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Chapter 3

Grudge Of A Pawn

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Opening music - Click to play🎶

                                                         

[25 years ago]

Count Sig territory was located on the border between Erosa and Acen empires. The situation had always been volatile between the two empires, with both frequently intervening either by political or military in each other's matters.

A Crest depicting an eagle holding a snake in its claws adorned the back of the capes of a group of Hooded figures who silently moved toward Count Sig's house.

All Seven of them wore a plain mask with no orifice to see or to breathe, Their peculiar appearance and infamy related to this group earned them the name "faceless".

The 'faceless' was an elite group that directly followed orders from a royal family of Acen. Whether it be an espionage mission an assassination mission, or an extermination mission like this one they were the first and most desired tool for the royal family.

A man leading 'the faceless', was wearing a distinct red mask without speaking anything, pointed left and right twice after he tapped the brim of his mask near his forehead.

Following the command two 'faceless' diverted to the right while one ran in the left direction breaking away from the main group following the leader. 

When they came up to firing distance, each faceless brought out a prop that looked like the hilt of a large sword with its hilt being oddly shaped to be like a  pointy gun. 

The mansion guards who were already on alert ran to intercept them, one female mage guard began to cast area wide-magic formation by chanting as the paper held in her hand began to burn and the other beside him pointed his standard rifle aiming at the leader of the Faceless group. Two swordsmen on guard duty ran towards them with vigour after gulping an enhancement potion. 

*Bang (sound of a bullet being shot)

The riflemen smiled as no one ever survived a shot from this rifle ever since its invention during demon subjugation 300 years ago. It is the perfect weapon to counter everyone whether it be rash thinking swordman or overthinking spell-caster. And in the hands of a perfect marksman like him, this thing spells the doom of every foe.

He soon realised, that 'faceless' he aimed at was standing there unharmed. He frantically reloaded his rifle by placing the cartridge and thrusting the bolt forward.

The faceless leader was standing ahead with their hilt-prop held in front of him as if he was holding an invisible sword, while his followers pointed theirs towards mansion guards while holding odd-shaped guns. As the faceless hand adjusts a dial below. A circle appeared in front of the pipeless muzzle of the hilt which shined with faint blue light a cog in the middle of the hilt revolved and within a fraction of a second, the floating circle ahead turned into a magical formation emitting a devastating beam that vaporized half of one of the approaching swordsmen body and spellcaster girl's body, ending the spell in mid chant.

Enraged by this the second swordsman swung his sword at the faceless leader ahead only to be slashed in half by the torso.

As the upper half of the swordsman fell along with his held sword, it was followed by more magic beams by his followers who vaporized an awe-stuck, and about to run refile-man.

The faceless leader looked at watch towers on both sides which were now occupied by his two colleagues, whom he had sent earlier and were now ready to hurl magical attacks towards the central building.

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(inside the mansion)

*crash 

A part of the ceiling along with the chandelier fell onto the floor as the mansion shook with the impact. Mansion occupants rushed to safety as the knights moved outside to handle the unknown situation.

"So, They are here... It means...." Spoke a knight while peeking out from behind a curtain at the battle happening between some cloaked figures and 20-30 well-armed count knights. Wheezing Sounds of Spellcasting and Bangs of Rifle shots followed by screams could be heard coming from a distance.

A lady dressed in a red regal dress collapsed into the chair. 

"He knew well when he went to meet his cousin. He wanted us to get out of this war and his family from here." She wiped her tears and she held the necklace with a blue luminous gem. Remembering the word she last heard, from her husband.

("Take it, it's our family heirloom. Eye of Absolute Mist")

("Sig, you need it more than I do, it could help you escape if your cousin doesn't listen to you.")

("Don't worry, I am sure it was a mistake and I believe Sir Avan would help to sort it out. Besides, even if all things end up bad, I figure a way out somehow, but I will need my family alive by then. I have told Richards about the escape plan just in case. Don't worry")

*Hugs him from the back of the chair.

("Come back alive.")

("Sure, Take care of Decrulla and little Damon.")

As she was going through that emotion, the knight who was standing there put his helmet on and spoke.

"I will buy you some time countess."

As the knight began to leave the room to join his comrades. She spoke to the knight.

"Thank you, Richard, for your service and loyalty."

She was a confident lady and was blessed with exceptional beauty.  If not for the injuries on the upper portion of her ears, she undoubtedly would be the most beautiful lady in the realm.

The knight paused and wanted to speak something more but after seeing her face which has a sad look she was saying goodbyes to a friend. He instead opted to nod through his visor and left.

She wore the necklace. Soon her body and the clothes she was wearing turned translucent. After some time, She stood and followed the knight through the now-ajar door. She slowly climbed down the stairs to the now devastated hallway. 

Most of the maids and servants have already left the estate. The mansion was turned into a makeshift fortress with the help of hired adventurers and loyal knights. She gave a last look at the place that was called her home, home of the Red Witch of Acen.

As she was to leave the mansion after she crossed the alleyway. She saw a maid drenched in blood shouting her name while carrying her injured daughter.

"Countess Mundane..."

She hurriedly undid the cloaking spell to reveal herself and rushed to treat her child.

"What happened, How she is here?"

"I found her unconscious with her foot stuck behind the rubble in the ground floor pantry."

"Stubborn girl, she must have sneaked out of the carriage. "

"M...", Decreulla muttered subconsciously.

She hugged Decruella.

"Idiot. I told you, I will come soon after you."

Mundane could hear her faintly. She could feel her mum's soothing magic flowing through her injured leg.

The maid looked behind the countess, her facial expressions changed as she quickly stood upright taking out a dagger and jumped in front of a figure pacing closer to the countess. 

The young maid was standing in between the countess and the clocked figure who was moving ahead holding a swordless hilt pointed downwards. A streak of sparks was moving along with the figure on the ground below at which he was pointing the strange hilt.

The young maid's arms were trembling as she held the sharp dagger pointed at the 'faceless', who without a care was moving forward as if she didn't exist in the first place. She mentally began to prepare herself to be slane, but her inner thoughts were interrupted by the countess who spoke to her while handing over the necklace and her daughter.

"Hide her."

"Go Now."

While carrying her maid quickly rushed to the nearest door leading away from the alleyway. She could hear the Countess say.

[Ashgroth class Eight authority]

.Red.

A red mist surrounded the alleyway closing behind just as the maid left the scene carrying Decruella in her arms.

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It was late evening, and the last few rays of sunlight were illuminating the rubble of the now-destroyed mansion with a huge crater in the midst of it.

Decreulla opened her eyes, she had dried tears on her cheeks as if she had a bad dream. 

When her vision became less blurry she realised that she was in the garden. She stood up while fighting the pain in her left leg. 

After moving around she saw a charred body with a maid dress lying at a distance away from her. She held her breath, Trying to keep the ugly thoughts away, moved away towards the other direction while her tears kept falling uncontrollably. After looking around a bit, and experiencing the eerie silence Out of fear and anxiety, she spoke.

"Mother! Clara! Heinz! Anyone."

"Mum is dead, dear." an unknown, foreign yet pure voice replied.

She looked at the source of the voice. There was a beautiful male elf with purple eyes and white hair, holding a half-broken red mask, squatting above a lone standing pillar of the alleyway. His eyes were moving rapidly looking for the source.

"Don't you want to know? How she sold you for her life. How did she run away? She was a coward." The elf spoke in a mocking tone, his way of speaking artificial and odd.

"Lies" she retorted while driven by emotions.

The next moment, the elf jumped after doing a spin mid-and appeared in front of her and quickly lifted her in the air by her dress collar.

"Caught ya." He could see the general shape of her figure as the cloaking got distorted by the sudden movement. He yanked the necklace off her.

The crazed look elf invoked a momentary fear in her, but she kept glaring at him.

"Amusing... Those eyes yes..yes..yes.. The rebuttal in the face of terror. I was right to follow the last wish of that lady... Hahahaa..." Suddenly his face became pale as usual as if he was never laughing. His current emotions were unreadable and a sense of unease came into Decruella's mind.

She tried to get off his grip by struggling and then as if unamused and slightly annoyed by her behaviour, he unceremoniously dropped her on the ground as if she was a non-living doll. The pain of a broken leg reemerged as she yelled and held her hand.

Then, he looked down and spoke to her in his usual artificial soft voice trying to sound as humane as possible.

"Sh....shhhh... sh... I didn't mean to break you now. I forgot how fragile you human kids are supposed to be.

Well, I don't have time for babysitting, so listen.

Twenty years... I think that is good enough by human standards right... I will come back to you after twenty years. If you could even entertain me half as much as that lady did. I might not kill you, then. I think it is a fair deal" the elf spoke with his emotionless face in his cold voice. Then, he kept observing her without blinking while she suffered.

"Why? Why you did do this with us?" Decruella, after a while still with tears in her eyes, finally spoke glaring at the elf.

*Sighs.

"Why you ask? Let's say it was a mercy." The elf gave an awkward smile which lasted for a few seconds after reverting back to his cold unreadable expression. He donned the broken mask with his eyes visible, looking down at her as he disappeared after wearing the retrieved necklace.