Zasai Ivenalter — Heartless Evil

Zasai faced her older sister with a look as cold as the water and metal she was rumored to control. "Remove yourself from the doorway," she said calmly.

Caiesaia pouted. "Where are you going?"

"You don't need to know."

"I want to come."

"I will be going alone," Zasai responded coolly. "You may inform Mother of my departure."

"But-" Caiesaia began, then saw the icy look in Zasai's crystal black eyes. "Yes, Zasai," she answered as she looked down. Her gaze found the cloth sack gripped in her younger sister's fingers. "What's-"

"Thank you for agreeing, sister," Zasai said, lips stretching into a smile but eyes staying cold.

"Of course," Caiesaia said quickly, echoing her with a genuine smile. "Have fun!"

"I'm sure I will."

As her sister scampered past her, Zasai swept forward, slipping through the wooden door before it slammed shut.

A rumble shook the dark gray sky, followed by more as flashes lit the thick clouds. Mist stuck to Zasai's face, the wind tugging at her carefully done hair. Allowing herself a genuine smile, she pulled out the clip holding it up, letting her hair whip back from her face. The flashes of lightning accented its almost-metallic violet sheen.

And people think me a Slicer. Water and metal, just because I am cold.

No. She spread her arms, letting the wind pull at her gown and scrape past her exposed arms. This... this is my territory.

She turned and made her way quickly to the end of the balcony, ending up near a thin staircase leading down the side of the house. Making sure there were no guards looking her way, she made her way down, pulling her gown's skirt up so her slippers didn't catch in it.

Ducking into a dark space in the hedge that surrounded the property, she quickly pulled off her noblewoman's gown, then opened the cloth sack, donning its contents: tight black shirt and pants, a belt with two daggers, sturdy boots with knife straps, and of course, her mask. It was a beautifully crafted thing really, with a black frame that was delicate while obscuring most of her face, and of course the single sky blue silk butterfly wing extending from near her left eye. It was what she was known for, what secured respect. It was what gave her her name.

Zasai stepped out of the alcove after tucking her dress in the sack and leaving it. Immediately, the wind tore at her hair, ruffling the butterfly wing by her eye.

She spread her arms and smiled.

Then she grabbed the air and pulled upward.

Extra pieces of cloth secured around her hips filled with the powerful gust, launching her into the air. She tucked in her arms to reduce drag, grabbing a wider area of air to thrust higher while allowing what she was displacing to be filled back in. She reached the top of the house in a matter of moments, grabbing the edge of the sloped roof and slinging herself up. In that moment, it turned from her family's home into just another chunk of stone, just another building in the wide expanse that made up her domain.

"Water and metal," she laughed again, this time out loud.

No. She may behave in a Slicer-typical manner -- that was expected of a noblewoman in Velista -- but her soul belonged to electricity and wind.

Stormer.

Free and unrestrained.

Butterfly Blue.

She leapt into the night.

*******

Zasai wasn't the only one travelling by night. In a world where everyone had access to one of the four powers, many utilized their abilities for a quicker form of transportation. But everyone steered clear of her -- the blue butterfly wing on her mask made sure of that.

She dropped lightly to the ground outside of a dark, nondescript building. It was packed in with a line of various shops, and a sign hung out front saying "Yokin's Fresh Pine Remedies". Everyone in the kingdom with half a brain cell knew there was something off about the place — there was far too much night traffic for a small medicinal shop — but most just steered clear. It was only mercenaries like Zasai, and those looking to hire, who knew just how off it was.

She quickly tied her purple hair back and fastened a black cloth over it. Then, without knocking, she opened the door and stepped inside. She was greeted with a dimly-lit room, the single torch on the far wall barely illuminating the lone figure lounging in a chair near the center. He turned his head when she entered, then rested his elbow up on the arm rest so she could clearly see the rough, sharpened piece of metal in his fingers. As a Slicer, he would be able to use it more effectively than it at first appeared.

Even he is growing to fear me. "Hurricane," she greeted her boss with a slight nod.

"Butterfly Blue," the man responded in a raspy baritone voice. "You have a report?"

"The woman was killed cleanly. No evidence has been found to link it to me, you, or even a Stormer in general."

He nodded. "Good. I know you wanted to use this to build your reputation, but I trust you understand why anonymity was better."

"She was too important," Zasai agreed. "They would have investigated me." Still, she did dislike having to be anonymous. She was anonymous enough already, being the younger daughter in a noble household of only moderate importance.

"I trust, then, that you are ready for another assignment?"

She paused. "Already?"

He took her answer as an affirmative. "Good. Your client is waiting for you."

She nodded again, then turned toward a door in the back of the room. As she passed the lone torch, the butterfly wing on her mask seemed to glow fluorescent blue in its light. Often, that was the last thing a person ever got to see.

Another man waited on the other side of the door, but unlike the first, he was utterly composed. This room was better lit, allowing Zasai to take in the pale cream brown eyes that followed her as she entered. He wore an extravagant noble's outfit of red and gold, which was sharply contrasted by his long hair -- tied back loosely by his neck and such a pale ice blue that it was almost white.

"Butterfly Blue," he greeted her in a deep and slightly gravelly voice. "Your reputation precedes you."

She inclined her head. "And yours does not. What is it you wish of me?"

He made no comment on her blunt, cold manner, which she appreciated. "I recently moved here from Inferno."

"Ah. Land of the Unfortunately Named. Tell me then, My Lord. What is your unfortunate name?"

"One Princess' name does not define a kingdom," he said, but he didn't seem particularly offended on behalf of said kingdom.

"Your reputation proves you wrong," Zasai answered.

"Clearly, you have built a view of our reputation from unreputable sources." There was a faint glint of amusement in his eyes at this little game, which Zasai found mildly irritating.

"Do you wish to argue all night, My Lord, or will you tell me your name?"

He smiled slightly. "Astietara Danonzar."

Astietara Danonzar — Selfish Evil

This time, it was Zasai's crystal black eyes that squinted in faint amusement. Quite the name indeed. "And why did you seek me out, Astietara?"

He twitched when she deliberately used his first name, but to her surprise didn't correct her. "Your boss told me you're the best there is."

She glanced again over his extravagant outfit, dark red and brown with metallic accents. "I don't do theft. If I need to carry anything out of my destination, you'd best hire someone else."

He raised an ice blue eyebrow. "I'm not interested in theft."

"Excellent."

She waited for him to continue, but he just stood there in the same position, regarding her.

So she stood there and regarded him back.

About ten seconds later, he shifted and spoke again. "I'm not interested in just assassination, either."

She raised an eyebrow.

"I intend to hire you for a bit of an extended job. I need someone to... stir up trouble in my home kingdom."

Zasai narrowed her eyes at this. "Then why come all the way to Velista to hire me? I could point you to several adequate people who live closer to your location."

"I would appreciate that as well, but I need only the best of assassins for this. I cannot be linked to the chaos in any way."

"People know you came to Velista, do they not? If a Velistan assassin suddenly started causing trouble back home, you'd be the first suspect. Unless you're known for being particularly amicable and harmless," she added.

"Which I am not. But you're not going to be Butterfly Blue while you're there."

She paused at this. "What makes you think that's up for debate?" she asked coldly.

"The amount of gold I'll be giving you for helping me."

...That's at least an acceptable response. As the younger child in her house, she was positioned to inherit nothing of importance. That was part of the original appeal that had gotten her into this job: more money meant more influence. "How much gold are you speaking of?"

"If you do your work adequately, I'll be receiving compensation from the Inferno royalty. So a fair amount, I'd wager."

"A fair amount of gold for a fair amount of danger."

"I didn't think that would bother you."

She sighed internally at that. He was right -- she couldn't really refuse without soiling her reputation. "Alright, Lord Astietara. What exactly did you have in mind?"