IMPERMANENCE

chapter four - the mission

Zedo had promised him all of those years ago that this day would come. It was difficult for him not to obsess over. The kingdom of Kintu led Gunther directly into a deadly trap. They had gotten their hands on a weapon so destructive, so lethal, that it wiped out over one-hundred men. King Mikah wasn't leading them that day. He had appointed a new leader of the army, a Commander. The Commander had been in charge of using this weapon against them. Dagger saw him as the one responsible.

This weapon had left soldiers in ashes. It could detect who the enemy was, and in their case, it was Guntheran soldiers. Dagger remembered the cheers and cries of glory from Kintu's side of the battle. Those in red had survived, and those in green did not. This weapon was a deadly disease wielded by one wicked person: the Commander. And with Zedo there to confirm the supernatural to be real, Dagger only assumed the worst.

Zedo had cautioned Dagger not to do his own research. He told him that when the day came, he would tell Dagger everything he knew. Zedo had worded their bargain carefully and Dagger was no idiot. It all seemed to line up all too coincidentally.

Questions ran through Dagger's mind daily. All he could fixate on was pleasing the Emperor and heading to his commands. He didn't want to give the Emperor any reason to keep him from being the one to destroy Kintu's precious weapon. It killed him inside to follow Zedo's commands and to leave the research to him. Dagger would have gone insane and spent every waking moment of his life trying to find a way to destroy it if allowed.

Kintu's weapon had worked generously in Kintu's favor. It had destroyed every Guntheran in its path.

Unfortunately, it made the mistake of leaving Dagger alive. He'd carry that guilt for the rest of his life. But for now, the best he could do was be the one to avenge them all.

Zedo informed Dagger to begin his journey to Kintu as soon as possible. He had business to tend to with the Emperor, and he'd meet him halfway there later to finally reveal to him what he would be doing.

How big was this weapon? How would he destroy it? Who was the Commander and how would he get to him? It was all too unclear.

Once Zedo melted into his shadows from outside of his cabin, Dagger stalked back inside, into Viola's room.

She was awake now, sitting on her bed and looking out of the small window that gave her perfect view of Zedo and Dagger's conversation. She had not yet turned on the bed to face him.

Viola was aware that Ronan had not returned from the war. The people of the village whispered of the bizarre circumstances regarding Dagger's lonely return. No one else in Dagger's village that had been drafted into the army came home. They resented him for that. Luckily, Dagger's compensation for his work for the Emperor gave him the luxury of never having to face those in the village, whether it be gathering food or trying to sell something

Unbeknownst to him, Dagger soon became well known throughout all of Gunther. Only when one of his victims cried out his name before he slaughtered them did he realize how well known he was. No matter what resentment those in Dagger's village held against him, they knew they'd stand no chance at odds with The Assassin.

Dagger's wound that sliced through his left eye and traveled down to the tip of his nose had faded into quite a nasty scar, allegedly. Those who witnessed Dagger unleash hell upon his victims referred to him as the scarred assassin. It only made his missions all the more difficult with a physical description attached to him. Some would try to intercept his killings, but Dagger made sure to only do as he was instructed. Kill who the Emperor tells him to kill and nothing more.

His first killing had been a traitor named Wren. The man pleaded and begged Dagger to spare him.

Zedo had gone with him to make sure he carried out his orders. He hid in the shadows, hidden to Wren and visible to Dagger. Dagger swore he could feel his breath tingling on the nape of his neck.