"Move faster you idiot or your enemies will cut you down!" the training master shouted as I ducked a blade sailing just above my head. Tucking and rolling I went to retrieve the weapon I'd just been disarmed from only to sense an attack coming from my side. Spinning, the blade of a spear narrowly cut my clothing, but caught no skin to my relief; those things were dipped in poison wouldn't you guess. Gripping the pole of the spear I, kicked the handler, ducked once again and pivoted left to avoid the sword from earlier, spun around with the spear in my hands. Even with my adrenaline pumping I stopped the swinging motion of my spear from slicing the head off of my attacker. "Finish him." I glanced at the training master and then back to my sparring partner. His eyes showed no fear as if he too thought that losing this battle should cost him his life as well. Through labored breath, I took a deep sigh and lowered my weapon away from his throat.
"No." Was my response. A few years ago this caused the training master to become furious and beat me within an inch of my life; but now years later, all he did was flush red with anger and place his hand on the spiked whip attached to his hip. I dropped the spear into the sand and moved out of the room before he could say anything else.
Even after twenty years living in this hellhole, training every day to become a hassansin, I refused to take a life without justification; this didn't make me very popular among my elders or peers. I wondered why they even bothered keeping me around sometimes. Movement from above caught my eye and I glanced upward to see our leader looking down at me with a quizzical look.
"What?" My voice was cold. Ever since the Zolm had died, his son had taken up management and seemed to have some sort of fascination with me, one that was not very welcomed.
"You never kill. Yet you are hassansin. Is your job description not TO kill?" He asked in a low steady voice.
"Well this wasn't my first career choice to be honest." I responded curtly walking away, not really wishing to have yet another argument about my kill quota. I don't belong here. All I'd ever wanted to do was escape, hell I even tried a few times when I was younger, but was captured and once again beaten. I had been raised in here, yet was never truly apart of the scenery; I failed as a woman hassansin, to seduce men and slit their throats once they are asleep, so the masters opted to place me with the men in strength training instead. Which was great for me, but not so much for them; being a woman I was more nimble and quick, relying on my speed and cunning rather than strength as most of the men did. This made me the best potential killer the hassansins had, that is if I would kill.
I moved through the mud house, taking many twist and turns only relying on my own memory of these hallways. Since hassansins were meant to be disbanded our homes and hideouts had moved underground deep within cities or in the many caves of our region. The cold air gradually became warmer as I moved toward the surface and I removed the black cloak that I had draped myself in during my spar. Emerging from the dark cave into the midday sun light I closed my eyes and looked at the scenery laid out before me.
Rolling barren lands stretched out as far as the eye could see; to the east only a tiny blimp of Avrat could been seen, humbling the massive Persian capital that it was. Moving my eyes farther south, if you were to stare hard enough it was said that you may even see the highest spire of Alamut, but no matter how closely I looked I was never able to see that spire. A rogue breeze drifted down into the cave causing a few strands of my blonde hair to move in front of my face, probably the most notable thing about me- my long blonde hair. Mostly in this region you will find dark brown or black hair, but my blonde hair told me that where ever I came from it clearly wasn't this country.
"Laleh;" A man's voice brought me back to reality. "Balthazar would like to see you in his chambers." I grunted in response, and listened as the messenger walked off. Ever since I had turned eighteen this leader was constantly trying to get me to sleep with him. I had a feeling tonight he would ask once again, he usually did once a month, but this time was different. Something in the air made me feel uneasy, as if tonight would happen even against my wishes. Just the thought alone was enough to make my hair stand up on edge.
I glanced once more off into the distance, watching the sun slowly fall down onto the horizon changing the sky from blue to red. So many times I stood in this spot and thought about just leaving and never looking back, but something always stopped me from taking that first step down the mountain side. Maybe it was the thought that even if I left I would be hunted down and brought back…but I was stronger now than last time. I turned to walk back into the cave, my feet moving as fast as boulders and my head flying away into that setting sun…I stopped. Looking forward into the darkness I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I jumped.
Wind whistled past my ear and scenery blended into a haze of neutral colors as I practically flew down the hill. Loose gravel kicked out under my feet, racing me down the hill as if it knew the trouble that would follow behind me in the next few hours; but I dared not look back. There was only one way out now and it lay expanded out ahead, ready for the taking. Dodging large rocks that jutted out from bellow the mountain side, more and more gravel joined in my decent creating a dust cloud and some noise. Fear crept into the pit of my stomach, and my head told me to slow down or someone would notice all the extra noise, but I knew if I stopped even for a moment I would never make it. Tearing my eyes away from the slanted decent I could see the flat hard ground roll out not far from where I was; I've almost made it!
At last my feet touched down upon solid earth upon which I only took but a second to draw a new breath before turning toward the setting sun as quick as my own feet would carry me. I hadn't even the slightest idea where I was going, but from past experiences I'd learned to avoid any nearby villages; they were loyal followers of the Hassansins way and would just as quickly turn me over as they would take me in. The desert was just as malicious; traveling caravans were known for picking up lost wanders, but worse of all were the slave traders and raiders who called this desert their own. Fate would seem to be against me in any case, though I was lucky to at least have my speed. May be if I was lucky I would be able to out run anyone I came across. That is if they didn't have a horse, then I would be completely screwed.
After an hour of aching, bleeding feet I stopped to rest, hoping that I'd given myself enough of a head start. Through labored breath I glance back toward the mountain I'd just left, and was pleased that, even in the darkness it was nothing more than an unimpressive hill. Was it always that small? I placed my hands on my head to open up my lungs and gather more breath, preparing for another long stretch of running. In my hour of running I'd realized that I would never truly be safe from the Hassansin leader- that he would continue to hunt me till the day I went to meet the maker. Rolling my neck I turned around to continue forward only to come face to chest with a massive man.
"Shit." I went to move sideways only to find my path blocked by another giant figure, and two more covered my back and right, creating the human box. Now on a normal circumstance I would have no trouble dispatching these human walls; however I was unarmed and only ever so exhausted from my run. "Gentlemen. Maybe we can talk about this like civilized people?" I tried to reason, but a quick blow to the back of my neck told me these men were beyond reasoning as I fell into the smelly, hairy chest of the man who stood in front of me. My only regret; the smell of sweat would having been the last thing I had smelt before possibly meeting my doom.
"Is she dead?"
"It took them three days to throw out the last dead body, remember? You know they fed it to their dogs, right?"
"That's disgusting."
"Shh! It looks like she's waking up." Sure enough my eyes slowly opened to be greeted by a few other pairs, illuminated only by a faint light somewhere off in the distance. Pain radiated at the base of my skull where I had been knocked out, but I still attempt to gather a look at my settings.
I looked up; unable to see stars ahead, concluded that I was in a box of some sort, but one that was still exposed to the elements. I moved my fingers along the floor, and found moist straw as well as a hard metal cooled to my touch. How cheery- a metal box. Whoever these guys were they were professionals; wood boxes could easily be broken when enough forces was applied in the right areas, thus allowing all of the merchandise to run freely away into the night.
"Are you alright child?" A woman's voice asked in a hushed whisper. I rolled my head in her general direction.
"Well," I took a breath "I'm alive if that's what you mean. However being captured by slave traders wasn't very high on my list of things to do today." I only then realized that my knees bent till the point where I could feel the back of my heels resting against my butt. Oh, and it's a small metal cage. Even better. Wishing to not take up anymore room I sat up, despite the throbbing in my head.
The women moved aside so that I might lean up against the bars of our enclosure, a welcomed gesture. The cold metal bar pressed against my spine was of some minor relief to the pain. Looking around I counted at least five women and two small girls, some of their clothes torn in places while others had tear stains running down their cheeks. Oh all the things in the world slave traders where the cruelest; sometimes they would kidnap unsuspecting women out of fields or roads to sell off for harems and brothels. But the children had it the worse; they would be sold to bidders who had a desire for the flesh of, well, young girls.
"Why were you traveling alone in such a dangerous place?" One of the women inquired. "Especially dressed the way you are." True enough for most women the way I was dressed might be considered provocative, but for me it was what I would wear for training; a red skin tight shirt paid with a pair of dark brown leather pants that stopped just about my knee. Over the pants I wore a loose tan pants duster sort of deal, with the inner legs being cut out so that it allowed for more mobility. Dirty bandages wound themselves up my shins, only allowing for minor protection against lower attacks.
"I was leaving an even more dangerous place, trust me."
Just then one of the slave captors seemed to notice our discussion and began to limber over in the way only a massive human being could.
"Quit yer yammering little birdies." His breath stank of alcohol as he pounded his meaty fist against the metal bars. The other women and girls squealed cowering as the metal cage vibrated from the fist, but I remained unfazed which only seemed to annoy the slaver more. "Eh, you. With the white hair." He pointed a finger that was the width of a small branch at me through the metal bars. I rolled my head to the side to look into his small black eyes. "You have a nice face, be a shame," he placed a hand on the dagger that was attached at his hip "to leave a mark on it."
"I'd like to see you try." His look was one of complete dumbfound-ment, as if he wasn't sure he'd properly heard the worlds that had come out of my mouth just a moment before. The women looked at me as if I'd had a death wish or something and I'll admit- I was feeling a bit feed up with this hindrance. "Why don't you let me out of this cage and we can settle this-" the scream that parted from his lips in the next moment made my heart falter. Too late.
Before any of the man's comrades come even grab their weapons, shadows moved across the campsite, silently slitting each of their throats. Glistening red blood stained the sand as the fire continued to dance, the shadows moving about coming closer to the metal cage. Terrified the women moved inward away from the bars hoping that may be that would keep them safe, only I knew better than to pray for hope now.
Without warning the door to the cage swung open, causing the women to scream and huddle even closer together, but after a moment nothing happened. A brave woman stuck her head up above the rest, and when she saw nothing happening beyond the swinging door, crept forward.
"No! It is a trap! A demon's working." Warned another woman, grabbing her hand.
"It's no demon- it's a chance to get out while you can." I spoke calmly not moving from my own location, knowing if I made a move for that door it'd probably be my last. "I would take it." I looked into each of their eyes, to solidify my point. Turns out no one needed to be told twice. As the final woman moved to the entrance she stopped and glanced back at me.
"Are you not coming child?"
"No. Put as much distance between you and this place a fast a possible. Don't look back. Don't stop running. Keep going- no matter what you understand?" Her brown eyes studied me for a long moment before she too hopped down out of the cage and beyond the light of the fire. I watched her go until I could no longer tell the difference between her and the darkness, my heart sinking with each second.
"Very noble of you, to let those women and children go." My voice echoed across the deserted camp. For a moment their came no response, until figures stepped out from the shadows. Their beings seemingly dripping with the darkness from which they just stepped and fresh blood coated their weapons which they held, drawn to the ready at their sides. They stood just out of arms reach from the cage, encircling it each man with a sadistic smile upon his face.
"Noble? My dear Laleh, I think you've got me confused with another man." Balthazar's voice cooed from the shadows. He strode forward into the light of the fire, admiring a dagger he had undoubtedly stolen from one of the now dead slavers. I shuffled into the middle of the cage so that I could see him better, knowing full well to keep both eyes on Balthazar, the man dubbed "Master of Shadows"; one moment in front of you, behind you the next.
"You're right. Wrong man." I brought a knee up to my chest and place my arm upon it, never once looking away from Balthazar. "Why don't you just let me go, or kill me."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." He sucked his tongue at me, as if to say I was thinking childish. "Laleh, you know death is so final and easy, but we can't just let you go either. What would the others say?" He glanced in my direction, his dead blue eyes glaring into my own. When I didn't respond he continued "Well. I think sometime in a cage will do you some good. I'll be back for you soon I would think, that is if you're still alive." He tossed the dagger into the flames, as if he'd become suddenly bored of it and began to move back toward the shadows until he stopped. "Oh, I'd almost forgotten. How silly of me." He smacked himself on the forehead with his palm. "Gazsi." One of the men around my cage turned and bowed low to Balthazar. "The women and children from earlier- kill them."
"No!" I screamed suddenly lurching forward, both hands gripping the cage bars in front of me. "Balthazar! Balthazar don't you kill them! Don't you dare!" I shook the cage violently, hoping that the bars would become unhinged and I would be free. Gazsi smirked and was gone within an instant along with five other men. Moments later screams echoed in from across the desert, but each of them short and futile. Hot tears rushed down my face as I slumped forward, my head hanging between my shoulders. "I will kill you Balthazar."
"I'd like to see you try." I felt his hot breath across my skin as his face sat only a few inches away from mine, but at the moment every fiber of my being was too heavy to move in any form of retaliation.
When I looked up again, the Hassansins had vanished back into the darkness, diminishing the fire casting me into a world of utter darkness. Sighing I moved away from the edge of the cage, knowing the smell of blood would bring one of the many predators that stalked the deserts; cheetahs, lions, jackals, etc. Best to be as far as possible and out of their reach as I could be, I had no intention of dying in this metal cage.
Sleeping wasn't an option either, for I knew I might roll over to the edge of the cage as I forced myself to stay awake and in an upright meditative position. As the cold set in I was glad I had remembered to bring my black cloak with me as to add just a bit of resistance to the bite of the night air. I closed my eyes and retreated far within my mind hoping to calmly find a way out of this situation that didn't involve my own possible death from Balthazar or predators. Nothing really came to me.
Two hours into the darkness I heard the first predators begin to snap its jaws at a corpse about a stones toss away. My heart beat intensified, but I told myself to remain calm as I tried to make out what I would be dealing with. From the little moonlight I saw a small figure and was relieved only to find a lone jackal had found its way here, but was uncomfortable for the remainder of the night as I listened to it tear away the dead man's flesh.
