As dusk slowly turned to dawn, the man swiftly made his way to a city in the corner of the empire.

Carostin was a podunk, lawless city governed by Duke Bohan, a city filled with vagrants and unruly people. A perfect place for an assassin to receive commissions and mercenaries to receive jobs.

Surrounding Carostin was a lush, and bountiful forest that opened to the city's walls and entrance. The aroma of meat and wine permeates the air above the city.

Stealthily scaling the city walls an assassin named Lincoln has returned home. Coming down from ballistae on the west side, Lincoln gradually makes his way towards a shoddy tavern at the rear of the western sector.

Crossing the dilapidated bridge above the weathered-down river that flows through the middle of the town, Lincoln looking around quickly puts up his hood and dives into an alleyway.

Peering into the dead end at the deepest part of the alley there was a shoddily built tavern that barely looked standing.

Taking his hood off as he enters the doorway the smell of ale enters his nose and loud talking and music fills his ears.

Striding his way through the tavern until he reached the bar, grabbing a stool and knocking on the bar to get the tender's attention. "How much for a two-night stay?" he asked slightly yelling over the noise.

"Meal included?" The bartender asked getting a curt nod in response. "1 silver". Reaching into his spare pocket Lincoln pulled out 3 silver handed them to the bartender with a sly smile and said "If you'd be so kind as to help me acquire some information or send me to someone who can while on my stay here it would be greatly appreciated."

The Bartender glared for a couple of seconds at him before taking the money. "Take your seat, your meal will be served shortly, sir."

"Could've at least told me yes or no," Lincoln said under his breath as he turned around looking for a secluded spot to sit in. Finding a secluded spot he grabbed a seat shaded in darkness at the corner of the tavern tilted his head forward and closed his eyes trying to eavesdrop on the various conversations around him.

"Aye, ya hear? The King's dogs are on the hunt. Rumor has it one of those boys of his lost a treasure."

"Quit talking like that, you've gotta have a couple of screws loose to steal from the Etolians that family won't stop chasing you even through the Nine Hells."

"Apparently the Chancellor is on the run." A scrawny man with weedy hair said loudly "On the run? Heard he was dead." Said another. "Seems high likely, haven't heard anything from the empire as well it's like they don't care at all.

Light steps approached the shaded corner where Lincoln sat, looing up he can see a waitress striding her way over in his direction.

She wore a calm, cold expression over a dangerously attractice body. Pale skin, near jet black hair, and dark green eyes that struck at the hearts of the patrons who looked at her. On top of that her toned tight physique it was almost unfair she was just a waitress.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Glazed eyes and silly smiles plastered the faces of the other patrons as the strode over to the corner to deliver Lincoln's meal, setting the food down in front of Lincoln along with a slip of paper stuck to the underpart of his glass.

Giving her a look over Lincoln smirked and asked "Have you brought me good news, or is there something else besides this?" She stared at Lincoln for a count or two and in a hard, northern accent replied "Straight to business are ya? Y'know damn well that isn't what we do here." Feeling eyes burning into her back she turned to the others staring at her "STOP GAWKING AND EAT YA BASTARDS." Getting a few yes ma'ams and salutes in response as she turned back around grumbling and sitting in a chair a cross from Lincoln.

Lincoln raises an eyebrow. "Quite crass, aren't you?" "Don't you have something to tell me quit your questioning." She said glaring back

Raising both his hands in front of him Lincoln responds with a teasing smile "Alright, alright I don't want to fight, I might lose." Fishing into his pocket he grabbed an engraved gold coin with the initials TS on it, and while putting extreme force into his fingers he fired the coin towards her forehead. He watched carefully as her eyes started to dilate taking in the coin that was launched at her, reaching up she snatched the coin out of the air leaving a bright red imprint on her palm.

"Rude." She growled rubbing her palm with her other hand.

Shrugging Lincoln replies "Just testing you, there should be a lot more information I should be getting than just this slip, and with what I gave you I feel like it should be quite a lot."

The waitressess' eyes drifted back to the coin in her hand eyes widening upon realization. "I'll be right back, eat up, Big Jo is the best cook around." She says quickly before scurrying back behind the bar and towards the kitchen area.

Chuckling Lincoln picks up his food which was a large plate of sausage, a bowl of a soup-like substance, and some eggs, and starts to take a couple of bites. "Mmmmm." His food was incredibly well made, and he ended up scarfing down his food in no time. Finishing his food in record time, he looked around the tavern trying to get a feel for the interior there was a low-hanging ceiling with a single beam across the middle that stretched the entire building the steps he took on the wood produced hollow sounds 'most likely a cellar under here' with a couple of windows at the entrance and a couple to the adjacent corner Lincoln found himself in, the light slowly pouring through them to illuminate the tavern.

Walking in one can see the bar straight ahead with stairs off to the left side leading to the top floor likely to the guestrooms, tables filled the main room splitting both sides of the entrance, lights hanging from the pillars holding up the support beam and along the four walls.

The bar was about chest height with higher chairs than the rest of the room with a door big enough for a giant to walk through, and a giant he was. Lincoln wore he was as tall as he was wide, with bronze skin and hair up and down his arms. Hanging his apron on the hook outside of the door, he immediately identified Lincoln in the corner pointed at him, and curled his finger towards himself.

Everyone turned towards Lincoln with a mix of surprise, suspicion, and questioning as no one truly took a look or noticed his entrance into the tavern, Lincoln shook his head with a slight smile and dusted off his clothes as he walked on over the bar with eyes following his every step.

offering his hand across the bar the Giant speaks in a low,, chest rattling voice. "Name's Josiah owner and chef of this tavern." There were a couple of snickers and smiles going through the crowd at this point along with a weird type of pressure.

Smirking Lincoln took his hand staring directly into Josiah's eyes, the giant's eyes glinted in response as his muscles bulged attempting to shatter the bones in Lincoln's hand with inhuman force.

But before Josiah could win as all hoped surprise flashed across his eyes as the young man in front of him put force into his hand as well and to everyone's surprise in the tavern the bout was completely even. The Giant released his hand and the pressure with a hearty laugh. "It seems we need to have a chat, follow me to the back room." Following the man through a single hallway he could hear the clanking of dishes and the beautiful smell of fresh breakfast being made, his stomach growling for seconds.