The Recruit

Chapter 10

I moved to clean my plates and cutleries when I reassessed the situation. I was the only one sitting at the tables for recruits. Does that mean I am the only recruit?

I walked around a little before finding that spending my time walking around did not lessen my anxiety. I headed to the Combat Training Room, walked around the empty room still trying to quench my anxiety until I saw the table filled with weapons.

I would lie if I did not find them cool. The one caught my eyes is the small stiletto and the small dagger. I am a small person, so I always thought if I ever wield a weapon like a video game characters, I would opt for something smaller like these. I would love to stay still and not create any trouble, and perhaps I should have a teacher present when I wield these weapons. However, my curiosity got the best of me and I started testing how the weapon feels in my hand.

I tested and tried wealding the hammer, the katana, the samurai, and the broadsword. I tried swinging around the whip to see if it was as cool as in video games. I found that I lack the synchronization needed to make the whip crack satisfyingly. I didn't even try lifting the pole arm, I bet it is as heavy as the broadsword. I wanted to play with the bow and arrow, but I've tried it before once or twice for leisure in Indonesia so I knew what to expect.

I decided to skip everything and play with the small knives. The daggers felt so comfortable in my hands! It reminded me of the Sicariis in ancient Judea, nowadays known as Israel. 

I started imagining myself to be a Judaic zealot as I spinned and pretended to stab with the dagger. To my horror, my trainer, my handler, and other assassins came to watch the spectacle. They stood by the door as I finished stabbing the air in my video game character pose. 

To make it worse, some jumped down from the ceiling meaning they probably saw me looking all stupid. One person from the audience smirked trying to contain his laughter and the others looked displeased I played with these weapons.

Cora cleared her throat. "Liv, this is the weaponry. The training room is right across. Usually the assassins carry their weapons with them but in case of a broken or missing weapon, they would go here to borrow what they need."

Earth please swallow me whole.

"We only found you here because we have security cameras in this room and it detected some... unusual activity." Another lady with a trainer pin added.

This is your cue earth, still haven't been swallowed here.

"I... I'm sorry." I said as I lose my voice, leaving it to a raspy whisper from shame. I looked down, trying to hide my face from the gathering mass and force my legs to move to the correct room.

From the corner of my eye I see the assassin who smirked at my antics, a man no older than 25, started laughing at me. This is so embarrassing! I guess at least he had a sense of humour. I learned that being laughed at for my stupidity felt so much better than the disapproving stares I get from the other assassins.

Once my trainer and I were alone in the Combat Training Room, she introduced herself as Lanaya. I muttered my apologies again only for her to tell me to say it more confidently. This exercise repeated a few time until my voice boommed and I put more conviction in my tone.

"Good. From now one, that is how you will talk to another assassin. Convincingly, nonchalantly and bravely. Are we clear?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"This is an unusual start of training, but from all the weapons you tested, which one did you favour?"

"The small knives like the curved dagger and stiletto." I thought a bit more and found the curved dagger is cooler.