Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character

Asher strode into the strategy room where John and his fellow officers were hunched over maps and battle plans, their expressions grim and focused. They glanced up as he entered, and Asher met John's scrutinizing gaze.

"Can I speak with you privately?" Asher requested, his tone laced with urgency. "It's important."

John's brow furrowed, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face as he studied Asher. He reluctantly nodded, he excused himself, gesturing for Asher to follow him down a narrow hallway and into a quieter chamber. The door closed behind them with a soft click.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" John asked, voice gruff and cautious.

Asher didn't flinch under his stare. "My apologies, but what I'm about to say is necessary." He spoke with a bluntness that almost dared a reaction, yet he waited a moment, watching John's expression.

They stood in silence for a moment, neither saying a word, the weight of Asher's words lingering in the air.

"Well… get on with it," John finally said, breaking the silence. "You wanted to say something, didn't you?"

"Oh, sorry, I was just confirming something," Asher replied, a calculated glint in his eye. "We have a traitor among us. Someone here is spying for Vond."

A flash of alarm crossed John's face, though he quickly masked it, keeping his expression steely and composed as he began to ponder the revelation.

"Do you have any proof of this?" he asked, his voice controlled but laced with skepticism.

"Not yet," Asher admitted, "but if I'm right, this person's actions will reveal themselves soon enough. For now, I need to know one thing."

John leaned forward, his voice steady and immediate. "Ask away."

"What have their tactics been up to now?" Asher asked, his eyes narrowing. "Every pattern, every approach."

John's face darkened as he recalled the past battles. "Their primary strategy has been artillery strikes from a distance. Their aim has been precise and brutal, keeping our soldiers pinned down and forcing us into high-casualty defenses." He took a slow, steadying breath. "We've lost more men to those blasted bombardments than we have in direct combat. It's left our forces battered and spread thin."

Asher's mind raced, connecting the dots. "If there's someone feeding them our movements and positions, then they've been setting up every attack to be devastatingly effective."

John nodded, an anger hardening in his eyes. "If that's true, then this spy has cost us dearly."

He immediately clenched his fists. "We'll find them, but I'll need your cooperation. If we keep things as they are and play along, we might catch them in the act."

Asher nodded curtly, "I'll take my leave now." Without waiting for a response, he turned and left John standing in contemplation.

*****

Outside the prison, four guards stood alert, positioned strategically around the entrance. Asher watched them from the shadows, studying their patterns and their every move with a calculating eye.

'Two… three… four guards outside,' he noted to himself. 'There should be more stationed within.'

His Wraith Bat, Ralph, hovered close by, its spectral form blending into the darkness with ease. Asher reached out a hand to lightly pat its shimmering back, feeling a faint pulse of energy beneath his fingers. "You ready, Ralph?" he asked in a low voice, his tone as calm as it was determined.

The bat responded with a slight flicker, a sign of agreement.

"Alright then, I'll be counting on you," he murmured, sending Ralph forward with a quick motion of his hand.

Ralph moved with eerie silence, gliding just above the guards, its ghostly wings flapping noiselessly. The guards stiffened as Ralph cast an illusion over them, clouding their senses with a heavy, dream-like haze.

To the guards, everything appeared as it should: unchanged and peaceful. None noticed Asher as he slipped past them, moving through the entrance with ease, as if the guards weren't even there.

"I'll be right back," he whispered, a subtle smirk tugging at his lips.

*****

Inside the prison, the air was thick and cold, each cell casting dark shadows across the stone floors. The silence was broken by a familiar, dry voice from down the corridor.

"Is it midnight already? I must've lost track of time in this place," Jett's voice echoed through the stillness.

Asher followed the sound, stopping just in front of Jett's cell. "Yo."

Jett was hanging upside down from the bars, his body glowing faintly with Aura, as if he were using it to condition himself even in captivity. As soon as he noticed Asher, Jett smirked and dropped down in one fluid motion. The Aura around him faded slowly, dissipating like mist.

"Well, you certainly took your time," Jett said, crossing his arms as he stood facing Asher. "So, what's the news?"

"I came earlier than we agreed because I'm not too sure if I'll still be free by then." Asher sighed, his gaze steady on Jett.

Jett's mouth curled into a half-smile. "Hmm, sounds like things are heating up. I see you're doing that thing with your shadow," he noted, raising an eyebrow.

Asher's shadow wrapped tightly around him, blending him seamlessly into the darker parts of the cell's entrance, obscuring him from any prying eyes. They kept their voices low, ensuring their conversation remained private.

"So, what's going on out there?" Jett asked, his tone light but curious.

"Hell," Asher replied with a dry chuckle. "Trust me, you got the easy end of this mess. They've got a traitor in the ranks, and it's a lot messier than I expected. Figuring out who it is, or if there's more than one, isn't exactly going to be easy."

Jett gave a low whistle. "That sounds like a headache. So, what's the plan? Did you clue in the others?"

"Not yet," Asher said, glancing around Jett's cell as he spoke, taking note of the dimly lit, cramped space. "But I will, soon enough." He leaned back, arms crossed. "So, how are you holding up?"

"Good, actually," Jett shrugged, stretching his arms above him. "It's not half bad. I've got time to train, I get regular meals…honestly, might've found the easy way out on this one."

Just then, a loud blare echoed from the direction of the walls, the ground vibrating with a steady tremor. The shrill alarm jolted them both, punctuated by a low rumble that shook the stones around them.

"What the hell was that?" Jett asked, springing up, eyes alert.

Asher straightened, his demeanor immediately tense. "Looks like it's time." He gave Jett a short nod. "Stay sharp." Then, without another word, he disappeared back into the shadows, leaving Jett behind as he raced toward the source of the commotion.

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