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“First, you’ll be facing a fellow seasoned assassin by the name of Callista. Bow to her.”
Alakar bows to me without hesitation and assumes a defensive stance. With a smile, I bow back just as Salina whispers into my ear.
“Take it easy on him.”
All around us come the sounds of bodies hitting the astroturf floor as students are hurled to the ground.
“Show me what you’ve got, Alakar.”
The young elf shakily moves forward, readying his body for an obvious attempt at a roundhouse kick. With my eyes closed, I catch his ankle and flip him on his back. He gasps in agony but scrambles back to his feet, bowing to me.
“Alakar, I hope you’re all warmed up,” says Salina. “Time to face me.”
I hear an audible gulp of fear as she advances on the recruit. Salina moves gracefully, dodging each move from Alakar. The student pulls off some impressive maneuvers, a sign that Salina has taught them well. Still, there is no beating a master.
She knocks him to the ground. Alakar remains there for a moment, his eyes blinking in a haze before Salina offers her hand. Alakar takes it and is pulled to his feet.
“Students, take five!” commands Salina.
I toss her a nearby rag as she convenes with me near the door.
“You’re just as ruthless with your recruits as you are with your enemies,” I laugh.
“Perhaps so but someone has to teach them. Enemies aren’t going to go easy in the real world.”
“Still, they are incredibly fortunate to be taught by you. Listen, I ought to get going.”
“No worries,” says Salina. “Thank you for stopping by.”
“Say hello to Denve for me.”
I leave the training area, hearing the muffled commands of Salina calling her students back to attention as I smile. I’m happy to see her doing so well for herself, especially after learning of all that she went through in Vhoig.
Hidden deep underneath my happiness for her is a tinge of jealousy that I cannot deny, all because of her relationship with Denve. It’s not them that makes me upset, they know I love them dearly.
Rather, it is the notion of love and romance itself and knowing that I don’t have what they do. I walk off, mulling over the strange newfound thoughts of being swept away off of my feet just like my closest friend.
During all my years here and before that, I never once gave the idea of a relationship an ounce of my energy, deeming it to be a waste of time and money. I figured that the life of an assassin would be far too busy and dangerous to have any room for such a thing.
Yet, ever since I saw Denve and Salina together, I haven't been able to get the concept of love off of my mind. They also proved my thoughts to be false, exposing me to a greater truth, that love is more than possible even in a line of work such as mine.
I hope that the same future lies in wait for me… No, what am I thinking? I need to concentrate on getting a contract!
My efforts to push away the thought only causes it to become stronger. Images from my recurring nightmare flash in my mind as I enter my quarters, locking the door behind me.
Leave me alone!
But my mind doesn’t listen. Looking at me is the man from my dreams, faceless as he stretches an arm out to me. Despite the lack of facial features, I can feel the love he has for me as he proclaims it, wishing to take me as his mate.
Just as I take his hand in mine, an axe swings in from nowhere and cuts off his arm, leaving me holding a detached hand. More axes surround the man as I try to look away but a force keeps my gaze directed on him. They come swinging down repeatedly, hacking the man to shreds until he’s nothing but a bloodied pile of skin and bone.
I collapse to the floor, gasping for breath as I finally shake the image from my head. I know what the nightmare is telling me, that while love is possible to attain, there still exists the danger of being in a relationship with an assassin.
Why bother thinking about love? I know it’s not in my future… I’m one of the few who knows what lies ahead for certain.
I peer down at my open palms, staring at the hands of a clairvoyant. Asides from me, there’s only two more, not just in Milthar, or Vhoig, but on the entire damn planet of Protheka.
I clench them as my stomach twists into a knot, my very existence filling me with dread. I’m an endangered being, yet somehow I always saw Nakam as the perfect place to conceal my identity from the world.
It’s always been safe… Until now.
THE END.
