Sebastian woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside and cool breeze breezing through the open window. He drowsily dragged himself up from bed just to be surprised to see Delsin soundly asleep beside him whilst Francis and Ezio on the couch. He rubbed his eyes and clumsily got out of bed.

"Rise and shine," He gently roused Delsin from his sweet dreams.

"Hmm already morning?" he opened his eyes sleepily, Sebastian returned a faint smile. Delsin stretched his arms and let out a yawn before getting up. He stared back at the bed and then to Sebastian.

"Sorry about that," he apologised. "I got drowsy from the movie yesterday and ended up dozing off on your bed without knowing..."

Sebastian just gave Delsin's shoulder a nudge. "Relax pal, I'm not going to scold you or anything. My bed must be a great comfort to you."

Delsin tittered. It wasn't long both Francis and Ezio aroused from their peaceful sleep.

"Morning," Francis greeted as he gently undo his hair tie to let his long hair down. His hair flowed down and swished at his waist. Sebastian watches as Francis took out a comb out from his pocket and began combing. His hair colour was unique; silver in colour and seems to have an unusual glow whenever light shines on it. From his angle, Sebastian felt Francis looked like a woman more than a man; his slender figure as well as his androgynous facial features.

…Francis will probably killed him if he were to tell him that directly…

"You all want to go out for breakfast?" Francis asked. "I saw a small café at downtown yesterday with Delsin. I thought of trying it out since the pancakes aroma was irresistible."

Ezio wobbly got up from the couch while blinking his eyes. His hair slightly messy and had a worn out expression on his face. "I had a strange dream," he just mumbled out. "So bizarre that I can't get a good sleep."

"What's that dream about?" Francis passes the comb to him "Mind telling?"

Ezio rubbed his temple. "It was a boy. I can't see him very clearly. The dream was foggy and he keeps repeating the same words over and over again." He combed his hair neatly before tying it up. "He was telling me to come back and wake up. I don't know what it meant but his voice sounds so familiar. I heard that voice somewhere before but couldn't remember when or where."

He tried his best to recollect his so-called lost memories when a sudden sharp throbbing pain rushed through his brain. The pain was so excruciating that he eventually lost his balance, collapsing back to the couch.

The three of them rushed to his side, helping him to get back up to his feet.

"Easy there," Francis carefully massaged Ezio's temples. "If you forcefully try to remember, you will only end up tormenting yourself."

Ezio held Francis's both hands as he gazed up to him. "I feel like I'm forgetting something very important." He lowered his head down with his eyes tightly shut, gritting his teeth to tolerate the headache he's having. He thought about the mysterious boy in his dream, his face was like a scattered jigsaw puzzle, waiting patiently to be pieced together. The voice he called out to him was filled with grief. Ezio wants to reach out and grasped the boy's hand tightly, refusing to let go. However he was always being pushed back by an invisible force that stirred him awake from that strange dream state…

His heart start pounding fast and a wave of sorrow filled over him. He felt that he and the boy shared a strong bond or connection.

A voice from nowhere suddenly spoke in his mind,

"Do you remember our promise?"

Ezio gasped, opened his eyes and looked up. To his shock, he saw blood tears streaming down Francis's face. He shrieked, let go and staggered backwards.

"Ezio?" Francis was taken aback by his sudden reaction. Ezio quickly rubbed his eyes with both hands before focusing back on Francis again; no blood tears on his face at all. He began to wonder if he's hallucinating.

"Geez, I didn't know a dream can cause such a stress to you," Delsin said.

"Do you want to lie down for a while?" Sebastian asked with concern.

Ezio politely waved off his offer. "I'm ok. This tends to happen to me sometimes. Don't worry,"

He glanced back at Francis. (What was that about?)

"You sure you don't want to rest again?" Francis seems oblivious. "You look unwell."

"I'm alright really," Ezio tried to convince them. "I mean you and Delsin seen me like this before right? It's not the first time already." He changed the topic. "Didn't you say Keanu, the librarian you met yesterday will be dropping by here in the afternoon or so?"

"Oh…yeah," Francis took his trench coat from the coat hanger stand. "I thought of dropping by the library again," he examined Ezio thoroughly. "You sure you're really doing fine? Is tyour headache still buzzing?"

Ezio rolled up his eyes and nodded his head. "I'm fine and hungry. Dying for the pancakes."

Knowing that he's as stubborn as mule, Francis finally give in and let him have his way. He turned to Sebastian next.

"You want to join? I mean it's unhealthy for you to keep coop up in your room all the time. You should go out for fresh air."

Sebastian thought for a while; at first he was kind of reluctant as he feared the townspeople will recognised his face from the news and made a report about his current whereabouts. He tries to avoid any attention and problems at all cost but was also desperate to go outside unless…

"I need a disguise," Sebastian pointed out.

Francis as quick as a flash, passes him a pair of glasses and a cloth cap. "I already figure out. By the way do you feel any better after taking the medicine?"

Sebastian was amazed the medicine did work wonders. His cold and cough were completely gone and more energetic rather than feeble.

"I'm actually feeling a lot better," He gave his thanks. "Are you a doctor by any chance too?"

"Nope but my father was. I just like to browse his medical books during free time."

"Then your parents?" Sebastian asked.

"Both already passed on 2 years ago. Killed in a fire."

"I'm sorry… I didn't know," he sincerely apologised.

"No worries," Francis headed for the door. "I gotten over with it."

Sebastian quietly put the disguises on while scolding himself in his mind for making Francis remembered his parents' death.

(Sebastian you stupid moron...)

Every time when someone mentioned anything related to fire, he will remembered the face of his beloved daughter, also killed in the same manner years ago. According to his missing wife, Myra, wrote to him that their daughter's death was no accidental rather murdered. Now she's missing and the murderer hadn't yet to be brought to justice. But he knew the organization, Mobius were involved in it.

Not wanting to let his friends wait, Sebastian left.

"Well that was a good breakfast," Delsin licked his lips. "I don't mind eating another round."

"Your appetite sure is scary," Sebastian handed him a napkin. "I even lost count how many hash browns you ate."

"What can I do?" Delsin shrugged. "I need food to boost up my Conduit power within me."

Sebastian raise an eyebrow.

"The library just further down. I'll introduce Keanu to you both," Francis steered the jeep towards the library direction.

As they drove closer and closer to their destination, they began to sense something was amiss. The library front entrance were completely surrounded by people, watching and whispering among themselves. Police cars and an ambulance were parked nearby. They even saw a policeman putting up police tape barricading the entire area.

Francis immediately stopped the jeep in a distance. With so much witnesses, cops and reporters gathering at one spot, he will only risked on getting Sebastian into trouble. He signalled him to lay low while he go outside to check on the happenings. At the corner of his eyes, he notices Delsin was doing a worried gesture to him.

"Wait here," Francis headed there. He carefully pushes his way through the curious crowd and stopped to observe the scene. He watches as paramedics carried out 4 body bags on a stretcher each from the library. Reporters were busy taking photo shoots and questioning the police. Francis pondered what had actually happened.

Since this is the place where Keanu was working, Francis was stricken with dread. He prayed that Keanu wasn't among the victims.

"Who could have done this?" He overheard three elderly women dressed in farmer attires, talking behind him.

"I heard from one of the cops that the suspect broke into the library yesterday night and shot the 3 librarians. Even the janitor wasn't spared."

"Not only that," another one followed up. "One of them was badly mutilated than the rest," "I heard he was burnt. It seems the murderer had a grudge on him."

"How can it be possible?!" An elderly woman with a loose low bun argued back. "He's such a quiet and nice guy. He never offended anyone. Yesterday evening he told me he met and made some new friends," she began to sob quietly. "Dear Lord, why must this tragedy have to happen to him? How are we going to tell Miss Pamela when she returns? He's like a son to her."

(Met and made some new friends…) Francis immediately felt his heart skip a beat. Unable to remain silent any longer, he swiftly turned to the trio. "Excuse me?"

They stared at him surprisingly.

"The librarian whom you all were talking about just now, what's his name?"

Delsin was pacing back and forth impatiently outside the vehicle when he spotted Francis leaving the crowd and returning to them in slow pace. He doesn't look good as he got closer and stood right in front of Delsin with his head hung low with downcast eyes. Sensing a bad news, Delsin softly spoke.

"What happened? Did you saw Keanu?"

"Four people were murdered; three librarians and a janitor. All were killed by gunshot to the head but one was badly mutilated."

An uneasy silence followed, Francis clenched both his fists tightly before looking up firmly to Delsin.

"Keanu's…dead."

Delsin stumbled a little. Both Ezio and Sebastian who were still inside the jeep, couldn't hear the conversation between the two that they exchanged confused looks to one another.

"How can that be possible?" Delsin make a clutch on Francis's shoulders. "There must be a mistake right?"

"There's no mistake at all," Francis calmed him down. "I took a quick glance on the corpses in the body bags when the paramedics and polices weren't around. The burnt corpse was confirmed to be Keanu. I recognised the silver bracelet he wore on his right hand."

Delsin narrowed his eyes. "He's wearing a bracelet?"

"Yeah, I saw it when we first met him. You probably didn't notice it," Francis said. "Let's get back inside."

Both returned to their seats with doleful looks. An air of melancholy surrounded all.

"What... happened at the library?" Sebastian asked. "Keanu's unhurt I hope?"

"Francis?" Ezio called out to him.

"He's dead," he responded. Ezio's eyes widened while Sebastian covered his mouth in shock.

"Murdered by someone," Delsin continued.

Sebastian panic. "It's him isn't it? Guillermo's doing?"

Francis shook his head. "No it's not him."

"What makes you so sure?" Ezio questioned.

"When I inspected the bodies, I didn't detect any of the doctor's 'Sight' from Keanu."

Sebastian frowned. "I'm sorry. What Sight?"

"Whenever a person dies from his last moment, he will retained the sight of the person or object which he last saw. I touched his eyes in order to 'see' it but all I saw instead is a woman shrouded in shadow killing him."

"You can read people's last memories after they die?" Sebastian asked.

"It's part of my Salem's abilities."

"Woman? Wait…could it be that woman I saw yesterday?" Ezio folded his arms across his chest. "If it's really her, then another question will be why she killed them?"

"Do you think it has something to do with you both for accessing the archive to learn about the doctor's background?" Sebastian tapped his index finger on his lap. "Didn't you uncovered some photos on the cult? The information obtained had deep connection with Ruvik's past as well as him having connection with STEM and Mobius."

"Then what about the one with the Doctor and that strange-like machine behind him?" Delsin asked. "Does that had any link with this Ruvik?"

"I don't know…" Sebastian shook his head. "I need to look at the photo before I can conclude but we could have been watch by them."

Francis conjectured that Keanu was murdered as a warning for poking their nose into others' secrets. In other words, they unknowingly caused Keanu's death. He felt a deep guilt building up in him.

"Anyway let's head back home for now," Francis started the engine. "I'm sure this news had probably reached William."

They left the scene and headed back quietly.

"I told Pamela everything. She will be arriving back here tomorrow in the afternoon," William sat with them in the living room. "I can't believe this is happening in our town."

"Uncle I heard you already made preparation for his funeral," Sebastian said.

"Yeah," William rubbed his forehead. "Pamela asked me to. Poor her, she broke into tears when she heard of his sudden passing. Such a great loss."

"Did you notify his parents?" Ezio asked.

William sighed. "Keanu's not from a happy family but rather a dysfunctional. His mother left them for another man when he was three and Keanu was badly abused by his alcoholic father during his childhood days until that good for nothing bastard died from alcohol poisoning," he took off his glasses to clean it. "Which is a good riddance as none of us here like him. Troublemaker I will say. It was Pamela who took Keanu in and raised him as her own. They were close and now he's gone..."

William rested his arms on both knees and covered his face with his hands. He don't feel like talking anymore. Ezio casted his eyes to the marble floor before turning his attention to Francis beside him, he hadn't spoken a word since they returned.

None of them spoke to each other till night falls.

Ezio found himself walking along a wooden bridge. It creaked eerily each steps he took. He felt extremely uneasy as he feared the bridge might collapsed under his weight. He therefore stopped in his track and look-see his surroundings; he don't know where he had wandered to this time but clearly knew he's back in the foggy dream world again. Shortly after he heard sound of footsteps heading towards his direction.

He assumed it was the boy he dreamt previously. He listened carefully. No… it's completely different. The footsteps sounds heavier; more like an adult than a child.

Ezio swiftly unleashed his hidden blade to defend himself from the unknown stranger emerging from the fog. To his surprise, it turned out to be Francis.

"Francis?"

He just stood there emotionlessly. Ezio peered at him and noticed he was as pale as sheet and eyes looking lifeless.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. But Francis didn't answer, just turned and ran off towards the dark forest ahead.

"Wait!" Ezio pursued after him. He was led through the dark wood. Strangely no matter how fast Ezio ran, he was unable to catch up with him. He even shouted at Francis to stop but was completely ignored.

Ezio soon stumbled upon an opening and found that Francis was nowhere to be seen. He quickly searched around for his whereabouts until he caught a glimpse of a village town further down the place he was at.

(He could be there.) He hastily made his way there and reached upon a rusty main gate. He pushed it open and entered. The village was old and run-down, built out from the 1800s period and emits out an unwelcoming presence. Ezio cautiously walked his way through hoping to find Francis as soon as possible.

The entire village was completely deserted; no sign of life or anything and engulfed in an eerie endless night. Such an uncanny other-worldly place, he began to worry for Francis's safety; pondering if he's in trouble or some sort. However during his roaming, he got this déjà vu feeling that he had been here before. He then notices a wooden board sign in the center of the village and examined it.

Written on it was:

SALEM CREEK VILLAGE

"Salem Creek…Village," he mumbled softly to himself. "Have I been…"

He suddenly caught sight of a dim glowing light heading up a stone carved stairway not far from him, leading upwards to a mansion on a hill. Ezio quickly rushed up the long stairway just to see Francis entering the main door entrance.

"Francis!" He ran for the door and flung it open. Right when he does that, he was instantly warped to another place.

He's now standing on a cliff. At the far end were 2 graves and behind it was Francis whose back was facing Ezio.

"Francis?"

Ezio slowly approached. He reached out for him as he drew closer when Francis suddenly whirled around to face him and Ezio froze in horror. Blood covering Francis's entire face and hands, staining and dyeing his blue trench coat to crimson. His eyes were white as he proceeded to seize Ezio's both arms and said to him,

"Kill me."

Ezio snapped open his eyes and got up, sweating profusely and panting. This dream he had was so different from the one he had before, it revolves around Francis this time instead of the boy but the dream seems so real that…

"Francis!" He got up from his bed and raced to Francis's room which was just next door. Despair overwhelmed him in a swift when he discovered he wasn't inside. Did the dream really came true?

"Francis? Where are you?" He cried out. He bolted down the stairway and halt when he saw a shadow of person standing near the glass partition. A man whose long silvery hair glows in the moonlight, staring at the darkness outside.

Ezio let a relived sigh. He stood next to Francis and observed outside along with him. Out of curiosity, he asked,"What are you looking at?"

"The woods," Francis points towards it. "I felt the doctor's presence nearby."

"He's here?" Ezio tensed up.

"Yeah but I placed a barrier arcane spell around the mansion so he can't get in."

"Thank goodness," Ezio felt at ease. He looked at Francis and sees nothing out of the ordinary. He wasn't sure if he should tell him about the dream; Francis covering in blood, requesting Ezio to kill him with his own bare hands. He was worried that Francis will feel discomfort if he learns about this. After some consideration, he decided to keep it to himself. Just then he was disrupted from his deep thoughts.

"Ezio…"

"Hmmm?"

Silence followed.

"Nothing. Never mind."

"…he passed on suddenly and unexpectedly in the early hours of yesterday Friday morning the date of death, I know he will be greatly missed by everyone who knew and loved him.

A light has gone out; without so much as a flicker, and all we have left; is the precious memory of how brightly it burned; and the warmth it gave us.

Let's now spend a few moments in silence and you can each remember Keanu in your own special way, and those of you that do have a religious faith might like to use this time for your own private prayer.

May the Lord embrace this kind soul in his arms, Amen," the priest spoke.

Francis and Ezio offered their silent prayers and flowers to pay their last respect to Keanu alongside with Mr William and those who knew him. Miss Pamela, a plump and short grey haired woman around her 50s, wearing black dress with a knitted shawl, wept uncontrollably as the coffin of her beloved adopted son was slowly lowered to the ground.

It was a painful sight to watch that Ezio felt tears slowly welling up his eyes. He excused himself and went to sit on a stone bench under a tree not far from the funeral; leaving them to console the deeply heart-broken Pamela.

Ezio hated this kind of scenario especially when a loved one died. Parting with them was unbearable…

Francis who was still with William, watches Ezio from the funeral spot. He knew Ezio doesn't like to linger in this kind of place so leaving him alone will be a better choice. Francis looked around when a tombstone near a cliff at a distance overlooking towards the sea, caught his attention. He then heard a faintly yet gentle bell sound echoing out to him. As if placed under some kind of spell and drawn to it, Francis began to walk slowly towards the grave.

The surroundings around Francis suddenly turned grey and everyone seems to freeze in time including trees, birds etc.; devoid of life. A surge of unknown energy swirling and glowing began to form beside the grave. Francis however shows no fear as he approached the glow and stood right in front of it. He stared silently. A figure, in a shape of a human slowly emerged from the blinding light and unexpectedly it turned out to be another Francis yet different. Rather a human it was a spirit.

His other self approaches him, slowly wrapped his arms around Francis and warmly embraced him. He whispered to his ear:

"Do you remember now? Help him find his way back."

Sadly Sebastian was unable to join in. All he could do was watch the funeral afar from the car with Delsin beside him. Sebastian notices that Delsin was acting uncomfortably as he keeps twiddling his thumbs and tucking his hands in pockets while emitting out a dismal mood.

He roughly could understand how Delsin feels from within since he have had been to funerals before but never seen anyone reacted like this. Out of concern, he decided to have a small chat with his young friend to keep his mind off things.

"You doing alright?"

"Hmm? Oh y…yea…yeah…" Delsin stammered. "I...I…just don't like… funerals. Brings back bad memories."

Sebastian looked away. "Yeah me too."

"Death is like a swift wind. It comes and go without warning and we could do nothing to prevent nor bring them back," Delsin leaned his back on the car and took out a pendant, attached to it was a small ivory carved-shaped Raven with its wings spread out. He gently stroke it before tucking it back to his shirt.

"I lost both parents while I was only a kid. They drove off during a heavy storm one night and never came back. Since then my older brother took care of me until…" he trailed off before continuing. "He died saving me yet I couldn't save him…"

Delsin slowly turned to Sebastian. "But I keep my promise that I'll live to the fullest," he said with a faint smile. "Though it hurts a lot." Followed by a brief silence. "I missed him."

"Why are you telling me these?" Sebastian asked.

"Well you told us yours so I guessed I'll share mine with you."

Sebastian gazed to the sky. "You know I had the same thoughts as you. It's true it hurts a lot till now I'm still clinging onto it. Who knows, maybe somewhere out there we'll find a place of belonging that we longed for again; an old friend of mine once told me that."

"You might be right," Delsin gazed up along with him.

Ezio sat at the stone bench when he notices Francis wasn't with William anymore. He stood up and looked around.

"Francis?"

He spotted Francis standing at the cliff in a distance and the images of his dream flashes back to his mind. He instantly panic and made a dash.

He ran as fast as he could, fearing that the nightmare was coming real. He grabbed Francis's shoulder the moment he reached to his side and another vision played out before his eyes;

Ezio was holding Francis in his arms crying before letting out a wail.

"Why? Why did you make me do this?!"

Ezio jerked back just to see Francis staring at him emotionlessly.

"What...what are you doing here?" Ezio asked him.

"The grave…" Francis points to the tomb. Ezio kneeled down to get a better view; oddly there's no name, birth and death date written on it. An unmarked grave on a cliff but who was it?

Anxious and troubled by his dreams and visions recently, Ezio grabbed hold of Francis's hand and led him down the hill in a hurry. "Let's get back to the jeep. The sun almost set. Night will fall soon."

Francis quietly followed but he looked back towards the unmarked grave again.

"I'm… already…." He murmured as they headed back to the jeep.

Francis went straight up to his room when they returned from the funeral service. He never utter a word to either of them and whenever they speak to him, he either nodded or shook his head or said a one word answer in response. His reaction seems to have slowed.

Ezio began to worry for him. He had been like this after encountering the grave. Did the tomb triggered something unpleasant that was traumatizing to him? He tried to talk to Francis about it but the young man waved him off, indicating that he wants to be left alone for the time being.

Francis even locked his room door from the inside, not allowing anyone in. William wonders what happened to him as he was such a lively man a few days back and now he's awfully quiet and distanced after the funeral.

Both Delsin and Sebastian thought of asking him out to have supper but Ezio suggested they leave him alone as a way to respecting his choice.

Francis sat on his bed and stared at his expressionless reflection reflected on the mirror which he's holding on his hands. He gently touches his face, cast his eyes down at his hand then back to the mirror.

He got up and walked towards the window and gazed up to the night sky.

"He's waiting," he said as he closes his eyes. "Waiting for Ezio to return and so will I return to mine."

End of Chapter 9