The horrible crying, countanence of pitch seemingly of a child's: was called Serf. He recognised the name as Raz's future possible wife.
Still somewhat reeling from Seville's legendary talent in mana. Arthur was late to move, before he even started taking his first step; Rall had already begun running.
Sh*t Did something happen to her?
One step following the other, he began to run as well. Serf's voice wasn't too far away; perhaps a turn would suffice.
The turn came and with a skid he swivelled to the turn's intended path. There, he saw a group of people conjoined by a shared interest, circling a scene that they held captive from being seen with their bodies.
What happened? Hold on did Serf get hurt?
Arthur was worried. It wasn't the matter of Serf getting hurt in general. Surely enough, a man would be worried upon any harm conducted against a child. Yet there was a greater importance in regards to something else for Arthur.
His fear instead,was rooted in the conversation he had in the morning with a boy of ripe age. It just clicked in his mind by no volition of his own. A twinge of self-spite began to bubble just as it turned stale.
Nonetheless; he shook off such feelings and walked closer, just as he reached the crowd—He was able to hear the cries of a little girl.
???:"Aug...*Sob*..."
That crying, which is unfamiliar to him—It was not the case. That same crying he had heard right before taking off behind Rall.
Arthur:"Ha...."
He gave out a great sigh of relief, a breath out out of his lungs, a soothing warm waft of air.
Serf was alright.
Rall:"Serf! Dear. Listen, look here. Here! It's okay. Okay. Come on—please move out the way."
Stranger:"Ah...sorry Rall. Calm Serf down alright? My heart can't take it."
Rall came out the crowd as they dispersed for him to walk out; held within his arms was a crying child. Her hair had a green temperment like that of Rall's but much lighter in tone. The tips of her hair lightened from green to white indicating her young age and growth.(1)
She was dressed in a quiet green toned sun dress, a purple ribbon knot pinned to the side of the dress near her left hip.
Seeing her distressed state, Arthur ran upto Rall and Serf; kneeling down to see if she was hurt in any way. She was alive and well thankfully.
Rall:"Sweetie...Ha..."
After attempting to calm her down a bit more futilely, Rall sighed and only held her tighter. It seems he had given up on stopping her from crying. Sometimes trying to stop someone is worse than waiting.
He patted her head lightly as she sobbed into his chest.
Serf:"A-Aunt Zenna! She will be fine right? We can get more bread tomorrow from her and-and she will compliment my dress again!"
A loud muffled choke could be heard as she continued tiredly.
Serf:"Ri-Right...Right?....Rally?...I...."
Her legs fell limp; on dirt they would have been if not for Rall. Her hands lying flat on either side of her body.
She fell unconscious.
Arthur would have done more but he was held back by the fact that he was an outsider, Rall had it after all. Hence he decided to simply kneel beside Rall as Rall hefted Serf up into a bridal carry.
Rall:"Arthur, carry this basket for me."
Arthur:"Sure."
Arthur was given a basket filled with apples, carrots and other groceries. Some were dirtied as though they fell on the floor.
Taking care to hold it correctly Arthur did not speak until Rall did.
Rall:"ha...damn it. Of all times why now?"
A sigh escaped him languidly as he turned towards the crowd. His mouth opening and giving out a thunderous shout with vigour.
Rall:"Stop Gawking and bring officer Stern here damn it!"
The crowd began to disperse, some nodding and going towards what Arthur assumed is the direction towards an office.
Arthur waited for a moment. Letting Serf fully fall into slumber and for Rall to gain his bearings.
Then only did he speak. His voice shaking.
Arthur:"Rall...*huegh* the women...she, did she die of human canibalism? She did, didn't she?....fuck."
Rall nodded.
Rall:"Yes...at least that is how it seems. We don't know much about how this man or woman keeps getting away with this. It could possibly be a monster as well."
With a grieving sigh he scorned at the populace.
Rall:"I hope they don't forget to call her husband."
On the floor where the the crowd had once been circling showed the image of a women in her mid—cannot be assertained. Her hair was of a brown colour with greying undertones—red? Viscous.
That was all that could be said.
Two hollow sockets, the light made the inside visible to Arthur. That abyss where eyes should be stared at him, her teeth agape, with no lips to hide them. An everlasting grin. This grotesque piece of art was held by a brittle Spine.
The face, eyes, tongue and her neck. The flesh of her waist, chest and various spots of meat on her body.
They were all Gone, Eaten.
There were distinct bite wounds that looked to be of a human's...
It made Arthur want to puke. He was a sheltered child for the most part but he had still seen blood and injuries...but he hadn't known the true brutality deaths could be conjured with!
God...im trying to hold on. Ah oh god. I can't...
If you can't hold it in then just puke. Stop being overly polite to someone dead and the someone just standing.
Not here...!
He was no warrior, nor a killer. The basket of groceries fell right down. Much like they must have when Serf saw the body.
And with a jolt he ran to the side of some house and rudely—
Arthur:"*hueegh! Ha...Ha...Hup!....hueeegh!"
A stench invoking, pungent vomit of bile shot out his throat and fell on the dirt and pavement.
Rall only stood and watched from where he stood. His arms were full with serf so he couldn't pat Arthur's back. He hoped Arthur would understand.
Polite my ass. You just vomited on the side of someone's home!
Sh-Shut up...your stupid voice only makes It worse for me.
It didn't seem like he would feel any better. Hence he could only force himself to hold it in.
Currently, Rall had to quickly move so as to get Serf away from the body hence he couldn't act so pathet—
Holy Shit...
Holy shit is right.
She had to see THAT!? No wonder she just fell unconscious. But how would she know who that body belonged to? Wait.
She must have seen her being mauled from start to finish.
That...is so fucked up.
He may not be someone that fights and sees Gore regularly like his father or mother. But he was still an adult. A man chased by his own family who no longer knows him. He held his own stomach to stop himself from emptying his guts. He saw the bloody state Ma'am Will was in. He wasn't foolish enough to think these menagerie of events were truly rare. But he would still like to think they were exotic to the common man.
Even then, he was vomiting here like a child. For an actual child who knew no hardship of the like to witness such a thing first hand...it was too cruel.
But as he walked back towards Rall, he had another thought. If she saw the ordeal then Serf must know how the killer looks like. Though the killer may be invisible.
Beyond that, was it even human? I mean those bite wounds might look like a human's but there are many monsters that can—nah, I'd believe in human cruelty more.
—What? It is definitely possible for a monster to have done this. How the hell does a human eat around the spine of the neck like a damn apple otherwise. On broad dayli—
—Did you forget about Marks? I heard a woman joining the academy had a mark that allows 'mouths' to appear from thin air.
that still doesn't—
Stop talking.
Argus...listened. it seemed.
Even though Argus might not have been silent normally, he didn't continue.
It was silent.
Noting such silence with a relieved expression, Arthur reached Rall.
Although he was in a hurry to gather his bearings for the sake of not impeding upon Rall's attempt at extricating Serf from the scene of horror that will surely plague her days afore today. He had aught a clue of another approach.
Rall:"Arthur. Can you please stay until Stern get's here? Im sure Selera will also be there. Inform her and Stern of anything they ask and come back to this place."
A piece of paper was carefully put in Arthur's hands.
It was slightly cold of him to not ask if Arthur was okay, yet Arthur didn't find it narry a bit audacious or rude.
An address. I guess it's his house?
He was slightly conflicted at the prospect, it was not a great day for the Mahenas. Although he was clueless of the closeness of the relationship between them and the cruelly mauled Zenna; he could still presume that it was close enought to hurt.
Thus, he wasn't keen on intruding upon their grievings.
Arthur:"Mr.Rall....i wouldn't want to intrud—"
Rall:"Did you not hear my story? I care about things in any way a charred heart man would. You are not intruding."
Arthur swiftly shut down any words he thought up, although he wished to concur to Rall's assortment with words. He could only be eloquent enough to give a single nod.
It made Arthur realize that for however much of a cheery uncle Rall seemed to be...He was merely molded to be as such.
Arthur:"I understand Mr.Rall"
Without talking any further Rall walked past Arthur. But with a deep sigh, a reminiscing heart ache within blaring; he stopped.
Rall:"Praise Lagandra..."
He chuntered inwardly before speaking.
Rall:"Thank you for your understanding...call me Uncle. You had no gripe with ramiel did ya?."
The matter of the case was rather simple to grasp. Rall Mahena had always been a cold character who had turned affable and attained a comely personage. Though only recently in terms of human years which are quite long.
And furthermore. Rall truly held great favourability towards Arthur. Someone that fately brought his family a momento. A momento to remember a great friend.
Thusly so. He had no reason to keep distance between Arthur and Himself.
The value of the momento was what bought his friendship.
Arthur understood this fact keenly, it would truly be impolite if he were to still remain distant. Dirtying such a sentiment with accidental foot steps was far too distasteful.
Arthur:"I understand Uncle Rall. Please give rest to Serf. Take rest yourself."
He bowed lightly, making Rall find Arthur's over politeness slightly irritating no matter how endearing.
With a quick nod he walked away, by the next turn he disappeared into the paths, leaving only Arthur behind.
They truly were close...
How else was it possible for Rall's cheer fading cold.
Arthur found himself on the cusp of another befoulment of his oral cavity and dirt with bile acid, due to his thoughts drifting towards Zenna.
Even so...
He dared not to look at the body, lest the human Bites on it bring about further horror if not that bared spine and exposed rib cage.