The Mask on the Stone

For Nathan, the world was a patchwork of sounds and smells. He was struck by the overpowering stench of decay and evil sorcery emanating from the corrupted forest.

But beneath this highest part just outside Frola, carried on the high mountain winds, was something else. A scent that was pure, clean, and alive.

Master Ura’s objective.

He shifted into his actual dog form. His canine ears twitched, picking up the subtle, nearly undetectable hum of life, "Here? No."

"Here?" He had been climbing for hours on his way to the one spot that would be illuminated by the first light of the day.

"HERE!!" He exclaimed proudly.

In the center of the pristine grass stood a single tree with silver bark that has never been set foot by human. Its leaves were a vibrant, impossible green. 

The Aetrobia Tree.

Nathan approached while turning back to his human form, gently taking a single leaf on the grass floor, its warmth spreading through his fingers.

“Master Ura. Target acquired.”

In the cold, sterile light of the Hiraeth Cell, Ura, who had been sitting in a state of meditative silence, suddenly smiled.

“Take as much as you can on the floor, do not pluck the leaves from the tree,” Ura said aloud to the empty air, “And then go to the mine.”

Zebril blinked, confused. “Who are you talking to?”

Ura’s smile vanished, “Myself,” she said simply. “Talking to myself is calming…” She then closed her eyes again, “You can do it. Master Anna believes in you.”

Zebril simply nodded slowly, utterly misinterpreting. Although it was a strange coping strategy, she couldn't hold the girl responsible for it given their current circumstances. 

Back in the stifling silence of the mines. Pietta and Nima are fighting.

Pietta tore jagged spikes of stone from the cavern floor, launching them like spears at the siren.

Nima, however, was a force of pure, fluid control.

Pietta's attacks were easily blocked by a flick of her wrist that sent a whip of water crackling through the air.

Then they were forced apart by a brilliant flash of silver-blue light. 

"Both of you, playtime's over."

Anna stood there.

“Good job, Nima,” Anna said, her voice calm. “You can leave now.”

Nima nodded, the tension leaving her body.

But as she melted into the shadows, Anna’s voice entered her mind, “Check the marks on the map I gave you. Nathan has found the Aetrobia Leaves and is coming. Help him plant one at each location.”

Nima gave another, imperceptible nod and was gone.

Pietta now faced Anna alone, “What do you want from me?” she demanded.

Anna just shook her head. “Nothing, really. I just don’t want you to ruin my plan. You can leave now.” She paused, “Besides, it looks like Lord Yarte has accelerated the spreading of the corruption.”

Pietta’s eyes went wide with horror. “Accelerate?!” she gasped.

“But that means—!” She looked around frantically, “Anna! Can you teleport us out of here?!”

Anna glanced up at the cavern ceiling, “No,” she said simply. “I can’t teleport. I walked. I thought that was your power?”

“This place is too deep; the ambient dark magic is too strong. It would crush any connection to the outside before a portal could even form.”

“Then just walk outside first.”

“Anna!” Pietta shrieked, her voice cracking with panic. “Accelerated means it’s ten times faster! The one-week timeline… it’s not a week anymore! It’s tonight! Do you understand what that mean?”

Anna’s demeanor didn’t change. “Is it now?” she asked, her voice calm. “I don’t care.” She gestured towards the tunnel leading out. “You should leave. I won’t stop you.”

Confused and terrified by Anna’s insane calm, Pietta didn’t hesitate. She turned and fled, leaving Anna and Maren alone in the vast, silent cavern.

“Anna… what are you doing?” Maren’s voice was a trembling whisper in her mind. “We’re not leaving? That means this place could crumble at any moment!”

“Of course not, we still have a job to do.”

“Mnnnaaa!!! Is this about saving again?”

“Believe in me,” Anna said, she looked over at the pile of human corpses left from Pietta’s earlier rampage. “Now Maren,” she asked, “are there any living humans nearby?”

“No…” Maren confirmed, her senses sweeping the area. “I don’t feel any… why?”

“Good,” Anna whispered, and turned her back on the corpses, ready to begin her true plan.

She never saw it coming, not even Maren.

In a crimson spray, a sword of pure, solidified darkness sprang from Anna's chest and cut through her back. The silent blow went straight to her heart.

Her eyes widened in shocked pain as she gasped and fell to the ground, spilling blood upon the stone floor.

“ANNA!!!” Maren shrieked, zipping around in a panic. “Where did it come from?! How?!”

A figure stepped out of the shadows. It was Demidicus.

“Now then, little vampire,” he purred, looking down at her dying form. “I need to make sure you don’t do anything stupid.”

An icy, dark energy rushed through Anna's chest, smothering her strength at its source—the shadow blade.

When Anna's world shrank to the burning pain in her heart, Maren's terrified, telepathic screams were a faint, faraway sound.

Demidicus looked down at her. He nudged her with the toe of his boot.

When she didn't move, he sighed, a sound of mild annoyance. “Helpless already?” he mused, and then he kicked her.

Anna's limbs were askew as her body rolled limply across the chilly stone. Something round and white fell out of the deep corners of her hood while she was doing it, clattering on the floor between them.

It was the sun-streaked mask.

Demidicus stopped, all the contradicting, perplexing pieces of the puzzle came together in his thoughts while his gaze remained fixated on the mask's apathetic, white face.

A slow, menacing smirk grew across his face as he gritted his teeth. 

 "I knew it."

 “It was you. Saint X.”