*A/N: Hello netizens, it has been a while since my last post and I want to answer the obvious question of 'why' here. I have major clinical depression, a mental illness. I've had it for years and live with it every day. When I first started writing Masks, my depression was under control and the words for this story just came to life so easily! But things IRL changed and honestly, I have lost control of my depression, and that is the root cause of why Masks had gone quiet. I love writing this story and hearing all the feedback from my readers! But the insidious thing about depression is that it chokes the enjoyment and life out of the things I love to do, even when I'm fully aware that it is the depression taking something away from me.

I don't say this to garner sympathy or pity, but to offer an explanation to all the people who enjoy reading this story. I've made the vow to myself that I will finish this story, that I will not put Masks on hiatus because of my depression. It may feel as if it has been on hiatus because chapters haven't been posted but I work on Masks every single day. Sometimes it is only a word, or a sentence, or a paragraph at a time. But not one day has gone by where this story hasn't been in my thoughts. So to those asking the question, 'is Masks dead?' I emphatically answer NO, it is not and will never be dead; the mere thought of abandoning this story couldn't be farther from my mind. I'm sorry the journey has taken so much longer than I ever intended. But as a writer with depression, it is very much a struggle to write. I know I will win in the end, but my depression has slowed me down. So again all I do is offer my most sincere apology to my readers for that and keep moving forward, one day at a time.

Now that I've told my truth to everybody who has read this story so far, I'm taking another step forward with this chapter. I hope you all enjoy and as always I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter. On with the show.*

Lakyus believed herself to be an honest person. She did not ever expect to fully understand the Sorcerer King, but she did understand some elements of his personality. A being of power beyond mortal capability, who claimed to be from a world twice removed from where he now resided, and capable of controlling forces no other mortal could match. It gave Lakyus a sense of comfort in her soul to know that he, above any other, took his immense power seriously. He has been very careful in his power's application, she thought with a surge of admiration.

But before her stood a woman, proud and defiant, an elder who reflexively expected respect for her power, age, and position. Even as a prisoner there was a silent pride she exuded almost like a palpable aura. A spear of ice clawed down Lakyus' spine, imagining how very deliberately Ainz Ooal Gown's power could be, no, would be used to break Cardinal Berenice if she refused to be compliant and chose to remain implacable. In this world, it was too easy to imagine what would happen to Berenice or anyone else who would refuse to bend before His will.

That was why Lakyus' heart was beating like a drum in her chest. It was sheer discipline alone that gave Lakyus the willpower to hide exactly how she felt about this entire situation in order to present a united front in her gamble with the high priestess.

For a long moment, it felt as though time was holding still, waiting for the older woman to speak. Before Berenice could though, the sounds of movement met Lakyus' ears and a moment later the heavy door to her cell began to open. Poorly oiled iron hinges groaned in protest as the heavy door shifted in its frame.

"Pardon the interruption, Lady Lakyus," Vice Commander Amon began as she took a step through the threshold into the cell. For a short moment, the Cardinal and the demihuman shared a chilling look. There was no love lost betwixt these two. However, besides Amon was the familiar mask of Keeno in her disguise as Evileye. Breaking the staring match only reluctantly, Amon returned her attention to Lakyus. "Your comrade here sought you out most urgently," Amon began in a tone of almost mechanical precision, "and requested to speak with you right away. Commander Rockbruise, in a gesture of goodwill for our strategic alliance, sent me to escort Evileye to you with all due haste."

Deep inside her, a spark of anger began to bloom and Lakyus could not hide her frown. The Cardinal is on the razor edge of an important decision! With Amon and Keeno's intrusion, a great deal of the tension Lakyus had been deliberately fostering began to fall and crumble away. Even worse was Amon's casual mention that Blue Rose was working with the forces of the Sorcerer Kingdom; the fact that this information was delivered by a non-human made it all the worse. For a moment all Lakyus managed to do was clench her fists and focus on her breathing as she mentally recalculated her position.

Keeno took a step from behind Amon. "Boss," Keeno began carefully, feeling the tension in the room and seeing the tension in Lakyus' body, "I did not mean to interrupt you, but if you need some more time-"

"No, there is no need for more time." Cardinal Berenice chose to break her silence, at last, giving the mask of Evileye a sharp look. Her Eminence then refocused her fierce gaze back onto Lakyus, crossing her arms. "You nearly had me Lady Aindra. I admit I am impressed; your silver tongue nearly made me forget why the Theocracy never chose to trust you."

It was with a sinking feeling Lakyus felt that she had missed her goal by just a hair's breadth. "This is the second time you have said that. Why did the Theocracy not reach out to me, before its fall from grace?" Lakyus challenged. If her position was as tenuous as she now imagined, this could be the last honest answer Berenice may be willing to give.

"Darkness and corruption always seep in around the edges," Berenice said, seemingly ignoring Lakyus' inquiry, as she took a step towards Keeno. After a quick moment of silent contemplation on Keeno's mask, she answered again, her head shaking slowly. "Today I tasted hope once more, only for it to curdle upon seeing your undead companion." With a voice full of venom, the crone continued, "Landfall, the legendary vampire princess, Keeno Fasris Inberun; shall I tell your friend, or will you, your royal highness?"

For a shocked moment, Keeno recoiled slightly from the spiteful tone, taking a small half-step back upon hearing the Cardinal's declaration. Then as the comprehension of her words sank in, waves of bloodlust flowed off Keeno's small frame like the waves of an ocean. Her murderous intent filled the room so thick it could nearly be tasted upon the air. Then as quickly it began, it was over, disappearing as if it had all been an illusion to begin with. "I am no princess and I am not the lie of Landfall you created for me."

Lakyus was reminded of the audience with Ainz Ooal Gown and the crippling force he radiated when his ire was raised before he regained his composure. In the world of adventurers, learning to pay heed to the magnitude of a being's killing intent is a critical skill, at least in part to help gauge the relative strength of a foe. The Sorcerer King's anger had been physically debilitating; Lakyus had little doubt it alone could kill under the right circumstances. Here though, the sheer magnitude of Keeno's power surprised Lakyus. It was something of an open secret in the team that Keeno was possibly the most potent combatant on the team; no doubt her vampirism and long life adding to that judgment in hindsight. And who knows what has happened over the last year. What happened to you, sister?

For the first time since Lakyus encountered the captured Cardinal, malice seemed to sparkle in the captive's eyes. "Just like the undead to try and deny its own misdeeds. The rest of the world may have forgotten your sin, but not the Theocracy. Tell me, did you truly hate your countrymen so much? Or perhaps it was just your father and mother?"

Berenice is trying to provoke her, Lakyus realized. The exact words Berenice spoke held little meaning to Lakyus; the only thing that mattered now was her sister's pain. As she looked on, Keeno's fists were clenched, her body tense. There was only one thing to do, only one thing that mattered to Lakyus. Keeno took a step forward, towards the prisoner. Lakyus took a step to intercept the vampire and she reached her goal first.

"This was a mistake," Lakyus said as she intercepted Keeno's path and wrapped her arms around her friend. Softly, only for Keeno's ears, she continued, "Don't fall for her trap, she wants to hurt you. I won't let that happen. I am here for you."

Keeno's small size belied the incredible strength she possessed. With her arms around Keeno, Lakyus felt the muscles as they surged with preternatural strength. They were taut, as a snake coiled and ready to strike. But in Lakyus' firm arms, she felt them slowly release, the vampiric power slowly, reluctantly, going back to rest; the cold fury being replaced with something else.

"This was a mistake," Lakyus said again, more resolute now. As if a missing piece of a puzzle fell into place, Lakyus began to understand. There are people who will never accept the new world that is being built. There was no combination of words that could change some people's deepest prejudices. Feeling Keeno release her anger and feeling her body lose its tension, Lakyus turned to the crone one last time, this time no longer with sympathy, but with sorrow, knowing that this was a person Ainz would have to deal with. I tried my best, Lakyus thought to herself, but it wasn't enough to remove this deep-seated hatred. I've failed. With an arm around Keeno, Lakyus looked to Amon. "I think we are done here," she said, turning to walk to the door.

"You dare turn your back on me? You would truly side with the undead, even seeing what that Monster has made of the world?" Cardinal Berenice's face twisted with disgust. "This is why the Theocracy never reached out to you, Lady Aindra. You turn your back not on just me but also upon the fate of humanity!"

Lakyus didn't care to hear the parting words of the fallen cardinal. And yet some instinct she could not name, long-ingrained through years of fighting for her life, pulled her attention back over her shoulder.

Berenice, the Cardinal of Fire, quickly took several steps back from the women and took a stance, breathing deep as blue and white light began to form around her hands. Quicker than Lakyus had imagined possible for the seemingly broken crone, Berenice marshaled as much mana as possible. "[Maximize Magic Holy Fire-"

A luminous flame of great intensity quickly fought its way into existence as with any spell, but Lakyus felt the tingling sensation on her skin grow stronger. She knew without a doubt something was different. The Cardinal was suddenly enveloped with strange bolts of energy, leaping off her hands, crawling up her arms and across her entire body. The flame she fought so hard to manifest was also assaulted by the strange force at work, the contained inferno seemed to be physically torn apart in a few seconds by the strange un-light.

The Cardinal grit her teeth as she fell to her hands and knees, fighting to hold back her pain, to try and hide the fact that she was just assaulted by an intense anti-magical effect. The peculiar power left scorch makes on her body and left her clothes smoldering from the discharge of energy. But her willpower alone was not enough to hide the truth that she had put all the power at her disposal into that spell. As she fell to the floor, the scent of burned flesh and scorched clothing began to fill the cell and Berenice began to howl with agony.

At this range, the damage from a spell of that magnitude… Lakyus wondered if any of them would have survived the blast. Keeno most of all being undead.

Amon walked over to the prone cardinal and let a small smile, sharp as a razor, spread across her angular features. "Congratulations, you are the first prisoner to activate the 6th level of the anti-magic barrier. Your survival shall be noted for research purposes," she said with a cold, clinical voice. "I had expected at least a 7th level spell from you, your eminence," she said in a mocking tone. Amon crouched down, trying to get a better look at the electrical burns that spider-webbed across Berenice's body. "Lesius, Corivan," Amon called out, "get our guest some medical attention and new clothing. We cannot have her in tatters when the Sorcerer King sends for her," Amon finished as she rose. At her command, a small cadre of soldiers entered the cell, tending to the Cardinal as Amon bid them.

Lakyus was bewildered by the rapid series of events, mixed feelings dancing within her heart. I felt so close to having Berenice surrender all the answers I could hope, while still giving her a chance at a decent life. But she- A flash of anger came as she remembered the Cardinal's harsh words for Keeno. I had to support my sister. With a sigh, Lakyus steeled herself, accepting that her hopes here would not be coming to fruition.

Vice Commander Amon stepped around the personnel and towards Lakyus and Keeno, one pair of arms behind her back and another across her chest. "Walk with me," Amon ordered, heading outside the chamber's doorway. "Did you get any useful intelligence out of her before this, ah, episode?"

Of course, that was part of their reasoning, Lakyus thought to herself ruefully. Grasping one of Keeno's cold hands she subtly guided Keeno alongside herself and headed through the open doorway after Amon. "Nothing that will lead you towards the bloodlines," she admitted once outside the chamber.

The Vice Commander cast her gaze back into the Cardinal's cell. "Blue Rose, is your business here concluded?" Lakyus nodded her head in agreement and Amon continued, "I will escort you out of the Fortress," Amon said with a voice that would broach no refusal. The willowy demihuman began to lead the trio down the maze of corridors. "Commander Leinas tells me that Ureirika is being considered for your team, Blue Rose. It is unfortunate that the Guard will be losing the talent of such a gifted young person."

With Amon at their head, the trio was uncontested by the other soldiers as they stalked their way through the military instillation. As Amon passed those under her command, the men and women would sketch sharp salutes to the demihuman and Amon would favor them with nods and a few words of encouragement.

"Just so you know, it was Commander Leinas' notion to begin with," Lakyus answered the implied question.

A dour expression crossed the Vice Commander's face. "Oh, I have no doubt. It is her job to see the bigger picture, so I will just have to trust her judgment. If Leinas means for the girl to join Blue Rose, you should plan on running her down at Alpha's Sanctuary."

"Alpha's Sanctuary?" Lakyus asked.

"The girl's home," Amon said as she turned to give Lakyus a curious look. "Did the Commander not tell you?"

In her excitedness, I suppose she forgot to mention it? "We talked together about a great number of things; I imagine it just slipped her mind." It was a weak excuse admittedly, but it was all she could say to cover for Leinas to her subordinate.

With a shrug, Amon resumed walking. "You earned the Commander's trust, Blue Rose, to a degree at least. If we are to work together in the future, there must be trust with me as well. I'm inclined to give you the chance as well. Ureirika is a valuable resource; do not put her to waste."

Lakyus did not know right away how to answer. She did not like to think of people as resources that could be disposed of and replaced if necessary. And yet it seemed true to a degree, at least here in Rantel. "I'll do my best to return your trust, Amon."

Amon did not reply but continued to lead the women through the winding corridors. Seemingly content with having shared her thoughts, Amon paced herself ahead of Lakyus and Keeno, giving them a chance, at last, to talk with a modicum of privacy. Keeno had not said a word since the encounter with Berenice, walking silently at Lakyus' side. Some sense tingled at the back of Lakyus' mind and she knew her sister was going through a rainbow of emotions, precious few of them good. When Keeno judged they had sufficient privacy, she tried to begin, "Lakyus I am sorry, I didn't-"

"Stop, I don't want to hear you give me an apology." Her voice was firm but Lakyus refused to break the physical contact between them, giving the vampire's cold hand a reassuring squeeze. For all her bluster and anger, Lakyus knew Keeno was in a delicate emotional place right now. "When we have a bit more privacy we can speak more plainly, I promise. For now, just walk with me, sister." Lakyus favored Keeno with a smile that she hoped would share her understanding and acceptance.

Keeno has my unconditional support, even if I need to remind her from time to time, Lakyus mused. Since revealing herself as a vampire to the team, Keeno seemed to be more fragile and sensitive, at least in private. Regardless of what the Cardinal attempted to accuse Keeno of, Lakyus had no intention of letting her face that pain alone.

And yet, Lakyus believed all of the members of Blue Rose were being watched and monitored somehow. Paranoia or not, the Fortress simply was not a place Lakyus could speak openly with Keeno. The sooner we are gone from this place, the better!

Hand in hand, Lakyus and Keeno followed Amon. After a considerable walk, relief washed over Lakyus as some of the familiar landmarks she noticed indicated one thing: she was getting closer to the gatehouse she entered through. When Amon turned a corner and came to a full stop, she knew they had arrived.

At their approach, Lakyus saw the sentry from before. When the two's eyes met, Corporal Saltori realized the Vice Commander was near. Juxi Saltori offered a crisp salute. Amon told her to be at ease. Eagerness clear on Juxi's face she asked Lakyus, "Did you get what you came for, ma'am?"

How do I even answer that? I'm not even certain of that myself. "Yeah, I think so. And yet not as much as I was hoping for, both at the same time," Lakyus answered as honestly as she could.

For her part, Juxi seemed to empathize, a look of understanding on her face. "Life can be that way, ma'am. Anything I can offer to assist with before you leave us?"

Nice soldier, and a fan of Blue Rose. She could be a useful connection. "Thank you, Corporal, for the concern. Leinas, Amon, and yourself have all been very helpful." At the praise, Juxi's cheeks began to blush, but her discipline held strong. "I look forward to seeing you again, Saltori."

Lakyus extended her hand, and the armored gauntlet returned the gesture.

Amon interrupted the two before more could be said. "Lakyus," Amon called, "if you have need of any further assistance, the Guard stands ready. We look forward to building a strong relationship with Team Blue Rose."

This demihuman hides her thoughts and feelings behind the formality of her position, Lakyus realized. If that is what it takes to make her comfortable, so be it. Instead of answering Lakyus offered the same courtesy she gave the corporal, an extended hand. Amon reached out with her lower right hand to return the gesture.

With that gesture, she and Keeno were free. Crossing the dry moat and descending the fortifications posed no obstacle, nor did retrieving Lakyus' horse; she noticed Keeno had a mare stabled as well. It was only after she returned to the streets of the city that Lakyus felt truly comfortable breaking her silence. "Why did you come to seek me out in the first place?"

Keeno nearly missed her step at the reminder. "I almost forgot. A huge payment of gold was delivered to our suite at the Pavilion. It was too much for our lodging to store. As a stop-gap measure, we had to rent another room of the inn for storage." The mask hid her face, but Lakyus could imagine she held a look of mild annoyance. "I looked at the copy of the contract and the team agreed to be paid in installments twice per year. The Guardian Overseer chose to pay half a year upfront on the just hours after the document was signed!"

That was too much for Lakyus as a laugh from deep down forced its way out. "Oh, this city is crazy. Leave it to Albedo to make even a payment a means of striking back," Lakyus said as the last few tremors of humor ran through her system. Turning to Keeno, she continued, "Well, we have liquid assets now. Time to go and figure out a more permanent base! But first…"

"…we link up with the team," Keeno finished for her. The two women took their mounts in hand and began to move.

In the silence, Lakyus addressed her companion. "There is something I need to ask you. What Berenice said, about your past… do you want to talk about it? I've never seen nor felt you so angry." That is putting things mildly. "You've already told me so much about your nature. No matter the truth of your past, you know I accept you as you are."

"I do not know where to begin other than to say it is a lie, mostly," Keeno answered, her voice both meek and indignant. "The Theocracy has always lionized itself by demonizing others. I was a convenient scapegoat and as much as it angers me, I cannot deny there is a little truth to the name of Landfall." Sighing, she pulled back her hood and removed the mask so that Lakyus could see her face again. "It is the story of how I became a vampire and even I do not know the whole truth."

The red eyes of Keeno met Lakyus' gaze. For her part, Lakyus listened intently and without judgment. I would be lying if I said I was not curious about the details. But who she was then has little bearing on who she is now. Keeno's face expressed regret and shame but most of all fear. Fear of what I might think. "I do not know the story but if you want to talk, I will listen," she said as she reached out a hand to rub Keeno's shoulder, cool to the touch.

Her mouth opened and then closed more than once, surely trying to find the right words and failing. "A powerful spell was cast," she began at last, "and my homeland was ruined, the souls of the living violently torn from us. We all perished in the span of a single day." Keeno's voice was flat and monotone as if narrating events that happened to someone else. "I became a vampire. But everyone else, including Father and Mother, were turned into… other things." Her eyes slammed shut as a shuddering breath escaped her. "I don't even remember the last time I thought about them," she said, almost pleading.

Lakyus was at a loss for words, unsure if it wise to ask about her family or not. "I literally cannot imagine the pain that must have wrought," she answered gently. "Only by facing pain can it be overcome." Her words felt hollow to her own ears after hearing of such a genocide. "Thank you for trusting me with this truth of your nature so that at least now we can talk about this if you desire. You have my unconditional support, Keeno; I hope you understand that," she said as she tightened the grip on Keeno's shoulder to reinforce the point. Right now it is all the comfort I can give. Her heart ached for Keeno's hidden pain, which she was completely oblivious to until so very recently

A small, delicate smile found its way to Keeno's face. "I believe you," she said simply. "For now, please do not tell the others yet. Things have been moving so fast these past couple weeks, I have wanted to tell them in time but just…"

"Not yet?"

She nodded in agreement, a few golden locks swaying to and fro. "What we should talk about is this base you want to be set up."

If I press any further before she is ready, I will just be inflicting more pain. If she wants to change the subject, then I will let her. Thinking about the matter, Blue Rose did not need much for a headquarters. Somewhere inside Rantel was an absolute must, should the King ever summon them directly. That left a lot of options: close to one of the large streets leading to the gatehouses would make inter-city travel easier, in the outer-most district would make it easy to deploy the team quickly, and the notion of public parks in the outer ring held near-infinite appeal to Lakyus' sensibilities. It would be great to be surrounded by greenery even inside the fastest growing city in the region, if not the world. "I am thinking somewhere in the Third District, close to a park and near one of the major north-south or east-west bound highways. Any thoughts?"

Keeno thought as their horses cantered along. "Not a bad set of criteria I suppose. The Third used to have a lot of depots for barracks and war material. If it is not too close to one of the gatehouses with the booming commercial zones nearby, I imagine we can get a generous size lot on the cheap. Have you given any thought for what kind of neighbors you would like to have?"

That was not the type of question Lakyus expected. And her brows furrowed in non-comprehension. "What do you mean exactly?"

Keeno gestured around them. "Okay, most human traffic and merchants tend to approach the city from the south, so in the southern portion of the Third District most property is going to be human-dominated. To the east, huge loads of materials from the Great Forest of Tob are preeminent and a large number of demihumans from the Great Lake have set up along those routes. To the north, the dwarves have set up a sizeable enclave. The west has a bit of a bad reputation though."

"Why is that?" Rantel is so prosperous it is hard to imagine any neighborhood having a poor reputation, Lakyus thought.

"Refugees," Keeno replied grimly. "From Abelion Hills, from Re-Estize because of the civil war and famine before that. I've even heard some people from as far away as Argland have chosen to make their way here to Rantel, for better or worse I suppose. Anyway, west just doesn't have the best reputation."

"We will figure it out as a team," Lakyus concluded. "By the way, I imagine Amon mentioning Ureirika probably raised some questions for you," Lakyus said. "Leinas may have given me a lead on someone who could potentially step into your vacant role on the team. Blue Rose needs a magic caster. Ureirika, apparently a former Imperial noble. Does the name mean anything to you?"

"Should it?" After a moment of contemplation, Keeno answered, "No, sorry Lakyus. But you are wanting to have her take my old position? She must be impressive!"

It soothed Lakyus' nerves to hear some enthusiasm in Keeno's answer. If it were me, how would I feel upon learning my role was being taken over by someone else? "In truth, I only have Leinas Rockbruise's strong recommendation to go on. She claims this imperial to be close in strength to a platinum ranked adventurer and a magical prodigy at that," Lakyus finished as the city passed by, paying close attention to her companion's reaction.

An anxious look crossed Keeno's face. "I have to admit, it feels strange knowing my place on the team being replaced by someone else."

Ah, as I thought. "But you have moved onto other things. Bigger things?" She cocked her head to the side, affecting an exaggerated look of contemplation. "Yeah, that is definitely the case. How many other people can say they are involved in a personal project close to the Sorcerer King's heart?" Keeping morale high was more art than science in Lakyus' opinion. Sometimes just implying an idea was enough to let others reach a conclusion on their own.

"I suppose that is true," Keeno said, her voice thick with uncertainty as she bit her lower lip. "The team is changing and has already become something very different. This is just another step down a different path. It feels like our family is changing."

"You are right, the team is changing, but I believe it is for the better." Lakyus gave Keeno an earnest look. "Before Ainz the team was unfocused, and we were always reacting to the world around us. There was always another fire to put out, another crisis to deal with. But look now! I have never felt so focused on a goal as I do now. Blue Rose will change the world alongside the Sorcerer Kingdom." Lakyus smiled confidently as she felt the heat in her breast like a furnace. She could feel Keeno's anxiety and wanted to share just a little bit of the energy coursing through Lakyus' own body if she could.

The vampire sighed as a tiny smile appeared. "So then, Blue Rose, new and improved?"

"No," Lakyus answered, "Blue Rose, a growing sisterhood and family."