Strena The Youngest Assassin Arc Part One

 The First Kill

Out had been a whole year since Strena had been a bounty hunter. Zaryb had trained and pushed her further than she knew he should. She became stronger and more inelegant than a normal seven year old. She could do more too, yet she knew that she had less freedom to do it and she knew it.

She was eating her breakfast, enjoying the sound of the sea and the strange silence of the shore when Zaryb joined her. He ordered his for and his usual beer. She had noticed that he hardly drank anything else and he drank far too much of it too. She had wanted to ask about that but she was far too afraid of doing so.

"Now, Strena, we will be going to go to another guild." He said. "I think that you're ready for that place. Though it is a very violent place."

Her eyes widened as she could feel the dread built in her gut. She tried not to show it and nodded.

"I'll keep that in mind. So should I pack my bags?"

"Yes, and keep in mind to guard them." He said.

She kept eating and was soon finished. She packed her things which were just clothes. Nothing personal, after all Zaryb never gave her anything, but the necklace around her neck, that was deemed remotely to her likening, though she did keep her dress she knew that she would have to keep it hidden. She then waited at the door which he soon followed. They soon set off and were on the public carriage within minutes.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Jotellen, the one that's spelt with a j and not a y." He said.

He frowned.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"You do realise that they'll tear your girl apart!"

"She's able to take care of herself." He said with a tone of pride.

The driver raised his eyebrow.

"Suit yourself!" He said. "Faking fool."

At that Strena closed her eyes as Zaryb pulled out a blade and dug it into his side. He leaned in closer to him.

"Care to say that again?" He said,  dangerously.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I won't say that again!" He pleaded.

"Good man!" He said as he quickly pulled the blade out.

Then with the crack of the whip the horses were off. They were soon in the small city that was busy but it stunk and the crowds were loud. As soon as they got out Strena noticed how the women looked at Zaryb with horror on their faces and worry when they looked at her. Then all the men looked at him with concern but they too looked at him fear but they were better at making it.

She then heard a woman scream. Strena was about to try to see where it was coming from and she saw a woman fight in vain as she was being dragged into a narrow alley by a group of will built men. She was about to help her but her body walked away from her.

"Master Zaryb, where are we?" She asked, trying to distract her thoughts.

"Jotellen." 

"I mean,  what is this pace?" 

"Ahh… Asking the right questions. Good!"

"J-just answer the question." 

He smirked.

"Well, this is a town of assassins."

She looked at him horrified.

"A-and w-why have you brought me here?" She asked. "You're not planning on killing me? Now of all times!"

"No. I don't you dead. No, you're going to become an assassin!" He declared.

She would have taken a step back if she could.

"No! You can't do that! I don't want to be an assassin! Never mind that, I don't want to kill anyone, let alone becoming an assassin!"

He smirked as he placed his finger tips on the Artemis necklace he then patted her bracelet. He then looked at her in the eye.

"I can't, can I?" He said, chillingly. "Come, time for me to introduce you to the rest."

She just looked at him in anger as she was forced to follow him. He had no right to do this but she was helpless as they came to a tavern painted red and white. She looked up. The Bloody Pig it was called. Her eyes landed on the plaque with a dead pig with it's guts all over the lower half. It was covered in blood with red eyes and white pupils. She looked away trying not to throw up. There was a strain glass window in the door. There was a man covered in blood, with long black hair with tips reaching the floor with eyes like the pig.

"Who's that?"

"Lok. Good of assassins and murder."

"Is that why he's covered in blood?"

"Yes, in fact none knows the colour of his skin as it is always covered by blood." He said as he walked in.

"Well, well, well ain't we a sight that I ain't seen for a long time!" Said a big man as he looked down to see her. "Who's this?"

"Strena Az." She said. "'Arry"

"Harry." 

"You know she looks quite like you!"

"What? No I don't!" She snapped back.

He giggled.

"She gonna be an assassin?" He asked.

"That's why she's here!" He sighed.

"Well, Strena Azlok, does sound good. You gonna get a job?"

"Yes. She is."

"So you gonna get a good one?" He said. "Why don't I get a good one?"

"Harry,  please keep in mind of who she is and who I want her to become." He said.

He then looked scared for a moment and nodded.

"Alright."

"Come on,  I will get you a job." He said. She followed and he picked one. She looked down.

Kill the Sheriff of Roboh

The Sheriff of Roboh had been taking advantage of

his position by taking children of parents that fail

to pay his overly large taxes, which he has been

slowly increasing for a long time.

She sighed as she felt relieved.

"Thank you." She said guarded. "But why do you want to kill him?"

"Well,  I thought that it would be a good one to start you off with. Now, I would like for you to think, what do you think that he does to those children that he collects?"

She frowned.

"I, don't…"

"Well,  what do you know or think?"

"Nothing good?"

"Yes, so I think you ought to take this one." He said as he winked at her. "Come on!"

They left and they were soon on their way. She soon caught a glance of that woman that was being dragged earlier was dead and her clothes were torn. This shocked her and she felt sick.

Why are her clothes torn? She wondered. You know, it doesn't matter…

She shook her head and she followed Zaryb. She then felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked back to see Harry looking at her with a knife in his hand.

"Now that he's not looking, you want to come with me?" He said as he put the sharp end at her throat. "You know I've never had a little princess."

She tried to step back but the blade dripped. His head followed.

"Don't get sidetracked."

She nodded.

"Why, would I be killed?" 

"Sometimes worse." He said as she remembered the woman. She ran closer to him and held his hand, knowing that she would be safer if she did.

"Now,  where is Roboh?" She asked.

"Just let me guide you."

"Thank you."

He smiled. They were soon hidden in a pile of hay. She closed her eyes and woke when they stopped. They got out. She soon saw the sheriff. He looked at her, pulling a boy with dead eyes alongside him like a dog.

He then turned to the soldiers and whispered something in his ear and they soon came to them. They looked down at her and the sheriff crouched to get a better look at her. She took a step back as she did not like his smile. He then got up and turned to Zaryb.

"Tell me, do you know that there's a tax for visitors like yourself?" He asked.

"No."

He rubbed his barely visible chin.

"Well, you're going to have to pay."

"How much?"

"One philosopher's stone." He said with a more confident look on his face.

"Well,  I'm sorry. I don't have one." He said as he shrugged. "And it appears that you ought to know that none have anything of worth."

He then crouched back down to her.

"Then I'm going to have to take something important from you until you can." He said as he cupped her cheek with a malicious look on his face. "Like this. She looks quite innocent. I wonder if you can get her back before she doesn't."

Zaryb let out a sigh.

"Kill him." 

"What was that?"

Before she could process she saw her hand swipe left and with a counting of blood he fell. She then dropped the blade and let out a scream. She looked at her shaking hand which was called in blood. They all looked at her equally shocked. They then looked at the girl and then at the boy and unbound him. He ran as he started crying as Strena looked at Zaryb as he touched the Artemis necklace. Suddenly she understood with complete horror as he smirked.

"You will be a great assassin. Whether you like or want to or not."

He then went to collect the money as she was forced to follow, crying for the first time.

"What did I say about crying?"

"What do you expect? I'm only seven years old and you're making me do things that I know are wrong! And it's all your fault!"

This earned her a punch in the gut and then everything went black.

"Learned your lesson?"

She huffed and looked away.

"How can you do this to me? You killed my parents and kidnapped me! What right do you have turning me into you? Why? What's it all for?" She screamed outraged.

He then hit her.

"You will know when the time comes."