"He was last seen heading this way!" a voice echoed through the torch lit corridor. Footsteps echoed shortly behind. They ran down the corridor, their shadows danced on the stone walls; up the stone stairs of the tower to the castle walls. Looking over the parapet to view the moon drenched landscape. Standing on the roof of the nearby tower was a cloaked figure. His black cloak rippled in the nightly wind, his face was shadowed by a hood. He pulled the cloak aside; reaching behind him, withdrawing a long black knife from its sheath. The sharp blade shone like blood in the moonlight.
The guards turned to leave, one gazed up above the entrance to the tower. His eyes grew wide; pupils shrank at the sight of the blade. He opened his mouth to inform the others. A knife shot from the clocked figure's arm. The cloak's sleeve flew back revealing an ankh tattooed on his arm. The knife protruded from the guard's throat, his voice gargled with blood.
The others stopped dead in their tracks. They slowly turned; the other guard fell over, blood seethed onto the stone floor. They ran to the body. "He's been killed!" one exclaimed.
"Who could have done this?" the other questioned while examining the out stretched blade in the guard's throat. The cloaked figure silently fell behind the two unsuspecting guards. He rose slowly from his unheard landing. His cloak ruffled softly. The guard nearest turned slightly to see what it was. Again the arm of his cloak ruffled and swirled. He then jumped nimbly onto the parapet. The guard stared to where the cloaked figure once stood.
A knife was buried hilt deep into the inside wall. The kneeling guard looked quickly at the injected knife from his place near the dead guard. Startled, he turned his head to the other guard. He was frozen in place. Blood began to spray, painting the guard's attire, falling limp to the stone. Blood continued to drain from his lifeless cadaver.
The cloaked figure began to walk the parapet, positioning himself behind the startled guard. The guard rose to make his escape to warn the lord. An arm seized him quickly, followed by a long black knife, positioned at his throat. Again the arm has been exposed the ankh was visible in the moonlight.
Eyes grew with terror at the sight of the infamous ankh. The guard gasped as he read the inscription on the tattoo, 'Memento Mori'. The wind picked up; the cloaked figure's hood fell off, exposing the man inside. His black hair whipped in the wind, while his icy blue eyes danced with sadistic glee. The guard didn't need to see his assailant's face. He knew from the legends, that this was Umbra. He whispered softly "the infamous Umbra has come to collect my life…"
Umbra moved closer and spoke quietly in his ear. "You are but a causality in my travels, your master is whom I am after…" A grin swept across his face at the tremble in the guard's breath. He drew the knife away from the guard's neck, and then with the hand holding him, spun the guard around. Thrusting the black blade into the guard's chest and pierced his heart. Drawing the guard near Umbra spoke once again, "Remember to die…" he twisted the blade in the guard's chest, causing him to scream in pain. His scream shattered the silent night, stirring everything from its slumber.
Shouts and footsteps could be heard echoing from every corner of the castle. Umbra withdrew his blade from the guard, letting the guard fall in a pile next to the others. Licking the blade he jumped onto the parapet. Once it was clean of blood he returned it to its sheath.
Light and shadows danced up the stairwell. Umbra jumped off the castle wall. The inhabitance of the castle discovered the bodies of the three guards. Rushing to the outer wall they looked to see if anyone was there. In between the shadows they could see a large wolf like creature dashing into the nearby forest. It's howls echoed, sending shivers of terror down all their spines.