Chapter 6

Malik selected Kadir for his second try at unarmed combat and chose Adonijah to go against him.  When Adonijah heard his name, he raised an eyebrow and stepped onto the mat, getting into his starting position.  Malik motioned for them to start.  I already knew that Adonijah would swing first.  He firmly believed that swinging first could give you an advantage.  I knew that that wasn't totally true.  

Adonijah punched Kadir in the stomach.  Kadir seemed unaffected.  He must've been flexing.  Kadir elbowed Adonijah in the chest and grabbed his arm, hauling him over his shoulder and onto the mat.  Adonijah lifted his legs, kicking Kadir in the face, making his nose bleed.  Kadir growled and punched Adonijah in the face.  Adonijah winced and rolled to his feet.  He kicked Kadir in his left side, seeing that he'd left it open again.  A horrible look of anger crossed over Kadir's face as he grabbed Adonijah by his throat and shoved him to the mat, ending the fight with a brutal kick to Adonijah's ribs.  

I looked to Malik.  That had been the most brutal and least graceful fight Kadir had ever fought. Malik would approve of course.  Kadir had won the fight, but it was unlike him.  Obviously, he was angry at me for beating him and took it out on Adonijah.  "Kadir wins." Malik announced.  Kadir walked off the mats and into the back of the room.  

After the Assassins had set up the racks of weapons, Malik again stood in the center of the mats looking at us.  "You've reached your final test.  We've been tallying up your points,seeing who is doing their best and deserves to graduate.  So far the top five are: Fifth: Taurus, fourth: Ezra, third: Ameena, second: Kadir, and first..." Malik paused dramatically long, looking at me steadily the whole time.  "Iris."

My heart soared.

Adonijah was looking at me again, grinning.  Malik's lips twitched, telling me how proud he was.  I was also aware of Kadir looking at me, burning a whole in my back.  

"This last test will determine the ten of you who will graduate today and who will graduate at the end of the year with more training."  Malik looked at each of us individually before continuing.  "Iris and Adonijah.  Pick your weapons."

I knew exactly what I wanted.  I knew what weapon I could use to easily cut Adonijah down.  He and I have been sparring since childhood.  This fight would be cake.  

I strode forward, flicking my braids over my shoulders, and plucked the daggers off the weapons rack to my left.  Adonijah chose what he always chose: a sword.   I winked at him as I stepped onto the mat, licking my lower lip.  Adonijah smirked, winking back.  

We got into our starting positions and Malik motioned us to start.  I spun and sliced with my daggers, moving quickly to avoid Adonijah's swift sword.  I paused for a moment, waiting for him to make a move so I could dive in and end the fight.  He took a few steps forward, his blade arcing toward my side.  I backed up a step.  He moved forward, slicing again, his movements quite graceful.  I jumped over the blade and sliced as I came down.  My blade nipped into his cheek, blood welling in its wake.  I landed on my feet and pain danced up my legs from the impact.  I forced myself to stay upright, both daggers at Adonijah's throat to signify a deadly blow.  

Malik nodded.  "Iris wins."

I took my daggers away from his throat.  He smiled and stepped back, lowering his sword which had been pointing at my thigh, a possible deadly blow as well.

The duels went on, but I paid no attention.  I knew I'd passed all my tests.  I was an assassin now.  I'd made it.  All of the grueling pain and frustrations.  All the hours spent meditating and sparring.  All the running and soreness had led to this.  I'd made it!

The final ceremony took place an hour later, after lunch and the Assassin's meditation.  We'd have a feast later to celebrate the graduation, but first Malik and the Assassins would bestow their gifts upon the top five graduating assassins.

We lined up once again in the room where I'd met the Assassins and waited while the graduated assassins filed in and lined up on the left side of the room.  Then, the Assassins lined up on the right side.  Malik stood in the very center of the room where the Assassins' symbol was carved into the floor, painted gold.  The symbol was a complicated design including the most common weapons.  The outermost circle was made of swords.  The square just inside that was made of daggers.  The circle inside that was made of throwing stars and knives.  The last part was comprised of four bows pointing in different directions, arrows knocked and then two dual-edged axes were crossed in the very center over it all.  

Malik clasped his hands behind his back and smiled finally.  Beautiful.  Why didn't he have a wife?  "The five graduating today are: Taurus Grayfox,"

Taurus came up to the edge of the Assassins' symbol.

"Ameena Goldhallow,"

Ameena stepped up.

"Ezra Southerfield," 

Ezra swallowed and shyly stepped up to the edge of the symbol, keeping her head up.  She'd made it to third place after the duels.  I was proud.

"Kadir Bowshade,"

I lowered an eyebrow.  Bowshade?  I'd never heard Kadir's last name before.  Kadir swept his hair back, a few strands still falling into his eyes.  He'd kept second place after the duels.  He stepped up to the symbol.  

Malik's sparkling green eyes fell on me.  "Iris Ravenheart."  I stepped up to the symbol beside Kadir with a huge smile on my face.  

I paid no attention to the blessings.  I had never believed in that sort of thing.  I was just glad to finally be there.  A full-fledged Assassin.  

A few minutes later, the Assassins gave Malik our gifts.  

"Taurus Grayfox, our fifth placing assassin." Malik said, receiving a gray bundle of cloth from the Assassin to his left. Taurus opened his arms to receive his gift.  "The Assassins give a sword, crafted of fine steel that few assassins ever manage to get a hold of."  Malik revealed the sword, complete with a black leather sheath.  Taurus pulled the sword from the sheath and examined the blade before sliding it back into the sheath and bowing, accepting the gift. 

Malik turned to Ameena, receiving a large golden bundle of cloth from the Assassin to his left.  

"Ameena Goldhallow, our fourth placing Assassin." Malik said.  "The Assassin's give you a bronze staff, crafted and forged by several Assassins who balanced and carved it to perfectly suit you.  Beautiful to look at, yet deadly."  Ameena unwrapped the staff and held it upright.  The Assassins had carefully and elegantly carved her name and several other designs into the metal.  Topping the staff was a deadly point to easily and painfully skewer an opponent.

Ezra was next.  Malik took a green bundle from an Assassin.  "Ezra Southerfield.  The Assassins give you daggers of fine steel, your best weapons."  Ezra unwrapped the daggers, a strand of her fiery hair falling across her eyes.  The daggers also came complete with sheaths.  Their handles were wrapped carefully with leather.  The hilts and pommels were set with the Assassins' symbol.  She slid them out of the sheaths and looked at the glittering, sharp blades.  Sheathing them, Ezra bowed respectfully.

Next was Kadir who received a large blue bundle of cloth.  The cloth was removed to reveal a bow and quiver.  "The bow and arrows are crafted of metal so no one can destroy them.  The arrows are carefully balanced so each one shall meet its mark."

The bow and quiver were painted black and the arrows shimmered like silver.  He slung the bow and quiver over his back and bowed.

Finally, Malik came to me, receiving a black bundle.  "Iris Ravenheart, our leading assassin.  The Assassin of the Black Desert give you true assassin's blades as well as a set of throwing stars made of gold because your aim was always true.  My heart swelled as I opened my gift to find a set of ten golden throwing stars lined up and sparkling inside the cloth.  There were two machetes lying side by side, the handles wrapped in black leather sheaths bound to leather straps, waiting to be slipped over my shoulders.  I unsheathed them and examined the glittering blade.  I was totally in love with these beautiful weapons already.  I sheathed them and took my bundle of gifts, bowing gracefully to Malik.  As I rose, Malik took my face in his hands and pressed his soft lips to my forehead.  "Never change, Iris.  I will always love you as my daughter more than any other student." he whispered, pulling away, smiling.  I smiled back.

"Go now, my assassins.  Serve your world well.  Kill with purpose, not just desire."  We bowed as the room erupted in applause.