Rising from the Ash

ZEN i

I opened my eyes as the stinking sun ray hit my face.My head Was heavy and felt like my brain was being pressed into a soup. As I tried to move my neck, I was hit by a severe headache.

'Gods! I hate hangovers.'

I moved anyways and saw a naked lady sleeping besides me. I couldn't remember her name and I didn't even care. I staggered up and caught another figure on the other side of the bed. It was another naked lady covered with sheets.

'that's interesting.'

I dragged myself out the bed. The women were as wasted as I was, just that I couldn't afford to sleep as much as they did. I climbed down from the bed and quickly put on my clothes. I took another look at the brothel room and at the women on the bed. I saw another figure outlined besides the second woman.

'just go home already Zen.'

My subconscious warned me but I'm always curious. I walked towards the figure and drew the sheets. It was a man. I quickly threw the sheets back and dashed out of the room. What the hell happened last night? I tried to remember the events of the previous night but I could only remember talking with this very attractive woman-the first one I saw this morning. She, Gloria, was a very interesting one I wanted to spend the night with. During the events of the brothel party and our chats, I got really really drunk and I think she invited her friend to join us. I guess the friend also brought a plus one. I didn't remember much about the details but it was a crazy and wild experience.

Outside the brothel, I was greeted with the sweet morning breeze of Haires. It had a cooling effect on me everytime I felt it. I headed straight to Maya's place for I needed to freshen up. Plus, I needed to eat badly. Other than the killer headaches, my hangovers also come with excessive hunger. Strange isn't it?

I walked down the main street leading to Maya's place still fighting my hangover. I saw an alley as I walked. The alley suddenly triggered memories from a long long time ago, when I was just a ten year old trying to survive.

I remembered Mama's voice as she led my hand through the forest leading from Amadiran to Haires. She cried as she dashed holding my hand tightly. I shaked with fear at the thought of my father handing me over to the palace guards. He was stern and law abiding. Mother on the other hand was daring. She disobeyed his order to take me to the palace when they discovered I was a Ztafa. My hair was giving me away.

Mother warned me never to use my powers as I was growing up. She always cut my hair low enough not to cause suspicion. However, as an earth moving Ztafa, I nearly caused the death of a mate while we were playing at the square. Father wanted to take me to the palace, his only child. Mother volunteered to do it and along the way, she took me to Haires instead. She kissed my forehead as tears dropped from her eyes.

"You must survive zen. Never use your powers and always keep your hair low."

She said and hurried off. I was too terrified to speak. I just watched as she hurried back into the forest. That's when my curiosity struck. I followed her closely, keeping my distance. That's when I saw her bring out a knife and stab herself to death. She killed herself to protect me. I returned back to Haires and stood by that alley without a single tear drop from my eye. Maya found me that night and took me in. Partly because she was a seer and perhaps she didn't want to feel like a loner anymore. So all we had was each other. 20 years Had rolled by and still this memory hurts like it was just yesterday.

I got to Maya's house and sneaked in through the door. I headed for the stairs but I felt a presence behind me. I turned and saw Maya looking at me. She wore an extravagant outfit like she always does. Gifts she gets from her numerous lovers.

"Where were you last night?" she asked, smoking a pod.

"Doing something you wouldn't wanna know." I replied.

"I know what that means. At least tell me you're going to a brothel. You had me worried." she said and took a heavy puff from her pod.

"Sorry Maya. It won't happen again."

"You always say that. If you didn't have numerous lovers you wouldn't be looking as haggard as you are right now."

"Look who's talking."

"You will show me respect young man. Your food is on the table." she said and walked Towards the kitchen.

I smiled and dashed Into my supposed room. Within minutes, I was set for work. I ran down the stairs, took a mouthful of food and headed for my baron's place. I heard Maya shout something inaudible but I could guess it was from my unfinished breakfast.

Baron Oliver was one of the most dangerous drug lords in Haires. He was a major dealer in Juana, a very addictive drug, so addictive people would sell their own mothers to buy some. Other than that, he was also a tax looter, slave trader and some other things I didn't even know. I on the other hand was his mercenary.

Maya introduced me to him as her ward when I was still little. He taught me how to fight because he saw my unusual strength as an advantage to him. I soon became the best in his squad, even better than him. Should he have any dirty job like an assassination, I was the one to be contacted. Maya used her seer powers to help me pinpoint my foes. It always take a tool on her. She bleeds when she does it and gets very very weak. But she refused to stop because we usually share the wages. She considers it more of business than a favor.

I walked Into Oliver's place, keeping my head high as usual. I knew the rest of the crew hated me but hey, I didn't care. I opened the door to Oliver's office and met him sitted on a chair.

"Baron."

I said with respect due to him

"We have a situation. Senator Hunderman has stolen from me. I want to show the world what happens when you steal from me."

"What should I do?"

"Neutralise him. And bring me his balls as souvenir."

"I understand. I'll need a property of his. Anything that belongs to him, something he's touched."

Oliver brought out a belt and gave it to me. I didn't ask questions how he got it. He had a w***e-spy for such jobs. I took it and went back to Maya. She rolled her eyes when she saw the belt. She knew what she it meant.

"I'm not doing it. You didn't honour our last deal. You owe me two wages."

"Maya please. I'll pay you I swear. Let me get back from this mission. It's a really simple job."

She took the bed and did her magic. She wiped blood off her nose and handed me the belt.

"I need my money today."

she said and walked upstairs. I sighed and left for the senator's place. I knew I owed Maya and I decided to give her all of the wages I'll make from the job.

On getting to the senator's place, I took a deep breath and threw a large hood over my head. My killer instincts became activated.

I easily scaled the fence and climbed the wall. On Maya's instructions, I climbed the roof over the senator's Study room. The room had a glass roof so I could easily see all that were there. The senator was having a meeting with some of his men. They were about 10 of them in total.

'this should be fun.'

I drew out two daggers on either hand and jumped on the roof. It shattered making them jump with fear and surprise. I landed safely, rolled and slit the hamstrings of the closest man to me. I then slit his throat and threw a dagger at one of the guards trying to get to the door. It struck his neck and blood splattered. I dodged a guard's attack and slit him, kicking another in the balls simultaneously. Then I killed the other and shot two daggers at two others in the room. They dropped dead. I saw Hunderman trying to escape amidst the confusion so I shot a dagger at him. A guard pushed him away and took the hit. I scoffed and jumped on one of the guards breaking his neck as I twisted in midair and kicked another on the face.

I took out a dagger and stabbed him and impaled the last guard running towards me without even looking at him. It was just me and Hunderman. I could have let him fight but I had a busy schedule. So I shot a dagger at him and impaled his skull.

I looked around and saw the mess I had made. Why did it always have to be so messy? I retrieved all of my weapons and dashed out of the house and before people even began to notice what had happened, I was already far away form the senator's house.

I went to my private apartment somewhere in the city. There, I took off all the blood stained clothes and wore new ones. I decided to go see Maya after reporting to Oliver. She'd be impressed by how fast I did the job. I smirked when I imagined the look on her face when I handed her her money.

I went into the city, filling my eyes with good food and beautiful women that gave me attention. I knew I was very attractive. Infact,too attractive for my own good. So I may have become a little more promiscuous than usual. I liked the attention I got from people. It made me feel special.

I stopped when I heard some men talking and laughing. They seemed to be amused with something. I then Scaled a wall and looked down. They were taunting two young women. One of them had the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen. Her features were perfect.

'Damn, she's beautiful!'

The group of 4 men who harassed them were members of Oliver's crew. I wanted to come down and intervene when one of them touched the most beautiful woman I've ever seen but when she grabbed his hand,broke it and threw him away like a rag doll, I stood by amused by whatever would unfold next. Who was she?