Page 11 of Between Ghosts and Gods

Kasu pressed her lips into a thin line. After years working at Camellia House’s exchange desk, she was an expert in fair trades. She knew better than to agree to a deal without seeing the goods.

“Where is the mask? I need to see it before I can decide how much it’s worth.”

“Do you doubt my craftsmanship? My masks are unmatched! Impeccable! Astonishing!” the Sage blustered, but Kasu held her ground and eventually he gave in. Switching masks to one of timid reluctance, the demon wrung his bottom pair of hands together. “I suppose you can take a peek. Here – and wipe your grubby little hands before you touch it.”

Kasu did as she was told, scrubbing her hands against her dress before taking the mask.

Thankfully, it was not made of skin and flesh. The aura mask had been carved from sturdy oakwood, sanded down, polished and varnished until it was as smooth as an eggshell. It covered only the top half of the face and had crimson spider lilies painted around the eyes as if they were blooming from inside the holes. The rest of the mask was ivory white except for the symbol for nothingness painted on the forehead. Just holding it, Kasu could feel it working, muffling her aura.

“Exquisite, isn’t it?” The Sage wore a wheedling smile. “As I said, this is my last one, and I’m very fond of it. I won’t part with it easily.”

Kasu’s hopes dropped like a stone down her gullet. She didn’t think she had enough funds to buy the mask after all.

“Maybe I could … borrow the mask instead?”

The Sage reared back, quickly changing his mask to one with a sharp, offended expression. He opened his mouth to say something snippy when an awful crash shook the walls, followed by the snap of floorboards breaking as Ruo plummeted through the ceiling and into the room below. As the cat landed squarely on all fours, one of their tails caught against the jar Kasu had brought and knocked it to the ground, spilling wine all over the floor.

“There you are, Kasu! I was looking all over for you,” Ruo chirped, seemingly unconcerned by the fact that they had just fallen through the floor and taken a good chunk of the ceiling with them.

“Ruo!” Kasu stared at the cat aghast.

The Sage looked at Ruo with all the disgust of someone who had just discovered a cockroach in their house. “Young lady, did you bring this – this thing – into my abode?”

“Who’s this, then? Have you found the Sage of Ten Paces yet?” said Ruo.

“Sage of a Thousand Faces!” Kasu hissed.

The Sage’s four arms groped the length of his walls. “I – I – oh dear, oh no, where is it?” he spluttered, until at last he found the red mask of fury and placed it over his face, bellowing, “HOW DARE YOU! COME HERE AND LET ME RIP YOUR HEAD OFF!”

“I am so sorry!” cried Kasu. “It was a mistake! We’ll help fix—”

“YOU CAN HELP BY GIVING ME YOUR TONGUES!”

The demon swiped his mantis-like arms at Ruo, but the cat dodged the blow and leapt right at the demon’s head. The Sage toppled backwards as Ruo knocked the demon’s mask to the ground.

At last, Kasu got a glimpse of what was beneath – nothing. The face underneath the mask was nothing but an expanse of pale, warped flesh without eyes, a mouth, nose or any other features. Clutching a pair of hands over his head to hide his facelessness, the Sage thrashed soundlessly and groped about for another mask.

The first one he picked up was grinning, the eyes two perfect crescents of mirth. “Oh, hahaha, good one! Very clever! You’re a bright little miss, aren’t you?” the Sage chuckled before flinging the mask away and grabbing another. This one seethed with a quiet rage.

“How dare you,” he growled. “Who do you think you are to come into my house and destroy it? I’ll have your eyes, young miss. I’ll sew your mouth into an eternal scream!”

“Please, O Great Sage, we can talk about this!” Kasu held up her hands.

The Sage did not want to talk. The Sage wanted to rip her face off. As he lashed out at her, his hand accidentally knocked the lantern from the table. It fell into the puddle of wine, igniting it.

While the Sage screeched, Kasu clutched the aura mask to her chest and ran.

“I’m so, so sorry! I’ll return this as soon as I can, I promise!” she yelled behind her as she fled.

The only reply she received was a howl of rage.

Beyond the blazing room, past the rickety stairs, out of the house and through the narrow fog-covered alley, Kasu did not stop running until she hit the lantern-lit main streets of Ghost City.

“So … when are we going to see the Sage?” asked Ruo.

In all your dealings with others, show grace, modesty and patience. Kasu swallowed back the burning coals in her mouth.

“It’s fine; I already have what we need.”