Headed by a Snake

Nova tugged again at her mask... but it was useless. And Notaku was JUST as useless! He didn't even offer to help!

She was beyond embarrassed.

One of the first things the Masked Ones learned was how to don and remove their masks. Notaku was the one who taught her.

His mana control was surprisingly precise for him being such a big dummy.

Yanaba... was not a patient woman. She and Nova argued often-- usually over something her brother did. She could be sweet, yes... but usually Nova's unreasonable tantrums turned into a shouting match between them.

She was holding back.

Something... was wrong.

"Yan-yan..." Nova pursed her lips underneath her mask... "Why... are you being so nice to me?"

Yanaba shut her eyes... not answering.

A tiny sliver of fear in Nova's heart started to grow in size.

She brushed the surface of her mask... "What... am I... crying?"

She bowed her head low, trying to hide it... "(I'm sorry...) I'm so sorry... (This is unbecoming of me as a warrior.)"

Nova took a deep breath before getting up and stomping over to Notaku. She pointed an angry finger at his chest as she ugly cried, "(This is all your fault, Growling-Bear! Why are YOU crying, HUH?! Who did you lose that you care for??)"

No answer.

Typical!

Coward...

"(Ten years, Growling-Bear!)" Nova shouted, "(All those years, I've shone brighter than the stars... hoping that you would see me! And now... you shed tears for someone in your heart while I stand in front of you?! TELL ME! Who IS SHE?!??!??)"

Notaku turned his head up... and Nova saw only pain...

"(It is you, Chases-Butterfly.)"

Yanaba turned to him, disgust and disappointment clear from her scowl, "Empty night, you fool brother... (Have you forgotten how to speak kindly?! Or has your head always been this empty?)"

Notaku shook his head, "(Chases-Butterfly will not understand if I do not speak plainly.)"

"Wait..." Nova sniffed, "What... what are you saying?"

"You are both. absolute. idiots," Yanaba glared.

"No, no... no...." Nova shook her head and pointed down, "(Tell me truthfully. Who... whose remains are those? They are not mine. They cannot be!)"

She grabbed hold of her mask and pulled, "(I can remove it! Watch me! Please!!)"

It was a joke.

Nova had become nothing more than a joke.

The Chieftain and the First Warrior stood in silence as they watched her try to remove her mask... but it... was impossible.

It wouldn't come off.

She was dead...

The magic in the Mask of the Forgotten King was her spirit intact... but it wouldn't last forever. It probably wouldn't even last until sunrise.

"...(Who killed me?)" Nova asked in a hoarse whisper.

She couldn't think straight, anymore. Her vision was turning red. She felt her heart twisting... being consumed by the desire for vengeance.

She hurried over to one of the human corpses and drew the sword on their waist, "(Tell me! Meets-the-Enemy! Growling-Bear!! I must claim my revenge!) No one gets to kill me and live to get away with it!!"

"Nova," Yanaba raised her voice.

The tone she took wasn't that of a gentle Elder Sister, but was from the Chieftain of a respected tribe. The command... the magic in that single word washed over Nova... and her fiery rage smoldered to glowing embers.

"Calm yourself," The woman pursed her lips... "(Rage will only weaken your connection to this Realm. Is that your wish?)"

Upon wearing their enchanted masks, the Masked Ones skirted the thin line between life and death. Nova, Notaku, Yanaba... everyone trained to keep their strong emotions in check.

Sisterhood. Loyalty. Justice.

Those were the only things permissible to think about.

Otherwise... they would fall... to anger... to fear... to grief.

Once a Masked One's judgment was so clouded, they'd lose themselves... they'd become vengeful, violent ghosts... mindless monsters that the others would be forced to kill.

Nova was better than that.

But...

"I... I didn't want to die..." She whispered.

"(Sister,)" Notaku turned to his sister, "(Grant us a moment of privacy.)"

Yanaba grimaced in displeasure, but nodded... "(We will not pursue the humans tonight. They have retreated towards that place...)"

She looked up to Notaku... "(I will leave... but you will reveal your heart to her. If you do not, I will kill you.)"

Placing her cold, unfeeling mask back on her face, Yanaba returned to being the Chieftain of the Ebon Mask Tribe, "(Do not test me, Growling-Bear.)"

Notaku inclined his head, "(I understand, Chieftain.)"

After Chieftain Yanaba left, Nova tossed aside the sword in frustration... "(You believe I am useless, Growling-Bear... I said so much... but in the end, I died.)"

Suddenly, Notaku collapsed to his knees.

The huge man smashed his forehead into the blood and sand without hesitation.

"(E-elder Brother!!)" Nova yelped, "(What are you doing?!)"

"(I am at fault, Chases-Butterfly!!)" He cried out, "(I was not there to defend you!)"

"Wh-what? No! (What are you saying?!)" In a panic, Nova knelt down beside him, "(You spearheaded the attack! I'm not a coddled child, Growling-Bear. I'm a warrior, like you!)"

Nova gulped... "(And... and I died. Even... the towering trees wither and fall...)"

Notaku refused to lift his head, "(I am sorry.)"

Loyalty. Brotherhood. Justice.

Love.

Nova could no longer be angry... She was... a little regretful, sure-- but the pain felt by the dead was nothing, compared to the suffering of those left behind.

"Okay... Okayyyy..." She groaned as she tried to lift Notaku by the arm. He was... very heavy, "(You are forgiven. Stand tall, First Warrior.) Come onnn."

After so much pleading-- mixed with scolding, Notaku finally got to his feet... ugly tears still streaming down his face.

"Ughhhh, you look hooorrrrrible," Nova shook her head.

She felt a little bad about it... but that she could bring the invincible First Warrior to tears made her unbeating heart flutter.

Notaku was painfully honest... stupidly straightforward... and loyal beyond a fault.

She loved him for all that and more.

"Alright, you big crybaby," Nova smiled, "(Say what you need to say.)"

Notaku sniffed and balled up his fists.

"(Else, I will summon your sister,)" Nova warned.

The big man shook his head like a petulant child.

Nova put her hands on her hips, "(Or I'll haunt you.)"

Notaku finally turned his head up... "(Can... you stay with me... forever?)"

"(That...)"

...Nova wondered if her elder brother might be a genius, after all.