• Chapter One


    Terrius, the year 684


    His black hair fell over his face handsomely, the sides reaching the bottom the bottom of his lower jaw, the front falling over his pale, icy blue eyes down to his small, pointed nose and the back reaching the nape of his neck. His face rarely showed emotion, except for a rare bout of anger that burst through his defences. On these occasions he could be deadly. For the most part, though, he was simply impassive. In fact, if you didn't know any better, you might think him slow, somewhat stupid.
    Though he didn't talk much, he observed everything around him, taking everything in, missing nothing. Stashing away any bit of information, however small they may seem, away for later. Anything can come in useful.
    Today he stood leaning casually against a brick wall, his head down and his eyes up. His pale eyes flicked quickly to each face that walked by. No one looked back at him. who payed any heed to a useless little sixteen year old street urchin?
    He saw the man from a long way off. He wore all black except for an expensive looking white shirt underneath a black suit jacket with a forked tail that reached midthigh,
    The boy pretended not to see him until he felt a small crust pressed into his hand, for this was how they had arranged to meet. Only then did he look up to fix him with his pale, icy stare.
    For a time neither said a word, the boy waiting for the other to speak, and the man afraid to do so.
    Finally the man gulped, his throat visibly bobbing up and down, and managed to squeak out, "I-If you would kindly follow me sir."
    "You're late," the boy said in reply.
    "My-my apologies, sir, I am not entirely familiar with this part of town and I took a wrong--"
    "Quit your blathering and making of excuses. Your master and I have important business to discuss."
    "Y-yes, sir, of course, sir." The man quickly turned and walked swiftly away.
    Kai followed at a more leisurely pace, watching and waiting for the little servant to realize his master's special guest was falling behind. He loved this power he held over others, the ability to turn even powerful men considerably older than himself into sweating, blubbering idiots.
    It took a considerable amount of time for the servant to turn his head and see Kai far behind.
    His mouth twitched into a slight smile as he watched him grow more and more uncomfortable, standing on the road shuffling his feet and sweating profusely. As he strode up to him, he visibly swallowed again, turned around, and set off, careful to go slower, glancing back to make sure Kai stayed right behind. Kai also noticed he stayed carefully out of arms reach. He sniffed to himself. If I wanted you dead you would've been long ago, he thought. But what pay would I get out of that?
    Finally, after increasing discomfort on the servant's part and increasing amusement on Kai's part, they approached a large elaborate gate, with a massive green yard beyond and trees lining the wide, twisting gravel path. Just behind the trees Kai could see a huge mansion peeking out behind the leaves.
    "Could we not take a carriage?" Kai muttered.
    "Uh, p-pardon me, sir?" The servant stammered.
    Kai fixed him with an icy glare. "Nothing."
    "A...as you say, sir."
    They set off down the long, winding path.

    The building was colossal. It was three stories with light brown siding the color of the foam on top of your coffee. There were tall arched windows every five feet or so and a number of windows that would take far too long to count set across the wall. Servants, men and women alike, bustled about their business, but when they caught a glimpse of Kai they carefully kept far out of his way.
    Rumours fly quickly, and there must have been a certain rumour of a certain deadly assassin coming to pay a visit.
    As he followed his nervous guide up the narrow stone path to the door, he glanced over at each and every face and each and every face averted their eyes and pretended to be working on something or other.
    He followed the little man up the three steps and through the door. The servant quickly slipped off his shoes and put on an identacle, cleaner pair. Kai stepped off the entry mat with his dusty boots without even wiping them off. He watched the servant glance down at his boots, but he didn't dare request him to take them off. Instead he said, "Right this way, sir," and walked through doors and up stairs. Kai followed.
    They stopped at a wide set of cherrywood double doors on the third floor and the servant knocked quietly at the door.
    "Yes, what is it?" A deep voice sounded from inside.
    "Sir, your... the man you requested to see is here."
    "Oh yes, yes of course, send him in right away, please."
    The servant pushed one of the doors open and Kai passed him into the room. It was a large room with deep green carpet, smoky gray walls, and red-tinged cherrywood moulding with elaborate designs carved in. A short wide man sat behind a cherrywood desk, signing his name on various stacks of papers. On his wide, hooked nose perched a pair of reading glasses. He wore a fancy green coat over his wide belly.
    "Please, take a seat," the man waved his arm invitingly towards a chair across the desk from him without looking up from his papers.
    Kai sat down and leaned back, hands clasped behind his head, blue eyes boring into the mans face.
    Finally the man picked up the stack of papers, tapped them on the wood, and set them to the side. He took off his glasses, set them on top of the papers, and clasped his hands in front of him on his desk. "Glad you could make it, Mr..."
    "What do you want me to do and how much will you pay me for it?"
    The man looked across the desk at him for a moment then replied, "You are a confident young man, aren't you?"
    Kai said nothing, just stared back at him and twisted one of his various daggers from under his cloak in his fingers.
    "Hm, yes, well, I have a proposition for you."
    Kai raised his eyebrows. These rich people sure liked to beat around the bush with pleasantries.
    The man cleared his throat. "Mister Grenvil, the rich merchant. He lives in--"
    "The castle outside of town surrounded by numerous guards with several more inside patrolling the hallways and perimeter." Kai tucked the dagger back into his belt, leaned forward, and rested his hand on the table. "I'm not going to ask why you want him dead. This will cost you."
    "I am more than willing to pay the fees."
    "Very well, then." Kai stood up and strode out of the room without a dismissal.