Water poured down from the dark sky, rain pounding on the wooden shops. The glow of the red lanterns cast a warm soft light in the narrow alley, illuminating it through the darkness. The rhythmic clip clop of hooves moving through the night was interrupted as one of the riders atop his horse slowly leaned to the side, his mind clouded with fatigue, and then suddenly lurched forward. The past few days felt long without adequate rest, and the men were showing signs of drowsiness. With a sigh, the cloaked leader on the black stallion got off in front of the rest stop. Eyeing something across the street, he said to the man behind him, "Go in without me. I'll meet you inside."It was past midnight, yet the atmosphere was still warm and lively inside. Animated voices filled the eating and sitting areas while servers hurried back and forth from the kitchen. Jolly men toasted glasses to each other. As the door to the rest stop creaked open, movements and sounds within the rest stop became more discrete as attention shifted towards the new customers. A waitress from inside looked up and analyzed the seven disheveled men entering in imposing armor. With their muscular build and ferocious aura, they invoked intimidation to any ongazers.She pushed her stray hairs away from her face and spoke, "Welcome to Pearl Rest Stop. My name is Cheri, how may I help you today? Would you like a room and a meal? You can eat in the eating area or I can deliver the food to your room". Her voice was soft and lyrical like a songbird's."The latter would be perfect," the man in the lead with an ornate silver breastplate responded with a charming smile, "how big are the rooms?"The lady blushed, taken aback by his good-natured grin. His smile softened his face and made his eyes warm. The young masters who were blessed with his kind of good looks were usually arrogant and condescending, especially when they saw her sweaty appearance, messy hair, and dirty apron from scampering back and forth between the kitchen and dining tables. "We only have grand suites available tonight. Each suite is thirty-five pieces of silver. There's a dining room, two large bathrooms, and two bedrooms with 2 large beds each. It can even room up to eight people!""Alright, we'll have two grand suites then.""Okay, you will be charged seventy pieces of silver when you check out. I'll need your name? Let me show you to your room," the waitress said, slightly confused. She could not figure out why they would need two suites when just one would suffice for the seven of them."Actually, we'll wait a bit longer. The sitting area will do for now," Leon interjected smoothly, flashing another warm smile. "I'm Leon, by the way.""Alright, that's fine too. Feel free to call me over when you are ready".The other men followed Leon into the seating area, their posture collapsing as they sat down on the soft cushions, too tired to care about their image. A few moments passed as they sat wordlessly, absorbing in the ambiance - the soft lights and the comforting warmth. Then the door creaked open. Although lively with chatter and clinking of liquor glasses a few seconds ago, all noise had paused momentarily. In walked the cloaked man donning intricate dark armor, water droplets rolling down it. Feeling a tangible stillness in the air, the waitress glanced in the direction of the door. The man pulled down the hood of the cloak, exposing shiny dark hair and an imposing, sculpted jawline. Mysteriously, an ornate pattern spiraled on the mask covering the upper half of his face, framing his exquisite golden eyes."General! Over here!" Leon stood up from thelounge. The waitress quickly shook out of her trance, hurrying over to them."I see your final member is here? Follow me, if you please, and I will show you to your rooms." She led them up two staircases to the end of the hall where two intricate doors stood across from each other, handed Leon the two keys, and left.Leon passed a key to the General who quickly disappeared into his suite. He then unlocked his own door, holding it open for the rest of the crew."Wow, this is nice!" the others exclaimed their approval of the suite as they explored the spaces. The door led into a dining area dominated by a large, rectangular wooden table surrounded by chairs. The walls were adorned with simple tapestries, and the floor was covered with woven rugs, adding a touch of rustic charm to space. The suite had two bedrooms, each furnished with two large beds, positioned against opposite walls. The linens were simple yet cozy, offering a stark contrast to the cold caves and hard ground they had been accustomed to during their journey. Connected to each bedroom was a private bathroom, equipped with sturdy wooden furnishings, and polished basins.Shortly after the crew had finished settling in, the sound of feet kicking against wood resonated from the door. Leon walked toward the door and pulled it open, his eyes startled by the sight and then twinkling with amusement. She had balanced the plates of food on her head, arms, wrists, and shoulders leaving only the lower half of her body free to move."Gods! You brought them all at once?" Leon expressed with fascination, swiftly moving out of her way..When the waitress came in with the abundant plates of food they ordered, she moved nimbly and gracefully, even with all the extra plates stacked on her body. "Yes, I can't wait to end my shift soon. Can you believe it's almost two in the morning already?""I see, my apologies. We should've saved you some trouble by just eating on the first floor! Going up two staircases with all this food balanced on you, you really are impressive," he remarked charismatically.She responded with a soft, coy smile, "Don't worry about it. You're helping me train to improve my agility and balance."Leon helped the waitress move the dishes to the table where the other men were eagerly waiting for the food. As soon as they saw the aromatic food arrive, their weariness and desire for sleep had been temporarily quelled. As soon as all the dishes were placed and the waitress left, they quickly dug in and savored the piping hot delicacies."Captain, I'll make a toast to you!" one of the men piped up, raising a flask, "I'm glad you got a separate suite for the General. His aura is so frightening. Whenever he's in the same room, I am too scared to breathe, much less eat and sleep well.""Hey, don't say that, Kio" Leon rebuked, " the General seems distant and cold but he is actually quite kind. I got a separate suite for him because the General is of high status and likes having his own space. How could we bother the General by making him share a bed with one of us smelly men?"" Yeah, come on, Kio," a man with dark ebony hair jumped in with a teasing grin, "you're part of the elite special forces squad and can't even act normally in the General's presence?""Jon, you're one to talk!" Kio shot back with a scowl, " last time, didn't you ask to switch the chopping wood task with Captain Leon so you didn't have to be alone with the General?"Ignoring Kio's remarks, Jon redirected, "Doesn't the General ever take his mask off? Captain, have you ever seen him without his mask?""No, I don't know anyone that has ever seen the General without his mask on," Kio responded.The other warriors piped up the jump in with their speculations."I heard that the General wears a mask to cover his visage because he was born with a facial deformity.""I heard that the General has extreme crippling social anxiety and can't bear to go out into public without a facial covering.""Maybe the General is secretly a woman, and refuses to take off her mask to conceal her actual gender!"Jon smacked the speaker on the head incredulously, " Benji, what are you saying? How could the General be a woman? What woman has such a deep voice and tall stature?""Your sister is quite tall and has a manly voice," Benji retorted, clutching his head.Setting down his cup, Leon commanded, "Alright, that's enough with the conjectures. Everyone has secrets and we should respect the General's privacy. He'll tell us about his mask if he wants, and if he doesn't, we should stop wondering."However, Leon secretly pondered to himself the secret behind the general's mask.The General belonged to the illustrious yet elusive Asturas bloodline, a family with a legacy of military leadership that had spanned generations. The Asturas name was known throughout the empire, whispered with a mixture of awe and trepidation, but few truly knew the depths of their power.The Asturas family resided on a secluded estate beyond the capital, nestled within a rugged landscape that mirrored their own isolation from society. Those who have not married out of the family are seldom seen in public, their lives shrouded in secrecy and whispers.Only on a battlefield would soldiers see the lonely figure of an Asturas man..................................................................................Reluctantly, he lifted his head, peering at the bright, innocent eyes of the young boy before him. For a fleeting moment, hope flickered in his chest, anticipation bubbling up against his better judgment. But in an instant, that hope shattered. The boy's once sparkling eyes, full of life and joy, clouded with horror. The giddy laughter that had filled the air moments before twisted into a blood-curdling scream, piercing through the silence like a dagger. The boy's small hand trembled violently, his joyous expression crumbling into one of pure terror. As he calmed down, his words dissolved into nonsensical mutters and his eyes dulled into a glassy stare.The scream echoed in his mind as the General jolted awake, his breath ragged, hand instinctively wiping the cold sweat from his brow. The remnants of the dream clung to him, vivid and haunting, as if the scene had imprinted itself onto his very soul. He opened his eyes to the quiet morning light filtering through the window. The position of the sun outside revealed that it was a little before noon. This would be a good time for the rest of the party to set out towards their destination to avoid being stuck in the forest at night.Sitting up, the General scanned the wide yet empty space around him, the squeak of the bed accompanying his motion reverberated throughout the room. The room was designed for four people yet he was the only person there. The emptiness of the room pressed in on him, a stark reminder of the isolation he had chosen for himself. A familiar loneliness stirred within him, but he quickly quelled it, reaching for the cold, rigid mask beside his bed that was both his shield and his prison. With a sigh, he secured the rigid bronze mask around his face, and the material felt cooling against his skin.The floorboards groaned softly beneath the General's weight as he left the room, the silence of the hallway pressing in on him. Each step echoed like a reminder of the emptiness he carried within. As he approached the door separating his solitude from the world beyond, he paused, his hand hovering over the latch. The mask, now secure on his face, felt heavier than usual, its familiar weight a barrier against the noise and life just on the other side. With a resigned breath, he pushed open the door, and the clamor of the rest stop rushed in—the clash of plates, the hum of conversation, and the distant, reassuring snores of his men.His hand formed into a knock but lingered hesistantly before making contact with the door. After a great many days of traveling with little to no rest, either taking naps against tree trunks or cold caves, the men finally got to rest in comfortable beds. The General ruminated, rooted in place, then put down his hand and returned to his suite.After practicing martial arts for a bit, he pulled out a scroll that a mysterious man had given him hours ago before he entered the rest stop. Inside was a map of Duke Angola's territory outlining hidden entrances, exits, and important landmarks. Next, he pulled out little slips of paper with short messages written on it. These were pigeon-carrier correspondence between the Duke and an unknown figure that the General had intercepted. He reread each message carefully and studied the map pensively. Pacing around the room, he tried to piece together the clues from the discrete messages.After a period of time, the General wandered onto the balcony connected to his room and stared out with a glazed look. A scene from a month ago flashed before him."Cousin, bring back my little boy for me. Please. You're the only one I trust ," the imploring voice of the third prince, Prince Karlios had urged. His voice was shaking and his stare devastated."...I..." he had stammered conflictedly. Pausing, he had looked down at the Prince's hand which was gripping his sleeve in desperation, and then reluctantly shifted his focus to a tall and handsome young man standing beside a white horse. As he observed him, a name popped into his head to match the face - Captain Leon. Before this day, he had encountered the warm, spirited man on the battlegrounds but had never had any close interactions with him."I know you don't associate closely with others. If it weren't for my little Nico, I would never ask this of you. The thoughts of villains exploiting my sweet son for his powers leave me feeling shaken and hollow. Please, just consider it. I just need you to work alongside Captain Leon and his team who have been assigned this task by the King. Leon is easygoing and understanding, he will never trouble you," Prince Karlios had coaxed.Even when the General was participating in battle, he had rarely interacted with others, never speaking more than necessary. And if it were up to him, he would not have gone to war at all. But with the passing of his father, it was his duty to step up and lead the soldiers as the only son of the Asturas bloodline. If he were to accept the Prince's mission, he would have to travel for weeks or even months searching and spend all his time with Captain Leon and his team of warriors, leaving little privacy for himself. He would have to ensure that his mask was kept on at all times and maintain a distance from others.But looking in the eyes of his cousin and recalling the innocent face of his nephew, he could hardly refuse. "I'll do it," the General responded, resolutely, "don't worry, cousin. I will definitely bring Nico back safe and sound.".