Prodigy

Chapter 8

(No POV)

After the shocking discovery, the two friends decided to head back to the Village Of Dreams.

"Ugh...it's to cold here. I'll never get use to it.", Erasmus says as he rubs his arms. The snowfall was lighter than this morning but it was still as chilly as ever.

"Do you want my warmer?", offered Haku. As he was to the harsh weather he did not mind all that much but his friend was from that of a warmer climate. Last Haku checked they never had any cold nights.

"No need. I'll be fine." , says the other boy who sniffled, his nose turning red as he pulled up his cape's collar higher up to cover his nose.
"Let's get going. The faster we ask the Mask Maker the faster we can get out of here."

Haku merely nodded but decided to walk closer to Erasmus.

The snow was a few inches thick as they trudge on the path to the Mask Maker's shop. There was small lanterns that swung from a gentle breeze, though an eerily creaking noise could be heard from the old hinges that hold them together. The Mask Maker's shop was like any other building with a stone structure and their roofs covered almost completely by snow. It had a singular lantern that was tied to a post, a few empty pots lay out in the snow. A big sign with in very poor handwriting that says 'Masks for sale!' 'Get one now!! Made from wood that are from The Hidden Forest!!'

A sigh could be heard , "They never really change do they? Tch...tacky handwriting as always.", says Erasmus as he dusts some of the snow covering up the sign.

"Erasmus..."

"Yeah..Yeah. I know, it's just..gets on my nerves is all. I told them before making masks aren't gonna get you anywhere but now everyone is always wearing one. I mean like. Seriously can't we just not wear em? It's uncomfortable."

"You do realize we can take them off once we have at least finish the five trials."

"Yeah I know."
"Erasmus you never finished them."

"Can you really blame? You know I hate the dark! And the fire trial...Bah! Whatever. Let's just focus on the task.", Erasmus huffed as he knocks on the door before opening it. A soft jingle was heard as the two entered the shop.

"Ah! Customers!! Welcome! Welcome! Oh- ", a gentlemen clad in a jester like outfit appeared behind the counter. There was rows and rows of masks lining the walls. Some scary others cute and most plain. There were a lot of logs all bundle neatly in one corner while a few were strewn about the floor as if it had been worked on passionately only to be abandoned on the floor.

The average height man hopped onto his counter to have a better look at us, his carving tools falling onto the floor carelessly along with his work in progress. Haku winced at the tools clanging onto the ground. The jester like man's face could be seen slowly changing from confusion to pure excitement.

"Erasmus?! Haku!? Oh!!", the man almost tripped as he ran up to hug the two boys in a tight hug.

"Oh it has been to long! I remembered when you were still kids! Ohhhh your cheeks! I could just pinch you both-".

"ANYWAYS, old man. We here on business. Help us out would ya?", says Erasmus as he push the other off.

Haku merely tried free himself but failed.

"Still calling me old? I am just 5 years older than you, kids! Hmph! And now you still want my help." ,he says as he lets go of the two and pouted whilst crossing his arms.

Haku gave a side eye glare to Erasmus, cold grey eyes telling him mentally to just suck it up for once.

An unreadable expression crossed the other's bright blue eyes, before the skin under his eye twitched, taking a deep breath,

"We are sent to figure out why there have been dark plants that keep appearing and no they weren't naturally occurring. These were planted and we found evidence of your merchandise at the crime scene.", says Erasmus as he placed the piece of wood onto the counter. "Could we possibly have your cooperation on this investigation?", he says through forced smile.

"Hmph..", the hat he was wearing made a soft jingle noise as he turn his gaze to the material before picking it up and bringing out a magnifying glass from thin air.

"Oh this old thing. I don't continue making this mask anymore. Whoever this belongs to must be an old fellow from few seasons back.", he says as he puts it down on the table and began picking back up his carving tools that fell to the floor.

"How can you tell, Mask Maker?", asks Haku as he helped to collect the materials and a few documents that fell too.

"Simple! Haku! Most of my masks if not all have a small carving of the date! And lucky for you this little piece here that you have picked up happen to have the season's date carved right on it though only partially."

Erasmus who had finally calmed down leaned against the walls. "Do you have any records of person who purchased the mask?"

"Perhaps also what kind of mask it was.", Haku chimed in as he place the last of the tools neatly back onto the counter.

"So many questions yet so little time. Don't fret! As I have kept all my records in their own little cabinets. Just needs a little searchin!", the last sentence they heard before they had to turn whole shop upside down to look for the record in that specific 'little cabinet'.