Chapter 11

Beware the devil in a man's disguise, for he'll lead you to the darkest of surprises.

-Unknown.

|K I R I L L|

The forest lay before me, a vast sea of towering trees that reached towards a moon shrouded in wisps of cloud. The sound of dried lips churned under my feets with each step taken forward by me.

Keeping the mask on, I continued my steps towards my destination. The moon, a mere sliver in the obsidian sky, cast its pale light upon the gnarled trees that stood sentinel in the darkness. My footsteps were measured, each one taken with purpose and unwavering resolve.

Fear was a foreign concept to a man of my background, a world where danger lurked around every corner.

I moved with the quiet confidence of one who had faced far greater threats than the enigmatic woods that surrounded me. The tangled underbrush reached out like ghostly fingers, but I pushed through, undeterred. Each rustling leaf and distant hoot of an owl were mere distractions, background noise in the grand symphon