"In the smoke we see visions of our future."
In the trances, he could see anything.
He saw a lost prince, running from the blazing palace of Alamut, running from his brothers, running from himself. Confused and hurt, the wound of treachery was still new in his heart.
The Dagger – and a tiny part of the Sand of Time- was among his possessions, and for that (and his newfound knowledge) he had to die.
But he saw another destiny closely linked to young Dastan's life.
He was both amazed and amused since the companion was a girl (barely a woman), and she dared to oppose and sacrifice anything and anybody for an ancient object.
Such a foolish little girl.
Their first encounter was quick; but the memory haunted him more than he would have ever imagined.
Princess Tamina had a royal, almost divine appearance, and in the dust (blood and death) she stood steady, pale with anger and hate. He let his eyes trail on her features, and he was pleased to see the Dagger hanging on her dainty waist.
But high-priestess Tamina did not surrender. She drew a bloody sword out from a corpse and attacked him (the messenger of death) with a feral scream.
He laughed at her tauntingly.
His snakes were trained to kill their pray slowly and painfully.
But he spared the life of the girl.
Not that he felt sorry or remorse (he sneered at the thought) but he liked the idea of her alive.
"What about the princess of Alamut?"he asks Nizam, who swore loudly in Persian after the theft.
"Do what you want! "he spat.
He licked his lips.
Tamina never saw death before.
She had lived in the palace, where she watched people who were full of life and brightness, and her home was safe, her family loving.
But Persia came. Persia destroyed. Persia brought death and sorrow and left nothing but a distant feeling of hope.
The Dagger must remain a secret.
You shall protect it with your life.
That is your destiny. Your fate. Your path.
The leader of these unknown demons is merciless. His eyes are cold blue, his face is almost white and he talks and moves like a snake. So when Dastan is carried away to Nizam, and no one remains with her, she stares at the tall creature before her and tries her best to hide her fear.
"What would you do for your sacred relic?" the man –later, when he whispers things in her ears, and she lets his hands wander around her body, he will introduce himself as Zolm- asks, head titled, eyes strangely burning.
You must do everything possible to fulfill your duty.
So she drops her head and accepts her destiny.