull an act of war in response. "I'll examine the video when I can; I was aware he was using the Mortdellas as cat's paws and had contact with a group of mercenaries but this will confirm the funding I only suspected before. More over I know that Conti and Ponti have had a very... productive meeting with one Lorcan Pugio."

"Grave's man?" I let off as she nodded.

"The Black Watch is trying to find a direct connection between Grave and the Black Storm; he has enough connections within the Council I'll need substance to move against him with without problems. Once someone drops his name the Council will be unable to argue it." It was annoying to have to deal with such things but it was a fairer system then most; that said it must have been frustrating to see the problem and have your hands tied because of such limits.

"I imagine that's a matter of time." I replied with a nod and smile. "We just need to be sure he doesn't see the noose until we pull it about his neck." She nodded in reply as I leaned back into my seat. "With luck what I forwarded will help. If I can dig up anything else on that front I'll forwards it."

"Thank you. I'm... glad to know you're safe... and that I will see you once more. Farewell." She hung up after that and I sighed as I set my voxlux down; I had to wonder how she's been all day thus far. My door opened on it's own as my head turned; no knock as a warning as Miria walked in.

"Surprised you didn't ask her out; I thought you have everything planned." She quipped as she moved to sit on my bed.

"I do; but having her accept based on relief from the news seems a poor play." I said, turning in my chair to look at her. "I'll give it a week once things have settled down; the issue is going to be what I get for besting Qatil..."

"More fame and fortune." She said with a smirk. " Just what you always wanted!" I sighed; ever since she got home from her hunting trip and heard what she missed she took the time to sniff around the manor to be double sure it was just Qatil sneaking about. In case you're wondering; they caught a boar to cook. Miria shot it but Miika (Under her father's guidance) tracked it. Cress was there more for morale support... and to be with Miria.

"The last thing I wanted..." I groaned out as I sighed. "Although I'd love to be a fly on the wall when the Primus learns he spent a hundred plat on nothing." I said as I grinned...

Oh to be able to see that...

[-]

The Following Evening
The Palace of the Golden Senate
Northern Aerarium City
Capital of the Plutocracy of Zenith
Quarters of the Primus

" Ahhhh! Yes! Yes! Deeper! Fuck me deeper!" Ligeia Opados cried out, her back to the bed's mattress, legs parted, hands gripping sheets under her, nude as the day she was born and hair unbound with waist length locks spread around her. Over her an equally naked Achelous Chryso pounded her sex with his his cock; human shaped save the porcine like coil around the shaft.

The room was well made; the highest quality stone for the walls and floor, sparkling white and seemingly without seams. A bed with four posts, built with golden mythril and a mattress of the finest and softest of materials and silken covers and sheets. Paintings from famous artists hung on the walls. In one corner was an ant farm; boasting a species from a distant land with burning stings and bites, living in a golden mythril palace of their own with magic to keep them in. Another wall had a golden myhtril fireplace with a roaring flame within it. The room was two tiered; the bedroom above an office and living quarters, half the room being pure window facing the ocean.

It was the opulence one expected of the Zenith of the world.

Ligeia cried out as he let off a long, deep oink of pleasure as he flooded her sex and womb with piggish seed; filling her shuddering body as they rode their mutual pleasure. Finally he pulled free of her and panted, moving to sit on the bed, chuckling before turning to look at the window. His personal assistant wasn't the only woman he had fucked, far from it, but by far she was his favorite. It wasn't just her body or her loyalty; it was her eagerness. Pigmen were... not the most appreciated species by women; they were considered ugly, trended to be heavyset if not outright fat. The fact they reminded people of the orcish Aberrant didn't help matters either.

That left them with a handful of options to gain women; find someone that could see past all of that for their personality alone, the freakish sorts who sought out Aberrant who often made poor life partners or get rich and attract a woman with lots of money... or buy a slave that couldn't refuse regardless. Ligeia, interestingly enough, was mostly the first but found attraction in all sorts of humanoids without fetishizing them. She was as close to the perfect woman as he could find.

His musing cut off as the window opened slightly on it's own; a red sheet of spell paper floated in and landed on his nightstand. " Finally..."

"What a way to cap off the night..." Ligeia said, sex leaking fluids from the both of them and her panting under control as she crawled over before standing up and picking up the sheet and donning her glasses, breaking the seal and opening the bird. Achelous chuckled as he stood up and stepped to the window, smirking as he stood with his hands behind him as he waited for her to read it. " Dear Primus." She began, clearly reading the sheet as he smirked. " I hope this letter finds you in good health. I hope this because... things... have not gone to plan..." Her voice turned as he flinched. " I regret to inform you that Qatil Aleaql has... not only failed to kill his target but... ...he has been slain... by James... Nox...decus... "

He turned; seeing his assistant and lover staring dumbly at the sheet as he walked over, gently pulling the sheet and reading it in full... and there it was... Qatil Aleaql, He Who Knew No Failure... had failed ... The one good thing was his own involvement was unknown to the Eostians but as he dumbly looked to the sheet that fact was poor comfort. Numbness was what he felt first then frustration, then outright anger as he crushed the paper in his hand and roared out, throwing the now paper ball into the fireplace where it lit on fire. " HOW!? HOW DID HE SURVIVE!? WHAT GODS FAVOR HIM TO SURVIVE THE DEADLIEST MAN ON THIS F-U-C-K-I-N-G EARTH!? " He screamed out as he backhanded a decoration; an ancient vase from the far east that he paid the yearly salary of seven commoners for. It shattered into two upon impact and more when it struck the ground as he slammed his fist into the wall; snorting like a boar as he quivered in anger and huffing hard. It wasn't until he saw the cigar held out by his woman in the periphery of his vision that he started to calm.

He gently took it and set it to his lips as she used fire magic to help him light it, the first pull calming him further. "My Primus... What will we do?" He took another, long pull before breathing the smoke out as he thought about it for a long moment.

"... I don't know... For now we carry on with backing the Storm and hope that fucking merc finally kills him for us ..."

[-]

I was told when Mehdi left Mungale and I made sure when I shopped at his wagon yesterday (They had some good coffee and I bought a nice, decorative, platinum incense burner) I had a private moment with him where I suggested he not visit Mungale again. He didn't argue the point. Riri also snuck a small spell stone into his wagon (In the form of a pin nailed in from the bottom) with a modified voxlux spell in it... in case I learned he double crossed me.

That I modified to to spy on him if I felt the need wasn't something he needed to know either.

I spent time explaining to my fiancees one by one what happened; I hadn't kept them in the dark to ease their burden but rather to use the time to ready for an assassin... and end up nearly unprepared anyway because of his rare power. I did apologize for not calling them right away about it but I was mostly forgiven as my reasons was to get ready and they were just glad he was dead. As it turned out the other Shield Princess he killed was Barbara Endolen; Shield Princess of Feoh. Unlike Gwen there was no head warning; one moment King Aston was giving Barbara orders only to turn around and see her dead on the floor, having been gutted. She was considered one of the greatest Shield Princesses of all time and the greatest Feoh ever produced. Alicia considered her a personal hero, even though Barbara died before she was born.

I... decided not to mention the mind controlled rape Iris suffered; I didn't need Prim hunting Mehdi down like a dog. I didn't know what the Primus knew of Mehdi's real identity or if he would try and track the man down or attempt an investigation. Keeping the Primus ignorant of what I knew would protect me and everyone around me; if he thought he took a shot and missed but wasn't caught then he had no reason to recklessly try and pull another shot that might hit or miss... or cause collateral damage. Sure; it didn't do anything to make him back down alone but Celestine would be better able to keep an eye on him and get a possible heads up if he pulled something else later.

That said after sending the best assassin on the planet at me and having him fail likely would give him pause as it was. More over once word spread I imagine most assassins would back down from taking a hit on me... well, save the craziest or boldest. For now I decided to relax, make sure my mana system fully recovered from near exhaustion and make my new game.

Finally, via voxlux, I double checked I had everything set to go... Come the end of the week it was time to finally cash in that 'you owe me' from Celestine...

I planned the hot date, after all!

[ - Author's Note - ]

Yes, Qatil was a psychic mage the whole time! I know it's not likely to be the most expected thing as such magic was only hinted at when the Dread Field was in discussion but it was hinted at. Did I plan this battle back then or did I decided to take advantage of a Chekhov's gun I had discarded last act? You can only guess!

Joking aside; I liked the idea of James in a mental battle being able to draw on things that no one else in this world could know about, let alone prepare for. In short; to Qatil he was an outside context problem that he couldn't prepare for before hand... and can't prepare for anymore. In fact I wanted to title this chapter 'Mind Verses Meme' but felt it would risk giving the secret away too quickly.

In addition to that we get Grave's view on the last chapter and James learns some tid-bits he didn't know before; the Mortadella's are finally on his radar, he knows Zenith had fingers in the Black Storm and thanks to Celestine there's a connection with Lorcan.

Oh, and the Primus throws a fit. That's fun too.

So you know the usual; tell me what you liked, didn't like or wanted to see. Creative criticism is good and maybe mention what sort of stunt you would have pulled on Qatil! And of course we all know the plan next chapter...

Date night!

Until then!

~Eostian Scribe