Somewhere around noon, in a small town called Redfield, a man in an Iron Mask rode into town. It was an Amish village, and he respected their customs and chose to ride in on a horse drawn cart.

The clatter of hooves and the grinding of wooden wheels on a dirt road were the only noises that graced his ears at this time of day, most people were having lunch with their families or out taking a break after their morning duties. [i]The Amish are simple but admirable folk.[/i] He mused to himself, thinking back to when he used to live like this. My how things have changed over the generations. 

Dirt roads winding through the village lead to every important building, smaller offshooting roads branching off to the less important houses. Of course at the center of the town was a church, rising high into the sky with a great steeple that cast its glory across the township. Impressive construction was an understatement, these people had spent more than twelve years working with their bare hands to construct this church. It was a monument to their perseverance and religious devotion, it was also the reason he was here."

With no words he rolled to the church, seeing the doors open to release a family of three. Two men and a woman, it was likely a man, his wife, and his son. They regarded his metal clad visage with a sideways glance of confusion but decided better of questioning him, instead chosing to turn their heads and continue walking. The father spared a moment to turn back to the stranger and tip his hat, to which he was replied with a respectful nod. 

After the family had passed and his horse had been tied to a nearby post, he stepped to the bottom of the leading staircase. With every step towards the building, a wicked rush of blood rolled through his veins. Burning so hotly with excitement that if someone saw him without his mask, they would see him blushing and smiling from ear to ear. His shoes clicked on the polished wooden stairs, each step hitting his ears a bit louder than the last. 

Before him lied the door, a tremendous pair of oaken slabs that required two people at least to open. Effortlessly he pushed them apart and allowed himself inside. It was such a regal church that one could swear that silent Gregorian chorals were echoing through its halls. Obviously there wasn't any music playing, it might just be his imagination playing  with him. 

Every step was a loud click against the floor, it echoed across the whole building, only one man was visible. This man's face was all too familiar to the man in the Iron Mask, and his singular eye dilated sharply upon seeing him. His breath was short, and his chest heaved with every inhale. Excitement always forced him to breathe heavily, even though he knew that he didn't need to breathe anymore. It was instinctual, even after all this time.

The priest turned towards the stranger with the even stranger fashion sense, raising an eyebrow and spreading his arms in a gesture of welcome. [color=1a7b30]"Come in stranger, come in. I'm preparing for my evening sermon, it is always good to see a new man of faith enter the lord's halls."[/color]

[color=bc8dbf]"Yes, Father. It is always a wonderful sight to see someone adopting faith, even the most sinful may be saved in the warm embrace of the almighty."[/color] With a short pause and a few more steps, he was face to mask with the priest. A scarce few feet separating them as they spoke. [color=bc8dbf]"And Father, I have sinned far too many times. I do not seek forgiveness, I know I cannot be forgiven for what I have and will continue to do."[/color]

A bit taken aback by the way the man spoke, a slight rasp in his tone and a strange hiss of air every time he spoke letters like F or P. His mask made sense now, this poor soul's visage had been grievously scarred and the mask hides his shame. The singular red eye behind the mask revealed that fact even further, [color=598527]"My child, all who submit themselves to our lord may be saved. If you repent."[/color] With that, he placed a hand on the man's shoulder. Trying to comfort the stranger, who he believed was genuinely seeking forgiveness for what he has done.

Placing a hand on top of the Priest's hand on his shoulder, Shin nodded slowly. [color=bc8dbf]"You must have misheard me, Father."[/color] Without remorse, he wrapped his fingers around the Priest's wrist and crushed it like a bundle of twigs, effortlessly pulling his hand away from his shoulder. It was this exact moment that fear had chosen to bury itself in the priest's heart, screaming with pain for a moment before the stranger's other hand covered his mouth. [color=bc8dbf]"I said these exact words; I cannot be forgiven for what I have and will continue to do."[/color]

Terror rocked the body of the man of faith, his muffled screams meaningless in such a large building. Not a soul outside would be able to hear him.

[color=bc8dbf]"I'm here to kill you, Father. A boy who left on Rumspringa had a certain distaste for you. Something about how you had kept him from the girl that he loved, by convincing her that they should not marry until they are older. The semantics mean nothing to me, my job is simple enough."[/color] It was singularly the most frightful moment of the Priest's life. This monstrous stranger spoke so calmly and with such a wicked tone, the priest genuinely believed that the Devil himself had chosen this day to strike him down. 

Tears streamed from the priest's face moments before his jaw was snapped. The priest was released from the man's grip, he fell to the floor. The pain was so great that all he could do was try to breathe. 

The stranger reached into his pocket and withdrew a small black cylinder. He held it aloft and the priest watched in horror as it grew into a pure black staff. [color=bc8dbf]"My name is Shincoco, I am the Mask of Black Iron."[/color] He paused and let his head hang backwards as he took in a deep breath, relishing in what he was about to do. The priest began to crawl away from Shin, dragging himself along the floor with his good hand. Shin spoke down to him without looking. [color=bc8dbf]"Requiem æternam dona ei, Domine." [/color]

A chill of terror ran up the priest's spine, this man was preaching 'Eternal Rest.' [color=bc8dbf]"Et lux perpetua luceat ei." [/color]The staff grew to a point at the base, Shin hovered his hand above the terrified man of faith. [color=bc8dbf]"Requiescat in pace."[/color] With that, he plunged the spear into his target's spine, right below the base of his neck. The tremendous weight of the staff and the strength behind it carried enough force to instantly kill him and crack the oaken floorboards in the process. A thunderous boom echoed through the church as the tip struck the floor through his body.

[color=bc8dbf]"Amen."[/color] The assassin inhaled sharply, throwing his head backwards once again. Sweat had begun to drip from his forehead and down his face. Once again, another target had fallen to his hands. Shin withdrew a small book from his pocket and placed the, now shrunken, black staff back in place. Bowing down slightly, he dipped his finger into the blood that had pooled around the Priest's corpse, and marked a cross on the picture of the Priest.  

[color=bc8dbf]"Another job completed. Time to collect my pay."[/color] Leaving the corpse behind him, Shin left the church behind himself. Instead of riding his horse out, he walked out on foot. Getting a few more strange looks on his way out. 

Another month or so passed,  Shin had returned to his training once again. Another assassination target was scheduled, and he had eliminated him with haste. Though the man had managed to give him a slight of trouble, it was rather impressive. Though it was just another job, another few thousand dollars in his back pocket. 

With the money he had earned went towards another attempted siege on the one man who had managed to survive. A full list of his equipment this time around is as follows; A simple Motorboat, a customized handheld Railgun with fifteen rounds, the black staff, a length of rope, a kusarigama, and a megaphone. 

The events unfolded in the same way they had always unfolded, Shin rolled up to the island in the boat. Stopping just short of the barrier that surrounded it, Shin raised his railgun and megaphone. One-handing both of them before pulling the trigger on both. The accelerated spheroid of tungsten and steel slammed into the barrier, exploding on contact and sending a tremendous ripple through the massive dome. The megaphone's static crackled before Shin spoke. [color=bc8dbf]"Let me in, or I'll keep shooting! You know I will!" [/color]

Inside of the island a scientist who has very little time to deal with this presses a button and speaks into a microphone from halfway across the room. [color=00a99d]"Go away, Shin. I'm constructing something that is none of your business."[/color]

Another three rounds from the railgun, and Shin railed against LeeRoy's ears again. [color=bc8dbf]"Let me in you immortal son of a bitch so that I can kill you!" [/color]

The banging of the exploding metal was starting to grind on LeeRoy's nerves, and it was the perfect time for this too. He had just finished his last project, and his current project was only just starting. LeeRoy feared that he was going to lose his focus before he even wrote down the schematics, so right now, he's trying his damnedest to ignore Shin. [color=00a99d]"Not by the hair on your chinny chin chin."[/color] The scientist snorted, realizing what he had just said. [color=00a99d]"Oh, wait, you can't grow facial hair."[/color]

Something about LeeRoy's comment really set Shin off, and he emptied the rest of his railgun into the barrier. Not even a slight crack had formed in the energy shielding, and so Shin withdrew the black staff from his vest pocket. [color=bc8dbf]"One day, I'm going to tear your soul from your body and keep it as a souvenir!" [/color]

Over and over and over again, this asshole constantly shouted at him. At least once a month this same scenario had happened, and it was always repetitive. LeeRoy had grown tired of this encounter and was always surprised that Shin had not. 

A few hours passed and they had reached the stalemate they had always reached. Shin had planted himself on a small platform, made from the black staff, and decided to simply sit by the edge of the barrier. Trying to wait out LeeRoy's patience. A guaranteed failure, but an attempt, no less. When suddenly, a voice called out to Shin. [color=662d91]“I am Skallagrim, and you are a skilled and worthy warrior, you are invited to attend the Nexus of Worlds Tournament. When you are ready merely call my name and I shall open the gate to the Nexus of Worlds.” [/color]

It was about this time where Shin got tremendously excited once again, shaking with anticipation. The assassin raised his megaphone and aimed it towards LeeRoy's base. [color=bc8dbf]"You hear that you immortal bastard!? It's my turn! I'm the one who gets to deal with the strange extradimensional magic bullshit, not you!" 
[/color]
LeeRoy shot up from his seat and ran out the door, only to see Shin stepping from his platform into some amethyst portal. The dumb bastard had left his black staff, just sitting at the edge of the island. Nothing that LeeRoy could do about it though, it's too heavy for him to lift. He swore at Shin as he left, shouting a few incredibly offensive things that I will not write here, but let's just say they were incredibly vulgar and racist. }

The obscenities fell on deaf ears, however, as Shin entered the gateway with open arms. [color=bc8dbf]"Yes! Welcome me, Skallagrim! I don't know who you are, but I relish in the opportunity to kill as many people as you throw at me!"[/color]

That all too familiar burning hot excitement washed over him as he passed through the gateway, his singular eye shut tightly as sweat beaded on his face. [color=bc8dbf]"Give me everything, so that I may take everything away!"[/color]

To whomever might be surrounding him, Shin would look like a maniac. Shouting to the heavens with his hands raised to the side, and Shin was more than prepared for whatever was on the other side of that gate.