The Mask Wearer Read online

  All the dwellers of Bratel-la-Grande—the Knights of Light, the peasants, and the shopkeepers—left the side of the road where they had been displayed as statues and began to walk toward the city. At the city gates, the men of Berrion gave them a warm welcome. Every gorgon had crumbled to dust; now the curse was only a bad memory.

  A large meeting took place in the center of the ruined city.

  “Dwellers of Bratel-la-Grande! I, Junos, lord of the Knights of Equilibrium and ruler of the kingdom of Berrion, declare this city free! We fought evil and delivered you from the gorgons. Now I offer to rebuild this city with you, in harmony and respect.”

  “Go away!” a man shouted in the crowd. “There is only one ruler here—me.” It was Yaune the Purifier; he approached the dais. “No one will tell the Knights of Light what to do and how to do it,” he said. “Leave immediately and let me rebuild our city the way we want it.”

  A murmur rose from the crowd. Junos raised his hand to ask for silence.

  “Citizens of Bratel-la-Grande, it is because of your lord that all of you nearly lost your lives,” Junos went on. “Yaune the Purifier knew that a powerful sorcerer was looking for him. He did not tell you the truth, and this lie almost brought your destruction. A true knight never tells falsehoods the way this man did for countless years. Today I must clearly state the facts so that all of you can understand my intentions. I ardently wish to annex Bratel-la-Grande’s territory to that of Berrion’s. Together we can create a vast kingdom—”

  “How dare you!” Yaune shouted, drawing his sword. “I will not tolerate further insults.”

  Barthelemy jostled his way to the dais. “Yaune, should we not listen to what this man has to offer? We owe him our lives, and were it not for his courage, this city would still be in the hands of our enemies. As proof of respect for the bravery of his men and to show my gratitude, I am ready to take an oath of allegiance to him. There is nothing wrong with serving someone who is stronger than oneself. When a lord who is good and fair requests an alliance, a knight must recognize his value and submit.”

  “Traitor!” Yaune cried loudly. “You speak like your father! And since we’re putting all our cards on the table today, I’ll confess that I’m the one who killed him with my own sword. We were together when the pendant fell into my hands. Your father insisted that we destroy it. I refused. That trophy was mine. He challenged me to a duel and I drew his blood. Now I order that you be burned alive for treason. Knights of Light, seize this man immediately!”

  Baffled, the knights looked at one another. “We’ve burned enough innocent people!” one of them shouted. “I side with Barthelemy! Let his punishment be mine too, for I am tired of obeying Yaune the Purifier.”

  Another knight came to Barthelemy’s side and put his hand on his shoulder. “I’ve known this man since childhood, and I believe he’s got what it takes to become our new lord! I’m also in favor of an alliance with our saviors, our friends from Berrion.”

  The crowd applauded loudly and every Knight of Light gathered behind Barthelemy, their new master. Then Junos requested silence once more.

  “Bratel-la-Grande has just chosen a new ruler!” he said. “Barthelemy, join me on the dais and listen to the acclamation of your people! Today I pledge to you the friendship and loyalty of Berrion. To facilitate our trade activities, we will build a road between our two kingdoms. We’ll work together for the prosperity and well-being of our people.”

  Enraged, Yaune raised his sword to strike Barthelemy. Junos’s guard stopped him.

  “Let him be!” Bathelemy intervened. “For having killed my father, Yaune, I condemn you to exile. We will tattoo the word ‘murderer’ on your forehead so that everyone knows what kind of man you are. You will also be stripped of your title of knight. No one will be burned in this kingdom from here on. We will rebuild this city on new principles.”

  In the meantime, Amos looked for Beorf in the crowd. He did not find him, so he decided to leave the city and search beyond its walls. Luckily, a full moon helped him see clearly in the night. As he walked through the fields, Amos was relieved to see Beorf appear at the edge of the forest. He called to him and ran to greet him.

  “Amos, my friend!” Beorf cried out as the two friends hugged each other. “How happy I am to see you again! I’m looking for Medusa. I want you to meet her, but she has disappeared. Yet she was with me when … It’s the sorcerer who—”

  “Beorf, we have many things to say to each other,” Amos interrupted. “Let us sit down and let me tell you an incredible story of friendship.”

  Amos shared Medusa’s feelings with Beorf. He also revealed that she had sacrificed herself for him. Beorf couldn’t hold back his tears.

  “I’ll never see her again, then. Isn’t that so, Amos?”

  “I’m afraid that’s true, Beorf.”

  A heavy silence fell upon them.

  “She was so sweet and so beautiful,” Beorf finally whispered. “I loved her. I spent the most wonderful moments of my life with her. And her eyes … You should have seen her eyes.”

  “I have to confess that I did my best to avoid seeing them,” Amos said. “Come now! Let’s go back to the city. We need distractions.”

  Along the way, Beorf remembered that the last time he had seen Amos was when Amos had left to go to the woods of Tarkasis.

  “Tell me, Amos, do you know now what a mask wearer is?” Beorf asked.

  “Oh! Indeed I do! Watch carefully.”

  Amos concentrated, slowly lifting one of his arms. A light breeze rose and surrounded the two friends.

  Wearing an indelible mark on his forehead, Yaune the Purifier was locked in a wooden cage, carried away to the border, and exiled from the kingdom. Once released from his cage, the former ruler of Bratel-la-Grande took to the road like a beggar. The tattoo betrayed his true nature, and he was driven away from each village he crossed.

  One night he unknowingly entered the realm of Omain, ruled by Lord Edonf. There Yaune saw a small temple. He went inside, thinking that it would be a good spot to get some rest. A shiver went down his spine when he realized that the walls were made of human bones. Facing him, seated on a throne of gold, was a snake-headed creature. His skin was light red and his hands looked like strong eagle talons.

  “Who are you and what are you doing here?” Yaune asked bravely.

  “My name is Seth and I have a proposition for you. I offer you this sword, brave knight. It tears through armor and poisons all those it touches. A lord such as yourself cannot live without a kingdom. If you agree to be in my service, I’ll provide you with power and wealth. Your mission is simple: conquer the land of Omain and kill the ruler, Lord Edonf.”

  “And if I refuse?” Yaune asked.

  Seth smiled. “Well, if you don’t accept my offer, you’ll return to your life as a beggar and you’ll die poor, famished, and forgotten. Conquer the realm of Omain and I’ll offer you revenge over Barthelemy and Junos. You will recapture your former kingdom plus that of Berrion. Are you interested in my offer?”

  Yaune smiled happily and extended his hand. “Give me the sword, Seth. I have a great deal of work ahead of me!” he answered.

  MYTHOLOGICAL LEXICON

  The Gods

  Lady in White: A woman of legends and tales found in many different cultures, the Lady in White helps humans accomplish their destiny.

  Seth: In Egyptian mythology, Seth is the god of darkness and evil. The Egyptians linked him to the desert and often represented him as a man with a monstrous head. He is also linked to crocodiles and animals of the desert.

  Creatures of Legend

  Basilisks: In Europe, the Middle East, and some countries of North Africa, the basilisk was considered one of the most abominable creatures in the world. Since all those who were unlucky enough to see a basilisk perished, its true appearance is controversial. In 1544, in Cosmographia Universalis, the scientist Sebastian Munster described the basilisk as a wingless eight-legged creature. In the grand p
alace in Bangkok, Thailand, one can see a statue representing a basilisk.

  Fairies: Fairies exist in many European cultures. Their size varies from country to country. Each fairy is usually associated with a specific type of flower. These creatures protect nature, and time does not seem to affect them.

  Gorgons: Gorgons are creatures of Greek mythology. In legend, they lived in the dry and mountainous areas of Libya. They were most often depicted as three sisters: Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa. Medusa was the most famous of the three and the only one who was mortal. The hero Perseus beheaded her.

  Humanimals: Humanimals are present in the culture of every country. The werewolf is one of the most famous of these creatures. Sometimes kind, sometimes menacing, humanimals are divided into races and species. The full moon often plays an important role in the transformation of a human into an animal.

  Mermaids: The origin of these sea creatures is not well known. They have appeared in the tales and legends of many cultures since antiquity. They are usually represented as very beautiful fish-tailed women who charm navigators.

  Merriens: In Ireland, half-human sea dwellers are called merriens. A distinction can be made between them and other sea creatures because they always wear a red-feathered bonnet. This magic hat helps them reach their dwellings deep in the ocean. Females are very beautiful. The sight of a merrien is perceived as the omen of a storm. Merriens sometimes come ashore disguised as little horned animals.

  Nagas: Nagas are humanimals that transform themselves into snakes. Most nagas are linked with aquatic surroundings; those that live in the desert are called lamies. Nagas can reach a length of fifteen feet in their reptile form and live almost four hundred years. They can be found in the Sahara, in India, and in South Asia.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Bryan Perro (bryanperro.com) completed training as an actor and a drama teacher at the University of Québec in Montréal and obtained a master’s degree in Québec Studies at the University of Québec in Trois-Rivières. He achieved his dream of becoming a full-time writer thanks to his bestselling twelve-book children’s series, Amos Daragon, which won the Québécois Children’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Award. Recognized internationally, the series has been translated into and published in eighteen languages.

  Bryan Perro lives in Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, Québec, Canada.

  Coming Soon!

  Don’t miss the continuing adventures of

  Having survived his first mission as Mask Wearer, Amos finds himself in new danger. An encounter with a mysterious girl sends him to Braha, the City of the Dead, where souls await judgment. To get there, Amos must give up his own life. And when he reaches Braha, he finds a place overcrowded with spirits, because the gods have locked the doors that lead to paradise and to hell.

  A special key is said to unlock the doors—if it can be found—and unbeknownst to Amos, many are relying on him to use his ingenuity and intelligence to locate that key and restore order, as Mask Wearers are known to do. But Amos knows that even if he finds the key, he might never return to the world of the living.