Traveler

Chapter 1

The sun had not yet risen when the spy slipped from the window. The manor was quiet, not a single morning guard was awake. A black-cloaked figure sauntered away from the manor towards the bustling city center.

People danced and gossiped, their colorful hair swishing as they moved. The black-cloaked spy took off her cloak on the outskirts of the celebration. A young girl stood in the spy's place; she had a heart-shaped face formed by strong jawbones and contrasted a soft button nose. Her eyes were gunmetal-gray, at a single glance they were intimidating, but if you stared into their depths you would be lost in their calculative gaze. The young spy's long pink hair was braided messily up into a crown of braids, keeping it up and out of her face, while still keeping a feminine look.

The deep blue dress she wore was made of expensive wool fabric, accented by ornate ribbons that lined her bodice, encircled her waist, and extended in a single stripe down the middle of the skirt. The young spy despite the fine quality of her clothes was underdressed compared to the rest of the crowd.

Tonight was the Dance of the Harvest, a time for the villages to celebrate a good harvest before the lords came to take it away. The townspeople of Vaelin were dressed in their brightest colors, happily dancing in the square. Nobody noticed the pink-haired spy slipping through the crowd.

As the young spy walked through the square, she noticed eyes on her.

The spy glanced around the square watching the people dance and gossip. Allowing herself to take it all in before looking at the tall muscled man staring in her direction. She acknowledged him with a glance, as he turned around and entered the run-down, boarded-up building behind him. Darting across the square, the girl muttered apologies and explanations as she pushed through the people.

The young spy entered the house a few minutes behind the man; closing the door with only the softest click. A room draped in shadows greeted her, the boarded-up windows and black velvet curtains warped the room even further. The faces of the three other people standing in the room were wreathed in the shadows, their faces indifferent.

The middle figure stepped forward, "When did the eight heroes make the gray-eyed empress fall?" She asked.

"I hear it was the same day the people rejoiced in freedom." The spy replied, finishing the phrase in an even tone.

Reacting immediately after the words were said, the first man stepped forward. "What do you have to report, Lilia?" he said, to the young spy, "It sounded urgent."

Lilia nodded, a grave look on her face. "As of about forty-eight hours ago, I received a report from one of the castle spies." She paused looking for confirmation to continue. "The iron mine near Layron has begun preparations to move one thousand slaves to a new mine in the East."

The three leaders were immediately upon her; asking questions and seeking advice on thoughts and ideas. As they gained more information, they began to plan.

"We should strike five miles out from Layron." Said the man known to many as Wind, leader of the Kailerian rebel spies. He is a tall lean man, his strong physique made him look more like a fighter than a spy. It is hard to imagine him as quiet, but his skill as a spy is unmatched.

"We should instead let the procession get further away from the mine before attacking, so their guard is lower." Suggested Breeze, a high-ranking operative under Wind.

"Our forces have easier access to five miles out from Layron than the place you are suggesting." Wind argued pointing at the map.

As the two debated, the third figure leaned over the map, gathering information and sorting through ideas. Her black leather armor made spotting her in the darkroom difficult. The candle illuminating the map before them caused her golden hair to glow. Her calculative gaze swept over the room observing Wind and Breeze debating and Lilia standing at attention awaiting orders.

"How about we send a small group of fighters to attack five miles out from the initial send-off. It will cause a delay in their travel allowing us to move our forces farther along the road to meet them later. If we time they shouldn't be expecting us, nor will they be prepared for another attack." Suggested Fire, leader of the assassins. With over three hundred confirmed kills she was the second most deadly human alive. The crime scenes were always spotless. The only evidence it was her, was the victims' signet ring melting in a flame.

It took a moment but everyone else agreed it was a solid plan. So after working out some kinks and finalizing the plan. The strange group dispersed, the three leaders off to continue preparations, and Lilia to return to work at the manor.