The man sat in his dimly lit cave, dim for the sun that reflected in a myriad of blue points of light was climbing the last rungs of it's descending ladder. He wore a simple grey robe, blackened from the fires he used to cook what food he caught, as well as dirt from the floor of the cave he carefully packed together. The fronds of grass were bent into the dirt showing the paths the hermit took to fish from the lake as well as to other makeshift facilities made to assure his survival out in the treacherous lands. As he sat facing the cave entrance he pondered his many years of life ad he always did, for the monk lived in the past. His years with his wife, the years of mercy at the temple who found him battered and as close to death as his own scythe. The betrayal from his master, and the years of torture in the Chinese prisons by cruel wardens who tried getting state secrets that he did not know.
A set of footsteps, soft and near silent, brought him from his memories. Sitting comfortably on his bed of straw, he patiently waited for the silent footfalls to approach. From the darkness outside the newcomer stopped, obviously seeing the monk passively sitting in front of him. Confident in the fact that he was hidden in the darkness outside the newcomer crouched pulling his bow from his back.
The sound of a bowstring being pulled easily reached the monks ears
The arrows whistle approached at alarming speed
At a near blinding speed the monk grabbed the arrow out of the air, diverting the arrow from it's original target and into the cave ceiling above his head.
"Come now, I am sure you don't truly want to kill this harmless old man." The monk said aloud for the would-be assassin to hear. "Please come, share in my abode and tell me what your reasoning is to harm one such as me."
"I.. I.. I.." The man stammered as he approached trying to explain himself to the monk, drawing a dagger from his back and hiding it quickly in his sleeve as he came up to the cave.
"Who are you?" The monk asked holding up his hand to stop the mans progress before he could enter
"My name is Nyxx." replied the man, taking the monks gesture and waiting in front of the cave
"Well Nyxx, if you are to come into my home, I must ask that you leave your weapons outside. Including the dagger in your sleeve." The monk pointed out to a now flustered Nyxx
As Nyxx, now weaponless, walked into the hermit's cave he looked over the monk again. Seeming harmless, wearing a simple stained robe and wooden shoes. The cave was barren except for a wooden cane lying in front of a simple wooden bowl nearer to the cave entrance than the monk, as well as the straw bed the monk sat criss-crossed on.
"My name is Rampa, I do not get many visitors here," the monk explained "It does get lonely at times though I live a fulfilling life here. So what is it that has brought you here?" The monk asked, seeming to put the attempt on his life completely out of his mind.
"I am traveling for a while, I am sorry, though, I did mean to simply kill you and take your supplies." Nyxx honestly replied
The monk took this in stoically, nodding his head, smiled. Though Nyxx could not see it from under the hood he wore.
"I am glad for your honesty, though I do not agree with your methods, but worry not dear Nyxx, you could not have killed me so easily." the monk replied calmlly
"and why is that?" Nyxx asked, curious as to what magic this seemingly harmless old man was using.
at this question the monk pulled back his hood
to reveal eyeless sockets and a face full of scars and burns.
"If you are here then it is fate friend, I shall teach you of my past, and you shall become my disciple."
Still astonished from the monks face, his statement seemed too much for the usually cool-headed Nyxx
"I assure you Nyxx that you will learn many valuable things from me, in return you will become my disciple. Since you are traveling this far out, I assume that you have nowhere you need to go to anytime soon."
"Well... no not particularly." replied the assassin, "Though I have already tried to kill you once, how can you trust me not to kill you in your sleep?" Nyxx asked
At this the blind monk smiled again, showing Nyxx his white-as-snow teeth that contrasted the older mans marred face.
"I thought I answered you this." the monk spoke with complete confidence "You can not kill me so easily"