Seeing the grotesque form of the being forming around Lucille's neck, Walker gave his arm a look and remembered his fight, he wasn't helpless anymore.
He stood up and just with a few steps, reached Lucille and grabbed the now worm-like dark creature and held it in his hand.
With a weak squeeze of Walker's hand, the worm-like being dispersed in the air.
A second glance and he realized his right arm was naked, the brown and hard form of his hand was left open for others to see.
He quickly hid his arm behind his back and asked with a persuasive tone, "What do you want?"
Lucille noticed Walker's agitation through the color of his soul, a grey color that crossed blades with the color red but a more eminent color took place deeper than either, a dark blue that lingered in the battlefield of grey and red.
"Apologies… I can come later if you want."
Walker's tense expression softened as he sat back on the hospital bed. He sighed and apologized. While covering his hand with the blanket.
"Just get on with it."
Lucille gave him a nod and began speaking. "I'm sure you're curious what it was that I was doing at that villa,"
"Eh, leave that for the interrogation, I'm not a detective nor a policeman." Walker interrupted.
That paused Lucille momentarily before she changed subjects and cut right to the chase.
"My father sent me to find someone worthy of becoming a Scholar."
Scholars were people of mysterious backgrounds but what they all had in common was that they were intelligent, powerful and had a strong connection to the world spiritually. Having all of that in mind, Walker furrowed his brow and thought for a second before asking, "What does that have to do with me?"
Lucille closed her eyes and planted her fist on her chest as she expressed, "Your show of strength to me was honorable, I believe you're worthy."
Taken aback by the sudden accolade, Walker chuckled. A list of realities he cast upon himself ascended from the depths of his consciousness.
Seconds passed before Walker decided to break the silence. "I'm flattered but I must refuse."
Lucille thought of the appropriate words before asking, "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Walker had found his belongings underneath the hospital bed so he began by putting his glove on as he couldn't do more in the presence of others.
"I have one thing to inform you before either of us depart. I am unlike others you see or may see, I can see things others can't and I just found out I can also touch them…"
Searching through the wooden box, Walker found a key item missing: his revolver.
Stealing is illegal, you know! He silently shouted at the Blazehearts leader, Sephroteus Blazeheart. Despite the fact that his carrying of arms was illegal itself.
His gaze shifted to Lucille, he cleared his throat before saying, "If you'll excuse me." He had his clothes on his lap so Lucille immediately understood and nodded before excusing herself outside of the room, closing the door with her.
One, two and three minutes passed as Lucille sat quietly on the bench near Walker's room. People passed by her, some by themselves, others with family and also some who were discharged after being blessed with an offspring.
Having only her gown, Lucille began feeling the chilling cold that was creeping up, that made her realize that winter could be cruel here compared to her home.
"Are you alright?" A senior nurse asked, she was a woman of tall stature, taller than many men Walker had encountered in her life. There were a few wrinkles beneath her eyes but it was barely noticeable. But like a genuine at work lady, her presence brought Lucille a certain kind of warmth that battled through the cold she felt earlier.
Lucille nodded carefully, but her shivers betrayed her.
The nurse took off her long white coat and placed it over her like a blanket, the nurse gave her a warm smile as she assured, "You should be resting right now, however I do understand how sickening it can get being alone in a room. But be sure to return to your room once you feel alright, okay?"
She expressed she needed work to do but before she left, Lucille mustered up the courage to ask her name, by making it sound like it was the coat she wanted to return. "How can I find you so I can return this, miss!"
The nurse turned her head to reply, "I go by Revenant, ask anyone here and they'll point you to my office."
"Thank you!" Offered Lucille one time, as genuine as she could possibly be.
Soon after, the door to Walker's hospital room creaked open. He stepped out fully dressed, black pants, white shirt and a well tailored vest but this signature coat was missing.
Without giving Lucille a second glance, he started walking away.
Lucille attempted to stand up and go after him but he was full aware that was gonna happen. He raised his hand without looking back and said, "Don't bother, I'm just going to the tailor. If fate has it, then my compass will lead me back to you."
She could only stare as he went away. Sent to an unknown land without a guide or anyone to protect her, she could only condemn her father but this was also her only way to get their approval so she swallowed it up and remained silent… not like she had any other choice.
This'll cost quite a penny…
At that moment, Walker wasn't even sure if he could afford going to the tailor.
Just like that, he disappeared out of Lucille's sight and she couldn't do anything but stare as he left.
Her head grew heavy. The world spun. The diverse color of the passers began to flicker then eventually disappeared and darkness Lucille enveloped Lucille's psych and she fell asleep on the bench. Her head collided with the armrest on her right.
Two nurses rushed in after one of the visitors rushed and informed them. They carried Lucille back to her room and closed the curtain, making her room dark and gloomy but it was warm, relaxing. Lucille slept like she was back to her infantile state.
After two nurses left, another came. One who was familiar, tall and assuring, It was The Prestigious Revenant. She placed the back of her hand on her forehead and felt the coldness growing on her and she immediately became worried.
She covered her mouth with her left hand as she checked with the right, in worry, she muttered to herself as a means of reminding herself. "What's taking you so long, Sephroteus?"
…
Returning to the North West of the Wainwright Settlement, Walker was now almost in the middle of the Sterling and Serina districts. The districts were named after the four children of Isaac Wainwright, a noble man who founded the Settlement and pushed its technological blueprint which each of his children improvised on different aspects.
Walker stood at almost the middle of the districts named after the oldest daughter and the youngest son, Serina and Sterling. That's where the place he reluctantly called "home" was.
He saw a two story building in front of him, constructed with the harmony of wood and stone that gave the building a modern yet a classical feeling. The owner, who was also Walker's mentor had purchased it due to that exact reason because it suited her taste.
The first floor was turned into a restaurant with a design that seemed rather foreign compared to other places in the same field and the reason behind that was, well… his mentor was a foreigner and in a sense, so was Walker.
To complete his preparation completely, Walker didn't bother greeting his mentor and directly climbed the stairs to the left of the building and stopped when he faced the door.
He reached for his pocket for the key but he couldn't find it. Still unsure, he patted both pockets of his pants and right when he reached his stomach, he realized it was inside his coat.
Damn it! Walker cursed under his breath but quickly remembered his substitute key that he always had just in case!
Or to be more specific, it was the spare key he stole from his mentor and landlady so that she could not get inside when he was away or asleep.
Instead of the basic "hide it under the rug" strategy, Walker had decided to force it inside the upper side of his door frame.
With a side fist slamming below the upper side of the frame, the key sprung upward and Walker grabbed and forcefully pulled it out. It left a mark on the frame's interior but Walker wasn't worried since no one would notice it anyway.
After inserting the key, Walker twisted the door knob and opened the oakwood door to his apartment and entered inside before closing the door behind him.
His apartment was dark, the windows didn't help since they were covered with logs with the same size. They were all neatly nailed to each side of the window, it was almost like the work of a skilled craftsman but the work was done by none other than Walker.
Beside the door was a pull cord that Walker pushed which lit all the gas lamps together. This was technology created by the creative minds that developed the Wainwright Settlement's technology, it was a technology that was gradually being distributed among all Settlements in the Euphorian Kingdom, a Kingdom covering more or less a ¼ of the world.
Inside his apartment were weapons of all kinds, axes, swords, daggers and strange ingredients that if shown to the ignorant mind, they'd assume Walker was a wizard!
However Walker operated opposite to that, his goal was to hunt what the witches and wizards used or were used by—the unknown creatures that haunted humanity!
But as a safety measure, Walker had arranged his tools to be in a decorative manner. For example, his axe, sword and crossbow were positioned diagonally opposite of each other as if each one was reaching to kiss the tip of the other.
And his sanctifying ingredients were camouflaged inside his kitchen cabinet along with other spices used for cooking.
Thud! Crash!
Walker heard the noise coming from his bedroom and immediately went for one of the daggers that were hanging while facing each other horizontally.
Carrying the dagger near his neck, Walker pointed the sharp needle-like tip forward, ready to attack.
But once he opened the door to his room, he found nothing!
One thing however was easily noticeable: the plank covering his window was laying on the floor and a bright ray of sunlight surrounded the fallen plank.
The plank had something pinned to it… it was a cloth cut in the shape of paper.
Walker remained uneasy as he kneeled down and pulled the cloth, its corner ripped due to being pinned and pulled from the side.
He fully spread the cloth and held it both hands, still carrying the dagger.
The cloth had a writing on it, the writing was written using a color that closely resembled blood… no, it was blood!
Walker swallowed the lump in his throat and read the following, "Fear the end. Fear the night and the echo!"
The echo…? Walker was puzzled, and it was no surprise that he also had a sudden sense of anxiety.
Pow! A loud sound came from his desk. A heavy book was laid on there, the covers were formed of leather and the pages were made of thin cloth, the same texture as the one he had in his hand.
The pages violently flipped as if there was a wild wind that entered the window but the weather was fine. A true proof of that was that none of the bells Walker had installed on his ceiling were making significant noises.
A drop of sweat dropped from his forehead as he looked with a grave expression.
Don't tell me…