The thugs laughed out loud as the boy fell flat on his face, unable to overpower their leader.
" Come on, boss, show the kid some mercy!" One of them cried out. " Do him in already!"
" Not now." The boss crouched down, grabbed the boy by his hair, and raised his head. His face was contorted in pain, caked in sand, and streaked with tears. " We might have some use for him."
" Liar…" the boy sniveled as he opened one eye, glaring at Hassan with all the hatred he could muster. " Baba can't be defeated…"
Hassan smirked, exposing one golden tooth among the yellowish ones. " But I did. I defeated your dear father. And I got this as a trophy." He unsheathed the sword at his hip and held it close to the boy's face, as if about to cut him with it. " See? That's your father's sword. How could I have gotten it if I didn't kill him?"
He laughed as he slammed his face back on the ground and walked away to his lackeys around the fire, eating and laughing.
