Both men stood facing each other amidst the ashen field, the tension thick between them. Temoshí's gaze was sharp, determined to uncover the truth behind Stitch's mysterious wounds.
"Mendy, right? That doll always following her. And you mentioned she was 'cursed' by Hollow—must be connected to that silk. I've heard whispers about it from the household, but never really understood what it meant. Care to enlighten me, Desmond?"
Temoshí's voice was firm, demanding a truthful answer, but Desmond remained silent, his expression unreadable.
"As we moved forward... there was that woman who attacked us out of nowhere. And before that, a faceless figure ambushed us. Something didn't sit right about it. Both of those attackers came after us while Stitch was around. That faceless figure—it was targeting us too, which meant Stitch must've been close by the whole time if she managed to catch up during our meeting. And those phantoms that shadowy figure summoned... they weren't just random. It felt like they were after something specific, maybe even someone. So, tell me everything you know!"
Temoshí's words were cutting, his patience running thin as he awaited the answers he was determined to get.
Desmond placed his hand on his waist, his demeanor shifting back to its usual calm and nonchalant attitude. "Do you really think I know everything about that vagrant? It's true, I mentioned Hollow cursing her, more specifically, cursing that doll of hers. He did it because he knew she would never abandon it. The girl's nothing but bad luck for anyone who gets too close," he said with a chuckle, clearly amused by the situation.
Temoshí, however, wasn't fooled. "If that cursed doll follows her everywhere, then why wasn't she attacked while living in the household? It only started when she left. There's no way those spirits, or whatever they are, could have been held back by a mere window."
Desmond smirked, seeming to enjoy the back-and-forth. "Ah, you're getting warmer," he teased. "Let me explain it like this: Damien was pretty strict when it came to keeping her locked up inside that household. And do you know why?" He paused, clearly relishing the suspense, before continuing. "Because once she was outside, that curse had free rein. It's not just about the doll—it's about the conditions around her. Damien knew that. So, he kept her contained to avoid any more... unfortunate events."
Desmond's eyes gleamed with a knowing look, as if he were enjoying the intrigue this revelation would spark. "You see, the curse wasn't just a simple thing. It had to be managed. And Damien was the one who had to keep things in check. He had no choice but to lock her away to prevent things from getting worse."
"Damien? But how does he fit into all of this, beyond just taking her in and giving her a place to stay?" Temoshí asked, his sharp eyes narrowing as he looked at Desmond. He was piecing together what little information he had, but something still didn't sit right with him.
Desmond chuckled darkly, the grin on his face growing wider. "Don't you think Damien acted a little odd? Reflect back to when you first met him..." His voice had a smug, knowing quality, like he was relishing the confusion in Temoshí's mind.
Temoshí paused, his eyes flickering with recognition. "You mean... back then, when he mentioned there were multiple members of the royal family, not just him and Celeste?" He raised an eyebrow, a sudden suspicion creeping in.
Desmond's grin widened even more, the hint of something sinister in his eyes. "Exactly. But what you don't realize, my friend, is that Damien isn't just some random royal. Damien is Hollow." His words dropped like a bombshell, shaking the very foundation of what Temoshí thought he knew. "The man you've been chasing, the one you thought was so helpless and innocent, is the very same one who's been pulling all the strings from the shadows."
Temoshí's heart skipped a beat. His mind reeled with the weight of Desmond's words. "Damien… is Hollow?" His voice was barely a whisper, disbelieving, as if the world itself had tilted on its axis. "But that would mean..." He couldn't finish the thought. How could everything he had known be wrong? How could the person he thought was just a bystander, someone he had almost sympathized with, be the very mastermind behind it all?
Desmond nodded slowly, savoring the confusion and realization dawning in Temoshí's eyes. "Yes. Damien is Hollow. He's been hiding in plain sight, playing the role of a lost royal, manipulating everyone around him. All of this—the royal family, the supposed death of the king, the rebellion, the chaos—it was all part of his plan. He created the illusion of multiple royal family members, not just him and Celeste, to confuse everyone. But in truth, Damien is the one who's been orchestrating this entire farce from the very beginning."
Temoshí's head was spinning as the implications settled in. The betrayal cut deeper than any blade could, the weight of it sinking into his chest. Hollow wasn't some distant figure he had been hunting; Hollow had been right under his nose the entire time.
Desmond's voice grew colder as he continued. "And those royal guards you've been encountering? They're not just some elite group of protectors—they're Hollow's crew. His loyal followers, each of them a piece of his grand scheme. They're just as much a part of his plot as he is. Hollow's been controlling everything from behind the scenes, making sure no one stands in his way. Everyone you've fought, everyone you thought you were protecting—everything was part of his plan to weaken resistance and create a façade of chaos, all while he pulled the strings, building his power."
Temoshí had never felt so lost, so betrayed. The royal guards, whom he had thought of as noble, honorable figures—were they all in on it? Were they all complicit in Hollow's rise to power? He had believed he was helping free a kingdom from tyranny, but now he saw the horrifying truth. They weren't just pawns in a larger game. They were active participants, part of a web of lies and deception that had ensnared everyone, including him.
"Damien... Hollow... all along?" Temoshí muttered, his voice thick with disbelief and anger. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. "You're telling me that the man I thought was an ally, someone I felt sorry for, was never a victim? He's the architect of all this chaos?"
Desmond nodded once more, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. "Exactly. Hollow played you, just like he's been playing everyone else. He made you think he was just a helpless prince, trying to survive in a broken world. But in truth, he's been the one breaking the world all along. And his royal guards? They're not protectors. They're his loyal followers, his crew, just as dedicated to his cause as any pirate crew."
Temoshí's body shook with a mixture of anger and disbelief. His breath came in sharp, ragged gasps. Hollow had deceived him, manipulated him. And now, the game was up.
"You're right," Temoshí said through gritted teeth, his voice low and determined. "Hollow has had his fun for long enough. It's time for him to face the consequences."
"But there's one more thing I have to ask about you and the guards," Temoshí continued, his eyes narrowing. "You said 'they' are Hollow's crew. That girl with glasses, and the hooded boy who wears a mask and wields a spear—they seemed pretty close to you. But at the same time, you're a spy for Hollow, and you're also an official member of the Marines. Does that mean you've been deceiving them too? Are you just another major villain, trying to make everything worse?"
"Like I said before, I'm not on anyone's side," Desmond replied coolly. "I work for the Marines to gather information on Hollow, but I've been playing both sides, making him believe I'm loyal to him while, in reality, I'm just using him to uncover intel on the royal family and him."
Temoshí's mind clicked as he pieced it together. "Now I get it. The Marines must have known Hollow was hiding something from the World. It's because you were feeding them information all along. You're a damn good spy, I'll give you that, but it doesn't change the fact that you're my enemy. An enemy to Hollow, and pretty much to everyone involved..."
Temoshí let out a heavy sigh, his frustration simmering down. "So that's it. You're not worried about breaking the rules by making a deal with someone like Hollow because the entire Marine force and the WPDA are benefiting from it. They're getting intel that could help them, while you stay in Hollow's good graces, all the while playing him for a fool. Here I was thinking you were some neutral party, but you're just another Marine, just like Codey, those two women, and even Elian. But here's the real question..."
"...how many Marines are actually in on this?"
To be continued...