Chapter 301: The Mask

Darion finally pulled his attention away from the undead bird. He unsummoned it quickly, the small creature dissolving into a faint green glow that faded into the darkness.

His vision snapped back to his own body in the forest, and for a moment, his senses readjusted to the change. The darkness of the forest returned, thick and heavy around him. He could hear the leaves moving in the gentle breeze and the distant sounds of Vrethka again, the clatter of armor, the murmur of voices, the occasional creak of wagon wheels.

Seren immediately looked at him. She had been waiting patiently, her bow resting across her lap, her eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of danger. "What did you see?"

Darion took a breath, organizing his thoughts. "A lot. The settlement is bigger than I expected. More organized. They're preparing for something serious."

Seren waited.

"There's a group of warriors near one of the larger buildings," Darion continued. "Heavily armed. Better armor than the regular soldiers. I think they might be officers or commanders."

"Did you hear anything?"

Darion shook his head. "No. That's the problem. I couldn't read their lips. Not from that distance. And they're too far away for the bird to get close without looking suspicious."

He paused, his eyes drifting toward Vrethka. "I need to actually hear them. That's why I came up with a plan."

Seren raised an eyebrow. "What plan?"

Darion looked at her. "I need a mask."

Seren blinked. "A mask?"

He nodded, turning his gaze back toward the settlement. "When I was watching them, I noticed something. The warriors are wearing masks. Heavy, decorative masks that cover their entire faces. Even the regular guards seem to have them."

He explained what he had seen, the masked warriors gathered around the building, their faces completely hidden, their identities concealed. "I don't know why they wear them. Maybe it's ceremonial. Maybe it's for practical reasons. But if they're wearing masks, then there must be some reason for them."

Seren understood immediately. "If you have a mask, you can blend in."

"Exactly." Darion nodded. "I don't need to look exactly like one of the commanders. I just need to look like someone who belongs there. Armor. A mask. A weapon. Something that makes me look like another Vrethkan soldier."

He began thinking through the possibilities. He could sneak through the walls. He could summon an undead. He could probably just walk in with enough confidence. But the last option was obviously terrible. He needed something more convincing.

He summoned the bird again, sending it back into the settlement, using Borrowed Sight to scan the outer perimeter. He was looking for something specific now.

He studied the guards carefully. Most of them were stationed together, groups of two or three patrolling the walls, others standing near the entrances.

They moved in regular patterns, their routes predictable. Darion watched their movements for several moments, noting the gaps in their coverage, the moments when they were distracted.

Then he noticed one guard who was slightly separated from the others. He was walking along the outer perimeter, alone. He wasn't close enough to the other guards for them to immediately notice something happening to him.

Darion's eyes narrowed. There.

Seren followed his gaze, though she couldn't see what he was seeing. "You found one?"

Darion nodded. He didn't need to explain what he was thinking. The guard was the perfect target.

He didn't want a fight near the settlement. He wanted something quiet. And he had an idea for how to make the guard come to him.

He shifted his attention back to the undead bird. The bird was still perched nearby, waiting for commands. He gave it a new one. Come back. The bird left the settlement, flying toward the outer perimeter. Darion guided it toward the isolated guard.

The guard noticed the bird. At first, he ignored it. The bird circled around him, its wings beating steadily. Then it flew slightly closer. The guard waved it away. "Shoo."

The bird flew away. Then came back. The guard became annoyed. He swatted at it. The bird moved just out of reach. Darion deliberately kept it close enough to frustrate the man.

The guard followed it. One step. Two. Then several more. The bird continued fluttering toward the treeline. The guard kept following. "Damn bird..."

Darion watched from the darkness. He waited. The guard kept coming. A few more steps. Now he's close enough.

Darion silently summoned Ghet Ulg.

Necromantic energy gathered behind the guard, faint and silent in the darkness. Ghet Ulg materialized, its massive body appearing from nothing.

The guard didn't notice. He was still focused on the bird, still annoyed, still swatting at the air. He raised his hand again, preparing to swat it one more time. "Get away from—"

He didn't finish.

A massive hand suddenly closed around his throat from behind. The guard's eyes widened. He tried to turn. Too late. Crack. The sound echoed through the darkness, sharp and final.

His body immediately went limp. Ghet Ulg caught him before he could fall loudly, lowering him to the ground with careful precision.

Darion watched silently.

Seren flinched. Even though she had fought and killed before, during the battles in Percvale, when Valdenmoor had attacked, the suddenness of it caught her off guard. The guard had been alive one moment, and gone the next. No struggle or warning. Just a sudden, violent end.

Ghet Ulg lowered the body to the ground. Seren stared at the dead guard. Then at Darion. "That was..."

She paused. "...brutal."

Darion looked at the body. His expression was calm. "Was it?"

Seren gave him a look.

Darion shrugged. "Not when I'm going to kill them all eventually."

Seren's expression changed slightly. The words sounded almost casual coming from him. Like he was discussing the weather. Darion wasn't angry in the usual sense, he wasn't ranting or shouting or trembling with rage.

He was simply looking at the situation practically. These people were preparing to attack Percvale. They had already sent scouts to observe his territory. He had no intention of letting them attack his people. If war was coming anyway... better them than us.

Seren didn't argue. She understood the logic. She had seen what war did to people. She had seen what happened when you hesitated, when you tried to be merciful to people who wouldn't show you the same mercy. She didn't like it, but she understood.

Darion looked down at the guard. Now came the important part. He needed to make use of the opportunity. He crouched beside the body and began removing the guard's armor.

Piece by piece, he worked. The armor was heavier than he expected, made from solid materials and clearly designed for actual combat. It wasn't decorative. It was functional. He removed the chest armor first, then the shoulder pieces, then the gloves. The rest of the equipment followed. Finally, he removed the mask.

Darion paused as he looked at it. The mask was heavier than it had appeared from a distance. It was made of dark metal, its surface carved with intricate patterns. There were no obvious openings large enough to reveal his identity, just narrow slits for the eyes and small holes for breathing. It would completely cover his face. Exactly what I need.

Darion put the armor on. Seren helped him adjust it, tightening straps and rearranging pieces until it sat properly. The guard's body wasn't exactly the same size as Darion's, so the fit wasn't perfect, but it was close enough. From a distance, no one would notice the difference.

Darion picked up the mask. He put it over his face. Darkness surrounded his vision for a moment, the world narrowing to a thin strip of light through the eye slits. The mask felt heavy against his head, the metal cold against his skin. But it completely hid his face.

Darion moved his head from side to side, testing the range of motion. The armor made him look like another Vrethkan soldier. At least from a distance. He checked the weapon, a simple sword, well-made but unremarkable. He had everything he needed to pass as a guard.

Darion looked toward Seren.

She studied him. With the armor and mask on, he looked completely different. She could barely see his face anymore. "You actually look like one of them."

Darion nodded. He checked the mask again. "That's the idea."

He pointed toward their hiding place. "Stay here."

Seren immediately looked at him. "You're going alone?"

It was clear she would have loved to come. She could have found another guard, disguised herself, and followed him inside. But Darion shook his head. "I'll go alone for now."

He didn't want both of them risking getting caught. And he didn't want to start an early war. If he was discovered, Seren could remain hidden and potentially escape. If they were both caught, there would be no one to warn Percvale.

Darion looked toward Vrethka. "I'll be back."

Seren didn't look completely convinced. But she nodded. "Be careful."

Darion turned toward the settlement.

Darion took a few steps toward the edge of the forest. Behind him, Seren remained hidden, her bow in her hands, her eyes watching him go.

Ahead of him stood Vrethka. Walls. Guards. Watchtowers. Soldiers. And somewhere inside those walls were the answers he was looking for.

Darion adjusted the heavy mask one final time. His face disappeared completely behind it. Then he stepped out of the shadows.

He was going inside.