The jester of Xares

In the slums of Xares merchants speak of the Jester. The mad man that lurks in the dark and kills those who pass in the night. Bodies to be found in the morning missing their faces. They say this imp of a man is the one who carves off these faces. Some say he makes them into masks. The people have tried to alert the guards of the Jester but nothing other than the faceless bodies has been found, but I know the Jester is real, my body as proof.
It was the mid of winter when I saw him. I was wrapping up a days work at the stall when I heard giggling. I looked up and around but no one was there, I thought everyone when home for the night. The tavern was several blocks down so I knew it wasn't coming from there. But it had been a long day so I quickly forgot about it and headed down the street to get a drink before I went home to my lady.
 I decided to take a shortcut to get there faster. I knew of an ally that cut right through the traffic and exited on the street I needed. So I made my way through the narrow passage, then I heard a jingle. I looked down and a small silver bell rolled from underneath me. I turned around and saw him. A red and white mask, steel boots and breastplate, a gold knife in hand. I asked the man if he had dropped his bell, he just tilted his head and stepped towards me.
 I would have run but I was sore and the cold had seeped into my bones. The Jester giggled as he raised up his curvy knife with a hand trembling from excitement. I looked around but I was screwed, my shortcut had me stuck. The sun was going down and the street torches had not yet been lit. He lunged at me, started hacking and slashing like a mad man! He kicked me to the ground and kept flailing the skin off my bones, giggling all the while. I felt each string of skin as it was slowly ripped from my body. I had given up, I laid on the cold stones waiting for death, yet it never came. The blood stained Jester stood back up and backed away. He started mumbling to himself, I was fading in and out of consciousness. As my vision started to blur out I watched the Jester walk away and disappear into the snow.
I awoke some time later in a home. A stranger had found me on the street and put me by the fire to warm up. They did their best to see to my wounds but I would later have to see a healer. I don't know why the Jester spared my life or where he went, but one thing is for sure, I never travel the streets alone anymore.