Day 5

Something very strange is happening in this village.

I went to visit the graves of the three boys. They have been cremated, so I couldn't really investigate their bodies. I'm still not over that. They never should have cremated it. I walked to the local graveyard that would house the dead, including cremated. I went over to give a prayer. I went there and gave a prayer for them. They at least put their names on stones, even if they didn't have a last name. As I walked back, in the graveyard, I noticed two graves. Their dirt are new. It's been recently dug. I wouldn't have bothered, but when I checked the headstones, one was dead for years, while the other had just died a month ago. Somebody dug up these two graves. Possible necromancy. I thought that perhaps the mage I was hunting have dug it up. I looked around for anybody including a grave keeper who I could question. Nobody was there. I looked around the site, but nothing of note, until I saw some dirt move under grave. As I looked closer, a rodent-sized maggot appeared and stared right at me. In that second, I quickly grabbed it. It was squirming around trying to escape my grip. I used a simple sleeping spell to calm the creature. It worked. These maggots must have been related to the dark mage.

As I was about to walk away, the dirt from the two grave collapsed onto themselves. It looked like there was only a blanket of dirt on top. There were no bodies.

The headstones had the names

Kara Ackeron

Kara Jr. Ackeron

They were unfamiliar names. They never came up in the investigation. It seemed to be a mother and a child. But what of the father? There was no grave for the father. I kept the maggot hidden in a pouch. Hopefully, it may give me some clues to what I'm dealing with.

I went back to the sheriff's office to get information about the Ackeron family. The sheriff was hesitant, but gave me some information about them.

Kara Ackeron committed suicide a month ago. Her daughter, Kara Jr. Ackeron accidentally drowned. The father, Jim Ackeron, is currently a captain of a ship, but the sheriff told me that I can get more information about him from the harbormaster.

I didn't mention to him that the graves were empty.

I went over to the port to talk to the harbormaster, Mr. Henriks. I asked him about Jim Ackeron. Mr. Henriks knew who he was. Jim Ackeron was made captain of an expedition ship, the Raging Squid. Mr. Henriks apparently was also once captain of the same ship, but was given a job as harbormaster and promoted Ackeron to be captain.

I asked him where Ackeron was staying. He didn't give it to me at first, but I reminded him that I was an inquisitor and that my job requires that information.

I obtained the address of the Ackeron household.

Now, this is where the strange part happens. I walked over to the household to find any clues to whereabouts of the dark mage.

When I went over to the household, I noticed the door already being open. I had my sword ready to be unsheathed in a moments notice. I walked inside. The rooms were all dark. I casted a fire spell to hold onto for light. I saw some lanterns and candles placed around the house. I shot small blasts of fire to those to light up the area. As I did, I noticed all of the doors were closed except for the bedroom door.

I readied my weapon and shouted "Anybody home!" I didn't get any response. As I carefully walked into the bedroom, I noticed a woman sitting and watching over a baby. She rocked the baby back and forth. As I walked around with the fire in one hand and sword in other, I asked who it was. She didn't seem to notice me even as I was shouting for its attention. The woman was just continuing to rock the baby in her arms. As I came closer, I noticed the floor having the same rat-sized maggots crawling around. My sword pointed at the woman. I thought I might be dealing with the dark mage I was looking for. I ordered her to get up and answer some questions. She still didn't reply. I got closer and closer until my flame was able to see the baby. The baby had purple skin and didn't make a single movement besides it's eyes. It wore a mask covering the baby's face. It made no sound. The woman's skin, also purple but with long sharp nails. Both of their skin was rotting with maggots filling in the holes. As I got even close pointing the sword right up to the woman - no, monster - I was readying myself to strike. I got close enough to the point where my fire was able to illuminate the rest of the two monsters.

The woman also wore a mask that looked the same as the one the baby wore. It's neck was surrounded by maggots. The woman's neck was probably made up of maggots connecting the head to the rest of the body.

The monster continued to rock the baby in her arms while I pointed a sword at her face. She didn't even acknowledge me.

I thought I had found my murderer, but now I'm not so sure.

As I blinked, the monster turned into a proper woman and baby. The room illuminated. My fire ceased to exist. My sword sheathed. An illusion, I thought. I know what I saw. It wasn't human. Just a monster.

The woman looked at me and said "Oh goodness, I didn't realize you came back."

She got up with the baby in arms. "Let me get you some tea and you can tell me all about your work, today"

The next thing, I knew I was watching the woman brew tea for me. No, I thought. Merely an illusion. But I couldn't pick up my sword.

The baby was in a crib and it started crying. The woman stopped brewing the tea and went straight for the child to comfort her. At that moment, I asked "Who are you?"

The woman replied "What a silly question? I'm Kara, your wife. Don't tell me you forgot about me and little Kara Jr while you were away." in a sarcastic tone.

She held the baby in her arms and the baby stopped crying.

What is happening, I thought. My mind went blank.

She leaned in and kissed my cheek. I was trying to remember who I was, but then I suddenly remember my name being Jim Ackeron. I know that's not my name, but I couldn't think of me being anybody else. Not Inquisitor James Protea. Not the Inquisition. Nothing but being Captain of the Raging Squid, Jim Ackeron.

She gave me the baby to hold and it started laughing. Pulling at my shirt.

She smiled and continued brewing the tea. It smelled lovely. Everything about it. I could have stayed there forever. But in the back of my mind, something was pulling me out of it.

I tried to remember what my journey was about, but nothing came to me.

I started to remember sailing on the western seas with my best friend. A grand exploration, but details eluded me. I couldn't remember specific details. Why was I out on the western seas? What was my best friend's name? As I asked these questions, things just filled them in as I asked. Soon, I had no more questions. As I'm writing this, I can't remember any of the details, but I know that I was aware of the details at the time. I felt at home. But it wasn't my home.

As I held the baby, things just didn't add up. I had a whole life story that wasn't mine in my head. Two different lives. One as an inquisitor and one as a sailor. When I tried to remember how to sail a ship, the thoughts of how to parry an attack came to my head. When I tried to remember drinking with my best friend, I remembered studying arcane pyromancy. Things just didn't add up. Memories of what I am and what it wanted me to believe collided with each other.

As my memories collided with each other, I looked back to the baby. It was coughing up water. It kept coughing. As I was about to yell to who I thought my wife was for help, she appeared in front of me with some mask and purple skin. The same creature I saw before this illusion. It held a mug.

"I brought you tea, my dear." as it held up a mug filled with maggots crawling inside of it. I took steps back. I looked back at the baby and it turned back into the same monster. I remembered my old life, but as I was remembering my old life. Pieces of the life that it was constructing faded. I still have a big feeling that those pieces were very important, but I still can't remember any more of it.

I dropped the baby and as it hit the ground, the illusion ceased.

I was back at the house, but it was empty. No woman or baby. Just an empty dark house. As I looked around, I saw some of the giant maggots squeezing themselves into cracks in the walls and floor. I now know there is a new kind of monster here. I don't know how it relates to the murders.

As I left the house, it was already midnight. I don't know how long I stayed in that house.

My investigation is still far off.

Right now, the only pieces of evidence of a murder is the knife and a maggot. So, nothing except my word.

The monsters themselves didn't look like anything that I have studied. Perhaps a new breed of vampire. That would explain why the two bodies were drained of blood. But then, why would the hypnotized third child be there holding the knife. The two children also had cuts on their neck. No bites. A child wouldn't be able to drain all of the blood.

Update: I wasn't able to sleep thinking about what happened, but I think I may have a theory on how the blood was drained. It's not very likely, but I will have to try it in the morning.