《Enter Darkness》


 Prologue

    On the darkest night of the year, the city of Kaza was in the middle of celebrating their last harvest before winter. It was a time of joy and merriment, but not everyone took part in the festivities. A man and his wife were tucked inside a cozy home with a midwife by their side. The man''s wife was pregnant and in the middle of labor, the father, being a very superstitious man had consulted the priests before this night. "The stars shine on an omen. Your fate is without your son. He will be raised away from all he knows and all he is but he will grow into better than both. On the Winter Festival you must gift your son a stone. The stone of your family. Give this to him and he shall grow into a strong man." At the time the father did not believe the priest.


    As was his nature he obeyed the words, their family stone was the amethyst, and at the birth he tied the stone to his wrist and gave his son the traditional blessing of birth. The baby''s lungs emptied as he cried, it was strong and loud for all to hear. Tears filled the eyes of the proud parents and all seemed to be a glory to the gods. "Thank you Greygon, bless my son with the warrior''s spirit. Bless him Faya with the heart of a hunter. Bless him Jala with the hands of a crafter. And Bless him Prayna with the wit of a rouge." The father kissed his son''s brow and the stone of his family shone softly in the fading light of the candle. The mother held her child to her bosom and shed tears of joy. "Welcome Ven to our family." She looked at her husband and their joy was complete. As the music of the festivities reached their door, a new sound came through the air.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    The sound of drums and the bellow of the horn came from the top of the city''s tower. Kaza is a walled city that has stood for centuries where none could breach them. All races in the past have tried, each have failed in turn. The festive music died and the sound of drums grew louder. Women and children were evacuated to the shelters. Men took up arms and went to the walls to face anything that came against them. On top of the walls of Kaza gave the view none have seen in the history of the world.


    A sea of Green and Grey as far as the eye could see. Orcs stood on their doorstep in such numbers that it was impossible to count. In the past only tribes of twenty ever waged wars. The largest tribe at the time consisted of a mere one hundred orcs. Nothing to siege a walled city. But before Kaza stood the assembled tribes of Green and Grey skins.


    Their numbers easily reached in the thousands. "Greygon help us." a guard uttered. No sooner did the words leave his mouth that an arrow found it''s mark in a nearby guards stomach. With a guttural shout of challenge the Orc army laid siege to the city. Many used hooks and rope to climb the walls. Others had makeshift ladders from felled trees to aid their ascent. In no time the walls were over run. Moments later the gates of the city came open to allow the rest of the hoard access. That night that Kaza fell was the mark of the beginning of the Great Horde. Few escaped the reach of the Horde, but as was common with their race they grew greedy.


    The command of the Great Chieftain, the only orc to have ever united the tribes, was challenged and eventually fell. Chaos devoured the horde and the tribes split in the winds to return to their lives of squealer.

 Chapter 1

    Sun shone bright and strong in the forest. Passing green leafed limbs that tried to block out the light, a little always found its way through. My mother told me life was like that. Evil reaching high to block out all the Good in the world, but Good always found a way through. You can learn much about life from the forest. I have lived here for as long as I could remember, just me and my mother.


    From the stories she told me, my father was a brave man who fell in the Battle of Kaza. His sacrifice allowed my mother, still weak from my birth, to take me away into the forests that surrounded the city. We hid from the orcs and she raised me alone.


    Since the battle all those years ago, orcs had often been seen roaming the lands. Disjointed tribes that had returned to their more primitive lifestyle.


    Over all it has been a good life in the wilderness. As with anything it was not without complications. My mother has grown sick and I fear she will not last much longer. Being only a boy I tried to do all I could to ease her. Maybe if I was good enough she would see me grow to be a man. "Ven. Ven you are making that face again. Are you thinking hard of something or do you feel ill?" A soft voice broke me from my thoughts. Her question made me smile a little.


    "Forgive me mother. I was only thinking." She smiled and brushed her fingers through my hair. I smiled and moved from her side.


    "You know child, I see your father in you every day. I wish to tell him the gods answered his prayers the day you were born. My son, born in war with the orcs." She smiled.


    I returned her smile and headed for the door. "I will get the chores done. Please rest or maybe sit outside. It is a beautiful day today. If you feel hungry let me know and I would be happy to make us something for lunch. I can check the traps and see if I find a rabbit." My mother nodded. As mothers go she is a beautiful woman. Kind and smart. She told me my father taught her how to make snares for small game and she taught me in turn.


    I had a few snares set up around our home and a few times a rabbit or two would be caught. Mostly my mother''s small garden made most our food. I made my rounds of the traps and found the prey I was looking for. A rabbit was making the scared cries of a captured animal. I smiled. "Maybe a stew tonight. Add a few carrots. I am sure mother would love it." I took hold of the struggling animal. With a quick twist I ended its struggle and undid the trap. Once complete I returned back to my waiting home. A whistle escaped my lips as I walked back.


    I have not been around anyone else my age, but mother always told me I acted more grown up than a ten year old should. I always just replied, "Because you need a man to watch over you. I am the man of this house." She always seemed to be proud of that answer.


    Moving through the woods I chanced upon tracks of a small band of orcs. Their tracks lead east, heading north, while my own was west and south showing that it seemed we had just missed each other.


    The house grew closer as I found my way through the rough, overgrown plants. Many tried swatting at my face or pulling at my cloths until I eased myself free from their grasp.


    I was about to emerge from the brush, when the sound of talking reach my ears. The talking was rough and garbled. The sounds were mostly grunts and many like someone clearing their throat. My heart pounded as my ears took in the sounds of orcs.


    What were they doing at our home? Where was my mother? Was she safe? All these questions filled my mind. I couldn''t see her body straight away. That did not mean she wasn''t dead inside the house. I stood motionless for what seemed like hours, though only minutes in reality. My body was tense and my blood boiled. There were two of them from the sounds of talking. They were adults from what I could see. Standing close to seven feet tall and surely weighting close to three hundred pounds, the orcs looked about the area. A scream flew from the house and one of the orcs threw my mother down to the ground. I gasped as I clutched my hand over my mouth. The sobs of my mother seemed to have hidden my sounds from the orc''s ears.


    My mother groveled at the orc''s feet. The Orc kicked her away and my mother began a fit of coughing. The orcs laughed and jeered at her. The Orc that had grabbed her, pulled her hair to raise her head and exposing her neck. As the other laughed, the first drew his knife and readied to cut her throat. My mother''s voice rang through the small clearing that held our home. Her tear stained her face and her voice fell on deaf ears. The orcs didn''t care what my mother offered as she begged.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    All they wanted was to see her blood be spilled. My blood pounded in my ears. I felt a tightness in my chest as the whole situation played out before me. The knife hovered inches from her throat but I couldn''t move or make a sound from where I stood in the forest. I felt ashamed that I was too afraid to rush to my mothers aid. Adding to the fact of the monsters toying with her made it much worse.


    Then it happened; the knife slide slowly across her exposed neck. Slowly blood fell in drops, and then faster into a river down her neck and onto the forest floor. Watching the scene made something in me stir. It sounded like something in my head gave way and red filled my vision. I charged from my spot in the forest and covered ground silently to the unsuspecting monsters.


    Rabbit in hand, I took hold by the head and swung the body forward to slap the Orc with the knife in the face. A meaty hand rose up to bat me away but I managed to duck and roll between his legs. The other orc laughed at his friend and decided to assist in the assault.


    He took a large club from his belt and swiped at me. Mere inches from impact I managed to jump back in time to avoid the blow. The moment my feet touched the ground I charged again. Rabbit flung through the air and landed soft blows that sounded like, well a child swinging a rabbit. The Club Orc seemed to have been surprised by a face of rabbit and dropped his club. I raced for it and used both hands to hold the heavy weapon. My lungs labored and heart pounded in my chest. The club was heavy and dipped often. The Knife Orc pushed his partner out of the way and charged at me. I couldn''t dodge and keep the club. Thinking quickly I decided to lose the weapon. Just as the Knife Orc reached out for me I dropped the club and rolled to the side.


    The orc''s foot landed on the discarded club and his balance went with him. He flew awkwardly and landed hard. I gave no ground and rushed at the fallen Orc. I knew if he got hold of me I would be dead. The moment my body landed on his I found a blade at his waist and drew it. The blade shined in the light seconds before it was buried over and over again into the belly of the beast.


    I let out crazed screams as my arm worked furiously at its task. A few times I made stabs to the neck and chest. The Club Orc made to rescue his companion from the little devil I had become. I kept hold of the knife as the Orc swung his own club at me and connected a solid blow. Adrenaline coursed through me, temporarily blocking the pain I was sure going to follow. Slowly I stood to my feet. Green blood of the Orc splattered me from head to toe. My face covered in filth. My own blood filled my mouth as I eyed the remaining monster. Before the Orc looked smug and happy. With the death of the other he looked unsure and a little frightened.


    Their brood was one of war and fighting and was done since birth. Nothing would make him back down. He took hold of his club and eyed me before letting out a war cry and charged full force at me. I let out my own and charged at him with the knife in hand. The Orc swung and I jumped to the side. The hand flicked out and the blade bit into the leg of the creature. It was small, hardly noticed by the brute. I needed another advantage as with the first. I was too small.


    Quickly I scanned again and found the discarded and broken rabbit. I raced to it and rolled as the orc''s club slammed the ground behind me. With rabbit in one hand and knife in the other, I swung the rabbit across my body. The Orc thought it was the blade and tried stepping back only to take the blade in the groin. The Orc howled and fell to his knees. I then began slapping the Orc with the rabbit until I stuffed it deep into the loud orcs mouth and pushing my fist close behind.


    I began beating the rabbit deeper and deeper into the orcs throat till it began choking on it. It''s eyes filled with hatred as he tried to grab at me but only having me slip away. The green skin lightened a few shades before he fell over to join his friend, dead in the dirt. My labored breathing filled my ears. My heart pumped and I promptly threw up my insides.


    I felt hot tears run down my face and my heart broke with each drop. Now that nothing moved I looked over at the body of my mother and collapsed before her. My face was buried in her back when the sound of clapping reached my ears. I grabbed the knife I had discarded and turned to the sound. I was ready for anything but I knew I would die if I fought. I was too weak.


    My eyes focused on the form of a man that was standing near a tree just outside of the clearing the house stood in. He wore black robes and his face was covered by a cowl.


    "Impressive. Most impressive indeed. I must say that was by far the most stupid but amusing thing I have ever seen. To think that not one, but two orcs seasoned in battle were killed by a rabbit. You show promise kid."


    His voice was dark and husky. He sounded like he breathed in the smoke of a forge much too often.


    "I have a question to ask you." The man walked over to the dead orcs and examined each of them. He nodded and looked back at me. I felt a chill move over me and my breath got more labored. This man made me feel like I was a small bunny walking across the path of a wolf.


    His eyes were all wrong. They were empty though his voice was upbeat and kind.


    "Join me. Or rather serve me. If you do that I can guarantee to make you like me. Or you can stay here to die. I am sure many more will be coming soon."

 Chapter 2

    I looked at the bodies and then my mother. He had a point. I had to leave. I dropped the knife and it planted into the ground. I looked up at the man with tears in my eyes and nodded.


    "Please take me." My voice broke as I said the words. The man smiled and walked over to me. He looked into my eyes as he promptly swung his hand and slapped me across the face. My feet left the ground and I fell next to my mother.


    "There will be none of that. I am not your friend. I am your master. You will learn the difference in time. Now take nothing. Let''s go." I looked from the man to the body.


    "What about my mother? We must bury her." He rounded on me and slapped me again.


    "Leave now!" He yelled. His voice came out crazed. "This will not be the last body you see. This will not be that last friend or loved one to die. You will see and cause much more."


    I stood my ground and refused to move. The stranger was not pleased by my actions and made it clear by backhanding me harder then I had ever been hit before. I even spun and landed hard on the ground. Blood filled my mouth and I felt a tooth wiggle loose in my gum. I rubbed my jaw and breathed quickly. I stood and ran at the strange man. The results were like a child futilely fighting an adult, which was the case.


    After being knocked down the fourth time, I rose again and looked at the stranger. "I will bury my mother." I said.


    The man sighed and finally gave in. "Alright. But you will do it on your own. When you are finished. Find me."


    I rubbed my mouth and spit some blood from my lips. I released my breath and set to work in the grim task of digging a grave. Slowly I dug, foot by foot until I had a hole big enough for my mother. Carefully I laid her in the ground and gave her one final kiss on the forehead before putting the dirt back on her. Once finished and the ground resting with my mother I placed flowers on her grave and made my way to find the strange man.


    After leaving my old home I searched the forest for signs of tracks that would lead me to the man I was looking for. It didn''t take me long to fully realize this man was a ghost. There were no tracks. No sign of anything that might have passed through the area. It was like he didn''t exist. I returned to the clearing and once again found nothing. Not even footprints of where the man stood or where we battled. Nothing. Only the orcs and myself.


    Maybe dying in the forest with my mother was my purpose. At best I could delay my death by hunting and fishing in the rivers. Maybe if I was lucky I would come to a village. But then what? I would be alone and lost. I sighed and looked where I could have sworn he walked. Slowly I picked a direction and walked into the forest. My heart pounded and my senses buzzed to life in a way that I had never experienced before.


    It was an odd feeling and a small part of me worried about it. It seemed killing the orcs, or maybe seeing my mothers murder awoken something inside. As I kept walking I felt uneasy in the forest. I had often hunted by myself and I knew the dangers present in the woods. The forest grew still and quiet. Not a sound of any living animal reached my ears.


    My eyes darted around me and I felt some sixth sense warn me that danger was close at hand. I looked around quickly before jumping to the ground and rolling to my feet. A knife had just passed where my head had been before my hasty roll and was vibrating where it''s blade now rest inside of a tree.


    The man walked from behind a few bushes and smiled at me. "Impressive. You are the first to avoid my knife. Your instincts will serve you well boy. What will I call you?" he said. It made me feel afraid as I stood there and looked at the stranger.


    "I-I am Ven. And you are?" The man moved closer to me.


    "I am now your master. That is what you shall call me."


    My breath caught and I looked into his eyes. "But what if someone asks me your name?"


    The man smiled again. "Thrass. But from this day forward you speak to nobody. Your life is now mine. Do nothing without my words. Only I guide you."


    I felt something inside me cower before the man. I nodded. I had no choice. I am only a child and I am alone. If I wanted to live I would have to listen. I followed Thrass from the forest and moved over miles of land. Day blended into night. We slept outside or Thrass slept in any roadside tavern we found while I was forced to sleep in the stables or covered in trees. Rain fell and sun baked, I wanted to ask where we were going but to be honest I was afraid.


    Many times I found myself ill, but continued to follow my Master. When we passed through cities I often found myself picked by thugs and cutthroats. I have been beaten and kicked. I often found the blade of a knife buried in my flesh.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Cuts on my arms and legs. Blade resting in my gut on more then one occasion left me waiting to die. Each time I feared my life would end, Thrass would show up and tend to me just enough to live. I have often cried myself to sleep and reliving my near death in my nightmares. I would only wake when I feel the bite of the blade entering me once more.


    I was sure we traveled for at least a month before finally reaching what looked like a large mountain, bigger than any I had ever seen.


    The faces of the mountain seemed riddled with pocks and holes. Caves maybe. There must have been thousands. On a small face there were carved buildings attached to the rock. I gasped in amazement.


    "Where are we?" It was quiet and barely over a whisper, but Thrass heard me.


    "That is your new home. Black Hive Mountain." he said. Then drew back his hand and connected hard with my face. I fell to the ground and rose quickly. My lip bled but I stayed quiet. We continued to the mountain and reached the face with the carved village. My eyes moved all over the rock and I looked for any life that might be there only to see nothing.


    So this was to be my new home? I thought. What awaits me there? To say that Black Hive Mountain was unwelcoming could be a vast understatement. The rough and jagged rocks gave way to the smooth carvings of the stone town. Buildings of all sizes formed the small settlement and each window was like the empty sockets of a skull starring at you as you walked.


    It felt empty and lifeless, with no sign that anyone lived there. We walked a good few minutes into the town before we were cut off by a man stepping into the road. "Master Thrass, I am pleased to see you have arrived. You are the last and everyone awaits in the main chamber." The man was dressed in black, a half mask covered his face from nose to chin. For what I could see, the man was thin and on the athletic side of the weight spectrum. His eyes were as empty as my Masters and on his waist has a belt of knives or daggers.


    Master Thrass nodded and walked passed the man. We walked into a building that must have been used as a tavern at some point, though dust and rodents had since reclaimed it. Leading the way to the back room and down into a cellar a passage, dug through the stone, lead into the mountain. Torches lit the way in varying intervals.


    Their light was not much, but as my eyes adjusted they seemed to be just fine. Thrass walked down the tunnel and guided me through twists and turns of caves. Soon the rough stone gave way to smooth and polished walkways. The walls were etched with symbols and pictures. The carvings were rather beautiful as they depicted scenes of fighting, weapons, and death.


    "Here in the mountain we train those who will one day take our places. We do the jobs others find impossible. Our clients are ever different. We never turn down a job, and we never fail. I hope you take my words to heart. I would hate to kill you myself one day. Now listen carefully." As Master Thrass spoke I listened. He told me that the process was fairly simple but very dangerous as well.


    For the first years, the Initiates would be trained together. We will learn the tricks of the trade, weapons, poisons, killing. Everything would be drilled into us.


    Second years, or Ores, would be focused on specializations. What we are best at and how to hone them.


    Third years, Blades, is missions with the Master that recruited us. They will test us out in the field and find any flaws we may have.


    Fourth and final year would be back in the mountain. We will be given a task that takes everything we have learned and tests our skills to the absolute limit. He also told me that it was possible to complete the training early and be tested into the ranks of Assassin before the time specified but none have ever achieved this prospect.


    Everything he said absorbed into my mind. It sounded that I may have agreed to something beyond what I could handle. I was too afraid to ask what happens to those that failed. I had a feeling I knew the answer. We exited the long tunnel system and entered a large cavern. There were tunnels ringing the walls in every direction.


    In the center was a staged area with benches before it. They were filled with other kids my age and each looked as terrified or awe struck as I am sure I looked. Thrass smiled and looked at me. "While you are in training you represent me. Whenever someone looks at you they will see me. I am sure I do not have to tell you what would happen if you embarrassed me but I will anyways. I will make your death as slow and painful as possible. While you are here you will need to speak so I will allow it. I will have every person here watching you. I place this one condition on you, stand on top."


    With that he turned and left me with the others. I made my way to the bench and found an empty seat. My hands shook slightly and I had to pocket them to pretend I wasn''t afraid. Others talked among themselves and few even tried talking to me. I ignored them. Thrass'' words repeated in my head. I had to separate myself from the other boys somehow. I had to stand on top. My eyes roamed the cavern and over those sitting in the benches. The boys ranged in size and weight but I noticed from their conversations they were all ten years old.


    No exception over or under that age. I was a bit small for my age so I was one of a handful of short kids. By a count it seemed there was forty of us and out of them, fifteen were larger, eight were short, and the rest ranged slightly in the middle. Some had hands of crafting families, farmers most likely. The dirt on their hands kind of placed them.


    One had stained skin you often would find on a tanner, so that meant he was used to hard labor. Adding the fact he was the tallest among us then you would find your bully. I made a note to stay clear of him. Then it dawned on me. My head whipped around quickly and I even rose on my bench for a brief moment. Boys. All boys.


    From my position I could only count three girls in the whole lot of us. I took my seat and put my head down. This could only mean Thrass was not bluffing in the slightest about how this would be. During my thoughts I failed to notice the noise slowly fading away. It wasn''t until a loud and booming voice spoke that I was yanked from my thoughts.


    "Welcome maggots!!"

 Chapter 3

    The voice said with a smile. "Excuse me. You are not even maggots yet. Right now I will call you Dirt Piles. Or better yet Meat Bags. Any Objection? I didn''t think so. There are forty of you here. Not all of you will survive. Try to back out, run away, or quit and you will be killed. My name is Master Kris and I will be your head Master for your first year. Now then. Time to separate you lot."


    He smiled and began sorting us. I had no idea what method he used, it could have been random and spontaneous, but all I cared about was following orders. He reached my seat and I remained quiet. "Ahh, you must be the Rabbit Killer I heard so much about. Thrass was impressed by you. Old man doesn''t Impress easily. So Rabbit Killer, I was instructed to push you harder then the others. Go to that group and lead them. If any fail I have been ordered to do as I please. That means anything from torture to death."


    He smiled and moved away. Blood drained from my face and I walked to my group like a dead man on his last steps. I shuffled around and looked at who I had. It must have been a cruel joke. I had all three girls in my group, the tall Tanners boy and myself. I sighed and looked them over. With the five of us that meant it would be eight groups of five. Master Kris finished forming the last group and went back on stage. Each group had a leader. He smiled as he surveyed his work.


    "Good now listen up. You are allowed to talk among yourselves during your own hours. Those hours being meal times at the beginning and end of day. There will be very little time between them for anything else. You will however be free to interact inside your group. I suggest you do just that. Anyone fails a task, you fail as a group. Failing to move passed first year and you will be killed. Any questions?"


    We were too afraid to ask any. It seemed like anything would kill us. One boy finally decided to ask a question. "Is there a test at the end of first year or is it just an accumulation of everything over the year, not enough completed tasks leading to a fail?"


    I didn''t see who asked but whoever did seemed to impress Master Kris. "I am very glad you asked. And you are absolutely correct. There are no tests. Not like other places. If you fail too many tasks we give you or do not reach goals we set for you, then your group will fail." After the explanation he called eight masters onto the stage. "These will be your group masters. They will show you to your living quarters and around the mountain. The only ones allowed to talk to them are your group leaders. Think of this as your chain of command. They will punish you as they see fit. I hope you enjoy your time here."


    It was a lie of course. He didn''t care. But it eased some of the others. As we were dismissed, our masters came to us. My group''s Master introduced himself as Master Sim, though he spelled it Schim, and lead us to our room. The room was fairly large but bare. Only five beds lined both sides, three on one side and two on the other. At the foot of each bed was a large chest that rose to my knee.


    "Here are your beds. Those chests are to store whatever you earn here. Other then the cloths on your back you have nothing. On top of each chest is a pair of lock-picks. I suggest you learn how to use them. They are the only way into those chests. You break them you got to earn another set." Master Sim chuckled dryly to himself as he left the room. He only threw a few words over his shoulder as he left. "You have thirty minutes to open them chests and get acquainted. Hurry up."


    As the door closed we dashed over to our chosen beds. As I would have predicted the three girls took the three on one side and me and the Tanner on the other. The sounds of metal scrapping metal filled the room. For a few minutes nobody spoke. The work of picking the lock was nerve wracking and frustration quickly set in.


    "So anyone want to introduce themselves?" I asked. My eyes never leaving the lock, but my hands stopped for the moment. The question seemed to hang in the air for a thirty count before the Tanner spoke first.


    "Name''s Grif. Isn''t my full name but rather stick with that. Frustrated as hell now." he said. He groaned and kicked his chest before trying again. That was one down.


    "Sasha. " Sasha is a blond haired girl with blue eyes. She was slender for a ten year old and her skin is pale looking.


    "Samantha but you can call me Sam." Sam is the tallest of the three girls, only slightly taller then myself. If I was a good judge of the obvious, Grif stood hands taller then all of us. Sam''s hair is an angry red and her brown doe eyes matched her sun kissed brown skin.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    The smell of salt water hung on her. "Tomiko. I can''t do this." the last girl said and threw her picks aside and began sniffing. It seemed she broke hers in her attempt to open the chest. Tomiko was the middle sized girl and has straight black hair. Her eyes were an odd purple color which I had never seen before.


    "My name is Ven. Hope you all don''t kill me." I said. It may have been rude but I felt it needed to be said. I went back to work on my lock, the pick almost breaking a few times. My breathing grew more aggressive with my frustration. It was Sam that was first to open her chest. Turned out she grew up on the streets of some city and had to learn to survive in a Thieves guild.


    She showed us a few tricks on how to open the chests and by the end we all unlocked our chests, Sam letting Tomiko borrow her picks to use. Inside the chests were black tight fitting robes that Tomiko joked ninja''s would wear, whoever''s they were. Under them was a belt with slits cut in them to hold daggers of some kind. And lastly, a pouch of more picks. Grif made the point that it might be wise to change cloths to show we succeeded our first task.


    The girls were nervous about changing with us in the room but there was no choice. Grif and I turned our backs and began to change. The girls took turns watching us as the others changed. When we were all changed, and the belts in place Master Sim burst into the room. He saw us in our new outfits and only grunted.


    "Lets go. We got work to do before the nights meal comes." Master Sim marched us through the tunnels of the mountain. He explained the best way to find your location and where you need to go. It was an ongoing test of our skills in tracking, he said.


    Though the stone floors and walls left no markings of peoples passing, there was a noticeable pattern of wear to it. The first part of our training took place in a cavern that seemed to have no bottom. Stalagmites stood scattered throughout the room and on the tops of them were small platforms. Master Sim looked us over.


    "This will be your first bit of training. Reach the platforms. Across this cavern is the finish line. I will meet you on the other side." He didn''t give us much to work with. Master Sim only turned his back and left us in the cavern alone. Looking around there was nothing to really find our way across. Torches ringed the outer walls of the Cavern and gave us light to see by.


    Tentatively moving forward I examined the room passed our starting point. There was no telling how far of a fall it was. As I looked over the edge, a part of the floor cracked and gave way. I lost my balance and Grif grabbed me by the back of my top and pulled me to safety. Tomiko and the others had shrieked and the sound echoed in the cavern.


    "Ven be careful." Tomiko said shyly. Sasha and Sam stood by me to make sure I was ok. My heart pounded but we had to move. It took longer than I would have liked but eventually we found a rope hidden on a thin ledge just on the side of the entrance to the cavern. It took us longer to figure out how to use it to reach the first platform. The torches began to slowly burn out one by one.


    A sense of fear rose and we worked quicker to move from one platform to the next. Just as the last torch died we reached the other side. Master Sim stood there and sighed. He wasn''t very happy. The next cavern was filled with ropes. hanging from the ceiling or tied into bridges. Cris-crossing the cavern all around. Unlike the previous cavern there was no exit on the other side.


    "We will be using this room often as you progress. Get used to it. Whoever stays the longest will not be punished." He turned and left us again. we each took turns choosing ropes to hang by. some of the girls moved to the bridges and sat on them. This seemed easy enough. Then Grif decided to speak.


    "He said whoever stays the longest won''t be punished right? But if any of us are punished then you are punished. What is the point of you even trying?" I had missed that when master Sim was speaking. I forgot what I was told as I was placed into this group. A sick feeling rose in me.


    "I would be punished only four times. If I failed it would be double." Grif and the girls looked at me with pity. I hated it. After a while it felt like this was a pointless exercise. If we got tired we could move to a bridge to rest. The girls were taking a turn having a break when the bridge began to move.


    Sashsa was first to notice as it began to wiggle under them slightly and then more and more as it continued. Sam screamed and pointed to the ends of the rope where spiders the size of cows moved through the ropes. There were two of them and they moved quickly. It was then I realized.


    "We are on a web. These are not ropes." The others looked horrified. We began swinging and jumping from strand to strand. The webs were not sticky, but they were very strong. The spiders chased us around for what felt like hours. Though it may have only been a few minutes.


    Tomiko was first to fall. She couldn''t get to a different string as the spider chased her so she jumped off the web instead. she screamed and a splash came which let us know we had a safe way out. Sasha was the next to fall. And then Grif. His large size worked against him. It left only Sam and I on the webs. One for each of the spiders to chase. It seemed like they hunkered down and moved faster now that there was less pray to choose from.


    Again we ran or climbed or swung. Anything to get away. Sam was about to swing from a bridge she was on when a web shot from the spider and caught on her foot. Drooling jaws opened on the spider. Slowly she was being dragged closer and closer to the beast.


    I was currently running across a bridge a good distance above them.

 Chapter 4

    Sam was just about to be eaten when I decided there was no choice. Taking a deep breath I leapt to, what I was certain to be, my certain death. Sam was screaming and tears fell down her face. Time seemed to slow as I fell. The air flew passed my face as I plummeted and landed hard on the back of the spider.


    The air was knocked out of me and I almost passed out from the pain. The spider let out a loud shriek and dropped it''s hold on the web. It skittered about and gave Sam enough time to roll off and fall into the water below. The spider skittered and bucked, trying to remove me from my perch on its back. Then the spider I rode followed after as one of its legs missed its footing and toppled off his web. We both fell. The water met us and as my face was submerged it became clear it wasn''t water.


    A slime covered me from head to toe. I quickly got off the spider as it laid in the sludge. Looking around a hand grabbed me and pulled me out. Sasha and Sam were still crying and hugging each other. The goo seemed to have hardened on the others as the air hit it. Master Sim came to us and smiled. He was allowed to punish us finally.


    The girls had to shave their heads before they would be allowed to eat, while Grif and I would receive a beating. The next bit of training was wrestling and Master Sim began teaching us how to wrestle himself. Though he never went easy on us, he would show us how to do something by performing it on us with full force. Many of us were rendered unconscious multiple times.


    Once he was sure we understood he had us separate and practice on each other. We had wrestling matches against each other over and over again. Master Sim eventually told us it was time for our punishments. The girls went to our barracks to have their heads shaved. Grif and I both had to stay and other members of the Mountain joined us in the room. These were men. Full grown and experienced members of the Mountain.


    They began taking turns beating us. Punching us with force to break bones. It was only a miracle or maybe even skill that nothing was actually broken. Once the beating was over Grif and I laid still. We didn''t want to move. A wicked feeling came over me and I was sure it was madness brought on by the beating. After taking a few breaths I rose again to my feet. Master Sim and the others looked at me.


    They seemed to smile without joy as they formed a circle around me again. My left eye felt like it was swelling shut. My arms felt heavy and my mind was fuzzy with pain. One of the men came and gave me a hard jab to the face and the world went black. The rest of the day was spent unconscious. When I woke, Master Sim was entering the barracks. It seemed I was brought here to rest instead of being taken to a healer. I found out Tomiko was tending my back. For getting one of the spiders in the slime I had earned a healing ointment for my troubles. She had applied the salve as I had slept.


    Our stomachs rumbled in protest to the lack of food. Master Sim dismissed us and only told us how to find the mess hall used to feed everyone in the mountain. It took a fair amount of time but Grif was a natural at finding odd scuff marks on the walls and floor. We made it to the Mess hall and entered as a few others slowly joined us.


    Inside were rows of tables filled with tens, if not hundreds, of people. The Masters were seated around the hall so they can look down at all the younger members. Their chairs were proper soft chairs to sit in while the younger took benches lined along tables. We made our way to the lines for food and found a table with empty space. As Grif and I were the first back to the table, it seemed it allowed others to look us over.


    Judging by the obvious, it was plain to see they thought Grif was in charge. Whenever someone spoke to us, they looked at him instead of me. Grif tried to correct them but I placed my hand on his arm to stop. If they wanted to believe Grif was in charge I would let them. I just wanted to eat. My body was feeling less stiff thanks to the salve. The girls joined us shortly after I finished half my food. Grif and a few guys were talking to each other between bites. The food was pretty good. It was a mashed potato and meat combo of some kind. The flavor of the meat suggested pork but I wasn''t sure, then there was the peas and carrots and for dessert was a small bit of pudding to end the meal nicely in my opinion. It was around the point I was about to dig into my pudding that I received the first taste of what normally happens, when a group of ten year old kids are gathered together. A bully rose up among us.


    This one was named Fin, as I later found out. He was average in every way. Looks, size, intelligence. And seeing as I was among the shortest here he believed I was easy pickings. Fin walked up, flanked by two of his friends from his group. Grif took notice but I quickly told him to ignore everything about to happen. What Fin may never realize was that in my group I have performed the best.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Other then Sam besting me at the lock picking and Grif at wrestling because of his size, I was still better.


    "Well look right ''ere. ''e is going for his dessert before finishin his veggies. Now that won''t do." he said with a bit of over the top flair.


    His two friends chuckled and repeated parts of what he said. "And look how messy you are. Fail tasks already did we? I heard you are the Rabbit Killer. Why''s that? Your mum''s carrots stolen by a rabbit? Bet she wouldn''t have let you eat no pudding till all them carrots is gone."


    He chuckled among themselves again and a hush came over the more newly recruited tables. Seemed the masters could not care less. They remained focused with each other. I spotted Thrass near the head of the rows. He was seated on stage with four other Masters. His words echoed in my mind. "..Stand on top." I knew what had to be done.


    I knew if I failed to do as instructed Thrass would have no issue killing me here in front of everyone. My grip tightened on my spoon and the girls kept a close eye on me. It was Grif that placed his hand on me to stop me. "That''s right Rabby Killer. Listen to your leader. Mummy isn''t here to keep you safe no mores." Fin cackled and his friends echoed. I shook Grif''s hand from my arm and stood.


    I faced Fin as he looked down on me. Nobody but Thrass and I knew what really happened. I doubted any of the masters knew it all. They just heard about the rabbit I used. No matter. Maybe it was time to tell them.


    "He isn''t the leader. I am." My voice was loud and firm. Now the masters seemed to take notice to what was going on in the back of the room. Those seated at the same table got up and moved away. Griff and the girls stood and pushed the large table away from me, so as to not get in my way. Sasha began cleaning her nails with a fork and Sam stretched out as if to enjoy a performance.


    Tomiko was shyly looking around as if waiting for someone to stop all this. Fin laughed but the bravado he had before was fading quickly. His friend on the right, still laughing, tapped Fin,


    "He''s leader he says." he said. The other slapped the first to shut him up. Fin walked closer so we came face to chest. "That so, Bunny Basher? What you thinking standing up on me? I will knock you so hard they throw you out." He said with a sneer. Quick and hard my hands rose and pushed against the larger boys chest.


    "I will stand on top!" I yelled and tackled the boy by the legs. Grif showed me how to get over on bigger guys. He told me to use surprise and momentum against them. Once Fin was down I was on him with the spoon against his throat. "Wanna know why Master Thrass calls me Rabbit Killer? Simple. I killed two orc warriors with nothing but a dead Rabbit. I did that after I watched them murder my mother."


    Something in my eyes must have translated what i was feeling at the moment. I rose the spoon up high with every intent to thrust it down into the boys neck or eyes. I was going for blood, for the kill and he knew it. Fin screamed and tried to push me off. My legs wrapped hard around him and I stayed in place. His friends were too stunned to move and proved useless.


    The spoon dove down fast and was aimed to scoop out his right eye. Just inches before the circular metal made contact, the spoon froze. A hand was wrapped hard around my wrist and I was yanked to my feet. My blood still pounded in my ears and in the heat of the moment I spun to swing at who had me.


    Master Thrass twisted hard and the sound of broken bones made me grab my wrist instead. I cried out and held my hand against my chest for support. When I calmed enough to see him, my face paled and I was afraid more was coming. Instead he nod his head and walked away.


    "Clean that boy up. He pissed himself." He said. A few men walked over to Fin and lifted him where he still lay. I walked over to Grif and he slapped me on the back. The girls looked at me differently from before. Sam put her hand on my shoulder.


    "Is it true? Did that really happen?" she asked. I could only nod. Mentioning what happened made me relive the events of that day. The emotions and hatred for the orcs. It made me lose my appetite. "Finish eating. I will be in our room. Once you are done meet me there." I told them and walked out.


    In the room I shared with them I went over to my chest and opened it. It was harder one handed but I made do. Inside were my old cloths, which I took out and began to tear into strips. I looked about the room and sighed. There was nothing to really use as a support. I did the best I could wrapping the bandage tight around the broken wrist, to keep it in place. I tied the thumb and pinky to the wrist to make it so I couldn''t move it left or right and used the pointer and index tied so I couldn''t move it up and down.


    It was crude but I had to make do for the time being. It was quiet waiting for the rest of my team. I had a chance for the first time to really reflect on how the last few days came and went. What would my mother think if she saw me now? I was soft spoken, timid and kind before.


    My thoughts were interrupted as Tomiko entered followed by the others. I look at them and nodded. "I wanted you to come here for a reason. What you heard in the mess hall, forget it." I looked over their faces, the girls showed the most shock. Grif regarded me with a bit of hesitation.

 Chapter 5

    Sasha moved forward and tried to comfort me. "It is ok. None of us think less of you." She was trying to be nice but it only made me angrier.


    Grif spoke next, "Did you really kill orcs with only a rabbit? How? You are only ten. Did someone teach you to fight before?"


    I had never really thought about it till now. I shook my head. "No. I only reacted. I was so angry. I wanted to hit them with something. All I had was the rabbit. I was just lucky."


    They all starred at me but said nothing else. Time in the mountain seemed to flow differently for us. It was like we were in another world. Training was the highlight of our lives. That was all we soon cared for. All we wanted.


    Master Sim taught us how to fight, how to make and use poisons. He often tested us by filling cups with wine and a random poison. We would then have to figure out which of them was in the cups by ordering them from least to most poisonous. The test ended with us drinking what we thought was the least. Whoever chose wrong was given an antidote but only after making them suffer. Then I was forced to drink the same. Many days came and went.


    My team seemed to grow closer over that time. We trusted each other. They trusted me to lead. We were taught lessons in hiding, stalking, sneaking, trained in all manner of weapons and fighting. It didn''t take long for my name to spread. The one chosen by Master Thrass.


    The Rabbit Killer, though Masters were the only ones ever to call me that. I knew I changed more over the time I spent inside the mountain. I felt something in me slowly die, or hide away. When I looked at people I saw where to strike them. How to best go for the kill. I proved beyond a doubt that Thrass putting me in charge of the group was the best move. I was called a Genius when it came to being an Assassin.


    Something I was born and bred to do. It was the end of the second year of training. I had mastered all forms of poison, knives, lock picking, and stealth. I was never seen unless I wanted to be. I only struggled with the bow. Sure I was good but it never felt a part of me like everything else did. It felt foreign. Each time one of my team failed a task I was forced into the same punishment as them. Sometimes I was punished instead of them. But I was never punished for something I did.


    I never failed. We eventually were pitted against other teams in mock battles or assassination missions. One team would be the Assassins and the other would be the mark with his guards. My team became feared among the Ores. We worked together flawlessly. We never lost our Mark and we never failed to kill theirs. We were perfect, until Grif made a mistake.


    He forgot the timing for our plan. He was our current mark we had to guard and things were going well till he moved out of his cover sooner then expected. The other team killed him cleanly with a well placed bow shot. "Damn it Grif." Sasha stormed out to him and poked his chest.


    "Our perfect record is ruined." Grif was red and he couldn''t look us in the eyes. I walked out of my hiding place and looked at him. "You disregarded your orders and got yourself killed." I said. Grif looked ashamed and mumbled an apology. "Sorry Boss."


    My team had taken to calling me boss after the first year of training. I sighed and shook my head. Master Sim came to collect us and I was whipped for Grif''s failure to follow orders and his subsequent death. Once I was tended for the lash marks by Tomiko, who was very skilled in healing and poisons, we were collected to meet up in the Assembly Cavern.


    "Listen up. From here on you are on your own. You will stay in your groups but each of you will be tested and evaluated individually." We were gathered in the Assembly Cavern, the large cavern we arrived in the first day here. The Master speaking looked us over as if he wasn''t sure if we were cut out to be here, though his eyes never passed over me.


    "After Mess you will be given your first missions. Do your best. Complete the mission. You might even come back alive." Everyone stood before the Stage with a mix of satisfaction to have reached this point, and a healthy dose of fear at how we would complete our first missions. Two years have already passed. Two more are still to follow, we were Blades now. The only way to become assassins was to prove that we deserved to be here, and live long enough to prove it. Near me my team shifted from foot to foot. As we gathered together I decided that it would be unwise to get any closer to them.


    As the Master said, this was no longer meant for teams. We were alone now. A master would take us to our missions and evaluate our individual skills. We were dismissed for training and Thrass came to collect me. Grif and the girls were weary around Thrass and for good reason. He had no reservations on damaging someone as punishment. For my first mission I had to take my first life since coming to the mountain. I had to do it and mean for it to happen.


    Thrass lead me from the mountain without a word. This was the first time I felt fresh air in three years. He did not speak to me as usual, only doing so if something must be said. We traveled weeks away from the Mountain to a medium city that felt as crowded as any other. People walked the streets. Vendors trying to sell their wares.


    It was normal, for now. I followed silently and kept my eyes open. We rented a room in a tavern by the name of The Mares Saddle. It was the first tavern I had ever visited. Once in our room with the door locked Thrass spoke to me.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Listen closely. Your mission should be simple. The target is a Lord''s son. He is illegitimate and born from a competing Lord. If it is found out then the boy will have both titles and lands. You are to kill him with poison. Make it seem like a food allergy. That is it." Thrass went on to describe what the child looked like and where it may be easiest to find him. I was given two days to prepare and scout the location.


    When the deadline was up I was forced to go ahead, though in truth I was far from ready. I made my way in the shadows to the mansion the son was living. Slipping passed guards and servants as I made my way to the targets room there were few people moving about and it was rather easy but I knew not to let my guard down.


    Opening the door with little more than a slight scrape of the latch on the hold, I moved inside. The poison was prepared with enough time to set on my dagger. It would be easy enough to force it in the targets mouth to lick the blade and the subsequent poison off of its metal. My feet were light as I neared his bed. Then my eyes fully adjusted to the dark room, the target was not only a child. But no more than a baby.


    I looked down and the little boy curled up in his blankets. He had his fist in his mouth and gently sucked as babies often did. I closed my eyes and looked away. How was I supposed to do this? My first mission? My breathing was slow and I opened my eyes once more to the child.


    "I am sorry. I wish there was another way. If you see my mother, please ask her to forgive me. I know you never will." Gently I opened the babies mouth and had the tip of the blade rub the flat against his tongue. Once done the baby began to grow fussy. I did not have much time before the crying would begin. My heart slowly broke as I looked at him. This was wrong. Moving out was just as easy as going in.


    The child began to cry as I was leaving the house he lived in. Then the cries grew faint and stopped. Screams and new cries from the servants picked up afterward. By then I was gone. Thrass looked at me when I approached and he smiled the dark way he usually did. I did not speak.


    Did not look at him. The next missions he gave me were much the same. Children, babies, little boys and girls. None were over the age of five and because of me none would ever be. I felt something cold and dark grow inside me during that year with Thrass. When he saw no reactions from those missions he moved me on to adults.


    Nobodies, Lords, Ladies, and at the end of the year he gave me a king. By far that was the most difficult. When he told me of my mission I did not believe him.


    "I never took you for a joker Master Thrass. How can I kill a king?"


    Thrass nodded and smiled and looked at me. "My little Rabbit Killer. After today you will become a King Slayer. And if your fortunes hold a Kingmaker. Many will hire you to kill their rivals to make them kings." I held my tongue. He admitted it to be true and arguing would only get me beaten.


    I bowed my head and listened to his plan. There was not one. This one I had to figure out and execute on my own. The client did not care how the king died as long as the king, his wife, and their family was all killed at the same time. Men, women and children. Lucky me. I took my time to figure out the ways it may be possible. I watched the targets and planned for every possible failure.


    In the end it happened by pure chance. The royal family rode by carriage down a mountain path. With a well placed knife the horses took off and the carriage careened over the edge of a cliff. Thrass was the most pleased I had seen him. As a reward for my success he gave me leave to be on my own for the remainder of training.


    I took the offer with suspicion but took it none the less. I lived in the tavern where we were staying. Using separate room to avoid seeing my master. It was after a week I found a second surprise. Tomiko walked down the stairs as I ate my morning meal. She was dressed in simple travel cloths and for the first time I noticed her as a young woman. I felt something stir in me. She sat in a corner and ordered her own meal. I rose and moved to join her.


    "Tomiko." my voice was soft. She looked up and gasped in shock. She rushed to her feet and grabbed me in a tight hug. I returned it hesitantly.


    "I am sorry I know you don''t like to be touched. But it is good to see you." I held her a moment longer. I felt my body react to her closeness. We were nearing our fourteenth year and the feel of her body under such thin clothing, she was indeed a woman now. That moment I spent as much time as I could with her. She was here on mission with her master as well. She talked more than I remembered but I enjoyed it. Things were going well.


    Until one night as we walked together a pair of men cut us off. The simple roguish types, they demanded money to allow us to pass safe or turns with Tomiko, as they noticed her. We both laughed at the absurdity of the situation. The men didn''t like that and attacked us.


    We each took out a man. The rogues stood no chance against us, but in that moment I stood no chance against Tomiko. On instinct I grabbed her and pulled her body against mine. Lips crushing against hers. Our bodies seemed to meld together like puzzle pieces. Almost. It did not fit perfectly. We wasted no time returning to the tavern.


    The night was quick to fill with Tomiko''s voice. My own sounds filtering in once in a while. This became routine. Days with her master and nights with me. But it all ended too soon as I had to return to the mountain with Thrass. I hid everything from the evil man as best I could. Once we returned and he gave his consent to pass me to the next phase I felt a little weight lift from me.


    That year of missions took their toll. The evil I inflicted. The lives lost. But Tomiko healed that a little. The Grandmaster decided that he wanted to test this years group together. The final test would be postponed till the others returned. Some were in various stages. Needing to remain out on missions longer than planned.


    A few months passed and a message arrived. It was in Tomiko''s writing and it only said four words.


    You have a daughter. My mind spun and I felt the mountain closing in. I had to find out more. I didn''t know where she was but a messenger would find and deliver my reply. "Come to me."


    A few long months later she did. A baby in her arms in our team room. I looked at my daughters face for the first time and new she was mine.


    Knew things may have just changed. She had my eyes. Her hair was straight like her mothers but her face was the same as well. She was beautiful. I held her and rocked her. As we waited for everyone else to return we became a family.


    Lingering glances at the mother of my child. A caress here, a gesture there. She never told anyone who the father was. She pretended she got pregnant on a mission seducing the target. Forgetting to take the medicine to prevent such things. Eventually Sara and Sam returned and loved the baby. Griff was the last of us. Once everyone returned the final trials began.

 Chapter 6

    "Alright boy. You have not embarrassed me so far. Pray that continues." He smiled but it was a hollow gesture. I silently followed Thrass as we came to a door in the mountain I had never visited before. The door was black, which by itself was not unusual, but carved into the door were skulls.


    "Reach the other side without making a sound, and live. Any sound and I will make you wish you were dead. Fail to complete it and the same fate will befall you. Remove your shoes and enter." I only nodded at his command.


    There was no point in answering when he got like this. Thrass opened the door and closed it behind me when I entered. The room was pitch black without torches or windows. It was so dark I could not see my hand inches from my face. The three years of being here taught me many skills. As I stood in the darkness I reflected on what would be needed now.


    My bare feet were cold on the stone floor. I went to move my foot and I felt my clothes begin to catch on each other. I crouched low and spread my legs to maintain a distance from each other to move freely and without sound. Slowly I moved, inch by inch, through the darkness. My eyes began adjusting and vague shapes could be seen in the room.


    If I knew Thrass at all, then just walking through the room would be out of the question. My first confirmation arrived in the form of a needle''s sharp point entering the soft skin of my feet. My teeth ground my lip to keep from making a sound. I lift my foot and removed the needle, placing it in my pocket for my own protection.


    As I continued more needles came more and more frequently. My mind was wide alert but no matter what I did the sharp points entered under my foot or between my toes or into the soft digits directly. Small trails of blood began following me in the journey of darkness. The smell of oil reached my nose and from past training with other masters I remembered it was the oil used to keep a crossbow maintained.


    Somewhere in the room there was a crossbow set up against me. I continued deeper and tried my best to remain vigilant, only to receive a bolt to the shoulder after tripping the wire that fired the crossbow. I couldn''t hold back and cried out.


    Immediately the door opened and Thrass entered the room with light. He dragged me out and looked at me.


    "Disappointing." He sighed and lift me up. He forced me to walk and pushed me into the Gathering Chamber used for announcements. "Gather all trainees and Masters." Thrass yelled to a cleaner maintaining the room.


    The poor man jumped and rushed from the room to obey. With me in hand Thrass marched onto the stage and grabbed rope from a box set in the corner of the stage as if it was a part of it. The stage had pillars erected to allow a curtain to flow over the top as if for a play, but there was no curtain. Metal rings sat near the top and Thrass threw the rope through one of the rings before coming to me and tying my hand, then repeated the process on the other side. When he pulled the ropes my arms were pulled over my head and spread wide. I couldn''t help by cry out as the shoulder with the bolt moved.


    My back was to the front of the stage as I looked behind it. Slowly students and masters entered the Hall and the faint murmurs of the curious reached my ears. All eyes were on me. I knew this to be true. Thrass walked the stage and stopped in the center.


    "I have asked you all here to show you what happens to those who can not follow directions. Those who fail in the expectations of their masters. We do not accept failures in any mission we see fit to give you. This is only one of the punishments awarded to you when you fail." Thrass walked over and used a knife to cut away my shirt; the knife biting skin underneath as well. He walked back away and the sound of something hitting the stage came. The sound of something flailing and the sound of gasps made me almost want to struggle.


    It wasn''t till the first strike hit that I thought Thrass was insane. The lash of a whip bit deep into my back. I cried out and tried to pull free of my ropes, only jarring my shoulder for me to cry out once more. Thrass whipped me again and again. Each time the accuracy made sure to hit a new place and tear fresh skin. Only when I blacked out did I escape the pain. I awoke some time later with my back in ribbons and still tied to the stage.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    The bolt must have fallen out because it was at my feet with the head broken from the shaft. I felt the stream of blood and knew if nothing was done I would die from the loss. I tried standing, the scabs that formed on my back began tearing apart in fresh pain forcing me to keep my mouth shut the best I could.


    Thrass was a monster and I had to do anything I could to be free of him. It took me an hour and two dislocated thumbs to get out of my bonds. I made my way off the stage and headed for my room to clean up and find new clothing. As I dug through the chest I found my black cloths, half mask and daggers.


    Each dagger was earned by completing training tasks, but the tasks alone didn''t mean anything. They were given to me because I surpassed all recorded goals set by others who came before me. The daggers varied and each one became special to me. At the bottom of the chest I found something I thought I had lost years ago. A small stone set in a bracelet, an heirloom given to me on the day of my birth all those years ago.


    As I stared into the gem I felt a calm descend over me in a way that was new. I had clarity that was unmatched before. As I was placing the bracelet onto my wrist, a voice came to me.


    "You freed yourself. Try not to disappoint me again. I may not be able to hold back next time." Thrass voice moved through the room like a dark and poisoned cloud. It will be the last time I feel that way.


    Thrass walked into the room on silent feet as he always moved. I stood before the man who claimed to be my master. "Are you ready to enter the Darkness again?" he asked. At first I was unsure of what he referred to. Then I remembered how dark that room was.


    Was that what he called it? The Darkness? I thought. I looked Thrass in the eye and nodded. "Yes." I said. Thrass smiled one of his out-of-place smiles and took me back to that door. The Darkness. Was that all?


    Thrass opened the door and I entered after removing my shoes once again. The door closed and darkness enveloped me. Moving slowly I made my way through the room. The first needle entered my foot, followed by many more as I continued on. I found the crossbow and disabled it before it would be triggered. Inch by inch I entered deeper into the darkness. New needles found my skin but these felt different. Colder. Slowly a numbness entered my feet. Poisoned. Crap. I kept my mouth shut and my heart calm.


    Moving deeper and deeper I began to lose feeling in my fingers. I felt a sharp point enter my arm and found a spike on a wall I must have walked near. New dangers mounted all around me and my body was beginning to fail to listen to me. By the time I reached a door on the other side I had cut myself on various blade, traps, spikes, and only the gods knew what else.


    I lost all feeling in my hands. They moved but that was all. I tried the handle gently and found it locked. I dug into my pocket and found lockpicks. Painstakingly slow I began to work on the lock. A few times I dropped the pick and had to move quick enough to catch it before it reached the floor and made a noise. I had to use my mouth at times to work the pick as my hands failed me too often. After what felt like hours of work, I began to feel my fingers again, slowly.


    Using them I made quick work of the lock and was about to push the door open when I froze. Something in me felt like it was too easy to unlock the door. Very slowly I cracked the door open, and a slight chime rang out. It was soft enough to be ignored and that may be the only reason Thrass didn''t attack me again.


    I took a deep breath and calmed myself. I breathed slowly and in a quick motion I pushed the door open and attacked the bells that hung behind it. The bells rose in the air as I swiftly began catching and taking them from the door. I had just reached the last one before the chime rang when it slipped through numb hands and fell to the floor with a loud TINK. TINK. TINK TINK TINKTINK. I watched with horror as the bell rolled on the floor and came to a stop under Thrass'' foot.


    "So close. So close indeed. Looks like you have yet to learn your lesson." He smiled again and moved quickly at me. Dagger in hand he swiped at my arm, shoulder, chest and anywhere else he could reach. Fear formed in me for the first time in three years. I never felt this helpless since the Orcs killed my mother.


    Just when Thrass was going for my throat a dam burst inside me. I never would feel helpless again. My body moved with it''s own accord and I attacked my Master the best I could. A few lucky shots from surprise allowed me to rain a few blows. Thrass was not happy with the event.


    With a swift swipe he brought the handle of the knife hard against the base of my neck and blackness met me. I was unconscious.

 Chapter 7

    When I woke up I felt chains on my arms and legs. They placed my arms over my head and off to the side at an uncomfortable angle. Slowly my eyes began to focus and look around. The room was dimly lit and the first thing I noticed was I wasn''t alone. Tomiko was there bound in a chair. But the thing that made my stomach drop was seeing Thrass, holding my daughter, Varla. I looked at him as he gently rocked her in his arms. She was fussy and he was making soft shushing sounds. I battled to keep my face neutral. He looked at me and smiled his sick smile.


    "Oh, you are awake. I feared I would have to start without you. I see you have been busy." he walked around the room and I tried to pull away from the wall I was chained to. "You see I did not like you striking me. I decided to punish you. I know you spent time with this young lady when I let you have your time off at the end of our missions. I am aware there is no rules as to having relations among you initiates.


    "But you have given me what I needed to punish you. You see, it seems pain is not what deters you from making mistakes. But I am sure this will do it." he walked over to Tomiko and kicked her chair. She jumps awake and looked around. Seeing Thrass she paled and cried out at the sight of our daughter in his arms.


    "No! No please Master Thrass. Don''t hurt her!" she began to cry and pull against the chair she was secured in. Thrass walked around her as she went on.


    "Both of you will watch what happens. Then one of you will leave here. One may not. I have not decided." He bounced the baby more and moved to a table in the room. He pulled a knife and spins it in his hand. I railed against the chains.


    "Master please don''t! Do anything to me. Hurt me. Cut me. Torture me. But don''t harm her. She is not part of this."


    "I beg to differ." with a savage swing he cuts the knife into the soft fingers of my daughter. Her screams and crying fill the room. I begin to really fight. I yell and scream and curse. Tomiko does the same. Horrified and sick. Thrass doesn''t stop. His skill comes to bare as he slowly butchers the baby. The cries finally ending as only the knife cuts out the heart.


    When he moves away from the table we both can see the remains of the baby cut up so half the body remained. He begins cutting up the body slowly and seemed to be preparing something like he was cooking.


    Tomiko cried without restraint. An hour later and with the sound and smell of cooked meat, Thrass walked back. He comes over to Tomiko.


    "I am sure you are hungry. I have prepared a meal. Please enjoy." Tomiko doesn''t respond and keeps her head down. I looked up at Thrass and watched him. I feel something in me pulling against my mind. Thrass slaps Tomiko and forces her mouth open. He spoon feeds meat into her mouth. I had a good idea what meat it was. I felt bile rise and looked away. Tomiko ate the meat slowly. When I looked over I saw her eyes were vacant.


    Something inside her broke and she was no longer resisting. He fed her till she could eat no more. "Good. I see you enjoyed the taste of your daughter. And Ven don''t worry. I saved something special for you. But lets continue your punishment." he set the plate down and began to untie Tomiko from the chair. I fought again.


    "Enough you sick bastard. Leave her alone. You''ve done enough. She won''t survive this. Leave her alone!" He smiled and slapped Tomiko. She didn''t respond. He pulled her to the table where blood still dripped from Varla''s body.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    He ripped the clothes from Tomiko and pushed her down on it. He pulled a knife and slowly began cutting her. Not deep. Just to cause pain. She screams. He undoes his pants and forces himself inside her. I continued to yell and scream and pull the chains till I began to bleed from my wrists. He moved around the room and raped her in every angle to show me.


    Her face slowly changed to show she enjoyed it. Her look was still blank and empty. He did this for hours. Then he cut off her legs and kept going. Then her arms. Tomiko began begging for more whenever he stopped. Begged him to cut her more. To hurt her. To put his knife anywhere he wanted. To impregnate her and cut the baby out if he wanted. Then he cut off her arms. Cooked and fed them to her. She loved it. But I knew she was broken. Damaged and never the same.


    He put her down in front of me and put his cock to her eye. She smiled and begged him to do it. His cock pushed into her eye till the orb gave and ocular fluid flowed with blood. She screamed but begged for more. He released in her and on her. In every hole and made new ones. He kept going and stuffed it down her throat.


    Kept going till she stopped breathing. Stomach cut open. Entrails pulled out of her. Arms and legs removed. Thrass ejaculations all over and in her body. He smiled and looked at me. "That was fun. Hold on a moment. Don''t go anywhere." he takes Tomiko by her hair and drags her away. When he comes back he holds something under his arm and in both hands. He uses his foot to put the chair Tomiko was tied to in front of me. He smiles. "I hold in my hands some gifts for you." He puts the things in his hands in front of me and puts what was under his arm down too. "I saved the bottom half of your daughter to let you keep something small and tight to enjoy at night when you are lonely. And the breasts of lovely Tomiko so you have something to remember her by and enjoy with your daughter."


    I was on my knees on the floor. Arms raised above my head. I was silent. My mind moved and I didn''t speak. Thrass watched me. I felt something shift in me again and then felt a snap. Slowly I looked at Thrass. His eyes looked into mine. His sick smile slowly faded. His eyes shifted. I did not yell or cry. I did not curse or scream as he expected. The bodies of the woman I loved and our child was just that. Bodies. No longer them. Just meat. They were gone and sleeping in peace. I felt no sadness. I was not angry. I didn''t feel loss or remorse.


    My gaze remained on him. "What are you doing?" Thrass voice actually shook slightly. I watched him without speaking. Blood flowed from my wrists. With a slow sigh my breath escaped. The room darkened and I watched my master. "Stop this. I am your master. Obey me!" He stood and backed away.


    The chair falling. I stood slowly. My eyes locked on him tight. Eyes boring into his. A drop of blood fell but froze mid fall. Once it hit the ground it shattered. I released a breath again and vapor rose out. Like a cold day. The shadows moved behind Thrass. He didn''t noticed as he refused to look away from me. I pulled on the right chain. The chain froze and snapped. I pulled the left chain. The metal seemed to slice off. Blood leaving traces on the metal. The bleeding flowed to the palm of the left hand and stopped. Growing and solidifying. Frost moved to the right palm and did the same.


    "You! You are from the Isles. That whore mother of yours is one of them!" I moved toward him. He stepped back. His foot stepped in the shadow and it wrapped around his foot. He looked down and began to yell. I kept moving forward.


    "Fuck you, you Daishin bastard!" he fought. Daggers flew and other explosives. Most froze or seemed to fall with blood covering them. The shadows creeped up Thrass.


    He curses and I begin to return the favor. Ice began creeping up his right and blood slowly began to come from his skin like sweat. The screams of anguish were loud and unending. Slowly he boiled from the inside and froze from the outside. Parts of his body began to be severed by the shadows. When the job was done I began moving from the room. Tomiko''s body was visible as I left. A look of ecstasy was on her face. Varla''s head was between her legs face down. I looked away. Shadow followed and swallowed  everything in the rooms and made them disappear.


    I walked up stairs that led up and out of the hell I was in. The moment I was out it was like my mind snapped back like a rubberband. I looked around and nothing was out of the ordinary. Slowly I remember what happened. But I could not remember how I escaped or how Thrass died.

 Chapter 8

    The moment I stepped out of the room I moved slowly. My mind wasn''t working properly. I moved through the halls. The mountain was silent and I didn''t mind. It was good. Out of habit I moved in the direction of the team dorms.


    A thought occured. What is a Daishin? I breathed slowly and finally entered our room. Griff, Sam and Sara were there and once they saw me, the blood covering me their friendly banter ended.


    "Nine hells! What happened to you? Is that all your blood?" Griff came to my side. The girls followed close behind. I didn''t answer. I walked to my bed and looked at the chest. Griff took my shoulder and my hand flew on its own. My fist connected to his face. For the first time since meeting him I made him step back. Fear grew on his face.


    "What the hell man?!" I didn''t answer. Sara tried next. "Ven we are here. Your team. What happened? How did your test go?" I didn''t answer. It was Sam that realized something.


    "Where is Tomiko? I haven''t seen Varla." the moment she said that I turned on her and attacked. Sam deflected and Griff moved in. He bearhugged me. Lifted me from the ground. I kicked and bit. And tried to head butt. After a while my steam died down and I deflated.


    "What is wrong with you man?" Griff held me tight and I breathed. "Thrass killed Tomiko." I admitted Varla was my daughter. Everyone was shocked but silent. Griff released me at the end. I calmed and went to clean up. The next morning the mountain was locked down as the bodies were found.


    The Grand Master began investigating how it happened. I moved from my position in the Assembly hall and moved to the stage. Guards blocked me.


    "I killed Thrass!" Chaos broke out. Everyone shouted and the guards secured me. I didn''t fight and only waited. "Explain yourself Blade?" the Grandmaster stood before me. I refused to do so in public.


    He took me away and guards followed. We went into the Grandmasters office and I explained what happened. The moment I finished he nodded and dismissed me. I moved and took the blades from the guards and cut them down. The Grandmaster didn''t react. Only waited for me to finish and leave.


    I graduated to Assassin at the death of Thrass. The death of Varla and Tomiko chilled me to the core. Focus consumed me and by the end of the year I became a Master. All missions opened to me. I chose my assignments as I saw fit.


    At eighteen I was the youngest master. The next mission I took led me to Kalinasa. My mark, a man by the name of Torin Savin. Kalinasa was admittedly a lovely town. Everyone seemed happy, had a job and place to call their own. All a part of a community. Unfortunately for them, they were about to lose their leader.


    I moved casually through the town, drawing up my hood to make my features as hidden as possible. The goal was to blend in. From there I planned to have a chat with one of Savin''s guards to take his place and act as though I belonged among his men. Bidding my time I will wait till I could slip a poison into his food or drink, to kill him without a fuss or an investigation.


    This would take a little time, but I want it all to be perfect. I had all the time in the world. If I needed to wait, then I will wait. As I walked through town I came across a crier telling the news. The criers voice was music to my ears. He cried about positions open for the city guard. Maybe this will go faster than I thought.


    Swiftly i made my way to the crier. "Where are the guard sign ups to be held?" My voice was gruff from lack of use. Being at the mountain gave me little reason to speak. The crier, a boy no older than twelve years of age, looked at me. "They will be at the training field. Located at the northeast gate by the stables." I nodded and gave him a copper for his trouble.


    The boy beamed and continued through town. I turned away and sprinted through crowded streets in search of the gate the boy spoke of. As the Northeast gate loomed overhead, the sounds of combat reached my ears. It wasn''t the sounds of steel i was used to. It sounded dull and hollow. Wood maybe?This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The training field came into view and the grounds were filled with armored and unarmored men alike. In the center of the fields seemed to be two combatants giving a demonstration. Their blows rang in the air with the clacks of wood on wood. In only a few moments one disarmed the other and the bout came to a close The two bowed to applause and melded in with the armored men that stood watching.


    A large man stepped from the crowd. He was bald headed and straight backed. His shoulders were wide and body filled with muscle. The way he walked was as a cat ready to pounce. His steps light and sure. "As you just saw, a bout can turn from an even fight to a loss in seconds. Always remember that. It isn''t about who is stronger, or who had the most skill. It is whoever loses focus first loses.


    Remember that. Now I know many of you have never held a sword." The man walked the line and looked at the hopefuls. As he passed by me his eyes seemed to linger. I stood my ground and kept watch. No reason to think too deeply on anything just yet after all. The armored men separated from the crowd and formed groups for their own practice.


    The bald man separated the hopefuls into groups as well. I was placed with a few men decades my senior and watched as they struggled to properly hold the wooden practice sword that was now being passed out. Should I pretend to be like them or show myself different? It was the dilemma I faced.


    As the sword made their way to me I decided to be the middle. I held the sword in a firm grip and waited for instructions. "Now in your groups, partner up and practice basic strikes and blocks. That will be all. No showing off." Shuffling and murmurs rose as we split to pairs. As practice began, I held back and used blows that would have had Thrass beat me for the embarrassment. But I did it. It was difficult to pretend. The man I was partnered with tried to be professional.


    He tried to show he wasn''t an old man without any skill. After only ten minutes his breathing grew labored. Sweat ran from his brow. His swings grew more sluggish and proved how wrong he was to push himself so hard. On the other hand, not a single drop of sweat formed on my brow. The bald commander walked our way and I continued to deflect my partners blows.


    After a few more bouts, the commander stopped us and had us running laps. In no time a week was passing by. Many of the hopefuls, my partner included, dropped out or were sent home. Today we were told that to completely pass into the ranks of city guard, there will be practice bouts with the current roster. Nobody was expected to win.


    It was merely to show if we had what it takes to join them. The test was built much like a tournament. Each round of bouts faced a new with a veteran. Usually the vet would win. On a few occasions a new person would win. My mind wandered during these fights and it usually coalesced around who I would be if this was the training I was used to.


    In the middle of my thinking I heard my name called two times. Snapping from my haze I answered. Of course I did not use my real name, though I did go by something similar. Vel. It was close enough that I would not forget it. But looking offhand I would not be remembered. As I took position across from the armored giant before me, a man standing 6''2 in size and over three-hundred pounds of muscle, I tested my swords grip and took a ready stance.


    The fight began with the shout of the commander and ended in the pained groan of the guardsman. With three quick, successive strikes to the head, shoulder and ribs of my opponent I claimed victory in my fight. As a medic checked on the fallen man I made my way off the field. By the end of the day I was undefeated in six bouts with only one remaining.


    My final fight would be against the guardsman champion. Taking place in the field I measured my opponent. The man stood only slightly shorter than myself. He was thin but not frail. Armor obscured any defining features. A helmet covered his face with a visor and looked about as comfortable as a pot sitting on your head.


    Both drew our weapons and stood at the ready. The signal was given and the fight began. Strikes were traded back and forth. Both of us were probing the other. Each strike a faint or a weak try. Once both were sure of the others strength we advanced for real. We stood in the center of the field and eyed each other. This would be a battle of focus.


    Over in a single strike. Time drew on, restlessness began to eat away at my nerves. I wanted to strike. My mind forgot about holding back. In three quick steps I advanced and made my move. His sword struck out in slow motion, my body already moving to avoid his strike and give a blow of my own.


    Just as my sword was going to hit the armor on her chest..... Her? My mind raced as it tried to find how I had missed that detail. My focus was shattered and her sword crashed down onto my shoulder as my own smashed into her chest. The hits were simultaneous.


    Feeling left my hand and my sword dropped to the ground. I turned to look at my opponent, who was currently coughing and having trouble to breath. She removed her helmet and long, purple hair fell down her back. She turned to look at me with golden eyes.


    "You are a woman?"

 Chapter 9

    The guardsman champion isn''t even a man! After years of training and becoming the youngest master assassin in history, the first hit is by some lowly women! In my mind I was fuming. Externally my face was calm and emotionless.


    The Commander came over and he was in a huff. "What in the name of all that is holy do you think you are doing?!" It seemed he was as upset as I am about this girl being in the fighting. He yelled a bit more before looking at her. "If your father found out he would have my head." The golden eyes of the girl looked at him without concern and even looked innocent. "I won''t tell my dad if you won''t. I promise. Our secret." She replied.


    The Commander fumed a bit longer before regaining control. With a few deep breaths he calmed and had everyone dismissed. Thinking best to get away from the strange woman made me hustle out of the training field. As I put away the training gear I felt someone behind me.


    "What ever it is I am not buying." I said. Whoever stood there didn''t speak but didn''t leave either. Everything stowed, I turned and saw purple hair before the gold eyes. "So. You want to be a city guard huh?" My eyes looked her over as I was trained to do.


    She was a bit shorter than myself and the way she acted suggested younger as well. Her hands had calluses formed and they looked thick. The biggest ones at the tips of her fingers. Swords were not the cause so something else formed them. "Like what you see?" She asked. It knocked me from my assessment and I blinked a few times to focus.


    "What?" I replied. She smiles and holds out her hand. "I am Blin Savin. A pleasure to meet you." I was about to shake her hand until I fully understood her last name. Savin. She must be my targets daughter. My mind began forming ideas and plans on how to use this meeting to my advantage.


    The targets daughter. From the files she was the one person above all others he trusted. They were more than father and daughter, they were a team. She knew the ins and outs of the man I needed to kill. I took my hand away without shaking hers, "Good to know." I turned away and finished placing my gear in their posts. She didn''t say more. The Commander came over and his face was red and blustered. "Miss Savin. My apologies if I am interrupting. Miss Savin your father needs you. Please follow me." Blin gave an annoyed look of her own. For a moment I couldn''t help but look at her. The next few days passed quickly. At the end of the week, those that still remained became guards. We were posted in the guard barracks and issued our own armor and a cheap sword. It was sad really. I found better swords discarded on the side of the road. Rust ate away at the hilt of the sword. They must have been used to long peace.


    "Listen up meat. Just because you are guards now doesn''t make you one of us. You will need to give your lives before I accept you as one of us." This came from a large brute of a man. His nose was flattened as if he had fights a lot, likely in a local tavern. I ignored the man and that seemed to upset him further. The man charged up and grabbed me by the collar of my tunic.


    "Listen here pup. You are a hundrd years too young to challenge me." It was apparent he was of limited intelligence based on how he spoke. His grip tightened. I was sure he was used to people yelling and sniveling at this point. Remaining calm my eyes looked up into his. My mind turned to the many ways I can bleed this man dry. It would be fast and nothing would save him.


    I scanned his arteries and the bones easy to break. A hand came at me from the side, aiming to slap my face. With a quick twist and a loud snap, the man dropped to his knees holding his arm. I looked down at him and I felt nothing. "Never touch me. Next time I will kill you." Leaving and having nothing else to say I decided to look around my assigned post. We lived in the barracks but I was to stand guard at the west gate of the city.


    From rumors, an easy and boring job. Only a matter of time before getting to my target. Breaking the mans arm seemed to have the desired effect. Since then nobody has decided to give me grief about being a new guard. Posts at the gates were always uneventful.


    Merchants and peasants came and went without much to do. Days rolled on and it seemed like my assignment would be delayed a bit longer, at least until a surprise showed up during duty. A common woman walked up to me and smiled. I did not return her charm, only waited. The woman reached into her coat and drew a note to hand to me. I took the note and looked at it. As I looked up the woman was gone.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    My eyebrow lifted and huffed.


    <blockquote>


    The mission draws long. Master Ven, get the mission done.


    -Grand Master


    </blockquote>


    I tossed the note into the braziers located next to the gate. The note burned and no longer existed. Seems I can not stall any longer. I turned from my post and headed to the manor that housed the Savin''s.


    Guards noticed me, but in my uniform it was easy just to walk through. Nobody stopped me or bothered me. The manor was impressive and I could see why he lived in it. I just only had to avoid... "Hey there what are you doing here?" I turned and found Blin standing at the top of the manor stairs, she was dressed in a white sundress that gave her an air of innocence but didn''t show off the wealth her family has. For a moment I couldn''t make my voice work but it soon passed.


    "Your father asked for a guard to speak to. I was volunteered to aid him with any needs he may have." I bowed as she came down the stairs and came to my side. Her arm looped with mine. I needed to get away from her but the moment her hand touched my arm it felt like my eyes were sharper than ever. I was able to smell the sent of lavender from her. A spark flew like static and she jumped, making a sound that seemed to make my knees weak.


    "My, what was that? Never had that happened before. It seems to me we have some kind of magic between us." She laughed lightly and I shook my head.


    "That was as bad as a bard trying to woo a woman." We walked through her manor and she led me to her fathers office. I pat her hand and looked at her.


    "Best I enter alone. He said it was private." Blin regarded me with a slight frown and sighed. Turning on her heels she walked away.


    The moment she was out of sight I went to the door and knocked. The sound of someone moving about was heard and the door opened moments later. Tobin Savin stood before me. An easy mark but I had to make it good.


    "What is the meaning of this?" He asked.


    "Sir I was told to report to you an incident that occurred at the gates. The Captain thought it best you hear the word first hand." Tobin rubbed his face and looked like he was not sleeping well. He moved out of the doorway and let me inside.


    He closed the door behind us and walked to a table with a crystal glass siting on top. Beside it was a tumbler of alcohol and he poured himself a glass. When filled where he wanted he stopped the tumbler and took the glass to sit. He looked at me from his chair and waved me to speak.


    "There has been a sighting of an assassin in the city. The person was headed this way. The captain is gathering guards to have extra security." I spoke the first things that came to my mind. The lies fell from my lips with the skill of a highwayman.


    For his credit Savin was not surprised in the matter. He sipped from his glass and looked at me. "Protect my daughter." He said. That was all. No other requests. I nodded and looked at the man. "Is that all?" He asked. "No sir.." I drew my dagger and walked over to him. He watched me and didn''t move. He seemed ready, like he was waiting for me.


    "Begin your path to the afterlife." He sipped his drink again and my dagger went into his stomach. The moment his glass fell I cleaned and replaced my dagger. I moved his body and placed it like an assassin had snuck in as we spoke. Once done I moved back and then began the shouting.


    "Assassin, assassin in the house!!" House guards rushed in moments later and found me holding the mans body, his blood on my hands. The guards looked the room over and rushed outside. I stood and went to the door to help the "search" and Blin rushed at the door. I grabbed her and pulled her away. "Best not go in there." She covered her face and pulled away. Next Blin screamed and began crying. It was my cue to leave.


    To walk away and get paid. "How did it happen?" She looked up at me. I kept a serious face and didn''t sugar coat my lie. "An assassin was hiding in his office. I came in to talk to your father and the assassin struck. He left out the window and made his escape."


    "Why did my father want to speak to you?" "I am not sure. He was unable to tell me before the assassin struck." She gasped and remembered something. "I held you up. Made you late. It was because of me." I moved to her side and placed a hand on her back. A bloody handprint left on her dress.


    "No. It was not you. I should help the search. I saw his face." She seemed to calm down and just sat there quietly. I rose and hurried from the home. The guards were busy looking for a fake assassin and I left the city to collect the payment.


    It was two months before I returned to Black Hive mountain. The weight of the daggers were resting on my hip. The Grand Master met me at the entrance with a smile on his face.


    "It is good to see the young master once again. How was your mission?" He led me through the tunnels and asked questions on why it took so long for me to complete the kill. The only thing I said was, "I had my reasons."


    Did you know there are more than six-hundred types of poison that can be used for assassination? Out of that six-hundred, more then half of the poisons are used as medicines. The mixes and the potions. It is amazing to learn all about it. Wolfs bane, Hemlock, Mage wart, Casic root to name but a few. Between missions I took to learning them like an art form. Everything taking root in no time. Slowly as missions were completed, and more skills mastered, the missions I was given slowly began to decline.

 Chapter 10

    I asked the Grandmaster why I was not receiving any jobs. All he could tell me was that it was too expensive to ask for my services. My talents were too perfect. After the Savin mission, I had taken a job every few months at first.


    As I perfected technique and style to make something my own, I began taking a few per week, then a day. People took notice. Travel had to be taken to lands the Guild never did business before. Then missions that were deemed untouchable were given to me.


    Missions so vile that no other assassin would do it. Anything from killing the old to killing the young. By the age of twenty-one I was the most feared and hated in the mountain. So much so I was called to the Grand master and told I was no longer welcome. "If we see you again, it will be your head. Understood?"


    I was sitting in his office, seated in a rather nice leather seat. The Grand Master was seated behind a desk in the office we occupied. He stood and motioned for me to leave. "Very well Grand Master. But you know as well as I, come after me and every one of you will be dead." My eyes locked his and I knew he understood.


    I stood and left without another word. Leaving the mountain was different this time. No nods of acceptance or looks of fear, sometimes respect. Nothing at all. I left with the clothes on my back and the blades on my hip. The road was the hardest I ever thought I would walk.


    As the miles slowly passed beneath me, my mind wandered to the options available to me. My skills meant I wouldn''t go hungry. I could always join a thieves guild as a cleaner. Maybe start my own guild. Or if I felt really enterprising I could go straight and find a honest job to work, like a farmer or blacksmith.


    Knowledge of the poisons meant I could become an herbalist or alchemist. It was safe to say I wasn''t too concerned. When I finally decided to rest for the night I was able to find a small inn on the side of the road I traveled. It was rather cozy, named The Cunning Duck, and entered to see it with only a few patrons.


    I walked up to the bar and gave a grin. It felt like my face was cracking. I had never made the gesture in quite a while, felt alien. It dropped from my face as quick as it formed. "Greetings stranger. What can I get you today?" The innkeeper gave a friendly enough smile. He was cleaning a glass, and offered a small menu.


    "I will have the stew and bread with a pint of ale." I placed the coins on the bar and went to a table in the back of the inn. Pulling the hood of my cloak over my head I tucked myself into my corner and waited for my meal. The few patrons came and went without anyone concerned about me. I was resting my eyes when the sound of food steps approached my table.


    Lifting my eyes, the bowl and plate was left with my glass and the waitress left without a word. The stew was as good as any you find at a roadside inn. The meat was seasoned strong and the broth warm to heat a weary body. The bread crust was crunchy and flaky but moist inner bread that melted in the mouth.


    A bit of butter rounded it all together to make the meal enjoyable. I was scooping up the last of my stew with the last bite of bread when the inn door opened with a bang. From the light outside it was dark and the men were laughing and rowdy. The group spread around the open tables and began barking orders to the innkeeper.


    I got a refill to my ale and decided to nurse the drink and stay up a bit longer. The men were loud and grabbed at the waitress. The innkeeper tried to get order to the patrons. The waitress was forced into a lap and as she fought, the men laughed. Lewd comments about sharing her were shouted. The men seemed to ignore the patrons and myself. I was about to just leave when a splash of purple caught my sight. It felt like my body was struck by a bolt of lightning. The men continued pulling at the waitress.


    Her purple hair standing out in the crowd of men holding on to her. My body reacted on its own. I moved through the men silently and grabbed the one holding her. It was fast and nobody reacted as the man fell to the floor in a broken chair, the girl tucked safely into my arms. My hood still over my face, obscuring the details of my features. She let out a heavy breath and looked at me and then the man.


    "Listen here buddy. You might be new to these parts. We just having our fun. She don''t mind. We payed for it after all." This came from a man with a barrel chest and thick arms like the neck of an ox. Easing the woman to stand by me I positioned myself in front of her. My hands moved fast. In the blink of an eye one of my many daggers buried itself into the shoulder of Ox.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    He swung at the force of the blow and stumbled over his fallen companion. As I was reaching for another dagger, the woman grabbed my hand. "No more fighting. Please. I don''t want anyone getting hurt and the inn doesn''t need to be damaged." I kept my hand on the dagger but didn''t move to attack again. I looked at everyone and they looked at me.


    The rowdy group were nothing but muscle men. By looks I wouldn''t be surprised if they were bandits. "Funs over. Get out." It was quiet after I spoke. The girl stayed behind me and the men before me. The innkeeper came out and looked at everyone.


    "Wha''s the mean''n of all this?" The innkeeper walked the room and the men seemed to deflate at the sight of him.


    "Ai''it who stabbed Donald?" The men pointed at me and I was rather confused at the turn of events.


    "They were harassing the girl." Even to my own ears it felt like a poor excuse. The innkeeper just began laughing,


    "Harassing her? They treat this girl like family. These guys are regulars and they love annoying the hell out of her by making her uncomfortable."


    My hands wanted to strangle the closest man to me. Taking a few calming breaths I looked at the girl. "This true?" She looked up at me and the moment I saw her gold eyes I knew it was her.


    "Yeah, sorry about the mixup. I tried to tell you." She moved away from me and went to help the two men I attacked. The innkeeper went back to the bar and the men took their seats. They were much more tame now and talked quietly among themselves.


    The one in the chair managed a new seat and Ox returned from the back of the Inn after twenty minutes. It appeared a healer made residence here. A few moments later Blin entered the room again. She was cleaning her hands on a cloth and walking back to the guys.


    "Sorry about that everyone. I don''t know this guy and no idea why he thought to save me." The guys grumbled and decided to leave it at that. They talked and slowly life circled back into the room. Food served, drinks had, and everything seemed to be forgiven.


    As I was about to head to my room, Blin took my hand and led me to the back room. "What was that all about? Who are you?" Blin turned on me and her eyes bore into mine like a hot knife. Her eyes used to shine with mischief and good humor, she was happy with a smile all the time but now.


    Now she looked like a shadow of herself. Her eyes didn''t have a shine. She did not smile, or laugh. Her face looked like she hadn''t felt happy in some time.


    "You know who I am." My hands went to my hood and lowered it to show her my face. She looked at me without recognition at first, but a few moments and a gasp escaped her lips.


    "Ven? Is that really you?" She looked like she wasn''t sure if she wanted to hit me or hug me. "Yes it is me. How are you?" There were a few moments of silence between us. She was inspecting me before she decided to speak.


    "What happened? You just up and disappeared. My father died and nobody found that assassin."


    "You don''t say. That is a shame." I looked at her for any hint or clue as to her knowing it was me. She shifted her weight from one foot to another. She was waiting for something.


    "It is good to see you again Blin. I am sorry they didn''t find the assassin. You seem to be doing well. Why are you here?" Blin moved away and turned her back to me. She held herself before speaking,


    "I am working here just to earn enough to move on. I am a priestess now. I have to do a circuit for my temple to bring healing to our followers." She looked back at me and she was breathtaking. She may of looked sad but it was like something about her pulled at me.


    I nodded and shifted weight myself. It was strange for me. I never felt this self-conscious before. We spoke shortly over the next few minutes. She didn''t lighten up in the slightest. When she went back to work as a waitress any laugh she gave was hollow.


    No smile reached her eyes. It bothered me. I kept an eye on her the rest of the night. I kept to myself in the back corner of the inn. The men were wary now but still had an air of enjoyment about them. Blin came and went serving the tables and cleaning. When the last patron left or turned in for the night, I rose to do the same. Blin was taking back dishes and I decided to help.


    Taking half her load I carried them to the trough in the back room where the cooking is done. Blin wiped down tables and I filled the trough from a well out back. We worked without words, only getting things done.


    As the last plate dried and table clean we turned in. She slept in a small spare room by the bar and I went to my room upstairs. The night was quiet enough. Sleep found me moments after resting my head on the pillow. It felt I was only asleep for seconds when something brought me back.


    Nothing obvious, a soft sound that rang out of place in the still night. A nicker of a horse or the soft whistle of the wind were the only things to disturb the air. So what woke me? I kept my breathing in the same rhythm as one of a sleeping person.


    A soft click came. A tap on the other side of the room. Silence. A rasp of moving air. Then it came louder then the rest. The sound of a sigh. Somebody was in the room with me. I kept very still.


    My hand went under my pillow that held a dagger. I was about to make my move when I froze and my nose flared. I removed my hand from my dagger and relaxed. A moment later a weight was put on my bed. A hand touched my back.

 Chapter 11

    "Are you awake?" The voice was Blin''s. I rolled over and looked at her.


    "What do you want? It''s late." I looked at her and waited for her to speak up.


    She looked at me a bit annoyed, "I can''t sleep and I was hoping we could talk. About what happened." The next few hours we stayed up and talked. At first it was about what we have been doing the last three years, then as she gained courage she asked about what the assassin looked like.  She remembered I told her I saw the face of the man who killed her father, though I was the one who did it.


    I danced around the topic, giving information about what I looked like with a few alterations to not be obvious. It wasn''t long after she fell asleep in my bed. There wasn''t enough room for both of us so I slept in a small chair that was in the room.


    The next morning she was gone and I was a bit later. I came down to the main dinning room and ordered some oatmeal with a glass of mead. I ate and drank when an odd idea popped into my head. I waited for the morning rush and when Blin came to refill my mead I grabbed her hand and made her sit in the chair next to me.


    "What are you doing? I''m working. Now excuse me." She had a look of incredulous indignation on her face. She tried to stand and I forced her to sit again, "You are leaving with me when I am ready. Make sure to have your things packed by then."


    She stared at me with her mouth open. Like a fish stuck out of water. "You are out of your mind. I hardly know you. If you think last night meant anything you are insane. It was just to get more information on my fathers killer." She eyed me and tried to leave again. I stopped her once more.


    "You are coming with me. We will head north and find a village to rest. I have enough money to cover expenses. You can''t fend for yourself. I can protect you. Understand?" She crossed her arms and looked at me.


    "I have been doing fine for three years. I am a trained healer and priestess of Jala. She who makes the world and those in it. I don''t need you. Understand?" She pulled away and left me there. It seemed she still had a backbone from before.


    That didn''t mean I would stop just because she wants to feel independent. I stayed at the inn for another two days. After that I went looking for Blin. I found her washing dishes in the back room and cleaning up the stores. "Time to leave."


    "I told you I am not going with you." "I didn''t say you had a choice. Now let''s go." She looked at me like I grew a second head. She gave up on resisting and went to collect a small bag and the little she owned.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    We were on the road within the hour. She was dressed in a keikogi and hakama. The former is white and the later a mid-colored red. It fit her in a way you would not expect of a priestess. I walked next to her on a main road to a small north city by the name of Sobek. It is a nice enough place known for its fresh fish.


    All kinds came from these ports. I planned on going from this port city, overseas to a larger one. It would be a hard voyage and from there I can hop a ferry to the Silver Isle. My mother told me stories of the isle. It was a mysterious place known for strange things happening, good and bad.


    Various people witnessed beasts and monsters roaming its lands and I always wanted to see them as a kid. Now was as good a time as any. "The Silver isle is nothing but a story to tell small children. There is no such place. You know that right?"


    This was the first time she spoke to me since we left the inn. I could tell she still held a grudge for me. It could not be helped and honestly didn''t matter too much to me. That night we made camp to sleep.


    A small fire was made quickly and we got ready to sleep. The night was cool and crisp. The fire was low and gave enough heat off to keep the worst of the cold at bay. I slept nicely for the first hour. It didn''t take long for that to change. An ill wind blew from the west. It wasn''t cold, but it felt vile. My eyes opened to the darkness. I couldn''t see the hand in front of my face. The darkness ate everything.


    "Discan rei molbor gran." (Listen to me boy)


    "Who is this?" A laugh sounded from deep within my mind. It made my stomach churn. The voice spoke again.


    "Seki. Ven I know you my son. Come to me. You know where to find me." I jolted from my sleep in a cold sweat. Blin laid asleep still nearby. It didn''t seem like she heard anything. Was it just a dream? Or was that voice real? What did it want from me? The more I thought about it I felt the memory slipping away.


    Travel was as hard as predicted. We made it to the port city of Sobek and chartered a boat across the sea. As expected nobody else believed in the Silver Isle. They told me I was insane for even wanting to go to an imaginary place. In the end the captain agreed to take Blin and myself aboard because I was able to pay him.


    I suppose he figured it should not matter what I wasted my money on. We settled into the ship and made ourselves comfortable as we waited.


    Once the wind blew in the right direction the ship began to sail.


    Blin grews restless within no time at all. She sets off on her own to explore the ship. The men take to Blin quickly. She is kind and easy to get along with and making the hard sailors laugh. The captain especially enjoyed her company.


    The ship sailed for days, growing into weeks. With the money I paid I was able to influence the captain in the directions we traveled. After the third month a fierce storm blew in from the south. From the looks of it, this storm was not normal. The waves grew large and violent.


    The wind cut holes in the sails. We were tossed back and forth like rag dolls. Blin screamed as she lost her footing. Sailors were lost to the sea as they fell from the ship, the ocean opening up to devour the lost souls.


    Within minutes the ship split in half and those still holding on to the ship found themselves being drug down. It was the end and nothing to be done about it.

 Chapter 12

    The storm had been rough and taken it''s toll. Very few saw the next sunrise and even fewer ever saw where the vessel had sunk or the survivors washed up on a strange shore. And then there was the massive pain that felt like a Clydesdale tap dancing on my head.


    I did not know how long I was out but I knew It was long enough to grow dehydrated. My eyes cracked open and the skin bled from sand and salt having cemented the soft skin of my eyelids closed. The blood was only a small issue though. As I looked around I realized Blin was not among the bodies on the shore.


    In truth none of the bodies surrounding me were breathing. But that did not stop one or two from stirring. Men once dead slowly began to move their limbs. Carrion birds hunted for flesh. My weakened eyes strained to see what was happening, what unholy acts were occurring? Lifting myself from the sand I stood.


    My hands reflexively went to my hips, in search of weapons no longer there. It seems the sea thought one last cruel joke was taking my weapons. With small movements I began to stretch my muscles to loosen them. The bodies rose and as one, three and a half pairs of eyes looked my way. The eyes, having gone a milky color, held no life in them.


    Their flesh seemed to hand off their bones loose like rags. Each step was a stutter as they moved closer to me. "What madness have I found?" I noticed my tone was slightly unnerved but I felt no fear. "Madness! Madness! Rawwwk!" The words were shouted in a croaking voice. My eyes darted around and landed on a raven as in hopped around the sands. It paid no mind to the bodies and seemed to stare right through me.


    "Madness quoth the raven!" The raven said. It pecked at a shell.


    "Madness quoth the madman!" Before I could reply it took flight as a dead man lunged for it.


    "Lovely." My voice cracked from saltwater drying it out. I took a deep breath and charged the dead. I have been walking the beach of wherever I was for at least six hours. From beginning to now there was only forest leading off of the beach. If I wanted to continue inland I would need to traverse the woods. Not wasting further time I shouldered my way through thick brush and vines.


    The canopy made the undergrowth excessively warm and soon sweat drenched my body. Slow going became slower. Thick vegetation became thicker. It was as if the very forest did not want me to progress. I charged forward trying to press my way through, only to stumble out back onto the beach. To make matters worse I emerged only a good foot from the spot I went in.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The crushed plants clearly visible from where I passed. I let out a loud rawr and cursed the island. "If I found a way to kill you I would." I grumbled. Blin was out there somewhere. I had to find her or her body. Call it honor, a code or whatever, but I wouldn''t lose her. She was mine. "Stupid fucking island." I tried again to breach the forest. It took more time than I would ever admit. I do not get lost. Ever.


    But I made progress just as the sun was going down. As the sun set behind the tallest trees, I found myself pushing out of the jungle and into an open field. It was more like a valley. Looking around if gave clear view of a mountain range to the north, the forest behind me to the south, a river to the east the sun gave a silver glow to with its light, and to the west had.... Nothing.


    It was actual nothing. Like the world itself ended the moment the valley decided it wanted to stop. In the center of the valley was a collection of ten houses. A fire was burning bright in the center. From my position it seemed like figures moved around the fire. Shadows danced among the flames and I made my way closer. The village was small, but the people were more diverse than I have ever seen. All of them were varied: short, tall, fat, skinny.


    But that was not all. They had skins of various colors and some had extra limbs. One person had a third eye, or only a single eye. My breath held in my throat and I looked like any fool I had seen visiting the cities for the first time. Quickly I changed my features to seem unsurprised and passive. I moved through the people fluidly.


    Hawkers yelled their wears.


    "Fish for sell!"


    "We have Chickens!..."


    "Bangles and rings..."


    "Weapons..." The village was rather enjoyable with all the people and oddities.


    "It is real." I let a small smile escape, "The Silver Isles." Green men, large and angry grunted by. I knew orcs, having killed them as a child. One ran their shoulder into me purposefully.


    "Move it shrimp." He grunted. His tusks were cut to have a serrated edge to it. My body was strong and firm. The shoulder connected and stopped. The large orc was surprised and tried again. The other two orcs looked at their friend,


    "What are you playing with that thing?" Before the orc could answer I replied first, "Haven''t killed one of you since I was a child. Wanted to see if you are any stronger."


    The orcs were shocked and grew angry. The one pushing against me backed away for more room to fight. Each orc stood six feet tall. Muscles covered the body. Orcs looked like large humans with tusks and green skin, these no different from the orcs back home.


    The only difference was hair. These orcs had hair on their heads while the ones I knew where generally bald. Two had black hair and one had a whitish silver color. The latter seemed to be their leader.


    My eyes grew hooded and my body relaxed. Hands curled into fists since my knives were lost to me. "Allow me to greet you all properly."

 Chapter 13

    For a moment the orcs stared dumbfounded. They were never the quickest race when it came to thought. But like all orcs, none would back down to a small human. Their tusked mouths grew tight as their eyes filled with their usual bloodlust. Two spread out, one on either side of the road we stood on and their elder member took position on the center of the road.


    "Alright pink one. Do not blame us if you die." One said. His meaty fists cracking as he prepared. I will say one good thing about orcs.


    Unlike humans they took pride in their skills of combat. From birth they were raised to fight and die. These three were no different, they were like me in this way. Or is it more that I am like them. No matter. With a snarl the left orc attacked. His swing going wide as I ducked beneath his reach.


    My feet pounded the dirt as I charged for the Elder of the race and jumped into the air, feet leading the way. The Elder took my blow and stumbled back. My body pushing off his with a backflip to land in a crouch before him. His feet moved to keep under him and I darted to sweep his leg. The Elder fell with a thud as the Right orc made to kick my lowered frame.


    I rolled to the side and his partner took the chance to land a punch to my ribs as I gained my feet. There was a wet snap and pain filled my body. My breathing came in a sharp gasp. I knew right away something broke in my side, maybe a few ribs.


    Seemed the Island folk were stronger than their mainland counterparts. I would kill for my knives at this moment. Or better yet, a rabbit. Twisting away from the orc I brought an arm around to connect solidly with the arm that connected with me.


    He howled in pain as his elbow gave way and I capitalized by jumping on him and continuing my assault to his face. Fun fact when punching an orc with serrated tusks. If you miss your attack, or he remembers his natural weapons, your fist will lose if he turns his head. It was only pure luck that the tusk did not completely move through my hand as any knife would have.


    At the last moment I let my fist go limp and it bent painfully under the impact of the blunted tusk. In revenge I grabbed the tusk and used my other hand to begin pounding the sides of it until it gave way from the soft meat holding it in place. I jumped back as the orc swatted at his face, yelling and howling from the pain.


    Armed with my new weapon I moved to my next target. The elder had regained his feet and was charging. I swung my arm and pierced the orc in the arm. His charge continued and he tackled me to the ground. His meaty fists descended upon me with ferocity one would expect from a breed of warriors.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    The first few hits were ignored, but the third, fourth, fifth. They were felt. I felt my nose give under the barrage and blood pour from the wound. I ground my teeth and grabbed an arm to latch on and bite. The Orc howled again and tried to beat me away.


    His fellows moved to assist and my hands moved of their own accord. With my hand arranged as a blade it lashed forward against the gut of the orc and I felt something give. The orc gave a grunt of pain and looked down in surprise. I followed his gaze and saw my hand had entered the body.


    A blackness swirling the impact site and seemed to slowly crawl up the orcs body. The orc pulled himself away but as my hand receded, the blackness stretched from my bladed hand to the open wound. Blood didn''t spill out as I had expected.


    "What are you doing to me?" The Elder shouted. He looked at the shadow as it began moving faster and then began racing through his body. He yelled like demons were ripping him apart. His fellow orcs looked on with shock and fear. The Elder cried and pleaded for whatever was happening to end.


    But I had no idea what was happening, or what I did. How did I stop it? Would it be safe to touch anything with that hand? May make relieving myself difficult. The blackness formed veins on the body as it moved through the blood, if I had to guess.


    The blackness reached the head and filled the eyes and a strange thought occurred to me.


    Decide. Slave. Death


    My mind raced and admittedly I was curious. I thought a moment as the orcs went to inspect the Elder of their group.


    I thought, Slave.


    The next thing I saw, the blackness raced through the orcs body completely covering him as if he stood inside the mouth of a cave. When the blackness released itself from the orc, it seemed to drip off of him. What appeared was an orc with greyed skin, almost black, and tusked sharpened like no orc I have seen before. His hands were clawed and his eyes a pitch black.


    He looked at me emptily. His wound had sealed and from what I saw didn''t seem harmed in any way. I stood from my prone position and regarded the new events.


    Slave Master. I looked at the orc. Was he my slave? What was the voice? The Blackness? I looked at the elder. "Bow to me." The orc immediately crossed his fist over his chest and bowed his head as orcs did to their betters. The other two jumped back and looked at him in horror. I looked at the orcs just as surprised.


    Spread Master? Something questioned me. What was happening to me? I dumbly nodded my head and the Orc Elder lunged at his fellows. His tucks gored one in the neck and the clawed hand racked the arm of the other. Like before blackness consumed them and they too changed. They became the same grey/black Orc as their Elder. The orc with the tusk ripped out had a replacement. A black tusk had grown and both were long and sharp.


    They gave the same salute as the elder once the conversion was complete. "What in the Hells have I done?"

 Chapter 14

    The blackness spread in a way that seemed alive, the converted Orcs stood before me and I stood there unmoving. My mind raced as I tried to figure out what in the world I have just done. The Orcs stood before me with a slight sway but no other movement. They were silent and their bodies did not even seem to be breathing.


    "What is going on here? Did I really just take control of Orcs?" I was speaking to myself but one of the black skinned brutes grunted. "You did. We live to serve your will Master."


    My mind seemed to split. My stomach sank and I wanted to throw up. I am many things but mind control was something that turned my soul.


    I stood and turned to leave the orcs behind, unfortunately they followed me through the streets. Many eyed me as the orcs did not appear as the green skinned kin they were used to.


    I moved into a tavern to drown myself in ale. The orcs barged in and forced a table to be evacuated. "A seat Master." The orcs seated themselves at the table and I moved to a different one.


    The orcs grunted and joined me moments later.


    "The hells have I done? What was that Darkness?" The orcs ignored my talking. I knew they had no idea. I was mostly talking to myself. It was all I could do.


    I needed to find Blin. With luck she was sitting pretty with servants again. No she is a priestess, she will be helping urchins. I was just about to make my way out to explore this new land when a really angry voice burst out.


    "Why the hell be Orcs wrecking me bar!" An angry dwarf came from behind the bar. A Blunderbuss in his hands stared me down.


    "Shite." I looked at the man.


    "Master Dwarf please ease your temper." I made to move slowly up. The orcs growled and looked at the angry barkeep.


    "Keep your pets on leash boy. Whats wrong with em? Why are they black? The plague?"


    I shook my head and for a moment i forgot who I was. Then with a snap I remembered.


    I was Ven. A master assassin and feared by those who had trained me. Why was I acting like a coward? My arm lowered and I straightened. Something must have shown in my eyes because the Dwarf gulped.


    "Listen now buddy. I be wanting no trouble. You and yours leave and nothing need doing." I looked him in the eyes and decided to not make a scene. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I moved silently and left the tavern. The orcs followed with grunts and growls.


    I paused and looked at the orcs.  "Have you seen a woman with odd features around? New and beautiful." The orcs stood silently and looked at each other.


    "Master. No females have been seen that is odd or new. How did this female appear? Does she smell like you?"


    I paused a moment. I had forgotten orcs had strong senses.


    "Unfortunately no. But she smells of Lavender." The orcs grunt and nod.


    "We will look for scent Master."  The orcs split up and headed in different directions of the town. Taking my chance I made for the village gates and ran.


    Something deep inside me was calling. A pull and a drive I had never felt the like before. My eyes moved over the ground and I began to feel like myself. A laugh escaped my lips and I realized it was the first laugh in years.


    My feet carried me up to a rise in the hills and I looked around for the first time. I was lost but I did not care.


    The sky was filled with stars and and I noticed a light moving through the nebulas. Thats right, there was a nebula in the sky. And a second moon in the sky.


    "I was not expecting that." It was gorgeous. The first moon is large and beautiful with a sheen of gold on the rims. The second moon is smaller and with a Silver sheen.


    There was a strobe and the night seemed to change. The ground is bathed in silver light and that made everything glow violet.


    "A Planar night. Beautiful isn''t it? Happens once every hundred years or so." The voice was close. Somehow I let myself get distracted and allowed someone to get close to me. Thrass would have killed me.


    Looking over, there was a man in robes. Silver hair and eyes. His skin was tanned lightly and something about it made me uneasy.


    "Hello there Child. Welcome to the Isle. I am glad I found you." The man smiled and would not look at me. He kept his eyes on the moon.


    The sky shifted again and new stars filled up the night. A planet ringed with massive ice-like structures. Even where I stood I could see that.


    "This occures every hundred years?" I asked. He was not a threat yet. But my body was now on high alert.


    "Who are you? How did you sneak up on me?" I felt something move and the shadows around me seemed to grow darker. Something moving in the shadows. Something was watching us.


    "You feel them don''t you?" The robed man smiled. "The shadows. The darkness. They react to you. I am very glad I found you."


    For the first time he turned and looked at me.


    "Welcome home Dashin. Glad to see you well."


    "Dashin. I feel I heard that word before. What is that?"


    "Dashin. A Dashin is a Shadowling. A Voidwalker. One who is the master of Shadows."


    I lifted a brow. That told me nothing and actually made me a bit annoyed.


    "Use common please. I can not see what you are talking about." He noded.


    "You are of the shadows. Or a Shadow Demon. Before you worry, it is not Demons in the same regard. They are Entities and creatures. Demons are of the Infernal and Abyssal planes of existance. The Shadows, or Daishin are beings of the Shadow or Umber Plane. You are the spawn of one such Entity. I suppose your mother or father had an ancestor that can be placed to the Umber."


    "Father. My mother was a human. It might explain a few things. What if one of my parents was a pure Umber?"


    The robed man stroked his chin. "Hmm. I suppose the two halves would war and fight for control."


    I was growing concerned. "That sounds rather bad." He noded. "So who are you anyways?"


    "I am an Umbre Priest. My name is Varol. A pleasure Child."