The Assassin

Chapter One

A man in a dark long robe strode into Max's Tavern with confidence. His face was hidden hiding a large scar on the right side of his forehead right above his eyebrow.

He walked up to the bartender who was washing a wine glass and slammed his large hand on the counter shaking many glasses on the rack, causing quite a few to fall down and break.

The bartender quickly whirled around and saw the man staring at him with an invisible face.

"I need a fireman," came a deep voice from inside the hood. The bartender looked terrified as his tiny voice squeaked, "Yes sir, right away sir," as he ran through a doorway leading to a room behind the bar.

The man looked around to see almost every face looking at him with scared, confused eyes. Not liking all the attention, he made a gesture with his hands to 'carry on.' He was a wanted man, if by any chance he was reported to have been spotted at Max's Tavern, his life would be over.

The agitated bartender scurried out of the room he was in and came over to the man. "The fireman will be here momentarily."

The man nodded and the bartender began to clean up the broken dishes.

"What's your name?" The man asked.

"M-my name?"

"Yes."

"Ch-Charles."

The man nodded almost as if he knew that already.

"I-if I-uh if I may ask… what is your name?" The man's eyes were invisible but as Charles stared into the black void inhabited in his hood he sensed that he was being glared at.

"Don't ever ask that ever, ever again."

Charles nodded sharply.

After an awkward pause the man murmured "You can call me Viper, I suppose."

Charles nodded and before he finished nodding, a dark figure with a cloth around his nose and mouth emerged from the entrance to the tavern.

"Someone call a fireman?" The man asked.

Viper raised his hand and walked slowly up to him.

The two men spoke in hushed voices.

"You're Volke, correct?"

"50G." The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a large gold piece. The other man took it and said, "Yes, I'm Volke."

"I have a job that if you do well, you'll be paid handsomely."

"What are you offering?"

"500,000G, if taken. An extra 1,000,000G if succeeded. It's a dangerous job, but you win either way."

Volke crossed his arms and look at his boots in thought. Finally, he looked up and said. "What's the job?"

Viper looked around.

"There's too many witnesses here. Let's go somewhere more private."

Volke nodded. "I know a place. Follow me."

So the two men slipped out and Viper followed Volke into a thick forest. Finally Volke stopped.

"Alright, here we are. No man is insane enough to walk into this death trap just to eavesdrop."

Viper still was nervous as he looked around. Finally he said "Alright," and pulled back his hood. It revealed a stern face that seemed to have a permeated angry look.

Volke stared at his scar for a while, and then finally said "Well?"

Viper sighed and took a long pause to decide if hiring this greedy thug was necessary.

"Im after a woman, but she has many other suitors. Your job is to kill every other suitor."

Volke stared at Viper hoping to get a different job. Volke would do anything for money but this seemed ridiculous. He had at least a few morals left in his soul.

"The suitors names are Avery, Boyd, Parry, and Ike."

Volke seemed surprised at the mention of two old acquaintances from the Mad Kings War and the War of the Goddesses.

"I am suiting a woman named Mist. She's a retired Valkyrie and she's the most beautiful woman I have ev-" Viper stopped.

Volke knew full well that Ike was definitely not a suitor of Mist, he was her brother! He also knew that he had fled Tellius after the War of the Goddesses. Finding Ike would be hard enough but those few morals that had not been burned by his anger from the tribulations of his childhood were tugging at him not to kill Ike and maybe not even Boyd.

"Will you do it or not? If even one is left alive I'll consider it a failure," Viper asked, getting impatient.

"50G," Volke said hesitatingly.

"You're charging me for you to take the job?"

"No, I'm charging you for information."

"Information on what?"

"Give me the money. It's only 50G."

"Very well." Viper reached into his pocket and pulled out another small coin. He held his hand out and dropped the coin into Volke's open palm.

Volke took the coin and said, without looking into Viper's face, "Ike is not a suitor. I will not kill him. He's Mist's brother."

"So? What do I care? Don't kill him. Kill the others."

"I cannot…"

"What's that?"

"I cannot… kill Boyd either."

"For the love of… WHY NOT?!"

Volke thought for a minute and finally said, "Forget it. I'll kill them."

"That's what I thought. Have the job done by Friday, and I'll meet you here at 8:00 Friday morning."

"Very well."

"Then we have a deal?" He held out his hand to shake.

Instead of answering Volke shook Vipers hand and disappeared into the forest before another word was said.

'Viper' sighed and sat on a rock. He had three days to wait, but hopefully it would be worth it, having Mist as his bride had been his dream ever since he had come to Tellius from Elibe. Not only that but he would have to find his way out of his disgusting swamp. This was going to be a long night for Erk III, but it would all be worth it.