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The Royal Masquerade was the kind of event that changed destinies.
Once a year, the noble bloodlines, elite guild leaders, top-ranked magicians, and hidden shadows of society gathered beneath one roof. Masks were worn not to hide identities—but to speak the truth without consequence.
For Harvey, it was the perfect battlefield.
He didn't need a sword.
He didn't need spells.
All he needed was a name… and a reason to make them remember it.
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Preparation – The Mask of Erased Memory
The day before the banquet, Harvey visited a hidden section of the city—Veil Street, a place that didn't exist on maps. Only those who had died once could find it. And Harvey had died twice.
He entered a shop lit by blue candles, where illusions twisted the walls and time didn't seem to pass.
An old man greeted him.
> "So the Ghost returns," he rasped. "I wondered when the System's cursed spawn would come for a mask."
Harvey said nothing, only dropped a silver coin etched with runes—one that bore the Royal Crest, now outlawed.
The man looked up, startled.
> "You intend to confront them?"
"No," Harvey replied. "I intend to haunt them."
The mask he chose wasn't ornate. No gold, no gems, no family insignia.
Just cold black metal—smooth and faceless.
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Arrival – The Banquet Begins
The Grand Hall of Aetherborne Palace was awash in magic. Charmed chandeliers floated mid-air, orchestras played songs no human had composed, and enchantments protected every wall, every shadow.
Each guest wore their lineage with pride—sigils, spells woven into garments, family-colored crystals in their hair.
But when Harvey entered, silence rippled.
He wore no color. No crest.
Only black.
His faceless mask glimmered with a haunting sheen, and his suit was laced with null-magic threads—woven by an extinct branch of enchanters.
People turned to stare. A few stepped back.
And one voice in the crowd murmured:
> "...Is that the Ghost of the War?"
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Liora's Appearance
She hadn't planned to attend.
But when she'd heard from her informant that Harvey might be infiltrating the banquet, she changed her mind. Liora arrived late, dressed in a crimson gown, magic infused in every fold.
Her mask revealed half her face—symbolizing House Arevel's motto: "Half Truths, Full Power."
When she spotted Harvey, her eyes narrowed.
He was walking as if he belonged. Moving through nobles like a shark through still water.
But what truly unnerved her was this: He didn't look out of place.
He looked like he owned the place.
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The Dance of Secrets
An announcement rang across the ballroom: The traditional Masked Waltz was to begin. It was an ancient game. The rules were simple:
Pair with a stranger.
Dance.
Speak a single truth during the waltz.
Harvey stepped onto the floor.
Before he could move, a woman in silver approached—her mask was delicate, carved with ancient script. Her aura was too familiar.
> "Dance with me," she said, voice calm and commanding.
Liora.
Harvey said nothing but offered his hand.
The music began.
They spun, stepped, circled each other like predators in disguise.
> "You're not a commoner," she said finally. "That's my truth."
> "And you're not as blind as the rest," Harvey replied. "That's mine."
They danced in silence after that—tension coiled like a bowstring between them.
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The Assassination Attempt
As the last notes of the waltz faded, a tremor ran through the floor.
Harvey felt it before anyone else. The System pinged a silent alert.
> [Assassination Attempt Detected.]
[High-velocity spike magic inbound. Origin: Balcony—Eastern Hall.]
He turned his head slightly.
A shimmer of magic—barely visible. A needle of compressed space, aimed directly at his heart.
Harvey moved.
The spike passed through empty air where his chest had been a second earlier and pierced the marble behind him.
Panic erupted.
Screams. Movement. Guards rushing.
But Harvey was already moving toward the source.
He stepped onto the balcony and found the assassin cloaked in dimensional cloth.
> "Did you think I wouldn't see you?" Harvey said coldly.
The assassin tried to teleport.
> [System Override: Null Field Activated.]
Space shattered like glass. The assassin froze.
Harvey walked forward, eyes devoid of mercy.
> "Who sent you?"
"Y-You're supposed to be dead—"
"I'm not supposed to be anything."
A flash of blue.
And then silence.
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Aftermath – A Name Remembered
The crowd below didn't know what had happened. Only that someone had tried to kill the man in the black mask. And he had walked back down the stairs… unharmed.
Liora stared at him as he passed. Her mind spun with questions.
Who was he really?
And why, for just one second, had she seen a scar over his heart—one matching a wound from a war that hadn't existed in public records?
Harvey walked to the exit.
He paused by the grand mirror at the entrance—one enchanted to reflect true essence.
And for just a moment, the mask slipped.
In the mirror, not a faceless man stood—but a boy, forgotten by history, eyes burning with vengeance.
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System Notification – Quest Complete
> [Main Quest Completed: The Broken Banquet]
Objective: Infiltrate – Complete.
Assassination Survived – Complete.
Identity Uncovered: 1/3 Council Members Detected.
[Reward: Forbidden Archive Access Unlocked.]
[System Evolution Fragment Acquired.]
[New Passive Unlocked – "Mask of the Forgotten": Conceals all traces of soul history, even from gods.]
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