The island was huge. Trees and greenery erupted from a tall bowl of slate and rock, the waves crashing furiously against the flat stone at the base. Belial looked up at it from their vantage point. He’d used his smoke traversal, picking up two of his comrades and taking them out here to a large rock, jutting out of the ocean. Seaspray hit his trousers and shoes, the wind whipping at his suit. He could only carry two people at a time using his smoke traversal, otherwise, he would have brought more to crush Tiko right there and then. As it stood, he’d need to wait. The waters were much too rough for sailing, and by the time morning came and the sea calmed down they’d already be on their way back to shore. Belial wasn’t a fan of engaging in battles he wasn’t sure he could win and facing off against Tiko and his team in the middle of a town where they could find reinforcements was a battle destined to be lost. His hand would need to be seriously forced to enter into a fight under such inhospitable circumstances. He briefly considered heading back for the rest of the Masque, but… It didn't matter. If this wasn’t enough to take them out it would at least be enough to test Tiko and his team.

Belial looked to the sky. Dead of night. They were probably resting. This would be their best chance at taking them out. He smiled as Mordred and Andra, the two he’d brought with him, gathered around and Belial’s body came apart, turning to smoke and wrapping them both. He carried them up and past the cliffside, the smoke dispersing enough for them to simply walk onto the island. The smoke gathered and Belial stepped from the darkness, cracking his neck as he took the lead. He could sense Tiko and the others from here, pinpointing their location was child’s play for a demon of his calibre. He was sure Tiko could sense them too. He’d always been annoyingly good at that.

“Let’s do this,” Belial said, his men falling into step behind him as he started off through the trees.

Before they were even halfway to Tiko’s campsite, Belial had to smile as he was met with the large dark form of a bandersnatch. He hadn’t run into one for a very long time, so it was amusing to watch it stalk towards him like it thought it could do anything to him. His eyes moved off to the side, where another was stalking from the edge of a clearing they’d made their way into. Belial chuckled as the first creature pounced at him, claws and teeth flashing. The demon’s hand blurred, catching a paw and pulling as his leg came up, smashing against the monster cat’s ribs. It spun, flailing as it crashed into the underbrush and rolled, trying to come up after the awkward fall. Belial smiled a little wider and stepped back.

“Take care of them.” He said softly, Mordred drawing the new broadsword from his waist and Andra flexing his fingers. The second bandersnatch dashed in, claws whipping at Mordred so fast they blurred. Though the huge man was nimbler than he looked. He ducked the swipe easily and came up, sword splattering the plantlife with dark blood and he cleaved through the monster’s side. His swipe took him forward a few steps, back turned to the creature as it regarded him warily. The bandersnatch Belial had knocked down was back on its feet, snarling at Andra as the hooded man bore down on it. With a rustle of fabric, Andra raised an arm, several glowing sigils appearing in mid-air around the bandersnatch, one on the ground beneath its feet. The creature moved to pounce, but the sigil beneath it glowed bright orange and Belial watched in amusement as the monster was caught in mid-air, unable to move. Two more sigils spun rapidly, the one directly above the monster glowing brighter as they did so. Andra lifted his hand and simply clicked his fingers, a beam of light shooting from the large sigil, straight through the Bandersnatch, burrowing into the earth and kicking up brush and moss. The creature toppled over, dead. Belial watched as the remaining bandersnatch circled Mordred, panting heavily as blood flowed over the ground beneath it. Mordred held his sword down by his side casually, not even looking at the monster. Finally, the creature decided to try and finish the job, dashing in towards Mordred, darting to the side slightly and slashing for his back. What it assumed was his blind spot. There was a blur and a flash, Mordred’s forearm blocking the razor-sharp claws, batting them aside and that blade arcing around and digging right into its neck. With a heave, Mordred pushed through and sliced the monster straight in half. Blood erupted into the night air, splashing across the clearing as Mordred swiped his sword to the side and wiped the blade down using his fauld.

“Impressive display as always,” Belial said, nodding appreciatively, “It’ll make a nice warm-up for what’s to come.”

Mordred gave a curt ‘hm’ in response, sheathing his sword and moving off in the direction they had been walking before. Andra nodded, following. Those two never were the most talkative. Times like these he missed Myra. She was the one he’d always been able to talk to the easiest. The fact she’d said no to this excursion would have been a blow to Belial’s self-confidence in his younger days, but he understood. She hated being carried in his smoke traversal. Andra was a fine enough replacement, he supposed. Belial’s smile returned as they came closer to Tiko. It would be a night to remember, whatever happened.

They were getting close to the coast, Belial knew the sea was near. Which means Tiko and his group had set up camp in a nice large clearing. Perfect. His pace picked up as he moved between the trees and through the underbrush. He had been looking forward to this, the anticipation was killing him. He could sense them in the next clearing, and so Belial stopped in his tracks. He held up a hand to stop the others, and Mordred’s head turned to him fractionally. Belial understood and nodded, then motioned using his head that they were right there. Mordred laid a hand on his sword, readying himself for combat.

“Andra,” Belial said softly. The robed man understood immediately, pushing his billowing sleeves from his arms. Belial smiled and stepped back, Mordred staying still and allowing Andra to make the first move. If it wasn’t enough to kill at least one of them, it would throw them into an uproar and sow enough confusion for Mordred to just walk in and take care of it. Andra raised his arm, glowing sigils appearing at the trees that enclosed the clearing.

***

Kito frowned as he looked into the trees. It was pitch black past even the second layer of foliage so he couldn’t even make out vague shapes… But he could swear he sensed something out there. It had been bugging him for a while. There had been an explosion of magical energy that they all sensed, though the others had brushed it off as monsters clashing. Probably something they hadn’t run into yet. Though Kito knew it wasn’t that simple. He recognised the magic explosion, and while it was being hidden expertly, he recognised the presence he was picking up. He pulled his glove tighter, his eyes glowing as he activated his sight.

Katy gave Kito a peck on the cheek before slipping into the tent to get some rest. He shot her a smile as he continued to look around the outer edge of the clearing. He knew she would understand this behaviour. He had always seemed paranoid to some, but his need for closure and peace of mind had gotten him and his teammates out of rough patches more than once. Though just as he felt he was getting close to something, several sigils lit up the darkness surrounding the clearing. His eyes widened in shock as they glowed brighter for a split second before magic suddenly shot out of them in a burst of small energy bullets. Kito punched out on instinct, his own aura energy blasting from his fist and dispersing the magic aimed at him. He looked around quickly, the tent had been shredded but Katy stood surrounded in glowing green energy, looking irritated. Seiko was unharmed and Talya had her hand held out, a shimmering shield of silvery-blue energy floating in front of her. It retracted and she drew her longsword, walking up next to Kito as his gaze darted around. Seiko was looking around as well. Katy sighed heavily as the green energy surrounding her flaked and fell away, and she picked up her gladius from the cart. She was about to get her tunic, though she was interrupted by another barrage that they all blocked the same way. Katy tutted.

“I’d rather not just be in my bloody bra in the woods at night!” She growled irritably at the trees, electricity sparking around her blade.

“You sure you killed that mage?” Kito said softly to Talya beside him.

“Positive,” She replied, holding her longsword up with one hand, the other ready to throw another Sentinel shield up at any moment.

“Maybe he had a partner.” Seiko’s deep voice came from across the clearing.

“Didn’t seem like the type.” Talya shook her head as another barrage tore up the underbrush and they blocked it again, even more effectively than before.

“It’s them…” Kito said quietly as more sigils appeared around them, bigger than before. They spun in mid-air and gained in intensity before firing large beams of light. Kito was about to dodge but a green barrier had blocked the beam aimed at him. He shot Katy a smile and she nodded. She knew full well he didn’t have the defensive capabilities of the sentinel discipline. He caught Talya out the corner of his eye, rushing off away from them.

“There.” She rumbled, sprinting into the trees before all the sigils vanished. Clearly she had figured out where the mage was. Kito was about to follow when footsteps from the treeline stopped him in his tracks. Katy and Seiko looked over with Kito as a man walked from the trees, drawing a large broadsword from his waist. The three instantly brought their guard up, settling into stances as the man stopped in the clearing, several metres away from them. He was a giant of a man, dark armour covering him from head to foot, a leather fauld whipping at his calves and steel tassets hanging from a thick belt. A cloak covered his shoulders and flapped gently with the sea breeze.

“Mordred..!” Kito said, not quite believing. He was a member of Le Masque Noir, one of the people who had given them so much trouble during the war.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Katy said, sword up and stance tight.

“More to the point,” Said Kito, “What the hell are you doing alive? Last I heard, you’d been killed by Sirrisia Darkrayne at Yhor’Dheel.”

Mordred stood there for a few moments, then his head tilted, “I have nothing to say,” His deep voice rumbled from beneath his helmet, “Come at me, Red Mask.”