Exodus: The Assassin's Path 4 Coin of Fate

Walking down the white stone path he followed the wooden signs that led to the North Gate's Grasslands. Again there were no other players around, the guards nodded at him as he left. He heard them talking among themselves.

"I wonder why he isn't at the arena with everyone else?"

"I would be there if I didn't have guard duty, what dog shit luck we have."

Q smiled to himself as he walked away. Perhaps there was a parade or something like that? No matter. "Lets see, kill 10 gray wolves for Sheppard Manu. Then I have to, "find the missing pendant where Leah Fintree went swimming. Finally there is "remove the bandit blocking the bridge to Talon."

Q activated the mapping feature on his hud. "Hmm.. I like the interface, very easy to use." There was a icon in the clearing next to what appeared to be a barn. It only took a few minutes to run over there.

Behind the barn were dozens of wolves. "Spread out pretty far, aggro adds shouldn't be an issue."

Q began throwing rocks in his backpack, when it was about half full he picked it up and swung it around. "Yep, that's the good stuff."

The wolves were only level one and two so they went down without any problems. "Damn.. who knew they'd bleed so much." Q scrubbed at the outside of his pack with a dirty palm. "Nope.. that's not coming out."

It was a short walk to the orchard from the barn. Q inhaled deeply as he walked. "I love the smell of apples. He brought up his quest log and checked the requirements. "Hmm, find the pendant, I can do that."

Q referenced his map and started walking toward the pond. A flash of red high up in one of the apple trees caught his eye. "Woah... you kidding me?" There it was, 'the mother of all apples.' "Shit, that thing is as big as my head! Real or not, I'm getting it!"

Q was about halfway up when he noticed that the branches were getting notably smaller. "Damn it.. why didn't I bring small, ugly Q into TAP? That little monkey would have scurried up here."

As he closed in, he was forced to hug the trunk with one arm while reaching out with the other. Reaching out his fingers just managed to touch it. "Almost..."

"You must really want that apple." A voice from ground spoke to him.

His hand bumped the apple and the stem broke sending it toward the ground. Q reached out to catch it and managed to slip, he was saved from a fall by his leg getting caught on the branch. He hung there upside down staring at the person below.

To make matters worse, she was holding the 'Mother' apple in her hands. "I applaud your effort, this is indeed a very nice looking apple."

Q stared at her, 'shit, it's hard to be intimidating when you're upside down. "I was so close."

"Very close," the girl agreed. She had long wavy red hair, a lightly freckled face and pretty green eyes.

"How are you at sharing?" Q felt the branch starting to creak, he kicked his legs clear and rotated in the air, landing nimbly on the ground.

Her smile grew wider. "Oh, that was well done adventurer!"

"Thanks..I'm Q, at your service." He bowed his head slightly and matched her smile.

"Not bad for a first meeting Q, as a reward I shall give you a bite of this apple." She took a big bite, the juice running down her chin, she quickly stopped it's progress with her free hand. "My... that is very good."

Q licked his lips and held out his hand.

She stared at him with green eyes that were filled with humor. "Q... you wouldn't take this apple and then run for it would you?"

'Damn... a mind reader.' Q hung his head, so easily foiled. "Yep... that's what I would do."

Her laugh was pleasant to listen to, like a light rainfall. "I like a person who is truthful." She held out the apple for him to bite.

Q nodded his acceptance and took a big bite. "Damn.. that is really good. Want to sit down and share it?"

She shook her head at him, her red hair drifting side to side. "I only said I'd give you one bite."

"What? Just one?" Q sighed heavily as she started walking away. "Hey... what's your name?"

"Leah Fintree," her voice reached him as she walked away.

System Message: You have made a favorable impression on Leah Fintree.

"Hmm.. thanks for the update."

A few minutes later Q was kneeling on the banks of a small pond. "Got it!" He pulled a silver necklace from the tall weeds.

Stretching his back out, he tried to wipe away the mud caked on the knees of his jeans. "Okay, one left, time to find the bridge bandit."

He activated his map interface and the map popped up on his hud, it had both his location and the location of the bridge. "Wow, that makes this easy, it's actually on the way back to town, damn I must have walked right past it. I could have saved myself time by doing that quest first."

It was almost noon when Q arrived at the bridge. A shady looking character in a black mask stood in the middle of the road, he was blocking the bridge on the road to town. "Well, I guess I won't have to look for him."

As Q approached, the bandit pulled out a silver sword from his belt and waved it into the air. "This damn city has been robbing me with its fees and taxes for the past 10 years. Now I will tax everyone who wants to cross this bridge and enter the city."

As the bandit spoke four options appeared in the air between Q and the flashing sword.

Ignoring the options Q sighed heavily as he closed his hud. "God what a pain in the ass. Bezri never mentioned that I'd have to deal with taxes."

"er.. you know Bezri?" The bandit hesitated for a moment, his face scrunching up as he squinted at Q.

"Yes, of course. He sent me after all, he is quite worried about you." Q gave the bandit a sympathetic smile as he clasped his hands together in front of him.

"Bez is worried about me? The bandit seemed to disbelieve it as the sword stopped waving and lowered to his side.

Nodding Q looked around, planning to run if this quest went sideways. "Yes, he says that you are a good man who has been treated unjustly by Talon," Q spit to one side when he said cities name.

The bandit's eyes widened and his face turned red, "Ahhh… that's right! I Nimda have been unjustly treated." The sword dropped to the ground as Nimda burst into tears and starting wailing like a lost child.

After an awkward moment of indecision Q stepped forward and patted him on the back gently. "You should find your friend Bez and apologize for blocking the bridge. I bet he will be able to help you with your tax problems."

Nimda nodded while wiping his eyes with a dirty sleeve. "Yes.. Yes that is a good plan. You are a good friend to me Q. I Nimda will not forget your kind words" Without another word Nimda took off running through toward the front gate.

System Message:You have become a friend to Nimda.

System Message: NPCs within Talon will have a favorable impression of you.

Q smiled to himself as he bent down and picked up the sword Nimda dropped and placed it in his inventory. "Okay.. just have to do the turn ins and I'll be done."

Q walked through the front gate a few minutes later, the two guards who were on duty when he left earlier were still there. The smiled and waved as he walked through. "Hmm… is that a result of the favorable impression? Or boredom?"

Bezri was still in the same place when Q arrived back at the market. Upon seeing him Bezri's face broke into a big smile as he hurried toward Q.

"Thank you , thank you Q. You didn't hurt my old classmate Nimda." He grasped Q's hands tightly as he spoke.

Q grinned in response. "Oh hey, perhaps you can give him this next time you see him?" Q reached into his inventory and took out Nimda's sword while handing it hilt first to Bezri.

Bezri stared at Q for a moment and then accepted the sword. "Thank you again. I Bez, am your friend. I am very happy to have met you today.

System Message:You have become friends with Bezri, all purchases in the market will be discounted.

System Message: The NPCs of Talon have become friendly toward you.

System Message: You have completed Aiding the Sheppard and have been rewarded 20 credits and 200 experience points.

System Message: You have completed The young lady's favor and have been rewarded 30 credits and 250 experience points.

System Message: You have completed The Bridge Bandit and have been rewarded 50 credits and 400 experience points.

*Ding* You have reached Level 2.

System Message: You have returned Nimda's blade without harming him and have been rewarded 300 credits and 5000 experience points.

*Ding* You have reached level 3.

*Ding* You have reached level 4.

"300 credits? Damn , It just keeps piling up. Thank you for your help Bez!" Q extended his hand and shook hands with Bez. "Take care of yourself my friend,"

Q tried not to skip as he walked back toward the square. 'With this and the credits I had initially.' Q stopped and opened his inventory. It was still there, 5 million credits.

"This goes right into my bank account if I want it to." Immediately he opened his inventory and chose the deposit to bank option, electing to send 5 million credits right to his account. "Might as well keep the rest on-hand."

Q took out the tarnished coin from the legacy pack.

System Message: Do you wish to identify legacy item?

"Yep, please identify."

System Message: Item has been identified as Coin of Fate.

Coin of Fate

Legacy Item: Owned by Q

First Criteria: Only usable by someone with an undeclared base class.

Second Criteria: Only usable by someone who hasn't reached lvl 10.

Hidden Class: NPC Assassin.

Special Abilities: Unknown.

Do you wish to activate this item?

"Yes. I could use a bit of luck."

The coin slammed into Q's chest taking his breathe away and knocking him into the fountain.

"Shit.. that hurts." The coin seemed to be burrowing in his chest as he got back to his feet sputtering and coughing out water.

System Message: Character has uncovered the hidden TAP Class: NPC Assassin.

System Message: Character has been advanced to level 10.

System Message: Character has received the Hit List.

System Message Character has received the beginning kit for NPC Assassin Step one.

System Message: Character is considered an Ally to all NPCs

System Message: Do you wish for A World Wide broadcast? Denying broadcast will result in temporary loss of rewards until permission to broadcast has been given.

"Um... no broadcast please. Not yet anyways."

'A priceless legacy item. Five million credits and a mystery key. Why so much?'

"You didn't even like me," he muttered under his breathe.

Chapter end