A Smile

The bar stank of spilled beer and rotting food. It reminded Callick of living with his father before he'd killed the old drunk. His disgust with the scent was one of the few things about his life that hadn't changed.

He adjusted his long coat as he sat down, feeling the various knives and phials he kept on his person shift slightly. It still bothered him that he had spent time on the coat, but if he hadn't it simply would not have served the purpose he needed it to. He was working on a second, but it still nagged at him that he might have to abandon the first at some point.

His thoughts had barely started their wretched cycle of fretting when someone he hadn't expected walked through the door. His master.

He had been told he would be meeting a contact here, but never suspected his master might come in person.

His master was lithe and walked with a grace that screamed assassin. Today, however, there was something new in his step. Callick couldn't quite place it.

"Callick" His master said, inclining his head slightly.

"Sir, I did not expect you to be my contact."

"Things are becoming difficult, I simply couldn't spare another for this task, and I fear I must be brief"

Callick nodded and his master took a seat across from him.

"Callick, you have sworn yourself to me, to take on any task I give you yes"

"Yes my lord."

"Then I fear you are the only one I can lay the burden of this task on"

With that he handed Callick a small note, so he didn't have to say the name aloud. Callick unfolded it and traced his thumb slowly across the embossing in the note.

"But sir, I thought you were allies!"

"As I said Callick, things are becoming difficult, I fear it is a necessary action if we are to survive this."

Callick looked at the man. That element of his gait he couldn't place earlier no longer seemed an innocent oddity. Then it finally fell into place. The man is happy. He swore an oath to always morn when someone had to die by his hand or word, I have never seen him do otherwise, and never seen him with a spring in his step.

"I must leave you now Callick, as I had warned this meeting must be brief" And with that the man got up and headed to the door.

Callick's loyalty to his master was absolute. If someone was impersonating his master he would have to be dealt with. He took his mug and drained the remaining cheap beer in it, and palmed a small phial from his coat.


He payed the barkeep for his ale and headed into the raining night to follow the man.