Solitary: Compass Of Fate

In the Blazehearts Office, in the middle of the Serina district.

Sidric was casually flipping through the latest volume of News Flash Detective, a continuation of Claudius Angus's detective fantasy when he heard a loud whoosh along with a bird's shriek resound from the office upstairs.

Although heavily curious, Sidric sat quietly and continued reading as he had to maintain his secret investigation confidential.

In the office upstairs, Sephro, who was reading the pile of reports he had received, stood up straight and approached the mail beside his open window with anticipation.

Inserting his hand inside, he dug and found the warm and dry envelope and brought it to his desk.

He saw the Erfinder's faceless eagle crest sealing the envelope, then ripped it open.

Pulling out the neatly folded paper, Sephro inserted his index finger in between the fold and flicked the letter open.

The letter read: "Good evening, Sir Blazeheart. I have information regarding the incident relating to the Relené couple."

Sephro heaved a sigh of relief, not because he didn't have to compensate but because the information would surely serve as a lead in the investigation.

Slightly shaking his head, Sephro continued reading the letter.

"First. the couples were not murdered by the spirit involved,"

I figured as much… Sephro, who had seen many such cases, was easily able to discern that.

"Second. The spirit is somewhat of a hybrid, between a usurper and… a doppelganger." 

Curses! Sephro looked into his drawer and took out his revolver, after checking the cylinder, he slid it into his holster.

He descended to the first floor and, without a word, left the headquarters.

•••

Ugh! Walker felt a worm-like presence diving into his flesh and attacking his very essence.

At that moment, his vision turned inverted, all colours appearing with black, green and white but the presence extending from his arm to his chest was clearly red with smoke of the same color emanating from it.

He couldn't free himself as Lucille's grip on his hand had become stronger than any man Walker had arm wrestled with.

"Filthy hunter. Despicable soul. Rot in your own sins…" Whispers rang in his consciousness, they didn't reach his ears but his very being.

The whispers finally stopped, then another came in solitude, "Perish!" The gaslights all went out. This voice, unlike the others, wasn't screechy but calm and terrifying.

Despite the lights going out, Walker still pretty much saw all that was in the room. It was another thing he never understood about himself, his vision would change from time to time and he never figured why.

His gaze slowly fell upon Lucille who tightly clutched his hand—then his arm. 

Her face hung downward, her hair fallen forward with a tiny triangular gap showing an eye, nose and a mouth that looked expressionless.

Although the pain was still remaining, the seasoned hunter was now more enduring towards it so he was able to keep his focus albeit not being able to move.

Lucille's lips moved as she spoke with a disparate voice that ran a chill down his spine.

"I've grown impatient with your pestiferousness, Mr. Soliraine."

Walker grunted as he felt the presence crawling under his skin latch onto his heart. Then while struggling he asked, "W-who are you!?"

The unknown existence who had overtaken Lucille's mind, spoke indifferently. "Certainly telling you my name would increase my prowess. However…"

The pain steadily increased, so as to give Walker a chance to heed the words he was forced to listen to.

"My children were killed, without you ever acknowledging their names nor telling them yours, so it's only right the same happens to you. Is that not just?"

When Lucille's eyes opened, they weren't the usual gold color anymore, it was pitch black.

"Oh, beautiful eyes you've got, it almost makes me sick." Said the being, gazing at Walker's transformed emerald-green eyes.

Walker started trembling as the power of the presence grew over him, consuming him in its abyssal eyes.

"Oh wait, I can't let you die first… feast your eyes as this girl kills herself right before your eyes."

Lucille's hand reached her neck, her nails somehow longer than it was a minute ago.

The tip of her long and sharp nail of her index finger started digging into her neck. She revealed pained expression—one the thing inside her couldn't suppress.

Right then, Walker felt her grip slightly loosen and he struck her hand away from his own and freed himself.

Before falling, he instinctively grabbed the dagger he'd given Lucille.

He still felt the pain in his left arm and shoulder but unlike before, the pain didn't grow but remained at the same volume.

Walker crawled towards the kitchen. The being possessing Lucille laughed, "Saving yourself, eh? It's pathetic but not unexpected." Lucille's nail didn't stop digging.

When Walker reached his cabinet, he struggled to open it and during the attempt, much of the glass preserved spices and ingredients fell on the ground and shattered or rolled away.

To Walker's luck, the sanctified water had remained undamaged. 

After grabbing one of the bottles containing sanctified water and deliberately placed it on the floor.

After taking off his coat, He bit the bottom of his lips and pierced his left shoulder with the dagger. What followed was a screech that shook his soul.

Not letting it stop his plan, Walker flipped open the bottle and let all the sanctified water pour into his wound.

The screech continued and Walker continued to endure both the jolting pain and the spiritual screech until it eventually died down.

The being possessing Lucille was alerted, which stopped the nail from digging any further.

Her body sprung up, then pounced at Walker who had just barely stood up.

He was barely able to react in time to block the attack. Then bent her arm behind her back and held her down.

Her head turned, revealing her possessed black eyes. Walker out of caution, held the dagger at her neck. 

The being influenced Lucille's lips to curl, revealing a despicable smile that didn't fit her nature.

"Go right ahead."

Taking advantage of Walker's hesitation, the one possessing her banged her head to Walker's nose, pushing him a few steps back. Blood started to drop where he was struck.

With a skillful push, Walker fixed his dislocated nose and took a fighting stance.

But having experienced a few decisive blows and tampering with his soul, his reactions had gotten significantly weaker.

It had gotten to the point where he could not imagine himself dodging the attack coming at him.

His inverted vision gave him a last desperate option, the wound at Lucille's neck. It had gotten swollen and big enough for liquid to pass.

He banged his elbow on the cabinet, the final bottle of sanctified water rolling down as Walker opened his arms, ready to embrace the attack instead of blocking it.

Having Lucille within reach, Walker protected his vital points and let her nails sink into part of his abdomen where it wouldn't kill him.

He strongly held her head to his chest with his right, wood-like hand and caught the bottle with his left.

"Let's do it face to face next, no cowardly tactics." With that said, he did not give the being a second to respond in any way and poured the sanctified water where the wound had been.

He only noticed Lucille struggling, no abnormal sounds were made, meaning that the being had already escaped.

Knowing that, Walker felt a sense of relief wash over him as his tensed body relaxed.

"That's… why I didn't want you here…" He rasped.

After resting for a moment, he stood up, patched himself up and Lucille. Then laid her down in his bed before closing the door after him.

He cleaned up the kitchen, sighed looking at all the wasted spices spread on the floor mixed with shattered glass.

Finishing up all the cleaning, Walker treated himself to a cold glass of water as he sat down and relaxed.

The pain in his left shoulder and right abdomen stung painfully but he had no choice but to rest up. 

He then looked at his compass who had fallen to the ground.

He bent his back and picked it off the floor and stared at its slightly twitching red needle,"Could've warn me earlier…"

Knock! Knock!

His gaze went towards the door.

Who is it now? Walker exasperated a tired breath and approached the door with the support of the wall.

He went over and looked through the peep hole where he saw a brown skinned man, his hair was silky black and his eyes was akin to pure honey, it was none other than… Sephroteus Blazeheart.

Walker twisted the doorknob and greeted him, "What brings you here so late?" 

"Information."

"Ah, come in then." Walker welcomed the leader of the Blazehearts and waited for him to sit down before closing the door.

He was well aware what the information was and that was the reason Walker did not protest, he could use all the information he could get.

"Where is Miss Lucille?" Sephro asked indifferently.

Walker nodded his head towards the door of his room and said, "Resting." 

Sephro noticed Walker being unusually quiet but he did not question it, as he wanted to make it brief.

"It's about her, we have to consider what we need to do with her."

"Is that right…" Walker said in passing as he sat down.