The Seeker | Volume 2

When Ling opened the front door, he was instantly greeted with the aroma of fresh vegetable stew, the sweet and sour aromas of the numerous cultural dishes overwhelmingly filling his nose.

"Father home, and thankfully he didn't forget the milk". Hàorán said as he peeked his head out from the kitchen, looking at his father with a smile.

"I'm starving, hopefully, it's not overcooked."

Ling mumbled as he entered the kitchen and took a seat. Mrs. Kitonow; an older woman with matching black hair and wearing an apron, approached the table and set down the 3 dishes of vegetable soup.

After Mrs. Kitonow sat down at the table with her family, they all closed their eyes in unison and began praying to their goddess.

"We pray in this humble home, we ask for a blessing. Will our hearts with prosperity and fortune. Allow this food to become our flesh, and the spirit to be cleansed. Forgive us for all our wrongdoings. We allow this meal to be an act of forgiveness."

The Kitonow family then opened and smiled at each other, the bond of the family seemingly palpable in the air. Ling then picked up his fork and spoke up.

"My dear wife, my dearest son. I have good news to share!"

The 2 people at the table instantly raised their heads and awaited a response. Hàorán then spoke up suddenly in a cheerful tone.

"Did you get a pay raise today? Will we be able to move out?"

Ling's expression faltered slightly, but he didn't let Hàorán's hopes interject with his announcement. He took a deep breath and said with a smile.

"We're going to Seraphis Kingdom for a few weeks."

Hàorán's expression lit up while Mrs. Kitonow's expression became one of concern. She looked back and eyed the photo by the window of her long-dead grandmother, before looking back towards her husband with a sigh.

"What's the reason, Ling?"

"Business reasons."

Hàorán suddenly sighed in annoyance, pouting and rolling his eyes.

"You'll probably be gone all day."

He grumbled. Ling looked at his son and gave a forced smile. 

"I know it may seem like that, but I promise it won't always be like that. I promise."

He then ruffled his son's hair playfully. Hàorán laughed a little before he continued to dig into his soup.

The next morning when Ling and his family woke up, it was still raining, except more softly. Ling let out a tired sigh as he left his bed and changed into his usual detective attire.

After having some leftover dumplings kept in the cellar, he headed out the door and went to the office.

"I believe Mrs. Hampshire's incident is something you can take care of quickly. Ever since the rain seemed to calm down, more and more people are clocking in for their duties. If it calls for it, I can always have the officers give classes to the trainees whilst you're gone."

Officer Palsy told him as he sipped his morning coffee and leaned back in his chair, his warm eyes locked on Ling Kitonow. Ling nodded slowly, understanding, before bidding the man farewell. After stepping back into the streets, he turned his head to the left hoping to find a nearby means of transportation, but to his bewilderment, he didn't find any. 

"I was hoping there'd be someone to accommodate me," he grumbled as he checked his pocket watch, which read that it was only 11 in the morning, about a half hour before the streets of the Katshin Empire would allow open horseback and buggy travel.

"I believe I can recall her address from my memory, perhaps?" Ling suddenly thought.

Madame Hampshire was one of the more established families of the Katshin Empire and one of the few individuals who had connections to the throne in one way or another. The Hampshire family was one of the supporting families of the previous epoch when the Katshin Empire was first established.

"313 Burrow Road." the answer entered his brain suddenly. Ling then looked towards the bronze metal sign hanging overhead that clarified the current street he was on; Brookshaw Avenue, about 5 blocks down from the given street.

He stuffed the watch back into his pocket before he started to walk towards the address. The streets of the Katshin Empire were mostly desolite and lacked an overall sense of color. When it first came into existence over 2000 years ago under the protection of the 4 angel families, the first emperor didn't really have a taste in color, so he settled on everything being mat black, brown or gray.

Ling couldn't help but sigh upon that fact. Where he grew up all his life, he was greeted with all sorts of colors and wondrous hues and blooming flowers. But where he currently lived also seemed to change his mood.

He eventually arrived at the address when his watch read 11:24 in the afternoon, meaning he would've been later to deal with the case. He politely knocked on the door and awaited a response. After a few brief moments, an older woman with silver hair and pronounced wrinkles on her face answered.

Her eyes were deep and sunk, indicating she probably hadn't slept at all the previous night or two. 

"Are you Mr. Kitonow?" she asked in puzzlement. Ling nodded, and polity reached his right hand out to shake hers with a smile. Mrs. Hampshire reluctantly took his hand and shook it, before taking hesitant steps back into her home.

The inside of her house was vintage, with comfortable furniture and candles everywhere. The fireplace was roaring and her pet cat was resting comfortably on the couch. Mrs. Hampshire smiled in a weird way as she gestured for the young Chinese man to sit on the couch.

"What seems to be the problem? If you're requesting my services, there better be a murder of some sort." he chuckled.

Mrs. Hampshire looked towards the towering set of stairs that led to the upstairs bedrooms and lavatory, and she swallowed some of her spit.

"You don't look too fine, Madame. Is everything alright?" he asked.

Mrs. Hampshire sighed softly before speaking in a hushed manner.

"My husband might be possessed."

Possessed?" Ling repeated. 

Mrs. Hampshire nodded.

"At night, when he's coming home from work, I hear him grunting and moving like he hasn't slept in days. And when he's asleep, he's always growling and clawing at the sheets like a rabid animal."

After hearing this, Ling scratched his skin and contemplated some things. The possibility of needing an exorcist was low, but never zero in these kinds of situations. Late-night grunginess and irrational behavior can often be signs of a lack of sleep too. 

"You said your husband sleeps every night?" Ling then asked.

Mrs. Hampshire nodded. "I'm honestly surprised someone like you hasn't shown up at my door until now. Harold's been acting like this for weeks."

"Weeks?" Ling was instantly taken aback by the revelation.

The elderly woman nodded. "Yes, weeks."

Ling scratched his chin as he continued to think about the predicament he'd gotten himself into. If this older man he's referring to had really been possessed, he would have instantly lost control and turned into a creature similar to the one he'd seen in the photo.

"May I see him?" He then asked. 

Mrs. Hampshire shook her head quickly, fear evident in her eyes.

"I have to slide him his meals from under the door. And I have to keep my dear cat Cartha out of his room."

"So you're avoiding contact with him out of fear and paranoia? Is there something else you're not telling me, Mrs. Hampshire?"

The elderly woman paused, as if waiting for something. She then spoke in a solemn voice.

"My husband is an Order 6 of the Depravity path. The higher up you ascend, the more you lose yourself." she said. 

Ling questioned this possibility. If her husband was a seeker, and an Order 6 to be exact, then he's most likely taken hold of by an evil spirit. 

"I know you won't like what I'm about to say, but I'm going to have to see your husband, Mrs. Hampshire."

Her eyes widened, and her breathing grew a little heavier. 

"Are you sure? Will you have the necessary assistance?" she asked.

Ling nodded, checking his pocket watch again. He'd only been talking to the old lady for 5 minutes. "Yes, I will."

"So, it wasn't helping open a jar?" Palsy asked in amusement, leaning in his chair to listen closer to Ling's claim. Ling nodded.

"She said her husband might be under the influence of an evil spirit."

"Well, I can say I've dealt with these kinds of situations before, so I won't be very hesitant to help you."

Palsy opened the drawer in front of him and took out a small charm, one with a sun encrusted into the jewel.

"A sun-charm?" Ling asked in curiosity. 

Palsy picked up the architect carefully and examined it. 

"Indeed, very few of these were created. Legends say they contain ancient characteristics dating back from the previous epoch. Just I'd say those are just rumors."

"Now, I think we should head over to Mrs. Hampshire's place?" 

Ling nodded. "Let's go."

It only took them about 10 minutes to arrive at Mrs. Hampshire's place from the office, because Palsy had enough money to purchase a much faster horse and buggy trip. Ling arrived at the front door and knocked again, and Mrs. Hampshire opened the door without saying a word.

"Where's your husband's room?" Palsy asked as he removed his coat and took out the sun-charm, which dangled loosely and glowed with an eerie yellow light. 

"U-upstairs to the left, you won't miss it, gentleman." Mrs. Hampshire replied.

Ling and Palsy didn't say anything as they proceeded up the stairs and entered Harold's room by breaking off the doorknob with little effort. When they looked around they noticed that the dark gray wallpaper on the walls had been torn, and there were multiple broken plates and cutlery scattered around.

In the corner of the room, Harold was curled up into a ball, muttering incoherently. Palsy furrowed his eyebrows and he raised the charm, the yellow light casting thick shadows around the room.

"If an evil spirit is present with us, it will back away." Palsy said solemnly as he continued to have his gaze locked on the distorted old man. But nothing changed, no evil spirits left his body or tried to escape the radiant holy light. 

"Strange. Perhaps the spirit is a stubborn one." Ling mumbled as he took a few careful steps in Harold's direction, his revolver stocked carefully in his hollister in case anything went haywire. 

At an instant, Harold looked up at them. The old man's eyes were dreary and appeared almost sad. Behind his furled up gray hair, they spotted something on his forehead. 

"A sigil?" Ling thought curiously. A gust of wind shot through the semi open window, casting aside his hair and revealing that it indeed was a sigil, the sigil of the depravity path, and it was glowing with a radiant black and purple aura.

Suddenly the man let out a foul shriek, and he exploded right then and there