Failure is Death, Learn or Die

I follow Hassar through the doors and hear our footsteps echo through this tunnel. Hassar stops and turns to the Merchant.

(Reuben follow me and go to my office ahead of me as usual. I will sort the new blood out in a bit and discuss about the particulars of his education with you. You never did tell me what this one's potential is or innate constitution or crest mark? Knowing you, this boy does not know anything. Yet.. he probably has been subjected to a full inspection with out his or his parent's knowledge. And for you to pick him up and deliver him to me personally...)

(Hassar all in due time... the less people and he himself knows the better. He is not initiated yet and yes he has greater potential than he knows. But now is not the time for that. Settle him quick and we will discuss it in your office.)

So the Merchant is named Reuben? I will remember that. And what the hell is a crest mark or innate constitution? I try to look all around myself and find on my left fore arm, closest to my elbow there is a weird mark which disappears if I don't concentrate my attention on it? It looks kind of like a snake facing me while looking up and its body is coiled in a spiral around its head radiating outward clockwise. It disappeared suddenly after 3 seconds and I feel woozy all of a sudden.

Hassar notices me rocking back and forth about to fall and he braces me. He looked me in the eye and said, "What did you see?" Like a line out of a movie...

[I saw a snake looking up at me on my elbow.]

(Hmm.. how did its body look? Was it coiling down or was it coiling up or did it look like it was slithering?)

I was taken aback and answered truthfully.

[It was coiled around its head radiating outward clockwise or to the right.]

(Reuben....)

(Yes, it is that and another thing too. I will tell you in office!! Haha..! Hurry get him settled!!)

(Boy what is your name?)

[Jordan sir!!]

Hassar smiled and said "You are going to be my personal apprentice. If you survive you may become my master's disciple too which is nothing to scoff at." I nodded my head, not knowing what is to become of me but fear and adrenaline is kicking up in me for some reason?

(Follow me Jordan I will take you to the dormitory.)

I followed Hassar further through the tunnel to a large cliff overlooking a large cave like basin valley. The ceiling of the cave has multiple large holes to which sunlight come through. There is a thundering waterfall on the east side of the cliff to which water flows down to a large lake and further into a river. There are hand rails along the cliff side path to which I am on leading to carved out rocky steps leading downwards to the west. I can sweat the end of the path it switches to the east then west again down to a rope bridge. I can hear birds whistling and chirping in this cave and see all manner of plants growing of the cliff and along the lake and river. My eyes follow the rope bridge which leads to the north of the cave to another tunnel which is wider than the one I walked through.

There are 2 guards with a black turban and balaclava covering their face and head. The are wearing a black tunic under riveted scale mail that has been painted with black lacquer. Their boots are made of hardened leather. At they're waists are utility belt which has a scimitar and scabbard on their left and 3 hardened leather pouches an 2 inches longer than playing card size. They are wearing black baggy pantaloons as well to complete this (Arabian Nights style) ensemble.

As we walked across the rickety rope bridge. Hassar, whom is dressed in a fez, tunic, vest, pantaloons, and silk finery, does a weird gesture to the guards to which the guards gesture back. As we get closer, one of the guards motions to Hassar to get closer.

(Master Hassar, Grandmaster wishes to see you regarding a prophesy Lady Arakney has foretold. And wishes to see you with haste after you settle the new blood.)

(Good, good, I have received the message.)

A series of whistles came out of Hassar's mouth which echoed loudly than softly. Than a chiming whistle echoed back with rustle of birds in its wake. All a sudden a falcon lands on Hassar's arm as if he expected it. He fishes out a small piece of papyrus and a charcoal pencil he pulled from his pocket and writes a mark. He rolled the paper and tucked in a tube tide to the bird's leg and releases the bird to fly off somewhere.

Hassar than motions us to follow and we walk through the tunnel. After walking for 2 minutes I see light again we arrive in front of a large plaza. There are many large four story buildings built like ziggurats. Each building is tiered and has a large plaza in front of its entrance. All of them look like they are built out specific types of stone which are uniformly cut and not a line off. There are reliefs on the walls which depict beasts of a certain type. There are stairs in the buildings like grand stairways that are visible from the entrances. A number of teens my body's age are seen on each of the plazas in front of instructors doing routines with certain weapons in their hands per plaza. For example teens wielding a scimitar in front of the plaza with jackals on the walls, chain whips with a weight on the end for snake, claws for cats, and so forth. I surmise that the ground floor plazas is weapon training and each plaza has its own class and specialty. All these buildings are built on a East to West fashion and we are heading East to a large building at the end which has tables and benches under an awning of Canvas which kind of looks like a four story dorm. The front door is on the left corner of the building. I was ushered in by Hassar to the far right end of the rooms on the bottom floor and was gestured by Hassar to go in to the room. The room had four bunk style beds made of wood and netting like hammock. Each bunk had 2 trunks in front of them to hold clothes. There were woven blankets and a rug which serves as a mattress on the bunk. Hassar explained the where the toilet is and had given me fresh rags to wipe myself with when nature calls. Gross.... is what came to mind. They have soap made from oils, herbs, powdered pumice, slaked lime and animal fats. And behind the building is a running is a running stream which they dredged and built a lime stone pool that has a drainage gate similar to Ancient Rome but with cold water instead. I a told you draw drinking water upstream in another pool.

(Jordan you are a slave yes, but you need training and I will not be lenient. Tardiness is not tolerated here, you will be given 15 lashes for it 15 more for each time. You are to be up at 5:00 for exercise. Breakfast is served at 7:00 in front of the dorm. You will meet at the Master's dorm on at opposite end of this road at 9:00 and we will go over your training.)

Hassar removed my fetters from my neck feet and hands and told me to wash up and put on the new clothes. I was so glad because feeling cold all over was killing me and the loin cloth was starting to smell. Hassar said I have the day to relax a bit so I took the liberty to bathe, wash the loin cloth, wear the new clothes which was pantaloons, leather boots, tunic, and vest. Also the were shorts for sleep wear. There were a total of 7 sets and towels. For a slave this pretty decent but the truth will be known tomorrow. With that I determined to exceed expectations and learn or die trying. My consciousness was slowly getting heavy and I got on my bunk to sleep.