Chapter 26: The Figure Behind the Mirror
The Shrouded One struggled to his feet, barely able to support his own weight as he crawled back to the Master. His strength had not fully returned, and after the recent incident, he was weaker than before.
"Since I promised to give this task to you, train and get back on your feet. Regain your powers within one month, and the task shall be yours," the Master declared. "Otherwise, you will never leave this palace, and the job will be given to Little 5."
The Shrouded One, as If his very soul had been restored, stared at the Master with gratitude and joy. He didn't care about his injuries; despite the blood still dripping from his mouth, he smiled.
"Thank you, Master, for this second chance. I will surely get the job done this time," he said, bowing deeply before the Master before being dismissed.
As they all left, the room returned to its former silence, so still that even a heartbeat could be heard. The Master stood and walked toward a room no one was ever allowed to enter—not even his favorite, Little 9.
Inside the room, a table stood in the corner, with what appeared to be a mirror resting on it. The Master approached the mirror, bowed in subordination, and his voice rang out.
"I have disappointed the great lord. I'm sorry, my lord," he spoke, and suddenly a dark shadow appeared in the mirror. Its facial features were indistinct, but its voice was powerful and filled with force.
"This will be your last chance," it spat coldly. "Fail again, and the deal is off. You shall face my wrath."
The shadow vanished, leaving the Master behind, deep in thought.
Days passed, and the Shrouded One took his training seriously. Soon, he regained his strength. One evening, as he was focused on his daily training, he felt something creeping up behind him. Startled, he instinctively flicked his fingers and released a strong wind that brought the creature directly in front of him.
"Release me quick. Had I known stalking you would get your powers back, I'd have done it long ago. As much as I enjoy seeing you helpless, I can't stand being around weak people," Percy said, his voice laced with disdain.
The Shrouded One simply glanced at him, as though Percy were a fool.
"You arrogant son of a bitch—can you never put down your pride? Don't tell me you regained your powers weeks ago and still played dumb," Percy asked, disbelief clear in his voice.
The Shrouded One's gaze seemed to say, "You're not as dumb as I thought, actually."
Percy's eyes widened, realizing that he had seriously underestimated his younger brother's cunning.
The Shrouded One left him and went directly to the Master. Now that Percy knew, it was only a matter of time before the Master found out.
"I've been waiting for you to admit that your powers are back," the Master said with a smile. "I knew you regained them weeks ago."
Little 9 didn't try to hide the truth anymore. "I wanted to keep training in secret, to grow stronger before appearing before you. But Percy found out when he stalked me today. I knew it was only a matter of time before he ratted me out."
"In that case, you can continue training for one more day," the Master said. "Then you must return to your task. Just know that this is your last chance, and I will not tolerate any more failure."
The Master dismissed Little 9, and the Shrouded One left, fully aware of the gravity of the situation.