"Kill A Man."

Hot water ran down Tasha's face, its heat served as a stark reminder of her new reality. She was a soldier of the [Chosen's Army]. More than that, she was to be a Stratioti—a weapon, a blade that served only one purpose.

…

Kill.

…

Tasha sighed, shrugged, and hit the switch, turning the water from steaming hot to freezing cold. The shock forced her eyes open and forced her to accept the reality of her current state. She voiced her thoughts, not knowing if they were to give her confidence or be the third reminder that this, indeed, was her reality.

"When I leave this shower, I'm going to lotion up… get dressed… then," Tasha hesitated… but only for a moment. "Then, I'm going to Kill A Man."

Tasha left the shower, her movements methodical, almost on autopilot. She dried her body, studying her features in the large mirror provided. Big doe brown eyes now held a hint of finality. Deep brown skin, there were no blemishes, with perky medium breasts and a strong, flat belly, and a toned lower body. She wasn't too tall, but she wasn't short either, standing around the average for a magi of commoner origins. Those who grew up like her didn't aspire to ridiculous heights of nobles or soldiers. Her looks were on the plainer side, still beautiful as the magic within kept her appearance, but not like a fairy, not like the Queen, or anyone else of such renown.

Tasha looked down at her lighter colored palms, a small chuckle escaping her lips. She began to lotion her body, a bit surprised as she smelled a scent from the lotion. The scent was strong of flowers and other things, things Tasha would have never afforded with the salary of an [Uncommon][Shoe Maker]—not regularly. Tasha immediately understood the price of such treatment.

She finished lotioning up, and a clean uniform presented itself before her. It wasn't like anything she'd ever seen, but Tasha immediately could tell this was the attire of a soldier. She donned it slowly, first with the undergarments—a black shirt and trousers. At first, she was worried they'd be too big for her, but her eyes widened as the clothing adjusted, fitting her body perfectly.

"Oh, what a price I've paid," Tasha whispered.

Tasha put on the uniform next, its material silky smooth to the touch. Tasha didn't know what enchantments it held, but she could tell whatever it was, was just as expensive as the undergarments. The jacket held buttons to the left, and on its right was a symbol of the Crowned Prince, while a larger version was on its back. Beneath the symbol was a smaller one that was like the symbol of NARC, only it held another designation that Tasha assumed represented her new status.

Heavy, thick boots, a quality Tasha couldn't phantom on making, made their way onto her feet. Of course, after she wore the cool new socks. Everything was enchanted. Tasha roughly estimated that the outfit alone cost a small gold. That was a denomination she'd never even held before.

‎ She finished getting dressed and silently stepped outside of the room while adjusting her hat. She looked over to Nova, who nodded approvingly and opened her mouth speak.

"Took you lon-"

Yet before the woman could finish speaking, Han stood up and approached Tasha.

The young woman stayed still, and Han lightly placed his hands on the large belt that covered her upper waist before adjusting it slightly. It was similar to the one he wore that kept a short dagger and other pouches. Once satisfied, he stepped back with a nod.

"Let's go," Han stated.

Nova grunted and walked to the exit, waving a hand to open the door. It slid open seamlessly, and Tasha fell in step behind her with Han directly in the rear. They moved through the brightly lit halls, taking many lefts and rights until Tasha eventually lost count. The group found themselves in a large open hall. Seated and restrained in several rows were bound individuals.

…

Blood was in the air.

…

Several [Handlers] and their Stratioti were already present. Tasha recognized Reinhardt, Jordan, and the young former prostitute from the 403. Blood was on her hands, and a corpse lay before her. Above his head, on a wooden plate, his crimes were listed alongside more information. For such a large room, with plenty within, it held a strange silence to it. Not even the[Handlers] spoke to one another.

"Illegal Prostitution, illegal gambling, statutory rape—forcing the victims to awaken their system early," Tasha read aloud.

"They're all the criminals captured by the authorities of several regions," Nova spoke up, hearing Tasha's words. "These people have been found guilty by a judge and titled accordingly to their crimes. They are scum of the highest order—or they have stolen from the crown. Yet others have light punishments but couldn't secure a legal representative to help lower the value of their crime. No matter even if they were innocent, you would have to kill anyway," Nova shrugged, unfazed by the blood on the ground and in the air. She seemed to enjoy it as the woman took in several deep breaths. "Go and kill that one," Nova said, pointing randomly at a man.

Tasha read his crimes, slowly moving forward. There was a weapons rack before the convicted criminal, its only occupant was a single short dagger. It was similar to the one held by Han but vastly different in terms of material.

"Burglary. Rape. Attempted Murder… his victim was a sixteen-year-old, only a day after her System Day," Tasha spoke, carefully skimming his list of crimes and descriptions.

"Orac lured her away from home, promising benefits of a better class and more opportunities…" Tasha grabbed the dagger, studying the black blade for a moment. Like her clothing, it, too, held inscriptions—nothing she recognized as a former [Shoe Maker].

Orac seemed to hear his name, and the hefty man began to move. Trying his best to loosen his restraints as grunts escaped his covered mouth. His eyes were covered by a cloth, yet his ears remained unconstrained.

Tasha walked forward, she could almost picture the young girl being lured away, especially for those of the poor. The temptation of a better class was hard to resist. She continued to read as she stepped passed the weapon rack.

"Orac played the part of a well-off merchant looking to hire additional talent as he invited her to a lounge. Tasha's voice was steady as she spoke, and she slowly pulled to a halt before Orac, her eyes glued to the sign. "In actuality, he was a well-known thief and hired hand in the darker world of Edrya. It was there he raped and strangled her—believing her dead once the job finished."

Tasha calmly walked forward and stabbed him in the chest, her eyes still on the description. "Fortunately, he dumped the girl's believed corpse in a gutter, which was recovered by a passing nun who helped coax the girl back to life."

THUMP!

Orac's muffled squeal made its way into Tasha's ears. Finally, she looked down at her hand, which grasped the dagger, its blade firmly implanted in Orac's chest. Slowly, deliberately, she removed it before stabbing again.

THUMP!

Tasha's breathing was calm, and surprisingly, so was her mind. She removed the dagger and stabbed again.

THUMP!

Then again.

THUMP!

Again.

THUMP!

Nova rolled her eyes and called out. "Just slit his throat, you're here to kill a man not torture him."

Tasha mentally nodded, her blade slicing clean across the man's neck. Blood flowed, some squirting over her hands and piling beneath her new shiny boots. It burned away just as did any that touched her uniform. Only her hand remained soaked.

THUMP!

Tasha stepped back. Never closing her eyes as she watched the blood drain from a man. Slowly, his thrashing body came to a halt, and his slightly severed head dangled at an awkward angle. Small amounts of blood were still dripping from it. It was only after Tasha stepped back that she noticed the piss mixing with the liquid and the smell of shit entered the air.

…

She had killed a man.

…

Tasha turned around, her body and mind seemed fine to those who gazed upon her. She met the eyes of Han, who offered her an encouraging nod, his gaze filled with respect. Then she turned to Nova, who offered her a sharp smile and a word of congratulations.

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"Welcome to Stratioti."

Tasha stayed silent. She looked down at the polished black and white checkered marble floor. Her reflection stared back. It was… different. It wasn't that shoemaker who once snuck out of home with dreams of grandeur as she believed herself to become a soldier of the Chosen. It was real.

"Thanks," Tasha said. "What's next?"

"Good," Han voiced, adding nothing more.

Nova's smile widened even further. "Perhaps you truly are my hope, and becoming a fourth-tiered Citizen lies with you," Nova said, more to herself than Tasha. "Weapons training, geography, survival—there is so much that is… next . So much that is harder than just killing a man," Nova waved a hand. "But perhaps you should clean your dagger and store it for safekeeping," Nova gestured, once at Tasha's hand and the next over to a wall where several stood.

Tasha looked down, only now realizing her hand had tightly clasped the blade and hadn't let go. She hadn't even felt it in her grip, but the light of her palm was flushed white as her tight grip forced the blood from her hand.

Slowly, Tasha relaxed her tight grip. Then she looked toward the second area, recognizing a few familiar faces who washed their hands and sheathed their blades. Tasha turned, nodded at Nova, and left to do as she was told.

Her steps were steady, and her eyes remained focused on the washing station. Amin, Jordan, and others moved out of her path, giving the young woman a small nod. They whispered quietly among themselves, seemingly unconcerned by the actions they'd just done.

Tasha slowly washed up, focusing on cleaning the knife of blood before she washed her hands carefully. She was a bit methodical and spent more time than necessary to complete the job. It was only after a hand was placed on her shoulder that Tasha finally halted her process to turn around.

Amin gave the young woman a reassuring smile; he didn't speak, but his smile spoke volumes. Tasha reminded him of his younger sister, one of the main reasons he took on a ring fighting class to support after their parents died. She was a sweet girl with too much undirected spirit and someone who wasn't used to the darker ways of the world. He brought her toward the group where Jordan, Terra, Reinhardt, and he had been waiting.

"He-haaa! There is one of our final soldiers," Reinhardt laughed.

THUMP!

Tasha fell forward as a large, hairy, red hand thumped her back. She felt a small warmth enter her that was like a spark ready to ignite a raging fire. She turned to Reinhardt in surprise.

"Were you a [Priest]?"

Reinhardt sighed, "If only, I was an acolyte of sorts—just a minor parlor trick I picked up from the trade. I don't have the patience," he waved his hand. "Enough about my past, the glory of a new class awaits. A Stratioti—direct blade of His Highness. And we," he gestured to the five of them— six actually, Tasha hadn't noticed when, but the young prostitute had saddled up near Amin and Terra.

"Are His blades."

Tasha heard that, but she wasn't still certain exactly what that meant. Her experience with Orac told her exactly what it would entail. "But… what exactly is a Stratioti? Goddess, "

The young woman had voiced her concerns, and those present turned to look at her in surprise. Some, like Reinhardt, had an eyebrow raised. Others, like Amin, smirked playfully. Tasha felt her face heat up from the stares, and just when she was about to speak to hopefully dispel the awkward situation. A new voice spoke.

"Soldier—a Stratioti is simply a soldier."

Tasha looked over at the dark-haired woman, who was a former prostitute. She hadn't gotten her name and didn't know how to address her. The woman seemed to sense something as she spoke once again.

"My name is Juliet, but my… friends… called me Jully. Haven't you chatted with your [Handlers] for more information?"

Tasha glanced back toward Nova, who was impatiently tapping her foot, glaring over at her and Han, who simply waited. She turned back, giving her final words before turning to leave. "No, I don't think they're… the chatty type."

"You should," Jully called. "What we're going to be is important."

What we're going to be is important.

*****

OPERATIVE PERSONNEL FILE: TASHA

SUBJECT: Operative Assessment & Profile - TASHA

DATE: REDACTED

WARNING: The true genesis of the Stratioti is unrecorded; They Simply Are, And Have Always Been, Where The Fight Demands. Tread lightly with their history.

PREPARED BY: Handlers Nova Blackheart #616009, Han Kane #616015

CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED - HIS EYES ONLY

I. OPERATIVE IDENTIFICATION & STATUS

OPERATIVE DESIGNATION: TASHA

STRATIOTI STATUS: PENDING - Level: UNDETERMINED

GRADE ASSESSMENT: Heroic - (Normal Baseline)

ALLEGIANCE: Loyal to the Chosen

HOME ORIGIN: Laguu, Oni-land (No reported ties)

II. PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE

WORK ETHIC: Demonstrates extreme dedication; pushes self to physical limits, holding nothing back.

DISPOSITION TOWARDS SUPERIORS: Receptive to orders and correction. Non-aggressive to superiors, though displays of mild annoyance are noted.

PERSONAL TIES: Exhibits no discernible emotional or familial ties to her place of origin.

COMBAT ENGAGEMENT REACTION: Minimal hesitation observed when ordered to neutralize a known criminal target.

POST-ENGAGEMENT BEHAVIOR: Exhibited behavior consistent with a civilian female unaccustomed to exposure to significant combat or "dark world" elements.

MORAL COMPASS (PENDING): Status against targets aligned with "His Highness" remains unconfirmed and requires further assessment.

III. PHYSICAL & OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES

MAGICAL APTITUDE: Lacking magical talent. Recommendation for enhancement/adjustment pending.

BLOODLINE TRAIT: Lacking [Uncommon] bloodline trait. Recommendation for enhancement/adjustment pending— APPROVED .

TEAM COHESION: Functions effectively both independently and as part of a team; expresses no operational preference.

PHYSICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS (PEAK RECORDED):

Push-ups: 1142 repetitions (Single Session)

Run: 17 kilometers (Single Session)

Pull-ups: 174 repetitions (Single Session)

Note: All accomplishments achieved within a single 24-hour period utilizing two (2) stamina potions.

IV. TRAINING PROTOCOL & INITIAL OPERATIONAL TEST

STRATIOTI RECOMMENDATION: Operative TASHA is strongly recommended for Stratioti induction. High probability of surviving rigorous training regimen.

TRAINING PROTOCOL INITIATED:

DURATION: 1.5 Months (Projected Completion: REDACTED )

CURRICULUM:

COMBAT SKILLS: Weapon proficiency — Hot/Cold.

SURVIVAL: Austere environment operations (low food/water conditions).

BIOLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION: Identification and utilization of common Elrunian flora (herbs, roots) - nature, habits, and known locations.

V. INITIAL OPERATIONAL TEST (IOT) - MISSION BRIEF

PURPOSE: Evaluation of Stratioti inductees in real-world combat scenarios and initiation of class-line development.

TARGET: Aarron Jaggar (Bandit Leader)

LOCATION: Grand Jehda Forest — Oro's Lake

CRIMINAL RECORD: Multiple documented offenses, including armed robbery, sexual assault, and murder of mercantile caravans.

TARGET STRENGTH: Estimated Crew Size: 35-55 personnel. Level Range: 25-65.

RECOMMENDED STRATIOTI DEPLOYMENT: Tasha, Reinhardt, Amin, Juliet

*****

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