"Masters! lead the warriors to their respective places..." shouted the Grandmaster.
"Lhexa, i pray for your survival". Master Cairo whispered while slightly pushing me towards the battle area.
I can trace the pile of dirt gathered around my shoes, thankfully there is no wind tonight but my sense of smell were dulled by too much amount of metal and blood in the air i can almost taste it.
Maybe its one of the training grounds, or a sacrificial area. I can't distinguish the place but it took 7 dials to be here meaning its not that far away from the city center.
"battle starts when the drum stops!"
Other warriors that serves as audiences shouts uncontrollably so does my hearbeat. Suddenly, I was mesmerized by the deafening sound that I can only hear once a year. Almost like a euphoria.
I unleash my sword from my back out of instinct to shileld from a front attack. The blow was heavy thats why I recognize that my opponent was a man. I can smell some traces of mint mixed with dirt in his leather jerkin. We exchange couterattacks while I was thinking that this fight was too familiar.
I found and clasp his shoulder, he was tall, maybe 5 to 6 palms taller than me.
I kept thinking who may opponent is, with a spit second of lost focus, he jabbed a knife that aimed for my jugular. I quickly fall back but he was quicker. the blood gushed on my neck but he missed the vital part. pulling some cloth under my armor to tie on my neck, I contemplate the best stratedy to defeat him. My energy was slowly wearing off, and at this rate Im not in my best to fight for long due to this injury.
I walk around sensing where could he be coming for attack, then stop and stand still concentrating and focusing all my senses in full alert in case he comes over me.
I held for the knife my master gave me. it was a double bladed, toothed on the middle edge designed to pierce in the flesh and has double damage when pulled. He said it was meant for a real assasin, it can kill anyone from a single stab and I only have to use it when I really have to kill someone and I think this is the perfect time.
I felt his footsteps from the back, I waited paitiently before I turn for the right moment. All i have is a single shot and If Im in luck, maybe he was attaking with sword aiming for my head or shoulders so he can have a wide opening in the gut, shoulders and neck where I can pierce my knife.
As if the moment gave me the biggest luck, which can hardly happen because I know there were very few who would not think that it was a stupid move and can be counter-attacked easily, I felt my opponent charged in the air with sword above his head.and now is the right time!
I twist from my stillness and pull the knife beside my waist slowly lowering my body so he can engulf me before I stuck the blade in his gut.
With a swift move, the knife I was holding was now in thr stomach of my opponent, his blood gushing in my hands....
...and tears come flowing in my eyes.. what is this feeling?. My heart Ache like i was the one he stabbed. My opponent fall on me and his head rest on my shoulder.
"Lhexa, The Gods, hear my prayers" he whispered.
I take-off my blindfold and saw my lifeless master lying in my shoulders, i pushed him lightly so he could be layed on the floor.
My world suddenly revolves slower than ever before. What am I feeling right now, I felt like I was dying too... my chest was so heavy I can't almost breathe.. the tears keeps falling in my eyes. Suddenly I'am back to where me and my master first met..
"keep her, she's too young to be a slave,she said she want's to be an assasin someday".. the cloaked woman said before she leaves. I was only 8 leaf when she left me to master Cairo. I can't remember anything about her except that she gives me food and shelter for 8 leaf.
Cairo in my own perspective was a solitary man, he lives alone in his house on the outskirts of the city farming and taking care of a herd. He always pray in the morning before doing his daily activities. When he got me, that is the first thing he thought but I never believe in Gods so i faked all those rituals so that he can let me stay in his house.
After praying, he would give me tasks for my training like catching red dragonflies and searching wildberies. Those tasks gets tougher as I get older. I can't remember a time where he's actually soft with me because he always say that kindness is weakness, love is weakness, caring is weakness, and if im going to be an assasin someday, I shouldn't have any weakness. When I get sick, he gave me medicine and when im wounded, he gets to clean and bandage it but I never think it was caring coz he always say its not, it just mandatory.
"see, you take care of me, can you be my father?" I once told him when he tends to me while I have a high fever. "No, assasins don't have families"..
Now that he was lying in front of me, killed in my own hands, in his own weapon.. the realization hits me so hard I can't feel anything other than remorse. He was my only family whether he recognize it or not. He was all I have, He was my strength.. and my weakness.