They were rich and influential. This didn't mean they couldn't be killed. Theolonius Stalwart was rich, influential, crazy, and absolutely terrifying. That's what I gathered from people's tales anyway. My father never really told me anything about him. He only told us that Stalwarts weren't the best people one could deal with, and that it would be best to stay away from them.

I left Jenkins after he told me how he manages to summon the demon. Apparently, Morrison, or the real Bodrick, sought him out a year ago. Jenkins was in hiding after he garnered infamy regarding his dark practice. He was a conjurer, and dealt in witchcraft. After his son was born, he decided to lay low and forget about his past life.

Bodrick had another say in this. Thanks to his connections to the underworld market, he managed to get ahold of Jenkins. He threatened his family, unless the tanner agreed to help him. It was like this in the world we lived in. The strong prey on the weak. I wasn't going to let that happen to me.

I had but one thing to do now. It was the final part of my plan.

I snuck around the narrow streets, making sure I avoided all patrols, then reached the back of the mayor's mansion. I remembered where Osgar and I got in the last time. I used the secret entrance then found myself inside the large, empty house.

The reason the mayor didn't keep any servants around was because of the demon. In case the sly creature decided to go rogue, the mayor didn't want it devouring his servants and exposing their dark secret.

The people involved were all bound to the demon by a blood pact. The demon couldn't eat them unless they broke the deal. It was a different pact from the one Raiya had with Sisha. The demon couldn't break the barrier between his world and ours unless the people he's made a pact with didn't respect the terms they agreed on.

Things were really working in my favor. All I had to do was steal that jewel they use to conjure the creature, and deliver it to Jenkins. The man said he had a plan to break the pact. No matter how I looked at it, I wasn't in any immediate danger by doing so.

I agreed to seek the tanner after everything died out. I couldn't risk handing him the only piece I could use as leverage against Bodrick though.

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I roamed about the corridors, p.r.i.c.king my ears for any movements beyond. I tried my best to remember the entrance to the vents Osgar had led me through. I would've brought him along, if it weren't for his cowardly nature. He'd f.u.c.k my plans up the first opportunity he got.

My memory wasn't sloppy though. I found the hidden entrance and got inside the vent. The tricky part was about to start. I crawled inside and looked for the entrance to the underground room. I preferred that everything went by smoothly and silently, but something kept nagging inside me.

I got the feeling that things were bound to get hairy. Nothing ever goes according to plan. Not when there are so many variables I couldn't control.

I prepared myself for the worst, and crawled further. It wouldn't hurt to keep my hopes down. I reached the cavity through which I could descend. I hung and let my body fall. The landing wasn't silent. Especially that I dropped from a ten feet height. My knees vibrated, and I felt the impact in my guts.

I winced then looked behind me. I p.r.i.c.ked my ears, but couldn't hear anything coming toward me. I was still safe. I was in the room in which they sacrificed Zoey. The poor woman didn't deserve that death, but then again death is always ugly. Even if you were to die a normal death, you'd s.h.i.+t your pants and probably fill them with pee too.

The floor beneath me was b.l.o.o.d.y, smelled of rot and decay. There was that altar they used to conjure the demon too. It looked awfully ominous. There were real skulls spread at its base. Blood trickled from its edges, no doubt some it was Zoey's. I remembered what they'd done to her and s.h.i.+vered.

I went for the only closet in the place and retrieved the dark jewel from it. All that remained was to leave the place unnoticed. I was about to wrap the jewel in a piece of cloth when I heard murmurs emanating from it. My eye felt drawn to the object. For some reason I couldn't explain, I was deeply fascinated by it.

The more I looked, the clearer the murmur became. It was one word that repeated itself over and over again.

"Kill!"

It felt as though that faint murmur crept from outside the jewel and inside my head. I could only look at it, gaze indefinitely. The more I looked the more I could discern some shape in that black, inky diamond. The shape danced about, calling out to me.

"Kill!" it would say.

I smiled at the word. It was enticing. Why wouldn't I kill? Everybody was out to get me. I'd better strike back and show them who's boss. If they wouldn't leave me alone, then I'd better get them.

"What's taking them so long?" I heard a clear voice from behind the door. It was the mayor's, and he was heading my way.

That split second inattention wrenched me out of the jewel's hypnotism. I quickly wrapped it in a cloth then pocketed it. The mayor was about to get in, and I was sure he wasn't alone.

I had no choice but to hide in the closet. It was big enough for me, if I managed to squeeze myself in and close the door before they arrived that is. I couldn't risk the time stop spell yet. I had but one remaining use, unless I wanted to risk another invasion from the Fragment's Essence.

The door opened as soon as I hid inside the closet. By the sound of their footsteps, there were three people inside.

"Did you get in touch with Morrison?" the mayor asked.

"He says he's leaving," a deep voice answered.

"What?" the mayor asked. His voice was shaky, a little too high than he intended. "Where's he going?"

"Why would he tell me that?" the other man said. "All he said was to catch and deliver the tanner to him. He suspects Jenkins would flee."

"He might be right," the mayor said. "I sent some men to retrieve him. They haven't come back yet."

"How long ago was that?" the third person asked. He sounded like an old man. His voice was coa.r.s.e, and he spoke as slowly as humanly possible.

"I don't know," the mayor said. "Right after the attack, I don't even know how much time pa.s.sed since we got in this room. Any news about the killer?"

"We don't know what or who we're looking for," the old man said. "The shot must have come from a close distance, yet n.o.body saw anything."

"d.a.m.n that merchant robber!" the mayor screamed.

"I don't think it was the merchant robber though," the old man said. "It got dark after the man drowned in his own blood. We're missing something else here."

I smiled in my hiding place. 'How does it feel to be in the dark for once, huh?' I found myself thinking.

The men grew silent as the sound of hurrying footsteps echoed in the hall beyond the door. The clanking of armor followed those heavy footsteps. Once it all stopped, a man spoke, sounding official, speaking a bit too loud. He was a soldier, or a guard. I couldn't see, nor could I risk sensing the people outside. I didn't know who could use the same trick. They'd easily discover me then.

"We can't find Jenkins, sir," the newcomer said. "The men you sent are dead. We found them at his door."

"Was there any sign of a break in?" the old man asked.

"No, sir," the other replied. "Jenkins didn't pack either. We found his house intact. Only he and his family are missing."

"Great work," the old man said. "Divide our searching forces in two. Take one half with you and scour the northern forest for the tanner. Let the others know that we're looking for the one eyed man who escaped last night. We're no longer searching for the killer now."

"Y-yes sir," the guard said. I heard a loud bang, probably from his fist b.u.mping into his chest. Then the guard retreated, leaving the three men alone.

"Well, that complicates matters," the mayor said. "Are you sure about abandoning the search for the killer?"

"I don't know if it's coincidence or a well-executed plan," the old man said. "The a.s.sa.s.sination was clean. The killer disappeared even before the target died. Then Jenkins disappeared. It can't be just a coincidence."

"What are you insinuating?" the mayor asked.

"Someone knows about our little secret," the old man said. "Someone's using the commotion to his advantage."

"For what?" the mayor asked.

"If the a.s.sa.s.sin targeted Bodrick, then you're probably next," the old man said. "He might have killed Jenkins and his family already, left a trail of bodies to let us believe the tanner escaped. I might have sent half our forces on a goose chase."

"What do we do now?" the mayor asked.

"I say we draw this a.s.sa.s.sin out," the man with the deep voice said. I remembered his voice now. He was the one who murdered Zoey.

"How do you suppose we do that?" the old man asked. "He's already got the fake Bodrick without anyone noticing him. He's probably got Jenkins too. I also suspects he knows about the real Bodrick now. We might be next on the list."

"Who would gain anything from killing me?" the man with the deep voice said.

"A lot of people hate you Gunter," the mayor said.

"Gunter's onto something," the old man said.

"What is it?" the mayor asked.

"It's just a suspicion," the old man said. "Give me a second, will you?"

I heard footsteps approaching the closet. I knew I shouldn't have hid there.

"Kill!" the whispers in my head came back, stronger, louder.

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

The others joined in. I heard their footsteps getting louder in my direction.

"No one would get in here without my knowing," the mayor said. "We shouldn't look at that thing without Jenkins around."

"I'm just checking," the old man said. "Call it a gut feeling. If the thing's still here, then we stay in the mansion. Let Morrison find Jenkins then. We'll deliver this cursed item to him and get our village back."

"Kill!" the voices in my head got louder than the approaching footsteps.