The Mask Wearer (19 page)
Authors: Bryan Perro
In the meantime, Amos looked for Beorf in the crowd. He did not find him, so he decided to leave the city and search beyond its walls. Luckily, a full moon helped him see clearly in the night. As he walked through the fields, Amos was relieved to see Beorf appear at the edge of the forest. He called to him and ran to greet him.
“Amos, my friend!” Beorf cried out as the two friends hugged each other. “How happy I am to see you again! I’m looking for Medusa. I want you to meet her, but she has disappeared. Yet she was with me when … It’s the sorcerer who—”
“Beorf, we have many things to say to each other,” Amos interrupted. “Let us sit down and let me tell you an incredible story of friendship.”
Amos shared Medusa’s feelings with Beorf. He also revealed that she had sacrificed herself for him. Beorf couldn’t hold back his tears.
“I’ll never see her again, then. Isn’t that so, Amos?”
“I’m afraid that’s true, Beorf.”
A heavy silence fell upon them.
“She was so sweet and so beautiful,” Beorf finally whispered. “I loved her. I spent the most wonderful moments of my life with her. And her eyes … You should have seen her eyes.”
“I have to confess that I did my best to avoid seeing them,” Amos said. “Come now! Let’s go back to the city. We need distractions.”
Along the way, Beorf remembered that the last time he had seen Amos was when Amos had left to go to the woods of Tarkasis.
“Tell me, Amos, do you know now what a mask wearer is?” Beorf asked.
“Oh! Indeed I do! Watch carefully.”
Amos concentrated, slowly lifting one of his arms. A light breeze rose and surrounded the two friends.
Wearing an indelible mark on his forehead, Yaune the Purifier was locked in a wooden cage, carried away to the border, and exiled from the kingdom. Once released from his cage, the former ruler of Bratel-la-Grande took to the road like a beggar. The tattoo betrayed his true nature, and he was driven away from each village he crossed.
One night he unknowingly entered the realm of Omain,
ruled by Lord Edonf. There Yaune saw a small temple. He went inside, thinking that it would be a good spot to get some rest. A shiver went down his spine when he realized that the walls were made of human bones. Facing him, seated on a throne of gold, was a snake-headed creature. His skin was light red and his hands looked like strong eagle talons.
“Who are you and what are you doing here?” Yaune asked bravely.
“My name is Seth and I have a proposition for you. I offer you this sword, brave knight. It tears through armor and poisons all those it touches. A lord such as yourself cannot live without a kingdom. If you agree to be in my service, I’ll provide you with power and wealth. Your mission is simple: conquer the land of Omain and kill the ruler, Lord Edonf.”
“And if I refuse?” Yaune asked.
Seth smiled. “Well, if you don’t accept my offer, you’ll return to your life as a beggar and you’ll die poor, famished, and forgotten. Conquer the realm of Omain and I’ll offer you revenge over Barthelemy and Junos. You will recapture your former kingdom plus that of Berrion. Are you interested in my offer?”
Yaune smiled happily and extended his hand. “Give me the sword, Seth. I have a great deal of work ahead of me!” he answered.
Lady in White:
A woman of legends and tales found in many different cultures, the Lady in White helps humans accomplish their destiny.Seth:
In Egyptian mythology, Seth is the god of darkness and evil. The Egyptians linked him to the desert and often represented him as a man with a monstrous head. He is also linked to crocodiles and animals of the desert.
Basilisks:
In Europe, the Middle East, and some countries of North Africa, the basilisk was considered one of the most abominable creatures in the world. Since all those who were unlucky enough to see a basilisk perished, its true appearance is controversial. In 1544, in
Cosmographia Universalis
, the scientist Sebastian Munster described the basilisk as a wingless eight-legged creature. In the grand palace in Bangkok, Thailand, one can see a statue representing a basilisk.Fairies:
Fairies exist in many European cultures. Their size
varies from country to country. Each fairy is usually associated with a specific type of flower. These creatures protect nature, and time does not seem to affect them.Gorgons:
Gorgons are creatures of Greek mythology. In legend, they lived in the dry and mountainous areas of Libya. They were most often depicted as three sisters: Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa. Medusa was the most famous of the three and the only one who was mortal. The hero Perseus beheaded her.Humanimals:
Humanimals are present in the culture of every country. The werewolf is one of the most famous of these creatures. Sometimes kind, sometimes menacing, humanimals are divided into races and species. The full moon often plays an important role in the transformation of a human into an animal.Mermaids:
The origin of these sea creatures is not well known. They have appeared in the tales and legends of many cultures since antiquity. They are usually represented as very beautiful fish-tailed women who charm navigators.Merriens:
In Ireland, half-human sea dwellers are called merriens. A distinction can be made between them and other sea creatures because they always wear a red-feathered bonnet. This magic hat helps them reach their dwellings deep in the ocean. Females are very beautiful. The sight of a merrien is perceived as the omen of a storm. Merriens sometimes come ashore disguised as little horned animals.Nagas:
Nagas are humanimals that transform themselves into
snakes. Most nagas are linked with aquatic surroundings; those that live in the desert are called lamies. Nagas can reach a length of fifteen feet in their reptile form and live almost four hundred years. They can be found in the Sahara, in India, and in South Asia.
Bryan Perro
(
bryanperro.com
) completed training as an actor and a drama teacher at the University of Québec in Montréal and obtained a master’s degree in Québec Studies at the University of Québec in Trois-Rivières. He achieved his dream of becoming a full-time writer thanks to his bestselling twelve-book children’s series, Amos Daragon, which won the Québécois Children’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Award. Recognized internationally, the series has been translated into and published in eighteen languages.
Bryan Perro lives in Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, Québec, Canada.
Coming Soon!
Don’t miss the continuing adventures of
Having survived his first mission as Mask Wearer, Amos finds himself in new danger. An encounter with a mysterious girl sends him to Braha, the City of the Dead, where souls await judgment. To get there, Amos must give up his own life. And when he reaches Braha, he finds a place overcrowded with spirits, because the gods have locked the doors that lead to paradise and to hell.
A special key is said to unlock the doors—if it can be found—and unbeknownst to Amos, many are relying on him to use his ingenuity and intelligence to locate that key and restore order, as Mask Wearers are known to do. But Amos knows that even if he finds the key, he might never return to the world of the living.
