SOLVED. YA (?) fantasy, everyone is wearing masks, three boys are going to war, one finds a magic sword. [s]

[Zenon]

I don't think this is a well known book, I've read it ~15 years ago.

At the beginning of the book three boys go hunting in order to earn their masks in a society where adults wear masks. They encounter some kind of predator bird, kill it and are entitled to wear it's feathers on the masks.

There is a scene where one of the boys (A) talks in private with the father of the other one (B), who is some kind of a noble man, and the father exposes his face, which is supposedly done only with the closest family.

The boys are sent to war and the boy B finds a magic sword that makes him faster. The writing on the blade of the sword spells something like "victory" when read one way and "defeat" when read the other way -- the sword is cursed and it's owner will be defeated at some point. At some point the boy snaps because he's afraid that he'll be defeated in the next fight and the boy A takes the sword from him in order to defeat some enemy's champion. The chempions were some kind of magical creatures, this one I think was a kind of metal centaur.

[Kris]

The Dark Glory War by Michael A. Stackpole?

(Google search - site:www.goodreads.com "fantasy" hunting wears "masks" sword war)

[Zenon]

Yes, thank you!

[Kris]

Great! Glad you found your book, Zenon. Your detailed description really helped.