THE NAMELESS ONE

Her frame was gentle, with her hair hanging roughly over her waist, the child, eleven or twelve, sat in the shade, playing with a rather old dessert hound.

Polishing his paws as it were.

The afternoon sun was blazing as always but the oasis was near an ancient well. The village there based its economy on that fact, designed to cater traveler and wafers alike. Being the only rest area for miles and located on a major trade route brought it many visitors.

The village held no allegiance to anyone, they catered equally to all who happened upon it be it the wolves, the various guilds, the brotherhood or anyone else, all except the assassins.

Having the village remain neutral was convenient as forceful occupation would result in war between several factions as the location was important to all. As such every party quietly ignored the question of the village's dominion.

...

The child looked up seeing a soldier clad in a gray uniform, she had seen the colors before. They belonged to the white wolf, the soldier, a scout, rode with arrogance upon a large boar. Approaching the elder's hall, he dismounted, turned on his heel and faced the village square, announcing.

"The army of General Vlad approaches, it shall be here in three days' time," he paused as the people of the village going about their day started to gather.

"We have reports of an injured assassin being given refugee here," mummers in the crowd, a few gasps and protests.

"You have three days to hand the assassin over, if not we will find the assassin ourselves, even If we have to raise the entire village to do it."

The villagers raised their voices some yelling some panicking as the soldier repeated his message three times before striding off.

...

*AAAAAAASSSSPPP* with a deep breath, a black hooded figure in her metallic armor gasped awake,

Everything hurt, she had barely enough energy to stand. There was sand everywhere, cursing her fashion sense, she lost consciousness again.

...

When, she opened her eyes, she was being dragged by her leg. She could see that she was tied to an animal and there was a little girl in a rag, walking next to it.

"Ouch," her head hit against a rock in the path losing consciousness again.

This time she felt someone trying to remove her mask.

For a few moments she let the small hands try to unlock the mask before she did it herself.

A small cut on her upper lip was the first thing to be seen, brown hairs slipped from her drawn hood straight, dropping over her eyes, fair skinned, her eyes were a pleasant shade of blue.

Dropping her hand again, she looked straight up. They were in a cave; the small hands now held a bowl which they touched against her lips. Drinking slowly, she felt the cool fluid passing through her, finding the strength she got up.

The little hands belonging to the child she had seen earlier shook, almost dropping the bowl, but the hooded figure replaced the hands with her own.

"Thank you" she worded to the child,

The child who had waist length unkempt black hair was dark skinned, her eyes gleaming as she nodded.

"My name is Eene," her voice was delicate, "What is yours?"

The hooded figure raised an eyebrow, taken aback from the straightforward question.

"My name is Ying, Eene," she imitated her voice,

"Who are you, Ying?" Eene asked without pause.

"Why I am the great nameless assassin," Ying spoke, a hint of pride in her voice.

"But your name is Ying" Eene continued in her childish tone.

"... Ah ... yes but I am the nameless assassin." Ying realized she had made a mistake.

"You are Ying the nameless assassin then?" Eene inquired.

"... well ... yes..." Ying answered tending to herself, she undid her armor removing the breast plate. There were injuries that decorated her.

"You ask a lot of questions don't you Eene," Ying spoke in a soft manner.

"Mama says not to talk to strangers," Eene began, "but Eene knows Ying now so, Ying is not a stranger." Ying actually smiled accepting her logic.

"Ooh, wish I had thought of that, when I was younger," Ying replied.

"Where are your parents Eene?" she continued.

"Papa went to fight the bad guys, but he forgot his lunch, so mama sent me here to find him," Eene answered.

"A full stomach is important for wars." Ying spoke ignoring the fact that a little child was sent to the unforgiving desert by her own mother,

"What's an assassin?"

"An assassin is a person who kills people," Ying answered.

"Do you kill bad people?" Eene inquired...

"Well yes," Ying answered, observing her surroundings.

"Why did you rescue me?" Ying asked.

"Because Sata said so," Eene spoke looking at a rather big hound behind her which gnawed at some bones.

"I see"

"Why are you called nameless?" Eene asked again.

"Because people don't know my name," Ying answered

"But I know your name" Eene replied.

"You don't count."

"Who counts then?"

"People... you know... bad guys and such," Ying waved her hand randomly in the air trying to make her point.

"Ying." Eene began again.

"Yes?"

"Are you an idiot?"

"Where did that come from?" Ying said raising an eyebrow.

"Mama says only idiots sleep in the sun in the desert."

"Well, I may be an idiot then," Ying smiled.

...

Ying and Eene stayed in the cave for three days. Eene brought food and water from her village nearby as Ying recovered.

It was early in the morning,' that Eene came running towards the assassin,

"Ying, Ying," she called, "soldiers have surrounded the village."

"He just won't let up will he," Ying thought, "might be as good an opportunity as I can get, I suppose," Ying murmured.

"Listen to me Eene, these are bad men, they will hurt your family and everyone else. I have a plan. You just have to take your family and sneak away, okay?"

Not understanding completely what was going on, Eene nodded, as Ying carefully calculated her course of action.

...

"Hey there lads, "Ying called out, landing swiftly behind the guards.

Caught by surprise the guards turned around all at once.

Allowing Eene to run across the street to her house.

With a hand on her waist, Ying stood twirling a dagger in her fingers, looking at the company.

As one of the guards reached out towards the alarm bell, the dagger shot from Ying's hand striking him on his nape, with a cord attached at the end, the blade was retracted with the same speed.

"Can't have you doing that now can I?" Ying lazily grabbed the hilt of her sword. "Shall we get this party started?"

Just as she spoke, an alarm went off in the distance. Somebody else had seen her.

With a click of her tongue, she lunged at the nearest soldier. The commotion gathered more and more attention, as several soldiers made their way towards her.

Assassin, Assassin, the solders yelled causing the influx to grow more still, until finally Ying found herself surrounded with what appeared to be a hoard, charging at her from every side, spears and arrows, swords and slings.

Eene and a few villagers making use of the events quietly escaped. Having seen the child managing to cross, Ying took a deep breath. She was tremendous, blocking parrying and dodging every attack, swift and efficient, she was fluid.

The soldiers had formed a circular formation around her, her escape seeming increasingly difficult.

Until finally she heard a horn.

"The general approaches," the soldiers around Ying took a step back clearing a small space around her as she breathlessly looked at them.

"... Is that... is that all you got," she was heaving. Not having recovered completely.

A pedestal was quickly set up for the general to sit on, a short distance away.

There was no escape in sight. Ying was trapped.

As the man sat in front of her, he ordered his men to bring out all the villagers,

His army at his command started dragging out every man woman and child, they could find.

As the crowd gathered, Ying raised an eyebrow, turning to look at the general who in turn had a wicked smile on his face.

In a few moments most of the village had been gathered, the army outnumbered them.

"Assassin, you have been caught," The general spoke aloud, "and this village which sheltered you, which lied in order to protect your kind," while he spoke a village elder cut him off,

"Honorable general, by the gods we had no idea that the assassin was here, we have no clue where this one came from," the general looked at him and with a wave of his hand, an arrow was shot straight through his heart,

"Never interrupt me," The general worded, as the crowd gasped and cried at the falling elder, they were unarmed and surrounded.

"Now for each soldier that the Assassin has killed, kill ten of the villagers," I believe I have lost seventeen soldiers?"

The army swiftly impaled a hundred and seventy of the captives, shock spread throughout the prisoners, as they struggled against their magical restraints to no use.

"Now then continue the fight," the general commanded

Ying saw in disgust as she was charged at again, as her blade slit the throat of another soldier, another ten villagers were slaughtered on spot.

Thinking hard she changed her strategy, incapacitating instead of killing.

The general saw in amusement and with a signal of his hand, another pause.

"Now for every soldier injured, kill five."

To her dismay, the soldiers resumed their attack, Ying now just dodging and pushing them away.

The soldiers managing to finally cause her damage.

Instinctively Ying protected herself, but in the process caused more villagers to die. Hard pressed Ying realized her predicament.

With utter disgust, she looked at the general, letting out a scream.

An explosion as the entire area was engulfed in flames,

The robes of the assassin shred along with all that surrounded her.

Splinters everywhere, blood, body parts.

"Well, that is one way to go about it," the general remarked laughing, whipping of blood that had splattered on his face.

"My Lord," A soldier held up a silver ring to the general, the ring held the assassin's insignia.

The general laughed some more, taking the ring,

"Ah another assassin, another trophy"

...

"My lord, what about the remaining villagers?"

"Kill them all."

"As you wish."

The last thing that Eene fleeing with her family could see, as they made their way over the ridge of nearby dunes was a sight of a massacre, blood everywhere while the general admired how the new ring looked on his hand.

...

He felt a bit groggy; he had had this strange headache ever since that attempt at his life. His vision was hazy as he continuously lost and regained his focus.

Shaking his head he took a step forward, the wooden floor creaking beneath his feet. As his focus loosened again,

The lights faded and all off a sudden he felt this figure creep upon him, forcefully holding him.

A cold metallic hand over his mouth so he couldn't scream, in a very swift motion, pulling up his face, exposing his neck. A sharp knife and a brutal cut.

...

His eyes gained focus again, he was standing exactly where he had been, sweating profusely. His hands shaking, and then without being able to control it, he vomited.

Vlad, was a famous General in the order, renowned for his brutality, he was known to enjoy killing as a sport.

"Revenge is a poison, it is cancer that spreads slowly, and it is even more difficult to deal with," he had once told an officer, "But If there are none alive to take revenge, then," he had smiled "dear man make sure to finish your battles, I always say, leave no one who could be a potential threat then or in the future."

Vlad was ruthlessly proud and equally skilled. he had the brains to match. A captain under Master Edgar he was an asset to the entire order.

It was a few days back when he was told that his life was in danger. The intelligence network of the wolf was strong, but Vlad was in the eastern territories. His master had summoned all his generals and he was even amongst them quite revered, confidant in his own strength as well, Vlad only smiled at the report, there had been several attempts at his life before, the assassins were dealt with in different ways, skinned, burnt, cut ... he did increase his guard.

You are being targeted by the reaper, an officer from the intelligence group who had personal ties with Vlad told him.

"I am amazed at how you guys know all this and still don't stop it yourself" Vlad remarked in a sarcastic tone.

"The reaper makes his intentions known, that's just how he works," The officer replied, "All his assassinations that we know of have been like this, he leaves a trail in his path, such a simple trail that it's more of a challenge against his victims," the officer was in awe despite himself, Vlad could tell.

"Quite famous for an assassin this Reaper," he remarked again, "who exactly is he?"

"Honestly, we don't know, he is known as the nameless assassin, even in the underground no one knows him. We suspect he has ties with the Assassins guilds."

...

The assassin had struck but failed, had managed to escape, albeit with serious injuries. Vlad had trailed him for several days until finally finding him, who later turned out to be a "her", in a neutral village. Suffice to say, the assassin was dead, the village raised. Or so Vlad thought.

It had been five nights after that.

Vlad was taking a mid-night stroll, only to find that at the gate of his residence stood a black figure, a hooded assassin, in a black cloak, masked and armored.

Vlad withdrew his sword, but the assassin only stood there, he did nothing, and finally when Vlad took the initiative to make the first strike did his form disintegrate into smoke, as if it had been an illusion.

Nonetheless Vlad was now concerned.

...

Regaining composure, he walked towards the door steeping over his own vomit, as he exited the doorway his vision faded again. A hooded figure this time with a sword, appearing from the shadow just beside the door, noise less, effortlessly impaled him from his side, cutting through to his heart, as the pain traversed through him and his life escaped.

He regained vision, collapsing to his knees, breathless, a fever running high, it was then that he called out for help.

At his own insistence, Vlad left the capital, seeking refuge from the visions that haunted him continuously, in his sleep nightmares, while awake at every corner, the figure had killed him in so many different ways from so many different places that he couldn't stand it, the doctors could find nothing wrong with him, the sorcerers could not figure out any magics either.

...

Leaving the capital helped, and he spent a whole week without an episode but just as he began to gain hold, they started again. Stabbing, arrows to his heart or head.

He grew tired, restless and ill, the visions growing only stronger, now even while in company he would have them, hidden in plain sight, the hooded assassin who would kill him.

He was going mad. Vlad the once great general was crazed out of his mind.

The only person he could think off who could surely help him was Master Philip, but he had been strictly forbidden to meet him by his own master, who for some reason had no time for him.

It was a month of torture before Vlad the merciless was found dead, having committed suicide to escape the haunting visions.

And so, the nameless Assassin claimed yet another victim.

...

Ying, who had been meditating in an unknown location, slowly opened her eyes. Her target was dead.

...

Something was wrong and lady Tariyel could feel it, Vlad was an important piece, and he was assassinated. Was someone onto what she was plotting?

Or had it been someone with vengeance who sought the assassin. It had been the latter case, she ascertained.