Assassin In Need

“Every man has his beginning…” Isabella monologues as she travels through a grassy meadow in the woods. “Well, so does every woman. We all start somewhere. What? Did you think we just spawn in out of nowhere?”

The dawn breaks on a new day. The sun rises, casting its warm, happy, rays upon the earth once again. Isabella, also known as Brutal Bella, is on a mission, but…what’s this? She’s lost; wandering in circles through the woods and fields.

“Why does this place look so familiar?” Isabella asks, mostly to herself. “Is that not the same farm I passed several times?”

Much to Isabella’s annoyance, cheerful music is playing as she wanders aimlessly. She checks her pouch, finding her magic life potions are well stocked. On both hips, Isabella sports a sheathe with a dagger in it. As well as her two daggers, she has a much longer sheathe strapped to her back containing a long, slender, sword.

“I’m stocked up on health potion after the last time I passed through here. Was rather convenient that all the ingredients I needed were right here,” Isabella comments, then she turns to her right and stares angrily at the bard that has been following her the past few days. “STOP PLAYING THAT ANNOYING MUSIC!”

“W-what…?” the bard asks, looking confused. “My music isn’t annoying. It’s cheery and invigorating. After all, what is a quest without-”

Isabella stabs the bard with both daggers. The bard dies and so does the music, of course. Now silence falls aside from the sound of Isabella breathing and crunching through grass. Isabella is a strong, independent assassin, why would she need any company?

“Maybe if I take a different turn here…” Isabella comments out loud.

Isabella takes a few steps in a different direction than usual. CREEEEAK! THWIP! A trap is triggered and a net scoops Isabella up, raising her high into the air. The Assassin lets out a scream of surprise. The tight confines of the net trap are pressing her arms and hands in a way that she cannot reach for her daggers.

“HELP!” Isabella cries out, utterly humiliated.

There is no immediate answer to the assassin’s plead for help. Perhaps if Isabella hadn’t been so rash, she could have at least had company. After what feels like forever, finally, someone comes around to check the traps. The someone happens to be a small fairy girl in a dress.

“Hello?” the fairy calls, noticing the trapped assassin.

“Please…help…” Isabella says, tired from struggling.

“Now, how did YOU get stuck in the trap?” the fairy asks, inquisitively.

“I- I accidentally misstepped. Can you get me out of here?” Isabella asks.

“Of course I could help you escape! I am a fairy, after all, and fairies TYPICALLY help those who are in need,” the fairy replies.

Using a bit of magic, the glowing green girl unties the trap. Isabella falls out of the trap and lands roughly on the ground. Then, the green fairy heals her fresh wounds with some more magic. Isabella examines her arms in wonder.

“Wait a minute…you guys can just heal wounds on your own? Gee, I never knew Fairies could do that,” Isabella comments.

“Yeah. Anyhow, bye, I guess,” the green fairy says with a shrug.

“Where are you heading to?” Isabella asks.

“Back home, duh,” the green fairy says, rolling her eyes.

Isabella grimaces. As much as she hates company…having a magical healing companion could come in handy. The fairy turns and flitters away back towards the farm. Isabella quickly follows the fairy, stopping at the door of the farm house.

“Wait! I just- I was wondering,” Isabella says. “I mean… I need to repay you somehow. Is there anything at all I can do for you?” Isabella asks.

“You’re trying to repay the favor?” the fairy asks, looking caught off guard.

“Yes. I have a few skills,” Isabella replies, looking eager to impress.

“Hmmm…hmmmmm…” the fairy says, thinking on it. “How about…no?”

Isabella’s jaw practically drops to the ground. The little green fairy twinkles and flies away. Well, it was worth a shot, wasn’t it? The two now part ways and Isabella continues wandering around.

“Wooooow, I can’t believe she didn’t accept my invitation! I reeeeeally could have used a fairy like that,” Isabella says with a sigh.

As Isabella is wandering, she accidentally steps on the body she left behind. She screams in shock until she remembers that it was her bard. Muttering to herself angrily, she prepares a makeshift grave and throws the body in so she won’t step on it again. She remains squatting over the grave for approximately 7.5 minutes.

“I’ll never get to Nano at this rate!” Isabella exclaims in frustration.

It’s been about 4 more hours and Isabella is still wandering in circles. She hasn’t had anything to eat yet and all she has had to drink is a few sips of dirty river water. She sighs heavily, slouching over on a tree stump near the little farm. As the minutes tick closer and closer to midday, the shimmering green fairy returns from the farm house and flitters over to Isabella.

“You’re still here?” the fairy asks in amazement.

“I’ve been walking…for sooooo long…I’m lost, I’m hungry…” Isabella groans.

“Gee… Kinda sucks to be all alone, huh? Well, both of my parents and my brothers are all missing, so I’m all alone, too,” the fairy says. “My name’s Atte, by the way.”

“Abby?” Isabella asks.

“No! Not Abby… ATTE!” Atte yells. “Now. You previously offered to do be a favor, but it looks like YOU need another favor.”

“Unfortunately,” Isabella admits. “I’m not sure if I can make it on my own.”

Atte uses her magic to conjure a human-sized plate of food. Gently, she offers it to her new friend. Isabella nods her head in thanks and accepts the food. She feels her strength replenish as she consumes her first proper meal in a long time.

“Thank you. I needed that. My name’s Isabella, by the way,” Isabella says and belches.

“Tee hee! Seems you liked the food! I’m glad. Nice to meet you, Isabella. So you’re lost, right? Where exactly are you trying to go?” Atte asks.

“I have 30 days to reach my next destination, a little place known as Nano that’s near Wrimo,” Isabella clarifies. “If I don’t make it, I might lose my job.”

“Nano?! That’s all the way across the land from here!” Atte exclaims. “Are you absolutely sure?!”

“Positive. Maybe you can help me get there in time?” Isabella asks. “I can repay you in gold.”

“You got yourself a deal. Y’know, I hear that the bravest thing to do, is to take that first step in the right direction. This way! Follow me!” Atte exclaims, gleaming.

“Sooooooo, ummmm… Nano is across the world, right? Why can’t we just go the opposite direction?” Isabella asks.

“Shhh! Don’t even suggest that! This is the way,” Atte says, pointing the direction they have been walking for the past 17 minutes.

“Okay. So. What exactly is directly this direction? What are we walking into? Because if I see a dragon or some wild stuff, I’m going to lose it,” Isabella says.

“A land known as Fant, and directly next to it is a land known as Tazy.” Atte replies. “And yes, you miiiight see a dragon or two…”

“Hmmmm, Fant, Tazy… Fantasy,” Isabella mutters.

“No, not fantasy, Fant and Tazy,” Atte corrects Isabella.

“What’s the difference?” Isabella asks.

“Everything,” Atte says, “For one, fantasy is a genre while Fant and Tazy are places.”

“Uh huh… Okay,” Isabella says. “If you say so.”

“We’ll be fiiiine, after all, you appear to be equipped for a journey,” Atte says.

“Oh yeah, this sword and these daggers? I don’t know how useful they would be against a scaly-hided dragon, though,” Isabella comments, instinctively touching the daggers that are dangling from her hips.

“Maybe not, though, not all dragons are evil. We probably won’t need to defend ourselves against a dragon,” Atte says.

“But if it IS evil…” Isadora says, glancing nervously at her companion.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Atte says, casually.

As she says this, Isabella stops abruptly at the edge of a cliff. The ground here is open wide like a gaping, toothy, mouth. If one were to trip, they would most certainly perish from such a plunge. Isabella stares down into the dark abyss for a moment before glancing at Atte.

“Well, looks like it IS time to cross that bridge,” Atte says. “Tee hee hee!”

“It would appear so. Where is the bridge?” Isabella asks. “You could fly over the gap, but I’m a human. I possess no form of flight.”

“Hmmm…where could the bridge be…?” Atte wonders out loud.

“THERE! OVER THERE!” Isabella exclaims suddenly, pointing a little ways away.

“Cool. Thank goodness there was a bridge. Would have been awfully inconvenient if I had to grant you the power of flight,” Atte says.

“That was an option?” Isabella asks.

“I’m not offering you that option. Come on, let’s get across the bridge!” Atte prompts.