Assassin's Eyes

Chapter 2 - In Death and Life

Andrew looked around, he didn’t know where he was, or if he was even alive. There was a white mist around him, and nothing else, everywhere he looked it was the same, just a white, blank space. The fog started to swirl over to his right; he looked over there just as a shape emerged out of the mist.

The person was dark skinned, with long silver hair, though he did not appear old at first sight, he was tall and he held a coin in his right hand.

“Hmm, and another has come to join us...” Said the man to himself. He shrugged and looked at Andrew with his cold, blue eyes. Andrew shivered when those eyes touched him; they were the eyes of a dead person.

“Take off your shirt.” Commanded the man. Andrew was taken aback. In all his years dealing on the black market, bribing his way through customs and managing mob bosses he had never been asked to do that. The man’s eyes hardened – If that were possible – and Andrew hurriedly took off his shirt. He looked down and gasped at what he saw.

Branded on his chest was an eleven pointed star.

“That’s what I thought.” Muttered the old man.

“What...” Gasped Andrew as his encounter with the assassin came back to him. “Am I...dead?” Asked Andrew in an unsteady voice.

“Yes.” Replied the man absently as he studied Andrew. Andrew shook visibly as the words hit him. “The afterlife, however, is not for one such as you. Gregora has had enough of Ayelisahr cheating and changing fate. You will be sent back to the living world, with no memory of this.” The man pressed his hands to either side of Andrew’s head, Andrew felt a strange pulling sensation as he was moved through extra dimensions and back into the real world. As he was moved through each dimension he saw an image, some made him want to laugh with joy, and others made him want to weep. Atrocities made centuries ago, atrocities to be made in centuries to come. The sensation grew stronger and stronger until he felt that his insides would tear out. Everything went black. Andrew fought to remain conscious but was quickly overwhelmed.

Andrew suddenly sat up, panting for breath. The coroner, whom had been leaning over him with a scalpel, jumped back with a squawk of surprise as the body came to life.

The End of Chapter 2