Eight

After killing the baker, Aaliyah didn't even take the time to pick up her coin, just rushed home. She ran through the dark alleys, avoiding the main streets and the patrols. She felt a surge of adrenaline and satisfaction, mixed with fear and guilt. She had done it. She had killed her first target. 

Before entering her room through the window, Aaliyah had thrown away her mask, but her knife was still in her pocket without a single bloodstain. She had been careful not to spill any blood, using her fire magic to burn the wound and cauterize it. She hoped no one would notice the smell of burnt flesh, or the smoke that rose from the bakery. She climbed up the ivy that covered the wall of her house, and slid into her window. She was about to close it, when she saw a familiar figure sitting on her bed.

Aaliyah went in through her bedroom window and found Zoé waiting for Aaliyah on her bed, which startled Aaliyah and she fell over.

"Well, little sister, you know there are doors" said Zoé, laughing.

"What are you doing in my room?" asked Aaliyah as she stood up, trying to hide her nervousness.

"I was just dropping off your clothes, don't worry," said Zoé, justifying herself and pointing to the clothes on Aaliyah's bed. "I know you like to change after your night walks."

Aaliyah felt a pang of guilt. She knew Zoé was trying to be nice, but she also knew she was lying. Zoé was suspicious of her.

"Thanks, that's really nice," said Aaliyah, smiling as she urged Zoé to leave her room. "But I'm really tired, and I need some rest. Can we talk tomorrow?"

"Of course, of course," said Zoé, nodding and getting up. "If you want a bath, you can go ahead, I've got the bath running," she added as she left Aaliyah's room.

Aaliyah closed the door behind her, and locked it. She sighed in relief. She had dodged a bullet. She hoped Zoé would leave her alone, and stop prying into her affairs. She loved her sister, but she couldn't tell her the truth. She couldn't tell anyone. 

Once Aaliyah's door closed Aaliyah finally breathed properly.

"What an eventful night that was", said Aaliyah as she lay down on the bed. She took out her knife, and examined it. It was a simple blade, but it had a special feature: a small button that activated a mechanism that made the blade retract into the handle. It was a clever way to conceal a weapon, and to avoid leaving any traces. Aaliyah pressed the button, and watched the blade disappear. She smiled. She liked this knife. It was her first kill, and her first trophy.

"A bath will do me the world of good, but first," said Aaliyah, opening her stats. A holographic screen appeared in front of her. It showed her name, age, and magic level.

Magic: fire level two.

There was a note underneath her stats.

Notes: Your fire magic having reached level two changes intensity and colour, first from yellow to orange and from now on you'll be able to create weapons made of orange fire.

"That's great!" Aaliyah almost shouted with joy. She had been practicing her fire magic fora few days, trying to improve her skills and control. She had started with simple sparks, then flames, then fireballs. She had learned how to shape the fire, and how to use it for different purposes. She had also learned how to manipulate the temperature, and how to avoid burning herself. She was proud of her progress, and eager to learn more.

"What if I try," said Aaliyah, as she got up from the bed. She walked over to the window, and opened it. She looked outside, and saw that it was still dark. The moon was shining brightly, and the stars were twinkling.

She felt a surge of curiosity, and excitement. She wanted to test her new ability, and see what she could do with it. She extended her hand, and concentrated. She felt the heat in her palm, and saw a flicker of orange light. She smiled, and pushed harder. She felt the fire grow, and take shape. She opened her hand, and saw a small dagger made of orange fire. It looked like a real knife, but it was glowing and crackling. She felt its warmth, and its power. She was amazed.

"Wow," she whispered, as she admired her creation. She felt a sense of wonder, and satisfaction. She had done it. She had created a weapon made of fire. She wondered what else she could do with it.

 She felt a thrill of anticipation, and a hint of fear. She knew she was playing with fire, literally and figuratively. She knew she was risking her life, and her soul. But she didn't care. She had to do the mission the system gave her or face a punishement. 

"Now it's time for a good bath," says Aaliyah before heading into the bathroom. 

A month had passed since Aaliyah's first kill, and her first trophy. She had been practicing her fire magic every day, honing her skills and discovering new abilities. She could create weapons of different shapes and sizes, and even imbue them with special effects but she did not reach level 3. She had also unlocked a new skill: disguise. She could alter her appearance slightly, hiding her horns and changing her eye color. This made it easier for her to blend in with the crowd, and avoid unwanted attention.

She had hoped that the system would give her another mission soon, but it remained silent. She wondered why it was taking so long, and what it was planning for her. She was getting restless, and bored. She also had another problem: money. She had spent almost all the gold coins she had earned from her first mission on food. She needed to find a new source of income, or she would end up on the streets.

She decided to go to the town center, and look for some opportunities. She put on her disguise, and headed out. She walked along the busy streets, dodging carts, horses, and people. She saw various shops, stalls, and signs, offering different goods and services. She looked for something that caught her eye, or that matched her skills.

She stopped when she saw a large poster on a wall. It was announcing an archery competition, to be held in two days. The prize was 3,000 gold coins, enough to last her for a long time. She felt a spark of interest, and curiosity. She had tried archery before, and she had a good aim, and a steady hand. She wondered if she could use her fire magic to enhance her arrows, or to create them out of thin air. She thought it might be fun, and challenging, to enter the competition. She also thought it might be a good way to test her disguise, and see if anyone would recognize her.

She approached the poster, and read the details. It said that anyone could join, as long as they paid a registration fee of 10 gold coins. It also said that the competition would consist of three rounds, each with different targets and distances. The final round would be a duel between the two best archers, who would shoot at each other until one of them surrendered, or was hit. It sounded exciting, and dangerous.

She decided to give it a try. She reached into her pocket, and took out 10 gold coins. She was about to head to the registration booth, when she heard a voice behind her.

"Hey, you. What do you think you're doing?"

She turned around, and saw a woman standing there. She was tall, and muscular, with short brown hair, and green eyes. She wore a leather jacket, and pants, and had a bow and a quiver of arrows on her back. She looked like a seasoned archer, and a tough one. She also looked annoyed, and hostile.

"I'm going to register for the competition," Aaliyah said, calmly.

The woman snorted, and smirked.

"Really? You think you can compete with me? You're just a little girl, with no experience, and no talent. You don't stand a chance. You're wasting your time, and your money. You should go back to your dolls, and leave the archery to the professionals."

She laughed, and shook her head.

"You're pathetic, and foolish. You don't belong here. You don't belong anywhere."

Aaliyah felt a surge of anger, and defiance. She didn't like being insulted, and underestimated. She didn't like being told what to do, and where to go. She didn't like this woman, and her arrogance. She wanted to prove her wrong, and to show her what she was capable of. She wanted to beat her, and to win the competition.

She clenched her fist, and glared at her.

"I don't care what you think, or what you say. I'm not afraid of you, or anyone else. I have my own skills, and my own magic. I can do anything I set my mind to. I'm going to enter the competition, and I'm going to win. And you can't stop me."

She smiled, and challenged her.

"May the best girl win."