Edwin had somehow managed to not collapse after his mask finished feasting this time. Hundreds of bodies were strewn across the town. It looked as if every person in Hewe had contracted the madness before, the Masked had entered the town.

He stumbled past the mounds of dead flesh, looking for any form of survivor. He was exhausted, but there was no stopping until he had finished his purge.

Movement caught his eye off to the left. He turned sharply to face the figure.

Tilrer was casually striding toward him. The strange being seemed to not noticed the bodies littered across the ground.

Edwin loosed his grip on his dagger and breathed a sigh of relief. It was good to see the Aishan. "Tilrer, it is good to see you. They were all infected with the madness..."

The Aishan nodded his head slowly, finally acknowledging his assassin's handywork. "I am aware, Edwin. I sent you here to assess the extent of the outbreak. Little did I know, the whole town was already infected. It really is quite a shame."

No emotion showed in the Aishan's face. Edwin doubted that the being truly cared about the people of Hewe.

Tilrer seemed to read Edwin's thought. "Do you doubt me, Edwin? I may send my Masked to kill, but only that which is an abomination before my eyes must be cleansed. We do not kill innocents."

Edwin's fell. He knew better than to doubt the Aishan. Edwin had never once been asked to kill someone that did not deserve justice. He simply distrusted the lack of emotion that Tilrer showed.

"I apologize, Tilrer. Is this happening in more places than just Hewe then?" Edwin asked with a slight bow.

The Aishan frowned. "I have others purging towns as we speak, just as you had to here. It would seem that there are other forces pulling on the strings of this world as we speak. That is why I'm here actually."

Edwin straightened. He was unsure of where the conversation was going. "What do you mean?" He asked flatly.

"There is more than you see occuring is all that I will say. I have a new assignment for you though. You and Shyra will be going to Ilian. There are dark things happening in the castle as we speak, and I would like for you to tidy it up there." Tilrer spoke casually with a flick of his wrist and wave of his hand.

Edwin's heart sank. He knew that this job could carry heavy penalties, if he was discovered. Even with his new purpose, returning to the castle made his heart sink. He hadn't spent much time thinking about his life before becoming one of the Masked on purpose.

"Very well. Who is it that I'm being sent to kill, Tilrer?" Edwin asked. His voice cracked.

Tilrer nearly smiled at the Masked Hunter. "I chose you for this job specifically. Does the name Vayne Abigor mean anything to you?"

Edwin's laugh returned. The wild, manic chuckle of a sadistic killer. It made his skin crawl and excited him with each occurence.

Tilrer didn't seem to notice the outburst. "He is dealing in something darker than he understands. He needs to die before he can cause the death of thousands. Think of it as doing the right thing and getting your revenge. Shyra is waiting for you at the Gate. I want Vayne dead by the end of tomorrow." Without another word, the Aishan vanished.

Edwin's wild laugh had reduced to a chuckle, but he couldn't stop. He felt like one of the madmen that were held in the dungeons of Ilian that muttered madened things.

Shyra was indeed waiting at the Travel Gate for him. The young girl was no longer with her.

"Where is the girl, Shyra?" he asked the beautiful woman carefully.

Her head fell a little at the mention of the child. "My love, she was.. she was infected as well. I had to kill her once she woke. I'm sorry."

Edwin was disappointed, but it was no surprise. For one girl to have survived a plague that infected her whole town was very unlikely. "We tried. That is the best that we could do. Let us return home. We have important work to do tomorrow. I know our target well."

Shyra tilted her head to the side. "You already know who it is? It is not like Tilrer to share that sort of information."

Edwin shrugged his shoulders. "I know the target personally. He's the reason that I was exiled in the first place. It is personal."

Shyra was frowning. Edwin could tell. "Still yet, that is unusual. Regardless, we need to rest. Let us go home."

He nodded and climbed onto the platform next to her. In the cold blink of an eye, the two Masked were back in the halls of their home.

Edwin was always impressed with how well preserved Tilrer kept the ruins. Edwin was unsure of exactly where the ruins were, but he had at least gathered that they were far from any other civilization that he knew of.

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Edwin's body ached more with each step that he took toward his bed. His hands and arms reminded him with the slightest motion that he was burned. Luckily, the burns were light enough that they would heal quickly.

Shyra stayed close. Edwin liked that she was not ashamed to show her care for him. He gingerly placed his arm around his Seeker and kissed her head. They had not been together for very long, but the bond that they shared just from touching their masks together formed something deeper than he had ever felt before.

She helped him undress once they made it into the bedroom. She went to work quickly tending to his burns and scrapes. Her care was always gentle yet effiecient. Part of her job as a Seeker was specifically to care for her Hunter. She had an extensive collection of herbs and poultices in her room. Edwin was confident that she could likely mend any wound.

As soon as she finished, she demanded that he rest and porced him into his bed. She left abruptly, leaving Edwin to the dark, silence that was his mind.

Sleep went as quickly as it came. A slam of the bedroom door woke Edwin suddenly.

A dark figure stood over him. The being wore a dark, black robe that cover its entire body. The only skin showing was a gaunt, white hand that loosely held a long, black dagger. 

Edwin moved to speak, but the being lunged toward him wildly.

Edwin caught the wrist of the creature carefully avoiding the weapon as it desparately reached for any piece of his flesh. The creature gave a sharp shriek that chilled Edwin to the core. He pull the creature across his body and rolled off the bed with it.

The being felt cold as it fought undernearth Edwin's weight. He knew that he was large enough that no human could throw him off.

The dagger had disappeared in the tumult, but Edwin had pinned the creatures arms down well enough that it couldn't retrieve or use the weapon.

Edwin stared silently at the being covered in black. He wanted to tear open the sealed hood in front of its face to look his assailant in the eye, but he would have to risk letting the being loose for a moment.

The door swung open again. Shyra flew into the room, shortsword and dagger in hand. She relaxed a little when she saw Edwin sitting up on the ground on the other side of the bed.

"Are you alright? Something felt off and then I heard noises..." She trailed off as she came around the bed and saw the writhing creature pinned underneath Edwin.

Edwin chuckled. "I had a visitor it would seem."

"Wh- wh- what is that thing?" she asked as she tried to sound calm. Edwin was sure that she had never seen any beings other than the Masked enter their home.

Edwin frowned. "I was honestly hoping that you would know."

Shyra's voice began to shake. "We n- need to t- talk to Tilrer about this. It i- isn't supposed to be possible."

"Woman, grab me some rope. I would like to be able to get up off of this creature as soon as possible." Edwin shook his head. She was a killer. This shouldn't have shaken her so much.

Shyra nodded silently and left in search of rope.

Edwin turned his attention to the thing he had pinned to the ground.

"Do you speak then?" he asked the being calmly.

The creature continued to fight against it's captor but let out a raspy hiss.

Edwin squeezed the creature's wrists tighter. The bones felt brittle in his hands. He was sure that he could nearly snap its wrists just in his hands.

"Speak or else." Edwin demanded. He could feel his anger boiling. He wanted suddenly nothing more than to hurt the creature that attacked him. It was just and fair.

The creature replied with another his, this time loud.

Edwin tightened his grip on the being and it squirmed harder. Edwin squeezed the being tighter and tighter. His anger welled. He knew it's wrists would soon snap under the pressure, but he still gripped tighter. He wanted to break the bones to break.

"Edwin stop!" demanded a cold voice from the doorway. The sickly, white leader of the masked was glaring at Edwin. "Do not damage that thing just yet."

Edwin clenched his jaw. He wanted to kill the being, but he loosened his grip on it instead. He didn't want tond up on the wrong side of Tilrer.

Two Masked stepped into the room from behind Tilrer. They helped Edwin lift the being off of the ground safely. The dagger that it had used to attack Edwin was nowhere to be found.

Tilrer approached the being carefully. Edwin was unsure what the Aishan knew about the being, but seeing him approach it so cautiously was unnerving.

Tilrer inspected the hood of the being. Edwin grabbed a thin-bladed dagger off of his side table and offered it to Tilrer. The Aishan took it with a nod and began to cut at the hood.

The being seemed to have given up all will to react or move at this point. Edwin was unsure if it was even breathing.

Tilrer cut at the base of the hood and then tore it off roughly.

Everyone in the room gasped as the face of the creature was revealed.

A grey, green eyeless face met their eyes. The being had no cheeks nor lips. A few teeth still sat in the skeleton's jaws. Flakes of skin and dried muscle hung off of the bone limply.

There was no real life in the creature, whatever it was. It tilted its head back and forth carelessly. Edwin was unsure what if anything was truly running through its mind.

The skeleton's jaw suddenly dropped off from its skull and a small hiss came from its throat. The hiss grew louder and louder until a thin, black mist began spraying out of its mouth.

Tilrer dove away from the cloud and shouted. "Everyone get away from that thing! Do not let the mist touch you!"

Edwin and Shyra were out of the room as fast as possible, but the other Masked were not so lucky.

The two Masked still in the room were screaming wildly. Edwin peered carefully in the room to see the two melt melting away slowly. He wanted to help the poor men, but there was nothing that he could do.

Edwin felt immediately nauseous. He turned to Tilrer. "What in Fate's name was that thing!?" Edwin demanded.

The Aishan met Edwin's gaze without a trace of emotion. "Do not use that name. Fate is naught but a whore and cheat."

Edwin was taken aback by the reply. The being didn't seem to care at all about what had just occured.

The Aishan's blank stare turned into one of rage. "You dare, Edwin Thronebreaker, to question me? I am a god among men. Learn your place!"

Edwin was stunned. He had never seen nor heard such emotion from the Aishan.

"Edwin, those were my men that died in there. I regret every soul lost." Tilrer's voice had gone back to its typical, icy tone.

Edwin straightened. He knew that he was wrong for doubting the Aishan. "I am sorry... What was that thing though?"

Tilrer shook his head. "I am unsure. It was sent to kill. You're lucky to have survived."

"Why was it sent to kill me?" Edwin asked. He hadn't have the time to make many enemies since joining the Masked.

Tilrer nearly smiled for a brief moment. "If it was sent after you, you'd most likely be dead. It was sent to kill as many as possible. Fate just chose your room for the event."

Edwin understood suddenly. The creature came into his room out of happenstance. He wasn't the target. He was a convenience. Any and every masked was the target this night. "Tilrer, who would know where we are?"

Edwin wasn't sure that Tilrer's solemn face could ever grow firmer than it was at that moment.

The Aishan eyed Edwin carefully. "I am not the only Aishan left living. One of them wants me dead. I have a feeling that I know who it is, but we must investigate further."

Edwin smiled. Justice would be served to this Aishan. He could feel it.