Perla and the Empire

Perla and The Empire

Perla gazed into the pond with red-rimmed eyes. Tears smudged her cheeks; her parents and siblings had been murdered. Thieves, the letter said, broke into the family estate, killing both her parent’s older brother and sister. Now, she was alone, an orphan. Yet for all that, very little was stolen. Assassinated, that was the truth Perla knew. It was ever the same in the Empire, where different houses vied for power. Perla gave a shuddering sigh, wiping away tears. She hardened her heart, determined to avenge those who murdered her family. Looking up, she straightened her back and clenched her fists.”How peaceful it is here compared to the world outside.” She took a deep breath, taking in the scent of the flowers. Perla listened to the insects buzzing and the birds singing in the trees. The warm summer breeze blew loose strands of flame hair across her face; brushing them back, she reflected on what she had gone through these past years. The Garden of Reflection was a tranquil place where one could come when time allowed to rest and meditate away from the daily routine.

Perla remembered when she first came to the convent of the Sisterhood. Two sisters had come to her home and tested her for the arcane, finding she had potential. Her parents had reluctantly agreed to let them take her. In truth, they had little choice in the matter. Perla had protested vehemently and cried to the point of exhaustion to no avail. The sisters were indifferent to her cries and pleas. It had taken months to finally resign herself to her new life. Then, she became determined to learn the arcane arts as quickly as possible so she could return home sooner. A naive assertion, she realised much later. It had been five years now. Perla finally not only passed all expectations but achieved first in all four elements as well as in the mysteries of the occult. No other acolyte had ever reached her level in all four elements. Perla had achieved the highest level possible. Mastery of the arcane.

Perla had been looking forward to seeing her family again after the passing out ceremony in the autumn. Now, she would never get to see them again in this life. Tears threatened to overwhelm her again, but she held them back with her strength of will. Perla looked skyward. The sun had passed its zenith. Now, long shadows grew in every corner of the garden. The sudden quiet and stillness altered her. Perla listened carefully, reflecting in the pond; a shadow moved behind her. A sound similar to a bowstring releasing. Perla bent over backwards as an arrow narrowly passed over her body. She spun as two more arrows sped her way. Raising her hand, the arrows stopped in mid-air with a flick of her wrist. She sent the arrows back in the direction they came. A groan of pain and a man fell from behind a bush into the open, the arrows protruding from his chest.

Two more men charged her from the bushes. The black-clad and masked clothing marked them as assassins. She dodged out of the way so fast they had no time to react. Perla’s intention was to capture one of the assassins alive so he could be interrogated later. The two regrouped and attacked again, leaving Perla no choice but to kill them both. A fourth assassin rushed her, throwing deadly darts in quick succession. Perla nimbly side-stepped the darts, jumping high and sprang towards her attacker in a single bound. A magic sword appeared in her hand as she came down on top of the man toppling him to the ground and slit his throat. The Matriarch and two sisters rushed in breathless. “This is unbelievable. Never in the long history of the Sisterhood has anyone been able to penetrate the convent.” The Matriarch said, appalled at the scene of carnage. “ Are you alright, my child?” she asked. Perla nodded. “I’m fine, Matriarch. I think they weren’t expecting me to be so gifted in the arcane.”