"I don't know what it is with people around me and disrespecting grims," Lucius reprimanded Tom the same moment he stepped into their shared room at the monastery. "I'll buy that Damien tried to kill me by sending me into the jaws of one but I thought you'd be better than that."

"The grim won't mind us," Tom defended himself, still grabbing a pillow as if preparing to use it as a shield for whatever Lucius could think of hurling at him. "We'll find a grave older than ten years."

"But we're not family members." The fact that Tom was protecting himself just made Lucius want to throw things at him more, but the discomfort from still being wet from his encounter with the nix made him prioritise differently. "We have no business at all with a stranger's skeleton as far as a grim is concerned. Why would it let us unbury it?"

"Because we'll have a priest on our side," Tom said. "... Hopefully."

Lucius didn't even care to narrow his eyes while looking for a change of clothes.

"Hopefully, huh?"

"We're... Working on it." Tom rubbed his neck. "Aldrik is friends or something with two acolytes from a nearby sanctuary, and they've spoken to the priest there. He's actually in a meeting with the abbot here now so hopefully we can catch him before he leaves. If he agrees to host an unburial the grim will have no reason to mind it."

Lucius wasn't sure what the feeling he had meant. Why was he more cautious than the others when it concerned grims? Because he'd been around a lot of dead people? Was there a certain aura he could sense? Had he simply been around graves enough to be familiar with the terror of a grim's presence?

"I wouldn't risk it," he muttered as he dug out a black undershirt for a rhenelis from a drawer. "And I doubt a priest would. Not because unclaimed graves can't be unburied, but because of the reason we're doing it."

His hand paused, almost having grabbed the deep red robe belonging to a Rarin worshipper's rhenelis. It didn't actually matter, did it? He didn't have the nerve to worship any archon so why insist on wearing Dyris' blue garments?

He still put the red robe aside to keep looking. It couldn't hurt to find a blue one.

"We don't have a choice though, do we?" Tom raised an eyebrow at Lucius' indecisiveness. "We need bones from holy grounds."

Lucius rolled his eyes before standing up, stopping momentarily to lean against the drawer as his blood pressure failed him, but at least he'd found blue trousers to put on.

"Why does it always have to be so complicated?"

"If rituals like these were low risk and easy to perform I imagine the world would look... Different." Tom pressed his lips together, offering a hand to help Lucius keep his balance while putting the trousers on. "Probably not for the better."

Lucius had just begun tying the undershirt when Aldrik walked through the door, followed by two young men in rhenelises of the same red colour as the one he'd recently rejected. Their eyes were all immediately drawn to Lucius' exposed chest, with the two younger men seemingly fighting to not run up to him in excitement.

"Wouldn't hurt them to knock," Lucius muttered before covering up properly, but he was still missing the actual robe along with a cape veil so he considered himself underdressed regardless. "So if they'll excuse me."

He crouched down to seek out the missing pieces while Aldrik began speaking to Tom. He could still feel more than one gaze burning his neck however, and he sent a glare over his shoulder. Helpful as they were supposed to be, he did not appreciate being ogled like some fascinating, caged animal.

Aldrik appeared to get the message and gave him an apologetic smile before holding out a hand to the men accompanying him. They introduced themselves as Jan and Mats, apparently unaware of the language barrier until Tom decided to sort things out, and Lucius gave them a short nod in return before continuing his search.

"They're acolytes of a nearby sanctuary," Tom clarified for him with the hopes he was still listening. "While this sealing ritual is frowned upon by most, these two have sought out Aldrik specifically for their interest in repelling the unholy and wish to learn from him."

Lucius chewed on his lip in thought. It was true that most sanctuaries wouldn't speak of blights and scourges unless necessary, and while it served to keep people from learning more and falling for their temptations it also kept them in the dark on what to do in case some unhallowed creature actually got a hold of them.

He'd learned that the hard way.

"So they've read that article as well?" He turned back to eye the men in question. "Can't imagine he's that great of an informant if he's only done it once, and a long time ago."

"He still knows about it." Tom lowered his voice, as if anyone who could be eavesdropping understood Wyperan. "No one else here can know, but he spends a lot of time finding books on the subject. Either from people he can trust within the sanctuary, or friends who come to visit him."

Lucius curled his lip with a discreet glance in Aldrik's direction.

"Sure seems like he trusts a lot of people. I thought it was a hush-hush thing."

Tom could not find words to deny it, but he didn't seem inclined to ask Aldrik about it either.

Something's not right about him.

Whether his scourge-influenced thoughts meant Tom or Aldrik either could be accurate in its own way, though Tom would not be news so Lucius was going to assume the latter. As much as Lucius wanted to agree though, he wouldn't trust a scourge's opinion on someone like Aldrik. If the man was for real he was about to thwart the creature's plans after all.

The conversation moved on while he sat in thought. The acolytes were excitedly communicating with Tom, though seemingly struggling with their old Traquian, and after a while Aldrik left his spot to join Lucius' side.

Lucius was not letting his guard down. He pretended to focus solely on getting dressed, but neither that nor their different languages stopped Aldrik from talking.

"Dyris?" he asked with a light tap on Lucius' arm before opening a drawer as well. It didn't take long for him to produce a blue robe complete with veil and sash, and Lucius quietly received it with a strained, appreciative smile.

Aldrik watched his expression with a troubled frown, and he nodded to his chest.

"Painful?" he asked, heavy on the accent and Lucius wasn't sure how to respond assuming Aldrik hadn't learned enough to understand him in just one day, so he tilted his wrist from side to side.

"Sometimes."

"Mine, nothing." Aldrik pressed a hand against his own chest. "Just head painful."

Lucius nodded slowly, looking sheepish as he had nothing to say. Aldrik didn't seem to mind however, smile strangely bright despite the heavy topic. It wasn't a perfectly practised smile like the one Frey would use, but it was almost as charming and perhaps even genuine, so Lucius agreed to smile back.

"Your friend worries," Aldrik continued, pointing to Tom who was in the middle of showing what must have been a remarkable paragraph in a book, judging by the other mens' open jaws.

Lucius sighed through his nose.

"Yeah, they all do," he said, mostly to himself. The fact that they were all going out of their way to such an extent still bothered him. Did Tom and Richard really care that much, even if it was for Anthony's sake? They'd claimed they didn't need much reason to help anyone back when they'd helped him with the garm, but the situation was far more dangerous this time.

As if to disprove his worries, the door was suddenly opened by the dreaded young Lord Perfect-Smile himself.

"Oh good, you're all here." Frey beamed, blinding everyone inside. "Father Runar is done talking to the abbot now."

"So he's here?" Lucius asked, suddenly conscious about his wet-dog appearance. "He'll see us now?"

Before Frey could answer, a man in white rhenelis with silvery, embroidered details entered the room, seemingly brightening it with an authoritative presence, and Lucius made a face.

"Ah, so he's here here."

Father Runar spared his attire an appropriately judging look, and while Frey wrinkled his nose at the sight as well he hardly looked surprised.

"I guess you've looked worse," he mumbled under his breath before turning to address Father Runar again.

Lucius tried to mask his otherwise lacklustre appearance with a wide smile, but Father Runar did not smile back. Instead he turned to his two acolytes who hastily began making their case, gesturing to Tom and Aldrik as if they were the subjects of the meeting.

Father Runar glared at Aldrik for an uncomfortably long time, but he began speaking in Traquian with a cautious voice, letting Tom in on the conversation as well. Despite their best efforts however, Father Runar shook his head, narrowed eyes still fixed on Aldrik while he rejected their pleas.

"What's he saying?" Lucius was sure he didn't want to know, but he couldn't sit idle either.

"Well, he's... Very stern on not getting the sanctuary involved with unhallowed practices," Tom relayed with an apologetic grimace. "Even if it's to prevent them. He's currently chastising the acolytes for even suggesting it."

It was as Lucius had feared. Not just any priest would get involved in possibly unholy rituals, and while it sounded well meaning enough Lucius had no idea whether the sealing would be considered holy or unholy when it all came down to it. Just aiding with the creation of it could be seen as sacrilege.

Lucius couldn't give up though. How could he after everything they'd all gone through?

"Frey, could you translate for me?" he asked, ignoring Frey's sceptical eyebrow. "If those four can't convince him from a theological point of view, maybe he'll listen to my story instead."

Frey's look of doubt did not let up, but he relented with a gesture for Lucius to go ahead.

"Father Runar, if I could have a moment of your time," Lucius began, checking to make sure Frey had caught his attention. "I understand that this is highly unconventional, and possibly even disrespectful to the archons. I'm well aware of the sanctuary's view on the unhallowed and their reluctance to interact with it, as a Dyris worshipper from birth myself."

He linked his fingers to emphasise that part, hoping his past of archonian values would pay off for once.

"But what's possessed me is dangerous, and it has hurt a lot of people around me. Good people who've done nothing wrong, and while you of all people know the will of the archons best, I doubt they would want an entity like this among the mortals they've sworn to protect." He winced at this, hoping it wouldn't come across as him criticising the archons, or Father Runar for that matter. "I don't know how to get rid of it any other way. We tried exorcising it to no avail, and there's no telling what will happen if I die while it still resides in my body. What if it's set free? Wouldn't it be for the best to seal it away? To at least try?"

He sucked in a breath, trying to read Father Runar's expression as he locked eyes with him, but it proved difficult. He did not seem moved though, so Lucius had to dig deeper.

"I've... Had doubts before," he admitted. "My life has not been an easy one, and there have been occasions where I've doubted the archons' existence. When I lost my parents, or when I had to live on the streets, or when I lost the man I love... It's shameful to say but I suppose grief clouded my judgement. Perhaps that's why this has happened to me, because I lost sight of my faith, and I know I was wrong so maybe I don't deserve salvation but if not for me, I plead you do it for others. Don't let this unholy presence get a foothold on this plane."

He waited for Frey to catch up with his translation, glancing at the others who seemed intrigued by the speech as well. Strangely so. Even Tom and Richard were staring with furrowed eyebrows as the story continued.

Father Runar hummed gravely after Frey was done, closing his eyes in thought before replying with a low, though not as hostile of a tone as before. Frey nodded, changing his voice and demeanour accordingly while keeping the conversation going.

"So?" Lucius couldn't be quiet any longer. The anxiety was too much. "Any changes?"

Frey didn't respond at first, giving him an offended scowl to suggest he shouldn't interrupt them, but Father Runar tilted his head then at Lucius as if allowing Frey to answer him.

"He sympathises with you," Frey replied, and Lucius smiled triumphantly. "While he's still not fond of the idea he does know of a grave older than ten years that no one's claimed. No known relatives either, so an unburial should be fine."

"So he'll host one?" Lucius leaned forward in excitement. "We can dig up the bones?"

"It would appear so, yes."

Father Runar said something else to Frey while nodding at Lucius once again, and Frey released a soft sigh before translating.

"Also, he's sorry about your wife."

Lucius sat quiet while processing the sentence, wondering if he'd misheard something.

"My... Wife?"

Frey shrugged, switching his focus to some lint on his sleeve.

"Your so-called sob story was not convincing, so I changed it."

"I don't have a wife." Lucius lowered his voice to a hiss. "I didn't even know I like women until like two hours ago."

"You had a wife," Frey corrected him, as if it made things better. "And he's sorry about what happened to her. Sorry enough to help you, so stop complaining."

Lucius obeyed with a pout.

"He says he's willing to do it tonight, after sundown," Frey continued to translate Father Runar's words. "His acolytes will meet up with us and take us there."

"Take you where?" Eliza just entered the room, colliding hard the next second with the leaving Father Runar and letting out a yelp.

"The graveyard, for that thing we discussed earlier," Tom explained, trying to hold back a smile as Eliza began straightening the priest's robe to the man in question's dismay.

"Oh so he agreed!" Eliza directed a wide grin in Father Runar's direction despite the man's clear disgruntlement with her, adding a strong pat on his shoulder to make the feeling permanent. "Thank you!"

Jan and Mats looked even more amused than Tom, but quickly drew deep breaths and straightened their backs as Father Runar sent them a glare.

In turn, Lucius could finally release a breath when the door had closed behind the three and his friends, well, and Frey, were left alone.

"I met Richard in the dining hall." Eliza sat down next to Tom, who decisively moved to the side to create more space between them. "Heard your forest adventure was a success, despite... The unfortunate wetness."

She made a vague gesture at Lucius' hair, and the latter ran a frustrated hand through it.

"Yeah, we got the bark," he mumbled, quietly wondering how soon he could find somewhere to fix his hair before the entire monastery could comment on it.

"And not a single werewolf or dog remark on the 'bark' topic." Eliza nodded. "Richard was very impressed."

"How was Mr. Hargreaves?" Frey then asked, to Lucius' utter astonishment. He was certain he'd never heard Frey express worry or positive emotions at all towards another person.

"Bored, I'd say." Eliza sighed. "He's been stuck in that tavern all this time, and he won't be any help at a graveyard so it appears he'll remain that way."

"Any luck on the feeding part of his life?"

Eliza shook her head with a grimace.

"Even if he'd dared to ask anyone he doesn't know the language, and sending a child into what will most likely be a shady group of people to inquire about blood purchases feels like a bad idea."

"I also said no," Frey added dryly.

"Good thing there's two of us." Eliza didn't so much pat rather than smack Tom's shoulder with a cheerful and slightly malicious grin, with Tom showing deep regret that he didn't move away from her further.

"I didn't agree to that."

"You don't want to help your friend?" Eliza scoffed and changed the pat to shake his shoulder instead. "For shame."

"If all goes well tonight he shouldn't have to wait much longer." Lucius looked out the small, disgracefully dusty window. "And after all he's been put through these past weeks I think it's only fair to let him stay out of this whole thing."

"Actually, now that you mention it..." Eliza made a face before turning to Frey. "... I think it would be safer for you here at the monastery instead of staying with Ethan, Frey."

While Lucius agreed that Frey's aversion to the monastery due to dirt and early mornings, he didn't like the tone Eliza was using.

Neither did Frey.

"I'm not afraid of vampires," he began, but Eliza shook her head rapidly.

"It's not because of that. It's... I don't know, I have this feeling that something's off."

Lucius felt exhaustion weighing him down already, but waited for Eliza to continue.

"I just... Ever since we came here it feels like I'm being watched, even outside of this monastery." Eliza adjusted her seat. "I've tried looking around without spotting any familiar faces, but I'm almost certain there's someone there."

"Like you're... Being followed?" Lucius mimicked her troubled grimace, and Eliza nodded.

"I guess I'm worried someone's figured out there's another person in our group, and that they'll want to know why he's not staying with us."

Lucius clenched his teeth.

"Or that they've already figured out why he can't stay with us."

***

Author's note:

Sorry for the late update. I've been stuck and life's been exhausting, but as always I'd appreciate to hear your thoughts on the chapter!