The next morning in Temple Hall, Sonnac actually hummed a tune as he started work. Even for his known positive disposition, this was something new.
"You're chipper today, Sir." One of the Guards commented.
"It is a lovely day today, isn't it?" He answered, smiling at her. The guard just shrugged, before proceeding to look forward again. Sonnac just smiled as he got back to work. He just… felt like he could take on anything.
A noise.
He looked up. Temple Hall could get noisy, but something about this… sounded off.
"Milton?" He asked the cat under the table next to him. However, the animal was fast asleep. The others just looked at him with a glance that made clear they weren't the ones making the noise, either. This caused him to put down his paperwork. Good mood or not, Richard Sonnac had learned very early in his career that he should always be vigilant, even among allies.
The noise again. This time louder. It seemed to come from his crackling fireplace.
Which he didn't remember firing up.
Frowning, he got up from his desk and cautiously approached the fire. There was something in there… A shape that, for some reason, he recognized from somewhere.
A shape that opened its eyes.
Richard barely had time to react, as the creature slammed down on him and he could feel claws digging into his shoulders.
However, as quickly as the creature was upon him, it was off him as two Guards had opened fire. Soon the creature was off him, before it vanished.
"What the hell was that?!" Miranda, one of the guards, exclaimed. "Did some demon escape the Crucible again?"
"Can't be. That wasn't a Rakshasa…" Richard said, getting up, wincing and holding his left shoulder as it had received a nasty gash.
"Then what was it?"
"I…" Richard started, wanting to say he didn't know. But he did. However, something stopped him from recalling from where.
Denial.
"Whatever it is, it's gone now." Miranda said, before turning to Sonnac. "You should probably get that looked at."
"I'll be fine." Sonnac said, but decided to go see a doctor straight after. As he did so, he tried really hard to remember where he recognized the creature from. But yet again, something in his mind held the answer back.
"There you go." The Doctor said once his shoulder was bandaged and his arm was in a sling. "Just be careful for a few days and you'll be fine."
"That'll be easy enough." Richard said, before preparing to leave. "I'm just glad this isn't my writing arm." With a nod of thanks, he left the Doctor's office. Outside, Konrad was waiting for him. He wasn't really surprised. After his first run-in with Pit and Pendulum, Konrad had taken him there and kept by his side. And the times he needed a doctor after, which was more times then he wished to admit.
"An actual demon attack?" Konrad asked him. "We haven't had one in Temple Hall for at least twenty years."
"Believe me, I'm just as stumped as everyone else." Richard said, walking along through the Ealdwic streets. "Even more stumped it's one going after me…" His brow furrowed. "I know the creature from somewhere. Some place. But I can't quite…"
"To my knowledge, there's only one actual Demon you've encountered." Konrad said.
"Right. Back in…" He stopped. Konrad took a few steps before also stopping and turning around. Whatever mental barrier keeping the knowledge from him was gone now. "No…"
"Richard, I didn't mean…" Konrad tried, knowing what dots his friend was connecting.
"No. You're right. It.. It is the demon I banished by sacrificing Sasha's soul." Richard said, holding his head. "And his re-awakening… it can't be a coïncidence." His eyes widened. "Sasha's in danger."
"No. You are." Konrad said firmly. "And I wouldn't be surprised if Sasha was the one…"
"Don't. Go. There." Richard told him, eyes hardening. "I will not allow you to accuse a traumatized man of doing such a thing."
"A trauma that YOU caused." Konrad said. That softened Richard's eyes. Now they were filled with guilt before he closed them. "Listen, I know this is hard for you, but you said yourself that at first he loathed you."
"But he said… It can't…" His brow furrowed. "I need to speak to him."
"Not alone you're not." Konrad said. "I'll ask Miss Vata if…"
"No. I have to do this myself." Richard interrupted him. "My sin. My responsibility."
"Just be careful." Konrad said, as Richard just sighed and nodded. "I'd hate for your good faith in people to be your end… If you're not caught by this Demon, first." He looked around. "You should head back to Temple Hall, fast."
"I can take care of myself." Richard said, sounding somewhat insulted before walking off towards Temple Hall. However, as he did so, the minute he walked down one of the quieter parts of Ealdwic, he could hear the same noise he heard before the first attack. "Seriously?" He couldn't help but mutter under his breath. This time the Demon would have an advantage. He was alone and there were no wards holding back magic. However, that was also in his favor. "Let's do this." Richard calmly said, placing his working hand against the brick walls of the small street, opening a rift. As he did so, the demon appeared in front of him. It took a lot to remain composed. The creature was just as he remembered it. Slim, faceless yet all teeth. Sharp claws that left marks in the pavement as it approached him. With a swift movement, Richard pulled a hooked chain from the rift he created with his good arm. This didn't deter the creature as it leapt at him. Richard threw the hook at the creature. It missed, but in dodging the thing, Richard found an opening to run. He wasn't one to back away from a fight, but he was also aware that he needed both hands to fight this threat. So he ran all the way to Temple Hall. A safe haven, or as close as he had at the moment.
"Sir?" One of the guards asked as he had just rushed past them. He was lost for words for a moment. "Orders were to go home for the day after that incident."
"It would be that easy if said incident isn't following my every step." Richard replied, letting some frustration with the situation slip through. "I might need some assistance in dealing with it."
"Better take it up with one of the Marshalls." The guard said. Richard nodded. This wasn't just his own safety, if Temple Hall was breached, even by a singular demon, that was a problem for them all.
So he made his way to the Force Marshall's quarters. Once inside he couldn't help but straighten himself. The Force Marshall was someone who commanded his respect and at some points even awe.
"What is it?" The Force Marshall ordered, looking up from whatever paperwork he was doing. "Never mind. I think I know what this is about." He placed aside his paperwork. "Seems like you have a Demon problem." He looked at Sonnac.
"I'll be able to handle it." Richard answered.
"While I usually trust you on your word, you seem to be… distracted by something." The Force Marshall said. "Is there something about this Demon you need to tell me?"
"I do…" Richard conceded.
"Then tell me." This caused Richard to be quiet. Even now, he found it difficult to share. "Does this have anything to do with Sasha Savinkov?"
"It is, Sir. If I may be so bold… how did you know?"
"It is in my best interest to know about these things." The Force Marshall said. "What happened between you and Savinkov isn't classified information."
"I see."
"In any case, I think it's in your best interest if I give you a personal Guard until things are solved."
"With all due respect, Sir, I…" Sonnac tried.
"Can take care of yourself. I know this. But not only do you have that…." With that, the Force Marshall pointed at his slinged arm. "To contend with, there's also the fact that you're emotionally compromised." This caused Richard to fall silent. He wanted to protest, but he also knew he couldn't convince people otherwise. The Force Marshall noticed this. "Look, Richard. You're someone who likes to clean his own messes and that is admirable. But right now, it's not what the situation calls for. Go speak with Sasha. Find out how much he knows and use that information to eliminate the Demon."
"I will, Sir."
"Good. You're dismissed." With that, the Force Marshall went back to his paperwork as Richard left his office quietly. Once he was outside, he was greeted with a familiar face.
"Miss Vata. I suppose you're my Guard?" Richard said. "Seems Konrad's gotten his wish."
"Sure am." Zamira answered, saluting with a smile. "Here to escort you to Sasha."
"Don't remind me." Richard said. "My apologies. This has nothing to do with you. It's just that… this is a very personal issue that I'd have liked to solve on my own."
"No worries. I get where you're coming from. Still, us Templars have to stick together, no?" Zamira told him. Richard couldn't help but smile.
"I suppose." He said as Zamira beckoned him to follow to a car. "You were informed at where we should go?" Zamira simply nodded as they went in and were off.