Halls of the Dead

~Chapter 21 - Manhunt~

~Chapter 21- Manhunt~

The Kingsguard spent the night chasing leads about the Dolor family, questioning a great many individuals.

Schwartz and Aingr visited Felli. The monk's hand had been cleanly cut off. He claimed it was Lumb's doing, and the two admitted it looked like the work of an axe like his.

The monk Thomas had a gash taken out of his neck. A small handaxe like the one Ceptance carried could've done this.

Several monks from the Hall of the Dead had piercing wounds. Witnesses all alleged the same thing; Deporah had invaded the Hall of the Dead with the Prince as a captive and began killing indiscriminately.

The Prince's body had a slit throat, most likely from a dagger.

The soldiers were in disbelief, but Felli pointed out that it may run in the family, suggesting that Urba Dolor may have been unhinged as well.

From behind Scwhartz's eyes, another watched the proceedings, silently waiting for their moment to spring forth. This entity could tell that no one of the Kingsguard suspected the truth. But they carried out their manhunt of the Dolor family begrudgingly.

Rain batted against Schwartz and Aingr's armor as they marched through the city for the criminals. But Schwartz carried a great guilt within him. When he last saw the Prince, he had left him with Deporah. He wondered if he was responsible for the Prince's fate.

"I just can't believe little Deporah would do something like that," Schwartz relented.

"Something isn't right," Aingr replied resolutely, "We should find them and talk to them. Get their side of the story."

The entity residing deep within Schwartz could sense him wanting to agree. In that moment, the entity wrested as much control as it could.

Schwartz spoke, "The King and Ein wanted them killed. We should do as they say."

As soon as Schwartz finished the sentence, he was surprised at himself. As was Aingr.

"That doesn't sound like you."

The entity tried to wrest away control once more, but Schwartz spoke his own mind, "You're right... I'm not sure what got a hold of me."

The entity cursed itself. It hadn't adjusted to this new vessel yet. The amount of control it had was in flux. But the entity knew well that it'd only be a matter of time before this oaf was under its command.

But the entity knew it was on a timer as well. Anxiousness was growing within it. A need. The Mark. It needed to leave the mark again. As much as the entity would've liked to transfer to a new vessel to carry on this work, it knew it would be best to remain in this one until the Dolor family had been dealt with.

The two walked through the city towards Aingr's home. He wanted to get a moment of rest before continuing their patrol.

But as they approached Aingr's home, they spotted a figure in a hooded coat kneeling by his door. Through the rain, they could not tell who it was. They appeared to slide something underneath their door before scurrying off down an alleyway.

"Hey!" Aingr shouted and started after the individual, jogging into the alleyway. Schwartz would've run right along with him, but the entity residing within him made him stay put.

Schwartz instead walked to Aingr's home. The entity drew his interest to the bottom of the door, and the man knelt and felt underneath the crack of the wooden frame.

He felt a piece of paper and slid it out from underneath. Before Schwartz could open the folded piece of parchment, the entity used every bit of its strength to take complete control of Schwartz. It took a moment, but the entity had seized command over its vessel.

With Schwartz's consciousness pushed back, the entity had its vessel unfold the paper. A message waited on the parchment, and the entity hurried to read through it while it still had full control.

It was from Deporah Dolor, and she knew a dangerous amount of information. But she foolishly gave away where they were hiding.

The entity had its vessel tear the paper into the tiniest of pieces until the message was indecipherable before finally relinquishing control back to Schwartz.

As Schwartz's consciousness returned, he began to look for the paper he had just picked up. He didn't even notice the scraps of it in the muddy ground beneath him.

Aingr circled the corner back to Schwartz, "I lost them. Did you find out what they were doing?"

"I thought-" Schwartz began as he looked for the paper for a few more futile moments, "No, I didn't see anything."

Aingr unlocked his door and looked around inside, "Doesn't look like they broke in or anything... It's probably nothing."

"Yeah... nothing..." Schwartz repeated. He was clearly disoriented, though he did not understand why.

"You alright, mate?" Aingr asked.

"I think so... It's been a long couple of days."

Aingr nodded, "Right. Well, I'm getting some rest. If you hear anything about the Dolor family, tell me and no one else. If the Kingsguard finds them before we do, they're dead."

"Gotcha mate!" Schwartz replied.

Aingr shut the door, and Schwartz went on his way back to the Kingsgaurd barracks. Meanwhile, the entity residing within Schwartz knew exactly what it would do. It had been craving the creation of another mark, and now that it knew exactly where the Dolor family was, it'd be able to. There was no need to inform the Kingsguard or the King; the entity would handle it on its own.