Shifter
What would you pay to share the appearance of another individual? Perhaps a rival of yours who managed to strike it big with a well-placed investment or a rising hot-shot adventurer renowned for their devilish good looks. If you were to price such a transformation, how much silver or gold would you fork over to walk a day in their shoes?
If you asked me, I'd say nothing. I'm not pathetic enough to pay to look like another person, but I am willing to be paid to do so. There is a certain spell that few have heard about as it was washed away in history by the blood of a certain group of people, but much like all good things, one can not simply erase magic. I am living proof of that ideal. A man who could appear as your grandmother or the kind gentleman who sells you pine fruit daily, but make no mistake: I am anything but so weak.
I am called Shifter, the man of a thousand faces and voices, and with the right price, I can be anyone to perform anything, or so I thought. You would think a skill like mine would be in high demand, but these nobles in this despicable backwater settlement look down on me with their fancy moral codes when I know deep down they are more twisted than I am! Wait- I am not twisted. I am a man of high moral character who uses his god-given abilities to put food on my table. In a way, I am no different from any other worthless laborer, but my services are more beneficial to society.
The eradication of mindless thugs here and the toppling of a poor baron there, but in the end, I am a figure of justice. An arbor of equalization! Rich and poor alike, good or evil, it matters not because I shift the balance of this society to the center. I am noble like that, and I do it for a fee.
"These fools! They don't understand the intricacies required to execute such an elaborate plan with my incredible execution! Tell me, do you know how difficult it is to infiltrate a manor like this during the daytime, battle and defeat its guards, and then slay their captain?"
The soft sobs of the fat nobleman made me hum with amusement. I admit that this man, Karl von Aslong, was a worthy target to infiltrate. The head of the rising Aslong family of this very city was an ambitious, paranoid man, and for good reason. Rumors indicate that poor Karl here was on the rise due to one of his men stumbling across a brand-new Hematite deposit. This man was reaping the benefits of having his men wield weapons and artifacts with the impressive mana-storing material.
It was too bad that none of the guards he had were anything more than barely trained mercenaries with fancy weapons. They often celebrated at a nearby tavern in the Silver District, so it was easy to swoop in and snatch one of the men up. With my ability to alter my appearance, I assumed the identity of the man, shifting both my appearance and voice to match my victim. I did so to close the gap on my target.
My patron paid good money to infiltrate and assassinate this pig, so I smiled with glee as I stood over him. The interior of his office was dim as he often worked within it with the windows boarded. It was rumored, and I later confirmed, that Karl often allowed one of his mistresses to work as a servant for him, and at a certain time each day, she would visit the nobleman. It was a shame that she got caught in the crossfire, but her own blood is likely the most decent liquid she was coated in this week.
The way I look at it, I did the poor woman a favor. She was young, but you are never too young to learn a life lesson; if you lie in the mud with pigs, even rich ones, you'll eventually be sent to slaughter. Crouching down, I deactivated the young woman's appearance, allowing the blue aura of my magic to erase the feminine appearance that I had a moment ago. Short black hair stretched into longer white strands while brown eyes burst into a vibrant light blue. My height increased from the petite womanly stature into the towering, lean figure I was originally. Blood streaked across my light blue suit, showcasing my competence in my craft, and I was incredibly competent.
Seeing the absolute horror on the man's face as he saw my true form felt good. Von Aslong flailed against his bindings, but no matter how hard he struggled, the bindings held.
"Tsk, Tsk, Baronet Karl von Aslong, I am sure you know why I am here."
There was terror in that man's eyes, and the longer I peered into them, the more giddy I became. I had to hear the usual cliched questions of my prey, so I lowered the fabric gag that I used to contain his screams, and sure enough, he said, "Why are you doing this? Who are you?!"
"I asked you a question first. It is proper manners to clear the air and answer the question first prompted to you," I snapped, stomping on the man's shoulder. He writhed in pain as blood intermingled with his bushy mustache. His bald head bounced against the red carpet he had on his floorboards, which amused me again.
"Damn you! I owe you nothing! Do you know who I am? Lady Angea will have your head for this! You'll pay for the violence you've done against my house!" Karl snapped in between pained grunts.
I punished the man for even suggesting that I would lose my head from a simple job like this. Even if I walked into the middle of the street as I am now, it'd be impossible for me to be caught and sentenced to anything. My foot bashed the chest of the old, fat noble as my face twisted with delight. After a minute of anguish, I would stop my assault. However, Baronet Aslong continued to squirm underneath the pressure of my heel.
"I have little desire to continue this, Baronet, so answer my new questions."
There was fierce defiance present in his features, so I decided to remind him about his position. I glared at the man before kicking him in his face. He groaned in pain as my boot bludgeoned the man. I couldn't allow him to feel comfortable in this situation, so I continued to do so until he finally broke.
"I-I'll talk! I'll talk!" Baronet Aslong shouted, his sobs becoming more pronounced.
Blood and tears pained the man's face as he writhed in the pain I inflicted on him. I couldn't help but smirk at the ease the man broke. No matter how tough a noble presented themself, they always broke and revealed their secrets. Closed mouths gain broken teeth, and I was proficient at breaking teeth. I was glad Baronet Aslong understood that fact quickly.
I grabbed the large man by his collar and dragged him onto the red carpet in the center of the room. Blood streaked across the wooden floor as teeth were crushed underneath my boot. Baronet Aslong's chest moved with incredible fervor as fear shrouded his eyes.
"My patron would like to know the location of your warehouse, and before you ramble off about the one commonly used, it is the uncommon one he is after. He has no interest in your hematite, but rumors say you've found something interesting you've been holding out from the others. It's a top-secret item that you've only traded with the Angea. I want to know more about it," I said.
Baronet Karl paled at my demand. The nobleman began sweating profusely as his mind raced for a potential response. I could imagine he would normally deny such an accusation, but considering I was sent after him and he didn't immediately deny it lent credence to the accusation.
"I can not say," he muttered before yelping in pain.
My foot had slipped and accidentally found itself slamming against the old man's shoulder. It was an accident, but the pain inflicted remained no matter how pure my intentions were.
"I didn't break your jaw, nor did I take your tongue. You can speak about it, but you've fooled yourself into thinking that you can't. Give me something to work with, and I might allow you to pay for your way to safety. After all, I wish to purchase new boots since mine were rudely soiled by the blood of backwater guards."
"It may be under my name, but I have no information about that warehouse. I am relevant on paper and nothing more. I'm a puppet and not my own man when it comes to that warehouse. I promise I am telling you the truth! I only work with Hematite and crafting weaponry to sell in the market. I know nothing about-"
The lying vermin caught a punch to his jaw for spewing such foolishness.
"You test my intelligence, Baronet? I have granted you a way out of this situation, and you spit in my face?" My gaze narrowed as I reached into my vest and showcased my deadly intent. A dagger, laced with a forked edge, was pressed against his throat. "The warehouse location. Where is it?"
The Baronet's eyes went wild as he pondered my threat. No longer feeling amused by the man's hesitation, I pricked his throat with my blade.
"If you are holding out hope that someone will come to rescue you, rest assured that will not happen. Thanks to your lecherous desires, those two hours you normally slotted for your affair with your mistress have given me more than enough time for this one."
The Baronet was a resilient man, but his resolve wore down after the third cut to his body. I was amused to learn he was capable of withstanding even two slashes of my blade. A mischievous grin appeared on my face as I shifted into the appearance of the man's wife. His tongue was defiant, so I felt disrespected. I will not allow disrespect to go unchallenged. The Baronet's wife, Julia von Aslong, of course, was a plain-looking woman with an endearing smile. It was that endearing smile that I warped into a sinister smirk.
"You fucker! My wife, she'd never-"
"Your wife is wasted on a man like you. A cheating pig who sleeps with women old enough to be his daughter. I am doing her justice by doing this to you. Although, it was your actions that led to this."
Baronet Aslong growled underneath his bloodied face, so I stabbed him in his thigh. The old noble howled in pain as I repeated the actions. Each penetration was slow and painful as I twisted the forked blade to inflict maximum damage to his leg. Watching his blood pour from the wound was exhilarating. My heart quickened excitedly, and my eyes printed his pained reaction into my brain.
'No. No. This isn't the moment. Let's end this. I don't have all day.'
Exhaling, I allowed calmness to retake my more chaotic thoughts. Weakened by multiple stabs to his thigh, Baronet Aslong became listless. His body twitched as he had a faraway look in his eyes. He had gone into shock, and I couldn't have that. Pressing the forked blade into the noble's head, I channeled mana into the weapon.
"Nezaphine, my goddess, grant me the Flames of Remembrance." I chanted.
The forked dagger had begun to glow a rich reddish yellow as fire mana powered the weapon. The smell of burning flesh filled my nostrils as the man jolted with newfound awareness. His eyes widened as the Flames of Remembrance burned away at the man's forehead with immense heat at the point of the forks. Although the spell has the nasty drawback of mildly burning the point of contact, the Flames of Remembrance is used to recall hidden memories at the threat of engulfing your mind in raging flames. It had never failed to uncover the information I needed, and even if they did resist, the spell was persistent in its punishing.
"You want to find...no! Aghhh! Find Horace... he knows! He knows!"
A grin appeared on my face as the spell did its job. I now have a lead, and as Baronet Aslong resisted the spell, more pain was inflicted on him. Hearing him wail in anguish delighted me to no end, but I had no choice but to steer him back on topic. Gripping the man's ridiculously large mustache, I pulled him closer to my face. Glaring into his eyes, I chanted,
"Nezaphine, my goddess, grant me the Flames of Cerebral Devouring."
My eyes would glow a similar reddish-yellow as the spell to effect. Magical flames erupted from my eyes and lunged into the Baronet's gaze. When they presented the external damage, I could sense the damage the flames had inflicted on the man's mental defenses. He tried to turn his head away and break eye contact, but I held him in place. The spell only worked with prolonged eye contact, and it worked fast.
"You want Horace Hildebrand, a servant of the Angea family! I know nothing about the location; I only provided the Hematite! If you want to know the location of what you seek, then you want him and not me! Stop it! Please make it stop!"
Bloodied tears streaked from the man's eyes as the Flames of Cerebral Devouring bore into his gaze! He shook violently, but I was not finished with him yet.
"Tell me where to find this man and save yourself from the suffering!"
The words choked the Baronet as he fought to resist the anguish. It was foolish endeavor, but I could somewhat respect the effort. I pooled more of my mana into the spell, causing the man to wail louder.
"He comes to me! We only meet on his terms and it was always at this small bar in the Silver District! He's always accompanied with a young woman... Clarice! Clarice von Angea! She should know the location too!"
I poured more mana into the spell, hoping to garner more information out of the man, but fate had decided otherwise. The combination of the Flames of Cerebral Devouring and Remembrance had finally burned the life out of the man. Exhaling in disappointment, I deactivated the spell combination. My eyes blurred as the spells wrapped my gaze with a temporary smog. My eyes watered, but I quickly wrapped them with my sleeve.
I had poured a lot of mana into forcing that information out of the man, which honestly surprised me. I wouldn't have expected such a pig to have that level of mental fortitude, but you never know, and that is what made this job exciting! After releasing the Baronet's body, he began convulsing on the floor. It was pitiful, so I decided to give the man a justified end. My forked dagger tore through the fine silks of his shirt and was buried into his heart. At that moment, Baronet Karl von Aslong was dead.
"This is a call for celebration. I think Sanchrestberry pie is in order," I chirped with a clap of my hands.
Glancing around the room, I noticed the radiant saber mounted on the Baronet's wall. It was an extravagant gift, no doubt, considering the late Baronet's relationship with the Angea. I whistled as I dismounted the saber from the wall and approached the man's corpse. It hardly had time to cool before I slashed at his arms and legs. I ultimately plunged the blade into his chest and then his heart.
This had to be covered up, so I began smashing the furniture in the room—vases, bookshelves, tables—and I even broke and flipped over the man's desk to showcase a struggle. I grabbed his bottles of elixir and took one for myself. It was high quality, so I had to savor the taste later. The rest were common brands, so I tossed them onto the floor near the Baronet's body. One in particular was smashed over his body. Blood and clear elixir coated his clothing, ruining the fine threads of the dead man.
It was a shame, but it couldn't be helped. After looting the room, I found a bag of coins in his flipped-over desk and stood near the body. Taking the gold out and a few silver coins to keep as my bounty, I poured the remaining coins near the body.
"Ah yes. This will do. This will do. I have impressed myself again," I bragged before turning and leaving.
It would take two hours before the Baronet's servants returned to check on him, so I couldn't stay longer than necessary. I should have thanked the man for being so helpful to me, so I hoped they gave him a proper burial. But then again, a human burial was too good for that pig. As I departed from the office, I walked past the bodies of the Baronet's guards.
They were valiant, but they were not my equals. These guys had no magic and, as such, were dispatched quickly prior to my meeting with the Baronet. I analyzed their armor, so I shifted my appearance before I made my way out of the manor. My bloodied clothing was replaced with the tainted iron armor of the Baronet's guards.
It would be safe to assume that I had once again escaped with another successful job, but this has opened up another revenue stream for cash. I smirked the longer I thought about it. Saluting the guards at the manor's gate, they opened it to allow me passage through.
"The lord sent you out again, Frank?" one of the men asked.
"You know how he is. The young mistress wants some cheesecake from the city. I was tasked to retrieve it," I explained, and the man nodded.
I couldn't blame him for not knowing the truth since my ability allowed me to alter my voice upon hearing it once. Ignorance is too easy to manipulate, and it is child's play for a man like me. Unbeknownst to these men, they had just allowed their lord's killer to walk through their gates.
There was only one thing left to do: locate my next targets. This job demanded a thorough investigation, and as such, I had to locate the individuals next on the list.
'Horace Hildebrand, and Clarice von Angea. I wonder what secrets I could burn from their minds. Oh! What a time to be alive! Wait for me, Lady and Servant! Swift justice will be served!'
Traveling away from the manor, I would notice a hooded figure tailing me in the distance. They were brazen, but there was a distinct familiarity with them. I turned down an alleyway, and the figure grew closer. They were emboldened by my actions, and I approved.
I never failed to find amusement in the direction this figure pointed me in, so I couldn't help but grin. I expected them to enter normally, so my grin deepened when the figure suddenly fell from the sky. Their footsteps thudded behind me, but no other move was made.
"My messenger... to what do I owe the pleasure, my fair Ripper?"