*the next day, just outside of Magnolia*
{LUKA'S POV}
He's only seventeen years old. I sort of wish he was older. It's easier to hate an adult.

The kid is living in a run down orphanage on the outskirts of the city. It seems this is the third one he's been placed at in four years.

Impaler and Frostburn were the ones who killed his family and sent him here. I was only an accomplice, there to clean up the extras. But then Impaler killed Frostburn. Impaler himself was later caught by Rune Knights and committed suicide to avoid being interrogated for information. I'm the only one left.

I was the mask he saw in the end, the one who found him hiding and let him go. Mine was the only name he remembered when all was revealed a year ago.

How ironic.

The one life I actually managed to save in my six years as an assassin, and he turned around and murdered a bunch more people because of me.

Maybe Executioner was right. Maybe... maybe I shouldn't have spared him. All those innocent people would be alive right now, had I just been the perfect assassin I needed to be.

I won't make that mistake a second time. My eyes narrow as I hunt my target.

I slip in through a hall window, wishing for a mask as I settle back to my kill-or-be-killed mindset. My face feels too exposed. Too vulnerable.

*one hour earlier, at Kardia Cathedral*
{NO ONE'S POV}
The Rune Knights ran up to the scene of the latest attack, the facial expressions of individual knights oscillating between horror and anger. The distinct smell of burnt human flesh permeated the air.

Several priests and nuns formed a semi-circle around the victim. The body was pinned to the white brick wall of Kardia Cathedral by iron spikes through the hands, feet, and gut. The body was... unrecognizable, just like the others. Bits of flesh and tissue remained on the blackened bones.

A larger crowd had already formed just outside of the magic barrier set up by the Rune Knights. There was a sense of relief among the citizens—the murderer never struck twice in one day—as well as morbid curiosity: who was the latest victim?

More importantly, who was their killer?

Sylvie passed through the barrier easily. Much like a piece of yellow crime scene tape, it was respected by those who didn't want to get close and easily ignored by those who did. The barrier's main function was to distort the vision and hearing of the onlookers.

Sylvie was promptly followed by Lucy, Ai, and Natsu; these four were the most verbal in asserting Luka's innocence. An alarm blared, the magic barrier flashed bright red, and the group of mages were stopped by Rune Knights before they could get close.

"You Fairy Tail mages are insane!" The captain of the platoon fumed angrily, stomping over to the four intruders and waving away the other Rune Knights. "You do realize that tampering with evidence could make Cremator's case worse?! Plus, you all would be implicated as his accomplices!"

Sylvie smugly held up an official badge. "Due to the volume and violent nature of the attacks, this has been declared a national crisis. We're here to investigate Luka's case directly for the crown."

She enunciated Luka's name.

"You're lying. That's got to be fake!" The platoon captain snatched the badge out of her hand. "Falsifying the royal seal is a grave offense."

"I assure you, it's quite real." Lucy smiled. "Queen Hisui is my friend. She trusts us to get to the bottom of this before more innocent people die."

The platoon captain reluctantly handed the badge back to Sylvie and shook his head. "No matter. You're wasting your time anyway. Cremator remains the only suspect who makes sense."

"His name is Luka." All four Fairy Tail mages said simultaneously, crossing their arms and angrily narrowing their eyes in sync.

The knight stepped back, anxiously preparing to draw his sword. Not wanting a fight to break out, Lucy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She released it carefully in a long sigh.

Lucy pulled out her little notebook and a quill pen, attempting to focus the conversation on more pertinent matters. "Arguing is pointless. We seek the truth. Have you identified the victim yet?"

"P-Pardon me." A man in long white robes approached. "I'm the head p-priest here, and I b-believe I can answer that question. G-Given how this all happened at K-Kardia Cathedral, I immediately ordered a head c-c-count of all my priests and nuns. Only... only one is m-missing."

He let out a choked sob. A nun and another priest approached to comfort the head priest. He blew his nose into a tissue as the second priest gently lead him over to a bench to sit down.

The nun took over the conversation, although she looked quite distraught as well. "My name is Sister Lilliane. Please forgive us for not being able to welcome you, but I'm afraid we've never dealt with anything like this. We must mourn."

Sylvie formed a cup out of ice and Ai filled it with water. Sister Lilliane gratefully drank.

"Priest Weigner was supposed to be tending to the confession booth this morning, but he's not inside. Priest Weigner has never put off his duties like this before. Then the body was discovered, and one can't help but assume that he... he was..."

A Rune Knight approached and whispered something in her captain's ear.

The platoon captain nodded, then turned to Sister Lilliane. His face softened. "Sister, can you describe Priest Weigner's appearance?"

"He was middle-aged. Tall. Brown hair, brown eyes, a kind smile." Sister Lilliane pursed her lips. Tears welled up in her eyes. Another nun approached and dabbed the tears away. The sisters intertwined their hands, supporting each other.

"While you knew him, did Priest Weigner have any serious injuries—any brittle or broken bones?"

"None that I can recall. He kept in shape and was always quite healthy."

"Nothing of note?" The captain pressed.

"Sister Lilliane, don't you remember?" The younger nun suddenly spoke up. "Three years ago, when we were decorating the Christmas tree in front of Kardia Cathedral! Priest Weigner fell off the ladder and broke his right arm. The doctor said it was a miracle that he walked away with so few injuries."

"Oh, yes! Forgive me, it seems grief has clouded my mind. After Priest Weigner fell, he immediately got up and laughed it off, saying it was nothing even when his arm turned purple and swelled up!" Sister Lilliane smiled fondly at the memory.

"Priest Weigner was always the type to care for others before himself." The younger nun laughed lightly. "He was the only one willing to work in the confession booth with a killer roaming the streets, because he said that hard times are when people need guidance the most. Why do you ask, sir?"

"The bones indicate a tall, middle-aged male. His right ulna shows signs of extensive remodeling, as if it was broken but healed years ago." The captain reported. "Given that the killer never travels far with his victims, it's highly likely that your missing priest is the deceased. The killer chooses convenient targets, so his plan was probably to take whoever was in the confession booth at the time."

Sister Lilliane fell to her knees, clasping her hands together and crying.

Before anyone could think to stop her, the younger sister ran over to the head priest. Soon word had spread amongst the clergy that Priest Weigner was the man pinned to the wall.

The head priest asked if they could take his body down. Everyone was ogling Priest Weigner at his most vulnerable moment, so he would like to provide his brother this one last dignity and comfort.

"Right now, Priest Weigner's body is crucial evidence in an ongoing murder investigation. As soon as his autopsy is completed, I'll let you know." The captain of the platoon told the clergy members.

The head priest bowed. "We understand. Please find the one who did this to Brother Weigner. You and all of the victims will be in our prayers."

The priests and nuns were escorted away, so the Rune Knights and Fairy Tail mages could continue their investigation together without interruption.

"Captain Ordo, tell me about the other potential suspects you've looked into. Since we're working together on this now, you're obligated to share all of your results." Lucy asked, reporter-mode activated.

The Rune Knight captain set his jaw stubbornly.

"You haven't investigated other suspects, have you." Lucy posed this as a statement, not a question.

"There's no point in wasting our resources!" Captain Ordo yelled angrily.

"Wasting resources?" Lucy huffed. "So you're saying that there's no one else in all of Fiore who has the means and opportunity to kill these people. Let alone motive, of which Luka has none."

"Simple. He's an assassin. He was bored of his new life and decided to revert back to his old ways." Captain Ordo raised his chin defiantly.

"If you actually knew Luka, you'd know how dumb you sound!" Sylvie piped up, absolutely furious. "He hasn't told me much, but I know that Luka hates the Scythes more than anybody else."

"I didn't mean for this to happen." A new voice whispered, surprising everyone.

Sylvie gasped. "Luka?!"