Entering Fargas

Four days after the group left Border town, the group came across Smilton. A small town, but the group felt they needed a rest in actual beds.

"I only have two rooms right now. They're both doubles. One night is three bits. A week is one silver bit. and a month is a gold bit." The local inn keeper told the party.

"Let's go with just three nights then and we'll take both rooms." James decided.

"Alright that'll be two copper bits then." The inn keeper answered. James pulled the bits from the groups travel funds pouch and slid them to the keeper who happily took them and handed two small, thin wooden rectangles with strange designs to James.

James grabbed them and tossed one to Aisrin, and the other to Gwen. Aisrin examined the object.

"Its a low grade magic key. It just locks and unlocks its corresponding lock." James told Aisrin, noticing his look of confusion.

"I see." Aisrin replied simply as he followed James. The inn had a tavern downstairs and the rooms upstairs. The rooms were right across from eachother. Aisrin didnt know which was which so he just stood in front of one and inserted the key in what looked like the slot, and it opened. Inside was a single large bed.

"This is a double?" James thought aloud.

"I'm not sleeping with you, so you better figure something out." Aisrin stated.

"You'd rather sleep next to one of the girls?" James asked bewildered.

"Well I'd rather not sleep next to a dude." Aisrin responded.

"Uh, okay... I guess?" James shrugged.

'Is it normal to have dudes sleep in the same bed around here?'

After a short discussion, Gwen agreed to stay in the same room as Aisrin. Aisrin dive bombed the bed and passed out.

"And Gwen was worried he would try to do something with Gwen." Gwen muttered as she laid down and immediately fell asleep.

The next morning Aisrin rillee out of the bed earlier than the others and went to train himself some more. He decided to work on his dark magic more and level it up as much as he could during the short respite.

He chose shadow magic and voodoo magig, accumulating it solely in his hands. His goal was to refine the magic to a thin layer like gloves over his hands. So far he only succeeded in having them closer to most than gloves, but it was progress.

His mana was running thin after about two hours, by then most of the town had woken up and were going about their daily lives. Kids came out to play, shopkeepers opened up their stalls and James was out swinging his sword.

"Kinda peaceful." Aisrin muttered to himself as he dispelled his magic and switched to his dagger and began practicing his old military moves like he was wielding a knife. He was fond of this kind of training. It reminded him of his old life.

(Assasin Level Up. Skill Updated Dagger wielding Lv. 11)

'Updated, so it's not Aquired. At least I dont have to say it outloud.'

Gwen was off on her own shopping for trinkets. Mina was busy haggling prices over some meat, even though they had just opened. Something was bothering Aisrin again. The peace seemed too... unreal.

Though he was bothered, nothing other than the surrealness of the peace was out of place. It just felt too normal after the first part of the groups journey and the losses the Party took.

"Hah, I feel like something's going to happen... maybe I'm just paranoid." Aisrin sighed and looked up at the blue sky. His premonition would prove to be correct.

*Two days later*

The group departed the town and continued their long journey to Fargo. Aisrin continuously scanned the surrounding area as they moved. The unease never fading from his mind.

That night, the party camped near a river. The unease in Aisrins heart grew ever more pressing and he began patrolling the area, but found nothing out of the ordinary.

'I can't tell if it's just paranoia, anxiety, or if theres something actually going on. Maybe all of the above?'

It was all too quiet. The other three were carrying on like all was fine. But something ominous was waiting for them, and Aisrin couldn't shake the feeling.

When the party set off the next morning, Aisrin was sluggish from lack of sleep. The ominous pressure of unease continued to grow until he finally snapped.

"Does anyone else feel like we're being observed?" Aisrin snapped irritably.

"I think you're just paranoid Aisrin. It's been nothing but peaceful this past week." James laughed Aisrins worry off like it was nothing.

"Hah, you may be right. But I'm feeling this unease highly. I can't shake it." Aisrin sighed.

"May be you just crave action. Perhaps a peaceful life isnt what you really want." James laughed some more. Aisrin was about to just except it, but warning signals lit up all over his body and he immediately spun with his sword drawn, but took an arrow to his gut. Aisrin gasped and stepped back. Pain blossomed from the arrow, and he began to feel woozy.

'Poison!'

Aisrin ripped the arrow out, shaft and all. It ripped up the wound more, but he figured it was better than having the poisoned tip embedded in his stomach.

The other three were all prepared for a battle. Aisrin was weakened majorly. He leaned on his sword with the blade in the dirt.

"Well, I guess you weren't paranoid?" James laughed nervously. The enemy hadn't shown themselves. Soon teo more arrows fired out from the surrounding treeline from opposite directions. One pierced Aisrins upper thigh and the other struck James in the shoulder.

'Its like Guerilla warfare. Ambush tactics.'

Aisrin fell to his knee and ripped the arrow out of his leg. The pain was intense. He wasn't prepared for an ambush from unforeseen enemies. James broke the shaft and left the arrow head embedded.

"No James! They're poisoned!" Aisrin shouted out. James only realized too late and he collapsed as the poison took its course and robbed his strength from him. It was only then that about ten people emerged from the trees with weapons drawn and pointed.

"Its just as Elisha told us. So easy." One of them laughed as he approached Aisrin, underestimating Aisrins vitality. As soon as the man reached him and went to kick him, Aisrin mustered all his strength and brought his sword up and across, taking the man's head off. He faked his condition, pretending he was unaffected. Hoping they'd buy it. They didnt, instead two of the archers released their arrows and knocked Aisrin down with both legs pierced. He no longer had the strength to pull them out. These ones weren't poisoned, but they still hurt like hell.

The two girls were apprehended easily, as they were more than terrified, Mina more so, most likely due to her trauma from being captured and strung up for all to see. She had attempted to run, but was hit it the back of her head by a rock that knocked her unconscious.

Gwen simply threw her broadsword down and surrendered. She had the lowest level, so she figured she wouldn't be able to do shit anyway. They tied the two girls up, Then moved on to strip Aisrin of all his weapons and his cloak and shirt. James was simply guarded.

At that moment a fully cloaked man came out of the woods followed by men in uniforms, not any that Aisrin had seen, so he knew it was neither Fargas or Bloodrend soldiers.

"Why is the Empire's soldiers here?" James asked un a struggled manner.

'Empire?'

"Why? We've come to 'apprehend' the false hero and the 'murderer' of the crowned prince of Bloodrend, as per the orders of her majesty." The cloaked man claimed.

"Huh? I'm not dead!" James exclaimed loudly. The cloaked man snapped his fingers and the people guarding James then lifted him up to his feet.

"Wake that one and make them face the prince please. We don't have alot of time." The cloaked man seemed a bit snappy. His orders were followed without hesitation and without a word.

Aisrin was trying to wrap his mind around what was going on. He had zero clue why or who was behind it.

'Her highness?'

"Who's her highness?" Aisrin managed to finally speak.

"He means... my sister." James managed to say through gritted teeth.

"Yeah. It is as you say Prince James. Now, since the young ladies ate facing you..." The cloaked man confirmed and then rose his hand towards the girls. Gwen and Mina stopped their struggles and their faces went blank as they stared at James. The cloaked man then rose his other hand up and brought it down swiftly.

The men who were holding James let him go and then swiftly, another man lunged forth and lopped his head off in one swing. Aisrins eyes widened. He knew that was their end goal. He knew that was their plan. He knew it would happen. He knew... yet why? Tears actually began to fall from Aisrins eyes.

Why did he feel this pain?

"Now, young ladies... who just killed the prince?" The cloaked man muttered silently and then let his hand drop from them. The girls faces returned to normal, but soon they turned fearful as they looked upon Hames severed head and the blood that had formed a nasty slayter all over the ground.

Their faces turned to Aisrin in absolute horror, and hatred.

"I thought you were a hero!" Mina screamed.

"You... you... killed the prince!" Gwen tried getting away. The cloaked man laughed and then moved his hand and the two fell unconcious.

Aisrin was then hit in the head and his vision blackened.

***

Within a few days, the story that was spun about the princes death, would paint Aisrin as the evil demon responsible. Aisrin had seemingly disappeared. A huge funeral was held for the prince and a Bounty was placed on Aisrin the Demon.

The story was spun as such...

"'Somehow Aisrin had made everyone believe that Aisrin was a hero through Demonic Treachery. As the party was going about on their journey, Aisrin would do great deeds to trick everyone around him... until they entered Fargas. From there Ausrin seemed to get... odd. He was always looking over his shoulder and all around him, as if to make sure no one was around.

He even forced one of the female part members to sleep with him. Aisrin even seemed to switch from using elemental magic and swordsmanship, to dark magic and daggers. When the party left the town and got to their next campsite, Aisrin disappeared and didnt sleep like the rest, as if he were preparing himself for something.

The party was stopped by Aisrin the following day, and he he began speaking to James in an odd way, making James nervous, until ultimately, Aisrin got behind James, after stabbing his sword arm and then cut his head off. He knocked the other two unconscious and then disappeared.'"

That was the story both Gwen and Mina told the king. Obviously it was filled with more holes than swiss cheese, but for a furious and grieving father, it didnt matter. Ten Platinum coins were placed on Aisrins head. His family was taken into custody and questioned. Ultimately, they were executed in his place.

Aisrin would only learn this... many years later.