Sometime in the Past

The boy struggled against his bonds, but could not free himself. He bumped his head roughly into a wall, stifling a gasp of pain. His hands reached out to feel his way. The wall was smooth and slightly wet. Imust have been a cave, but he knew all the caves around the city of thieves...didn't he?

He was kicked to the ground roughly by his captor. He used his hands to brace his fall, feeling a soft rug instead of a hard dirt floor. Someone else in the room spoke words in a language he couldn't recognize. Suddenly the room was thrown into harsh light. The bow threw his hands up to protect his eyes. Torches hung in braziers around the cave had burst to life with an emerald flame. His eyes adjusted quickly to the light and he finally got a look at his abductor.

The creature was a extremely tall, at least three times taller than the boy. He wore gray cloths wrapped around his midsection, hands, feet, and face, leaving his dull read skin showing everywhere else. His eyes were narrow slits of red that glared menacingly down at him. The boy gave a surprised sound and tried to crawl away from the lanky creature.

"If you are to die today boy, then at least do it with some dignity." A raspy voice mocked from behind him. He spun around on the floor to come face to face with the speaker.

It was an old man, stooped and withered with age. He was leaning heavily on a thick wooden cane that was notched and carved with various symbols. The old mans eyes sparkled with life, however, belying a vitality that went against his appearance. The old man motioned for the boy to stand up, which he did shakily.

"Never in all the years, in all the lands of Ooo, has anyone ever taken Scorcher's parting message from him. Tell me, boy, what possessed you to steal it?"

It took the child a few seconds to realize that he had been asked a question. It took him a few more to summon up his voice.

"It...it was important to him." He said, not daring to look up at the old man.

A moment of silence passed.

"Is that all?" The old man said, slightly bored.

"Everyone else in the city was afraid of him!" The boy said, a mental dam suddenly bursting into a flood of words. "An outsider ought to have everything stolen from them, but no body was making a move. If he had so much power, then I needed it. So I stole the one thing I saw him keep. That way, I could have that same power and fear. I could make everyone leave me alone, too!" The boy seemed exhausted after the display and slumped against the wall.

The old man's eye were wide with surprise. He then began to chuckle, a low wheezing sound that made the boy's flesh goosebump.

"That kind of fear is not simply stolen. It is earned," He turned to stare directly at the boy, his eyes shining black "Scorcher earns his reputation over a countless number of bodies, targets given to him for his association with The Guild. A family you may now join, should you wish."

The got himself under composure, as much as an eight year old could. He looked straight at the old man, puffed his chest out bravely and nodded.

A family.

Finally.

Years Later

The initiates formed a circle around the Grandmaster. There were eight of them. All young, from all races of Ooo. Behind them stood their trainers, full members of the Guild. Many held an air of pride about them, glad that their young charges were going to see the beginnings of their years of toil come to fruition. Some maintained stoicism, keeping their demeanor as befitted an assassin. Scorcher didn't look any different then usual. He never looked different. He merely crossed his arms where he stood and stared straight ahead at his young charge.

The boy had taken to dressing in black which made it easier for him to sneak about in the shadows. He wore simple garb, clothes over a steel breastplate to protect himself. Black rags wrapped around his hands and feet, steel shin guards and arm guards. He wore a mask like his mentor, although the boy's only covered his mouth and nose, leaving his shaggy black hair exposed. On his back he wore his favorite weapon, a black, single edged blade. The boy went nowhere without it.

The apprentices were all kneeling before the center piece of the circle, the Grandmaster himself. He was seated on a stone throne that was carved from the very rock of the room. The entire citadel was hollowed from the mountain itself. The master spoke in the same raspy tone that he had when the boy was first inducted.

"You may feel some joy at surviving your training. You may feel pleasure in your accomplishments, that you have made it this far." The old man gave a chuckle that was without mirth. The torches surrounding them all began to dim as he continued to speak. "You have done nothing that thousands of others have not. You will be tested, you will be trained, and you will be sent to kill. Once you succeed, you will be treated as a brother or sister of the Guild. We shall all rise or fall as one. Until that point, you are second class assassins. You are but fodder for us."

The lights were snuffed at once, bathing the room in darkness. Eventually the torches were re-lit by their teachers, who then left, one at a time. They left their charges to the teachers of guild. The boy strained to see Scorcher leave, but his master had already vanished. Several of the other students began to make their way out of the chamber, to explore the citadel's grounds. The boy stayed behind, lost in thought. He had been with Scorcher for so long, learning, training, and watching hits from the shadows. He was worried about failing here, outside of Scorcher's teachings. He was worried about bringing shame upon his master.

Suddenly, there was a sound behind him. He whirled, ready for anything. Could the training have already began with him being caught unaware?

Instead, he saw another second class assassin. A girl, about his age. She was tall and lanky, like him, but that was where the comparison ended. She wore a simple gray robe, which seemed to highlight her soft teal skin. Her hair was constantly in motion, making a little wave from her scalp that ended at her shoulders, continually flowing. Her green eyes widened for a second when she caught the boy looking at her. She tried to stifle her chuckles.

"I'm sorry... its just... he said 'butt fodder.'" She said, and burst into another fit of giggles. The boy hadn't heard someone laugh like that in a long time. A smile crept up under his masked face and he began to laugh too. They laughed in the shadows for a good while, releasing the tension that had been building since the beginning of their day of acceptance into the Guild. Finally the laughter died down. The girl extended her hand.

"My name is Mel." She said, smiling. The boy was suddenly very glad of his mask, hiding his reddening face. Her smile was the prettiest thing he had ever seen. He took her hand in his.

"I'm Kess."