I'm Not Ready to Die

I approach my target silently. He has no idea what is about to befall him; death. He finally feels that I am watching him and starts to turn around.

"Is that you-," he starts, but does not finish, for he now has a blade protruding from his throat. He tries to speak, but his fatal wound keeps him from doing so.

"Do not worry. You will soon die," I say. I remove the blade from his now blood-soaked body and leave the scene, for the guards will be here soon, and I would not want to be seen at the place of his death.

I escape quietly and return to the castle, where I rest up and prepare for my next assignment. After all, I am an assassin; it is my job to kill people. My next target is a lord of some sort. I head to the farrier, so that he can take a look at my horse. He gives her new shoes and then we are off to the blacksmith. She said that she had a special new sword for me.

"Malaysia, are you there?" I enter the enormous building that is the blacksmith's shop and home.

"Aless? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. I'm here for that new sword you said you had for me."

"Oh, yes," she says as she comes out of the back. "Come with me."

She leads me into the back room, where she keeps all of the materials for the forge. I look around the spacious room, wondering what she has in store for me.

"Hmm, ah, right here," she says while handing me one of the most beautiful swords I have ever seen. I take it from her hand gingerly and weigh it; it is perfectly balanced, at least, for me. I like them a little end-weighted. It is curved with a deadly looking edge, as if you just looked at it, it would cut you open and gut you. I notice that it also has some red engravings on it that look like dragons.

"How much," I breathe, afraid that if I speak, this will disappear. It is almost mesmerizing, for I cannot look away from its beauty.

"Nothing. It's yours. But you must promise to use it aplenty. It is a living blade, and thirsts for blood."

"I will," I say, not taking my eyes from my new companion.

"Good, I knew you would." I feel her looking at me, and I try to look back at her but fail miserably; the sword has too much hold over me. She waves her hand in front of my face, breaking me out of my trance.

"Where did you get this?"

"A trader brought it to me, said that it was meant for someone who would use it to kill. It sounded almost like the sword was cursed or something."

"I shall go test it out then. I will use it on this assignment."

"Who is it?"

"Lord Talal," I explain.

"Lord Talal? Lord Talal of Baskarr?"

"Yes. How do you know of him?"

"Oh, Aless, you must be very careful of this man! He is very dangerous. He has spies everywhere; they are made up of the unfortunate souls to cross him!" She was looking very flustered, so I try to comfort her by saying:

"I will be fine, Malaysia."

"I know. You are the best, after all. I just worry about you."

"You wouldn't be my friend if you didn't." I give her a hug to reassure her before I leave. Assassins are only cold to people they don't like. We can actually be very friendly, if you give us a chance and no reason for us to kill you.

I arrive at Talal's estate at dusk. It is hardest to see at this time, but I am used to it and it helps to cloak me. The servants have just started to go into their shacks after a long day of no doubt grueling work. I slip past a dilapidated shack with a very sick-looking man entering it when I hear someone shout.

"Assassin! Angel of Death! She has come to kill us all!"

Before anyone else has a chance to see me, I slip quickly away into the night. I can still hear the seemingly crazy man shouting. Stupid man, I think. Why would I want to kill you? You are of no importance. No, I am here for your master. If you like though, I can end your life too. Maybe I should. No, I tell myself, trying to slink further into the night, away from all of the people.

As I near his palace, I start to feel as if I am being watched. I continue forward but start to feel uneasy. I look around, but find nothing. There is something wrong here. I finally sneak up to the palace and climb in through a window. Now to just find you, I think to myself. I round a corner and almost smack right into a servant of the house but check myself just in time to stay hidden. I quietly make my way up the staircase to what I hope is his bedroom. The door is open slightly and I slip in…

It has now become dark outside and I slowly slither towards the bed. He is not in it, but I feel his presence in the room. I find him by the window, looking out across the landscape. He will die tonight. I creep up to his unsuspecting form.

"Talal," I whisper. "You will die tonight."

"No, Aless. I am afraid it is you who will die tonight." And with that, he turns around and drives a blade through my chest. It startles me. How did he know my name? "You wish to know how I knew your name, yes?" I don't respond. "I'm sure you do. Your reputation precedes you, my child. You really ought to take more time in making your assassinations a secret."

"B-but-," I splutter, unable to speak, due to the fact that he was holding a knife in my chest.

"Do not speak. You will waste your breath, but do not worry, you will not soon die. You see, this blade that is embedded in your chest is the companion blade to the blade you have strapped to your hip. Your sword indeed has a curse on it, for since you arrived here, it has been calling out to mine. I had that trader give the sword to that blacksmith of yours, knowing that she would give it to you."

"So I g-g-g-," I try to speak but it is hard enough to breathe, let alone talk.

"And when you felt someone was watching you? You were right, for you were being watched all this time. Ever since you killed that man in the alley." I open my eyes wide, stunned that I had been followed that easily. "Oh, don't look so surprised. You practically leave a trail of blood after you kill someone; I'm amazed that you haven't been caught before." He sighs. "Enough rambling though, time for you to die."

"But, I-I-I'm not ready to die."

"I know, child. None of us are ever really ready to die. Do not worry yourself too much though; you will soon re-awaken as one of my knights. After all, that is what this blade does. I'm not sure what yours does, but we shall find out soon enough." He twists the dagger in my chest…

"Bring her back to her castle. Let her wreak death and destruction on those she once served."

"Yes, master."

I open my eyes to the brightness of the sun in the sky. It looks as if it is dawn. I shut them quickly though, because it is so bright.

"Get me some help!" I hear shouting.

"Oh, my God. It's Aless! Go get help!"

I look upon the unfamiliar people before me. They will die today. I lunge toward them with my sword drawn…

A/N Hi. This is my first story on here and it took me a while to figure out how to do this. I hope it was alright. I think some of it is actually a little humorous, but whatever. Altair should be in the next and final one.