Through Eyes of Darkness
	Who am I?  The question resounded in my head many times whenever work called.  This question has both a simple and
complex answer.  In the simplistic terms of my own legal identity I am called John Dukes.  But the symbolic, true
meaning is far more complex.  My various visages have many sinister undertones; blood hunter, night stalker, death
dealer, and spirit of the night.  These many identities are no mere egotistical labeling but foreshadowers of my true
occupation.  I am an assassin… the very best at what I do.  Following that is the question of my current predicament,
how on earth did I manage to get myself in this deep?! Currently, I face threats of death and the fear that my former
employer may very well be the one to bring me down. But I have one thing at my side, my students all follow me, and we
wage the shadow war.
	It all started one day at my home town of Brittle-Back.  I had just finished a rather large contract on a series of
renegade officers from the mining companies around the continent, and was returning from the Red-Back Mountain Range. 
On my way back I encountered a curious little person whom was wandering around muttering “where is that little
meat-bag John Dukes…”  Needless to say I was not very happy to find a little punk walking around soiling upon my
name, so I walked up to him and said who I was.  As soon as he heard this he simply handed me a sheet of paper and
walked off.  I decided it would be best to get back to my home before I examined this thing as it may have been a
clever trap, so I continued on until I reached my house on the outskirts of town.
	Upon reaching my humble homestead, I instantly felt the need to read the strange package. When I opened it I placed it
on a nearby table and lit a candle.  The contents read as such:	“Dear Mr. Dukes, It has come to my attention that I
may be in need of a person of your capabilities.  The following is a hit contract for the high lord of the continent of
Cretia, Baron Jackob Dumesh.  The reason for this particularly dangerous contract shall be kept private but do know that
I am willing to pay you five million gold pieces for the confirmed death of this man.  Enclosed is a ticket to the high
city of Markeshed and instructions as to where you may meet an accomplice of mine for aid or instructions.  If you do
indeed intend to decline this offer please burn this letter and send the ticket to your local sky ferry for
verification of cancellation.  I hope to hear of your arrival at Markeshed and your cooperation in this matter, signed
Lord Viper.”  Now it just so occurred to me that perhaps this was my chance at retirement, but the fact that the hit
demanded the death of a high lord troubled me. Still, greed filled me and I followed the moneys call to Markeshed the
next day.
	My arrival at Markeshed was swift and unnoticed and that suited me perfectly.  When I landed I was approached by a
strange man and handed a sheet of paper with the address of a local brothel.  It was not until he left that I
recognized he was the same person who had handed me the original assignment, but that was of little consequence to me
at the time.  After asking one of the nearby shopkeepers for instructions, I headed to the brothel.  Upon my entry
there, I saw many dancers on a stand and then I saw the manager.  As I looked over the note again I saw that it had
“blood money for hire” on the back. After seeing this, I walked up to the manager and showed him the note.  His
disdain and reproachful reaction to this worried me, but he still made a gesture towards the room on the far left of
the room.
	I quickly entered the room after checking my equipment and was greeted by the assault of a rather large person armed
with a sword. Adrenaline started pumping as time slowed down for me, and I managed to notice an opening in his
defenses.  While he was distracted by my studious appearance, I punched him on the inside of his gut. Normally it would
have simply knocked the wind out of him, but with the punch daggers attached to my arm I impaled him before he saw the
blade flip from under my sleeve… piece of cake.  What shocked me was the clapping that followed my felling of the
stupid lummox.
“Well done, well done. My master was right to select you for this job.  There are a few things to go through before
you carry out your job. First off, there will be no questions.  Now to business, there is a ring of inner people who
safeguard the high lord and pull the puppets strings… they MUST be neutralized before you can assault the high lord. 
There are three of them and they are as follows; High Treasurer Meerings, High General Ackerd, and Champion Zeron. 
Meerings and Ackerd should be no problem, but Zeron is a master-at-arms… he may prove hard to kill. This is all and
you will receive more orders about this when these three are dead.”
	After that little meeting, I decided I could use a little rest and hired one of the workers to keep me company for the
night. I awoke the next morning to a new note slipped through my door with the address of the High Treasurer.  Well,
business is business, and so I quickly departed and walked to the address.  By the time I reached the manor it was
nightfall… perfect.  I quickly took an hour to survey the grounds: there were sweeps by the guards every twenty
minutes, and there were archers on the towers around the gate.  It was all normal defenses expected of the rich, which
meant it wasn’t prepared for someone like me.  To begin with, I scaled one of the towers up until I was just below
the landing on which the archer perched.  I quickly drew a throwing knife and hand it in hand as I leaped over the
little wall, flipping it into the throat of the archer before he could alert anyone to my presence, sending a spray of
blood onto the floor.  Whilst I fell I looped a rope around one of the rocks sticking out of the towers sides so I
could slow my fall. When it caught I quickly repelled down to the ground.  I quickly checked the time on the large
clock tower and noted that I had ten minutes until the guards checked my current position. Thinking quickly I estimated
how long my window to cross the ground to the manor…twenty seconds.  Realizing my window was closing I sprinted to the
other side of the grounds, barely evading the archers eyes.  
When I reached the other side I pulled out five knives… time to get rid of those pesky guards.  I sat for nine
minutes waiting until I saw the light of the four guard crew, luckily they weren’t thinking to check around the
manor.  It was almost too late when I realized I had to eliminate them before they reached the tower I had taken out…
very sloppy of me. Still, I had time to flick the knives into the backs of the guards in quick succession and eliminated
the patrol. Only then did the archers start actively probing the grounds.  Too late, I had my window and entered the
manor through a bed room window. What luck, I had found the window of the treasurer’s window and found him fast
asleep.  A quick slice across the throat and the job was done.  I exited much the same way I entered and easily made it
back to my room at the brothel, but was too tired for any company.  
When I awoke, I found yet another note on the floor congratulating me on a job well done and informing me that I was
indeed lucky, the general was indulging in his carnal delights at this very brothel.  The only problem was that news of
the murder of the treasurer had already spread and he had extra security.  Then I had an ingenious plan, subterfuge and
disguise would be used here.  I quickly went to the head of the brothel and procured a dress and enough cosmetics to
mask my identity.  I then found a brothel room with a window and prepared it for the inevitable play that would unfold.
 I then dressed and had the ladies of the brothel do my makeup and strapped a dagger to my thigh under the dress.
Now the next act in the play would unfold.  I masked my voice with an interesting combination of herbs that I
discovered made the voice incredibly feminine.  I easily seduced him into coming to my room and then used false
feminine wiles of flattery to convince him to leave his guards outside.  Then, I told him to wait on the bed while I
got ready behind the screen.  Quickly armoring myself I drew one of my knives and leapt upon the general.  Gagging him,
I sliced his throat and was preparing to exit when the guards burst in the door. They were big but unarmed and I easily
dispatched them with a series of punches that cut off heart circulation.  
	The day after this I realized I had to begin the investigations into how to track down the champion, my final target
to dispatch.  It seemed to be an easy task, seeing as how the champion put on daily shows at the coliseum.  But once I
got there it was my misfortune to realize that the security for the games was so stringent that I couldn’t find any
decent vantage point to view the games undetected.  It seems I will have to go in the coliseums with the only good
disguise that could let me fight the champion, as a combatant.  Indeed my employer has managed to trap me in this
little snare, but he or she has underestimated my abilities.  As the champion trains and fights I will observe him,
learn, and see his weaknesses.  My mission will be successful, and all I need to do is view all through eyes of shadow,
eyes of secrecy of lies; all I need is eyes of darkness.