“Master, I do not believe this is a wise idea,” Mira’s fingers traced the mask in her hands, “There are too many people here. You could be recognized. I do not wish to fight off your pursuers.”
“Your wishes mean less than nothing to me,” The blue elf simply scoffed, “I guess you will have to be prepared to protect me and distract whoever necessary.”
“You haven’t left the cottage in nearly five years. Why leave for a duke’s party? And under your false name, no less,” She raised an eyebrow quizzically, “Master, I have eliminated many enemies, and even barons, for you. Why –”
“Stop asking questions,” His nose scrunched up in disgust as his hand fell to the whip at his belt, “And don’t speak of your missions where others can hear her.”
The buzzing from her brand burned her skin slightly. No matter how many times she felt the sensation, it always hurt as if it was brand new.
“Apologies,” She bowed to him, “When should I perform my objectives?”
“During the duke’s grand entrance. It’ll cause the biggest eruption of chaos,” He pulled the glasses from his thin nose and cleaned them with a soft cloth, “Then, take care of as many of the guests and guards as your puny opinion deems necessary to get the message across.”
“Of course,” She whispered, “Should I flee before or after the city guard arrives?”
“After. It’ll bring the most chaos. Lose them in the city then come find me. I’ll make my way towards the winery at the edge of town for a drink when this is over,” He replaced and adjusted his glasses, “Once the duke is gone, I’ll be able to travel freely in this region again.”
Mira nodded curtly and left his side. She swiftly climbed up a drainpipe to follow her master’s path from the rooftops. Until they arrived directly at the estate, she made sure he was well protected. While dressed in her dark leather armor during the setting sun, she nearly blended in with the clay tile roofs. Once Isaan waved a hand nonchalantly in the air, Mira took the signal and leapt to the stone wall along the duke’s estate. She would have to sneak into the mansion to remove the attention from her master.
She traveled silently along the privacy stone wall. Not even her footsteps on the gravel side street could be heard by the guards on the other side. When Mira came across decorative vines that could hold her weight, she hoisted herself over the wall and into the mansion’s courtyard. The gaudily decorations mimicked the fashion of the upper-class society of Zrud. She expected nothing less of the queen’s cousin. Though, she did not understand why it included non-native plants that required ridiculous amounts of care to grow in the stony earth. Thankfully, the ludicrously manicured topiary provided convenient coverage as she made her way across the courtyard.
While scanning for the next hiding spot, she counted fifteen guards idly patrolling the grounds. The path with the least number of guards faced an outer wall of the mansion covered in open windows. She shook her head at the thought of nosey guests that would alert the others and ruin her mission. The second path had more guards, but only a few windows that were blocked by a wall of tall hedges. The only problem was a thin, yet sturdy looking pipe that she could use to climb to the second-floor balcony.
Mira elected to take the second path.
Unfortunately, that meant more guards would die to keep her location a secret. Mira took no joy in ending the lives of others. It was just another chore she must complete to appease her master. It was her duty, after all.
Creeping between the topiary, Mira felt the dark mist harden into a throwing dagger in her hand. She practiced the spell enough that it was second nature to her. The knife’s shape, sharpness, and weight had long been burned into her mind.
When a guard neared an easily accessible hiding spot, the knife silently flew. The twang of piercing metal muffled the thud of the blade piercing her target’s heart. Each blade disappeared the instant the body crumpled. Mira spent nearly a decade perfecting the otherwise silent attack. Hiding the bodies was the only time-consuming part of the kill. In this instance, she easily dragged their bodies to hide under courtyard decorations or in the thick topiary.
Most of the estate’s guards were the native dwarves of Zrud: yellowed or tanned skin, dark hairs on the head and face, and stout shoulders that caused their famous rectangular shape. Mira was only a couple of heads taller than most dwarves, but dwarves generally had more raw strength than humans. That didn’t matter for her, though. She didn’t need strength to kill. She just needed energy.
Eliminating the threat of the guards quickly preserved her energy for what she feared would be a terrible fight inside the mansion. One that her master commanded she win.
After hiding the last guard in her path, Mira scurried up the drainpipe. Her hands fit perfectly around it. Being a small, slim woman was an advantage in situations that needed stealth. That is why she trained diligently.
When she reached the balcony over the courtyard, she stuck to the shadows behind the curtained windows and peered inside. When she saw only a dark room, she pushed wedged open a window enough to climb through. Drunken moans and sloppily creaks from the bed echoed in the room as she snuck around the occupied couple. Once she reached the door, she opened it slightly to see the other side.
The inner balcony oversaw the main floor where the sounds of music and laughter drifted from the guests below. She opened the door enough to get through and hoped the couple in the room wouldn’t notice the change of lighting. With the door closed behind her, she took a deep breath and surveyed the balcony.
As she expected, most of the guests were on the main floor below. She viewed a flowing canopy attached to the ceiling. The beautiful fabric swirled along the chandeliers and walls to block the view of the otherwise boring rafters above. She silently strode past rooms filled with drunken couples, chittering partygoers, and otherwise mundane people. When her hand met the fabric of the canopy, she concentrated on blurring herself into her surroundings –begging the air to hide her from prying eyes. A simple glance wouldn’t find her, but who would concentrate on the ceiling at the party?
Mira climbed the fabric as indistinctly as possible. If caught, her master would be displeased and use the curse to kill her or his own hands. Thankfully, ropes tied the canopies to the ceiling, and she used those to hoist herself up to the rafters. When she found a comfortable place to sit, she observed the party sixty-some feet below her.
Men and women of all ages and races dressed in expensive looking fabrics. The women’s flamboyantly colored dressed ballooned at the waist and the cloth was covered in woven metals. Mira never understood why they dressed this way. It looked uncomfortable and unsuitable for dancing. All the weight was on their waist and the tight corsets made breathing more difficult than it needed to be.
If Isaac ever allowed her to join a party, Mira would prefer to dress like the men: well-fitted pants, brilliantly colored blouses, and fitted jackets or doublets to match.. Some men wore military uniforms and regalia. She studied them closely as they posed more of a threat than a rich merchant. Unlike the required service in Vanora, many women did not join the militia in Zrud.
If she ever attended a ball for a meeting, she would ask for a lock uniform to sufficiently blend in. She thought it would be beneficial for future missions as well. She decided to ask Isaac when they returned to his home.
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As Mira daydreamed of battling techniques in bloated dresses or uniforms, she pulled the wooden mask from the bag on her belt. It didn’t look the same as it did while she wore it. In its plain form, the simple mask of a white wood had a rudimentary sanding to keep splinters away from the wearer’s face. She never understood exactly how it worked, but the surge of magic energy intoxicated her. Any time she donned the mask, she felt more powerful and in control of herself. Isaac demanded she wear it when she completed her missions and she understood why. The monster that erupted from it seemed to benefit his cause.
Below her, an older dwarf clanked a piece of silverware against his wine glass as he stood, “Everyone, if I can have your attention!”
The musicians slowed their song before switching to a different tone. The jaunty tune that came was the royal greeting of Zrud. Mira rolled her eyes as the duke stepped to the top of the grand staircase and ostentatiously waved. She drummed her fingers as she waited for the overly dramatized entrance.
“Introducing Duke Sterling Hangral: Third in line to the throne, leader of our great army, and ruler of eastern Zrud!”
The partygoers below erupted into exaggerated applause as Duke Sterling stepped down the stairs slowly. He waved enthusiastically and scratched cartoonishly at the metal threads braided into his beard.
“Greetings, my guests!” He elegantly bowed as he reached the bottom of the staircase, “Welcome to my home, the city of Berkshire, and the duchy of eastern Zrud! I appreciate your attendance to this small affair.”
The duke walked to the older dwarf and grabbed the glass from his hand. He tilted it in appreciation before he brought it to his lips. As Duke Sterling took a sip, the applause died down.
“My hopes are all of you can enjoy this night free of fear. I have heard the rumors about the monstrous attacks on our beloved barons in the northwest and southern areas of my rule. The only thing separating them is that pesky mountain, isn’t it?” The duke held up a hand to cull the frantic whispers, “This celebration is just that –a celebration. My dearest cousin, Queen Azalea, granted my request to bolster our defenses. We hired the Travel Knights to increase the number of guards in my duchy until further notice. One group actually arrived in my city last week. Our cities, your businesses, and our homes will be better protected against this so called ‘wraith’ from the monstrous isle.”
Mira had to stifle her chuckle as the crowd burst into cheers. She did not understand the nickname, nor the connection made to the monsters that escaped from the Unclaimed Isle. Her form was just as humanoid as she was, just more imposing. Unfortunately, the additional guards would cause meaningless bloodshed during her assignments.
“Personally, I believe this to be no more than the work of an incredibly organized and murderous group looking for infamy,” The duke shrugged casually, “Either way, we can thank the goddess that our beloved queen will keep us safe! Let’s not forget that these knights will let us ease up on our own patrols and keep our people with their families at night.”
Mira scanned the crowd below and caught the spark of flame from Isaan as he moved swiftly to the front door. She took this queue to hold the mask against her face. The explosion of blissful energy caused her to shiver as the black mist enveloped her and shifted her form. Her bones disjointed and grew, the skin of her face melted into the rapidly changing wooden mask, her auburn curls swept outward into a silver sheet that covered the broadening shoulders.
As the wraith fully formed, it stepped from the rafters and plummeted onto two men in military garb below. The sickening crack of their bones from the landing caught the attention of the entire room. Screams rang throughout the air as it fully erected itself to face the duke.
“Good evening. I couldn’t help but notice my moniker was mentioned,” The wraith’s inhuman voice wafted through the black mist that spread through the crowd, “Did you hope I would appear, Sterling Hangral?”
Guards surrounding the outer walls rushed towards the wraith. The glowing lilac orbs did not move from the duke’s face.
“I have a proposition for you,” It chuckled, “While I am currently unarmed, that can quickly change.”
“What do you want?” The dwarf fell backwards onto the staircase, “Money? Women? Men?”
“I require your life. In exchange for your surrender, I will spare everyone else,” The wraith held an arm out to the party and paused the guards, “Or your estate will be cleansed of every living creature I can get my hands on. If you chose the second, I cannot promise a quick death.”
The wraith ignored the screams surrounding it as the fingers of its raised hand curled. A miasmic wave of terror and isolation flowed through the mist that poured off the wraith. Anyone not touched by magic froze into place. Even those with magical abilities struggled to get free. The fear radiating from the duke was almost palpable in the mist.
“Why do you wish to claim my life? Who gives you that right? I am the duke! None except the prince and queen are above my authority!” His voice quivered as he attempted a brave face.
“I cannot tell you the answers you seek,” It lowered its skeletal hand, “I can, however, see your men gathering around me. Choose now, or I will start the slaughter.”
“You’re unarmed. There’s over two hundred guests and fifty guards. You believe you’ll win?” He laughed as he regained his confidence, “No living being can do that. I dare you to try.”
“As you wish,” The dark figure performed a courtly bow, “May your Goddess hold your soul captive until these innocents return to the cycle.”
The mist hardened in the wraith’s hand to its favored weapon. The entire length mirrored the its height. The long shaft ended in the blade of a sword.
Then, Mira’s mission truly began.
With a quick swipe, the wraith cut the first group of victims fell to the ground. As armed guards surrounded it with their weapons drawn, it surged magic into its legs. It leapt over dozens of panicking guests to the staircase and at the terrified duke that fled to the second floor. With a flick of the wrist, a thrown knife flew towards him. Then, a small fireball launched from the wraith’s hand to the canopies on the ceiling. As Duke Sterling slipped to dodge the knife, the fabrics above lit aflame. He yelled as the wraith kicked him over.
Mira knew, from experience, that the panicked did not make rational decisions. She had to remain calm and complete her mission. She did not control this form as well as her own skin. If she made her prey panic, she would win.
“This could have been avoided. Your home will burn. Your people will burn,” The blade unceremoniously plunged into his abdomen before he could respond, “This town will remember your greed.”
As the duke cried out in pain, the wraith threw itself over his body and twirled to attack the guards at the bottom of the stairs. The blade tore into metal armor and sliced flesh with ease. With an offhand attack, knives flew with uncanny precision to kill fleeing guests. With an arched back and arm, the wraith launched its spear into a wooden beam above. The beam cracked and dragged a waterfall of structural pillars to block the door. The sickening crunch told everyone that whoever dared to run would have to do so another way.
With the only exit door blocked, the wraith corrected its posture and allowed itself to move more efficiently around the room to its prey. The fluid movement of the summoned weapons carved into the remaining victims that struggled to move under the dark mist’s effects.
When the unmistakable sound of a battering ram slammed against the blocked door, the wraith twirled the glaive fancily and focused a ball of magical energy at the tip of the blade. With a swift throw, the weapon soared into the ceiling with a thunderous crack. The force caused the roof to collapse into the ballroom. Rooftop debris and burning fabric crushed the remaining life of the party.
As the ceiling fell, two blades formed from the mist in the wraith’s hands. It used these weapons to deflect meaningless strikes from remaining opponents. The nearly undetectable speed made most attempts to connect useless by the wraith’s dodges. The black mist slowed the movements to the demon it followed. Some attacks could be batted away as easily as an unwelcome bug.
When the door burst open, the wraith sprinted towards the new arrival. It catapulted itself over the head of the battering ram like a child jumping from a swing. The guards dropped the large ram to draw their weapons. Unfortunately, the quicker wraith sliced hands from arms and arms from shoulders before landing on the other side. As it slid to a stop, its head titled to count opponents outside of the home.
When the call from the battle horn rang into the night sky to alert the city to its presence, it was time to retreat from battle. It quickly bowed to the stunned guards before the call for archers sounded from a frightened voice.
The dark creature weaved through the courtyard’s topiary to avoid the onslaught of rushed arrows. It leapt over the stone wall with ease and ran from its pursuers towards an outcropping of buildings nearby. All but flying from the rooftops, the wraith jumped from roof to roof as the guards called out its position from the streets below. As it outpaced many, the cavalry sped towards it from behind. When it reached a thin alleyway out sights from most of the guard, the wraith jumped from the roof.
Mira quickly peeled the mask from her face. The flood of energy swept away as she morphed back into her true form. Her body craved more magic to ease its appetite, but it was not the time. She could not feed here. She made a mistake and needed to find a way out.
Her blurry vision and slight headache from the transformation quickly subsided. She hadn’t over exerted her magic, but she was nearly out of energy. She shook her head to clear the feeling and placed the mask back into her bag.