The mask

I'm walking with Abigail in the fair, and everything around me is surprisingly calm, it almost loses its significance, the fact that the princess assigned me, but whatever, it doesn't matter, now I just want to enjoy the little time I can spend with Abigail.

Rito: - You can come out now, Abigail, as I promised, I brought you to the fair.

Abigail: - It seems like an eternity, especially after what you did at the ball, I seriously can't believe that you were able to involve yourself so much in all of this, that you even call the prince of the other kingdom to your attention...

Rito: - Okay...okay, I know I just don't like unnecessary violence, you know that too Abigail...

The worry on Abigail's face is visible, which unfortunately I noticed too late amid excessive explanations, so I didn't even notice that her two thin arms were already around my body.

Abigail: - Stupid, I don't want to lose you.

She hugged him tighter and tears came out of her, which she has to shed because of her stupid stupid friend, I just don't deserve these tears even if we are talking about my best friend...

Rito: - I got it right, calm down, there won't be any more of this, or at least I'll try not to interfere anymore, just don't cry, don't shed tears for someone who only brings you trouble.

I hug her back and begin to wipe away the tears on her face slowly and gently.

Abigail: - Thank you Rito.

We went to Tirinia's fair for a while, then stopped at an inn to ask around how we could get to Deneria, the land of the elves, after a few hours of asking, finally someone who could provide us with some information.

An unknown person: - Are you looking for Derenia?

Rito: - Yes, if you know anything about that place, share it with us.

An unknown person: - I don't know much, but there is a shop on the border of the kingdom, where you can learn more.

Rito: - Thanks for the information, we'll try to get there.

An unknown person: - And one more thing, the road leading there is quite dangerous, there are many looters, as you know, the two kingdoms Perenis and Syronida do not have good relations with Tirinia...

Abigail: - We don't need to be afraid of simple looters.

Rito: - Abigail! Thanks again, goodbye.

We've been walking for 1-2 hours, but we can't even find the location of the shop, which should be exactly here, but after a while, strange armored people came out of the bush, I couldn't identify them. Exactly, but there must have been about 4 of them, one of them had a dagger as soon as I saw it, although he tried to hide it behind his back quite skillfully.

Rito: - You are looters, right?

One unknown: - No, we are just simple adventurers...

I telepathically ask Abigail if he's lying, but I can tell from her voice that he's not.

Rito: - I see, so what flight are you on here?

Another unknown: - We just go to their clan place, which is located around Deneria, that's where we usually pick up the missions that we adventurers do.

Rito: - I see, We are heading that way too.

I'm still a little suspicious, but they don't seem like looters, so Abigail and I stick with them for a while.

Rito: - I'm free to ask what your names are if that's how fate brought us together...

Third unknown: - Let's start from the left, this is a real gentleman, Debron, next to him, an elf creature who seems a bit tall, Kineda, in front of him is that beautiful lady, Lia, and our little luggage carrier, a little small, but nice, and my little brother, Gelinor, I forgot about myself, I would be the team leader, Arthronis.

Debron: - Welcome young man.

Kineda - Thank you for this detailed tutorial, you a master of simplicity.

Lia: - Ohh, nice to meet you.

Gelinor: - You continue like this, you will only have a little brother...

Arthronis: - I am also happy with my luck, dear Rito.

Rito: - How do you know my name?

Arthronis: - We heard from your lovely little elf girlfriend, your name is Rito, right?

Rito: - Well, from Abigail...should we expect from my ggirlfrieeend? she is just my childhood friend.

Abigail: - Meee and Ritooo?

Both of them are visibly blushing, a bit embarrassing, but it was humorous for the adventurers.

Rito: - So you say you are adventurers? Hmm

Arthronis: - I see you don't believe us, here is my adventurer card.

[User]: Arthronis Kiner

[Age]: 25

[Race]: Half-Blood

[Adventurer rank]: E

[Weapon]: Sword

[Special]: Soul Holder - [Soul identity]: Dragon Lizard - [Soul rank]: Holder

[Aura rank]: Promoted

Rito: - I understand.

So then there are 6 of us on our way to our destination.

Abigail: - khmm.

I mean 7...

After walking for half a day, we finally arrived at the expected place, from the outside it looks like an ordinary little shop, although from the inside it is filled with an ice-cold aura that I haven't felt in a very long time. This place is filled with masks, I wonder why this place has its place here, in the middle of nowhere. Abigail started behaving a little bizarrely, I continued to look at these certain masks, then my eyes were fixed on a strange pattern, and then suddenly a strange-looking person appeared.

Unknown person: - What are you doing here?

Rito: - We only came here for information.

Unknown person: - From a small village within Derenia?

Rito: - how?

I didn't see much of his face, but judging by his voice, he was a man. In that second, something pierced my arm and pinned it to the ground, I looked at Abigail, her face showed a look of terror and despair that I hadn't seen in a very long time.

Abigail: - No, you can't be here, you should be dead by now.

Unknown person: - Don't you even recognize your brother anymore? Cheeky little sister, yes, I am Albigon.

Abigail: - Leave Rito alone, he didn't harm you.

Albigon: - You don't know about this yet, but Rito I trust you and I see you are doing a pretty bad job about yourself, let's wait, that you are not still alive.

Rito: - You can't say that, ALBIGON!!!!

Albigon walked over to Abigail and slapped her with all his might. Don't be mad at me AA. Abigail, but I can't control this anymore, I was suddenly filled with anger and fear, I didn't want Abigail to find out why I can use her as a sword and why her brother is still alive, so I let him take control over me again, even though I didn't want that, he's too cruel and rude.

Rito: - Soul Pour - First form: Abigail's sword.

Albigon: - Rito, Rito, you couldn't be serious either, after I saved you, did you forget? What did you do that day?

Rito: - Silence.

Unsuspecting adventurers enter the small shop, but what greets them is quite horrifying. Rito's face, which is always smiling and telling jokes or just clowning around, has completely turned out of itself, the whole area is surrounded by a blood-curdling aura, and Abigail's thin, fragile body is now like a sword in Rito's hand, you can feel the trembling fear that this young boy emits.

Albigon: - I see, then it wasn't enough for me to break just your left hand, I have to break both.

Rito is preparing for a huge blow, with this barely 2-meter sword, which that skinny, fragile body lifts and swings so easily.

Debron: - You were just kidding me, it's impossible to swing that sword like that.

But this is still very little, in the blink of an eye, Albigon is behind his back and kicks him through the entire building, followed by a series of blows, targeting his right arm so that he can't even hold Abigail with such ease.

Albigon: - How dare you wield my sister, if she is still in this condition, how dare you, you shameless person.

The adventurers rush in, but as soon as they reach the 5-meter range, they are struck by a level of bloodlust emanating from that elf-like nothing before, and the entire party freezes in fear, powerless against such a force. Albigon looks at them, then he picks up Rito with one hand and throws him to them, and disappears.

Arthronis: - Are you okay?

Rito: - I'll be fine, thanks

Others: - What was all that? who was that guy

Rito: - Is Abigail okay? didn't she get hurt?

Lia: - Calm down, it's okay, I already treated her, she only fainted after the shock.

Rito: - Thank you...

Arthronis: - So then help me understand the situation, what happened?

Rito: - I'll tell you, but it's a bit long... Aww

Lia: - I see you are not well, let me heal you.

Rito: - Thank you, then it was like...

Here, there will be a recollection of why the situation developed this way and what was the main cause of it.