By the time Isyd was done with everything, dawn had come. This marked the second day of the three he had promised to Julya Kazkan. Still, he had yet to come back to the Academy; he was waiting to see how the situation would evolve. He had returned briefly near the garden of the Kazkan to observe whatever was going there. The party was interrupted after his attack and assault on the Baron and Baroness. The Peacekeepers had rushed from their precinct and established a perimeter of search and interrogation trying to catch him. Isyd had even caught a glance or two of representatives from the Academy.

Obviously, they had no idea who he was or where he was hiding. Had they cared, Isyd suspected that the Academy could easily have solved the situation. But besides being ruffed up a bit and humiliated in his own home, the Baron had not suffered any injury. In fact, the only things he could possibly report to the Academy or the Peacekeepers were the missing Blysht and [Outgracing Hex].

Isyd assumed that Vladymr Kazkan wasn’t eager to report the theft of objects he himself acquired to thievery.

In passing, Isyd had grabbed the pamphlet that had begun circulating in the later hours of the night. It was the best alternative found to the usual newspaper due to the short time frame. The leaflet described the events of the night at the Kazkan’s manor. It described the assailant – a man fully draped in a dark cloak and wearing a demonic mask – and a name: Antaka.

Isyd had read while returning to the docks and hiding in the empty warehouses. Naeht was to remain in the vicinity of the manor and watch for any activity worth of notice. Isyd didn’t expect anything – he certainly put the fear of God in the Baron – but better safe than sorry. He was still draped in his darkveil and had his mask on. Even after all this time, even after having been sent to the past, it still managed to feel familiar.

Distracted, Isyd watched the morning mist entering the warehouse, dancing low on the bare floor. It wasn’t rare to see fog emerges from the River and often the forest was covered in a shroud of clouds at this time of the year. As he stared, more of the mist sneaked in from under the doors and the windows.

Isyd rose from where he sat and dusted himself.

“Reveal yourself. I know you are here,” Isyd suddenly said.

For a second, only his echo answered him. Then, a low chuckle filled the room.

“I am surprised I was spotted so fast,” a stranger’s voice said.

Isyd looked around, trying to guess its origin. It seemed to emanate from everywhere at once. In fact, it seemed to come from the mist itself – a mist that had thickened and inflated to the point of no longer appearing natural.

“My subordinate came to me and told me what happened here,” the voice continued. “At first, I didn’t believe him. I mean, he was barely making sense; his voice was shaking and he was rambling those stupid things about a Demon… But then, I saw what you did! Another of my friend with a broken spine and left Disgraced, the other now resting at the bottom of the River... You didn’t hold back, did you? I mean, you were ruthless…”

Isyd didn’t answer.

“Now, you must understand that I can’t simply let that slide…”

“You are he whom they called ‘Snake’, I assume?” Isyd finally said.

“The one and only! And you are Antaka, the Demon…”

“I am.”

Something lurched on Isyd’s left. He turned just in time to be struck in the jaw. The blow sent him flying across the room and crashing against a wooden pillar. Momentarily dazed, Isyd still managed to get back up and searched for what had hit him. He couldn’t see anything in the room except for the thick mist. He touched his jaw which was already bruising.

This strength… Isyd thought, amazed.

If Isyd had been anyone else, this blow would have broken his jaw, if not rip it right off!

This Snake meant business.

Isyd was now watching the flowing mist with a new eye. By reflex, his Idpulse tried to latch on the Water Essence that composed it, but with no success. Snake had already claimed it and the mist was his to commend. This also meant that the fog wasn’t simply an [Illusory Spell]; most of the mist was indeed real and was only there as a decoy. Trying to pinpoint his enemy with his extra senses was also impossible because the mist was Ingraced and turned the Song of the Grace into a uniform white noise.

Isyd put his gloved hand on the wooden pillar behind him.

“[SHAPE]!”

The [Hex] shone on the timber and from the pillar emerged a 2-meter pole. Isyd seized it with the ease of habit and made it swing above head before tucking it under his arm and assuming a defensive stance.

Come, I know you’re there…

On cue, Isyd perceived something move in the corner of his eyes. He ducked at the same time as he felt something grazing him past. In the same movement, Isyd swung his pole in the direction the blow came from. Unfortunately, the wood only swept through the clouds without meeting any resistance. He only had time to regain his balance before having to dodge another attack. Isyd leapt backwards but he was too slow and a hidden blade slashed him across the thigh. Again, Isyd riposted with a swing of his pole but with no success.

Isyd was always one step too late in his riposte and was barely able to protect himself from the onslaught of invisible blows. He was at a disadvantage in the middle of the mist, where danger could strike from everywhere. As he dodged, Isyd slowly made his way toward the exit. He suspected that the [Hex] Snake had going on could only work in a limited parameter. If he managed to get away from it, Isyd would put back this fight on equal footing.

Unfortunately, as he approached the exit door, he could only feel a solid wall where the door should have been.

“You didn’t think I would let you leave now, did you?” Snake railed from the mist.

There, Isyd saw it. An interruption in the natural flow of the clouds just ahead of him. Isyd brandished his staff at the same time when the mist locally turned solid and shaped into a fist. It slammed against the wooden pole and splintered it in two. It had lasted a second, and the second later, the fog had recovered its intangible consistency.

Isyd, back against the wall, was forced to consider his options. He knew that all the attacks so far had been Snake probing him; the man was waiting for a good opportunity to hit him with a critical blow. One was all he needed truthfully, then he could just sit down and wait as Isyd bled out on the floor. With his hand, Isyd probed the wall that blocked the exit. He could try to bring it down, but while doing so, Isyd would expose himself to a counterattack he couldn’t afford.

“I must admit that you have good reflexes,” Snake taunted him. “Most people would have got down after the second blow if not the first. You’re a good one.”

Isyd didn’t let his words disturb him. He let half of his wooden staff fall to the ground and began casting. Isyd was too exposed and too focused on defending himself to counterattack effectively. He needed a shield.

“[Helm of Awe]!” he whispered as he finished the complex [Hex].

The air shimmered before him and a wave of coldness washed over Isyd. Additionally, it was as if the very air had become thicker and heavier around him.

“God, you’re good !” Snake exclaimed, almost jubilatory.

In the mist, there was a flash of steel. Isyd saw the attack come at his side but didn’t dodge. It slashed but one inch before it could connect with his flesh, it was deflected away by an invisible shield.

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The [Helm of Awe] was a high-Opening [Hex] that gathered Air Essence and formed an invisible armour around the Artyst stronger than steel plates. Isyd was of the Waters and therefore, it wasn’t the kind of [Hex] he was confident using on the fly. He was far from as skilled as Felyn Moonblessed was for instance. Case in point, even though it had successfully deflected a blow, Isyd hadn’t dared a muscle because he knew his [Hex] to be fragile enough to crumble around him at any brusque movement.

Two other blows came down on him, one in the back and another aimed at his throat and both were stopped by the [Helm of Awe]. Isyd was thinking about what to do next. Once again, he tried to gather Water Essence for a [Spell] but without success.

Could I dispel the mist somehow? A [Wind Spell] could help… the [Zephyr] perhaps…

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Isyd dismissed it. He couldn’t make use of such powerful [Hexes] if only because he didn’t have the strength for it. The last few days had been intense and except for his brief stay in the Spital, he didn’t have a chance to recover.

Still, Isyd couldn’t simply stay on the defensive. At any moment, the [Helm of Awe] would break and Isyd knew he couldn’t summon another one.

If he couldn’t dispel the mist, he would [VOID] it instead. Isyd closed his eyes briefly better grasp the idea and let his Idpulse take over. The Commands dance in front of him at the same time a new onslaught clashed against his [Helm of Awe].

[STORE] the mist… [SUBSTRACT] the Water Essence from it and use it as an imprint… [VOID]… [VOID] again… Retracing the Balance, eliminating the additional polarities, introducing a Resonance… Air Essence as an anchor… [RELEASE]!

“[Let There Be Void]!” Isyd called.

The [Hex] exploded at the same time as the mist attacked. The air trembled, twisted and suddenly the mist in a 3-meters radius around Isyd disappeared. It revealed a man holding a short sword as he was about to strike him down. The man’s eyes flashed with utter surprise at being exposed.

Isyd went for the attack and swung his wooden staff. Snake spun at the last moment and managed to deflect the blow with his sword. Isyd followed with a sweeping kick, but Snake blocked it and riposted with one of his own. Quick and precise, it hit Isyd on the ribs and forced him to step back out of reach. Isyd heaved and scoffed as the pain flared in him; he took a long breath trying to feel if he had broken anything as he had felt something give way.

Snake was also breathing heavily. The man was as tall as Isyd and dressed in brown and greyish garbs. A hood thrown over as well as a scarf wrapped around the lower half of his face hid his features, except for a long, crooked nose and greyish eyes. Those same eyes were glowing with mirth as Snake stepped back into his mist and disappeared like a mirage. The only proof of his presence was his ghostly laughter.

“Ha! You truly are something! I can see now how you deal with my guys so easily; they were no match for you!”

Isyd saw the fog creeping back toward him. The [Voiding Spell] he’d crafted had only worked for a brief instant. He realized belatedly that his [Helm of Awe] had broken on his right arm, leaving it exposed. He was tiring.

I must end this… I’m sick of it!

All the while, Snake was continuing speaking, clearly enjoying himself.

“I have killed many people in my life, but never a Demon before. I’m looking forward to it! Tell me, Demon, who are you really? Who hides behind this mask? What kind of secrets do you have?”

Isyd had to think of something fast… Anything…

“Who are you really, Demon?”

Isyd’s right hand flew in front of him and snatched at the mist. It seized the clouds and the blade that hid behind it before it could touch him.

“ ENOUGH…”

Isyd spoke but not in his voice. Instead, it came from somewhere deep within him… somewhere otherworldly.

The word carried a Song of its own.

In a flash, all the mist present in the warehouse turned from steam to liquid. It collapsed down all at once like a singular blanket of water as if suddenly reminded of the effects of gravity.

Snake could only stand there, drenched by the sudden downpour, a chill running down his spine. He quickly regained his composure and let go of the sword Isyd held and brandished a hidden knife.

Isyd was faster.

In his other hand, a knife made out of ice had appeared and he slashed at Snake. The man jumped back and put two paces between him and Isyd. His hood had fallen back and revealed long salt and pepper hair tied in a knot. Slowly, Snake raised his fingers to his left ear. They came back bloody as half of it was now missing.

Far from being furious, Snake pulled down his scarf, smiled broadly and laughed.

“Good Grace, it’s been a long time since someone managed to hurt me like that!” he exclaimed.

Isyd observed his enemy carefully. He had a hard time determining the man’s age. By pulling down his scarf, he had revealed a long, faded scar going perpendicular to his lips. The scared tissue was whiter than the rest of his skin and did not stretch as the man grinned which gave Snake a lopsided smile.

“You are quite the fighter, Antaka!” Snake said. “One of the best I have ever faced! Tell you what: would you like to join me?”

Isyd blinked. “What?”

“Join me! As you know, I’ve just lost one of my members. I invite you to replace him! Come on!”

Isyd stared at him with a mixture of wariness and weariness. He had just realized that the man he’d been fighting had only been playing around and testing his skills; he wasn’t really intent on revenge.

“I refuse,” Isyd said. “I’m not interested.”

“Oh, come on! Don’t be so defensive! Here, I’m done fighting anyway. She doesn’t pay me enough to risk my skin against someone of your level. Yesterday’s events prove that we have overstayed our welcome in Vilriver.”

“So, I have told your friends.”

“Yeah, they relayed the message alright… You really are not interested in hearing me out? I can propose things to you…”

“I have claimed this city as under my protection. I have told your friends to leave Vilriver in a matter of three days. The same applies to you as well. Leave Vilriver.”

“Or else…?”

“Or else, I shall take more than a piece of your ear next time.”

Snake’s eyes glinted with mischief. “You still need to pay for what you did to my friends… A good way for that is to join me. Your skills far exceed theirs; you will be more than an adequate replacement.”

“I’m not interested. Nothing you can say will change that.”

“Fine, fine…” Snake said shaking his head. “I won’t insist more but know this. One day we will meet again you and I, and on that day I will ask you again. Then, I will not accept a refusal from you.”

Isyd said nothing. Snake pulled up his scarf and put back on his hood. With a last wave, he turned his back and nonchalantly walked toward the exit of the warehouse.

“I look forward to our next meeting, Isyd Wybrany!”

On those last words, Snake disappeared in the early morning. Isyd watched his retreating figure with annoyance, then at last removed his mask.

The blasted man had known all this time who hid behind the mask.