Taskmaster

Crimson colors held the cuff and the collar of his uniform, and his black skull cap matched the stripes that walked down the sides of his blue shirt and pants.

The lights flickered again as if pricked by the tong of the wind. This time, Ginika's eyes broaden when he saw the face.

Before now, he could have sworn that the taskmaster was a man, but the makeups, coating the hard cheekbones gave her away.

She looked middle-aged, hard jawbones in a skin color that could be compared with that of a beach. Her broad shoulders hanged over her body, making the uniform she wore look like an effigy of red and black.

All the chiefs and elders in the Kingdom were either standing, squatting, or sitting on the floor. Even though she was the only one seated on the wooden stool, the discomfort of these elderly men did not register in her mind or expression.

"My life was saved once," the last Seer was saying, "But what life is there if I die of hunger and starvation? I became a slave of the masters to feed my family and children, and my pretty snake too. All hail the emperor. Long live the emperor!"

"Long live the emperor," The people cheered in delight as the last seer took his snake and walked out of the stage.

Ginika spat with hate, 'your god is your belly, you gave your life to this ruthless people in exchange for bread.' He thought to himself disdainfully.

Bread? A shiver went down Ginika's spine when he realized that he, too, was guilty of the same crime.

They had given their lives to the masters in exchange for food. It struck him to realize that liberation was farfetched until they release themselves from every encumbrance of the emperor.

A shrilling cry echoed through the night as a girl burst into the stage. At first, the people clapped their hands with admiration, thinking she was trying to be more fun while maintaining the act.

But that expression dissolved into horror when they realized what was happening.

She was kneeling down on the sandy floor, nodding her head uncontrollably as if intoxicated by a concentrated liquor.

"I see you, son and liberator of our land." She said.

Silence brood the night as the music died with the passing air. The people only stared at their inevitable doom.

The emperor had banned magic from the land. He had destroyed every trace of magic and people linked to it. It had been a hundred and fifty years, but that was a long time ago. The people had inter married among themselves and magic had returned.

Yet when the people discovered that they had magic, they had decided to secretly teach their young ones how to use magic. But at the same time, keeping it away from the emperor and his taskmasters.

Ginika sat up. His heart was racing when he recognized the braided hair. It was Zahra.

"You who was born to bring justice to the land," Zahra continued as if in a trance.

Some men hurried into the crowd and seized her.

Ginika recognized one of them. It was Zahra's father, Kichi.

The fear in his eyes was eminent to that of the villagers. He and the other two men tried to carry her away, but the taskmaster stopped them.

"My… Lord," Kichi stammered "She is talking gibberish and—"

"Let her be, I want to hear what she had to say,"

Kichi shared a disturbing glance with the other two men. He grumbled uneasily before releasing the hands of his daughter.

"You who, with your strength, will destroy darkness and bring balance to the world. You who was born with the powers of Gini, liberate us from the shackle of the Emperor just as the prophesy has foretold." Zahra's scream percolated the night as she fell to the ground.

Whatever power that had possessed seemed to have disappeared. She was panting heavily and looked exhausted.

Ginika was boiling with rage.

It was not unusual to see a person who has two powers, but he was angry that Zahra hadn't told him that she was a Sword seeker and a Seer.

"Well, well, well." The taskmaster smiled and walked slowly towards Zahra.