Blade(Part 1): Dawn

Chapter 1: Dameon

Dameon pretended that he was stabbing his pitchfork into the chest of Lord Nouzari rather than the farmland of Astros. The boy was amazed that he could even lift the tool to farm, let alone use it. Nouzari had ordered his farmer to force Dameon to work even harder today, under the blazing hot sun above the continent of Orathan. He fought every urge to find Lord Nouzari and run the pitchfork through his chest, but he would only die. After ten years of enslavement, though, he began to care whether he died or not less and less. Along Dameon's back were scars from the whip of Nouzari's farmer. He was as cruel and sadistic as they came, and it was always a wonder why Dameon wasn't just killed where he stood as his parents were ten years ago, when the Skaolan Empire arrived on the shores of the colonies. He remembered seeing their turtle ship dreadnoughts on the horizon. He remembered the soldiers of Skaola marching through the streets, killing every Legionnaire, Centurion, and Commando of Astros they passed by. Many civilians of the colony even took up arms, forming a colonial militia. They were all decimated by the Skaolans' superior numbers, advanced technology, and magic that was unlike anything that was ever seen before. No one could match the strength of their army. Even the Guardians had difficulty fighting against them. They survived the Colonial War, but their numbers in the colonies have dwindled. Dameon had lost hope that he would have the taste of freedom again. In fact, time had gone by much faster once he accepted it.

As he picked up the stalks of corn with his pitchfork, he suddenly began to hear people on the other side of the fence that kept him from leaving the farm. Dameon walked to the fence to see a large crowd of people, whether they were brown-skinned Skaolan or bright-skinned Sevorgradian like he was, walking down the path that led to Lord Nouzari's mansion. He decided to follow them, dropping his pitchfork, and staying on his side of the fence of barbed wire. The Sevorgradian colonists had looks of nervousness on their faces, but the Skaolans had smiles of pride. Dameon had learned a long time ago that it wasn't good. Whatever Lord Nouzari had summoned the citizens of Astros for might also not be good. They arrived at the enormous manor that stood behind a large courtyard. Lord Nouzari himself stood upon a set of gallows that were in the center of the courtyard. Dameon felt dread at whose necks he saw tied in the nooses. They were both children. One of them wore a dark, leather jacket of a Guardian Squad Captain, and the other wore a similar outfit, but it was gray. She was a Lieutenant. The two Guardians couldn't have been much older than Dameon, and they were about to be executed.

"The gods!" Lord Nouzari announced. "Wish for justice! But they may also show mercy. These juveniles, who call themselves 'Guardians', have committed the most heinous offense. Treason! Their crimes against our King and country are only punishable one way. By death!" The Skaolan citizens threw their fists up and gave a thunderous cheer.

"May the gods have mercy on these traitors' souls," Lord Nouzari finished. Dameon saw the two guardians look to each other with tears in their eyes, and even though their hands were bound behind them, they managed to reach to each other and grip their hands tightly together. Dameon looked away as the trapdoor under the Guardians opened, and the Guardians dropped. Dameon looked back to see both youths hanging by their necks under the gallows' platform. Their eyes were closed, and their bodies were lifeless. Dameon hid in the corn as tears began to fall from his eyes. He fell to his knees, covering his eyes as he sobbed. The Guardians of Zenartha are supposed to be warriors against darkness, tyranny, and injustice. They were formed as protectors of the innocent, warriors of light, and servants of justice. Whatever Lord Nouzari intended, it worked. Dameon realized now that it was hopeless. The freedom of the colonies, not just his own freedom, was impossible. If the Skaolans were capable of capturing and executing warriors such as the Guardians, then there really was no hope. Suddenly, Dameon heard the farmer's cruel voice behind him.

"Boy!" he roared, as he grabbed him by the arm and threw him to the ground behind him.

"Who told you that you were excused from work?" the farmer demanded. Dameon didn't answer, even though it would only give the man reason to beat him, or kill him.

"Answer me!" the farmer shouted, lifting Dameon by the collar of his shirt and punching him in the face. The child found himself on the ground again.

"Go to hell," Dameon growled.

"What was that?" the farmer snapped, taking out his long whip. Dameon knew what came next. He screamed as he was lashed on the arm. His shirt tore, and blood seeped from where the lash hit him.

"First you skip your work, and now you talk back to me!?" the farmer shouted, lashing Dameon again. Dameon could feel the man's whip hit him again and again. It became more painful with each lash. It was no different to every other day when the farmer decided to torture him for no real reason at all. With every lash, though, he thought of his parents. Dameon could see them being shot where they stood by the Skaolan soldiers, and he could see every other man, woman, and child in his village dead as it burned around him. He began not to feel the whip at all, now, even though he knew that it was still being used. At that moment, though, he decided that he didn't care whether he lived or died on Lord Nouzari's plantation anymore. When the farmer swung his whip one more time, Dameon grabbed the lash before pulling it from his hand. Dameon swung the whip at the farmer's face, staggering him backward, screaming. A piece of skin dropped under the man's head. Dameon then kicked the farmer from his feet, and pulled a dagger from under the huge man's belt before raising it. He gave a loud shout as he stabbed the short blade into the farmer's back. He raised it again, then sunk it into the back of his skull. Dameon stabbed and stabbed again, splashing more blood on himself with every stab. There was a stab for his mother, his father, his friends, and now for the two Guardians that were just executed. Dameon could feel his arm tiring, and his stabbing slowed. When he raised the dagger one more time, though, his wrist was grabbed. Dameon looked behind him, terrified to see one of Lord Nouzari's men, but it wasn't. It was a tall man with a short, dark beard. He wore a leather cuirass on his chest, and pants made from dark leather. Around his head was a dark hood made from cloth.

"I think he's dead, Dameon," the man said. "Don't you?" Dameon raised his eyebrows. The farmer he had just killed had always just called him 'boy', or 'dog'. No one had called him by his name since he was five, when the Skaolans came. Dameon didn't know whether to be scared of the mysterious man or not.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is 'Silas'," the man answered. "And if you're wondering, I know your name because I'm the one who came to take you away from this place. I know you want to leave, too." Dameon couldn't have been happier. He finally had a chance at freedom after ten years of torment, and he wouldn't pass it up.

"Where are we going?" Dameon wondered.

"As far away from here as possible," Silas promised, turning around, and walking through the stalks of corn. Dameon followed him. As they walked through the cornfields, Dameon couldn't help other than to notice what Silas was carrying. He had a short bow on his back, and in a scabbard on his belt was a short, straight blade. He had bracers with a mysterious symbol of what looked like a shard of metal, with the tips as black as midnight.

"Are you a Guardian?" asked Dameon.

"No," Silas chuckled. "I'm an assassin, Dameon, and I'm going to teach you to be one."

"You are?" said Dameon.

"Would you rather be left here?" asked Silas.

"Gods, no," Dameon gasped. "I never want to come back here. Why do you want me to become an assassin?" Silas stopped in his tracks. The assassin hung his head and sighed. Whatever he was about to say to Dameon must have been important.

"Dameon," he said, turning to face Dameon. "I am part of what's left of the Blades of Midnight. We were once a group of assassins who fought for the freedom of Zenartha from the shadows. We have remained undiscovered for centuries, and it must remain that way if our colonies are to gain their freedom. You will be the one who wields the blade that cuts the head off the snake of tyranny. The next six months will test if you will live up to the task."