Korina scanned the streets form her vantage point on top of one of the many stone buildings that lined Kvatch’s Market District. Her pale blue eyes sought any movement on the worn cobblestone below. A shiver ran down the Altmer’s back as she regarded the almost eerie stillness on the night. She failed to spot even so much as a rat. Korina’s gaze rose to the moon which hung heavy and full over the city. She offered a silent prayer to the Void Father and instantly felt a dark calm wash over her. It was time. 

With a running leap over the edge of the rooftop she grasped the railing on a balcony across the way. Silently she hauled herself up and pressed her body against the cool stone of the house. After a moment Korina crouched low and pulled a small key from her satchel. She slid the key into the balcony door’s lock with ease. She truned the key and was rewarded with the sound of tumblers giving way. A smirk played at the edge of her thin pink lips, sometimes it paid to keep an eye on Thieves Guild members or in this case a hand on their throat. Silently she opened the door, slipped in and carefully claosed the door behind her. She felt a familiar thrill as the hunt began. 

She had been sent to end the life of a one Gaston Renderrine, a silk and fur trader that made his home in the peaceful city of Kvatch. It was a routine job. Find the target, slip into their house, and slit their throat. This particular target had made some unsavory gain in the selling of slaves, an illegal practice in Cyrodiil, so Korina felt little pity for this mark. She pulled a small steel throwing dagger from the pouch on her belt and started into the hallway. There was a single room on the right and the door was ajar. She pushed the door open gently and peered inside. [i]A study nothing more.[/i] She continued on until she came to a set of stairs. Below she could hear hushed voices. She stopped and listened, she was able to make out a few words. 

 “Is everything ready?”

“Yes sir,” a cackle,” Soon they will know the wrath of Lord Dagon.”

[i]Dagon?[/i] Korina heard someone starting up the stairs. She looked up at the wooden beams that lined the ceiling. She jumped up and grabbed hold just as a boy, not even of age yet, came up the stairs and went into the study. Korina lowered herself and quickly went down the stairs as quietly as possible. Kroina ducked under a table just as she saw two men come into view. One was short, pudgy and had a blonde beard. He was dressed as a nob;e would in burgundy dress clothes. The other man was taller and had the build of that of a hunter. She recognized the taller man as her mark, Gaston. 

Korina’s grip tightened on her dagger’s handle. She slowly rose up from her hiding place, ready to flick her blade into Gaston’s temple. Suddenly screams could be heard from outside. Both men tuned away and looked to the window, each wearing a manic grin. 

“It begins!” The short fat man cackled. 

Korina wasted no time as she flicked her blade at Gaston. It buried itself in the back of his head and he fell to the ground. 

“What in th-“the shorter man whirled around in time to see Korina unleash a bolt of lightning at him. His body convulsed and he fell to a knee. Korina was about to rush him when the door burst into splinters and demonic being wearing pitch black armor. Its skin was a blistering crimson and its eyes a soulless black. [i]A dramora![/i] Korina’s eyes widened in disbelief. She ducked to the right just as it swung a knurled white claymore at her. Korina looked up just in time to see the boy from earlier rush down stairs. 

“Father what-“he never stood a chance. The Dremora plunged its blade into the boy’s chest. Blood bubbled up from his mouth and from around the blade as the boy looked at the demon in disbelief. With a snarl it wrenched blade out and wasted no time in beheading the poor boy. Blood spouted from the stump that was his neck. 

“I beseech you demon kill that filthy-“The short man snarled, pointing a pudgy finger at Korina. The dremora slid his claymore into the man’s belly. 

“All will die,” it hissed, its voice was deep and resonated with dark power. It pulled its blade out and the man crumpled to the ground to bleed out onto the rug. Korina pulled a blade from her pouch and readied herself. She had faced the horrors before and this thing was just as killable as any man. In a blur of movement she flicked the blade out and it imbedded itself into the dremora’s forehead. It took a single step back before looking at Korina in an almost amused way. 

“Die mortal.” 

Void take you,” she whispered before unleashing a torrent of sparks at the dremora. The mana-fueled electricity went straight to the steel dagger in its forehead. It dropped its blade as its brain was fried from the electricity. Korina stopped her spell and the dremora fell backwards, dead. The dagger its forehead glowed red with heat. Koirna slumped to the floor already feeling fatigue from the amount of mana she had used. After a moment she stood up and went over to Gaston’s body. She pulled her dagger form his body and the signet ring from his hand, proof of her killing him. The contract came before anything else. She walked over to the boy’s body. His face was transfixed in an eternal look of fear. She closed his eyes,” Nightmother watch over this young soul as it journeys to the Void.” 

Koirna stood up and walked out of the front door a dagger ready in her hand and a spell prepared in the back of her mind. Whatever was to come she would survive as she always had.