Alamut, the castle and the village part 2

Rufus walked alongside Amala through the village inside Alamut castle, thinking and pondering the old man of the mountain's proposal. "We are supposed to give today our answer to the old man of the mountain," Amala said, breaking the uneasy silence. "Any thoughts yet?"

Rufus shook his head. "Definitely not yet."

As they made their way through the streets, Rufus couldn't help but notice the assassins perched atop the rooftops. With their knives and swords on their waists and squatting still, they looked like gargoyle statues guarding the castle.

Amala handed him a handful of fruit to nibble on, but his attention was quickly drawn back to the assassins who were staring intently at the pair. "You didn't swipe this, did you?" Rufus asked, eyeing the fruit with suspicion.

"Well...," Amala admitted.

Suddenly, the old man of the mountain appeared, waving to signal for the assassins to cease their scrutiny of Rufus and Amala. "Why are they on the roofs, just staring down like statues?" Rufus inquired.

"What else are they to do? They are to keep watch and keep the Parsana people safe. And it is good for the people to see their saviors in broad daylight. Especially when there are humans wondering about it, thinking this place is there another home. Thinking they can wonder and rummage anywhere they like," the old man of the mountain replied.

Rufus couldn't help but wonder about a group of assassins who had attacked him on his homeworld years ago, "I actually also wanted to ask. Years back, a group of your assassins had attacked me on my homeworld. Hired by a rival monarch from o rival state. Care to explain," Rufus asked.

"The Haji are a legend among the sassans. Keeping the peace in the Parsana world. But unfortunately, some people like to gain by pretending to be us. So many assassin groups in our heaven have risen, who try to be like us, but are in fact, nothing like us. Doubt they had almost nothing to do with us," the old man explained.

As they discussed the old man's proposal, Rufus became acutely aware of the Parsana sassans' eyes on him. Their expressions were a mixture of fear and hatred. "You Rufus are a human. Same as Antigonus the rot eye. The people of Alamut do not feel comfortable with you and the rest of you human beings here. In fact, even I do not feel that comfortable. BUT I will endure the stench of humans if they can aid us," the old man said, showing a glance of racism.

Rufus remembered the bitter divide between humans and grey skins, and he glanced over at Amala, a grey skin herself. "We will give you an answer tonight," he said, hoping to appease the old man of the mountain.

"I will hold you to your promise," the old man said sternly, leaving Rufus to ponder the weight of his decision.

~~

Rufus had promised to discuss future plans with Satifa.

His heart pounded in his chest as he waited for her answer. They stood together on a rocky outcropping, overlooking a vast expanse of wilderness. The wind whipped through their hair, carrying the scent of pine and fresh snow.

"I have made my decision already, but I wanted to go through it with you first," Rufus said, his voice low and urgent.

Satifa furrowed her brow, deep in thought. "You are a good person who doesn't fear much. Not even a god, but you are worried about what you are asked to do," she said, placing a hand on Rufus's shoulder.

Rufus swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his sister's life resting on his shoulders. "I'll do whatever it takes to save Bouzid," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "But I'm not sure I'm prepared for the kind of darkness this might require."

Satifa turned to face him, her eyes bright and fierce. "Darkness is not always evil, Rufus," she said. "Sometimes it's just the absence of light. And right now, we need to be the light that guides Bouzid back to safety."

Rufus nodded, his resolve hardening. "I'll do whatever it takes," he said firmly. "But I need your help. I can't do this alone."

Satifa smiled with a warm and reassuring expression. "You won't have to," she said. "I'll be with you every step of the way."

~~

As the evening dinner unfolded, Rufus's friends slowly began to trickle in, some more hungover than others, but all eager to hear about the mission that awaited them.

"I need a bath desperately....."Pema complained, her nose wrinkling at the stench of sweat and ale emanating from her companions.

"You do....."Edward said and held his nose, struggling to keep his dinner down.

"I wouldn't complain about other people smelling. It smells like a battlefield inside your mouth," Joan said, unable to resist a teasing jab at Edward.

"Shhhhh, everyone quiet," Doreen hushed everyone as she caught sight of the old man of the mountain entering the room.

All eyes turned to the aged figure as he made his way toward Rufus and his companions. There was a sense of reverence in the air as if they were in the presence of a great deity.

"I hope you have come to a decision," the old man said, his voice low and rumbling.

Rufus stood up, his eyes meeting the old man's. "We have decided to accept your proposal," he declared, his voice unwavering.

The old man's lined face broke into a smile, his eyes twinkling with approval. "Good. Tomorrow morning, you will leave for your mission. You will be provided with everything you need."

"Can you at least tell us what we will be doing?" Amala asked.

"Of course."