The Mask: Burdens and Reputations

Storm Forged

He'd long since learned nothing in life was fair-

He frowns as he looks around the crude table Deez had so painstakingly carved out of rock.

-but these were just children.

Children rising to a challenge that would have people twice their age running in the opposite direction.

The Yu's were formidable before they made alliances with those who possess magic-

Something he was still puzzling over.

How?

What could the mortal possibly offer those with mystical abilities?

It was a perplexing thought, and a deeply disturbing one.

Dark witches working with each other was unheard of-

But dark witches bending to the wishes of a mere human, even one as formidable as Shan Yu, was preposterous.

And cause for concern.

Caution.

Care.

And an insurmountable amount of distress.

Add to that, Hades sudden interest and intervention-

It was a dangerous endeavor they were pursuing.

His eyes drift from one grave expression to another, each clearly aware of the stakes.

It pained him greatly-

The knowledge of what they were facing.

The battle they were about to engage in.

Pained and terrified him.

It was rare he lamented his age, he found great satisfaction in the wisdom he'd garnered through the ages-

But with affairs as they were-

He felt impotent.

Two hundred years prior, he would have been able to dismantle the entirety of their current predicament-

Showed these children-

No.

He needed to stop that.

As much as he loathed it-

Agonized over it-

Not a single member of this table was a child.

Born to a world of darkness and evil.

Even the most benign of them had lost their innocence long before his interference-

Something he'd never be able to forgive himself for.

How they managed to maintain their warmth and compassion in such a cold, cruel environment was nothing short of astonishing.

That in and of itself would have been enough for his growing admiration, and had earned his unyielding respect.

He looks down as a stack of papers is passed to him, the written reports of Beam, James, Harry, T, and Faustina.

A knot, like a serpent attempting to eat itself, makes him nauseous as his eyes travel down a list of names Faustina remembered seeing at the Howler.

What fate had befallen his students?

"Oh."

He looks up in time to see Harry sitting up straight after leaning in towards Faustina.

"We be havin' the Core's blades. You an' James can be takin' yer pick o' those 'til Gil an' Deez be settin' ya up."