As they went inside, Balthazar could see that the entire hall was empty. There were a few guards covering the various exits of the hall and a few more at the end of the hall by the doors to the altar. The area around the altar was covered by a tarp keeping the altar from others' sights.
"So? Could you please tell me what happened here?" asked Shadow as he stepped into the hall. "Why have the town guards restricted entry into the temple?"
"It is best if I show it to you, adventurer," said Sandy as she led him to the altar and pushed the tarp aside to show it to him.
There was a beheaded body lying on the altar and a lot of blood splatter could be seen beside the altar. There were a number of symbols painted with the blood on the altar with the head in a large bowl filled with blood at one of the ends of the altar. One look at the body made him realize that this was detective type quest where he needed to search for clues, and it would involve more chasing and investigating than fighting monsters.
On coming closer, he noticed that the body was actually nailed down on to the altar and there was big hole on his chest with his innards missing. It was a very gory picture and a sickly scent could be clearly sensed when one was close to it.
"Is this deacon Faroon?" asked Shadow as he came close to the altar. He took out his dagger to poke at the body and pulled the clothes to the side to look at it. There were a bunch of dark lines on the flesh of the body.
"No. Assuming the head to be from the same body, this should be Waral. One of the altar boys that works at the temple. He is an invalid. Can't believe that someone actually did something so horrible to him," said a guard.
"You know him?" asked Shadow.
"He is the retarded man. Was best friend with Faroon, almost like a brother. Lost his mind after a hunting accident and Faroon had taken care of him since then," said the guard.
"So, Faroon knows him quite well?" asked Shadow.
"Yes. You can ask anyone in the market area about. They all would have seen them," said the guard.
"So, where is Faroon? Is he alright?" asked Shadow.
"That is the main issue, Mr. Shadow Tyrant," said the captain. "From our investigation, the deacon usually leaves with him at night and hands it over to the other deacon Bistam. The other altar boys left the temple after the mass in the evening and they last saw Faroon and Waral. Bistam came to see this scene when he went inside. Our biggest suspect currently is Faroon."
"So, that is the reason you have cordoned off this area. You could have removed the body away, right?" asked Shadow. According to procedure, it was common sense to remove the body and have Bistam take over his shift temporarily.
"That would be the usual scenario, but both Bistam and the baron have agreed to let it be here and investigate. They decided to inform the city after the culprit was found. The insisted that this be solved before it be made public and they wanted to make sure that the murderer doesn't repeat this," explained Sandy.
"That is extremely odd," thought Balthazar. "It was fine for the baron to be concerned but a deacon would never accept it. He would at the very least inform to great priest about it, especially when there were clear signs of a ritual."
"Do you have any information? Any idea what this ritual was about?" asked Shadow.
"None. There are too many prints made of mud at the altar. The culprit made sure not to let any blood prints were left by him and no other signs. We had the altar boys help us in examining the entire temple. There was nothing new, found, since Bistam reported last night," said Sandy.
"I need to meet the baron and this deacon, Bistam," said Shadow.
"I can give you the location of Deacon Bistam's home. He said that he would be resting at home. The baron is at this place. Wistar here, will come with you. I need to be updated on everything," said Sandy as the guard who had initially denied him entry stepped forward to lead him towards the deacon's home.
The guard, Wistar quickly led him out the temple and through the marketplace to a small house leaning on the wall of the town. "This is deacon Bistam's residence. He had asked us to not disturb him today and baron agree to it to let him grieve," said Wistar. "He must be inside as there is not lock on the handle."
Shadow rapped at the door with the handle of his dagger. "Deacon Bistom. I am sent here by great priest Luciophel of the White Heart City. Could you please open the door?" shouted Shadow. He waited for a few seconds before repeating it. After a few minutes, there was still no noise, so he decided to break open the door.
"I think there might be something wrong with him," said Shadow. "The dead altar boy had black lines on his flesh like he was poisoned. Cover your nose and help me knock down the door," said Shadow as he moved away from the door. Together they ran and crashed into the door with their shoulders popping the door open.
The room was completely dark with a small flickering flame seen at one corner. It was candle at the end of its life placed beside a bible. A few more seconds and then the room would be plunged into complete darkness.
Shadow quickly went to the table and pulled out the drawer finding candle in one of them. He lit a new candle, and in the light, he began to check the hall. He could find nothing in the hall and he soon moved to the bedroom and then the kitchen.
"Everything is empty," said Wistor. "We might have been a bit hasty. He might have been out in the market."
Shadow didn't heed his words and continued to check the kitchen. He had noticed a slight scent of rotting vegetables as he moved into the kitchen. "Definitely something afoot here," he said pointing at a plate and a glass of water that was put on the table right beside a cooker and few other utensils.
"I don't see anything odd. He put plates out to eat and probably didn't feel like it," said the guard. The guard NPC was clearly afraid that the deacon might take affront to them breaking open the door and even his captain would find it hard to cover for him when he sent him to control Shadow.
"Yes. That is a valid assumption, but" said Shadow as he opened up the lids of the utensils on the table. The food in it was all white, rotten with fungus growing on them. It was definitely left in the house for some time.
"This wasn't made today," said Shadow moving away his head to avoid the smell.
"Urgh! That really stinks. What is wrong with this deacon. He looks so dignified at the temple," said Wistor with disgust.
"I doubt that it was the deacon that we have been seeing for the past few days at the temple," said Shadow. Horror creeped into the eyes of the guard as he heard Shadow and realized the issue. He quickly went out of the house and pulled an amulet to inform his captain. This was an emergency amulet which is to be used only in grave situations by the NPCs like when someone,s life might be in danger. It allowed the guards to call in for reinforcements quickly.
Shadow checked out the bedroom and the study room to see if he missed anything before, he came out. He thought that the kitchen was the main clue, but he didn't want to miss anything. "The captain is requesting that we check on the baron," said Wistor as soon as he came out.
"Lead the way," said Shadow. He understood that his discovery had already helped in gaining a bit of favorability with the guards. "They most probably would be helpful and wouldn't unnecessarily conceal things after this," thought Shadow. The guards were his best allies currently in the quest and he always made sure that his allied NPCs had a modicum of trust towards him or his capabilities.
The pair of quickly ran to the stream and crossed to bridge to get to the bigger part of the town. The baron's place was at the centre of the town and as the crossed a bridge in the town, a bunch of guards joined them along with the captain Sandy in front of a large mansion. It had two floors and a number of guards and tamed beasts inside it.
"I have notified the other guards of the town and the baron's own service that the deacon Bistam that was with him the past few days was not actual deacon, but someone else," said Sandy. "The only problem is that the head guard Baskel who accompanies the baron is not cooperative and refusing entry into the mansion."
"We have a suspect that we assume to be able to disguise as others and head guard who refuses to cooperate when we expect that his master is with the disguised suspect. We have probable cause to suspect him to be an enemy too. Use that as the excuse to get through the gates and into the mansion," said Shadow.
Though his suggestion was quite reasonable and could be used in this situation. The NPC captain Sandy was clearly hesitant. "I will say that a criminal who killed the temple deacons is in the mansion in disguise to the guards at the gate. Would that help?" asked Shadow.
"Yes, please. These guys at the mansion don't take the others seriously as they work directly for the baron. The temples name would help. They would think twice before denying you," said Sandy.
Shadow quickly ran to the gate and flashed his badge at the guards. "I am under a mission from the White Heart City. Someone under disguise of deacon Bistom had been masquerading alongside the baron for the past few days. We suspect both baron and the head guard are under his influence. Allow us inside right now to secure them," said Shadow to the guards at the gate.
One of the guards came to Shadow pushed his sword into the ground by the gate and leaned with an elbow resting on its hilt and looked at Shadow like he told something extremely ridiculous, "You kidding, right?" he asked. "Why are you supporting these idiots' conjectures?"
"You got it wrong, man. I was the one who was there when we realized that deacon Bistam that we were in contact with was not the original," said Shadow.
"You serious?" said the guard suddenly looking uncertain.
"Serious enough that the great priest would be very angry with the baron and his guards for letting a criminal roam freely among them," said Shadow.
"No need to involve the great priest of the capital," said the guard realizing that stopping them would not help him and it would best if let them check the mansion. If something is really there, then he would have to answer for it. The doors were opened, and they quickly made their way into the mansion.
They only let in Sandy and Shadow inside, while Sandy ordered the others to surround the walls to make sure that no one escapes the mansion. The guard quickly led them into the mansion and to the study in front of which the head guard, Baskel was waiting. Baskel was a 7 feet guard who wore leather armor
"Who the hell is this?" asked Baskel as he saw them approaching the study. "The baron ordered to not allow anyone to disturb him and deacon Bistam in the study."
Shadow didn't care about the head guard Baskel. He only noticed that the head guard was a level 20 NPC. He knew that he could use Alva's Tincture to disable him for enough time to get into the study, but it was better to reason with him. He held the badge up for the head guard to see.
"On a mission from the great priest, Luciophel. Need to see Deacon Bistam urgently. It is of vital importance. Any delays, we might need to consider putting both you and the baron in custody," said Shadow. Though it was a lie that they could put them in custody, it had a significant impact on the Baskel. It was important to listen to his master's commands but knowingly neglecting someone and causing serious issues like the one that Shadow told him would be much more detrimental to the NPC.
"In that case, let me get the deacon out," said Baskel gritting his teeth and opened the door slightly to move into the room. "Baron?" he shouted as soon as he put his head through the door. He flung open the door immediately after that and rushed into the room.
It was clear that the baron and the deacon were missing and were not in the study. Shadow, Sandy and other immediately moved into the study to check. "Check the entire mansion. Every room," shouted Baskel to the guards.
"Coordinate with our men. We are after the same thing right now," said Sandy.
"What is happening? Why are you after Bistam?" asked Baskel as he came close to Shadow.
"We suspect that the Bistam that the was with the baron is someone who is in disguise and not the deacon," said Shadow.
"Check every room and put everyone out in the yard. Need to have a head count of every person and none are to leave the grounds of the mansion," shouted Baskel immediately. "Tell me the entire story," said Baskel turning to Shadow. Shadow quickly recounted the scene at the temple and how he came to suspect Bistam.
A few minutes later, a guard came running into the study. "Sir, we found the baron. He is injured but fine. The same can't be told of deacon Bistam. We found his body. A large hole at his chest and seemed to be in shock" said the guard as he reached the study.