The sky was cold and dark, the artificial light from the city streets fogged the sky and robbed it of its stars, the reflection of the same blued streetlights on the rain glistened brutalist streets and walls, the sound of government sponsored readings from the radio towers echoing the mazing trash cluttered streets, the sound of splashing crashed into the atmosphere as a man walked down through the tight alleyways of the gray building now soaked and darkened to a gravel black. His steps splashed the shallow puddles below his dark boots and the rain glittered on his smooth hooded cloaked protecting him from the rain, he'd glance up at the now elder street lights that flicker from low maintenance, the light coursing around his pale face and dark features, a subtle stubble lining his jaw, the appearance of a young man in the night.
He soon arrived to grayed sandstone archway that blended in with its surroundings, matching the gloomed stones of the architecture, the metal door within the archway would open automatically as he stepped to it, and he'd step through the door and into the dimly lit room, metallic crates being used as tables by an assortment of men discussing slowly more understandable as the cloaked man approached the table.
The young cloaked man spoke, his voice quiet though stern "Guards shifted posts tonight, they're patrolling Sasbar right now.." He'd inform the men surrounding the table, reporting to their authority. One man, bald with scars running down his ear to his neck with dark skin turned to face the cloaked man and spoke, addressing the cloaked man by his name "Nasim, join us.." the bald man waved his hand to beckon Nasim, the cloaked man, to come closer to the table. "We are discussing which districts will be given to whom in the upcoming days, you will be most likely given Sasbar since you have more experience with the guards, and you will be taking Ladib with you as to get him accustomed to low profile work, so do with that as you-" The bald man who held authority could not finish his sentence before Nasim interrupted him - "Asdim!" Nasim shouted the bald man's name in frustration before continuing, "You know I nearly got caught in a meeting just thirteen days ago and since then the Magistrate has doubled the amount of guards with the protests!" Nasim spoke hastily and passionately "I can't be given a rookie and be expected to watch my back and his under this pressure!" He finished, nearly shouting with frustration. Asdim, the bald man would sigh and look down at the table, a holographic map of the city, specifically its slum districts, Asdim would begin speak slowly and with authority "Three good men died in the past month alone, I would've expected you to realize your duty with such a loss.." He spoke with disappointment, "Our fight to riches is one that does not come without loss and work. We are here because we could not afford the lives the Magistrate has made for us. We are slaves to an empire we do not see, and therefore.. we do not have our livelihoods to spare. If you cannot keep up, then you will be cut off." He finished, looking up to Nasim with a serious and unforgiving expression with an underlying compassion, that of a forced hand. "I apologize... I'll take him to Sasbar tomorrow.. just, let me rest tonight." Nasim spoke in a defeated tone, before raising his shoulders from the table and leaving back out the archway and into the night..
The sunlight would shine through the slitted windows of the dark sandstone, casting a ray over the eyes of Nasim. As his eyes cracked open the light would force his dark eyes to dilate, and he'd rise from his stiff bed, looking around his single room house. He'd sigh as he'd stand and begin dressing and preparing himself for the day, putting on many tan robed layers before finishing with dark leathered straps for his belt a knife with its blade of equal length to its handle, as long as a forearm in total and a bandolier to hold his ammunition for the rustic metal tubed revolver pistol on his hip, concealed his robes. He'd leave his small sandstone shack and into the bustling streets of morning Ilabat. Nasim walked through the streets before sharply turning into a quiet cold alleyway away from the crowded streets, there would be standing the rookie similar dressed to Nasim, adjusting his straps before he noticed Nasim approaching and set his hands to his sides. "Whats your name?" Nasim asked, direct and stern as he'd inspect the rookies gear. "Sharam, sir.." the rookie responded quickly, Nasim looked Sharam in his eyes unimpressed, a scarf covering the mouth of Sharam, leaving his dark eyes and buzzcut hair visible. Nasim would nod looking off, "Right, wheres meeting point today?" Nasim asked as he'd look over is back, checking for people. "Just outside the Anlab bridge, it should be a clientele of four men from the Eliban." Sharam replied, before Nasim looked back to Sharam in partial disbelief "We're dealing with the Eliban now?" Nasim would look off and scoff, shaking his head as he'd look down " Right.. great idea to sell weapons to a bunch of terrorists that'll spill exactly where they got the weapons from when they get caught, hebah..." He'd sigh out before walking off back into the streets to the destination, Sharam following close behind. As they'd approach the area of Anlab bridge, a crowd grew denser and denser and when Nasim and Sharam finally made their way through the sea of shoulders, they could peak through the heads and robes and see the dead bodies of armored City Guards with a dozen more trying to control the crowd away and disperse it. Nasims eyes would widen at the spectacle that the crowd surrounded, his gaze only broken with the loud shout from one of the crowds-people "Thats how safe the city is huh?!" The mans shout ignited many others "How will you protect us if you cannot protect yourselves!" "Stop pushing me!" "Death to Ashlan!!" Nasim and Sharam could feel the tensions growing ss the shouts and pushing from the guards trying to disperse the crowd grew, the air felt heavy and the pair were thrusted back and forth between shoulders "Lets go, now!" Nasim would loudly shout to Sharam, barely audible over increasingly more loud and aggressive shouting, he'd start pushing Sharam backwards through the crowd, Sharam would understand and turn and begin pushing away out of the crowd, the two pushing shoulders and chests out of their way, before a sudden blast would be heard, followed by shouts and immediate shoving from the crowd with more shouting "They shot him!! They shot us!!" The crowd shouted as they'd charge at the city guards, more blasts would go off and more gasps and yells would begin as people began running. Nasim would look up and a ship would land just outside the crowd, a shuttle holding more city guard, as at least thirty poured from the shuttle and more blasts would be fired into the crowd. Nasim and Sharam would begin running through the crowd, the ability to becoming more as people would start making themselves sparse. In the chaos Sharam would fall and as he did a clearing would be made and one of the city guard would aim his rifle and shoot Sharams side, the hot plasmic blast burning through his ribs, Sharam screaming in agony and pain "Nasim! Nasim!" He'd cry out for help, Nasim would from to him, grabbing Sharams arm and dragging him away from the city guards as he'd pull out his own pistol and begin firing at them, shooting and killing the guard that shot Sharam, as the other guards finally noticed they began to raise their rifles to Nasim but their aim would be broken as heavy rifle fire would start from across the bridge, rebels began firing into the group of guards and they ran to take cover behind the shuttle, firing back across the bridge. Nasim would drag Sharam into the alleyways finally escaping the shooting, blasts and screams could still be heard echoing from that square though Sharams screams would make them barely audible, Nasim would rip off his scarf and begin putting pressure onto his wound, cauterized and open, Nasim would grit his teeth knowing the fate of the rookie as he'd defeatedly pat the deep roasted wound, looking into the eyes of the young boy "I'm sorry... I'm sorry." Nasim would speak softly and compassionately as tears would well in his eyes, looking at the tear slicked cheeks and eyebags of Sharam as Sharam would clutch at Nasims hands on his wound, crying "No! No! No! Try! Please try, please!" Sharam begged, Nasim looking down and shaking his head, beads of sweat and tears falling from his face "I can't.." Nasim lifted his head up as the firing stopped and he knew they'd begin searching, he wrapped his hand around the head of Sharam pulling him into his shoulder, Sharam crying into his shoulder, groaning in pain as his wounds walls would be constricted in this position, unable to speak from the pain. Nasim lifted his other hand to Sharams head, clutching his knife, his fist shaking around the hand before he'd drive just the tip into Sharams neck, the cries ending immediately, a deafening silence befalling Nasim's ears as he'd silently cry... Nasim would shove the soulless body from his own, before pulling the knife from his neck, blood pouring down Sharam's neck and shoulder down to his chest, puddling the sandy street beneath him. Nasim would stand, taking the weapons of Sharam hastily, nearly running off once he gathered everything but turning back to shut the eyes of the corpse of Sharam, then running off into the alleyways as the city guards approached the alley Nasim left.
After hours and hours of walking, avoiding city guards after the Magistrate sent guards to patrol the city, Namis found himself at the same archway from the night before, the metal doors mechanically slid open just as they did before, and he stepped in, Asdim and two other robed ones standing beside him were there beyond the entrance. Namis would walk in and slump onto a chair beside the entranceway, the dots of splattered blood over his shoulder, and his hands would fall to his sides, dropping the knife and pistol of Sharam, Asdim would look down and sigh knowingly "What'd you do, Namis... What did you do?!" He shouted as he lifted his head to face Namis as he stepped forward closer to Namis, "Things got heated... guards shot into the crowd and got him... I.." Namis would speak breathily and exhausted, sweat falling down his temples, his spiked hair falling down the sides of his head clustered by sweat.. "I shot a guard... some Jadigan fired at the guards, I dragged Sharam out... it.." Namis would look up at Asdim to face him, Namis' eyes teary and exhausted, "His wound was too bad, I put him out of his misery..." Namis spoke under his breath, Asdim would sigh and put his face into his hands and drag them down as he'd process it all, Namis looking back down "Streets are running with guards now... at least a thousand.." Namis added, "The wars started, words spread faster than you got here, I heard some crowd was shot at already, this won't be forgiven by the people. We need to get out of the city." Asdim quickly replied, thinking as he spoke. "Yasud." Asdim turned to one of the men stood near him, he stood tall and slender with black skin. "Do you know a way out of a city?" Asdim asked, "I know one.. a connect of mine is a checkpoint guard, if we go through his post he will let us through." Yasud answered. Asdim nodded, "Dasib.." Asdim spoke to the other man, "Tell the others to find a way out of the city." Dasib nodded and left the building walking hastily. "Yasud, make sure your connect will be at the checkpoint." Asdim turned to Yasud, Yasud nodded and followed Dasib out, Asdim would finally turn to the sulking Nasim, his hands shaking. Asdim would squat down to be eye level with Nasim "These two deaths will be the first of many, gather yourself if you want to survive. Your safety is no longer guaranteed." Nasim nodded mindlessly, his mind in other places. Asdim would stand up and pat Nasims shoulder before moving to another room to prepare, leaving Nasim.
The sun had fallen, the cold desert air flowed through the city streets and among the maze Nasim walked. He traveled to the outskirts of the city, where the bounds were marked just by the giant sandstone walls surrounding the entire city, he arrived to a poorly made and maintained graveyard, the tombstones that peaked above the piled dried dirt crooked and slanted. Namis walked through the rows of tombstones before turning to face one, stepping to it and kneeling before it. Inscribed with poor writing was the name "Adira Eli - 1086-1132", Namis raised his hand to feel the inscription with his fingers, his eyes glistening with the moonlight above him, he'd sigh, "I won't be home for a time... I'll take care of myself as I promised, and..." He spoke softly and emotionally, "I'll be back one day. One day." He rose from his knees and stood over the tombstone, standing there a moment before finally turning away and walking through the rows and back into the streets.
Nasim arrived to the same archway carrying a large bag over his shoulder and strapped on his back. Asdim, Yasud and Dasib stood before the archway, carrying bags of equal size, prepared and ready. "Got everything, Nasim?" Asdim asked, looking over Nasim, "I do. I'm ready." Nasim responded, a sadness persisting in his tone. Asdim nodded, "Right. Dasib, lead us to your man." Asdim turned his head to speak to Dasib, "Yes, follow me." Dasib replied walking off, using a stick as he stepped. They began walking through the quiet streets, lit only by small lanterns and the blued moonlight. "So, is there a place we will stay once we are outside the city?" Yasud asked, addressing Asdim, "We will camp in the desert for a few days until we reach our compound, a cousin of mine is a grain farmer in Iban and he will let us stay with him until we can find our own spot." Asdim replied, "Ibhan? Aren't we meant to be going low profile? It's right next to Midan." Yasud added, "Yes but the farm is in the west of the Kanar pass, the Magistrate does not move through there, Mount Shayan makes it too hard." Asdim answered, Nasim listening closely. "What will we even do out there? We will need money eventually and I doubt we will work as farmhands." Dasib questioned, "Out there, the Kuzan rebels are fighting in Ayunara and Undara, we will be able to make business with them making and supplying weapons... the problem is, I have no contact with the Kuzans, so we will have to make direct contact and strike a deal once we get on our feet." Asdim replied, Nasim hastened his pace to be side by side to Asdim "We can't bet on the hospitality of steppe rebels to keep us fed, Asdim." Nasim spoke angrily. "You are right, we cannot. But if we wish to avoid getting captured by the Magistrate and maintain the work we know how to do, it is in our best interest to try. If you want to rot in a cell eating enuib the rest of your life turn back." Asdim said sternly, turning to face Nasim as the four walked. "The gates up ahead now, lets not rouse suspicion." Yasud broke the tension, Asdim and Nasim breaking their conflicting gaze and looking forward to the gate, the gate being within a giant archway of the tree tall walls surrounding the city, filled with Magistrate guards holding their rifles and spears, their red accented khakis with armored braces on their limbs. "Masks on." Asdim said under his breath as they slowly approached, the four would pull their scarfs over their noses to hide their faces partially. Yasud walked in front of the others and took the lead as they stopped in front of a guard who approached them, wearing an officer cap with a border guard insignia. "Marha, what can I help you with?" the officer asked, "Marha, Sir. I am a friend of Captain Sadig." Yasud stated, "Ah.." The officer acknowledged turning and waving at the Captain to come from the gate booth, the Captain walked out of the metallic sliding door and walked over to Yasud, "Ah, Yasud! As expected, the toll for tonight is 1300 Dazam. Expensive I know but Ashlans curfew demands it." The Captain spoke, Yasud nodded and reached into his bag pulling out a sack of coins, handing it to the Captain, "That should be enough, thank you, Sadig. I owe you one." Yasud shook hands with the Captain, "Safe travels, friend." The Captain said before turning and waving the gate guards to move aside and walking back to the booth. As the guards dispersed opening a path for the group the walk through, and they did. Walking past the guards, the guards giving suspicious glances to them as they walked past, they took steps out onto the road leading into the dangerous outskirts of the city, leaving the archway above them and being hit lightly by the moonlight above them, contrasting the artificial glow of the blue highlighters of the gateway. "That went better than I had expected." Nasim said with a chuckle, causing the others to laugh lightly as they walked out into the moonlit desert, their heavy robes flailing in the cold wind.
They walked the desert, their footsteps leaving prints in the sand, dust being kicked up by their steps and carried off by the wind. Soon they found themselves a rock formation that'd provide shelter from dust and sandwinds, they laid out their fabrics to sit on and lit a small fire to keep the four warm, cooking some food they had brought. "We will be moving through the Kanar Pass as to avoid the Shayan Mountain, we will need to be energized and vigilant as bandits often lay ready and they will show no mercy." Asdim said as he poked the fire, his arms rested on his raised knees, "We will be more armed than them." Nasim said with not much concern as he scooped a grain porridge with a flatbread, "I've heard stories, there can be up to a dozen of them and they are not man. They are wild dogs of the desert willing to kill even their own for a scrap." Yasud said looking up at Nasim from his own bowl. "Our weapons and heavy bags will make us more of a target, the bandits will take anything that could sell, and we are carrying these weapons to sell." Asdim added as he began to eat as well. Dasib returned to the group on a small hovering vehicle made for desert travel, the back of the vehicle filled with crates. "Ah, Dasib! They dropped off all the crates?" Asdim stood, walking over and setting his hand onto the side of the vehicle, overlooking the crates. "La, Alir and Busun were eager to drop them off, they didn't want to have so much on them with how much Magistrate guards are patrolling." Dasib said as he powered the vehicle down and hopped off of it, "Ah well I cannot blame them. This is at least a three-hundred-thousand dazams, should be enough to keep us from hunger for a while." Asdim said clearing some of the dust off the crates. "La.. help me with the tarp, will you?" Dasib asked as he flung a tarp over the crates, Asdim helping him tie it down. The pair walked back to the fire where they both sat across from eachother, "Well... long travel tomorrow, rest well." Asdim said as he laid back onto his fabric, Yasud following, leaving Nasim and Dasib awake. Nasim helped cook food for Dasib and an hour had passed, Dasib cleared his throat after sipping his tea, "Do you have confidence in this all, Nasim?" Dasib asked, looking off to night, "What do you mean 'all this'?" Nasim asked back, "Well... we are leaving the only home we knew, betting on a man who raised us from petty street thieves to strike a deal with a bunch of farmer rebels, and if that fails we will act as farmhands that are armed to the teeth." Dasib spoke, listing everything as he sipped his tea. Nasim sighed, "I'm not sure, I haven't thought clearly since this morning... I am following my shepherd like a sheep, and it's because I don't know anything else." Nasim spoke pondering as he looked up at the stars, "I killed a boy just a year younger than me, I shot a man who thought he was protecting Ilabat. I died when my mother did. I cannot look to the future anymore, because every minute I live in fear it is my last... and that is the only thing I can rely upon." Nasim finished, his voice monotone as he spoke from his heart. A large pause of silence, though filled with the two flickering through thoughts broken by Dasib, "I was given a much more fortunate life than you... but, my mistakes led me here, and they led to my brother being arrested and my parents throwing me away. I, a troublemaker, You, an orphan. The last warm touch you and I will feel is that of a gun blast, and by that time we have ought to deserve it. We are victims of fate and the makers of our destiny." Dasib spoke his breath fogging as hit the cold air. "One Day the sun will set and it will be our last, and if we are lucky... it will be a sunrise." Dasib finished before setting his things aside, and laying onto his bed, rolling onto his side. Nasim sat there thinking on Dasibs words, slumber striking his eyes and forcing his philosophical debate to end, laying down, his eyes facing the starts as they finally shut.
The sky bright and blue, over the horizon covered by the rocky mountain of the east the glow of the sun appeared, Nasims eyes cracked open, he lifted his hands to rub his eyes as he adjusted to the light, he heard the sound of the others up and preparing, the fire barely alight, the cold air piercing even his thick layered robes. Nasim sat up and looked around, Asdim was sipping a tea and cleaning bowls from the night before, Yasud and Dasib loading the carrier with their things and packing up their beddings. Nasim quickly stood up and followed suite, picking up his own things. "Early day today, be quick we don't want to be traveling at night." Asdim said, watching Nasim gather his things. Finally all the four men had packed what they needed and gotten inside the carrier, Yasud driving then as they slowly drove through the desert outskirts of Ilabat and into the Mount Shayan District, and towards the Kanar Pass in Amagan District.
Two hours had past of the group driving through the desert, Asdim spoke up as he looked to their surroundings, "We are nearing Kanar Pass! Get your weapons ready!" He spoke loudly to be heard over the humming engine of the carrier. Asdim pulled put a long mostly wooden rifle with the rifling being metal, Nasim his revolving pistol, and Dasib another rifle alike to Asdims, they held their weapons firm, keeping their eyes focused on ridge lines as the slowly approached the valleyed canyon, surrounding by rocky mountains. As they'd enter the canyon they'd see the remains of fabrics, metal parts and unidentifiable bones. "We are in Kanar Pass now, boys. Watch the canyon ridge and our front and back." Asdim said quieter than before, the humming of the engine quieted as Yasud moved slowly through the canyon, avoiding rocks and scraps. Nasim held his pistol up, the barrel just higher than his shoulder, his scarf covering his mouth and nose as his eyes darted around surveying as they entered deeper into the canyon, "How long is Kanar?" Nasim asked, a tension building. "Thirteen minutes at most. Less than five if Yasud drives recklessly." Asdim replied slowly and focused on watching the canyon. A minute or so passes, and the entrance they came from is no longer visible whatsoever, the sound of scattering footsteps over the ridges, Dasib points his rifle up and Asdim points his forwards. "We aren't alone." Asdim whispered under his breath, the whisper being inaudible over the sound of the engine "What'd you say?" Dasib asks, in a louder normal tone, and the sound of an echoed whistle and a firey red blast flies through the air and hits Dasib in the chest, the shot makes him panic and he shoots up at a ridge, rocks falling down and more shots from the ridge coming down in return, four more firery blasts whistle through the air and shot through Dasib, his rifle falls from his hands and he falls backwards off of the carrier. "Shan!! Drive Yasud, go!!" Asdim screams as he begins firing up to the ridge where the shots came from, Yasud pushing down on the levers as he'd speed up now flying through the canyon. Nasim began firing up at the ridges aimlessly "Where are they?!" He'd shout as he'd fire, glancing back, seeing the body of Dasib with cauterized holes through his back, "They got Dasib!!" he shouted, turning back to fire more into the ridges, whatever shots he could make missing from the speed at which they were going. "I know!! Just keep firing!!" Asdim screamed as the end of the canyon came closer, more and more blasts came from the ridge, shooting into the carrier causing it to lose its balance slightly, causing it to rock and making their aim worse. "I can't get a shot!" Nasim shouted, six consecutive blasts reigning down from the ridge, two hitting Asdim, one in the shoulder and he other in his side "Shit!!" He screamed as his left arm that got shot went limp, now having to shoot with the one, the recoil and pain causing him to shake "Asdim!!" Nasim would shout, "Yasud faster!!" Asdim shouted as the holes in his body smoked. "I am going as fast as I ca-!" Yasud is cut off by being shot through the neck, his head falling onto his shoulder and dangling by crisp flesh, falling limp over the controls, putting them to a stop. "Damn it!!" Asdim shouted, "Nasim, give me your pistol and get us moving!!" Asdim ordered as he through his rifle off the carrier, grabbing Nasims pistol and better firing it off onto the ridge. "Hebah!" Nasim exclaimed as he crawled over the carrier and shoved Yasuds body off of it, his head falling off on impact to the ground and Nasim desperately held down the lever to drive them out. Finally nearing the end of the canyon as he sped through it, Asdim shooting frantically at the ridge, a few bodies of bandits falling from them onto the floor of the canyon. Nasim flew out of the canyon and into a flat clear desert, not stopping to even look back as the ashen bits of Yasud flew off the carrier with the wind, "We made it! We made it!" Nasim cried out. "Not yet..." Asdim panted as he winced at the pain of his wounds, "What do you mean not yet?!" Nasim shouted back at Asdim. "They won't give up yet, they will come after us on a sandrider.." Asdim coughed as he replied, "What?!" Nasim shouted in exhaustion, tears flying from his eyes in the wind, "Stop the carrier!" Asdim ordered sternly, Nasim pulling on the brake the engines screeching turning to a hum. "Let me off.." Asdim said panting. "What do you mean let you off, do you wanna die?!" Nasim shouted at him, "I will die regardless, but you won't... they've gotten three of us, those guns and gear will satisfy them." Asdim swung his leg over the carrier trying to get off, wincing at the pain as his wound would stretch snd constrict with his movement, "I don't know where to go without you!" Nasim shouted bsck turning to try and pull Asdim back onto the carrier. "Stop that!" Asdim pointed the pistol at Nasim, "You're a man now!! You don't need me anymore!" Asdim panted, Nasim standing over Asdim, "Go to Midan, find the Kuzans in the Isha village and ask for their help! I cannot help you no longer. I've done what I could... You'll live one more day." Asdim said, crossing the carrier and standing onto cracked sandy desert floor, Nasim crying as he stood on the carrier. "Go, Nasim! Go!" Asdim shouted, the metallic roar of sandriders coming from the canyon, Asdim turning to face them. Nasim turned back and sat down onto the carrier, pushing down on the lever as he began to speed off, not looking back as to see the fate of his mentor. The sound of the roaring sandriders shifting as they circled him, the whistling blasts filling the empty desert landscape and the sound piercing the ears of Nasim as he sped off, left to hear the fate...
Crying and alone, under the blistering sun Nasim rode to another day.
