A world Apart (The alien Assassin)

Chapter 14.

POV; Hassan story

Fatima woke up groggily, her head spinned and her eyelids felt heavy.

“Her mouth was gagged and her hands and legs were tied together.

“Where was she, she thought, as he looked around her surroundings.

Sue founded herself in some kind of big box. Then she remembered everything.

“Papa had made her unconscious and tied her up afterwards. She struggled to free herself but the bonds were secure.

She gave up as the bonds seemed to get tighter and bit into her skin, the more she struggled to get loose.

There was a crack in the box she was in. She saw Papa on the floor with guards around him. The place the box sat in was dark whereas they were dimly lit so she saw everything with anyone seeing her.

Advisor Thadron was talking now, gloating at his capture; she also heard them as the room echoed.

To her surprise, Hassan came out from behind the guards. He seemed to be with them.

“And the look on his face as he faced Papa was full of hate. She could not comprehend what she was seeing.

He said something in a low voice to Papa that she could not hear.

She looked at his face, he had now gotten up from the lying position he was in and was now kneeling on the cold granite floor.

“Don't be too surprised, you should have known all along but I guess you were wrapped up in your family reunion. Hassan said coldly.

Fatima was speechless. When he had changed like this, he had stayed in kedran longer than them but it had only been a week difference. Was one week enough to change him, she responded.

“You must be dying of curiosity, so let me explain it to you, " he said.

“For a long time, I have always hated the way you raised us; your rules and teachings.

They were all lies and hypocrisy. I watched you sometimes, you don't follow what you teach. And our family always had a strange vibe to it.

“No one from our family ever came to visit. You claim they were all dead.

“Mama too never told any story of her past, she always seemed scared and far off whenever it came up.

Mysteriously we didn't even have birth papers, you claim it was lost in a fire accident. Slowly I started suspecting foul play as I grew up but I couldn't put a finger to it so I went in search of the truth.

Hassan paused there and looked around for dramatic effects.

“Turned out we weren't from Kaduna in the first place.

“I traced our home land to calabar. I was shocked, you've made us live a lie all our lives.

“Fatima couldn't believe what he was saying. Goosebumps appeared on her skin, it had to be a lie. Calabar.

“I tried to find out why you left there, " He continued, "it seems you were accused of witchcraft and of killing your father.

The villagers Banished you from the town and you went to Kaduna to make a fresh start. Of course in this age, nobody believes in witches.

“We are in the 24th century after all. But I persisted in research and traveled to Calabar to find the truth.

“I met my grandmother, your mother. She immediately recognized me and knew what I had come for.

She told our story, our lineage had been witches for a long time and how they always had to contend with the myth and fear associated with them.

“She said you killed your father by mistake, you couldn't control your powers at the time.

She also said you had been so remorseful that you renounced magic and cut off all ties with your family when you left the village with mama.

“None of the relatives were alive. They all died of different causes. Grandma stayed on. She said she had foreseen that I would come and wanted to be around to make sure that the powers didn't die with her.

She aroused my powers with an awakening ritual since it had been dormant for a long time. She gave me a talisman to give to Fatima.

“I came home not knowing how to deal with the situation. I confronted Mama, she finally admitted and confirmed what grandma already said.

“But she begged me not to confront you. She said you did it for our good. I agreed to her request and promised to keep it a secret.

“I gave the talisman to her to give Fatima and when she felt the time was right.

“A year later, Mama became sick. I watched her grow worse as I tried different healing spells that I had practiced myself

“I asked her why you didn't heal her, she said you already tried, but your powers were too weak as he hadn't used them for a long time.

“I was angry when I heard this. But again, she begged me not to confront you and she repeated her request just before she died.

“I became wild after her death and hanged around with the wrong company.

Then the kedrans came. I expected you to use your powers to defend our village at least.

“To finally tell Fatima and I what you've been hiding from us, but you were WEAK, Hassan shouted out as he slapped Papa.

Papa took it without flinching and Fatima felt for him. It was an abomination for a son to slap his father but up here, it was one of the earthly laws that she felt didn't matter again.

Hassan seemed transformed to something feral. The veins in his neck strained and bulged as he shook with anger pointing at Papa.

Advisor Thadron placed his hand on his shoulder and whispered something to him.

He suddenly became calm and collected and Fatima saw the hint of an evil smile curl at the corner of his mouth.

“I don't know what I would have done if Advisor Thadron hadn't found me and discovered my powers.

We wanted Fatima on our side so he gave her the talisman which I gave him.

“At the right time, we'll also train her, so once again old man. You've failed.

“Your plan to allow Black magic to die in our bloodline didn't work.

“This is a powerful tool and you should have given us a choice before you hide it from us.

Magic is very dangerous in the untrained or wrong hands, son. “I'm sorry for hiding this all these while but it was for your good, " Papa said, speaking for the first time since his capture.

Advisor Thadron now moved closer to him.

“I warned you, I told the messenger to tell you not to go ahead with this but you disregarded it.

Your son and I would do great things here, we'll overthrow the Emperor, and when I rule, he'll be by my side as my personal magician.

“You know we can't let you live with all that has happened. Your service to the Rebel movement won't be forgotten though, he said with a slight chuckle.

“Hassan, he called.”

Hassan came forward, he flicked his wrists as they watched and a huge ball of fire came out of his hands and was suspended in the air.

The guards nearby jumped back in fright and they all looked in awe as the flames rose higher, lengthening the shadows and making them dance about on the walls of the room.

Goosebumps rose on Fatima’s skin as she watched this. For some reason she was now scared of what she was seeing.

The flames balls left Hassan’s hand and hovered in the air, casting a brilliant yellow light in the room and bringing everyone in the room to view.

“Goodbye, Old man. Hassan said.”

“Take care of Fatima, Papa said in a low voice.

She was surprised that he still looked at Hassan with love in his eyes.

“The flames ball speed down and hit papa fully on the chest leaving a black gaping hole and the smell of burnt meat in the air.

“He crumbled down before he could do anything.

The light in the room was low again as the only dim incandescent bulb shone.

“The guards left the room gradually in groups of three. Hassan was the only one left, he looked long at the dead body of his father then noiselessly left the room to join the others.