In the dim torchlight the scene was even grislier than I remembered, the dry, caked blood on the walls seemed to writhe and snake as the light shifted. I extinguished my torch, didn’t have the hands to hold it anymore, and walked up to her armour, dropping to one knee as I carefully picked up the pile. As I turned around the guard had a torch raised, staring at the wall wide eyed and his mouth agape. He turned to me, speechless.

“Let’s go.” I said gruffly, jerking my head back towards the alley, the soft light of the armour illuminating the path. “If you want to stay here that’s fine too.” I continued, casting a quick Delve around the area. For now it seemed we were still alone. If there really is a spectre it isn’t here right now… I thought to myself. Though I had dismissed it out of hand, I had to admit that the shadows left me on edge. Last thing I need is to be surprised by something because I got complacent about how things should work.

[I have not noticed anything at least.] Page confirmed. [How much would you be willing to wager it is a spectre like the one you saw at the battle? Dispersed across the city?] It joked, and I frowned heavily. Very little… Mostly cause if I win we’re all screwed.

The guard nodded quickly, moving to lead the way with his torch. I could hear him swallow as we left. “I… What kind of monster are you chasing?!” He exclaimed. “There couldn’t be a human being capable of such a thing… could there?” He asked, his voice getting queasy. I let out a breath, shrugging and wincing as the armour jostled.

“You’d be surprised.” I said simply, not wishing to discuss it further. I wouldn’t say this was commonplace back home, but… we knew things like this happened. When the world was connected, it was all too easy to learn of the dark side of humanity. But… I didn’t know about this world, bandits were aberrant, that much was for certain, and even then they robbed, rarely killing. That group I had come across… those were errant abominations. I grimaced, this wasn’t the time, and I wasn’t qualified to make any real assessments anyway.

The rest of the walk was in silence, though he held the torch I was the one who led the way, using the faint glow that the armour gave and my memory, though the highlight Page added to the area helped as well. I heard a sigh of relief from behind me as we entered the main streets. We parted without a word, him wandering off into the night as I took the path back to the guild. Inside, I saw that the guild had cleared out, no more drinking, conversation, just an empty building.

In the back, the cloak had been replaced with a heavy cloth, wrapping around her body and tied with some lengths of rope. Numen looked over to me worriedly as I set down the armour beside the table, looking over to the body. “We thought it would be best…” She said, her voice trailing off as I nodded. “There’s a garden to the back, do you think?” I nodded again, stepping off to the side and sliding to the ground, a hand raised to my faceplate. I let out a muffled, choking sob.

Numen walked over, extending a hand, and I shook my head. “Don’t… I’m not clean.” I said, crushing back my emotions. Had to keep moving, find something else to latch onto, another purpose. “I’m… going to go wash up.” I said, standing to leave the room. “You should wash… your hands and… and anything you used to touch it, there’s no telling what kind of… diseases were brought back.” I continued, my voice mechanical even to my own ears.

I ended up boiling my gauntlets and faceplate in hot water, with little other methods left to me. The public bathhouses were closed, and even were they not, it was a risk with so many people within. Too easy for all those souls to confuse my vision, for the resultant turmoil to cloud me until it was too late. I had my doubts now, with how confident he was, could he know who I am? My identity was only a secret because no one had pried, if he had watched, made notes… I grimaced, watching as the water bubbled. Why? What the hell had we done?

My night was fitful, restless, I would wake at odd hours, Delving to scan the guild as I was woken by phantom sounds and nightmares. I finally sat up, bringing a hand to my face, as I went to sit at the stairs. Right… I’m not going to be getting any sleep anyway. I thought to myself, interlocking my fingers and resting my chin on them. What do we know? I thought, a question both for myself and Page. The bastard is hunting us, and somehow managed to get Frejr out alone with them. They’re someone… trusted, somehow. I wrung my hands in frustration. Who else do they trust that I have met?

[There are other irregulars.] Page suggested. [Like Ponc, Maevern, Riser…] It noted. I shook my head. None of them had been even near recently, since the demonic threat had been dealt with they had left to travel once more… [And what about the others?] Page asked.

I sighed. I don’t know. I hadn’t paid much attention to the others, they were at best acquaintances. Linden hadn’t even been to this city recently either, not that he had the patience or skill to pull off a covert assassination. Much as I hated to admit it the man had some integrity. I doubt it’s any of the irregulars, it doesn’t… fit. I thought to myself. Most of the ‘old guard’ as they’ve been called are generally stable… if rough.

[Then perhaps some kind of psychopath for hire from the Republic?] Page ventured. [With their influence they could easily have found someone who would have reason to meet with Frejr and Azarint in official capacity.]

But those people wouldn’t be complete psychopaths. I thought back. And someone like this… they aren’t given orders, targets, they’re set loose after their prey, or they were already loose in the first place. I snarled, restraining the urge to slam my fist into a wall. I didn’t have any illusions of the influence Cale and the others had on the Republic, but if the Council wanted to assassinate us, it wouldn’t be with a tool this… blunt. Whoever this was took too much pleasure to be an actual assassin.

[Whoever they were, what you saw of their soul did confirm that they are hardly stable.] Page said. [That is the strangest thing about all this, how could a soul come to be like that?]

From what little that Qent had told me, and what I’d gleaned on my own, souls were essentially the psyche, Gaven… had had his soul rent, slowly robbing him of emotion and eventually even thought as it dissipated. That soul was a completely different matter, it looked simple, but roiled and seethed in a manner that suggested a tumultuous experience of emotion and thought, which didn’t do much to vouch for their sanity. That didn’t mean he wasn’t stupidly dangerous all the same.

[That also reminds me, what of the Edratchi?] Page said. [If anyone on this plane were to have twisted souls, it would be them.]

I shook my head. None of their scouts ever showed the ability to blend into civilization, or the army would already have been crippled long before I joined the war. I thought back. With the Aerathi watching them, it’s even more doubtful they’d have managed to sneak in some new form without an advance warning…

We need to find Qent as soon as we can. I thought to myself, gritting my teeth. He’d have the answers, and right now he’s the one that’s not with us.

[But the murderer is here, and all three of you are now in this settlement.] Page said. [From the way he acts he seems like he wants an audience, someone for him to taunt and show the results of his grisly work… We should try to work with the guards, they should be able to help.]

They’ll do their best. I thought, wincing a little at how dismissive I sounded. I sighed. I don’t know how they can help. They’ve already told us that they haven’t seen anyone new in town, we had to do this on foot, and by now… he’ll have had plenty of time to dispose of his… evidence. I clenched my jaw, thinking. What could I track? I dug up the memory, trying my best to calmly consider what I knew. There had been something distinct, the cosh, my own had been a custom job, so it can’t have been widespread. I couldn’t track it myself, I didn’t have the time or the manpower, but maybe the guards? If they would I might be able to get some kind of description.

Beyond that… what else? Her armour was distinctive, but it was fairly intuitive to remove so long as she wasn’t moving. There was no way for me to identify the precise weapon he had used, I knew too little. I ran my hand across my helm. “Doesn’t that ever get uncomfortable?” A voice whispered from above. My head snapped back, seeing Numen leaning against the bannister.

I arched an eyebrow. “Sometimes, but I think you know by now how much I hate people knowing who their ‘Masked’ is.” I reply, watching a little warily as she came to sit beside me. “Did I wake you? Sorry, haven’t been able to sleep well lately.”

“I can imagine” She said, biting her lip. “When you left, we had to remove the cloak so we could… properly wrap her up…” She said, turning to me, her eyes trying to find my own. She seemed concerned. “You know you can talk to us right? If you’re affected I mean… not that it’d be wrong if you weren’t.” She said, words tumbling from her lips. I nod, reaching up to the faceplate.

The air is cool against my skin, her eyes find mine and she holds the gaze. “It boils me up inside.” I said simply. “Right now all I want to do is go out there and murder him, but I can’t.” My voice is a near monotone, even as the words hiss out through my clenched teeth. “That’s all I know how to say.” I finish lamely, letting out a sigh as I put the faceplate back on. “Once he’s found, and buried, I’ll shed my tears, probably.” I lean back, looking away from her and moving my gaze to the ceiling.

The silence drags on for a moment, and she leans her shoulder onto mine, I shrink back a little, but eventually let her be. Wordless comfort for wordless anxieties. But all actions have consequences, for me, this was another turning point, another little domino setting up a tragedy that would continue to haunt me for decades.

I slouch a little, my shoulder shuddering once as I force back a quiet sob and lean into her. “I will always be here for you to lean against.” She says, her voice a near whisper beside me. A loud creak breaks the moment, and I straighten, both of us looking to the second floor.

After a moment, I let out a breath and stand up. “I’m going to go back to bed.” I say. “You should probably do so as well.” My voice is thick, almost betraying me, if she notices, she does not say. She nods, standing to leave as well. She stops in front of her door, and I wave her good night. She gives a hesitant smile, closing the door behind her.

My sleep for the rest of the night came easy, I had forgotten how it felt like, when I was able to just have a moment, like I would spend with everyone, so very, very long ago.