<span style="font-style: italic">1 hour ago</span><br/><br/>Ashton coughed and hacked, batting the smoke in front of his eyes. There was always a smoky room in every single seedy tavern, but this one was so thick, even the smoke must had trouble seeing.<br/><br/>"I am glad you are here... Mister Cromwell." A voice came from the other side, laden with pride. It sounded like a young man's voice. "Take a seat."<br/><br/>A chair appeared behind Ashton, scratching the wooden floor as it moved. Someone must have pushed it, but he could barely see the chair, let alone anyone near it. Waving off the smoke ineffectually, he collapsed into the chair.<br/><br/>"The name is Verse. It is a pleasure to meet you."<br/><br/>Ashton's eyes watered. "What... sort..." His voice devolved into helpless coughing.<br/><br/>"It's about this pathetic kingdom. Agathor. It needs some... pruning. Kill a few targets, remove some other. Take this kingdom, and bring Him down into civil war."<br/><br/>Ashton remained quiet, wheezing softly as he looked in the direction of the voice. Tears rolled down his eyes, as he stared pleadingly at the smoke.<br/><br/>"I have some others that will join your side. What is your decision?"<br/><br/>There was silence. Ashton remained still, his eyes now closed.<br/><br/>"Mister Cromwell?" The voice changed. Still the same young man, the pride in his voice disappeared, replaced by honest concern. "Oh... not the smoke. I told you we shouldn't have used it! Take him out!"<br/><br/>Wooden footsteps rumbled lightly in the smoke-filled room. Then, a medium-sized manly shape lifted Ashton out of his chair, assisted by a leaner young man. "Move him to my room! Heave, ho!" Verse yelled.<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">The city of Tounstead</span><br/><br/>It wasn't every day that Ashton had grown men carry him into someone else's rented room. Yet, through his own half-closed eyes, he learned enough about his hirers. A young, dark-skinned man with white hair, just out of boyhood, was the one who spoke. Verse was his name.<br/><br/>The young man played an arrogant faÃ§ade that disappeared the moment Ashton closed his eyes and remained silent. It could mean a lot, or nothing.<br/><br/>Getting up from his bed, he stared into the small mirror hanging by beside his small room. "Ashton, are you doing it?" he asked himself, "The pay's good and all, but bringing a nation to civil war..."<br/><br/>But the previous king was deposed, shooed out of the throne by his younger brother. There was... some sense of righteousness to doing so.<br/><br/>"An adventurer's here to save the kingdom, huh, Ashton?" He grinned into the mirror. "The pay's not the only reason why you're doing this."<br/><br/>The door pushed open suddenly, jerking Ashton to face the door with sword-in-hand.<br/><br/>"But it's the main reason," said Verse. He strolled in, his own blade in his left hand. "I have sinned and I have suffered. Played the hero and the knave-"<br/><br/>"Fought for belly, shame and country. And for each have found a grave." Ashton interjected. His eyes narrowed towards Verse. "Why you want the kingdom down is because humanity is doomed for eternal conflict?"<br/><br/>Verse shook his head slowly, the smile disappearing from his face. "No. But my motives are... mine." His own sword tapped his right palm lightly. "You know poetry. Poetry is almost a substitute for brilliance, but it is true that a stupid warrior would not know about poetry. But let us..."<br/><br/>Verse leaped, slashing towards Ashton. Ashton blocked with his own sword, pressing against Verse's. Their eyes met just a few inches from each other.<br/><br/>"...see how good your fighting skills are, Mister Cromwell."<br/><br/>"You will not find me lacking," growled Ashton in reply. Slowly, he weakened his own strength on his sword, but dodged to the left as Verse fell forwards, his own momentum unstopped by Ashton's. But as Ashton lunged his blade toward Verse, the dark-skinned young man had rolled over and swung his own sword upwards onto Ashton's. Ashton scowled, trying to maintain his own grip on the blade.<br/><br/>"You just-" Verse's leg shot towards Ashton, forcing him to jump back. Ashton's face turned from a scowl into horror as his sword left his hands, clanging to the side of Verse.<br/><br/>No wait. He had something else to use.<br/><br/>"-lost-" Verse smirked as he pushed himself up.<br/><br/>Reaching into his jacket, Ashton pulled out a pistol and fired a shot, landing harmlessly an inch away from Verse's foot.<br/><br/>"-the match," said Ashton, smiling.<br/><br/>"Unfair play," cursed Verse.<br/><br/>"If I'm taking a kingdom down, chivalry might have be sacrificed.<span style="font-size: 85%; line-height: 116%;">Though I still like to do it, though.</span>" Ashton placed his pistol back into his jacket, then pointed at his sword. Grudgingly, Verse grabbed Ashton's sword and tossed it towards him. "You're hired. Take downstairs, and meet your future co-workers... Try not to get any of them killed."<br/><br/>With a nod, he headed from the door, pausing just beneath the doorway. "Thank you," he said, turning his head towards Verse with a wink and a smile.<br/><br/>Who were his companions? Were they reliable? There was only one way to find out.