Dream Thread

It was almost like a masquerade with everyone wearing a mask. A gathering of demons and angels, burning blades and ashen armor. Only today, I don't know what demanded us to wear our masks. Or why we are all here. The True wear masks, it's a common fact, right next to the other infamous lies or myths. Even if wearing it is a nuisance. I suddenly wonder what we would do if we ever got the opportunity to have a masquerade, would we do anything differently? Not that it mattered, most of us don't have the time.

Everyone in the court was wearing their masks, their personalized colors displayed loudly, some were quiet. Everyone was wearing one except for the outsiders, who happened to be the mystery to us. Ironic isn't it? We should be a mystery to them, but the strange group kept their eyes toward the ground, each gaze as steely as the other. A group of Serenes marched them up towards the Commander. As they passed me, I got a closer look at their faces, especially the girl with wet dripping brown-black hair.

"Dao,"I turned to my left slowly to face Abele, one of my friends, "Catalano,"I greeted softly, my attention fixed on the group marched towards the front. "What's going on?"He whispered, I could see his eyes burned with perplexity. My own eyebrows knitted together. "I thought you knew,"I turned to glance at the quiet group, nearing the feet of the Commander and General Quirinus. Soft whispers echoed through the crowd of covered cheeks, and solemn frowns. Although I'm sure a few of us with knowledge were grinning.

Finally, they reached the front, their assigned Serenes pushing them down to their knees. All averted their eyes to the ground except she. I could see a blaze in that one, one that burned for a century. I felt like I had seen her face before but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

The General looked around at the rest of us, waiting for demons and angels to quiet. His mask had no color: it was devoid of much individuality, colored only by the night he became a True. Black-blue with slices, pieces of orange design here and there. Quiet painted the room a dim color.

He turned to the outsiders, taking large note of the dark brown haired girl who gave him a steely stare, with a soft unsettling smile. But none could stand under the General's icy blue eyes long. I could see her lips falter before turning into a frown. "Lana Ivankova,"He began, "Artur Abril, Faolan Evers, Naomi Markov, You four stand accused of serious allegations,"He paused, "Inciting not only a riot, but a mass breakout of Numitor Prison,"

The charged energy in the air gained even more electricity, the realization dawning upon us all. My eyebrows lifted in shock, my jaw nearly dropped to the floor: no one got in or out of Numitor undetected period.

"Not only a mass breakout, you are also under the investigation of the Warden's murder."Quirinus stepped closer to the girl, his steps against the clean marble steps echoing through the Hall. "And you stand accused, above it all, of association with the infamous unholy Gang, the Shadows."

He stepped closer to the boy with blue hair, giving him a piercing glance. "How do you respond?"

I could have heard a pin drop at the other side of the room. No one spoke. Everyone expected the girl to speak, her confidence, and suave attitude radiating. But instead, the voice came from the boy next to her, the one with golden hair and amber eyes. "G-guilty of most of them, t-though I-I've got to say y-you really exaggerated the part about the W-Warden's murder."

Quirinus paused, taking time to register what the boy said. Noting the fear in his voice. "How is that?"

"Because he's not dead."The girl responded.

The General's eyes widened, flicking back to Ivankova. "He's in a basement right now surrounded by three very important people. Where that basement is will remain a mystery. Whether or not these three people happen to be Shadows, well I'll just say that's a coincidence."

Three of their guards behind them ripped their masks off, releasing their hold from the prisoners, one of them dropping low to the ground and taking the fourth out in a swift tiger tail sweep. I heard several metals come unsheathed. One of the impostors held a sickle near the real True Serene guard. "Good, now that I have everyone's attention,"Ivankova mused as her ropes were released, lifting her chin and looking into the General's eyes. "I have a deal for you all to hear."

The General was calm, his voice devoid of emotion except one; interest. "I'm listening."

Whatever course of action the General was planning to take or form of questioning had gone out the window. It was quite obvious these four had something else in mind. This course of action had fire and things to avoid.