Baston fell asleep without realizing when the exhaustion had taken him.
Inside the old book, time had no meaning. There was no sun, no shifting shadows, and no passage of hours to anchor his awareness.
It was a space that was detached from the world where even the concept of day and night dissolved into nothingness. The only way he could measure time was by observing the outside.
When he awoke, it was not to any sound or disturbance but simply because his body had rested enough.
He opened his eyes slowly, instinctively turning his awareness outward.
Beyond the book, the world was still dim. The darkness still lingered but it was no longer absolute. A faint and pale hue stretched across the horizon which was subtle and refreshing. The dawn was approaching.
He remained still and the hesitation started lurking inside his heart once again.
Should he move now or wait?
He was still weighing his options when the sound of footsteps broke the quiet atmosphere.
It was measured and steady, approaching toward his spot where the old book was still hidden. From his view, there were three people.
He focused his perception more sharply.
As they came into view, their attire immediately revealed their identities. They should be the kingdom soldiers since their uniforms were unmistakable.
He focused himself completely and listened, wondering any information he could take advantage.
"Have the others found any clue yet?"
"I don't know…" another replied with a tired face, "But judging from the leader's orders last night of forming small groups and patrolling, I think everyone is still searching."
"What a mess…" the third muttered, "I never thought we'd be dealing with an enemy like this."
"Yes…" the second continued and his voice was quieter now, "We've been here for several weeks and not even once did we realize something was watching us."
"At first, everyone was focused on the mission," he went on, "We trusted the magic barrier completely. We were certain that no one could bypass it without triggering an alert."
"And yet, a small animal slipped through," he said bitterly, "Something so insignificant that no one paid attention. Even the leader, he was too stressed to notice. Only after everything did he realize how careless we'd been."
"That's why this enemy is dangerous," the first said, "They are smart and patient. If they can build a hidden lair in a place like this…"
"Hey…" the third snapped, "Watch your mouth. Don't talk about that here."
"Relax…" the first replied, lowering his voice, "It's quiet here. No one's around…"
The silence echoed and their footsteps faded gradually, leaving the surrounding calm down once more. Inside the book, Baston let out a slow breath.
"So… that's how it is now…"
From what he had gathered, the situation had tightened far more than he anticipated. The soldiers had grown cautious. Their movements were now more disciplined and stricter with no one acted alone anymore.
And all of it were stemmed from yesterday's coincidence.
He frowned slightly because they were overthinking it.
He hadn't been observing them for several weeks. He had only approached the area the day before.
At the time, he had sensed nothing unusual with no obvious barrier and no visible detection mechanism. It had seemed safe, too safe that he forgotten everything.
The magic barrier must have been extremely subtle, concealed to the point that even he hadn't noticed it. And because of that single oversight, everything had changed.
The puppets had been spotted and the soldiers had been alerted. This event made the security became stricter.
It was a troublesome situation created entirely by his own miscalculation.
He clicked his tongue softly.
Now, sending out small creatures like rats or birds was no longer viable. Every movement of such creature would be scrutinized.
He needed another method. Fortunately, the puppets were not limited to the animals.
If becoming animals were no longer safe, then he would simply become something they would never suspect which were humans.
Not only could his puppets transform into animals but they could also take a human form. More than that, they could mimic the expressions, posture, and even subtle behavioral cues as long as he directed them carefully.
It was such a risky move but it was also the most effective.
Baston did not act immediately.
Instead, he paused to refine the idea, replaying the earlier gestures of the soldiers in his mind. Their patrols had not been rigid nor perfectly disciplined.
The fatigue had dulled their sharpness, leaving a small inconsistencies in their behavior. Some dragged their steps slightly while the others responded a fraction too slow. A few even let their attention drift when they thought no one was watching.
That imperfection was important.
If his puppets moved too perfectly, they would stand out. But if they mirrored that subtle exhaustion with just enough to appear human, they would pass unnoticed.
He adjusted his control accordingly.
The posture would not be stiff but slightly relaxed. Their reactions would carry a faint delay and even their gazes would shift occasionally as if they were burdened by long hours of patrol. It was a delicate balance between the control and imperfection, one that required his careful attention.
Only after settling these details did he proceed. He made his decision and without hesitation, he summoned his three puppets.
They emerged silently and their forms were shifting and reshaping until three human figures stood in their place. Their clothing matched the kingdom soldiers perfectly, down to the smallest detail.
One of them picked up the old book and concealed it within its attire.
Then, the three figures began to move calmly and naturally like any other patrol unit.
"So far… so good..."
They walked along the designated paths, maintaining their own formation. Soon, they encountered another group.
Baston guided the puppets to respond casually with simple greetings. It was done by slight nods with nothing excessive. Just enough to blend in without drawing attention.
However, the perimeter was another matter.
It was tightly controlled with multiple groups stationed at key points. They were overlapping strictly and even if he slipped through one layer, the others would notice.
The brute force also was not an option. He needed an opening so he waited for the opportunity to come.
Several minutes passed and as the patrol continued, he gradually steered his puppets toward the areas where several soldiers had begun to gather. Some leaned against the walls while the others sat briefly, rubbing their eyes or stretching their stiff limbs.
The fatigue was setting in which was a perfect situation for blending into the group. Soon, he listened toward the recent conversation.
"How is it going?" one asked.
"Do you really want to ask that?" another replied with a tired glare, "It's freezing here… We barely slept and we've been patrolling all night for nothing. It makes me wonder what we're even doing here."
"We don't have a choice," someone else said, "You don't want those dark wizards escaping, do you?"
"Of course not," the first muttered before he continued after a pause, "I'm starving… Let's get a breakfast first…"
"You'll have to wait," another man gave his response, "We can't all leave at once. Some of us need to stay here."
A groan followed but there was nothing they could do except waiting for the others. After all, they knew how important the mission they handled at present.
"I hope they will hurry up. I could eat two steaks right now."
"Who eats steak in the morning?" someone chuckled, "You think you're a noble?"
The conversation was brief but it was enough. Baston had found his opening which was the food. It was a simple and unavoidable human need.
The groups rotated in shifts to eat. They left in small numbers then returned before the others took their turn. Such occasion meant the movement in and out of the perimeter was allowed with controlled shift.
There would be few checks which he could take advantage.
He narrowed his eyes. If he could pass those checks, then he could flee from this place.
*****
Fifteen minutes later, Baston saw his chance.
A group returned from their break while another group prepared to leave. He moved along with the groups.
The three puppets advanced toward the perimeter, merging seamlessly with the outgoing one.
Despite his outward calm, a thread of tension tightened within him because this would determine everything.
He forced his breathing to remain steady.
Even though his real body was hidden, the strain of controlling three puppets at once pressed heavily on his mind. Every step they took required constant adjustment. A slight misalignment in their pace, a delay in response, or even an unnatural shift in posture could draw attention.
He divided his focus carefully.
One puppet watched the guard, another observed the surrounding soldiers, and the last maintained the formation while ensuring nothing appeared out of place. It was not simply about moving forward anymore. His focus was on reacting correctly to anything that might happen.
He paid close attention to the small details.
How the others stood in line and how they shifted their position. The way they avoided eye contact with the people unless spoken to and even the faint impatience in their movements as the line progressed.
All of it mattered because one mistake could make his plan went awry.
He mirrored everything yet beneath that careful control, a single thought lingered. If this failed, there would be no second chance.
He would be exposed immediately and this time, escaping would not be as simple as creating a distraction.
The line moved slowly and one by one, the soldiers stepped forward. They spoke briefly with the people before they were allowed through.
By then, it was his turn. The guard looked up before asking the question.
"State your name and your division…"
"Sebastian from sixth division…"
The answer came smoothly yet the guard frowned.
He flipped through a document, pausing for a while before he flipped again. Baston felt it immediately that something was wrong.
The guard's expression darkened slightly, "I don't see your name here."
Of course, he didn't. After all, the identity didn't exist.
Baston had guessed and assumed that verbal confirmation would be enough but he produced a mistake, a critical one where the verification was strict.
The guard turned another page and the suspicion was building. There was no time and room for such hesitation.
Before the guard could speak again, a shadow swept across the ground.
It was a sudden rush of wind and a massive eagle beast plunged from the sky. It struck with terrifying precision and its talons seized the man before the guard.
A scream soon tore through the air, "AHHH! HELP! HELP ME!"
The eagle ascended instantly, carrying its prey skyward. Such a sudden event made the entire perimeter froze. Soon, a chaos erupted.
"DANGER! ENEMY ATTACK!"
"EVERYONE, WAKE UP!"
Several voices overlapped and many movements surged. Those who were still resting scrambled to their feet while the others rushed back from nearby areas.
All eyes turned upward, staring at the struggling figure who was twisted helplessly in the eagle's grasp.
The moments later, the bird released it and the body plummeted. A dull and sickening impact echoed as it struck the ground.
"NOOO!"
A cry of anguish broke through the noise.
Meanwhile, the monster soared away, vanishing into the distance.
No one pursued it because they couldn't. Leaving the perimeter could mean falling into a trap and they all knew it.
One man tried to break away, only to be restrained by his companion.
"LET ME GO! I HAVE TO SAVE HIM!"
"IT'S TOO LATE! HE'S DEAD!"
"How do you know that?! What if he's still alive?!"
"STOP! WE HAVE TO HOLD OUR POSITION!"
"He's our friend! Our childhood friend! How can you be so cruel?!"
The argument escalated and few fists were thrown.
The others rushed in to separate them. They were drowned by grief, anger, and helplessness.
The atmosphere shifted and it became heavy plus suffocating. Some people turned away while the others clenched their fists in silence.
"What a horrible event…" someone muttered.
"Those damn dark wizards…"
"They've gone too far…"
No one realized that it was all an illusion. From the eagle beast, the victim, and the chaos, all of it had been orchestrated by one person alone.
While their attention was drawn skyward, the alternative plan had already happened.
Beyond the perimeter, the puppet who was carrying the old book had been taken out. It was quickly dropped at a distance. The body were damaged but it was still intact.
Baston wasted no time. Its form shifted and its clothes changed into something else.
The moments later, an old woman stood in its place with bent posture, slow steps, and unremarkable.
Such frail person was sometimes invisible in the chaotic scene. Eventually, no one would suspect such a figure.
Meanwhile, within the perimeter, the remaining puppets stirred further unrest with fueling conflict and deepening distraction before slipping away and returning to the book.
By the time the calmness began to return, Baston was already gone.
The old woman walked steadily toward the market. She blended into the crowd and disappeared.
*****
Later, in a quiet alley, Baston resumed his true form. Only then did he allow himself to exhale fully.
He was out but not safe yet.
He moved toward a nearby restaurant since his hunger finally was making itself known.
Inside, he barely glanced at the menu before ordering the recommended dish. As he waited, the sweat still clung faintly to his skin.
If they discovered what he had done, there would be no explanations and negotiations. There would be only suspicion and torture if necessary.
He lowered his gaze. The old book rested securely with him.
It was his lifeline and his secret that something no one else could ever be allowed to know.
He understood that clearly now.
In this world, the truth was not always a virtue.
Sometimes, a lie was the only thing that could keep him alive.