Back at his office, Richard almost immediately pulled some books from his vast, personal collection that he always had access to and started reading them.
"There's has to be something in here…" He muttered to himself, eyes roving over the page. Zamira simply picked up her phone.
"Konrad. Could you get over here like, right now?" She asked, which made Richard sigh in frustration. "Sonnac's losing his mind."
"I am NOT." He said, slamming a book shut.
"Seems like you are." Zamira said, crossing her arms.
"Just… Just give me a moment." Richard said, holding his head before opening the book again. "I'll be fine." As he said this, Konrad rushed in.
"I came as quickly as I could." He said.
"While I appreciate your concern, you and your erratic behavior are the last thing I want at the moment." Richard said.
"You were right to call me." Konrad whispered to Zamira.
"He's been like this before?" She whispered back.
"Only once… "
"Does it occur that I can hear you both?" Richard said, once more slamming the book shut. "And I don't appreciate being talked about behind my back, especially not so clumsily."
"Richard. You're starting to become somewhat erratic yourself. Not surprising given the circumstances, but if you just calm down so we…" Konrad tried. This was the exact wrong thing to say.
"Stay… calm? Stay calm?!" Sonnac hissed, some of the anger that had been building up being released. "Literal demons from my past are trying to drag me to hell and you expect me to stay CALM?!" Now all of it was coming to the forefront. "Who are we kidding? Of course you do! Because that's how it always goes around here. I have to keep calm, carry on as if everything is fine and prevent this entire organisation from collapsing in on itself! And half the time my only reward is some old farts looking down on me and working against me every step of the way, yet you expect me to keep calm? Do I have to remind you all that I'm only human!? That I make mistakes, some small, some big like the one currently haunting me!?" His fists clenched as he took a breath between clenched teeth. "Not currently. Always. Always this was with me in the back of my head. This… this horrid thing I did. I tried… I tried so hard to make up for it. But I can't. I just can't. What I did was unforgivable. But it was… human. A terrible mistake. But a human one… I'm just human. I'm just…. human." With that his anger seemed to have been spent as his body simply collapsed against his desk and probably would've gone further if Engel hadn't caught his shoulders.
"Seems like you had a lot of things bottled up even without this whole mess." He said, trying to help his friend become more steady.
"I'm just… so tired. Of this. Of the Templars. Of everything." Richard said, sounding, indeed, extremely tired. "I'm sure you're familiar with the feeling."
"Very familiar. Working the political angle of this organisation is exhausting. I'm impressed it took this long for you to snap." This seemed to annoy Richard, as he got up and shoved Engel's hands away.
"I haven't snapped. I just… need some time to process this, before coming up with a solution. Time that I don't have." He admitted, as despair started to seep in again.
"You don't have to do it alone." Konrad said.
"But this is my…"
"So what if it is your mess? Templars are good at cleaning up other people's messes. It's practically our calling card by now." Konrad said. Despite everything, Richard managed a smile.
"I suppose so." He conceded.
"Just take a step back and reorganize that sharp mind of yours. You're safe to do so here. Well… safe from that Demon, at least. And I'm sure you'll be able to handle that other problem. Eventually." Zamira piped in.
"One crisis at a time." Richard said, heading back to his book.
"Where'd you get that book from, anyway?"
"This Tome or the way I conjured it seemingly out of nowhere?" Richard asked. "My family is into magic, which should answer both questions." He kept reading. "There has to be something we can do…" He muttered, reading through.
"We could just kill it." Zamira said.
"Easier said than done. From what we've seen of it, it seems to favor a stealth approach, preferring to wait until I'm alone…" Sonnac said. "And while his first attempt landed him in the fireplace, I highly doubt he'll make a repeat of assaulting Temple Hall." He sighed. "He's going to spring on me the moment I'm alone and leave this place." He leaned his head back. "I can already tell this is going to be tenacious."
"Doesn't have to be. Most of these demons that come here under command have a connection to our world that, when severed, will make it so they have to return to the Hell Dimensions." Zamira said. "We just have to sever that connection."
"And I have a sneaking suspicion what or rather who that connection is." Konrad said, looking at Sonnac.
"No." Richard simply said.
"Richard. Let's not have a repeat of this." Konrad said, holding his head.
"I refuse to harm Sasha over this… it's how it all started for pity's sake!" He argued. "I can't just…" Richard looked at the book in front of him. "There has to be another way. A compromise…"
"Do you even hear yourself talking?" Engel said in frustration. "Compromise? I'm the first to say that the Templars need a change, but compromise?" Richard just looked down.
"Just give me one night." Richard eventually said. "If I haven't found another solution in one night…" He took a deep breath. "I will take care of him."
"You sure you don't want me to take care of it?" Zamira asked.
"I appreciate your offer, but no. This is my responsibility. It always has been." Richard said. Zamira simply nodded, before she left, beckoning Konrad to go with her. Once gone, Richard buried his head into his hands. He was not looking forward to the dawn.
Dawn came and Richard still had his head in his hands. Nothing. He could find nothing that wouldn't mean the Death of Sasha. In fact, what he found confirmed Zamira's suspicions. He had to do it. He had to kill Sasha. Again. With that taught in his head he closed the book and got up. Outside the door, Zamira was already waiting for him. She just took one look in his eyes and nodded.
"Ready?" She asked. Richard took a deep breath.
"Ready." He said.
"We've spoken with the orderlies. They've given permission to do this." Zamira said.
"Anything to destroy demons…" Richard quietly said.
"Last chance. I'm alright with doing this for you." Richard just shook his head. "If you say so, Sir. That said…" She handed him something. A handgun. "Figured it's better to get it over quick. You know how to handle one?"
"In theory…" Richard said, looking at the gun somewhat insecurely. "To be honest I... don't really have any significant combat experience." He managed a smirk. "I'm more known to take hits then to give them."
"Just aim and pull the trigger. Finger off the trigger if you don't intend to shoot." Zamira explained. Richard nodded as the two of them walked outside.