BLACK MASK [MxM]

1. The Beautiful Guy Named Lavi Arutala

Banditi Island

At ten o'clock in the evening, Arsen Bathara stared out the window of his horse carriage as he began to feel sleepy. The pale full moon illuminating the forest path that night cast shadows on the leaves on the hard ground. The ground, compared to the blank canvas, has now shown how the shadows of the leaves make it appear alive.

The sight made Arsen reflect on how often he thought of himself as a blank canvas. The painting that hasn't been created there is a metaphor for his life. There must be something that will also fill the void in it later, who knows when, and until now Arsen still hasn't got that answer.

Not even a single clue.

When asked if he is satisfied with the life he is leading, Arsen is very satisfied. He had wealth, fame, power, and happiness he could buy—but that just wasn't enough. There was an empty part in his heart that demanded to be filled.

Next year Arsen will be 28 years old and he's a mafia in the underworld. In the void of his soul, he only had the ambition to stay high—as he is today.

The goal of coming to Banditi Island was to buy it in order to expand its illegal trading network. Arsen knew that the island was very remote and only a few people would come here because of the bad rumors spreading in his city. Rumor has it that the island is inhabited by tribal people who do not understand human language. After hearing this news, Arsen wanted to laugh. The modern people of the city must not know that his father owned the island and became the ruler of it. His father even built a palace as his territory.

Sometimes Arsen thinks his father might be an honor freak.

Even on the way there, someone informed him that his father was not in the palace, he was visiting an 'important' meeting with the elders and clan leaders on the island.

"Should I go to the meeting?" He asked sarcastically.

“No, Young Master. You don't have to attend the meeting. Master has been on his way to the Nara region since this afternoon,” explained a black-haired man. The man looked very friendly even though his face had a scar on his nose.

"Then why did I come here if my father's people left?"

The man named Rory Giyote smiled. "Of course to help guard the Bathara clan territory. Even though there are many great guards there, Big Master has never calmly left his territory."

"Isn't Kiril there?"

Oh, yes. Kiril Askara, his childhood friend. Arsen had not seen the man in a long time, the last time they had met was five years ago. Kiril was the grandson of an elder in the Askara clan who chosed to serve under the ruler of four clans who turns out to be Davion Bathara—his father.

If Arsen remembered correctly, some of the clan names on this remote island are Bathara, Askara, Nara and Agura.

And he didn't care.

"Kiril accompanies the Master as his bodyguard," Rory explained, he continued to smile in response to the young master whom he had nurtured since infancy. He considered Arsen to be his own son.

"Really? Is he that great? My father's bodyguard?" Arsen asked doubtfully.

Rory nodded slowly. "He is very good at fighting. Actually there is another great person in our palace. It so happens that he is currently guarding the Bathara territory, his name—"

Rory was unable to finish when the carriage stopped suddenly and someone shouted. Several guards heard a commotion about something ahead and Arsen immediately opened the window blinds.

"What is wrong?" Arsen asked, Rory following him through the window and finding them still in the middle of the forest. "Why did it stop suddenly?"

"Something is blocking our path, Young Master," answered one of the guards.

From Arsen's side he couldn't see anything that was going on up front. Two bodyguards nearby lined up blocking his view. Remembering his young master's curiosity, Rory stepped down and offered to take a look.

"Please, let me see it."

"It's Sir Lavi!" One of the guards at the front shouted. "Make way, take him on the horse and make sure someone else looks after him."

Arsen directly faced Rory. "What is that?"

Rory's face looked worried. "Looks like the injured person in front of us is Lavi."

"Who is that? I don't know him."

Rory frowned, couldn't believe Arsen didn't know his father's guard.

"Lavi is Master's right hand man, just like Kiril, and he is the soldier assigned to guard Bathara's palace tonight. I'm afraid that the reason Lavi got injured was because of the attack on our clan. Looks like we should go to the palace immediately."

Arsen was shocked.

"I'll take a look at it for a bit," Rory said, but Arsen raised his hand. The young master followed Rory into the crowd at the front.

A man named Lavi was laid on the ground as soon as Arsen approached him. The man's face looked very pale and he was in bad shape. Arsen saw that his black shirt was torn on his arms and stomach. Blood is seen flowing from there.

Suddenly someone came riding a brown horse from a distance. "Sir, Bathara's palace is under attack. The palace is now in ruins and the attackers have fled," he reported.

"Then where is the Master?" Rory asked.

"He hasn't returned from the territory of the Nara clan, several guards have reported to him."

Rory nodded, looking at Arsen. "Young master, we must hurry to the palace."

Arsen was still silent and busy looking at the man's white face with a difficult gaze. Somehow, Arsen felt he knew him—his face was familiar. How could that man be in the middle of the forest like this, especially when he was so badly injured?

"Young Master?"

"Get him on my carriage," Arsen said.

"Pardon?"

"I mean Lavi, this guy."

"But, it's filthy."

"You can't keep him waiting on the horse injured like this, can you?" Arsen looked at his bodyguard who was silently waiting for orders. "What are you waiting for? Take him now to the carriage and have someone look into him."

"Young Master—"

"I'm not in the mood for your opinion! This guy needs help or he will die." Arsen looked at his bodyguard. "We'll take him to the nearest hospital, run the horse."

"There is no hospital on the island."

Arsen frowned. He knew that this island was known to be remote and almost backward in the country's system, but he didn't expect that the hospital wouldn't even be here.

Arsen groaned. "Then what do you do if you get sick?"

"We're going to see a physician."

"Physician? Whatever! Get him onto my carriage as fast as you can."

Without taking orders twice, three bodyguards lifted Lavi's body and placed him in a horse carriage. The train was sufficient for four people. Arsen quickly rushed inside and offered his thigh to lay Lavi's head.

A few minutes later a old physician who was brought by Rory followed behind him.

"I've ordered my assistant to find some plants that are needed. He will be back soon. For that I will stop the bleeding with this cloth for a while."

The old man took a piece of cloth which he carried around to use in an emergency like this. He took off the top of Lavi's shirt and revealed cuts on his arms and gashes on his stomach. With so much blood coming out, the physician pressed the cloth against Lavi's wound firmly. And the unconscious man groaned softly because of the sudden pain.

"The wound is deep." The physician muttered while pressing Lavi's wound once again and the cloth was immediately drenched with blood.

Rory who saw him frowned. Davion had prepared some preparations for war in the event of a surprise attack like this one, but little did he know that they occurred frequently when Davion went to Nara territory and let the palace guard down.

For him, his master wouldn't be reckless like this. They both knew that Lavi was the great swordsman of their clan. But, how could such a great person be so badly injured? With this sudden incident, Rory was able to confirm that their attacker was indeed strong enough.

Arsen didn't seem to care what Rory thought, his hand was busy wiping the sweat off Lavi's face with the hem of his sleeve. This man was extremely beautiful even when his pale face was drenched in sweat. As his hand touched the man's skin, he was surprised to feel how smooth it was. Is that really a man's skin?

The assistant arrived shortly thereafter and handed over some medicinal leaves. The physician's large hands easily crushed the leaves, wrinkling them without using a pestle or mortar.

Without further ado, he pressed the potion mixture against Lavi's wound, causing the unconscious man to scream in pain and gasp. The healer ignored him easily as he rubbed the mixture by pressing it deeper into Lavi's wound once again, even as Lavi clenched his teeth in pain but remained unconscious.

"Hey, can you hear me?"

Arsen cupped the side of Lavi's head and tried to make him focus, but he only frowned, his arm falling to his side with a soft thud. Cold sweat drenched his skin and accentuated his weak condition. His breathing was irregular, but at least he was breathing. As soon as Lavi was completely unconscious under Arsen's hand, his head limped on the mafia's thigh.

"Start the horse!"

Orders were given from the squad leader on the front lines. The train swung and began to walk through the cold forest. As cold as the palm of the man Arsen is now holding.

***

Lavi heard the sound of tearing the cloth, and suddenly there was something wet on his abdomen made him gasp. He let out a choked sound as the pain increased along with the pressure.

He squeezed his eyes shut, squirming at the newfound pressure against his gaping wound. Then a man's face appeared in his blurry eyes, the man's hand was touching his skin carefully so Lavi tried to lift his head, but immediately gave up and let his head fall back.

The man said, "Ah, sorry, did I wake you up?"

Pain erupted throughout his body and Lavi bit his lip to keep from crying out. Tears pricked his vision and he squeezed his eyes shut. The angry wound momentarily blinded him with pain, causing him to throw his head back against the pillow. He swayed on the spot as his vision blurred yet again, and he could feel more blood oozing from his wound.

"Hey, open your eyes for me." Someone said.

His eyes cracked open but everything was slightly fuzzy like a camera that wasn't in focus. Not one thing had a particular shape. A few colors blended together and he blinked a few times. Blonde hair was right in front of his face, when he turned to the right.

Another voice said, "Young Master, this is going to hurt a lot. This healer asked Young Master to hold him for a while."

Hearing the voices, Lavi realized that he could not move at all, but a pair of hands pulled his gently and hugged his chest carefully.

Maybe he was in someone's arms?

However, before his mind could properly digest the situation, a cold liquid suddenly applied to his stomach, and he immediately gasped. The excruciating pain quickly left him burning and gasping for breath. One by one, beads of sweat poured down his pale forehead. Unconsciously, he bit his pale lips and could only let out a weak groan.

"If it hurts, just scream, don't bite yourself," a voice whispered in his ear.

"It hurts ... s-stop it," he said in a very weak voice.

Lavi never thought that he would always be in this kind of situation, always in pain everywhere. When the cold liquid was applied again, it was as if his stomach had been stabbed by countless knives. His vision darkened from the pain and the sound of his screams choking in his throat in a cruel manner. Every time he moved, the pain would only increase unbearably and tear his skin alive.

The pain grew immensely and his eyes opened with a cry of pain. All he could focus on was the blinding pain coming from every part of his body. As the cry halted in his throat, a whimper escaped. It was hard to make his mind focus on anything else, anything but the pain he was feeling.

"Wait, is that even the right medicine? He's in so much pain!" Someone angry nearby.

"Young Master, this healer doesn't dare to give the wrong medicine. This medicine has been used to treat soldiers for generations."

Lavi couldn't take it anymore.

The pain that felt like it was eating his body and the weakness spreading from his body at the loss of blood.

His memory immediately spins the incident where he was stabbed by one of the enemies, then he fled into the forest, and what happened after that, Lavi didn't remember.

"It's over," said an old voice and Lavi gasped for breath.

Then a dry cloth was carefully tied around his stomach and arms. But even that gentle gesture still made his lips groan.

"I'll be watching him for twelve hours from now on. Better not let him make any movement until the wound is completely dry. I've already drained the poison on his body and bandaged the wound well."

Between his blurry gaze, Lavi saw someone staring at him. "Get well soon, Sir Lavi. I'll be back to check on you later."

"Thank you, Doc."

Lavi heard someone's baritone voice and saw a man with blue eyes staring at him. They stare at each other. At that moment Lavi realized one thing; that the man had the same face as his master. He has tanned skin and bright yellow hair.

That person was like a clone of Davion Bathara.

The lord of the four clans.

"I-It hurts," he groaned.

His stomach felt uncomfortable between the burn and the pain. The pain was truly greater than when he had been injured.

"It's okay, it's only temporary."

It won't be temporary, it's swallowing him alive!

Lavi tried to open his mouth to say something, but no sound came out of his mouth. Suddenly, his vision darkened.

Arsen was surprised to see the man in his hands finally fainted from the pain, then covered him with a warm blanket and rushed out. Arsen saw Rory standing at the door anxiously.

"How is Lavi, Young Master?"

"He's asleep." Arsen sighed. "So, can you tell me what happened on this island?"

"That—"

"Has my old man never been tired of living like this? How many people wanted him dead? Did he really want to die?"

Rory bit his lip, Arsen looked so angry even though he never cared for Davion. "You know that the Master is the lord of the four clans, so many parties want his position to take over this island."

Arsen knows that!

"Then Lavi, who is he? Since when has he been the old man's right hand man?"

From Arsen's cold gaze and dark tone, Rory could not tell that the man was excited about all the facts about Lavi. The skinny man with a charming face quietly pulled his young master. In just a short time, when Arsen heard that man's weak voice on the verge of his consciousness, it was like there was a tremor churning out the deepest space in his chest.

It's so funny because his heart is beating fast for the first time ever for a man.

A man!

What is this?!

"You don't remember about Lavi?" Rory asked carefully.

"What do you mean?" Arsen's brows furrowed, then he continued in an urgent tone, "Oh, yes, where is that old man? I want to see him immediately."

"Master already knows that you want to buy this island." Rory explained. "He told you to wait."

"No! I don't care about this cursed island now."

Rory frowned.

Isn't Arsen here to buy Banditi Island? An island his father would never sell. Rory actually already knew this fact but sure couldn't tell his young master about it.

Rory looked at his young master again, who now seemed to be at war in his mind.

"I want to ask him something. I want him to give Lavi to me, as my servant."

"Sorry?"

tbc.