Chapter 5: Bloody Murder
AN: So many lessons...so little time...
Heimsberg. One of the larger cities in the region, with a bustling population. It was built over one thousand years ago, and had major trade routes to the port city Elurian, the giant city Ursalen, and maintained trade routes with a city in the south that connected to the Fairy King's Forest even. It also had quite a bit of farmland, and it had mines in the northern mountains.
Of course, recently someone had been drawing down that population. A rash of serial murders of unknown origin, brutal in nature and seemingly random. A gate guard, a trader, a clerk, a bathhouse owner, and two horse trainers. No visible links between any of them, yet all were brutally murdered in the same way.
It was like someone had wanted to just cause general chaos around the city and murder people left and right.
"You really think we will find him here?" Zaylen asked as they walked along the road. "Also, why is it that I am wearing this sailor outfit again?"
"Because the author doesn't want to keep making up new outfits all the time" Azalen mentioned, which then got a karate chop on the head from Maria.
"Dont do weird things like pretending you are breaking some fourth wall" Maria said, now dressed in a red tunic and dark brown pants, as well as a pair of boots. A very simple outfit that made her look like a peasant, even though the way she walked alone made her look like a noble. Zaylen was able to peg it on the spot. "Its probably because he is too lazy to think of anything else you woud look good in, despite having multiple duplicates of multiple outfits, for the sole purpose of not having to wash his clothes every day. In fact, didn't you usualy make the Holy Knight Apprentices nearby do it unless I scolded you not to?"
"What? It was training their endurance!"
"You need to learn to take more responsibilities!"
"I take plenty!" Azalen mentioned as they approached the gate. "Anyways, how are we going to get in?"
"Cant we just pass through the gate?"
"They will question us".
"I could use Historian on them and wipe their memories".
"Do you plan on using that on every single guard they have stationed around the gate?"
"I could roll on through them!"
"No, porky".
"My name is William!"
Azalen sighed.
"It would be so much easier if we had Lust".
"So she would flirt with them? And then you?"
"Okay, how many times do I have to tell you, me and Lust did not have a relationship! Its way to bothersome to date someone you work with, im surprised you didn't think of that Maria".
As they talked, they came right up to the gates. One of them had some sort of magic too, and as for what it did, it seemed a person would put their hand on it, and certain information was revealed.
"Oh, they have that sort of orb".
"What does it do?"
"It reveals five things. Physical Power. Magical Power. Spirit Power. Race. Magical Ability".
"But Captain, no one knows of our true magical abilities or races...now that I think about it, you have not aged a day since we first formed the sins though, and I have no clue what your race is".
"Hmmm...Zaylen will be tricky though. His Magical Power of Arc will stand out".
"Won't your outragously powerful stats stand out more?"
"Yeah...we cant keep having his memory erased, and he will be shocked the moment he sees the stats...well then, I guess I will use my magical power".
Suddenly, Azalen's eyes glowed a little as he emitted an aura. And in that moment, he became transparent.
"So, is this..."
"Yeah, it is his magical power...Spirit" Maria answered the question. "As someone truly intertwined with the Spirit World, he has full access to the true power that Spirit can possess. Honestly, I dont really know the truth about it myself, and even my most intense and appealing attempts have not worked".
"Really?"
"I once offered to never forcibly bathe him ever again if he told me, and he refused. Whatever it is, its deeply personal for him. He wont give up that information, whether through use of shame, embarrassment, rage, unpleasantness, bribery, seduction...its rather concerning, to be honest, but thirteen years ago, something affected him so much that nothing we could do will change that".
"I wonder what that is..." Zaylen muttered, as he watched the transparent Azalen walk up to the guards, with them not acting as if he was even there, and touched them each with his hands.
"Alright, you lot" the guard said, pointing at them. "We got word to clear you. You can pass. Welcome to Heimsberg".
"Did he just...bypass all the bothersome checks?"
"Yeah. Even the strip check they would have done on us...yet another reason he is the Sin of Sloth, he is capable of using his power like this to bypass everything bothersome" Maria mentioned as they walked into the city.
"Alright, I have a lead also" Azalen told them as he stopped being transparent. "It appears they sent a huge amount of guards to a single tavern fight".
"You sure its that? Did a murder happen there?"
"No, but...they serve Drakonian Ale".
"Ah, it has to be there then. Its definently the Sin of Pride, unless someone else is strong enough to drink the stuff".
As a result, the group decided to walk forward and head towards the tavern. For the most part, everything seemed normal, but as they began to approach, they started to find unconscious people scattered around. Rather brutally and badly hurt too, all of them moaning. And so they opened the tavern door, and at the bar counter, sitting completely naked with four other mugs of ale ready, was a young boy.
"...im impressed, he has gotten better at holding back".
"Anin!" Maria shouted, scolding him. "Where are your clothes?!"
"Ah, I lost them in a poker game" Anin said childishly and innocently. This was the Sin of Pride, Anin. With absolutely no shame at all, in his body or anything else, he was a perfect fit for the role.
"And how did..."
"Cap'n!" Anin shouted as he jumped out of his stall, and ran up and tackle hugged Azalen before kissing him on the lips. "Its been so long! It took you forever to wake up! Come on, get naked with me and lets get drunk like the old days!"
"Anin...did you forget the talk we had about the difference between familia love and romantic love?"
"Nope!"
"...I figured as much".
"Come on Cap'n! Lets get naked and go drinking, like we did for your last birthday! YOu missed eight of them you know!"
"Not right now..." Azalen mentioned, when he noticed one guy in the bar had a detacted arm and was bleeding out. Azalen quickly used his magic to reconnect the arm and heal the wound, saving his life. "Now, where are your Sacred Treasures?"
"Ummm...I lost em!"
"...you wat".
"I lost em!".
"You...sigh...Anin, would you mind getting off of me?"
"Will you go naked drinking with me?"
"Why are you so insistant on this?"
"Because I missed eight of your birthdays! We need to make up for lost time!"
Zaylen leaned towards Maria, and questioned her.
"Is this...really the Sin of Pride?"
"Yeah. A totally shameless individual. In fact, he actually loves the attention, and so wants to do stuff like this as often as possible. He is attached to all the sins, but...the Captain is his favorite".
"...oh yeah, Cap, Maria..." Anin said, looking over at Zaylen. "Who is he? He is not trying to take my spot as Cap's best friend right?"
And then, suddenly a huge gust of wind formed, and Zaylen's clothes looked as if they were practically blown off his body, causing him to go red in the face. Anin was also then standing right in front of him, checking him out. As Zaylen moved his hands, something moved faster then he could see in that moment, keeping his hands away as Anin examined his body. Anin grabbed his shoulders, then cheeks, then the sides of his chest. He felt around Zaylen's arms next, and then felt the palms, before returning to the main body. Anin checked hips, leg mass, and so on...and then he grabbed that.
"Seems that he is normal".
"A-A-Azalen!"
"Anin, let him go and stop harassing the newbie".
"Awwww, alright" Anin said, approaching the Captain again. "Well, well? There is two of us now! Cant we?"
"First things first...in the past eight years, did you kill anyone?"
"Uhhhh...define anyone?"
"...anyone I will be upset at you for killing?"
"Then nope! Actually, I tried to outdo you and slept in the woods for a few years, but eventually I got bored".
"Ha! YOu should have known better, Anin" Maria chuckled. "Anyways, Captain...you know he wont stop asking right?"
"I even prepared your favorite booze!"
"...I figured as much..."
"...thisss shtuff is...delicos!" Zaylen said as his drunk, naked body collapsed on the bar counter, while Maria, Anin, and Azalen were taking. The bartender, who looked as young as they were, seemed to have adapted to the situation though and was totally unphased, though maybe the headphones on his head had something to do with that. Either way, he kept pouring them alcohol without asking.
"Better?" Azalen asked as he drank some alcohol.
"Of course! I especially love your Brand! Its super cool looking!"
"...right, but was this really necessary?"
"Yep!"
"You know how Anin is Captain. Sometimes you gotta appease him like this".
"I thought this was going to be the break though...right, anyways Anin, so you had nothing to do with the recent serial killings?"
"Of course I did!"
At those words, both Azalen and Maria gave him a look.
"You told us before you had not killed innocents!"
"Yeah! I didn't kill them!"
"Then, what did you have to do with the recent Serial Killings?"
"Oh, well after I lost my Sacred Treasures somewhere, I realized I had to find them or you might be mad, and Maria would definently be mad, and Seth would probably be furious, so I decided to look for them! And the wounds on the bodies match the way Bael does things!"
"I didn't even think it was possible to lose your weapons..." Azalen said, as he had a sip of Draconian Ale. "So, you are not the serial killer, its your weapon...how did you even lose them anyways?"
"Dont remember!" Anin said with a smile and a shrug. "By the way, Cap...why haven't you aged at all?"
Suddenly, Anin got very hands on again as he felt the Captain's body.
"Indeed, its the same springiness, the same durability, the same everything".
"Anin...how many times do we have to tell you not to do that without permission, and never, ever lose your sacred treasures?"
"Uhh...sorry" he replied with that grin on his face still.
"Oh damnit...you know I cant stay mad at you..." Azalen mentioned, as Zaylen fell off his bar stool.
"He held his liqour longer then I thought. Maybe he is not normal after all" Anin mentioned. "I thought he would pass out much sooner. Anyways, isn't this great? Just like old times!"
"Speaking of old times...you really need a bath".
"Okay! Can we do it in the middle of town in the fountain?"
"Sure, we can get both you and Azalen, and Zaylen".
"Wait wait, why us?!"
"Because you boys attract more dirt then an earth worm".
"Hold it! We should deal with the serial killer first!" Azalen stated, prompting a subtle smile from Maria.
"Oh, so you do plan on dealing with him still?"
"Yes...Anin, get dressed! Repurpose one of these drunks clothes! Maria, get Zaylen dressed and dress yourself, and find us an inn. Me and Anin are going serial killer hunting".
"Yay! Bonding time with Cap! Do we have to get dressed though?"
"Yes, Anin. If we dont, they will realize we are coming sooner, and run away before we can find them".
"Fiiiinnneee~".
Anin looked a bit ridiculous, going barefoot and seemingly wearing baggy shorts, and an oversized shirt with rips at the end. That was because it was adult sized clothing they stole for him, but no one had shoes that fit him.
"So, when did you lose your clothes exactly?" Azalen asked as he was wearing some normal clothes again, his outfit that had the blue denim suspender shorts, and a white T shirt, along with blue boots.
"When I saw your beam shoot into the sky. I figured it would make it easier for you to find me!"
"...I see. And you didn't think to wait at the gate?"
"They could be bothersome there sometimes".
The two of them walked down the alley, looking like normal helpless boys.
"By the way, Cap" Anin started, looking at him. "I am curious, why does your body feel exactly the same as when it did eight years ago, or thirteen years ago? Its like no aging at all happened".
"Its complicated" Azalen mentioned, when he stopped Anin and himself. "I sense a powerful magic power approaching".
"And I sense Bael nearby!"
"...I dont know how you lost weapons that you yourself can create..."
"The guy is coming even closer!"
"Yeah, I se..." Azalen started, when he pushed Anin out of the way and avoided a hit himself. At the same time, there was a man holding a long thick jagged butcher knife made of specially infused silver that resembled more of a Greatsword. However, that was not what concerned Azalen the most...it was the fact that on his face, there was a Demon Mark and it had clearly activated across his body.
Azalen quickly moved above, floating in the air above him.
"What the...Anin?"
"Ummm...not sure why this is happening".
"Anin..."
"Maybe...that time we slayed some demons running amok, some of the blood got on it or something and caused a spirit to possess it or something?"
"...right".
"Aww...your mad...you want to punish me, play with me in chains a little?"
"...I litterally work with perverts and weirdos" Azalen said. "Chroma, First Form, and...Razorwind!"
Chroma attacked in spear form and went after the man with the Demon mark, while Anin moved in himself.
"Anin Super Punch!" he shouted as he punched the man in the stomach. Some damage was clearly dealt though, which was good. "Hey! I dont think he is a full fledged Demon person!"
"So, your weapon is possessing him!"
"Maybe its too powerful for him to handle?"
"Probably" Anin mentioned as the Demon appeared behind him. Anin however blocked it with one hand, and then flipped him over.
"I wonder if I should go full power..." Anin mentioned.
"Please don't. Not until we get you some clothes that will survive it".
"Awww..."
Azalen manipulated the spear with his fingers, when suddenly the demon appeared next to him.
"Oh look! A tasty little treat! Must consume!"
"Fast!"
Azalen barely dodged as the Demon tried to cut him in half.
"Did he...speed up?"
"His abilities...they are fluxtuating. He randomly gets stronger and weaker!"
"Must...consume...Spirit Energy!"
"Cap! He seems to think you are a meal!"
"DIEDIEDIE!"
"So, thats the game huh?" Azalen mentioned, as he had his spear block the next attack.
"YOU CANNOT STOP US! YOU CANNOT STOP THE FUTURE!"
And then, he appeared right next to Azalen...when Azalen grabbed the weapon right from his hand, as he turned transparent. Suddenly, the creature who appeared human was smashed into the ground and pinned there by an overwhelming telekinetic power.
"Cap?" Anin asked as Azalen floated into the ground.
"Tell me, who created you...homonculus".
Yes, the true origin of their attacker was a homonculus.
"Wait...are you sure Cap?"
"Yeah...its power levels are fluxuating. It has demon power, but not used to it" Azalen said. "This thing was sent out here to hunt us. It seems we have picked up some attention".
As he said that, he drove Chroma into it...and obliterated it completely. Anin was a bit shocked for a change, because whatever it was, it spooked Azalen enough to fight seriously, and end the fight in an instant. Even Anin couldn't always do that when they fought in practice, it was a truly rare sight.
"You okay, Cap?"
"Yeah...lets just get out of here, I could use a nap".
And with that, the case of the Serial Killer ended with more questions then answers.
AN: Moral of the story? Dont leave your powerful super weapons laying around and lose them. Also, now the Sin count is up to three...but something seems to have Azalen nervous? And it appears the epic fighting is picking up!