Tales of Ruuin - Homecoming

Secrets

"Oh, the secrets that lurk within your flesh... Best write them down, lest we forget, eh?"

Echser turned from the carcass on his dissection table and started writing, his quill scratching over bloodstained parchment as he mumbled to himself. "Compared to its normal brethren, the specimen commonly referred to as 'Alpha-Ghoul' possesses increased musculature and bone mass. With a length of ten feet, the tongue is much longer and stronger than that of the other ghouls studied, a fearsome short-range weapon, indeed. The adhesive produced in the glands of hands and feet also seems to be more potent than that of—"

A knock on the travel wagon's outer door broke the alchemist's train of thought. "Damn it all. How am I supposed to work like this?" He all but stabbed the quill into the inkpot, turning his head to the eviscerated Alpha-Ghoul on his dissection table. "I'm back in a moment. Don't go anywhere."

Ever since Echser's epic brushoff in the mortuary, Craven had actually been rather forthcoming, letting him work mostly in peace. His 'employer' even went to the trouble of dragging the hulking alpha, and the matriarch's remains from the warren to his dissection table. No doubt in an attempt to humor him, for there were no brains to harvest anymore. Still, considering what had happened, it was too little, too late.

Echser stormed to the door and pulled it open, red evening sunlight spilling over him. "What is—"

Stefan gawped up at him, then took a step back as his gaze fell on Echser's bloody apron. "Is... is it a bad time?"

"Yes! Uh. I mean, no, not at all." Echser rushed outside, closing the door in his wake, hoping the boy had not seen what – or rather who – he had been working on. "Just... just give me a moment to get this apron off... There... All better now. How can I help you, Stefan?"

"I... I spoke with master Craven. He told me, that you were leaving in the morrow and I... I came to apologize and give you your coin back. Shouldn't have taken advantage of a situation like that. Wasn't right. You only came down there to rescue my little brother, risked your life on his behalf..." He shook his head. "Guess I still harbored some grudge because of your family and, damn it, I needed the money. Not for me, you see, for Will. No longer, though... Here, take it."

Echser stared at the offered purse, a sudden feeling of guilt almost crushing him. "Keep it," he blurted out. "Take it with my blessings and use it to make a better life for yourself."

"Nay, wouldn't be right." Stefan drew himself up to his full height, something like a smile finding its way onto his features. "You're looking at the new undertaker of the Skullgarden Graveyard. I'm a proper city official now. Won't go hungry, trust me. Besides, master Craven told me that you were instrumental in all this, that without you, he couldn't have done what he does best and that none of this would have been even possible."

Echser blanched, stunned, for there were two ways of looking at that statement. That manipulative bastard...

"Well," said Stefan after the moment had stretched from awkward to downright uncomfortable, "I'll better be leaving now. Take care, master Echser. You are a true hero, and the city of Tal thanks you. I thank you..." He nodded, still smiling, and made to leave.

Echser watched him go. "It was me."

Stefan stopped and cast a glance over his shoulder. "Eh?"

"Me," said Echser, words spilling from him like guts from a belly wound. Try as he might, he could not hold them in. "It was me. I killed your family."

Stefan frowned. "What are you talking about? You did what you could; there is no need to beat—"

"I am Mortin Cornelius Echser, the Mortin Cornelius Echser: master alchemist, scientist... I am the man whose actions brought such pain and misery over this city."