Of Murder and other Dark Deeds

Chapter 9: The Mind Wraith

By all accounts, Ashan Stokes is sleeping with Randal Sharpe." Elias Vash said, taking down notes in his notebook. "Maybe we will find her there?"

Shaw did not listen, playing with his food with a fork. This Mind Wraith... It took control of Pauli... Forced her to do its bidding... Then tossed her aside... Killing her... By the Creator, I swear... I will not let that happen to you, Ashan...

"Tomas!" Elias raised his voice. "Are you listing, man?"

"What?"

"I said... That Ashan is sleeping with Randal Sharpe. Maybe we will find her there?"

"Randal Sharpe!" Shaw spat.

"I take it you know him well?" Elias closed his notebook.

"Not personally..." Shaw began. Some long-forgotten part of him wanted to keep his mouth shut. "His reputation, though... He is a regular onboard the Dionysus, after all."

Elias leaned back into his seat, crossing his arms. "So, like every... regular..." he aimed the last towards Shaw with disgust. "He is total and utter scum."

Shaw nodded. There is no time... Something in the back of his mind hurried him on. "It does not matter now. Sharpe's room is on B-Deck. We must reach Ashan before the..." He only saw it in passing. A spectre of a girl running by. She looked familiar. "Go... You must be the one to find her..." Shaw said, stumbling over his words.

"What about you?"

"I am a regular. I am scum. You said so yourself... Besides, she will trust you before she trusts me." The girl was standing outside the restaurant, near where one of the victims hit the ground. She smiled at Shaw, waving him closer. "Excuse me." Shaw stood. "I will find you later, Elias..." He left the restaurant, ignoring Elias's protests.

The shopping centre was eerily quiet. There were few guests roaming the centre. There were guards, though, men and women dressed in black armour. Gallard had tried to keep it secret that while Shaw met with the Shrouded One, the Dionysus made an unscheduled stop at a Waystation. Since leaving the Waystation, Shaw spotted more Shadow Force guards roaming the halls or standing vigil in public places. Gallard was on edge. It had been some time since the last murder, and as the madness onboard the ship grew, fear did as well.

Shaw did not know how he knew it, but the next victim's time was running out. Please do not be Ashan... He made his way to where the girl had stood. She was gone now. He sprung around, franticly trying to find her. Vaguely, he saw her running down a corridor. Somehow, Shaw recognised the girl... Recognised that he must follow her...

He hurried after her.

*

A Mind Wraith? Siegfried could not believe it. The Vampire must have lied. There is no such thing... The elevator opened onto B-Deck. Without thinking, the Dwarf left hopped out of the elevator. Then again... That creature was afraid. What can scare a Vampire like that? I do not believe that it was a show... He believes that this Mind Wraith is the killer. Siegfried made his way down the hallway.

To him, the idea of a Mind Wraith was but a rumour. Siegfried had lived a long life, seen many things and killed many more. Never had he encountered a Mind Wraith. Not even the Wanderer had seen such a creature... He stopped next to a cabin door. Cabin B32. Tomas Shaw's cabin. On his back, for the first time since boarding the Dionysus, Siegfried had his trusty war hammer.

It was his father's long before the Great War. Siegfried traced his fingers down its intricate carvings before removing it from his back, holding it in both hands. The hammerhead was now in full view: Black metal, laced with gold. Two magical runes were carved into the hammer's head: One orange and one green, both representing a different Element of Creation. "Terra", the dwarf whispered. The green rune began to glow. Siegfried readied the hammer for a swing.