I began the walk down the polished marble steps. My floor length gown of midnight blue rustling along behind me. The only sound as my feet silently pushed me onwards never once faltering, as I ascended into the masquerade ball. As nervous as I was, I knew my body would never fault me. Years of brutal training and lessons had seen to that.

My eyes took in the room, noting not just the sparkling glass chandelier that reflected the light in small prisms onto the walls but also the exits, and dark corners where I could blend into the shadows unnoticed if my plan was to fail.

The mask strapped tight to my face was slick with sweat as I maneuvered gracefully and nimbly like the wind around the cluster of people drinking and laughing as though they didn't have a care in the world. Unlike me. Who was here for one purpose only. To kill!

I spotted my target leaning against a pillar that stretched upwards towards the vast ceiling above. He was a handsome young man of around 20, only a year or so younger than me. His blond hair catching the light as though it were glowing. As he leaned forward to chat to the men stood around him.

His posture was relaxed and content. Completely unaware of what awaited him. I forced my mind into calm, slowed my breathing and began the dance of the wind once more as I slipped through the crowd towards my final destination. My gloved hand slid into the pocket of my gown (that was almost as dark as the night itself) gripping around the small bottle that lay inside.

I stepped into the dark outside and became a shadow as I left the party, remembered only as the masked assassin.