Devoured- Chapter I: Mystery

"What profits a man when he gains the whole world yet loses his own soul...?"
-Matthew 16:26-


1


“Baron Leizt!”


The man screamed, yet the baron continued to pace the halls of this ‘Thirne Manor’.


“Baron Leizt!” The man shouted again, trying to get the baron’s attention.


“Sire, it’s urgent.” The man added in a shouting voice, as he ran to catch up with the baron.


The baron turned around slowly as he tried to examine the man’s identity.


“Ah! Sir Strauss, what seems to concern you so much?” The baron asked.


Strauss then tried to catch his breath, cleared his throat, faced the baron, then calmly broke out the urgent and alarming message: “Baron, there had been a commotion brewing around town. A body was found dead near the churchyard. It was the third case of such kind in three months. The town folks seemed to be very concerned.”


The baron’s laid-back expression changed to a worried gesture. He then paced back and forth, a hand paced on his chin, as if thinking, very deeply. The baron then rubbed his forehead as he tried to gather his wit. Then a moment of silence followed.


Soon after, the baron sighed and faced Strauss.


“Have they identified whoever was the victim?” asked the baron.


“As always sire, no one could identify who the victim was. It was the same as the first two victims. They were all dried up, as if they had died for almost a year. Yet no flesh wounds, nor blood spills were seen.” Strauss explained.


“I then shall send you to Berlin and ask the Council to send their best investigators here in Aüzwerth.”


“The town folks believe that whoever did those monstrosity, was no human. And I, myself, believe so as well.” Strauss stated.


“The Council has an excellent Supernatural Specialist. They shall send him over.” The baron suggested.


“Sire, to think of it; does it ever occur to you that—“


“That these incidents have something to do with the disappearance of the famous archivist…” The baron interrupted, with an anxious look.


“…the man, Luminaris d’ Kel’Reiath.” Strauss clarified.


“I supposed so. However, we are not to conclude. That is why we need to go to the Council immediately.”


“I shall run along then, sire.”


“Yes. We should hurry. Time is short and unbound.” The baron gave Strauss a worried gaze. He held his pipe to his lips, puffed off a few smokes and sighed deeply. “I have the strangest feeling, that we are dealing with something we could not stand against.”


Strauss then head towards the great, well polished yet, dimly lit halls of the Thirne Manor, with great fear of something, he himself could not tell nor explain. He paced quickly down the staircase of the huge front doors of the manor. The cold evening breeze brushed against his wavy, brown hair, as he looked skyward. The smell of the air brought him uneasiness. The crimson twilight and brightly lit moon had given him an eerie feel. A premonition. About the possibility of Aüzwerth’s impending doom.