Fen Dak always had a pep in his step when a new batch of boys arrived at the temple. Today was no exception. He walked the halls with his robes trailing behind him as he made his way to the courtyard where the wagons had just arrived with ninety nine new prospects. Ten wagons with ten boys each, at least there had been ten in each. He received a raven three days ago that one of the boys had an accident and unfortunately perished. Ninety nine was still a good number. Of the last three groups of boys none had passed the final test to become acolytes of the temple. The order was very selective in who passed the test, but he had a very good feeling about this group.

  He pushed open the temple door and light streamed in momentarily blinding him. “I need to get out of the temple more” he thought as he blinked a few times, restoring his vision. The boys were all gathered in the courtyard, in a single file line. As he descended the steps all their eyes were watching him. He stopped at the bottom step and slowly scanned them all. After a few minutes he finally spoke.

  “Welcome my children, the temple opens its arms to you. Over the next few months you will be rigorously tested to see if you have what it takes to become acolytes at this temple. Most if not all of you will not pass the tests to be accepted into the brotherhood. Only the very best will be accepted to become the assassins of the gods. I will either turn you into an obedient machine of death, or you will die here and wander the Tribulation Planes for eternity knowing you failed the gods. Guards take them to their cells and prepare them for my disciples.” Fen Dak had yelled the last of his speech since most of the young boys had started to cry begging to be taken home or a quick death. He had noticed however that one boy stood completely still with his eyes locked on his. He didn't bother with names since so many boys came here and failed that he started a number system, and nineteen was worth watching, closely.

  The boys taken to the Temple of the Ashes were gathered from all over the continent of Ahden. While slave trade was banned in all the kingdoms, the noble and law looked the other way if the more unsavory members of society were taken from the streets and put to good use else where. The slavers did not allow the boys to talk to each other in the wagons so nineteen had no idea of anyone's name or where they were from. He had tried whispering to one of the other boys once, but the guard caught him and beat him severely. While he was being beaten by the guard who caught him talking, the other boy made a run for it and was shot dead and left by the wagon train. After that moment NIneteen decided he would plot his revenge in silence.

  After the fat man in the gray robes ordered them to be taken to their cells the same guard that beat him rushed forward grabbing him by his hair and forcing him into the temple. Nineteen bit his tongue to keep from crying out at the pain on the back of his head.

  Don't show them your pain, they will use it against you. He thought as they made their way through the temple doors. As soon as they were inside the light vanished and he was plunged into neat black. Total darkness was held at bay by the faint light cast from torches far overhead. Down too many flights of stairs to count he was finally tossed into a cell where no light entered. The door slammed shut and he could hear the guards footsteps receding into nothingness.

  NIneteen didn’t know if a few minutes or hours passed as he sat in darkness and silence. He felt all around the little room but the only thing he found was a pile of straw on the floor. AN empty basin and a water basin built into the wall with an opening leading into the wall above it which he guessed meant they filled the water from an upper floor so no one had to come into the room to give them food and water. The rest of the walls were smooth and bare. The door was built of solid wood with no handle on the inside and not even a crack big enough for light to squeeze through. As he lay down on the makeshift bed he was suddenly startled by a voice in the room with him. He had not heard the door being unlocked or opened, but he was also certain that there had been no one else in the room when he did his search.

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  “Do you wish for death?” The voice spoke barely above a whisper but the words rang clear in nineteen's ears. Nineteen was silent, he still was not certain if the voice was real or his imagination.

  “Do you wish for death?” The voice spoke again louder this time. It was not the voice of the guard who beat him but it had a hint of familiarity to it.

  “No, I wish to be…” before nineteen could respond the door to his cell opened and there was a figure standing there barely visible in the dim light. He turned and left the room one man charged in after him. It was the guard who beat him and left him in this cell. Without a word the man stopped in front of him and then the blows started to land. Even as nineteen fell to the ground the man followed him and continued to punch and kick him till he faded into unconsciousness.

  When he awoke hours later he felt like he had been run over by a herd of horses. Every part of his body hurt and he was certain he had at least a few broken ribs. Luckily he had fallen next to the water basin so reaching it while painful, was at least easy. After a long sip he felt in the empty basin and was surprised to find food had been put in it. Without caring what it was he ate. Bread and a thick slice of meat, enough to fill him. He drank again and slumped onto the pile of straw and fell into sleep once again. He wasn't sure how many days had passed but he had guessed at three since his body while still sore was mostly better. He had just finished eating his meal when he heard the same voice again. And again he had no idea how he got into the room.

  “So you wish for death?” The same familiar voice asked again barely above a whisper.

  Nineteen didn't give him the chance to ask again. He lunged at where he heard the voice, he was certain he would get ahold of the man but all he felt was pain explode through him as he ran face first into the wall. He rolled over at the sound of the for opening and saw the robed man step out and his guard enter with first balled and waited for the blows. Just as last time the beatings continued until he slipped into unconsciousness, at least that's as long as he knew they went on. As before when he awoke he found fresh food in his basin and ate.

  Nineteen lost count of how many times this happened. He had tried to scratch into the wall but he did not have anything sharp enough to leave a dent. He had started putting a piece of straw in one corner to count the beatings, he was up to eleven when he had tried attacking the robed man again and the guard had repeated thrown him into the wall and his pile was kicked in the torture session. He had given up counting after that. Everytime he would try to answer the question he would be beaten. He had racked his brain over the right answer since all he wanted was for the beatings to stop.

  Many weeks later he could finally take it no more and waited for the man to enter silently and ask his question. Nineteen had stayed awake all night in anticipation for it. Just when he thought he had miss counted the meals the voice finally spoke from the darkness.

  “Do you wish for death?”

  “Yes,” nineteen said, not moving from his spot on his straw pile head down waiting for the blow to come.

  “Then you are ready to start your trials.” Light burst into the room and even with his head down and eyes closed Nineteen had to use his hand to block out the light. When he was finally able to open them he saw the robed man standing in the cell with him, the door closed behind him and two torches lit on the wall on either side of the door. Nineteen had not even felt the mounts when he did his search of the cell weeks ago. He shifted his gaze to the robed man and realized he was the one who had spoken to them all when they were first brought here. Fen Dak stood there looking back at him with a soft smile on his face as a father would have comforting their child after an injury.

  “Come my child, now that you are at peace with death we must break your spirit even farther to break your mind so I can rebuild it with one purpose in mind.” Fen Dak said soft and welcoming.

  “What if I don't go with you?” Nineteen asked

  “Then we will continue the beatings till you are truly ready to accept death.” Fen Dak snapped with anger rising in his voice. Nineteen did not want to be plunged back into the dark and beat senseless every few days so he stood and followed Fen Dak through the door.

  “Whatever is next can not be worse than this” he thought as he followed him going lower into the temple. If he had known what was to come he would have gladly awaited his next beating from the guard.