Eriladar questioned the man, but it appeared he was hiding some much-needed information. It was most obvious when the subject of the missing people was brought up; he would display unease, which hinted that he knew more than he was willing to reveal to the group.
Saul felt intimidated by the fierce man sitting behind him, causing him to break out in a cold sweat. Despite the sweat clinging to his shirt, he tried to suppress a shiver while feeling the pressure of the scrutinizing gazes of the people situated around the room. Although he had more to say, his inherent cowardice prevented him from speaking up, fearing the wrath of the masked men.
Just as he observed the initial arrival of the current group in the village through the window, he did the same when the fog crept in and the masked men roamed the streets at night. He felt afraid as he watched the people leave their homes in a trance-like state and join the masked men with vacant expressions.
The enticing stares beneath the masks were clearly visible, leaving a lasting impression on the timid man. The memory of how frightening it was threatened to drive him insane.
He struggled with how he was going to tell the kind stranger what he had seen that night. If it was revealed, how was he to explain that he had stayed in the comfort of his home and didn’t help those in need or raise the alarm to alert the other villagers? He was but a simple man and there wasn’t much he could have done in that situation, but if he had, would those people still be here now?
Eriladar saw that the man had no intention of revealing any further information, prompting a sigh from him. He reclined in his chair and became lost in thought, tapping his slender fingers on the table. As a group, they had hoped to gain insight from this man about the masked men and their sudden appearance in the village, but their efforts were in vain. The interrogation had yielded no new information, leaving them just as confused as before.
Altogether they started when the wind picked up outside and slammed the window open, shattering the remaining glass attached to the pane, and raining down to the ground. Shards of glass glistened in the little light of the fire and the group’s hearts pounded in their chests. They had been focused on the man, so the window opening gave them a fright.
Ashlyn was the first to recover, and they went over to the window to close it, but they paused at the sight outside. Shadowed figures moved through the dense fog in an orderly fashion - their paces neither fast nor slow. Ashlyn’s heart that had just settled back into place sped up again and they backed away from the window until they were amongst the group once more.
Ashlyn trembled as the others stared at them, their stares sharp and penetrating. They pointed a quivering finger towards the window, and Taegen quickly approached, gasping in surprise at the sight of the figures outside.
“Master, you have to see this!” Taegen exclaimed and beckoned to Eriladar.
Eriladar approached Taegen with a serious expression and then turned his attention to the outside. He drew in a breath and protectively pulled Taegen behind him as he continued to study the people outside. The masks were just about visible in the moon’s light: their stride was slow as they moved through the fog, but their heads were constantly moving from side to side as they scanned the buildings for any signs of movement.
As if sensing something, they collectively turned to face the inn and Eriladar felt like they had spotted him in the window. Gesturing wildly behind him, Nox immediately understood. He ran to the fireplace and snuffed out the flickering flames, causing the inn to descend into darkness.
Eriladar gathered Taegen into his arms, then slowly stepped backwards, reminding Taegen to match his silent breathing. Speaking softly into Taegen’s ear, Eriladar instructed him to remain as quiet as possible. Taegen obediently nodded and shrunk further into his master’s embrace.
Eventually making it back to the others, they remained motionless to avoid making any noise. Time seemed to drag on painfully, and soon the masked men arrived at the inn.
The inn’s occupants had to resist the urge to step back further into the room and instead remain still, trying not to make any noise or movements that could potentially alert the masked men outside. The consequences of being caught were unknown and, therefore, they had to be cautious. One man, that was the closest to the window, turned his head, revealing his eyes, which were all black and had slit pupils.
It was a frightening sight to behold and Eriladar quickly covered Taegen’s mouth to prevent him from screaming. Taegen grasped his master’s hands tightly and looked at the masked figure with tearful eyes. Throughout their experience as mission-takers, they had never encountered a situation like this, leaving them unsure of how to proceed.
As the figure glanced into the inn, the sensation of being watched dissipated. He shrugged it off and signalled to the others before they continued on their way down the streets. And once again, time slowed down as the group decided to hold off on moving from their spots until they were positive that the men had all left completely. Finally, they let out a collective sigh of relief and slumped into the nearby seats to rest their exhausted bodies.
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