Chapter Text
Kaeso was tempted to reveal to the others about his night time intruder, er visitor, but thought better against it. To be honest, it felt more like a dream than reality. Maybe he hallucinated the entire encounter. It was too surreal.
That next morning while Officer Peri and Superior Officer Menon gave him a full official tour, handing him the keys, and introducing him to the other officers and staff at the Crime Division, he had a chance to look up to his quarters from the back courtyard and realized there was no possible way for any man to scale the wall without a grappling hook or rope, but there had been none last night.
The idea that Isaru was indeed some type of supernatural worried him. Thankfully there was little time to dwell on that as he was thrust into work. Given he was new to the city, and did not know the districts, streets, or anything within the city, Superior Officer Menon assigned him to join Officer Peri and his partner at the Supernatural Bureau, a monk named Brother Jaki, who they were to meet later.
After Superior Officer Menon left them after some time to complete his own duties leaving Officer Peri to finish the tour. Officer Periander had then inquired about his first night. The man himself looked like he spent the entire night awake, as the shadows beneath his eyes seemed to have darkened considerably since yesterday evening.
“I slept well thank you. I believe this has been the best bed I ever slept on,” Kaeso had replied, he had, once he was able to fall asleep which had not been easy given his nightly intruder causing him alarm.
“That’s good, I hope you continue to get a good nights rest, many of us tend to suffer from insomnia. No teas, tonics or elixirs seem to work for me anymore. Brother Jaki has taught me some breathing techniques to ease my restless mind and body, although it helps I still hardly get more than a couple hours of solid rest.”
Oh, that’ll explain why he looked so haggard. He would be a handsome man if he didn’t look like he was about to topple over by a strong gust due to a lack of sleep.
“Is it the job?”
Kaeso had known officers who lost their minds on the job, seeing dead bodies, some in very gruesome states impacted the mind and soul, some worse than others. Generally homicides were spaced out between officers for experience but also to ensure the officers minds were in tact, or as best they could be after witnessing some of the worse crimes possible.
Sometimes Kaeso still had nightmares about the dead children he discovered in a house; the dreadful deed was committed by an enraged husband convinced his wife slept with other men and the children were not his own. He had investigated and discovered no signs or evidence of adultery, and thus the husband had simply been deluded and deranged. The thought of a man murdering his own children disgusted Kaeso. He was glad the man was hung a few months later. However, his death did not bring back the dead children or give the remaining grieving family comfort. Apparently the wife took her own life. Such tragedies stuck with a person.
“Not so much the work or the position, it’s the disappearances, they’re making every one paranoid. We lost a man last week, barely been on the job for a year and vanished without a trace, and it had been months since the previous one. Maybe we got complacent, but nobody knows why or how, or even whom to suspect. It’s even stumped the Bureau. Please don’t say this to anyone else, but I think the Division has been cursed.”
“Cursed?” Kaeso, like many were unfamiliar with the concept of curses other than it was a terrible form of magic, using strong emotions to bring down calamites, and pain on to the victim.
How to break a curse, or ward off the threat of fell into the realm of the Supernatural Bureau or others who practiced the arcane arts; often freelance sorcerers, or monks and priests who often raised funds for their sects and temples by selling talismans, charms and other items to protect people from vengeful spirits or curses. Sometimes these freelance sellers of such items were charlatans wishing to make quick money with easy schemes.
“Yes. It must be! It’s one thing for an officer investigating a crime ring to go missing due to foul play but they’ll usually be evidence, but I’ve racked my brain over the disappearances, trying to find a connection between the missing officers, their cases, histories, nothing!”
“Perhaps they disappear for all different reasons, murder, accidents, maybe some left on their own volition.”
“Possibly but not this many, eleven men in two years!”
Yes that was odd. Kaeso knew officers who left, transferred to joined other imperial departments within the city finding the Crime Division not to their liking, but for seven men to vanish without a trace, no notice, or word sent to anyone especially family was peculiar to say the least.
The conversation about curses and missing officers eventually turned into other topics as Officer Perio completed the official tour by taking Kaeso below to the basement of the complex, showing him the cells, storage, and finally the morgue.
The morgue was not quite like the one back in Dafni. It was heavily adorned with silver charms, the walls plastered with holy seals and talismans. Officer Peri noticed the incredulous expression on Kaeso’s face.
“It’s to ensure the spirits of the dead do not bother us at work.”
Back in Dafni there was a few such religious and spiritual items within the morgue but nothing quite like this. It felt like overkill.
“It’s a tad much I say.”
“Some don’t think it’s enough. It’s also to keep things out.”
Kaeso cocked an eyebrow up, “Things out?”
“Yes. It’s why the work is done during the day and this place is sealed tightly at night. Sometimes if we want a suspect to talk, we lock them in the morgue for a night, it always loosen their lips afterwards.”
There were no prisoners or suspects currently in the cells, but Officer Peri showed them away, going over briefly the procedure for place a suspect in custody, taking them out, all the lovely paperwork involved. Being an officer in the Crime Division meant a lot of paperwork. A lot.
Finally he was led to the weapon shed. All officers on duty had a saber on hand when out in the field. Sometimes a pocket knife or small boot blade, along with a small set of handcuffs, and of course their Crime Division seals to alert people to their identity. Most carried a wallet with coins, and a cloak during the colder rainier days.
The sabers were standard issue, light weight steel blades in case self defense was required. Kaeso had gotten into his fair share of brawls and fights over the years. Mostly he preferred his fists than a blade. Most street criminals only carried small knives and blades, not swords, so getting into a proper sword fight was very rare. Still, it felt good to stop a thief, or a fight with a sword in hand.
“You’ll be getting a lot of use with our sabers, see the blades are silver. The silver is blessed by the Holy Order of Our Heavenly Mother, but any silver is useful against phantoms and demons. Apparently silver is purer than iron or other metals, and its purity wards off evil.”
“Do we deal with a lot of phantoms on the job?” Kaeso asked in a teasing manner, but he felt he may have made an error of judgment seeing the serious look he received from Officer Peri.
“I wish I could jest too, but you will encounter your fair share of the supernatural even on some of the most mundane of cases. Especially if work at night.”
Kaeso was really beginning to suspect he’d be seeing ghosts on the daily by the way people were talking about it.
After signing out their blades, Officer Peri took Kaeso to the Supernatural Bureau which was several blocks away, a good twenty-some minute walk. When night fell and Officer Peri was out very late, he told Kaeso he’d often pay for a cab for the journey back, although the expenses of using cabs did add up.
The Supernatural Bureau in Luna was located in a recommissioned old temple; it had a massive frontal courtyard, with several buildings scattered about that included an old library. Unlike the officers of the Division, those in the Bureau often lived elsewhere. In contrast, only officers who did not have to live in the Crime Divion headquarters were the Superior Officers who were lawfully allowed to marry and start a family due to their high rank. It was thought unmarried officers were more suitable to the role, as their focus would be just on their duties, and not be divided between work and family, and thus become policy.
Stepping through the old temples high gated threshold, Kaeso felt an inner deep chill, causing goosebumps to form. They had walked through an invisible barrier created to keep the supernatural out of the Bureau’s headquarters. It was only detectable by the chilling sensation when walk through. Most people were unaware of what they felt passing through the gate thinking nothing of it. Kaeso was aware the Bureau used such forms of security.
Officer Peri greeted a few people within the front courtyard, all who glanced at Kaeso with a passing interest as they headed towards the main building of the complex. As they took the steep steps up to the old former temple house, at the very top that was now the main head offices, Kaeso saw two figures. One had a strikingly familiar ashen white hair in a plait. Next to him stood a tall imposing figure, with a shaven head. A monk.
“Greetings Brother Jaki.....and Isaru...sir.”
The two men turned to face Officer Peri and Kaeso. The monk, Brother Jaki looked like a very serious stern fellow, but very handsome. In the morning sunlight, the sorcerer Isaru still had an otherworldly appearance to him, his bright blue eyes narrowing at the sight Kaeso with an intensity Kaeso did not like.
“Officer Periander, your timing is perfect, please excuse me Lord Isaru.”
Although he had not heard what had been spoken, and even though Brother Jaki had a serious unperturbed look, it was clear by his curt ending of the conversation between himself and Isaru, that he was at least relieved or pleased to have an excuse to end whatever conversation he had been having with the sorcerer. If Lord Isaru was offended to be dismissed so rapidly, he showed no sign of it.
“We can always conclude this conversation later Brother Jaki,” Isaru said with a growing smirk.
The sorcery glanced briefly over to Kaeso once again, gave a rather unnerving smile before descending the steep stairs.
“Officer Kaeso, this is Brother Jaki, he has been my partner these last couple of months, absolutely brilliant and wise. I could not ask for a better partner. Brother Jaki this is the Crime Division’s newest officer all the way from the capital Officer Kaeso Ahino!”
“Welcome to Luna, I do hope the rumors have not discouraged you from appreciating our splendid city. There are many wonderful things to be experienced here, it is not all ghost and ghouls. In fact most residents rarely see the things we do in our line of work, and it is because of our work they remain safe and hopefully never experience the world of the supernatural,” the monk graciously said.
His previous stern expression softened as he spoke. Most monks, at least the ones Kaeso had met where all so eloquent and well mannered, their words always putting one at ease.
“From what I have seen Luna is a lovely city. I hope to serve her well.”
“I expect you will, now come, I do not wish to be overly abrupt, but we’ve got a new case to examine with some urgency. It was just received early this morning.”
As they walked away from the stairs, Kaeso glanced back behind him but he did not see the white hair sorcerer in sight.
Brother Jaki explained his and Officer’s Peri’s process of working together briefly with Kaeso, “How we work together is Officer Peri will look at all non-supernatural angles, and I will examine for any signs of the supernatural. Most of the time, there are always a logical explanation behind the crime or mystery. But of course that is not always the case,” Brother Jaki stated.
Leading the two officers into a back rooms, Brother Jaki brought them into a private chamber, to look over the report he had received that morning. Usually it was the City Guards at their headquarters who would receive complaints from the people, write up a report, and bring them over to the Crime Division or Supernatural Bureau where they’d be further looked into.
Wealthier and elite families, especially the nobility would bypass this process and directly deal with the Crime Division or Supernatural Bureau by sending a request or sending a well trusted servant to make a report on their behalf. Which was such the case this morning when a servant from the Audo houseful reached out to the Supernatural Bureau. T
The Supernatural Bureau’s main clerks took the initial report and would then assign an available agent or agents on the case. However, the servant had requested on behalf of the family that Brother Jaki and his partner be assigned this case in particular. The household steward had been very adamant Brother Jaki was assigned to the case and nobody else. The request while unusual was not unheard of, as certain agents gained a reputation due to solving cases that gained public attention. Most often nobles would prefer certain agents or officers who had some pedigree or connections rather than just any officer or agent.
“Very early this morning, the steward of the Audo family came to the Bureau requesting our assistance. The body of their Master Audo had gone missing sometime before dawn today. Two nights ago, Master Romuald Audo has passed away after suffering some a prolonged illness. As with custom, they held a two-day vigil and memorial for the deceased head of the Audo family. However, on the third morning the servants were tasked on taking the body over to the Temple of the Dead, but it was gone. The family insist it was secured in his former private quarters which were locked, and that the room was still locked when they went to fetch the body. The Audo family believe there is a supernatural cause behind the body’s disappearance and have asked for our assistance.”
“Or someone stole the body and locked the room afterwards? Perhaps someone who doesn’t want the body to be further examined for the cause of death. The priestesses at the Temple of the Dead are thorough and ordered to report any unusual markings or signs on a body that could indicate foul play or violence. Perhaps Master Audo did not die naturally,” Kaeso immediately began to speculate.
“My thinking exactly Officer Kaeso. I am not overly familiar with the Audo family, but they are a prominent merchant family within Luna, wealthy from trade and commerce, other than that I do not know the family dynamics or relations. They seem to however know of me, and have requested us specifically, so I do hope we can solve this case quickly and efficiently.”
The clerks note were compendiary, lacking many details, but it was just an initial report. The real meat of the case would come with interviewing the family. Kaeso hoped the family were willing to talk and be honest. Most of the time, these rich families had secrets within secrets to hide. Or were simply to prideful to share their dirty laundry with some lowly officer. Maybe having a monk would aid in that, monks were known to be trustworthy, holy men with honor. People might be more willing to open up to one rather than a crime officer.
A short while later...
Kaeso sat awkwardly on the bench in the family’s main public room, an exquisite room full of exotic and foreign decor and objects. The Audo family being merchants, dealt with foreign goods from across the sea on the continent. The old man Audo had spent many years traveling abroad, but retired and left the business to his two sons, both which sat before the two officers and the monk.
Tactfully Brother Jaki gently asked about their father, and if possible, was there any motive for someone to remove his body.
Both brothers declared there were no such reasons except that perhaps one of their business rivals had something to do with their father’s sudden illness and death. What evidence did they have for their accusations? None apparently, they only had suspicions.
Studying the brothers, Kaeso left most of the speaking to Brother Jaki and Officer Peri, and focused his attention on them. Their body language might reveal something, or it might not. Guilty people tended to avoid direct eye contact, their gaze flickering all over the place. Nervous ticks like nail biting, rubbing hands together, and other very fidgety behavior might also indicate they were hiding something.
One brother, the youngest, young Master Aeson looked haggard, suitable for one in mourning, while the older son, elder Master Ercan looked more put together, his appearance very neat and orderly. He still had a sadness around his eyes though.
“Our father may have been retired, leaving the business to us, but we still consulted him, and he was in fine health. Better than fine, he was in excellent health, our father took pride in his appearance and body. Then suddenly a month ago, he falls ill, very ill, deteriorating rapidly even with the best doctors in Luna treating him. None could offer a good explanation,” the elder brother explained.
“Did you seek out alternative services for your father’s ailment?” Brother Jaki prodded.
“We did and even then they found no evidence of magic or curses, and the medical field still does not understand every illness or disease so we continued to seek medical treatments but finally our father passed away, and now his body is gone. Every servant has declared they did not touch or move the body, or even enter the chamber where he lay. Most are much too afraid to talk pass the room at night. So I do not suspect them, which leaves some unseen supernatural intruder. I have heard there are spirits who feed off freshly dead remains.”
The younger brother concurred with his older brother, adding, “I’ve read about them, ghouls, they gain power by feeding off flesh of the deceased who have not undergone the proper rites.”
Brother Jaki attempted to reassure the brothers that ghouls in the city were unheard of, most if any at all were found in the countryside, in old cemeteries, or at recent battle fields where the dead lay uncovered.
“You spoke about business rivals, who may these be?” Officer Periander inquired, also dismissing the idea of the supernatural.
The brothers listed off a few, some their father had partnered with on big ventures than broke off due to not seeing eye to eye on business matters, a few he angered by becoming more successful than them, but after some prodding and pushing, the brothers could not think of any who truly hated their father, enough to kill them or steal his dead body. At least to their knowledge. A man’s true hatred could be kept close to his heart.
Next was to examine the room where they body had been. The family were certain it was locked when the servants came to fetch the body, but there may be other ways of entry into the room. These old households, passed down from one generation to the next over a century or more, meant the houses were repaired, rebuilt, expanded upon, and often had secret passages and rooms. Most were constructed long ago for servants to enter unseen by the family, or used in emergencies to escape or hide. Many of these small passages and chambers were long forgotten due to disuse.
The room had been Master Audo’s private study, just off the main bed chamber. He use to meet clients there privately, but mostly worked there in peace. It had three major bookshelves covering the entirety of the walls, with solid wooden desk in the middle with a couple of chairs. There was a low hanging chandelier to light the entire room. It was full of papers, books and scrolls. A very basic study, but adorned with high price ornaments and wares.
“Does this house have secret or servant passage ways?” Kaeso asked, speaking directly for the first time.
“None that we are aware of. Our grandfather had rebuilt the whole main mansion after a fire destroyed most of it several decades ago, before our births.”
“There could be underground chambers. Secret cellars. A merchant family like this would likely want to store their most valued items in case of burglaries or, fires and disasters,” Kaeso whispered to Officer Peri.
“I don’t see any floor doors or access ways...” Officer Peri stated.
“It’ll be cleverly concealed. A hidden latch perhaps, something off the bookshelf. Common but most people do not think to look for one nowadays.”
Kaeso went to the bookshelves, eyeing up each book, ornament, and scroll, looking for any peculiarities in otherwise common objects. A small statue might be a hidden trigger that pushed would unlock a door or reveal its’ location. He had seen several such mechanisms in past households of nobles.
Brother Jaki was the one who found the secret door. One of the book shelves split in two, revealing a very narrow entry and stairs leading downward.
The brothers both looked surprised. Kaeso decided to rule them out, or they were good actors. Most people were not.
The secret hidden underground chamber did not reveal the missing body but in fact another secret. The room was full of arcane objects, with several spell books and scrolls, a cabinet full of oddities and items used for potions, elixirs and other concoctions, a desk, a cot, and several chests. Next to the cot was a table laden with glass containers and a small wood burner used to heat up small pots or bowls. It appeared Master Audo was practicing magic down here, or at least concocting potions or elixirs.
Brother Jaki began to peruse the books and scrolls, grimacing as he pulled out a specific scroll.
“He wasn’t making regular potions or tonics one would expect a layman in magic would try to make, he was dabbling in dark magics. Sinister magics. I speak or necromancy and resurrection magics,” Brother Jaki spoke grimly.
Officer Peri and Kaeso had investigated the cabinet and were disgusted to find bottles and boxes full of preserved organs, blood, whether it was animal or human, could not be determined without a few tests. The idea the man was dabbling in such dark arcane arts threw a real wrench into this case.
The one brother, Aeson, nearly fainted and had to be dragged up by Officer Peri and his older brother Ercan. After being revived with some salts, the brothers both swore they never knew or suspected their father did such things! Or was into magic at all!
“We must speak with your mother,” Brother Jaki informed the brothers.
“She hasn’t spoken since our father died!”
“I understand, she is in deep mourning, but as his wife, she may know more than either of you,” Officer Peri explained gently.
“Could mother?” Aeson wondered out loud, looking paler than before.
“Our mother is a saintly woman, she reads the Sacred Scriptures of our Divine Mother almost daily. Father had told us she had once wanted to become a priestess of the Divine Motherly Order but fell in love with him! She would never condone his use of dark magics! She would have reported him immediately!” Ercan declared vehemently.
“She may have, but she is his wife and loves him. Love can blind us or make us go against our natural inclinations. We won’t know what she knows or doesn’t unless we speak to her.” Brother Jaki reiterated firmly.
Mistress Audo was quick to defend her late husband, declaring the hidden room was not used by him and must be old. When they explained the room was not full of dust or cobwebs, with the objects having been recently used at least within the last week or so, she refused to believe them.
“My husband was a good man,” she sniffled into her handkerchief, her eyes pointing downward.
She wore a deep plum gown, her head covered with a dark veil, in which she gripped tightly in one hand.
“I know doubt you believe he was, and perhaps he was mostly, but you cannot deny the fact that this secret underground chamber was his as it was only accessible from his study. Since discovering this, I have a new theory. I do not think Master Audo is dead,” Brother Jaki stated.
The wife and her sons all gasped in astonishment.
Kaeso was thinking the same thing. If he was dabbling in dark magic, there were ways to make someone look dead, or even come back from the dead. Perhaps Master Audo faked his illness too. Why was a whole other matter, and they still had to prove he faked his death or not. Which meant finding Master Audo either way.
“Can any of you think of why your husband or father would fake his own death?”
Mistress Audo simply let out a distressed wail.
Elder brother Ercan went to comfort his mother and shot Brother Jaki a glare, “You’ve upset mother. No we don’t know any reason why our beloved father would do such a thing! Clearly we don’t him the man at all!”
Kaeso believed that was very true.
After a few more tense questions, they were escorted out. Of course they stated their intent to return and collect the offensive books and scrolls. Most were illegal and banned, which meant they needed to be disposed of before someone had the wise idea to steal or sell them. Books on the forbidden arcane arts were highly prized, given they were often destroyed, most only had a single volume or two, which meant their rarity only increased their value.
Possessing illegal books like these on forbidden magics meant a hefty fine, and imprisonment. For sorcerers especially or those caught using the contents of such books, since many were simply collected as items to possess not use, were exiled, or even executed if it was proven they used these malicious and evil magics to harm another human or get ill gotten gains or favors. The use of forbidden magics were always a top concern for the Supernatural Bureau, although such magics were hardly used given the steep price that came with them.
Often such dark evil magics required human sacrifices, human flesh, organs, or bones, sometimes they could be substituted with animal remains. These magics ranged from spells of mind and body control, implanting false memories, deadly curses, or even controlling corpses of either human or animal. There were of course poisons that were beyond inhumane the could cause the body to rot or have their flesh burn off from the inside. And of course there was the communion with demons and vengeful spirits.
In the past dark sorcerers to gain more power, consorted with demons and spirits, with many harnessing their spiritual energies for themselves. This practice was made illegal centuries ago, but hard to regulate or control, unless someone discovered, usually another sorcerer that they were using or controlling demons or spirits.
It was also extremely dangerous. The seals and spells needed to first summon a demon were delicate and precise, one wrong step or pronunciation could mean an agonizing death. Once a demon or spirit was summoned, controlling them became another problem. It used a lot of energy, willpower and control to keep one in line. Some felt the risks outweighed the rewards. Demons could kill, maim, or spy on others without indicating their master, or even appearing natural or accidental.
The Supernatural Bureau investigations could reveal of a spirit or demon was being controlled, but it was a difficult process in itself. So anytime someone was accused of necromancy or using dark magics, it was taken very seriously.
Master Audo now become a prime suspect and threat to Luna’s security. This was relayed to the Bureau’s superior board of agents, senior agents and experts on the supernatural that were convened for difficult cases.
One of those superior agents on that board was the sorcerer Isaru.
The next day the enigmatic sorcerer joined the trio on their second visit to the Audo household. Brother Jaki had argued heatedly with the board to assign anyone but him, but the board had no other available sorcerers on hand, and they wanted an adept sorcerer to examine the contents of that room.
So it was Isaru.
“Why does Brother Jaki object to Lord Isaru?”
“It’s rumored Lord Isaru is actually a half demon, or maybe half fairy, either way, people don’t believe he’s fully human. He tends to unnerve people. Brother Jaki also does not approve his method of investigating,” Officer Peri explained.
Once they arrived at the Audo household, Lord Isaru appeared, he did not join them at the Bureau headquarters leaving a note stating he’d join them at the house.
His otherworldly beauty was unnerving, as was his piercing gaze which once again fell on Kaeso as soon as he arrived. Again, Kaeso had made no mention of Isaru entering him room the other night. Thankfully Lord Isaru did not mention it either after greeting the trio.
“Let’s be civil Brother Jaki, I’ll be on my best behavior today,” Lord Isaru said flippantly.
“It is in our best interest to uphold the respectability of the Bureau,” Brother Jaki replied coldly.
“Of course!” Lord Isaru replied with a devious grin.
Well things got even more complicated. Mistress Audo was also now missing. Her sons were distraught.
Lord Isaru left the others to interview the brothers once more, and went off on his own. Muttering under his breath, he explored the house before eventually returning to an annoyed Brother Jaki. Officers Peri and Kaeso were also surprised that the sorcerer left on his own without saying a word.
“I detect a strong source of magic, I think the lady was teleported away, probably by her missing husband. This Master Audo is very intriguing. I’ll have to reach out to my sources about him. Oh Brother Jaki don’t give me that look!”
Brother Jaki was giving Lord Isaru a very harsh glare.
“You see officers, Brother Jaki objects to my sources, they are less than reputable for sure, but they hear and see things good respectful folk do not. Having a tie to the underground criminal network in Luna had helped me so much in solving a variety of cases. Master Audo was getting these scrolls and books somehow, and the ingredients. I plan on finding out who supplied them and when. That might give us a lead on his whereabouts. Now that he knows we’re on the case, time is of the essence.”
“I do object because you refuse to punish the very same criminals you use!”
“How else am I to get the information? If I arrest my sources I won’t get anything and the connection will be severed. Sometimes Brother Jaki you must get dirty in order to save the world from evil.”
Kaeso could see both sides. The use of informants within criminal organizations were not unheard of for the Crime Division but it was officially frowned upon, as officers would be forced to make deals with criminals to capture worse criminals. Not ideal, but something useful in certain cases. Brother Jaki, being a monk, had strong, often inflexible morals and ethics would not agree.
“Well officers, who will join me and seeking out my sources?”
Lord Isaru was directly staring at Kaeso.