In a dark underground prison, Elric—disguised as James Moriarty—looked at a chained young man. Slowly, he unlocked the shackles.
"I don't need your pity," the boy said in a hoarse voice as Moriarty removed the cuffs.
"I'm not giving you pity," Moriarty replied calmly. "I'm offering you a role. You can say no... and die tomorrow morning. Or come with me."
Rion stared at him suspiciously. "What do you get from saving me?"
"A shadow."
Silence.
Then Rion gave a bitter laugh. "You don't even know who I am."
"I know enough. You write coded messages with just two ink colors and create rhythmic patterns that can be used as ciphers. You're fast. Unseen. And you know when to stay quiet."
Rion snorted. "And who are you?"
Elric smiled. "James Moriarty."
---
In a ruined village destroyed by war, Moriarty walked calmly past angry villagers and toward a girl tied to a wooden post surrounded by flames.
"Stay away from her! She's cursed!" someone shouted.
Flames crackled. Stones were thrown.
But one cold voice silenced the crowd.
"Stop," Moriarty said.
"Who are you?! Don't get involved!"
"If she's a curse..." Moriarty's blue eyes glowed. "...then I'm her hell."
Dead silence.
The villagers backed away, scared.
Moriarty approached and cut the ropes binding the girl, Lysa.
"Why are you saving me?" she asked softly.
"Because your power isn't meant to be burned... but to be used. Follow me, and I'll take you to a place where you're not seen as a curse—but a gift."
"No one wants me!" she cried. "Everyone says I bring death!"
Moriarty gently brushed her hair from her face. "Then I will accept you, Lysa."
She froze. "How... how do you know my name?"
He smiled. "Because I'm Moriarty."
---
In a muddy trench on a battlefield, a wounded soldier was dying. Then Moriarty appeared from the shadows and handed him a water pouch.
The soldier's hand trembled. "You're not from Barforia..."
"Correct. I'm James Moriarty."
"Why help me...? I'm your enemy..."
Moriarty shrugged. "They tortured you, betrayed you, left you to die. You survived. They shouldn't have just thrown away their strongest knight. They don't deserve you. But I need you."
"I let a child who was a prisoner of war go... I betrayed my country. I don't deserve to live..."
"That means you understand what life means. And someone like that... will protect others better than anyone."
The soldier looked at him. "You sure about what you're doing?"
"I always am," Elric said. "I need someone who can fight... and kill without hesitation."
---
[Underground Base – Old Storage from the Aldia Empire]
Moriarty stood elegantly, wearing his mask and holding a silver cane. "Everyone's here?"
They nodded.
"Good. I'm creating a group that will rewrite the world's history—Ars Moriendi. You're all part of it. Each of you got a special magic scroll. Only you can read it."
"You sure about doing this now?" Rion asked, breathing hard.
Moriarty's glowing eyes met his. "Now or never."
"They've doubled the guards on the west side," Lysa warned.
"Exactly," Moriarty said. "The more eyes they have, the more blind they become. Shadows don't need gaps."
Rion chuckled. "You're crazy... but I like it."
"What about Leonhardt?" Lysa asked.
"He's preparing the escape tunnel to the east. If everything goes well, tonight... the world will know who truly controls this war."
"Make sure the tunnel isn't too narrow," Moriarty added. "If Leonhardt needs to retreat fast, we can't risk him getting stuck."
Rion nodded. "I even added fake echo sounds. If the enemy comes, they'll hear ghosts."
Lysa stirred a green liquid in a bottle. "I made a poison that magic can't detect. Slow effect—six hours."
"Perfect." Moriarty placed a thorned rose symbol on the wall. "We're not killers. We're art. And this... is our stage. The Three Nights of the Mask."
---
Night One
"You sure this will work?" Rion whispered while sneaking into Barforia's base.
"Write this on every wall and desk," Moriarty said through magic. "Make sure one is on the commander's table."
Rion grinned. "You're insane, Mr. M. I like it."
A few hours later, the whole base saw the same message:
Beware the night wind... for shadows dance in blood. – M
---
Night Two
Leonhardt crawled into the logistics warehouse.
"Five minutes before guard shift," Lysa whispered from outside.
"Enough time." Leonhardt lit a fire and slipped out.
Meanwhile, Lysa touched a well.
"You sure this poison works?"
"In six hours... stomachs will twist. But no traces. No magic can detect it."
---
Night Three
Crows filled the sky.
"Start now," Moriarty ordered.
Rion lit the paths of hidden oil. Fire spread, forming the letter:
M
Surrounded by thorny roses.
Leonhardt smiled. "The show has begun."
Moriarty watched from afar, eyes glowing.
---
[Underground Base – Strategy Room]
Blue crystal lights glowed dimly. Moriarty stood before a wall filled with maps and red ink markings. Rion played with a coin. Lysa stared blankly. Leonhardt stood like a silent guardian.
Rion placed new reports on the table.
"The village was evacuated. Barforia pulled back three kilometers."
"Our symbol is everywhere," Lysa added. "Even kids started copying it on walls."
"And this is only the beginning," Moriarty said. "The world doesn't need heroes. It needs shadows—to give light something to fight for."
"Operation Three Nights of the Mask was a success, but that's not our goal" Moriarty said, eyes on a red dot on the map.
Rion whistled. "If it's not for destroying the enemy... what's it for? I almost died because of those damn letters."
"Symbol, Rion. We're not destroying. We're building fear."
Leonhardt nodded. "Barforia is panicking. They killed five of their own officers, thinking they were spies."
Lysa smirked. "Good. Let them taste the fear I lived with."
Silence.
Rion rolled his eyes. "We're not a family, you know."
Lysa glared. "And this isn't a drama. This is survival."
"Enough," Moriarty cut in.
He looked at them one by one.
"We're not family. Not friends. We're tools... for something greater than us."
Rion stood. "So we're just chess pieces? Cool speech."
"Not pawns," Moriarty said. "We're pieces that know how to move. And I... am the king."
Leonhardt stepped forward. "And I'll protect you to the end, Your Majesty."
Lysa stared at Elric. "Will you throw us away... when it's all over?"
Moriarty didn't answer.
---
[Late Night – Base Corridor]
Rion snuck out. Lysa followed.
"Why are you following me?"
"Because I smell stupidity. And you stink of it."
Rion chuckled. "I just wanted air. Freedom from the genius master."
"You don't trust him?"
"I do. I just think... everyone hides something. Even Mr. Moriarty."
Lysa paused. "Even so, he saved us. We owe him. And you know... his plans are too perfect, like he planned everything from the start."
"Which is why... I want to know who he really is."
They stared at each other.
Silence.
---
[Next Day – Training Room]
Leonhardt taught Rion how to fight. Lysa watched silently.
"You're too slow. Your strength is speed, not power. Use it."
"You're too serious, Mr. Former Barforia."
"Serious saves lives."
Moriarty appeared in the doorway. "Rion. Lysa. New mission."
They turned.
"Infiltrate Barforia's base on Mount Kael. This time, plant false information."
"High risk," Leonhardt warned.
"They're ready," Moriarty replied.
Rion smirked. "Sure. After all... we're just pieces that know how to move, right?"
---
[A Few Days Later – Ars Moriendi Base]
The mission was a success.
But Lysa was badly hurt.
Moriarty sat beside her bed, watching her pale face.
"Why do you always go silent when we get hurt?" Rion whispered.
"Because I can't show weakness... even if I feel it."
"You're not a god, Mr. Moriarty..."
"No. But they believe I'm something more. So I have to pretend."
Lysa opened her eyes weakly. "Can I trust you... as Lysa... not a member of this group?"
Moriarty looked at her. "Yes. And you may hate me... when all of this ends."
Tears fell from her eyes.
---
Ars Moriendi grew, not just from blood and fear—but from loyalty, fading love, and deep wounds.
And Moriarty knew... in the end, it wouldn't be enemies that broke them.
It would be their own hearts.