Unbreakable Link (Soukoku)

The sixth lantern

"Hmm..." The brunette hummed, slightly impressed at the church's overall infrastructure. It was in a clean and near pristine stage. The illuminated cross standing proud and tall on top of the two formidable infrastructure.

"Dazai, let's go. Don't stand there." However, before he could take a closer look at the building in front of them, his partner had called out to him, ushering them to enter the church.

"Why are we hurrying so much? The evil spirit isn't going anywhere." He mused but not resisting the pull on his wrist as they finally step foot in the supposedly holy building yet something felt off immediately and they both noticed it.

The pastor came to greet them, giving a slight bow to the both of them, "Good morning, Dazai-sama, Fyodor-sama. I thank you for sparing your time for the sudden visit."

The brunette stuffed his hands into his pocket, eyes glancing around the interior of the church and admiring the stained glass allowing sunlight to enter in colourful streaks.

However, the church felt cold and it made a shiver go up his spine. He started, "Nice to meet you too pastor-san. There's definitely something here."

The raven haired nudged him with a narrowed eye glance for his sudden claim. The pastor's face turned worried immediately after he spoke his claim.

He lowered his voice, almost whispering, "Yes, there's been a string of weird occurrences happening and many of the nuns here are stating that there's something....foreign living in the walls."

The brunette hummed in agreement, eyes glancing back up at the stained glass murals surrounding the church. He especially liked the one the depicted an angel, wings curled around itself, face with no specific expression but nonetheless mourning like. But that might be just how he saw it.

He brushed past Fyodor who was still asking a few more questions to the pastor who looked worried sick for his church and the staff working here.

Taking a seat on one of the available benches to rest his aching legs from the long journey here, he watched as a few residents from the imperial village not far from here streamed into the church. According to the report, the pastor had tried to contain the rumours of something tainted from the church goers to prevent them from avoiding the church out of fear.

That's where Fyodor and him were secretly called to handle the job.

"Young man, are you here alone?" A voice called out to him as he glanced beside him to see a beautiful woman glancing at him, worried. Blonde hair that reflected like gold when the sunlight hit locks of her hair and her eyes a magnificent colour of amber.

He smiled, "No, I'm here with someone."

The lady gave him a motherly smile before continuing, "You just seem pale, are you feeling unwell?"

No wonder he was approached, he was naturally fairer than average people but he excused the long journey as the reason he looked sickly to the lady.

"I'm alright, just walked a long way to get here."

The lady nodded in understanding, hand slipping into her purse to grab a wrapped candy and passed it to him with gentle and warm hands.

"Here, citrus flavoured." She offered and Dazai smiled at the other genuine kindness and he took it, unwrapping the colourful wrapping before popping the candy in his mouth. It was undoubtedly citrus flavour, a perfect mix of sour and sweet.

"I'm Kohaku Mizuki. You?"

"Dazai. It's lovely to meet you Kohaku-san."

"Kohaku is alright. It's rare to see such a young man like yourself at a church."