He is back

The spirits were having a conversation within themselves. But one of them started to feel suspicious because he thought that someone was eavesdropping on them. He checked around and saw Anastasia listening to their chats through the wall.

"Guys, is it just me? Or that woman over there is listening to our talks."

"What are you talking about? How can a human see us? We are lurking around here for years but no one ever saw us. But you are saying that she can hear us. What a bullshit."

When Anastasia heard about this. She understood that the ghosts were suspicious about her. That's why she took out her phone and started playing some games while completely ignoring them.

"See, she didn't saw us. If she did then, do you think she would have been standing so casual like that?"

"Then how about we check it out." The ghost looked at Anastasia and saw that she had enormous mana inside her. If they all fed on her, then they don't have to be worried about their existence for centuries.

When she saw them coming towards her. She started to shake because of feeling scared. She didn't know what they are going to do with her.

That's why she started to head towards the crowd so she could feel safe around the people.

Also, they won't harm her in front of all the public. Right?

The ghosts also realised that she could see them that's why they began to run after her.

While she was running she slipped on something and fell on the ground.

God knows, what is her obsession with falling on the ground in life-threatening situations?

But it was not her fault this time. One of the ghosts used his ability to make her trip.

Anastasia tried to get up from the ground many times but her legs were frozen. She could not even feel her feet. Maybe the spirit did something.

Because of feeling scared. She grabbed her necklace tightly and closed her eyes and was ready to be eaten by them. but by doing that she didn't noticed that the necklace she was currently wearing was glowing enormously.

Anastasia opened her eyes and looked at the ghosts and saw that they were staring at something behind her with an frightened expression. And soon after that, they all turned into ashes and disappeared in the air.

Anastasia was shocked to see that sight. Even though she was hesitant to look behind. But still, she gathered her courage and decided to look behind her to find out about exactly what were the ghosts were scared of?

When she turned around. her eyes met with a fierce gaze. It was someone who she was longing to meet from yesterday.

"You!?"

***

"I am sorry I am late." Isabelle barged into the room and went towards the casket where Ronan was kept. and bowed to Agnes while apologizing for being late.

Agnes crossed her arms and stared at her coldly "do you even know what happened just now!?"

Isabelle looked at her while being confused. "What do you mean by that? What happened?"

Agnes sighed and closed her eyes to calm herself. "The police were investing the case and they have arrested a maid who was having an affair with Ronan as a prime suspect."

"What!? That makes no sense. Why would a maid do such a thing? She is gonna get nothing by doing that."

"Exactly my point, I think Margaret has her hand in doing this. Because she wanted to take revenge on the maid. I don't know if it's true or not but I have a gut feeling that it is planned by her."

Isabelle thought about it for a moment. I mean if any woman caught her husband having an affair then the first thing that will come to her mind would be revenge.

So Isabelle would not be surprised if she learned that Margaret is the one who trapped the maid into the murder case.

"So what now, are we going to help her or not? And first of all, I really don't understand, why are they keeping the funeral so early?. I mean it's not even 24 hours before he was proclaimed dead."

Agnes understood her frustration for this thing. "I am the one who told Margaret to do that."

Isabelle raised her eyebrows and looked at Agnes with a confusion. "But why?"

Agnes went towards Ronan's corpse who was dressed in a black suit.

She opened his upper shirt button and showed Isabelle his neck which was melting from the outside. Even his bone was coming out.

"His body is dissolving, that's why I told Margaret to keep the funeral early because if we wait till a long time, then he will not have any skin left on his body and I don't want people to know about this yet, otherwise they will get scared and it will also damage our village's reputation."

"Isn't it odd? I thought this murder was done by a human, but looking at it. I don't feel that is the case. Then the question is, which supernatural species murdered him?."

"That's the reason why I called you here, Isabelle. I have some idea of who it might be but I don't want to jump to the conclusion yet. That's why I need your help."

Isabelle was puzzled when Agnes asked her this. Because her powers are not that strong compare to Agnes. Then how will she find the culprit?

"What do you want me to do!?"

"Just heal his body and see what will happen"

That made Isabelle even more confused. She can't bring people back from dead by healing them. Then what is Agnes implying?

"Agnes I am a healer, not a resurrector."

"I know that already, you don't need to tell me that, Just do as I ask."

Isabelle also agreed to obey her because if she kept arguing with Agnes for long, then she have to face Agnes's anger and if that happened then it will not end well for her.

"Alright," she said and started to do the healing process on Ronan. But when she tried to treat his wound it was not working on him. Even her hands were feeling stiff and painful like it was burning from inside.

This was the first time it happened. Why was her power not affecting Ronan's body?

"Just like I thought" Agnes ordered one of the servants to bring holy water inside a bowl and told them to keep it near Isabelle.

"What is this for?" Isabelle said while rubbing her palm because of the pain.

"Put your hand inside the bowl"

"But why?"

"Just do it!" Agnes screamed because she was already frustrated because of Isabelle asking so many questions.

Isabelle also agreed obediently. Now she knows how Anastasia feels when she tells her to do things she doesn't want to.

She dumped her hand in the holy water but after doing that. Something unexpected happened. The crystal clear water from earlier was completely dark and became black.

Everyone looked at the water while being dumbfounded and anxious. "What is this abomination!?"

"Here is the answer" Agnes closed her eyes tightly and started chanting something slowly.

"eximito malum" after chanting it many times she saw a thing looking like a paper coming from Ronan's mouth. There was some kind of message written on that paper.

Agnes took out the paper from his mouth and started reading it. The paper was soggy because of being in his mouth for too long. Everyone was disgusted by looking at it, but Agnes made it normal like before by using her power.

{Greetings Avery, don't worry your precious book is safe with me.}

While hearing that Agnes's eyes darkened.

This name? How did he know about this? and about the book. Did he find out about the sacred book?

Edgar noticed Agnes's hand shaking. that's why he went towards her and snatched the paper out of her hand. "What is this!?"

Even Edgar was shocked when he read that. 

Avery was Agnes's real name. He and Agnes both were in this world for many years than anyone could ever know.

That's why for that they had to change their body every 100 years so people would not doubt that they are not human.

But now someone knows about their existence and they know who it might be behind this.

"He got the book, we are ruined." Agnes placed her hand on her head and sat on the chair while thinking about the worst-case scenario.

"Wait! What is happening? Who got the book?" Isabelle asked while yelling because she didn't understand anything these people were saying.

And the other two people in the group were just looking at each other because they were new in this thing and didn't knew anything.

Edgar decided to talk to Isabelle on behalf of Agnes because he knew that she was not in the right state to talk. "The sacred book, it is gone. He has it"

Isabelle knew who he meant by saying 'he', but how is this possible? Ezen is trapped inside the forbidden forest then who is Edgar talking about? And even if he is out then who took him out from the curse? She didn't saw anything suspicious in the forbidden forest.

"Make no sense, are you saying that Ezen is out? But how? And after coming out he went to Ronan, Killed him and then took the sacred book from him. But wait a second. Why did Ronan had the book in the first place?"

Agnes who was listening to their conversation decided to talk "Isabelle it doesn't matter now, he is back and we are doomed. And the worst thing is that, we lost the most important book. Now how is this village gonna survive?"

"You should have thought that before giving the book to Ronan. And you didn't felt a need to tell me this. What did you expected to happen? Did you really thought that Ronan is going to keep the book safe?"

Even Agnes didn't wanted to give the sacred book to Ronan. but because of the rule of the village, she had to give it to him. She didn't had any choice at that time. But if she told this to Isabelle then she is definitely not going to listen to her that's why she stayed silent.

"And how can you be so sure that it is Ezen? And if he is, then who took him out? And why are you not making a big deal out of it? If Ezen is back then you know, what is going to happen, and we can't even do anything about it. Because the people who could kill him are dead. that means he has no fear anymore."

Agnes knew that one day this would happen. But she didn't knew it would happen now.

It was risky because she has a responsibility to protect someone and she also can't break her promise she made to someone centuries ago.

So she needs to make a plan. She needs to find the person who took Ezen out. If the person has enough power to take him out from the forbidden forest then he will also have the power to control Ezen. that would make the matter easy. But where will she find the person?

"Isabelle! Yesterday night, did you saw anyone around the forbidden area?"

Isabelle thought about it for a moment and remembered that Anastasia was missing at night. Then does that mean? She? No, why would she do that? And if she did then she would have told about this to Isabelle. Right?

"W-why are you asking that?"

Agnes looked at Isabelle with a weirded-out expression. "Are you serious!? Of course, I am asking this because I want to find that person. Because if they took that monster out from the forbidden forest then that means Ezen owe that person something. And then the person could make them do anything and also they can trap him back inside the underground door."

"No way! the person will lose their life by doing that"

"I care about thousands of people's life more than one person. And why are you getting so furious about it? I am not going to sacrifice your loved ones."

"I didn't saw anyone there." Isabelle decided to lie to Agnes. because she would die then take Anastasia's name to be a scape goat for Ezen.

"Alright then, I will find that person myself. I bet the person's mana might be low now. So please take care of the girls more. And send them away from this place sooner. so they could be safe. I feel like Ezen is around us."

Isabelle didn't even waited for a minute and stormed out of the room. She don't want Anastasia to be in this place. Because she knew that Ezen wants her. That's why it would be better if they never met each other. otherwise it will be tough to handle.