Ep 9. Beneath the Mask

Arslan and his company continue their journey towards the capital, Ecbatana. They come across a village where they help to capture a bandit named Bodin. However, Bodin is not just any ordinary bandit; he was Vein, the leader of the Lusitanian knights in disguise. Arslan and his team are astonished to find out that Bodin has been living as a member of their group all this while, and they had no idea about his true identity.

The episode starts with Arslan's group reaching the small village of Gurzeh. They are greeted by the villagers who take them in and offer them food and shelter. Soon, they hear about a bandit terrorizing the village and decide to help the villagers capture him. They track down the bandit and are able to capture him. They bring him back to the village where they find out that the bandit's name is Bodin. The villagers are relieved that the bandit has been caught and offer to provide Arslan's group with whatever they need.

Arslan's group is relieved that they were able to help the villagers and that they have caught the bandit. However, they soon find out that Bodin is not an ordinary bandit. He is actually Vein, the leader of the Lusitanian knights, who is hiding in disguise. Arslan is shocked to find out that Vein has been living with them for some time now, and nobody had any idea about his true identity. Arslan is determined to get to the bottom of this and find out why Vein had disguised himself.

Vein denies that he is the leader of the Lusitanian knights and claims that he is just a simple bandit. However, Arslan is not convinced and decides to interrogate him further. Daryun, Arslan's trusted advisor, suggests that they take Vein to Ecbatana and let the king decide his fate. Arslan agrees to this plan and sets out towards the capital with Vein in tow.

As they travel towards Ecbatana, Arslan and his group come up with various plans to get information out of Vein. Finally, they are able to get Vein to reveal his true identity and tell them everything. Vein explains that he was on a mission to scout out the terrain and gather information about Arslan's army. He also reveals that the Lusitanian king is planning to invade Pars and that they are heading towards Ecbatana.

Arslan is shocked to hear this news and realizes that they need to act fast if they want to stop the Lusitanians. He decides to change his plans and head towards Ecbatana as quickly as possible. However, he knows that they will face stiff resistance from the Lusitanians and that his army may not be strong enough to stop them.

As they continue their journey towards Ecbatana, Arslan and his group come up with a plan to deceive the Lusitanians and catch them off guard. They decide to split their army into two groups and attack the Lusitanians from two different directions. Arslan also decides to use his strategic genius to outsmart the Lusitanians and defeat them in battle.

The episode ends with Arslan and his group preparing for their upcoming battle with the Lusitanians. They know that this battle will be crucial in the fight for Pars and that the fate of their kingdom rests on their shoulders. They set out towards Ecbatana with a newfound determination and resolve to defeat the Lusitanian army and restore peace to their beloved home.