Chapter 10:Through the Eyes of Another
"I came here to make a deal with you Saga." Began Darshon.
"Ever since you have caught me I've always wondered how and why you?" continued Saga paying no heed to what Darshon was saying. "I've spent three months of the entire eight years I have been imprisoned here about that question. Then I finally discovered the answer. You and I are alike very much alike."
"As much as your analogy amuses me, we do have to get to business." Interrupted Darshon "With permission from the king of Prontera you shall be released from custody and cleared of all charges if you shall assist in the capture of the unknown criminal loose in Midgard."
"Oh, that's why I smelled new blood in the air a new killer is on the loose. Tell me who is this new killer targeting."
"Surprisingly he's targeting holy men from the pronteran sanctuary."
Saga kept silent for a few seconds or so before he spoke again "Okay I accept I'll help with this predicament of yours."
"Un shackle him." Ordered Augustus.
The guards started taking off all the chains on Saga. A loud thud of metal was heard and Saga stood there free once more. He stretched his arms then to his surprise a pair of manacles were clasped on his wrists.
"You still don't trust me Darshon?"
"Not really Saga."
They brought Saga to the church. Assassins are trained to sense the presence of blood a technique they created to make it easier to track down their target (by wounding them then following the smell of blood). So even though the sanctuary had already been cleaned Saga could recreate the death scene.
"The people here were skewered by pins or needles of some sort. Judging by the how the blood streaked on the wall made from metal. The bomb exploded from there." Saga pointed to the place behind the pews where Darshon had pointed to as well a few days earlier.
"Who were the victim's?"
"Cleric Houser, Fr. Khil'nowens, Fr. Castroph, Fr. Rilley, Br. Tenbure…" said Augustus dictating the names of the victims.
"Well our killer does have taste in his victims"
"Why do you say that?" asked Darshon
"I believe that this killer isn't just trying to get rid of priests and acolytes in random. I suspect him of trying to end the whole church."
"Of course! How could I be so blind?" shouted Darshon
"What are both of you talking about?" asked Augustus who was in a bit of a loss.
"Take it like this general if you were given an assignment to destroy an up coming orc-horde you wouldn't just stop in that orc-horde but you would put precautions to prevent future attacks. Am I correct?"
"Yes, but what does it have to do with anything?"
"May I continue?" asked Darshon
"By all means go ahead," answered Saga
"Cleric Houser is in charge of the advancement to the acolyte profession if I'm correct. Without him nobody can turn to an acolyte unless if Fr. Rilley was there to take the cleric's place but as you can see Fr. Rilley is dead as well. Fr. Castroph and Br. Griven are prophets so they may have visions of the fall of the church so they must be lost."
"Then how about the others they have no special relation to the church except being part of the holy order?"
"Probably they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Looks like we've found our reason." Said Augustus "Now who are next possible targets."
"Well there's Anna Halec she's the next Arch Bishop, Sigmund Justre is on the verge of becoming as great a priest as Ranulf Filial, the Arch Bishop off coarse."
"Very well I shall alert the chivalry to increase protection around the three." Augustus headed for the chivalry leaving Darshon and Saga alone.
"Hey Darshon déjà vu isn't it" said Saga "Just change this location to Mt. Mjolnir then make it rain it'll be exactly like the night you caught me."
"Yes it would but back then I still had to put you in manacles now you're already in them." With a swish of his robes a snap of his fingers Darshon walked out the church while to knight led Saga out as well.
Anna was praying in the prayer room of the convent. She was dragged out of reality as she was in deep conversation with God.
"Father, please help this tortured soul. He is in most need of you more than anyone else. Forgive him of his sins that he may now his faults.
I ask you once more to forgive Ranulf your child and servant let him enter your kingdom of heaven and let him reunite with the one he loves
And father, please give me the strength and courage that I need. I am afraid that I will be killed. Lend me the courage that you son Jesus had…."
Anna's prayer was interrupted when a bright light from the side of the door flashed past her eyes.
"Who's there?" she called
Anna stood up then walked towards the door then opened it but nothing was there. She glanced to the side then saw that the light came from one room down the corridor. Slowly, she walked towards it. When she opened the door her surroundings magically changed. The air became thinner when the haziness disappeared from her eyes she realized she was on a rooftop. She glanced back then saw a dark figure on top of another rooftop.
"Stay Back!" she shouted but the Dark form started to come near her walking slowly drawing closer and closer.
Anna knelt down and started praying. She couldn't help but look up and see that the dark form was very near her. She abandoned her prayer then started running. Upon the rooftops of Prontera the priestess ran for her life. Tears started flowing from her eyes and clouding her sight but she didn't care she had to get away. She turned when she reached the end of the rooftops, hoping that her chaser was gone. But now her chaser was still there.
"Who are you? What do you want from me?" She cried
The dark form started walking closer while Anna stepped back suddenly she slipped and fell from the rooftop. She screamed as she fell while the cloths lines started to tangle around her. She fell unto more cloth's lines and got entwined in them. She looked up and saw that the dark figure coming down from the wall.
"Who are you? What do you want from me?" she repeated. Desperately she tried to untangle herself. Randomly pulling off every bit of line entangled on her. She didn't realize that one of the lines got entangled around her neck. In her attempt to get away she accidentally broke the line that prevented her from falling.
She screamed as she fell but her scream was cut as the line around her neck tightened and killed her.
The next morning they found Anna's body swinging by the neck.
"This killer is unbelievable!" shouted Augustus. "We knew exactly who his next target was yet he managed to elude us still."
"I don't know what we're doing wrong!" exclaimed Darshon scratching his chin.
"I see the only way to save the ones left is to have around the clock protection. Never leave them alone," suggested Saga
"I agree," said Augustus "If he manages to kill again I'll begin to suspect he's a ghost
Darshon looked at Augustus "Yes…A ghost."
