He gestured for me to follow him, and so, I got off the cozy bed and walked behind him. Tunnels upon tunnels curved in and out of the dirt walls. People bustled about, carrying the occasional dead body.

I wandered behind Gale, not caring where we were going. He turned around, and quickly whispered, "Please don't kill anyone yet." I nodded, unsure.

He turned back around, and continued to weave through the tunnels, with me following. At last, we reached a mighty throne room. The throne was made of silver, and golf leaves wove around the frame of it. The throne was currently empty.

A trumpet blast signaled something of great importance was going to occur. A woman strode into the room, a massive golden crown on her head. The woman wore the same simple armor as Gale, yet a red cape fluttering behind her suggested she was different from the others. She walked up to the throne, and with a great sigh, sat down upon it.

She turned to me, her pale skin looking oddly translucent in the candlelight. Her expression was stern, but when she spoke, it was as soft as a blanket.

"Are you OK, dear?" she asked me.

"Y-Yes, I believe so," I replied.

She nodded, then turned to Gale. "She doesn't remember anything, correct?" Gale nodded. She turned back to me.

"Well, I'm proud to say, welcome to Lystrom. But first, I do believe you've been waiting to kill someone...?" I nodded, eager.

She waved her hand lazily, and a man was hauled before me. He was cuffed, and looked to be thoroughly beaten. He turned to me, and pleaded in a raspy voice, "Please, please. I just stole the bread because I was hungry! Please!"

I turned to Gale. "A dagger, if you please?" He nodded, and unsheathed his dagger, then he dropped it into the palm of my hand. My hand tightened over the worn leather, and glanced down at the man, not feeling an ounce of pity. I took his head, raised it, and placed the dagger across his neck.

I whispered, "Give me everything you have on you, then, maybe, I will let you live." He nodded, and looked down at his pocket.

"It's all in there. Just take it." I nodded, and dug my hand into his pocket. I ripped out the contents and looked at them. Fifty golden coins, and one dagger. I looked back at the man, my dagger still steady in my hand, ready to kill. I grabbed the man's head, and sliced my dagger across his throat. He fell to the ground, choking on his own blood. He coughed once, and then his eyes were blank.

I turned back to the woman. "He had fifty golden coins and a silver dagger, ma'am."

She nodded her head in excitement. "Good, good. But, don't call me ma'am. You can call me Aileen."

I nodded. "OK, ma--Aileen."

"We shall get you started on a training program straight away," she told a man right next to her, "Gale will be your trainer, of course."

I nodded, and smiled in anticipation. This is going to be fun, I thought.