Chapter 1 : The First Murder (Story Post)

Discovering the Body

As time goes on, most things find a final resting place in their inevitable ruin. Such is the case for every man, woman, and building. A place of holiness is no different, it's majesty still subject to the rule of time much like a mortal sovereign. One such method time has always used to mark its passage, is dust. And tons of it, in places often forgot to have existed in a Cathedral. Cobwebs and dust infected the abonded rooms of Kardia Cathedral, often forgotten by the regular cleaners who were stationed there. Or perhaps, they were left dirty by a virtue of lax clergyman, too lethargic in their faith to demean themselves to cleaning dust off of a floor that no one uses. Either way, Lilica was being payed a handsome total for cleaning the previously untouched levels.

She crept up stone stairs, leaving footprints where she walked in the dust. Each step, left another hue on the carefully designed spiral staircase. The very scene looked like something out of a painting. The use of negative space would be considered masterful, drawing attention to the young maiden. The details of her footprints waxed poetically in the paint. Each stroke representing her travel up the ornate staircase. Lilica sighed inwardly, but kept a placid expression on her face lest some clergyman arrive to judge her. Why was the entire place so dusty? The negligence that was shown here had to have been entirely intentional.

As Lilica ascended the spiral staircase, she came to a darkened, and freezing hall. She couldn't tell the dust from the stone without a light source, an had to put her hand up to a wall to navigate the area. Once she felt the wood door that was described to her, she opened the creaky gateway into an indescribable scene. A dim light seemed to light itself the moment Lilica entered the room. Over a rosewood desk lied the  lifeless body of the arch priest of Kardia Cathedral, Baptise Archfiend. A typical mind might gasp in shock at the stunning revelation, but Lilica's steeled mind to no aghast response. Rather, she began to observe the body. The first thing she noticed was the stentch, or closer to inspection, lack thereof. Somehow, the killer had sterilized the body so that it gave out no telltale scent of rotting in the room. Made even more impressive by the number of incisions all over the body of his or her victim. about 34 in a mere estimate, with no signs of struggle about the room. The chair had not moved, and there was still dust strewn around the room. The victim must have died instantly. The question of the matter was how? Aside from the incisions, there was no proof that the victim fell prey to the vices of poison. Generally, poison causes it's victims to struggle, and conjures large patches of purple burst and oozing blood.

Lilica set aside the broom she had been carrying on the bookshelf to the left of him. As she did
she noticed how peculiar this particular room was. Generally, each room on the fourth floor of the Cathedral has two bunk-beds. Each actual bed was generally simply designed. A blank carpet sheet with a white pillows. It's supposedly symbolic of purity, and how the members of the Cathedral should seek to bathe themselves in God's glory every night. In addition, most of the windows opened outwardly, and gave a viscosity to sight. Making it diffficult to know exactly what was going on in outside the Cathedral. But this bed was interesting. Rather than simple white, it was made as if a master seamstress blessed with quick hands had sewn it. Floral patterns and vine like forms seemed dance in the fabrics, bringer a wonder to Lilica's mind that it was enchanted. Alas, even the windows were strange. Not only were they slide windows instead of outward opening windows, but Lilica could see the hustling and bustling of the outside world. Who's room was this? The arch bishops? Perhaps a guest room? The later seemed more likely. It would explain the incredible amount of dust in here, and fondness for diversity.