Behind The Mask
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But what followed was almost worse in its calm precision.
A man in robes stepped forward, chanting words I didn’t recognize, Latin, maybe older. The air thickened with incense and smoke as I repeated the vows whispered to me: words of secrecy, obedience, and eternal loyalty to the Order.
When it was done, Mr. Everhart turned to me, pride gleaming behind his mask. He reached for a name tag and pinned it onto my suit.
“Beta,” it read in bold, metallic letters.
He handed me a mask unlike the others, black, sleek, faceted like crystal, catching the candlelight in a thousand tiny reflections. As if it was made of diamonds. I lifted it slowly and tied the silken rope behind my head.