Sen sat calmly at the edge of the wooden dock. Barnicles and clams clung to its wet and rotting surface for what seemed their lives. Each passing wave caused the planks to sway slightly, giving a casual passerby the misconception of unsteadiness. However, Sen knew that the dock was crafted by great architects, thus it wouldn’t collapse in the crystalline waters below. Port Adúnë stretched out as far as the eye could see. Various fishing boats, canoes and rowboats bobbed where they were tethered in the water, looking almost like naughty dogs that had been tied up by their owners. Sen chuckled slightly to himself then breathed in the salty air of the sea. Contently, he placed his hat over his eyes and slowly leaned backward until he was lying on the dock and his feet were dangling at the edge of the water.

It was a cool night with a cool breeze. The moon was out in its full splendor. Stars beamed with pride as they dazzled the sky with beauty. The sound of crickets could be heard chirping. Owls were hooting as they began to search for breakfast. The ladies of the night were beginning to stroll the alleyways. Yes, it was a perfect time to kill.

Karshka walked down the longs streets coming out at the docks near Port Adune. He white bones shimmered in the moonlight. His cloak was tide around his neck and fell to his ankles. His sword was held close to his waist by a piece of rope. His red eyes were shining like a couple of fires in the distance. Even though the street was lit by candle, Karshka would have been able to see fine with the light provided by the moon and stars.

He kept a careful watch for anything he might be able to wet his sword on. It didn’t have to be strong, have youth, or even be male; he did not distinguish between innocent, children, women, or old. They were all targets for him. He had no mercy when it came to who should live or die.

He drew his steel as he saw a woman dressed in barely anything at all walked past the docks. His evil gaze locked in on her. Without giving it a second thought, Karshka leapt toward her with his blade held high.

The only alarm the woman had was the sound of Karshka’s boney feet hitting the gravel road as he ran at her. She turned toward him trying to make out his shaded figure. It was too late for her by the time she realized he meant her harm. With only a gasp as her dying words she fell to the ground decapitated.

Karshka roared with laughter as he picked up her head from where it had rolled. “I am the plague that has no cure,” he screamed in triumph, “I bring with me the destruction of all mankind.” He had no fear of being heard. He bellowed his words for the whole world to hear. He hurled the head into the sea with a final shout of victory. “Who can oppose me?”

Sen heard the sound of feet on gravel, the sound of a scream, then some hollering. He rolled his eyes and sighed. "Why does everyone always want to destroy Arda?" What I want is far from that. Destroying the land will do no good. You must kill every person. Return them below so they can be at peace.

The assassin slowly removed his hat, revealing a dazzling view of the starry night sky. He didn't bother to turn his head at whoever had killed the woman, but spoke nonetheless. "I commend your kill. Although I must say it was for the wrong reason." His keen ears could tell the murderer was still a little ways away, so the assassin's life wasn't in immediate danger.

Karshka spun around to find a man sitting on the docks behind him. The man spoke with arrogance, yet courage. Karshka didn’t care. He had been insulted while in deep celebration over a kill. He had picked his next target. It was time to feast his sword on blood again.

“You speak with fighting words,” Karshka called to the man, while raising his sword and pointing it at the stranger, “Would you like to be next?” he added bringing his sword back into a fighting posture. “Prepare yourself. You are about to join your ancestors.”

Karshka brought his sword back and charged the man. He was not the best at skill when it came to fighting, but he could at least swing the sword with some power despite his lack of real muscles.

The floor boards of the dock croaked in pain as the boney feet raced across them. The wind howled past. Every living creature, the owls, crickets, fish, and whatever else was near by, stopped to watch this clash of blades between the living and dead. So it began with Karshka swinging his steel forward, aiming at the man midrift.

“Prepare yourself. You are about to join your ancestors.”

Sen sighed and didn't move for a moment, contemplating his attacker's statement. I wish I could...but my work here isn't done...I will wait for the day when this disease takes me...until then...

The dock began to creak and groan as the other charged foward. Sen waited until the sound was almost upon him, then he launched into action. Holding tight onto his hat, Sen grabbed the edge of the dock and swung underneath the wooden planks, grabbing onto a few of the supports as well. His hope with this plan was that his attacker would have been rushing at the assassin too fast to control his speed, and he would loose his footing on the slippery dock, falling into the waters below.

Karshka’s blade swung cut through the air. His opponent had evaded the attack with what Karshka could only call lightning reflexes. In the blink of an eye his opponent had jumped over the side of the decking. Karshka could hear him as he held onto the bottom of the dock so he would not fall into the waters.

Karshka had to act quickly so that he too would not fall into the sea. He fell to his knees as his feet slipped from the momentum that he had used to swing his sword. Karshka grabbed a hold of the wooden planks making up the deck to keep from sliding all of the way off.

After stabilizing himself, he screamed a curse to the slippery man, “Come back and fight me,” he jeered, “have you no courage?” Without waiting for a response Karshka jabbed his sword through the deck not knowing exactly where his prey had gone. He merely hoped that this move would luckily hit the man, scare him, or cause him to fall.

Sen smirked as his attacker slammed his sword through the dock. The blow was, of course, too far away from the assassin to harm him, but it did do something that changed the playing feild. When the skeletal creature had slammed his sword through the dock, he had sliced the main support, weakening the dock entirely. The wood groaned, shook for a moment, then collapsed completely into the water. Sen foresaw this architectural collapse, so he was able to leap clear before the structure was ruined. As he hit the cold water, Sen raised his hands above his head, sheilding himself from large peices of falling wood and debree. Luckily, he escaped with only a large bruise on his arm from a stray plank, but otherwise he was alright. Sen tread water and eyed the dark surface which was full of ripples now, trying to find out what had happened to his adversary.