Here it goes!

Constructive criticism and advice is welcomed.

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Kerron has always been an honourable man - or at least as honourable as an assassin could be. Admittedly there isn’t much honour in killing people in exchange for money, but he has never strayed from his personal vows to never target innocents or children. He has even at times turned away some very lucrative jobs, because of this honour of his.

And yet, here I am chasing a harmless girl, with the intent to slay both her and the babe she carries in her womb - he thinks to himself in disgust. - What is my honour worth at the end of the day? I am weak not to accept death instead of caving in to their threats and agreeing to this job. He glared at the magic brand on his hand. It will disappear once he has killed the elf girl and her unborn child, but if he he fails to do so within the next few hours he is the one who will die.

Never before had he considered that being the best at what he does would get him into a situation like this.

…………………………………………………………………….

A week earlier

Click.

With a self-appreciative grin on his face Kerron unlocked the final door. Sliding his lockpick back into their hidden pocket he slowly eased the door open, disabling all the traps that have been set.

This had to be the most challenging job that he had received in years and he was enjoying every second of it.  

The target, a rich moghul, had somehow found out that there is a hit request on him, and has thus set up every protection his money can buy him, and Kerron has to admit, he is suitably impressed any other assassin would have fallen long ago to one of the various traps set up along the way, or would have been discovered by the multitude of guards patrolling the grounds, or activated some of the complex magic protections laid out at random places.

Fortunately - or unfortunately, depending on your perspective - Kerron is not just any assassin, he is best of the best; known as the Shadow, an existence that you only see as a shadow, just before you die.

He had once snuck into the royal palace and killed the crown prince as he lay sleeping in his royal chambers (a much better end than he deserved) The servants found the body in the morning, but the ensuing investigation revealed no results.

And now he is after another life, meaning the moghul is as good as dead. Entering the bedroom he saw that there was no further protections: the target never expected anyone to reach this far.

Pulling out his dagger he quietly creeped up to the bed where he could hear loud rumbling snores emanating from the huge, fat figure lying there.

With a swift stroke of the blade he neatly sliced through the fat man neck, cleanly severing the major vein there.

“Done”, he whispered to himself as he turned around to leave the same way he had come, only to discover he was unable to move. Alerted by a glow from below, he looked down to see a magic circle powered by the blood leaking out of the slit throat of the man he had just killed.

Clap*clap*clap

Startled Kerron looked up at the man that entered through a hidden passage behind the wardrobe. “Well done Mr.Shadow. That was superbly accomplished. I dare say you almost made our little test look to easy”, the man said while he continued to applaud. He wore a black cloak and it was impossible to see his face

“Test? What are you talking about. Who are you? Show your face!”, Kerron roared while inwardly cursing himself for his assumption that nothing could go wrong after the deed was done, he should have known better.

“Ah, please calm down Mr.Shadow I mean you no harm. In fact I wish to employ your service, but you see, the job I have in store for you is quite tricky and thus I had to test you before hand. And surely you understand that I can’t reveal my name or face, it is a murky business we are dealing with after all and can be ruinous to a person’s reputation.” the figure explained as he walked finally came to stand in front of Kerron.

Kerron narrowed his eyes as it all started to make sense. This job was a setup from very start and he walked right into this situation like a rookie. “It was you who ordered this job, and you are also the one who tipped the target off about it.”

“I am also the person that helped arrange his protection. Yes, as you have so aptly deduce I am the master mind.” the man said. “But like I said Mr.Shadow I have a job that requires you expertise and I do believe it would be in your best interest to accept.”

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Hearing the threat in the cloaked man’s words, and judging by the blood spell restricting his movements, Kerron would have had to be a complete idiot not to realise that this job is one he wanted no part of. First I have to get out of this circle somehow and then I can kill this bastard who thinks he can make me his dog. - Kerron thought, trying to come up with a plan “Very well I am willing to listen, but first why don’t you get rid of this pesky magic so we can talk like two civilised men?” Kerron said.

“Surely you jest, Mr. Shadow. I am well aware of your reputation as well as that silly moral system of yours and I assume by now you have figured out that the job I am offering is one that will cross the lines of your honour.” - he held up a hand as Kerron was about to interject - “Let me be frank with you Mr.Shadow. You most probably want to reject the job, but know this that magic circle you are standing in does more than just restrict movement. The moment you activated the magic it imposed a forced contract on you, meaning you either complete the job or you die. Of course you will be rewarded handsomely at the completion.”

By this time Kerron was white with fury. Never before had he desired to kill someone as much as he wanted to kill the man in front of him at that moment. A force contract: that is one of the foulest blood magic on the continent and, like all blood magic, had been outlawed, punishable by death. To think that he, the greatest assassin, Shadow, would fall victim to such magic.

He had no choice but to accept the hit, unless he wants to have his soul ripped out and die a slow agonising death, and not even honour is more important to him than his life.

“Fine I’ll do it, who do you want me to kill?”

……………………………………………………………………….

Present

Kerron is abruptly brought out of his musing as he heard a crash, followed by a cry just ahead of him. He speeds up a bit more and presently he sees her. His target. She looks a miserable sight, a far cry from the crown princess she really is. having tripped over a protruding tree root she was trying to pull herself back up, even though her leg is obviously broken.

Is this the power of a mother trying to protect her child? He looked at her for a moment, admiring her perseverance, before locking away his emotions best he can and stepping out from behind the trees.

Loathing himself for what he is about to do he slowly approach her. After this I will hunt down that cloaked bastard and make sure he suffers seven hells before I kill him slowly. And then I will retire to a quiet village somewhere and live out the rest of my life in seclusion. - He vows to himself

When she sees him the girl becomes stricken. “No, please no. Please don’t kill my baby. No!” She starts begging, wrapping her arms around her middle, as if that would protect it.

“I am sorry” he says as he brings his sword around, slicing through her neck, followed quickly with a stab into her belly. As her severed head falls to the ground and her body slides of his blade the contract mark fades and he feels his bag become heavy with gold. Exactly what he was told would happen once he had killed her: Tamra, the crown princess of the elves and the unborn prince or princess in her womb.

With a grim set to his shoulders, Karron sheathes his sword, I have to get out of here quick before the royal guard comes looking for her, they will soon realise that she isn’t at the hotsprings anymore.

As he was about to leave he heard a loud cry:

Wah! Wah! Wah!

Startled he swirled back around and stared at the corpse behind him, where the crying is coming from. Out of the hole he made in the stomach he can see a tiny hand moving, the obvious origin of the racket. How can this be! I killed the babe, the mark wouldn’t have disappeared if I hadn’t.

Perplexed he carefully cut open the stomach fully and is shocked to discover a baby girl, most definitely loud and alive, lying next to her dead twin brother. Realizing what happened Kerron couldn’t help but give a morbid laugh.

“Ha! What an unexpected loophole you found little one.” he says as he awkwardly picked up the baby girl. “Looks like the vengeance will have wait for a little while.”