Chapter 10

Snow has already begun to fall. It’s the first snow fall. This marks the beginning of the winter season and the time of the year where blizzard storms run amok in the area.

Inside the estate of the Count, a soldier was kneeling in front of Count Garthus and Zila. He had reported the current situation at hand. The kidnapping of a devil child from the orphanage by two other devils, the chaos happening at the eastern district, the deployment of soldiers and hunters into the city and forest in search of said devils, everything.

“Good work. Continue observing the situation and make sure everybody was at least two other people with them or are near a crowd when moving. Relay the information the gate captain and report back after another 30 minutes or any updates regarding the devils or Osar” Garthus commanded the soldier.

“Yes, my Lord.” The soldier bowed once more and left the room.

Both Count Garthus and Zila made sour expression while massaging their temples.

“It was quite surprising being woken up at the middle of the night and an out of breath soldier requesting an audience and finding out he had the dagger of Osar.” Zila spoke as he landed his bottom on the couch.

“To add to that, Osar went out to find Esia and the three devils. Just what the hell happened over there?” Garthus complained while leaning his back on the chair.

“I, too, want to know. We don’t even know the relationship of the adult devils and the child.”

Both fell silent and racked their brains thinking of what caused the kidnapping and chaos. As nothing comes up no matter what, the only thing they could do was minimise the chaos flooding into other districts.

=============================================================================

With torches at one hand and swords and spears on the other, a team of four soldiers and Osar walk the dark forest with frosty breaths. In it, they don’t see other lights, let alone their own path a few metres ion front of them. In their search, they found the coat Esia was using when she dashed out of the city gates. They continued searching aimlessly and wandered blindly into the forest. But one of them heard a subtle noise. It sounded like mumblings, a person speaking.

They followed the direction of the sound. The mumbles became louder, and started to hear branches breaking echoing in the forest. The light finally reached the source and found only a bloodied Esia. Some of them pointed their weapons toward her, thinking she was some kind of apparition or devil but was mistaken.

“Esia. Is that you?” Osar asked while gripping the handle of his sword.

Esia shifted her gaze to her side, noticing Osar and the other soldiers. She smiled a bit and spoke.

“Ahhh. It’s grandpa Osar.” She lightly said with an eerie smile.

Frankly, the soldiers were creeped out. They shivered in their boots not because of the cold, but the atmosphere and aura given out by Esia. They wanted to attack but they froze in fear.

“Look, Veyrr! Grandpa Osar came to pick us up.” Esia smiled and looked over to her side. The side which Osar and the soldiers could not see.

“Veyrr... is safe?” Osar hesitatingly asked, wondering if Veyrr was at her side.

“Yes!” Esia replied with such enthusiasm. Then she held whatever was in her hand up to her chest and opened her mouth. “See? Veyrr is over here.”

The men shuddered in fear and shock. They were bewildered at the sight. They saw Esia holding what seems to be a small severed hand on her chest and pointing its palm towards the men. Some fell on their ass, gaping at the sight. Others quickly removed their helmet and vomited what was once their food and booze. Osar himself was not an exemption, regurgitating his almost non-existent meal.

Esia jus stood there, watching them and speaking to the hand as if she was speaking to an actual person, smiling with dead and dark eyes.

=============================================================================

 In the orphanage, there was a knock coming from the main door. It startled Frianne for a bit, but she regained her composure almost immediately and went to take a look and telling the children to behave. She opened the door and found Aniem with a dismal look. He only shook his head side to side. From the corner of his eye, he saw someone approach the orphanage. He turned his head and found Esia escorted by Osar. Frianne, too, took a peek and was glad to see Esia again. But she had a mournful expression added with it. There was no third figure accompanying them.

“Ah Frianne!” Excitedly, Esia spoke.

“Did you... save Veyrr?” Frianne could not help but ask.

Esia nodded and repeatedly muttered ‘We did’. But behind her, Osar was shaking his head.

“Here, we rescued Veyrr...” While speaking, she moved her hands which was on her chest, clasping on to something

Frianne could not stand the sight. What she saw was just the left hand of Veyrr, all bloody. It was only this time she noticed the appearance of Esia. Her night dress was filled with blood but most of it was covered by her coat. Her face was smeared red and her hair dishevelled alongside dried and reddened eyes. It also then that she could smell blood all over her. She couldn’t help up vomit on the spot.

“We’re home, Veyrr. You can go back to sleeping.” Esia ignored everything else and clasped the hand on her chest. “And tomorrow, you can see the snow with the rest.”

“Esia, I think you should rest first.” Osar, from behind, suggested.

“Oh yes, I do feel pretty exhausted.” Esia answered in a kind and disturbing way the normal Esia would never answer with. “Frianne, sorry. But can you tuck Veyrr back into bed?”

“... Sure.” Frianne paused and hesitated and agreed at the end. She thought that Esia would go upstairs to her room.

“Take his hand.” Esia presented the severed hand of Veyrr to her as if it was the normal thing to do. “Now, Veyrr. Behave while you’re with Frianne.”

Frianne could do nothing but hold out her hands. Esia placed Veyrr’s hand on hers and entered the orphanage and headed to bed. She bid the three farewell and a good night and walked away. The children were surprised to see Esia again but didn’t want to approach her. Cold, dark eyes with blood on her face and clothes and has a pungent smell on her person. One child with fox like ears on her side stretched back and two bushy tails stepped forward and spoke to Esia.

“... M-mother Esia? I-is.... Veyrr back?” Alana asked in a soft voice while trembling at the Esia in front of her.

Esia stopped and saw Alana standing in the corridor with her bushy tails wrapped around her legs.

“Yes. Veyrr is safe.” Esia responded. “You can play with him again tomorrow. But for now, I’ll have to rest. So, goodnight.” She spoke and climbed the flight of stairs up to her room.

Alana stood, unable to move. She shivered as Esia spoke. She couldn’t understand what happened but she knows, by instinct, that the Esia she confronted was someone else. She maybe the same person, but not the one she knew.

Frianne, on the other hand, after receiving the hand of Veyrr, stood in shock and the contents in her stomach rose to her mouth. She held it in as Esia walked inside. And as her figure disappeared completely, she dropped the hand and released the undigested food from her mouth somewhere. She fell on her knees, continuing to release whatever was left in her stomach. Her mind forced her to bring everything out, but her body could no longer comply.

She cries. She sobs that she constantly chokes from the hiccoughs and spasms. Her tears, at one point, flowed out like a bursting dam but now, her eyes are like a dried up river. Her wails resounded in the area. Those around does not understand, but Osar and Aniem, who were beside her the whole time, could empathise with her.

Osar noticed a figure by the door to the orphanage. He saw Alana standing in shock with wide eyes. She saw the severed hand, the sobbing and wailing Frianne, and the chaotic state the city is in. She wanted to speak, to scream, but nothing came out of her mouth, not even a single sound or strained pitch of a voice. Osar walked in front of her, brought her inside, and just gave her a hug. No words spoken.

Alana is a smart lass. Probably the smartest and wisest among the children in the orphanage. She knew a lot of things. So, with her silence and shock, she realised what had happened to Esia and Frianne and especially to Veyrr. But tears didn’t fall. Her breathing rapidly rose, her heart beat faster than usual as she clenched on the coat of Osar. She couldn’t utter a single sound, but she knew the truth or had concluded something very close to the truth. All she did and can do is hug Osar back.

This event would later be known as the Devil kidnappings.

The blood leaking out of the hand seeps into the ground and snow, dying it in red. The small hand that once added to the warmth of the atmosphere now turned cold, like the climate.

The first snow was the start of everything. Further disasters surrounding the orphanage occur more frequently, and soon after even the whole city of Heom was involved in the disastrous events. Maybe it was a chain of events that led from the disappearance of Illar and Abram that led to this point and would only be escalated in the future. Maybe the chain evens started before the aforementioned disappearances.

But for all one knows, the first snow fall has already begun and is now the time to prepare for the long and harsh winters.