Ellen looked at him, who smiled in response, as he went and closed the door.
Do you think something's wrong?
I don't know, but I do know that nothing seems normal enough to prevent something from happening.
Ellen glanced towards the window and saw one of the Masks standing there. "I think I should go outside for a bit," she said, grabbing a pair of shoes and putting them on.
The mermaid looked at her. "Are you sure? We just arrived." Ellen didn't reply, instead looking behind her at the closed door. She glanced at the guard watching the door, who seemed to be following his leader. Taking advantage of their distraction, she quickly descended the stairs from the other side until she reached a passageway. She slowed her pace, passing between the pillars, until she reached the Mask, who was leaning against one of them, holding a small photograph of someone and gazing at it. "Should I interrupt something?" Bablin asked, and the mask tightened its grip on the photograph it was holding.
It continued to gaze ahead in silence, without uttering a word.
A few moments later, it looked to its right at Bablin, who was silent, gazing at the statue in front of it, in the middle of the pool of water. "I've always been fascinated by it. The story of this statue, of these two lovers who never met." Then she looked at one of the small statues surrounding the two, an incomplete apple. "I think he had to eat the apple for it to live and die without saying goodbye to it, but I think their story is the best farewell." Silence reigned for a few moments until the reflection of the setting sun appeared on one of the glass apples, which in turn scattered the light across the surface of the water, revealing coins at the bottom. Bablin looked at the coins. "I didn't think anyone would throw coins for good luck." She moved closer and saw the reflection of someone who said it was a girl standing in the window in front of the statue, looking at her. She looked back to find that he had disappeared. Only a few minutes passed. The setting sun's rays began to appear.
Meanwhile, someone arrived. He stood before the mask. "Sir, there are orders for everyone to assemble in the temple in a few minutes."
The mask nodded in agreement, and the soldier left.
He glanced out the window, then the mask moved immediately.
As he walked, he felt a pang of unease. He sensed that something was amiss.
What intensified his feeling was the cold air created by the opening of the giant door to the meeting place.
A moment after entering, he saw all the other figures seated in their places, along with the guards and the prince. Only his own empty seat remained, and the meeting was about to begin.
As soon as he entered, a din rose in the hall. The vizier appeared. "Many troubles have recently befallen our kingdom. After much deliberation, we learned that there is a traitor among us, which has allowed the enemy to discover our plans and movements before we can execute them. And as we know how just and merciful the king is, it is also known..." How much he hated treachery and betrayal. And we have found him.
We have found the traitor.
The vizier, Abraha, fell silent. This silence was followed by hushed voices and whispers that concealed the terror within.
Everyone fell silent, terrified by a voice that emerged from behind the vizier. From behind a large black curtain, a moving cross was being carried by someone whose face was masked. It appeared that only the cross itself was binding him, but his voice was silenced.
The vizier's voice rose in anger.
We have found the traitor, but we know very well that someone knows him perfectly well.
And this person is among us today in this hall.
The vizier's words sent shivers of fear through the hall.
Everyone feared that someone who had done nothing wrong would be made a scapegoat in this horrific spectacle.
The vizier instructed one of the soldiers standing beneath the cross to remove the mask from the traitor, whose gender was completely obscured by the loose-fitting robes. The minister stopped him a moment before he could remove the covering, signaling everyone to put on their masks. The soldier said, "Now," and removed the covering.
It was a sight beyond words. A woman and her face bore the marks of severe torture, her eyes swollen and blue. Her husband, who had lost all human connection, was also present. Silent screams rose from behind the masks at the horrifying sight. The minister pointed to the soldier on his left and gave him a golden staff, which he struck on the floor of the hall.
Suddenly, a group that appeared to be more secretive emerged from the rows of the hall. They wore red robes and golden masks.
They stood and walked to the center of the hall.
I heard a silent sob beside me. The commander's mask was next to mine. It seemed the matter was bigger than I had thought.
The screams of the woman, whose tongue appeared to have been cut out, reached her. The cross was turned to be lowered to the ground, and the vizier, amidst the red-masked figures, was present.
It was a scene reminiscent of a ritual sacrifice. The soldiers gave each red-masked figure a golden staff.
They drew long, flowing staffs from their hands.
The vizier ordered the masked leaders to appear. The masked figure stood beside me, the tears that had glistened behind his eye now gone, and he turned to the center of the hall.