What Goes Bump In The Night

III: Evening Ride

It wasn't even a full three hours later and I was already back at the Adlerbahn station. Just so I don't pass out during the case, I'm going to have to sleep on the ride there. Good thing Groswald is pretty far east, so the ride will give me ample time for rest. Hopping on the first Adlerbahn out of Kaiserheim, we're looking at an arrival around an hour past nightfall(perfect for our line of work). Most of Kaiserheim is occupied by rich merchants, nobles, and the clergy. That being said, no one really bats an eye at our presence. It's the only city where Extermination Maidens aren't cause for concern; we live here after all, and seeing us is no rarer than seeing a Sister from the church. Once we leave the city, however, we become a novelty as well as an eye of suspicion. With rampant monsters, stupidly brave criminals, and general human foolishness, people have plenty to be wary of. And while the Axial Church is essentially the law, many people have reservations about them. Just like any political or religious entity, everyone thinks it's too aggressive or too passive(for a lack of better words). The average citizen who lives outside of Kaiserheim isn't exactly against our existence, they just don't fully understand us. And with the Axial Church being such a sensitive issue that causes divide amongst the people, it's no wonder they're concerned by us. I don't think I'd take too kindly to an organization that gets to call all the shots sending out dangerously armed women at their own discretion. It wouldn't shock me if many people fear or despise us thanks to our potential to be used as a means of dispatching insurgents. More people than I can count speak out against the Church, there are just no repercussions since no one is there to enforce it. What's said behind closed doors is bound to surface in your fears once someone from the Church storms into town, a sword on one hip and a whole host of life-ending spells on the other. Sister Gertra entrusted me with the case file seeing as I'm taking the role of Senior Maiden on the trip. All that means is my word is final, something I don't plan waving around like it's a badge of authority. I'm only here because they dragged me into it. If anything, I'll sit back and let them work it out; intervene if something goes too horribly wrong.

I found an apt bench just in front of the door of the cart, allowing me quick access to the exit. I hoped the love birds would sit somewhere else, but of course, they plopped right onto the bench across from me. Before the giant contraption even began moving, Mila placed her head on Sibyl's shoulder. I gave them a slightly bitter glare before placing my head on the glass window beside me. Thankfully they were quiet, and by quiet I mean talking amongst themselves and not to me. Our Adlerbahn kicked to life, lurching forward slowly before picking up a gentle pace as we left the platform. An intricate web of stone buildings and steel structures began to thin, becoming more and more sparse as the vehicle picked up speed. By the time we were going far faster than anyone could ever sprint, the buildings were swapped out by massive spruce trees that numbered beyond anything I could count. The sight of nature was therapeutic, and keeping my head against the frigid glass eased me even more. Slowly, the specter of sleep was pulling on my consciousness, threatening to take me into its arms. I embraced it, smiling softly as sleep was the only place nothing could hurt me.

An empty landscape. A freezing cold. Where am I? There's nothing but frozen earth at my feet, a thin layer of fog hanging just off it. Standing alone and without any clothing, I begin to shiver, the hairs on my body standing on end. The cold wind wicks my skin and creates a chain reaction that makes my teeth chatter. Looking around yields no results: it's true solitude in a vacant abyss. Initially, I felt fear, and panic at the unknown. But now, my heart rate slows. A chance at ultimate peace is seldom a gift I have the opportunity to embrace. Without a second thought, I lower myself to the cold ground and lay there, the soil shifting to mold around my body. Closing my heavy eyelids, the world is finally a serene place. That is, until a voice calls out to me from somewhere far away. Darting up, I look around. The voice sounds masculine and is strangely familiar, but not entirely. In the distance stands a shadow, about six feet tall and muscular in figure. He approaches, a grin made of red mist forming on his nightly mask. The edges of him flow, flickering like a dying candle. In no time we're just centimeters apart, my eyes lost in the vacancy that is his being.