Smoke, Mirrors and Masks

The End

The stranger's story comes to end and they look up at Edward's painting before them, their mask sparkling softly under the low lights of the corridor.

"Where is it?" Rebecca steps forward, her brow furrowed into a tight glare. "The mirror, tell me!" She snaps to grab the stranger's the arm, but they jump back defensively.

"I don't know!" The stranger cries in offence. "Only Moon-Raven does."

Both you and Rebecca turn in panic as you hear the sounds of footsteps coming from behind.

"There's someone coming." The stranger peeks over your shoulder for a brief moment. They then step back and point down other adjacent corridor. "You have to go. Or you'll never find your brother."

"How am I supposed to find him if I don't know where the mirror is!?" Rebecca shakes her head in defiance. She turns to you and nods at the sword in your hands. "No, we wait for the Moon-Raven and force the answers out of him!"

You nod in agreement. But Stranger dismisses the idea by shaking their hand out in front of them.

"You would be a fool to do so." They explain. "The children have unearthed secrets far darker and dangerous than the sword you wield. Trust me, you need to flee. I know that your brother is alive. He wants to be found." The stranger taps their ear. "The mirror whispers to those who want to find it. Go, I'll try my best to delay them."

There's a sudden bang as a display case beside you explodes into a shower of glass. The three of you spin frightfully on the spot. There's a man standing a short way down the corridor, a black silhouette in the dim corridor light. Smoke dances from the tip of their smouldering shotgun. You all dart to one side, as the man reloads, and pin yourselves against the wall of the corridor you originally entered in.

"This is why I told you to go!" The stranger growls, prodding Rebecca's chest with a firm finger.

"I know you're down there!" A well-spoken voice cries out. The shotgun makes an unmistakable click as an extra cartridge is loaded in the barrel. "Just return the sword. There's no need for violence."

"Make use of the time I give you." The stranger snarls before stepping out into the open corridor with their hands raised in the air. "Don't shoot! We want to return it."

"Good." The man replies, "Step out one by one and throw the blade on the floor where I can see it."

You lean in close to Rebecca to interrogate her for ideas.

"I don't know!" She spits, "Help me come up with something!"

You turn from her. Standing across from you on the other side of the corridor is a display case. Your eyebrows jump in excitement and you lump Caliburn in Rebecca's arms. You race over to it and gently remove the wide glass box as the man continues to shout his demands. You place the display case on the floor and lift the item proudly from pedestal, a dull, bronze shield.

"What the hell are you going to do with that!?" Rebecca exclaims as you fix it on your arm with a smile. You trot back to her side and tell her to toss the sword into the adjacent corridor. "Are you crazy!?"

Your intense glare causes Rebecca to rolls her eyes before she begrudgingly throws Caliburn into the adjacent corridor. As it strikes the floor a metallic echo rattles throughout the corridor's close walls.

"That's a start..." The man murmurs. He nods the shotgun at the stranger who is still stood ahead as he begins to creep toward the sword. "Back up."

You watch as the stranger reluctantly takes a few steps backward. They glance to you and the shield then return their gaze to the gun man. Caliburn is in view, sitting idly in centre of where the corridor tees off. The low taps of the gun man's footstep grow more defined as he creeps closer to the sword. You look back to the stranger. They give a faint nod of the head and you burst out into the corridor.