The Contractor's Will [Job/Zafar] {B-Tier}

Job Name: Drowning All Hope
Job Rank: B
Job Location: Reim
Job Rewards: 200xp / 15,000 Huang
Job Overview: The Contractor has offered information in exchange for a man's life. Barsatos Axarai, the man known as "Reim's White Samaritan" who is popular in the capital for his acts of good will and kindness. Barsatos has a small army of devoted followers who praise his acts and live in his presence like one big family. None among them are deadly fighters but they make up for their weakness in numbers and strong personal bonds.

Spoiler:

Octovius walked at Azix's side with six other kids down the streets of Reim. It had been an hour since the events with Zafar had taken place. Under the cover of darkness, they made their way to the Grumptoes Safe House. Azix's mind wandered, his thoughts darting back and forth, trying to form the puzzle in his mind. As far as he knew, Barsatos wasn't anyone of consequence, yet The Contractor's interest implied otherwise. The gut feeling in his stomach that he was danging from The Contractor's strings was another jigsaw piece.

They made their journey in silence, the Grumptoes didn't seem to care why they had spent the night watching the Colosseum. Lavicus was waiting for them when they entered the small shack. Azix waited as Octovius made his report to Lavicus, who listened intently before dismissing everyone but Octovius. Azix waited until the door closed and grinned, "They did their job well."

Lavicus returned the smile and nodded, "I'm glad we satisfied you."

Sitting in a chair, Azix looked towards Octovius, "You did a good job coordinating the team." He gave a friendly smile as the boy's back straightened in pride, but it quickly melted into a serious tone as he turned back to Lavicus. "I have another task as well. Do you know Barsatos Axarai?" The Captain nodded in acknowledgement. "I need to know everything you can find in two days. I'll provide a bonus, but I want only the most trusted on this."

Lavicus raised a brow, "I will see to it, but may I ask why? Barsatos is known to be a good man." Lavicus remembered the fiery eyes and the rage that Azix displayed when he questioned him about Manius' Fiance. It was a memory that unsettled him, but he realized that Azix was doing good for the kids growing up in poverty, giving them a chance to earn their keep. He had swore loyalty and he planned to be loyal, but sometimes it felt he caught glimpses of Azix leading them into something he didn't think the Grumptoes could handle. Azix kept the information to minimum to protect himself, but also to protect the Grumptoes, but Lavicus didn't realize that.

Azix thought for a moment, he was taken aback by Lavicus questioning him. From the look on Lavicus' face, scaring him would only make him more suspicious. Azix grimaced underneath his social mask, he didn't have time to think about bandaging this problem, not with so many other pieces unknown. Azix took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, looking like a man about to bare his soul. "I suppose you would be curious." He resolved himself and looked the two boys over. "During my time here in Reim, I've seemed to uncover a plot. I'm chasing whispers and only through your work am I getting answers. A clue has led me to Barsatos, the fact that this man seems to be extremely popular with an unblemished record is strange to me. That is why I'm asking for your help."

The emotions danced on Lavicus' face as he realized Azix finally opened up to him. "I understand, we will find you your information."

Azix smiled, "Thank you, I must take my leave now." He bowed to the two members of his inner-five and walked out the door.

------

Four days later, in the shadows of night, Azix sat in a tree, staring into Barsatos' compound. The dome shaped building, with a tower adorning the center, stood before. The sight was quite impressive, but not as impressive as what the Grumptoes had learned. Lavicus had given him a report that Barsatos had been traveling recently, to Magnostadt. Even more interesting was that on his return, it seemed he had received more devoted followers. There were rumors that Barsatos resided in the center of the compound and spent a great deal of time meditating. Reports indicated that several deaths had occurred at the compound, but they were mostly elderly. An important thing he noted was that their corpses had blood coming from their eyes and ears.

Azix waited in the tree for signs of Zafar, after The Contractor had left they had discussed meeting at his compound on this night. Under a backdrop of stars, the shadows from the leaves mottled his form as he sat on a branch. Azix only hoped that Barsatos would be easier than The Contractor.

[724/1500]

Spoiler:

A couple of days of recovery were needed after the successive nights of punishment Zafar's body had received during the assassination of Li Cao and battle with the Contractor's puppet. Following the battle Zafar was broken and tired, all he could think about was killing the contractor. Unfortunately Azix actually made a deal with the deceitful magician who had just played them for fools. It was a cruel joke that his own trump card would betray him but from that moment on Zafar knew there was no point in continuing to fight. Reluctantly, the assassin agreed to help Azix with the contract to ensure another meeting with the Contractor to try another attempt on his life.

After discussing the time and locations relevant to the hit Zafar would part ways with the magician and find an inn to stay in for the night. It was rare the killer paid good coin for a proper room to stay the night in, but he needed to rest and let his body restore itself. He did nothing be rest and eat while picturing his hands around the Contractor's throat as well as a dagger in Azix's gut for forcing the assassin to work for him again.

After four days Zafar left the Inn and made his way to the meeting place where he was to rendezvous with Azix. The crimson haired man would approach by roof top and then swiftly climb up the tree Azix was perched upon and joined him promptly. "So what have you learned about Barsatos?" Zafar asked as he slipped through the branches and joined the magician in his leafy cover.

~272/1500 Word Count~

Azix didn't let his surprise show as Zafar slipped up unnoticed and announced his presence. "So what have you learned about Barsatos?" The crimson haired man asked as he sat next to Azix on the branch.

Azix turned his gaze to Zafar, the violet abyss in his left eye socket staring into the clown's eyes. "A great many things. First, there is the matter of Barsatos himself. He recently returned from a trip to Magnostadt. After arriving back, it seems that there has been an influx of devoted followers joining his compound. Second, he usually resides in the center of the dome, I imagine below that tower adorning the peak. Third, there have been a number of strange deaths among the elderly. I received reports that the bodies had blood dripping from their ears and eyes." Azix turned his gaze back to the compound, "As for the layout of the dome, I couldn't find the designs, so we'll be going in blind."

[886/1500]

Zafar took the information in as he gazed over the great domed building with his cold yellow eyes. It sounded like there was a dark stain on the title of "White Samaritan" Barsatos held. Whenever someone's popularity increases proportionally to strange deaths it usually meant there were sinister dealings going on behind the scenes. Zafar made a soft sound of amusement and grinned as he commented, "So the saint is hiding some sins? This might be interesting~" The assassin could not deny the joy he felt in destroying all such men have built for themselves and then taking their lives. Barsatos is just the kind of meal Zafar looked to devour when he was trying to blow off steam. Either the contractor knew Zafar far too well or the goddess of chance was smiling on Zafar by making his next kill a fellow monster in human clothing.

"Nooo! I don't want to!" The shriek of a young girl sounded as she ran from the compound and into the street. She was promptly followed by three men and an older woman who appeared to be the girl's grandmother. Stop child! You know that Ronius died with a smile! We all must carry the burd-" The young woman from before had tears steaming down her face as she shouted, "You need to stop this, I didn't ask to be healed! How can you say the price is worth it!?" She was very animated with her passion as her hands swiped though the air as if she were swatting problems away.

From the tree's Zafar made a soft chuckle before making a suggestion to Azix. "Fufufufu~ Ah look...the rest of the puzzle plays out before us. You are indeed of "spade" quality on my luck aren't you Azix?" There was a pleased smile on Zafar's face as he narrowed his eyes and stared off into space briefly before continuing, "How about we watch for a bit and see what happens?" Assuming Azix agreed then the two would watch as the trouble brewed below.

"Rahja, you must come back! We need everyone's power!" The old woman stepped forward angrily and reached out to grab her kin by the wrist, with one hand before slapping her with the other. "Barsatos-sama is the only one who can use the Healing Waters! We must give our lives so that he can continue his holy work! You stupid granddaughter!" A back hand would strike Rahja's face against reducing her to a sobbing mess.

The men moved to take the girl from her elder and began moving to carry her back inside. The girl cried out one last defiant curse while she still could, If you all want to die the you should just do it together! Leave me out of this!" It was this outburst that caught Zafar's attention. The assassin dropped down from the tree silently and began dashing towards the grandmother who had her back turned to him. The old woman was sharp as she turned to notice him almost as soon as his killing intent began to leak out. However her body was not able to keep up and before she could let out a word Zafar's dagger Blood Branch stabbed into her throat and the twisted inside her flesh so he could lift her body up like a puppet which he placed between himself and the men. When the turned around all they saw was the dying eyes of their elder with a mortal wound being held up by an unknown person.

"Good words! If you think the should go to hell the I shall escort them there.

~877/1500~

Azix watched the scene before him, almost as if by fate's hand, as a young woman ran sobbing from the domed building. She was followed by a few men and an elderly woman. As the young woman spoke, a wild grin stretched on Azix's face as he began to fit pieces into the puzzle. It would seem that the White Samaritan was using these people's magoi for something. That would explain the manner of death displayed previously.

When the young woman shouted at her Grandmother to die, Zafar leaped towards the grandmother. Azix groaned and followed behind the red headed clown. Zafar stabbed the old lady in the throat with his dagger, lifting her body up to use as a shield against the two men. "Good words! If you think the should go to hell the I shall escort them there."

Azix stayed behind Zafar as he ran, running around the old lady and rushed towards one of the men. He threw a punch at the man's gut, using the momentum and the surprise from appearing in his vision just moments ago, to knock the wind from his lungs. Azix turned to face another one of the men, but met their fist clutching a stone. His head whipped around and he stumbled off balance, landing on his butt.

The third man moved forward, raising a stick over his head to swing at Azix, before Azix kicked him in the kneecap, sending him to his knees. He stood up and raised his hands up, ready for the second man to attack again.

[1147/1500]

The moment Azix ran past Zafar, he dropped the old woman's corpse and dash out from her form on the opposite side as his magician companion. The clown faced killer took a more round about approach flanking around the side of the men until at one's back. The follower had just hit Azix with a rock but he would not be making a follow up attack. Zafar's leg muscles made an explosivement and he pounced for the man's back with a round house kick that would cause the rings around Zafar's ankle to smash into the base of his skull. The blow would fracture his neck and render him unconscious where he would likely die if not treated.

The girl who had been forced to return fell to her tears shell shocked by the sight of he grandmother's death. She felt cold and filled with regret but also gripped with fear. Tears ran down her face but she held her breath and did not make a sound save for a surprised gasp with Zafar placed a hand on her shoulder from behind. "Next time you wish death upon someone, do it your self. A grim reaper wont always be around to do it for you~" and with that, he turned his back on her walking to the compound entrance with a sadistic smile gracing his lips. "You coming?" He would call out to Azix leaving the girl behind to whimper.

~1117/1500~

Sometimes, Azix wondered at his safety around Zafar. The sadistic smile he wore, his mood inflated, as the killing commenced, sent shivers down Azix's spine. "You coming?"

Azix followed Zafar into the compound, following a series of maze-like hallways. The sections they traveled through seemed bare and void of people. Azix did notice that there were strange markings on the floor. He tried to keep track of their design as he moved, but as they turned a corner, that thought was ignored.

Azix looked over Zafar's shoulder to see a group of five men coming towards them, not noticing them in the shadows. The men were whispering amongst themselves and it sounded like they were talking about the girl. Azix pulled Zafar by his shirt back around the corner.

"I think we should take them out as they move around the corner," he whispered in Zafar's ear.

[1294/1500]

When Zafar was pulled from behind his hand instinctively moved to his dagger and rose it swiftly to slit the throat of whoever was grabbing him. The killer stayed his blade when he was turned around face to face with Azix but its edge did not leave his neck until they were done speaking. "Wait for them?" The assassin gave Zafar and incredulous laugh and smiled with glee as he pushed the magician off of him. "I don't have time to wait around just because a group of small fry showed up. Lets get to Barsatos and gut him already!" Zafar was sure to shout the last bit to stir the followers around the corner to start picking up their pace.

The killer broke out from behind the corner with a dash and laid his eyes upon the five men. A quick plan of action entered the assassin's mind and he executed Fundamentals of Fire to flip through the air past the group of men. As he passed each one his limbs would lash out to land a punch or a kick to the skull. Zafar landed on his hand and used it to spring into another flip to take him to his feet. The five men would all fall to the ground as the killer rose removing the obstacle before them in an instant. "Not much further now..."

~1346/1500~
Stamina: 190/200

Spoiler:

As Azix pulled Zafar back, Zafar reached for his knife and laid it against Azix's throat. "Wait for them?" Zafar laughed, "I don't have time to wait around just because a group of small fry showed up. Lets get to Barsatos and gut him already!" He pushed Azix back and ran around the corner with a burst of speed before Azix heard the sounds of a scuffle.

Azix turned around the corner and saw that the men were at Zafar's feet. Azix smirked, "I guess I underestimated your power, I'll be sure not to do so in the future."

Azix walked past Zafar, remember the paths that he led and took them through the building towards the center. They saw a group of three men, holding sticks, before them. The men seemed to be guarding a large set of doors, with magical symbols gilded into the wood.

With a flourish, Azix pulled the staff from within his cloak and aimed it at the men. "Fragments of Light!" With the command, five shards of blue lights shot towards the three men. The first received a first degree burn on his face, the second received burns on each shoulder and the third received a burn to his gut. They clutched their wounds and dropped to their knees.

Azix walked by them with a look of distaste and opened the doors. He walked into an impressive room of large proportions.

[1531/1500] [190/200]

Fragments of Light:

The room only had the one entrance and dipped in the middle with circular steps leading down to a pool of water. Floating atop the pool was a platform upon which a bed sat surrounded by followers. Barsatos was laying on the bed with his hands resting on a pair of orbs that were giving him magoi. Further inspection would reveal that each of the people around the bed had their hands on a magic symbol where magoi was drained from them. The entrance of the assassins startled every one and Barsatos sat up in the bed while grabbing his staff. The elderly man was in his late forties and had greying hair with an already white beard and he was dressed in humble robes. But the way everyone moved to protect him it was clear that this man was highly valued to these people.

No...I will protect everyone here. It is my responsibility to-" The mans words were cut off by a harsh cough as he covered his mouth to hide the blood he'd spat up. "I don't know who you are, but my followers and I shall not bow to you!" The old man changed his hand positions on the spheres and began feeding his collected magoi into the magic tool. The patterns on the ground all throughout the compound would light up as one giant magic tool. The waters beneath the platform seemed to come to live wrapping around Barsatos and everyone nearby creating a swirling vortex water that was glowing with a purple light.

There was no way for the two assassin's to break through the barrier with any simple attack, but the thing to bring it down would not be some grand technique or powerful item. Simply words from a scared girl. Rahja had followed after the men knowing that Barsatos had a powerful trump card and resolved to tell the men of it after deciding that she really did think the old man and his followers should just join each other in the next life. "The tool at the top of the tower! It receives all the power from the magic circle! She suddenly blurted out from behind Zafar and Azix.

The acrobatic assassin looked up at the top of the room and spotted a glowing golden spout of sorts hanging at its peak. "I've got the tool. Zafar claimed as he scaled the walls and silently thanked reim for its elaborate architecture. Inside the barrier Barsatos was safe for now, but there was also nothing they could do to stop Zafar as he reached the magic tool and smashed it with his bracelet. The water then crashed around Barsatos drenching him in confusion...

~1500+/1500~

As soon as Zafar had smashed the magic tool with his bracelet, the water shield dropped, drenching the area in water. Azix was already whispering, "Piercing Light!" He sent a narrow one meter beam rushing towards Barsatos. As the beam surged forward, Azix summoned another spell, "Bright Beam," the large ten meter wide beam formed in front of him and surged forward, with Barsatos in its center.

As he heard the man scream, Azix sighed, "Tsk~" It appeared that was all the White Samaritan had in him. He started looking around the room and realized with a start that the patterns made this dome shaped building a magical circle. That had to be part of The Contractor's plan, with Barsatos not around to defend it, the compound would be open. Azix made a mental note to keep tabs on this place in the future. He looked to Zafar with a sad expression, "This was much too easy."


[150/200 magoi]

abilities:

Zafar dropped down from the ceiling landing on the platform as is splashed onto the water which had fallen back into the pool below. None turned to attack Zafar for all of the followers were already broken with grief over the death of their leader. The assassin didn't even glance at them as he jumped onto the steps and followed them with Azix to the exit. "Maybe the kill wasn't any fun, but we got to see something..." Zafar stopped to stare at the girl who was looking through the door way to confirm with her own eyes that Barsatos was dead. "Y-You really did it...But what about the others?" She asked confused that the men did not slaughter the entire group.

Zafar looked past the girl and walked on as if she were a ghost. An answer would only come from Zafar when he had stepped past Rahja and said in a plain voice as if it were an obvious statement. "Those people are all already dead. The stopped living the moment they decided to die for someone else." and with that Zafar took his leave knowing that he would be contacted by Azix and the Contractor again soon enough.