A scorpion the size of a dog came slowly walking out of one of the dark corners in a poorly lit room. His legs made a terrifying tapping sound on the dusty stone floor while he was slowly walking toward the man clathed in robes and golden jewelry standing in the center of the dusty room. The man was Bazaz-si-dahi, the leader of a group of murderers and assassins. Bazaz-si-dahi didn’t seem to be afraid of the huge beast, which eventually stood silent next to him. Before him also stood two other members of their group: Raptara and his younger sister Zarghana.

“I swear it, Raptara really! One day I’ll feed you to my scorpion! A scorpion sting is always hidden, but every time you’re on a mission, half the world knows we’ve been there!” said Bazaz-si-dahi to the skinny man named Raptara.

“But Bazaz-”

“No buts Raptara! Not a single one!” screamed the man before Raptara could even answer to him. “I’m sick of you, you- your stupid decisions are causing us big troubles, big big troubles, they know the man has been murdered! Why are you not more like your sister? She does the job quietly,” said bazaz-si-dahi, while slamming his hand to the nearest wall, ”what have I done to you? Why are you acting like a little boy?”

Raptara shrugged scornfully as he made a disgruntled noise. His long brown hair wavered over his shoulder while he juggled a small iron piece on a chain between his fingers. “Why are we always given such lousy, boring tasks? We are the best assassins and you know it! And you only send us to merchants and other lowborn people… we want bigger tasks Bazaz… ain’t i not right Zarghana?”

The small woman named Zarghana stood silent and only looked up to her brother and watched him in his eyes well she nodded.

Now it was Bazaz-si-dahi who sighed, “You’re rambunctious and too wild my child, you just had to kill that merchant, not his whole family… how can i send you on more dangerous tasks if you can’t even handle these little missions. And Zarghana my girl, you are great, but please talk to your brother,” while pointing at Raptara. The scorpion made a scary tapping noise on the dusty floor with his large pointy legs.

Raptara looked at the man with his arms crossed, he didn’t say a thing but his eyes betrayed him. He was angry because he was being patronized.

The robed man shrugged one last time and then he said: “The scorpion god has given you a new task to prove your strength, a more dangerous task if you want. Go to Jagrad, go to Eshbira – she will inform you about the new mission.”

Finally a little smile came on Raptara’s face, “You are sending us to Jagrad, really? Me and Zarghana?”

Zarghana’s eyes became big, and she looked with excitement to her brother while she pulled his sleeve. “We will not disappoint you master, really, we will go right away,” said Raptara hastily before Bazaz-si-dahi could change his mind.

Bazaz-si-dahi came forward and grabbed Raptara’s head in his hands. He kissed him on both cheeks. “Please Raptara, finish this mission as a true scorpion, don’t disappointment me.” The scorpion next to Bazaz-si-dahi made a last tap on the floor before it turned around, back to his dark corner.