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Walking into the dimly lit basement, Feng found long shadowy passageway lying ahead of him with barrels and crates stacked about the place, indicating its usage as a storage place. Moving deeper into the basement and carefully peering around, straining his eyes and senses in the eerily desolate and silent basement, Feng couldn’t help but wonder.

‘Shouldn’t they have guards here besides at the entrance, given the amount of goods they have stored here. Unless… Of course, it’s not that there are no watchers, but merely my inability to sense them.’

Continuing his walk for a few minutes, Feng finally came to the end of the passageway only to be faced with a blank wall and no signs of further passages.

‘Of course, it couldn’t be that easy, if they are so easily found… They won’t be called an Assassins Guild.’

Carefully examining the area for signs of an entrance, Feng finally noticed a spot on the wall that appeared to be less dusty and somehow more worn than the rest. Pressing on it gingerly, Feng readied himself for any surprises only for absolutely nothing to happen….

“Over here.”

Spinning around to face the voice, Feng saw a robed figure standing by an entrance in the right wall which had opened up so quietly and smoothly he did not notice it at all.

“Greetings young merchant, are you here to place a contract?”

A deep male voice issued from the shadowy figure whose face was fully shrouded by the cowl of his dark brown robes which easily blended in with the shadows.

“No. I’m here to learn the ways of the assassin.”

A long silence ensued after Feng’s words, and Feng felt the gaze of the figure scrutinize him accompanied by a complete lack of motion on the other’s part… In fact, the lack of motion often made Feng have to purposely refocus his eyes on the man as Feng’s gaze seem to be constantly slip by and somehow interpret his silhouette as part of the shadows.

“Very well, state your name.”

“I’m Feng. May I know who I am speaking with?”

“… You may address me as Shadow for now. As for your request, our Order is an unforgiving one, only the worthy may enter. You will need to get a single strike on me in order to pass the entrance trial… Come back when you are ready.”

Falling silent, the figure simply stood there watching Feng who took a moment to take a measure of the shadowy figure and his surroundings before bursting into motion.

Rushing in, Feng threw three daggers in quick succession at Shadow and dual-wielded his remaining daggers closing in with one slashing for Shadow’s neck and the other stabbing straight at his torso… Watching the daggers flew within handspans of Shadow with absolute no movement from him, Feng thought for an instant he caught the man off-guard with his sudden attack.

… Instead the figure dodged between his daggers with a small side-step and tilt of his head, allowing the daggers to fly past him with bare centimeters to spare and clank harmless against the wall. Effortless parrying Feng’s strikes with a single dagger, Feng’s arms were hopeless overextended and off to the sides due to Shadow’s deflections.

However, instead of jumping back and recovering, Feng surprised him by tossing his daggers with little strength behind the tosses but forcing Shadow to ward off the incoming daggers with his blade… While Feng continued his risky gamble and rushed in as close as he could get… and sidestepped to Shadow’s side to avoid going head on with Shadow’s blade. Unleashing a barrage of fists at Shadow who effortlessly dodged every single blow, Feng sneakily added his feet into the mix with a low thrust kick to the knee which unexpectedly contacted… Before Shadow’s figure abruptly burst into smoke which left Feng coughing and stumbling.

Still stunned by the sudden disappearance of the shadowy figure he was fighting, Feng completely failed to notice the presence behind him till he felt the point of the cold steel blade resting at the back of his neck…

“You managed a hit but you still failed. You did not even clarify the mission parameters or seek additional intelligence but rushed in like a fool warrior. Even though you got a hit in, if you listened to the mission parameters you would have learnt that it needed to be a lethal strike… and on the right target. You are far too impatient be to an assassin.”

The cold deep voice sounding from his back admonished Feng as he gulped, literally held as a captive audience by the blade at the back of his neck.

Heaving a sigh of relief as the blade was soundlessly withdrawn, Feng turned around on and stared into the impenetrable depths of Shadow’s cowl, from which issued words shaking him to the core as that hated feeling of failure revisited him like an old familiar enemy Feng thought he had saw the last of since long ago…

“A good assassin is patient, waiting for the perfect opportunity and finishes his mission in a single strike without leaving a trace of his presence behind. You have demonstrated none of these traits. Leave and continue in your fighter ways…”

*DING*

Quest Failed: The Order’s Entrance Trial

An Order known to few, you have somehow got wind of it and was considered worthy to be tested. However, it seems your abilities are lacking, you have been deemed unworthy.

Stunned by the failure, Feng sat down on the cold hard stone floor as he saw the words “Failed” flash before his eyes over and over again. Unconsciously curling up into a lotus position, Feng begun to meditate on his failure...

‘Damn it, I can’t believe I failed… I thought I had everything planned out and I did succeed in what was required, didn’t I? … It’s like a damn trick question… Is this it? I’ll have to give up on my plans and rethink on my next steps? I could proceed to the alchemist now and come back again later or attempt to gain the skills I need through some other fashion… But I need the skills urgently to mitigate the risk of hostile interference from the Church of Light… Damn it.’

Unconsciously clenching his fist and gritting his teeth, Feng’s thoughts ran in a constant loop trying to find alternatives to this unexpected obstacle only to fail again and again. The feeling of frustration finally triggered a sense of déjà vu which caused him to remember…

‘… No. I can’t give up so easily. Being wrong is something I should be familiar with, after all our missteps during our early start-up days and all the rejection and scoffing we received… Damn, I changed a lot since then… Since when did I get so sure of myself… It was only by receiving advice and constantly changing and trying new angles that we made our business successful…’

‘Damn it. Shadow is right. I haven’t thought things through properly and rushed in half-assed believing my abilities will solve everything… Heck, even Shifu spoke the very same words to me before I discontinued my martial arts training because I thought I had plateaued and thus deemed the training no longer worthwhile… ‘

‘But I can’t afford to stand still now, there is too much at stake for me to take my time. As much as it shows impatience, I do need these skills to safeguard the plan. There’s no way I can change something as fundamental as patience in a snap, so I can only prove my worth through my strengths…’

‘Hmm.. Shadow’s last words about assassins remind me of my time with the whitehat hacker team… With little resources and strict mission parameters set by our clients against expensive security systems, we succeeded through ingenuity and not playing by conventional rules… Heh, I understand how to proceed now.’

Standing up, Feng glanced around before shrugging and called out loudly.

“Hey Shadow, I know you are still here. I acknowledge your words and fully agree that this is a weakness of mine. However, I wish to prove to you that I can be a great assassin despite my current shortcoming.”

Suddenly dropping down directly in front of him, Feng had to struggle to stop himself from flinching as the quietly menacing Shadow’s sudden entrance and waited for his response.

“… Very well. For detecting me, I will allow you a second chance… But be warned, should you fail this time; you will never be allowed to take the trial to join us again. Let us proceed to-”

‘Who could detect you… I was just guessing since it doesn’t make sense to leave a random person in front of your base without monitoring him… Anyway, I better get my plan going’

Thinking to himself, Feng hurriedly interrupted Shadow’s words and interjected his prepared counter-argument to attempt to engineer a situation more favorable for himself.

“No, in the shadows there are no rules, only the objective. I show you my ability to be part of this guild through my own ways… For how can the ways of the shadow be tested through scripted trials, the ones in the shadows do not abide by the rules but instead create their own. Therefore, I challenge you to assign me a target and I’ll prove my worth.”

Several long moments passed as Shadow stood silent before him, heightening the tension as he evaluated Feng’s words before finally responding.

“… We cannot trust a contract to one inexperienced like you, despite your advanced understanding… Instead, as you requested, your trial shall be a mock assassination. Follow me.”

Smoothly walking into the small hidden entrance, Feng had to struggle to follow Shadow as they went down into a twisting passageway full of intersections and turns… The dimly lit surroundings and Shadow’s tendency to effortlessly flow from shadow to shadow without breaking a stride only worsened the difficulty of keeping up and Feng almost ran into him as they abruptly stopped in front of a dull metal door.

Entering it after Shadow fiddled with some kind of mechanism hidden away from Feng’s sight, the open doorway revealed a small square room completely void of anything but an orb nestled on a pedestal in the middle.

Staring at the tiny room and trying to imagine what sort of trial they could run on a mock assassination, Feng can’t help but question Shadow.

“How is the trial supposed to run in this cramped space?”

“… Patience. Place your hand on this orb.”

Receiving an admonishment, Feng sighed and decided to quietly follow the instructions and decided that speaking out less will help his case here… and touched the orb only to feel a sudden jerk on his body.

The world warped around him and Feng felt a sense of vertigo before it cleared up into a familiar scene of himself landing in the town square bringing a sense of deja vu… Except this was clearly not Tyward any longer with completely different architecture and even the folk moving around looks different as they appeared to be predominantly beast men instead.

“Your mission is to locate a tiger-man by the name of Vakero and slay him.”

Shadow’s voice coming from seemingly nowhere disrupted Feng’s gawking and got him to refocus on the issue at hand as he thought things through and moved to a less crowded area so as to not draw any unwanted attention before quietly speaking out loud.

“… Do I have more mission parameters and information about his whereabouts, lifestyle, schedule, possible weaknesses or anything else relevant?”

“Good. You learnt. He is the one manning the stall to your right. Red hair and red stripes on his skin, he is a trader who supposedly trades in rare delicacies and foodstuffs but in reality it is a cover for his trading of pleasure slaves. His house is heavily secured and impossible to penetrate at your level; however during his public appearances he is relatively more vulnerable due to his cover as a simple merchant.”

“… Are there any resources I can make use of?”

“… Good. Go to the alley off of the east side and look in the barrel at the end, you’ll find some basic supplies.”

Following their short conversation, Feng quickly made his way to the cache and opened it. Pulling out his findings to inspect, Feng found a total of five items consisting of a vial of poison, three knives and a hooded cloak. Thinking things over and trying to inspect the items but failing to get any information window, Feng wrinkled his brow and got a sudden epiphany but decided to clarify matters with Shadow to properly ensure the plan will work.

“How strong is the poison?”

“As long as it gets into the blood-stream and he does not get an antidote within thirty seconds, Vakero should die.”

“Excellent.”

Feng responded positively upon hearing Shadow’s confirmation and heads off to ask a villager for directions to a blacksmith and tailor shop. After getting his direction, Feng headed to the blacksmith and sold the knives before moving on to the tailor shop and surprisingly requested to buy some needles and thread saying he wishes to repair some of his clothes.

After finishing his transactions, Feng proceeded back to the square and carefully Watched Vakero’s actions for a full hour as he prepared his next moves.

Once done with his preparations, Feng coolly walked up to the beastman and engaged into small talk with Vakero while inspecting his goods, touching and examining the things on the merchant’s stall.

Shortly after, Feng walked away and hid himself in the crowd, stealthily examining the merchant’s movements… A few minutes passed before the tiger-man suddenly gurgled and fell to the ground convulsing. A huge commotion was soon raised and Feng carefully stayed at the outer edges of the crowd while keeping a view of Vakero who swiftly expired within a few seconds of the crowd gathering around him…

Carefully standing within the crowd till it slowly dispersed once the town guards came, Feng blended into the masses and pretended to be a passerby attracted to the scene… only for a familiar sense of vertigo to hit him and opened his eyes to see himself back in the small dark room.

“Congratulations, you have passed the Assassin graduation trial. Welcome to the Order Apprentice.”

Still dizzy from the sudden transition, Feng took several long moments before processing Shadow’s words and realized something off about them.

“… Wait a minute; shouldn’t it be an entry trial instead?”

“The trial you requested was for apprentices to graduate and I allowed it due to your understanding of the ways of those who dwell in the shadows. It tests the apprentice’s ability as well as stomach for the kill… However, this is the first time I have seen such a well-planned assassination and nonchalance in such trials, although most will go for a direct kill instead of planting poison-tipped needles and would be disturbed by the kill. However, you show zero remorse, have you killed before?”

“No… but it was obvious that the trial was merely an illusion. Despite the sense of vertigo, the fact you were able to supply with me so easily combined with the mechanical movements of the townspeople, the lack of noise and bustle beyond my immediate surroundings plus their reactions to me especially when I questioned one told me that you were controlling the illusion somehow.”

“I see. Regardless, you have passed the trial. Come with me to the training room and I will teach you the basics.”

“Wait if I passed the graduation trial, shouldn’t I be a full member instead of an apprentice?”

“… And that is why you are not ready yet. You still lack patience, be grateful you are given a chance to hone your talent.”

Trial Completed: Order’s First Trial

You have finished the Order’s First Trial for apprentices… and became an apprentice. Moving past the failure of your Entrance Trial to unorthodoxly pass the First Trial, you have relied on your wisdom and intellect to carry you through… which was probably why you failed in the first place given how *special* your brain must be.

+2 Intelligence

+2 Willpower

+4 Wisdom

Quest Completed: Joining The Order of Shadows

Congratulations, you have joined the Order through extremely unorthodox methods despite failing the entry trial. By convincing Shadow and passing the graduation trial instead, you have been made an apprentice of the Order. However, your failure is still remembered and your rewards lessened.

Objectives Completed:

1) Find the Order

2) Pass the Entry Trial (Failed)

Secret Objective Completed: Pass the First Trial [Quest Success]

Rewards:

1) Title: Apprentice of the Order

2) Order Skills (partial)

Title Obtained: Apprentice of the Order

Making your first steps into the shadows, you have succeeded in entering the Order. Now those who watch from the dark will recognize you as part of the Order… For good or for ill.

+5% Guild-Specific Quest Trigger Chance

Privileges

Access to the Order Hideout

Clearing his notifications as he followed Shadow to the training room, Feng scowled at the reminder of his failure and the obviously diminished rewards despite him actually passing a harder trial.

Entering into yet another dull unmarked door, the duo found themselves in a larger room which was cluttered with random mannequins, pillars, barrels, crates and other smaller objects strewn around the place. However, Feng notices an odd discrepancy at the corner of his eyes; away from the clutter of the room, there was a tidy corner table right next to the entrance stocked with several large jars of… cookies.

Noticing the curious gaze of Feng’s eyes, Shadow shrugged as he replied though the movement was barely visible under his voluminous robes.

“Oh we keep those for our guys who get hungry after training and need some snacks, it’s more expensive than keeping bread and dried goods but our Mistress insisted on them...”

Hearing his response and remembering an old internet saying, Feng stifled his laughter before asking if he could take some with him and received a shrug and nod.

‘Come to the dark side… we have cookies indeed!’

Quickly stashing the cookies in his inventory before returning to Shadow, Feng mentally reminded himself to stay humble and focus on learning whatever Shadow has to offer… Only to burst out incredulously after Shadow finishes his short lecture.

“Huh? That’s all? You are only teaching me how to move stealthily and how to observe people and things?”

“Foolish apprentice, these skills are the basis of an assassin. Understand and master them and you will have grasped the essence of our way.”

Suppressing his instinctive sigh of displeasure at the words, Feng shrugged and decided that it shouldn’t take too much time to gain the abilities by practicing here in the training room... Only to be halted by Shadow’s surprisingly small hand on his shoulder impeding his movement into the room.

“You are not ready to use these facilities yet… Go out and hone your abilities… and learn patience first.”

“… Fine. When can I progress to the next stage?”

“When you understand… and we will be in contact when you are ready.”

Without any warning, Feng’s world was covered in darkness for several long seconds and he felt as though he was drowning and compressed at the same time…

“Puaahh.”

Heaving in air as the world brightened around him revealing the dimly lit entrance of the Merchant’s Guild basement, Feng felt Shadow’s hand leave his shoulder before he melted back into the shadows with only a single word.

“Farewell.”

‘… Damn it. Are these skills enough to match up the troubles that will come? I had expected much more from the usual assassin’s skills…’

Thinking bitterly as he departed from the Merchant’s Guild, Feng headed towards to crafters’ street in hopes that he will have better luck with the alchemist… and hopefully get rid of that niggling feeling of someone watching him…

*Ding*

Secret Quest Unlocked: Eyes On You

Feeling like you are constantly watched? Well perhaps you are, try to find out more if you dare…

Prerequisites:

*Hidden* Conditions

Difficulty:

*Hidden*

Objectives:

1) Discover more about the watchers and their objectives

2) *Hidden*

Rewards:

*Hidden*

Failure:

*Hidden*

Quest cannot be declined.