Assassin of the Moon
By: Ben Ford

I awoke with a start, realizing that someone was standing my chambers. “Who is it?! Who goes there?!”

“It is I, sir, your advisor. I have just received word that an intruder has entered the castle!”

“Well, why didn’t anyone stop him?!”

“We tried sir, but… he slew the guards…”

“The whole regiment?!”

“Yes sir, the looks on their faces… they were in shock… as if the assailant was of godly strength and speed.”

“Do we know what he is after?”

“Reports of dead guards lead to your room, sire! We must leave now!”

I quickly jumped out of bed, reaching for my long royal cape.

“Sir! There is no time,” exclaimed the courtier, Khalim, with much fear and trepidation.

“Khalim, how will we escape? Could we use the secret door to the armory and make our way to the secret garden,” I asked as I donned my royal robe and cape.

“Yes, sir, I suppose we could! Now let’s go!”

I was taken swiftly by the hand, as my advisor ran out of the door, with me clinging on to his finger. On the way to the armor, I saw the most grotesque sights. Apparently, the assassin delighted in the arts of mutilation. I realized this as I saw the bodies of dead courtiers and friends in the hallway. Arms were twisted, necks severed, eyes beaten to a pulp… and to think I never heard a scream…

“Sir! We are almost there!”

“Khalim, do you know how to open the lock?!”

“No, sir! Only you can!”

As we neared the faint outline of a door, I ran in front of Khalim. I quickly recited the ancient incantation to open the door. Khalim immediately pushed me out of the way and ran inside first.

“KHALIM! What are you doing?!”

“I am… uhh… merely clearing the way si-“

Before he could speak another word, a ballista bolt shot through his skin, the tail-end impaling him onto the wall. I immediately lost all of my senses of survival, simply gaping at the sight I had just witnessed. I then began to hear and feel a chilling breeze blow by me, and I immediately knew I had to get out of here, quickly. I began to run, but I stopped short to dodge a throwing dagger thrown into the wall next to me, grazing my skin, giving me a deep laceration. I then heard bone-chilling, dauntless laughter from behind me.

“You cannot escape me Prince Mizuli! I will hunt you down until you no longer have the will to run any longer!”

I attempted to pretend that the words held no weight with me, but in reality, I was terrified, not by the words… but by the voice… I recognized it.

After what seemed like a good hour of running, I decided to bar a nearby room with a metal polearm I found on the ground. My vision started to become foggy. The dagger was poisoned! I staggered over to the battle cleric’s station to look for bandages and antidotes. I found bandages rather quickly, but I had to light a torch to find the antidote. I quickly applied the antidote-soaked bandages around my arm. I then realized I was in a guard outpost…

Walking out of the guard room with a new sense of confidence (and gear), I strode through the hallways, searching to find the would-be assassin. Unfortunately, being a young prince who was unskilled in the arts of fighting, I was foolish enough to attempt to battle. I walked along the dark halls, braziers doused and overturned; the only light source came from the torch I wielded. I could smell the stench of death as I passed every room… everyone was dead… As I passed my room I thought I heard a crash behind me. After having been terrified for a good ten seconds, I came to the realization that it was just my imagination. I saw a grotesque shadow looming on the wall ahead of me. I stealthily walked towards it, slowly reaching it. I crept very, very silently, but I almost thought I saw its feet move with me. I was almost there, and I felt that breeze again. The hair on the back of my neck was on end, as I then heard my ragged breathing. I was almost to the shadow… My heart rate elevated, my grip on my sword hilt tightening. The scent of blood pervaded the room, heightening the adrenal spike. Almost close enough… I raised my sword, but when I got to the shadow, it leaped! The shadow was now behind me! The serrated katana came crashing down on my helmet, shattering the horns and cracking the helmet. I immediately brought my sword down upon the shadowy figure, but the sword passed right through!
“What are you?” I gasped, as I felt his katana pierce my armor, stabbing me in the gut. It answered with a loud, deafening roar. A lance impaled it from behind! The lance fell to the ground, as did the monster, still attached to the lance like a stuck pig.

“I wouldn’t let you die, Prince Mizuli. Only I can kill you. It is time for you to return to the land of the dead!”

As he uttered these words, a healing wind flew over me, and I was temporarily relieved. This relief was cut short by a dagger flying into my helmet. I counted my lucky stars that the helmet was there… but my vision faded and I realized a horrific fact… my helmet was cracked… I fell to the ground, no life in my body, soul returning home…