Chapter 13 - Abysswalker’s Veil

thorne?" 

Aldric didn't answer right away. His pulse pounded in his ears, the weight of the parchment in his hands heavier than steel. The betrayal had always been clear—Darion had orchestrated his downfall, stolen his life. But this… this changed everything.

It hadn't been the ambition of one man. It had been sanctioned, signed into law, sealed by the very throne Aldric had once sworn loyalty to.

His fingers curled, crumpling the parchment slightly before he forced himself to smooth it out again.

"I kill him," Aldric said, his voice like stone. "Then I take back what's mine."

Caius studied him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a slow exhale, he leaned back in his chair. "Ambitious. Suicidal, even." A pause. "But not impossible."

Aldric's eyes snapped up. "You know something."

A hint of a smirk ghosted across Caius' lips. "I know many things." He tapped a finger on the desk. "But knowledge isn't free. You of all people should know that."

Aldric had expected this. He had come here ready to carve his way through the Hollow Maw if necessary, but he knew Caius well enough to recognize when a blade wouldn't be the quickest solution.

"What do you want?"

Caius let the question hang in the air for a moment before answering. "There's a man in the Hollow Maw who's more trouble than he's worth. A warlord who fancies himself a king in the dark." His fingers drummed the desk lightly. "He's disrupting business. I need him removed."

Aldric's jaw tightened. "You want me to kill him."

"I want you to make a statement." Caius' pale eyes gleamed in the dim light. "Cut the head from the snake, and the body remembers who it serves."

Aldric considered this. It wasn't the first time he'd been asked to kill for information, since he have reborn everyone has asking to kill for a price. It wouldn't be the last.

"Where?"

Caius smiled. "You'll find him in the Pit."

Aldric didn't need an explanation. He had passed it on his way in—the bloodied ring of stone where men fought, where lives were wagered like coin.

"I take care of your problem," Aldric said, slipping the parchment into his coat. "Then you tell me everything."

Caius nodded. "Everything."

Aldric turned, heading for the door.

"Oh, and Everthorne?"

He stopped.

Caius' voice was light, almost amused. "Try not to die. It would be a shame to go through all this trouble just to end up another corpse in the Maw."

Aldric didn't look back. He stepped into the shadows, gripping his sword hilt tighter.

The Pit awaited. And after that—Darion. The king.

After Aldric left the room where Caius Dorne was he went straight for the pit, passing through the narrow alleys of Hollow Maw, the smell of rot and blood was intense. Sometimes look at him with bad intention, but that though quickly disappear because of the aura that Aldric was emanating. A aura of death. 

As Aldric was walking through the alleys, he passed by a shop. The shop stood like a forgotten relic from another era, its sign was already hung above the entrance, and whatever was written there had already faded a long time ago. For some reason its catch Aldric's attention, as he approached the door, the door stood as a sentinel of the past, eroded and worn, a testament to years of relentless change. Its once-smooth surface was now a patchwork of rough textures, deep grooves etched into the wood like the lines of an old man's face. It creaked ominously as it swung open, revealing a dim interior that smelled of dust and decay.

Inside, the air was thick with the scent of decay, and the floorboards groaned with each tentative step. As Aldric looked around he could see shelves line with dust covered masks, all shapes and sizes. On the right were an array of theatrical masks boasted exaggerated features, their painted smiles and frowns seemingly frozen in dramatic expression. They peered down from their hooks, vibrant colors clashing in a lively dance of emotions, inviting you to step into the roles of jesters, lovers, and tragic heroes.

On the left were masks that made Aldric feel a little discomfort the masks were strange even the material they were made, they were to similar to a human face, like it was literally made by human skin. Even though Aldric felt uncomfortable it quickly faded away, after all it was Hollow Maw.

As he was looking all around he felt something change in his body, like something calling him.

Like it belonged to him.

As Aldric was searching from were the calling was coming from, the old man from the counter spoke with a voice that carried the weight of countless stories—deep and resonant, yet laced with a subtle crackle that hinted at years of wisdom and experience. His tone was slow and deliberate, each word carefully chosen, as if he savored the taste of each syllable before letting it escape his lips.

"Do you need help choosing young man, i might have something you would like, after all i have every type of mask"

As he looked in the direction of the old man, Aldric found he the thing that was calling him.

A mask.

A simple mask.

Even though the mask was the most plain of every other mask that was there on the old store, for some reason it called him.

The old man saw Aldric looking at the mask that was behind his stall he spoke.

" Seems like you have a good eye for masks"

" I don't know what you are talking about" said Aldric with a sharp voice shifting his gaze to the old man.

The old man picked the mask Aldric had looked at, and placed it at the stall.

" This mask his best work, but you are the first to actually see that"

Aldric approached the old man.

" Here take it" said the old man as he extended his hand to Aldric.

" Are you giving it to me for free?"

" It's not that my giving you, it's already yours since the mask already choose you" said the old man with a gentle smile. " I know here in Hollow maw nothing is free so, for payment make sure this can finally have its own history."

Aldric grab the mask from the old man hands.

A soft chime echoed in his mind.

[New Interaction Available: The Abysswalker's Veil]

Would you like to claim this item?

[Yes] / [No]

Aldric hesitated.

So this mask was connect to the abyss somehow after all, that's why Aldric felt something calling for him.

 Aldric wore the mask.

Yes

[New Item Acquired: Abysswalker's Veil]

Item Type: Abyssal mask

Effect: ????

Aldric became puzzled as it said nothing about the mask, guess he would have to find out his own way.

He took the mask from his face a turned it around and observer the mask features.

The mask was a haunting sight, an unsettling presence that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. Crafted from an otherworldly material that felt almost fluid to the touch, it glimmered subtly with an dazzling sheen, as if darkness itself had thickened into form. Its surface was smooth yet undulating, with shadowy swirls that shifted and shimmered, hinting at a life of their own beneath the surface.

This sinister mask covered the entire face, contoured to fit snugly against the skin, creating an illusion of an empty void where eyes should be. The eye holes were mere slits, devoid of any expression, leaving an unsettling blankness that sent a shiver down your spine. When worn, the mask seemed to meld with its bearer, as if it were alive, breathing in tandem with its wearer—a perfect union of shadow and flesh.

There was a subtle warmth to the mask, pulsating gently as though it were infused with arcane energy, yet it also carried an undeniable chill, a sharp reminder of the mysteries that lay just beyond the veil of reality. As it sat in the dim light, it whispered promises of power and insight, but the voice was a quiet, sinister undertone that echoed feelings of foreboding and unease.

With no embellishments or adornments, the mask's simplicity was part of its haunting allure; it beckoned those who dared approach, tempting them to touch the smooth surface while warning of the darkness contained within. When worn, it transformed the wearer into a figure of dread—an embodiment of secrets and shadows, a fleeting specter of the unknown that left a chill trailing in its wake.

"Then i will take" Said Aldric as he wore the mask.

The old man just smiled at Aldric. "Take good care of that mask, and i'm sure it will take good care of you."

Aldric nodded.

He turned around and left the store.

As the ancient door was closing the old man said with a smile. " Good luck on you journey Aldric Everthorne."

Aldric turned around to look at the old man but the door was already closed, as he open it again, there was nothing.

No masks.

No shelves.

No old man.

Without saying a word Aldric left in the direction of The Pit.