The Mask of Memory

Kaname raced down a dirt path, it had been a few days since leaving the Nemean Lion Guild. He continued to run down the path, as he did he began to remember what sent him on this journey.

~A Few Hours Earlier ~

Kaname slowly walked up to the top of the Nemean Lion Guild, after the defeat of his creation he felt relieved yet sadden at the same time. As he made his way up to the top he could see Razalpihon standing looking over to Neo Arcadia. "You wanted to see me Raza?" Kaname said as he reached to the of the stairs. Raza turned around "Ah Yes, but first how are you feeling?" Raza questioned as he walked over to Kaname. "I felt better, but it need to be done" Kaname said as he looked a Raza.

"That may be true" Raza said he in a questionable tone. "In any cause, I have some information that you will want to see". He said as he walked over to Kaname and handed him a letter. "It's info about your sister, it seems that we may have a lead on her". Raza said, as he could see Kaname's eyes widen after hearing the word sister.

He quickly opened the letter and read over it. He turned around and began walking away, "thank you" Kaname said as he quickly ran down the stairs. Raza smiled and turned back around.

~The Present~

As Kaname ran he noticed a small village growing in the distance, he had been running for what seem liked hours. The closer got to the village he began to slow down, then coming to a slow walk as he entered it.

Near one of the bars, A cloaked person was inside the bar, taking a drink as he looked over his shoulder to see the man panting heavily as he continued to take in his drink.

Kaname slowly walked up to the bar and set down, he breathing slowed slightly as he did. The bartender walked over to him "can I get some water" Kaname said to the bartender, who knodded an walked away. Kaname pulled out the letter and looked over it again. He looked up and around the bar for a few moments, before returning his gaze to the letter. A few moments later the bartender set a cup of water in front of him "thank you" Kaname said he the removed his hood, revealing his white hair and the large cross shaped scar on his face. He downed the water in mere moments and ordered another one.

"You seem to be in a hurry, why the rush?" The cloaked man said as he was sitting next to him taking his time with his drink. "I can understand being in a hurry to see some friends, but you, you seem to be more in a hurry to look for someone" He said drinking until his glass was empty.

Kaname looked at the cloaked man "this someone if very important to me" he said as he contiuned to look at the man. The bartender brought him another glasss of water, this time he slowly drank it instead of chugging it. "So, who are you?" he questioned.

"Names Debo, Debo Hawkin" He said offereing his hand to shake, "And what do I call you friend?"

Kaname looked at his hand for a few moments before shacking it "My name is Kaname Soga".

"Interesting name, I've heard it before, but I can't quite put my finger on it" The stranger said as another refill was brought for both of them.

"Well I can say that if you have been to Neo Arcadia, that is most likely the place you may have heared it from. If not, I would like to know how you heard it" Kaname said as he finished drinking his water and waited for a refill.

"I've heard rumors of some people from time to time, some about different types of people, though I heard a man about a scar on his face and is very dark-skinned, the details people told me were somewhat exaggerated, but I guess the only way is to see it with one's own eyes" He said finishing his drink and leaving some jewels on the counter to pay for his two drinks as he stood up and began walking out of the bar.

"Hmm, thank you for the drinks" Kaname said as he watched the cloaked man walk out of the bar, he contiuned to watch for a few moments until the man was no longer visitable. He then turned around and finished his drink before looking at the letter again, he stood up started walking to the door.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, explosions could be seen as the cloaked man was seen dodging spell after spell sent to him by two bounty hunter's as they glared at the man. "Well lookie here, looks like we found Mr. Debo Hawkin, that reward is ours!!!" One said as the other sent out another spell at him, causing the cloak to be knocked out revealing the face that Debo had as one eye was seen but the other wasn't.

As Kaname walked out of the bar he heared and dodged several explosions with ease "well what have I walked into here" Kaname said as he looked around. He could see the man he was talking to before, but was uncloaked "well that is an interesting face" Kaname though to himself as her looked at the man. He could see the man being attacked by two mages, he quickly moved over to the mans side "do you need some help?" Kaname said with a smile.

"Naw, I got these two" He said with a smile as he closed his visible eye and focused his energy as another spell came after him, but in that instant, punched it back like it was nothing, sending it flying back to it's user as it exploded right in front of them, knocking them out. "Too easy, but I must leave quickly" He said hearing a woman scream demon as he grabbed his cloak and ran out of the village.

"I guess I should get going as well" Kaname though to himself as he watched the man run out the village. Moments later he to ran out of the village, heading toward his destination. "I need to find information about this Shadow broker organizatio" Kaname said as he contiuned to travel.

After a while of walking down one of the main roads with his cloak on, but began to notice that some people were following him, hiding in the shadows as he kept his cool and calm.

As Kaname contiuned to a path, he couldn't help but think about what he saw "I wonder what was that mask he was wearing" Kaname said "well, I'm sure we will cross........." Kaname stopped talking for a few moments "It seems I have some visitors" he thought to himself. He  contiuned to walk as not to let them know he was aware of their presence. "I count about twenty men" Kaname thought to himself as he walked.

Debo smiled as suddenly three shadows came at him with blades, which he easily disarmed and slammed into the ground, then looked up to find that he had been completely surrounded by people wearing black. "Debo Hawkin?" One said with a deep voice.

"Who's asking?"

Right after saying that, Debo began fighting off each one of them easily overpowering some as the others began to use other magics against him.

After a few moments of walking, the figures jumpped out of the shadows "White hair, a large cross shaped scar on his face. This must be Kaname Soga"  one of the figures said. "It seems like you have me at a disadvantage. You know me, but I don't know you" Kaname said to the figures. The figures didn't say anything "I guess I will have to find out myself" he said has placed his hand outward getting into a battle stance.

Debo quickly kept running through the forest, dodging and attacking each person that came after him as he eventually made his way to a clearing, only to find the same person he just talked to there, fighting his own group as he quickly knocked some of them out.

As the foot soliders swarmed Kaname, he knocked several of them out and threw a few a great distance away. Aafter a few moments of fighting, he noticed the same man he was talking to appear a few feet a way from him. The man was followed by a group of man dressed in the same atire as the ones that attacked him "well this is something" Kaname said as he looked at the man.

"Huh, I didn't expect to find you here" Debo said quickly punching another person that tried to attack him and taking on the others that came after him and Kaname as well.

"It seem like they want something from us" he said as he throw one of the attackers into another. "I think we should find out what they are after" Kaname said as he began to smile.

Debo smiled as the two continued taking down most of the other grunts until only a handful were left, which caused them to make a desprete attempt to run away, but one was caught by Debo and Kaname as he was held down to the ground.

"Sorry, but you need to talk with us first before leaving" Debo said with a smile that made the grunt tremble in fear.

"Lets find out what you know" Kaname said as he walked over to the man. He placed his hand on his mans head, after a few moments the man passed out. "These pawns a members of the Shadow Broker Organization" kaname said as a more evil looking  grin formed on his face "It seem like they have saved my a lot of time in finding you guys".

"Shadow Broker? Never heard of them" Debo said as he tossed the grunt over into the the forest, letting him stay there until he woke up.

"They aer a group of Intel hunters, gathering, trading, and selling secrets to those with deep enough pockets. I'm glad they decided to find me" he said looking a Debo.

"What exactly do they have that you are looking for?" Debo asked as he looked over to Kaname, in his mind, all he could think of was how intel brokers weren't exactly the most trustworthy of people, and the Shadow Broker didn't sound any better.

"I have info that they have my sister. I'm going to find the base and destory them until I find them" Kaname said looking at Debo.

"If these people have more following them, then this isn't just a normal job, with your permission I'd like to join you on this journey" Debo said looking right into Kaname's eyes with his own masked covered ones.

"I don't mind" Kaname said looking right back at Debo "from the information I got this grunt, they have base not to far from here". After finishing his words, Kaname began walking with Debo walking next to. As the two men walked they exchanged pleasantries, telling each what guild they belonged, and joking with one another. The two walking for what seemed like hours, eventually day gave way to night.

The two eventually reached a small river "it's not much futher from here" Kaname said as he looked at the river "I would say we make camp here for the night".

Debo nodded as the two started to set up camp, each one doing a specific task as they finally had everything together and were now simply waiting for the fish they caught to be done cooking. "So I've been meaning to ask, I saw the emblem you have on your body, are you in a guild?" He said taking a drink from the canteen he filled with water.

"Yes, I am from the Nemean Lion Guild. Which is located in Neo-Arcadia" Kaname said as he looked at the mask on Debo's face. "So that mask, what is it" he questioned.

Debo sighed after hearing the question, adding another log to the fire as he poked it closer with a stick, "Back in my younger days, I used to play around in this deserted temple, we thought it was just any normal ruins, but we uncovered a mask. I accidentally put it on me and it turns out it was called The Wreath Mask. After putting it, I nearly massaqured my own village with it's evil magic" He said shuddering.

"I see. Seeing that you still have it on, must mean you are unable to remove it" Kaname said as he looked at the mask. "It seems like we both had a rough childhood" Kaname said letting out a little laughed before looking at the fire.

"True, though for one of us, we have an army to try and keep under control, this mask serves not only as an enahncer, but it also has warriors I can summon at will. Problem is, the mask is constantly trying to take over" Debo said checking the fish to see if it was ready to eat yet.

"An army at the price of being taken over, that is something" he said as he looked at the mask "So what can this army of yours do?".

"They follow my command with this thing on me, not only that they have the ability to use Iron Blood Magic, and I am able to create limitless numbers of them" Debo replied seeing the fish finally cooked as he and Kaname grabbed one and began to eat.

"That can be very useful when fighting a large amy" Kaname said as he took a bite of the fish. "I don't think I've heard of Iron Blood Magic before" he stated as he finished of the fish and took another.