The Ashen Assassin

Chapter 1: The Captain

A single lit candle sat in the center of the darkened room, it's eerie orange glow scarcely illuminating all but the corners of the room and the two people that inhabited it. One of the figures, a man, was tied to a chair with finely woven ropes, the other was a cloaked woman, she was far enough away from the candle that its single flame cast deep shadows upon her face, making it unrecognizable.

"Now, tell me all you know about the kingdom's magical defences." The cloaked woman said in a silken voice.

"Why should I tell you?" The trapped mage snarled back. "Besides, it seems that my memory isn't what it used to be."

"How... convenient for you." She smiled and replied sweetly.

"Even if I did remember, what are you gonna do if I don't tell you? Kill me?" The mage scoffed and tried to toss his head, but the ropes restricted his movement. The cloaked lady tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"What an excellent idea!" She exclaimed, "But I have a better idea! how about this, you can spend some time with my assistant and I'll come back later. By then you'd better have the information you've so conveniently forgotten."

With that the cloaked lady turned away from the mage and marched into the darkness. Another figure, with a hunched stature and awkward wobbly step, hobbled towards the waiting prisoner. A dimly glowing book flew out of the hunchback's side pouch, it flipped to a page with images of needles with mini needles growing out of their sides every which way. The mage struggled against the bindings that held him on the chair, with a vague understanding as to what the hunched figure was going to do with those horrid needles. Wobbling ever closer, the cloaked lady's assistant cackled and summoned the needles, then, with a wave of his hand, he plunged them towards the terrified mage.

Anguished screams echoed down the stone, tunnel-like hallway, many people stopped to listen and grin at the respected torturers' fine work. The cloaked lady paused to let out a maniacal giggle before resuming her casual stride towards her patiently waiting contacts. At least, she thought with a grin, they hold some very, very, useful information.

***

Amaranth Devonshire, that was the name of the Captain of one of the ten esteemed Magic Knight Squads in the Clover Kingdom. Her squad went by the name of the Ashen Spiders, she had a knack for recruiting some rather shrewd individuals to her squad. 

Rumors encircled herself and her squad like moths to a flame; things such as her brainwashing the Wizard King to allow the creation of her squad, how she rends the souls from the bodies of her enemies and erases them from existence, how the entirety of the squad was nothing but a rambunctious pit of demon spawn from the deepest and dankest level of the nine hells. The worst part of these rumors? Captain Devonshire neither confirmed nor denied them.

A loud banging sound echoed throughout the quiet and orderly office, startling Amaranth from her slumber. Her long purple and navy-ish hair strewn across her shoulders and desk, rather than its normal ponytail. Sunlight sparsely filtered through drawn curtains, illuminating random splotches across the room.

"Yes?" Amaranth answered, agitated at the disruption of her sleep.

"There are some visitors that you would care to see, they bring news" The muffled voice of a man responded.

"Alright, send them in."

The doors swung open on well-oiled hinges, and revealed two rather delightful guests.

"I assume that this will take awhile, so fetch us some drinks and food." Amaranth waved her hand in a dismissive gesture towards the Magic Knight at the door before turning her attention towards the newcomers. A man with robes that signified he was from the Crimson Lion Kings squad, and a woman from the Blue Rose Knights. 

Grant was a stout man with short cropped light hair, his greyish eyes shifted in a way that gave him the appearance of an easily startled shrimp of a man. Janica on the other hand, was a willowy woman with dark hair that fell down her back in a braid, and she had intense greenish eyes.

"Grant, Janica." She greeted the two. "What information have you brought me this time? Or have you found some candidates from our little group back in the Heart Kingdom to play Magic Knight for a while?"

"We can answer both of your questions, actually" Grant replied in a smooth tone.

"Do tell." 

"We have discovered some rather personal intel on our 'Captains'. We also found some fitting people to 'join' some of the other squads, considering that tomorrow is the annual Magic Knight entrance exam." Janica paused before continuing, "Darline and her brother Dantrag seemed fitting for the role, they have been in our organisation for a few years and excel in both deception  and magic."

Amaranth considered the twins and their progress from the past five years, they were both excellent at 'convincing' others to do their bidding, and excelled with their magic powers and abilities. They were both found in an alleyway after their ungrateful parents kicked them to the streets. Amaranth nodded thoughtfully.

"What excellent choices." She purred.

The junior magic knight came back with a plate of cookies and some herbal tea. Amaranth gestured towards the appetizers and drinks, catching the meaning in the gesture, the two guests helped themselves before continuing the conversation.

"It appears that Lady Charlotte visits the Roselei property every three weeks and stays overnight."

"Would either of you happen to know when her next visit will be?" Amaranth asked shrewdly.

"It just so happens to be the day after the entrance exam." Janica answered, grinning knowingly.

"It seems that I have the sudden need to visit my good friend, Captain Charlotte." She said, with both sincerity and malicious intent.

I do not own Black Clover or any of the characters associated with it except my own OCs, I do not own the storyline of Black Clover either

Word Count: 983