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many members of the Senate left Primordium hurriedly； in case they were next on the Emperor's hit list。 There was a general sense of unrest； everywhere。
And in Kreiger； a profound sense of anticipation。
He had barely slept； thinking of what had happened the night before。 No； not just the night before。 Thinking about his life： where it had led him so far； and where…if Lucidique's promise were a true one…it would go after this。
Every now and then he'd glance towards the walls of the palace （which had twice as many guards patrolling them today as yesterday） and wonder to himself what she had meant about finding a way for one man to bring down a Dynasty？
VI
At one o'clock in the morning； a mile outside the West Gate of Primordium； he sat on a stone and he waited。 At nine minutes past one； a pair of horses approached （not from the city； from which direction Kreiger had expected her to e； but from the Desert； which lay； vast and largely uncharted； out to the West and South…West of the city。）
They drew nearer； and dismounted。
〃Kreiger。。。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃I want you to meet Agonistes。〃
Kreiger had heard rumours about this man Agonistes。 It was the kind of story that was exchanged between assassins； more of a legend than a reality。
But here he was。 As real as the woman who'd brought him。
〃I hear you want to make Primordium a Republic；〃 Agonistes said。 〃Single…handed。〃
〃She persuaded me it was possible；〃 Kreiger replied。 〃But。。。I don't believe it is。〃
〃You should have more faith； Kreiger。 I can make you the terror of Emperors； if you want it badly enough。 It's up to you。 Make up your mind quickly； for I have better business elsewhere tonight if you don't require my services。 I can hear a hundred prayers pouring out of Primordium at this very moment； people wanting me to give them the power to change their world。〃
Lucidique put her hand up to Kreiger's face。 〃Now the moment's here； I see you don't want it；〃 she said。 〃You're afraid。〃
〃I'm not afraid！〃 Kreiger said。 He thought of his mother； dead of the pox； of his brothers killed in the street as children by noblemen passing on horses； of his sister； in the asylum； never to be sane again。
〃Take me；〃 he said。
〃You're sure？〃 Agonistes asked him。 〃Remember； there's no way back。〃
〃I don't want to go back。 Take me。 Change me。〃
He glanced at Lucidique。 She was smiling。
〃Take the horses；〃 Agonistes told her。 〃We won't need them。〃
So together； Kreiger and Agonistes turned round and headed into the desert。
VII
The next day Lucidique buried her father。 The rumours quietened down a little in the city； but there was still an undercurrent； subtle but pervasive： Primordium was in a very volatile state； like an explosive； which might be set off with a jolt。
Eight nights after Agonistes had taken Kreiger out into the desert； Lucidique…whose father's house lay close to the palace…woke to the sounds of screams。
She got up； and went to the window。 There were lights burning in all the palace windows。 The gates were flung wide。 Guards were running around in confusion。
She dressed； anonymously； and went down into the streets。 The din had woken the city； and though the Emperor's guards were riding back and forth； attempting to enforce an on…the…spot curfew； nobody was attending to them。
Lucidique went into the palace。 The screams had died down now； to be replaced by half…whispered prayers。
But it didn't take her very long to discover what the creature who had once been Zarles Kreiger had wrought。 There was death on every side。 And his slaughter had been indiscriminate： men and women； yes； but also their children； their babies； their unborn babies。
The Perfetto Empire ceased to rule Primordium that night。 There were none left alive to do so。 Kreiger had killed them all。
As Lucidique stood in the Great Hall of the Palace； in a pool of blood that reached to the walls； she caught a reflection。 She looked up。
There he was。 Kreiger； remade。 THE SCYTHE…MEISTER。 There was almost nothing left of the man she'd known： Agonistes' handiwork has transformed the humble assassin into something that would haunt the nightmares； and the streets； of Primordium； for many years to e。
He approached her。 She wondered if this was her last moment； if he intended to kill her as efficiently as he'd dispatched all the rest。 But no。 He simply leaned down and whispered in her ear：
〃。。。you cannot imagine。。。〃
Then he left the carnage behind him； and wandered out into the night； pausing only to wash his blades in one of the many fountains in the courtyards。
Book Three
The Avenger
I
Zarles Kreiger was human once。 An assassin working for the gangster Duarf Cascarellian； Kreiger was a man who would do anything for a price。 But there are some tasks that have an unforeseen price； and this proved to be one of them。 Caught red…handed by the Senator's daughter； the exquisite Lucidique； Kreiger was persuaded that he in his turn had been a victim。 The rulers of the city in which they all lived…the vast； degenerate city…state of Primordium…were the truly guilty souls； and until the dynasty was brought down life would continue to be a bloody confusion in which men like Kreiger acted like rabid animals and women like Lucidique lost their loved ones。
It had to stop。 And Lucidique knew how。 She persuaded Kreiger to put himself into the hands of an ancient entity called Agonistes； who would traumatically reconfigure him。
He did as Lucidique suggested； and after eight days and nights out in the desert； he returned to Primordium as The Scythe…Meister： a powerful engine of destruction； who in a matter of hours brought the Perfetto Dynasty to a close。
Before disappearing into the desert； he had three words for Lucidique； three teasing words：
〃。。。you cannot imagine。。。〃
II
They called that night…the night the Emperor and his family were murdered…the Great Insurrection。 In its wake； a host of minor insurrections took place； as old enmities erupted。 Powerful figures who'd used the decadent reign of the Emperor Perfetto as a cover for their corruptions…judges； bishops； members of the clergy； guild and union leaders…found themselves unprotected； and face to face with the people they'd exploited。
Even those amongst the criminal classes who had private armies to protect them against this very eventuality were fearful now。
Take； for example； Duarf Cascarellian。 He wasn't by any means a stupid man。 The fact that his assassin； Zarles Kreiger； had disappeared the night of the Insurrection made him highly suspicious that Kreiger's fate was tied in with the almost supernatural fall of the Emperor。 Indeed one of Cascarellian's spies； who had been a guard at the palace the night of the slaughter； had seen the creature everyone called The Scythe…Meister washing his weapons in one of the Palace's many fountains。 The informant had escaped the massacre without harm ing to him； and reported that unlikely as it seemed the semi…mythical figure of The Scythe…Meister bore a subtle but undeniable resemblance to Zarles Kreiger。
Was it p