Assassin of Dimesca

Sinew

"In life there are two opposing forces that you can use as weapons against others and others might use unto you. Those two are called Love and Fear and both of them can really pack a punch. They can drive you insane. So be careful to be fooled by those two. " 

- The Dragon Rider, Lazarus 

The Assassin used the stars as his guide and followed the path up the hill that was walled by tall trees on the side. The rain had finally stopped. But it was still dark. He looked back on the kingdom one last time and saw that the fires that engulfed it too were also gone. There were only ashes and rubble left on the once beautiful and mighty kingdom. It only proved that no matter how great something is there will be a time that it will fall too. Change is the only constant thing in the universe. Nothing is permanent except change. 

He continued to walk and eventually reached the end of the path leading to a much larger road. There he saw a slow moving caravan. Along with it he saw some boxes, wagons and crates of all sorts of goods that were pulled by camels, donkeys and horses that were owned by different men and women. Some men were walking outside but others remained inside their tents, perhaps sleeping. There were also different kinds of people out there. He saw slaves, rich men, missionaries, travelers and more others. He went closer to the caravan and walked besides a fat man who was wearing a colorful jacket and was drinking a bottle of beer while riding a horse who seems to be the leader of the caravan.  

"These roads are no place for wanderers like you." The fat man said to him cheerfully. "These roads are filled with bandits and dangerous animals, which is why we are all traveling with each other. Safety in numbers they say, haha! How do you like to join us, lad?" he added with a smile in his chubby face. 

"Is this caravan headed to Al'allah?" the Assassin asked. 

"Oh, I'm afraid not, lad. Al'allah is too dangerous and too remote. But worry not because we're going to Dimnemna. And, if you like, we could drop you along the road going there which is near to Al'allah?" the guy asked him. 

"Alright. I guess so." He answered. "Could I have a tent, sir?" he added while he wonders why the guy isn't afraid of him. Maybe it was too dark then for him to be recognized, he thought. 

"Haha, sure thing! Take this one behind me." answered the guy. The Assassin grabbed out some silver coins from his bag and gave it to the guy. 

"Woah.. Dimescan coins!" the man looked back at the people walking behind them and shouted. "We have a rich man with us!" He chuckled a bit and looked back at the Assassin. "I've been dreaming to meet a man from as far away as Dimesca." He said. "Go and take the fourth tent behind us. It is made with the finest cloths fit for kings!" he added. The Assassin gave a quick nod and went inside the fourth tent. 

He opened the sheets and sat just besides the opening. The tent was so dark inside, he couldn't see a thing. He then removed his jacket which revealed his sleeveless leather vest and also all of his scars on his arms. It also revealed his signature tattoo on his left arm which looks like two hook blades facing each other with two horizontal lines on both sides. He kept on wearing his hood, mask and his scarf. 

"So you must be the Assassin of Dimesca." 

Candles opened inside the tent. There he saw an old woman, who was sitting behind a strange crystal ball, who wore a witch's costume, a psychic perhaps, he guessed. 

"I see your scars, my friend, you shouldn't hide them in your cloak but rather be proud of them." The old woman said. "Because those scars of ours, though lets us remember the nightmares of our pasts, proves that we have survived them. That we grew to become more than before." She added.