The Masquerade

Waving to Asteri and the others, Taber still frowned as he walked up from behind Damascus.

"How come?" he said to Damascus. "You guys looked really great when you were dancing together, and I think you'd make a neat couple. Kinda like those two" - he gestured to Second and Lorcan - "and how they remind me a lot of my friends and their relationships."

James's smile slowly disappeared, but he nodded at her thoughtful and poignant recollection of Kovlar's words.

"I hope so too," he said softly. "Though I could go without being remembered in the stars."

She smiled slightly. "Well, to each their own, I suppose. Guess it doesn't matter much in the end. Just gotta live the best we can until we can't, it seems."

“So it seems,” he said with a nod, before joining her at her side, leaning against the wall and looking out into the busy, dancing crowds. He let a lull settle in their conversation as he looked around - spotting Rendra and Kartiel first, and then his friends. Brothers. It hadn’t been very long, but James was still anticipating the next ‘riddle.’ He had a feeling there was no way to truly prepare for whatever was to come next, but if it was just going to be a series of mysteries - even if gruesome - but with no real harm done to the company present, he knew he could handle it. It was just a matter of waiting.

He looked over to Tasha, observing the details of her animal face of a mask. It still bothered him that none of them had a choice in their attire.

“It’s a good thing you arrived late. You were fortunate to miss a fraction of the chaos,” he began, turning to look back out at the crowd. “But unfortunately, you also missed the explanation for our purpose here. All of these souls, yours and mine included, were brought here by two powerful gods. Kartiel, the god of souls, and Rendra, the god of lies. Apparently, all we have to do is solve a series of riddles and puzzles to be released from this masquerade prison. But if the first one is telling of the ones to come, I’m not sure it will be as... appealing as this party was intended to seem. The first mystery was a murder. While no real persons were murdered - which in itself is-“ he closed his eyes for a moment and sighed, going to rub his nose before stopping his hand an inch from his face. The mask was there. “Regardless. Raiden and I figured it out. Apparently some of the souls brought here know Kartiel from another one of his schemes. Raiden’s supplemental knowledge of Kartiel’s abilities and character seemed to aid him in unfolding the mystery.”

He paused, briefly, before turning to her again. “As for these masks... we can’t remove them. I guess Rendra wants us to keep with the party’s theme no matter the potential inconvenience.

"So...what? They're just...bored and playing this little game is entertaining?" she inquired. It was all a rather curious circumstance. Tasha had seen a lot of weird things, but usually all that consisted of was werewolves and the occasional undead or demon, not...well. Gods. Stars above, what had she gotten into?

Kratzer chuckled and nodded. "It certainly does."

Auryon, however, raised an eyebrow. "Met as kids?" she asked. "How old were y'all?"

“I find myself equally perplexed without a clear answer as to why, but I believe there is someone pulling their strings. I’ve theorized that this is all some kind of experiment, but to what end is beyond me. Sometimes people with exceptional power and inflated egos find pleasure in exerting their power over others for no other reason besides the fact that they can. People who allow themselves to indulge those darker fantasies - having control - and have the ability to act on them in extraordinary ways ought to be treated with wariness. People who are that capable and that prideful... well... it could be someone like that behind this. I dislike the idea that someone would cause chaos just for the sake of chaos. Even if that is their outward assertion, there are always deeper motives. A person’s heart is rarely so simple.”

Damascus jumped slightly as another joined the little interrogation towards him. He backed up a good number of steps, his pulse racing in his desperate attempt not to face what was being presented to him.

"It's not... that's..." he spluttered, and wrapped his arms around himself, wanting to leave but not wanting to offend. "Regardless of that, there are so many reasons why.."

He let out a deep sigh and dropped his arms, hoping that his last resort, honesty, might end this once and for all.

"If I were to be with Boris- hypothetically, mind you!- it would be for only selfish reasons." He peeked his head back up. "And he doesn't deserve that. I could only hurt him, in the end."

Taber shrugged. "Isn't love kinda the opposite of selfish, because it's all about caring for the people around you and making sure they're okay?" he said. "And if you were with him, wouldn't it be out of love? Also, I'd be kinda more worried about you hurting him if you said you didn't care about hurting him."

"I was eight, I believe he was...eleven? Thirteen, at most. Maybe twelve.

Young Engel, poor thing, he was adorable. Such a lonely soul, I believe that was why I proposed we all become oath brothers. I even promised to take him home with me. I thought I could! Back then. I still feel guilty, sometimes, for the disappointment that must have been for him.

He was a tad skittish to begin with, but bursting with life and compassion. The first to comfort us when we were frightened, even if he was frightened, himself.
The first to celebrate with us, when we were happy.
Did you know he has a lovely singing voice? I wonder what it sounds like, now."

I had, perhaps, said a bit much, but I had been starved for affectionate brotherly ribbing, and thus found it impossible to refrain.

Second crossed his arms. "Love is selfish," he decided, nodding to himself more than to anyone else. "If you tell someone you love them, it's not just for them--it's for you, too. But I think that it's okay to be selfish sometimes, and that you should go...go tell Boris how you really feel."

Damascus' face burned further at the prospect, and he covered it with both hands, shaking his head vehemently.

"No," he moaned miserably. "nonono. Thank you, Second, truly, but no. I don't even- I don't know if I do like him. M- maybe. At least, not... not enough to risk telling him."

And here he was, as he had been the entire evening, aggressively denying what continued to be increasingly obvious, both to himself and everyone else.

Taber stuck his tongue out. "I think it's more selfish to not tell someone you love them, because it could be the start of something wonderful that makes the both of you happier." He looked at Damascus, froze for a split second, then shook his head. "Not that it's bad to not tell him! Especially if you're not sure! Take time to figure things out, but make sure you're being honest about it, because otherwise it gets weird." He bit his lip. "N-not that I'm speaking from experience or anything."

Damascus dropped his hands, took a deep breath, and nodded. As he composed himself, what was showing of his face slowly returned to its natural color. He gave Taber a strained smile.

"That does make me relieved. Thank you... ah..." he paused for a moment, realizing that he had never been formally introduced to this fellow. "What was your name? Mine is Damascus."

After a moment, he seemed to remember himself, and held out a hand.

The wolf eagerly shook the hand. "You're welcome!" he said. "I'm Taber! That's a nice mask, by the way! Mine fits on my face really well, but it's kinda stuffy."

"Oh!" Damascus pawed at his face for a moment, forgetting he had been wearing a mask. Oh. Well, it wouldn't come off, for some reason, but that was only a small concern.

"Thank you. I like yours as well." He smiled brightly. "It must be even more stuffy with all the fur- I know what that feels like. Not too pleasant." He gently patted the wolf's hand with his other one before releasing them both.