Ethan had been sat with Vanessa O’Neil, sobbing as she had been for the last several minutes, for she already knew, or at least had a strong inkling of what had transpired. For Ethan, it was for him to explain what had happened, and how it had come to this most distressing conclusion for the woman. It had been Ethan Briggs’ problem to solve, for that was what the Spectres of Dalhurst did.

Ethan had first met Vicar O’Neil only three days before on account of the church’s request for a Spectre. There had been, in the last week, a strange turn of events surrounding the cathedral, events beyond the logical conjecture of man, events possibly, and most likely triggered from beyond.
“Murders, Spectre Briggs.” Ethan listened as the Vicar explained.
“Three murders in the last week, all of which have been in the grounds of the cathedral. As everyone at Dalhurst is fully aware, Silbûr died only a last week, and as to be expected from any Ancient One, the remains of its gigantic body simply vanished into the ether over night. Whether this is somehow related, I know not. ”
Ethan had expected something out of the ordinary, for Spectres of Dalhurst weren’t called in on account of ordinary matters.
“It’s very possible it could be affecting people in some way. So what is it that makes these murders extraordinary?” He asked.
“Aside from the sudden abundance of killings, the nature of these acts is what disturbs me the most. The people are dubbing it The Church Devil, and for good reason too.”
Upon his request, the Vicar led Ethan down to the morgue to inspect the bodies, or as soon as he saw then, what was left of them. He’d quickly grasped the extraordinary nature of the killings, or more over, the extraordinary lengths the killer had gone to. The bodies, all three of them, horrifically dismembered, limbs ripped from the body, an arm and a leg missing completely from two of them. Upon seeing the bodies, Ethan’s first thought was that he was looking at a carnivorous animal attack as if something had escaped the zoo. The face of the first body had been bloodied with violent splashes, the mans expression had been a twisted machination of unknowable pain before the killer had literally torn him apart. The head of the second body had been sliced clear off, even the Vicar had explained they hadn’t found the head anywhere in the cathedral grounds. The legs of the third body were missing altogether and had clearly been ripped away along with the entire hip structure as well. The face, along with the entire upper body had been slashed with a feverish intensity before the internal organs had been literally pulled out from the body in a horrific and bloody mess. Ethan had started with the killers motive, but upon further inspection of the slashes, he’d begun to reevaluate the very nature of the killer. Taking a candle stand from the Vicar, he brought the light closer to the bodies. The violent slashes on all the bodies had been in patterns of fours, claw like marks something more akin to an animal. There was no doubt the fury of which the killings had been motivated by had gifted the killer with abnormal strength, strength enough to shred everything from the hips downward clear from the body, which even he knew, took substantial strength.
Leaving the morgue, Vicar O’Neil had explained the bodies had all been found in the mornings. The murders had been committed in the long hours of the night when the cathedral grounds were mostly quite and devoid of activity. Upon such a revelation, Ethan had kept watch over the cathedral for three nights. The first two had been uneventful aside from the deathly howls of things unknown somewhere else in Lockwood, the third however, had given him a glimpse at a possible suspect.

He’d been sat on one of the many stone benches within the cathedral grounds, the night still and clear, the moonless sky giving way to the stars above. A screech from somewhere on the other side of the city, maybe from Old Lockwood went out and through the night air. Another, slightly closer but in the opposite direction sounded out, most likely in the Longfin Pond area, but nothing out of the ordinary for Lockwood. But it hadn’t been the screams and howls throughout the city that made him uneasy, but the absence of said noises in the cathedral area instead. Suddenly he was acutely aware of there being eyes watching him from some vantage. Gazing upward toward the spired and dark cathedral above, he shifted his sight from left to right, to the cathedrals outer wall then back. A noise, only very slight, as if someone or something were climbing the walls around him. Whoever it had been had obviously had an adept touch at climbing for they had stayed somewhere above him there for several minutes making barely any noise and staying nearly completely still, or so it sounded. He’d stared up for a time, his senses on the lookout for anything tangible, anything that could account for the steadily increasing uneasiness emerging in the night air. Then looking up to the cathedrals spires above once more, he saw something. Still and protruding from the cathedral roof, looking harder still, he swore he saw eyes looking back at him but the stillness of the suspect make him question whether really was looking at another being or just part of the building. For several minutes the haunting image in the darkness chilled his spine as the presumed eyes remained still and lidless up there above him. He’d gone through several cycles of conviction and doubt before the eyes suddenly blinked, their starry reflection disappearing then reappearing. Ethan jumped from his seat, suddenly fully aware of another entity in his midst stalking the night. Moving to try and get himself a better view of the thing, he caught sight of it just as it slipped back and out of view. A cold shudder went through him as if his grave had been walked over, as if an icey grasp had reached in and frozen his spirit. After that he’d neither seen nor heard a thing for a fair time before catching a glimpse of the unexplainable thing on a near roof. Upon the morgue roof, silhouetted in the night sky of stars, an abnormal figure cantered along. Quadrupedal, a thing vaguely similar to a canine but its movements having nothing similar to compare it to.

The thing appeared not to know he was watching it, for it stopped on the roof and looked around at the streets below, all the while remaining completely silent, no howls, no kind of vocalisations to indicate of what order of beings it had been derived from. The thing had quickly descended down the other side of the roof to where Ethan hadn’t seen it again. He’d gone back to his hotel that night with a chill in his heart, the deathly image of what might have been the Church Devil lingered in his mind.

Returning to the cathedral the next morning, Ethan quickly realised Vicar O’Neil was nowhere to be found. One of the cathedral groundskeepers had approached him outside to explain the Vicars absence.
“You see, the Vicar and his wife have suffered a terrible tragedy of late.” He informed Ethan.
“The Vicars wife, Vanessa, was carrying their baby, she was six months pregnant. It’s terribly sad, but last week, she miscarried. She’s been so distraught lately, sometimes Vicar O’Neil has to stay with her to comfort her.”
Ethan understood completely, it was a tragedy indeed to loose a child, especially knowing it had yet to have seen the world. But after the explanation, Ethan had stayed in the cathedral grounds to inspect in day light where he’d seen the thing last night. Looking up to where he’d thought he’d seen the eyes, there was indeed no structural design that could have accounted for the partial figure he’d seen hiding up there. It was indeed that he’d had eyes watching him last night, that something, maybe not so human, was stalking the cathedral grounds by night. Something had felt off, an ominous presence in the air, in the city, a certain tension that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Often was the case in Lockwood, for the city held many mysteries, but this was uneasy, as if it were coming from inside, permeating everything, everyone.
He’d stayed in the cathedral grounds for a time before leaving. On his departure a woman had approached him, he’d seen her watching him as he surveyed the cathedral, there was obviously something on her mind. Up close, her expression was that of someone pained, shocked by something, what ever she’d seen was wrought on her face, only it was in a language Ethan didn’t understand.
“You’re the Spectre, aren’t you?” She started.
“Indeed, how do you know that?”
“Everyone knows that, when a Spectre enters the city, people tend to take notice.”
Ethan briefly raised his eyebrows in reply before letting her carry on.
“You’re here about the killings, aren’t ya’?”
“Indeed. Why? Have you seen something?”
She’s looked around as if to check no one was watching, maybe the killer had designs for her as well.
“I’d rather not talk here, please come to my house, I’ll explain.”
She led him through the back streets and dank alleys until reaching Harper’s Square where she entered her quaint abode and welcomed him inside. A dog, some kind of Jack Russel jumped to his leg, it’s tail wagging, mouth open and panting gently as it welcomed their guest.
“That’s Finn, don’t worry about him, he’s alright.”
Ethan gave him a few welcomed strokes before the dog had been satisfied and returned to the womans side.
The woman, who’s name she told him was Clara, settled him into a lavish armchair before sitting awkwardly on the other side, the dog at her feet.
“You see, it was about four nights ago, on the night of the second killing. I was walking Finn before bedtime like I always do, I always go the same way, through the back alleys and across the square then through the cathedral grounds before cutting back around through Hemwick. But that night I’d heard something above, like something was climbing around along the rooftops or something. Finn knew something wasn’t right, he was on edge nearly the whole time.”
“Well did you see something?”
“I haven’t told another soul, you’re the first person to hear of this.”
“Why?”
“Because I still can’t believe what I saw, people would ridicule me if I started gassing about it.”
“Okay, go on.” Ethan insisted.
“Spectre Briggs, I saw the second murder, I saw it with my own eyes. Someone else entered the cathedral grounds before me, a man obviously just on his way to somewhere else. But that was during the time I was aware of something above me, I heard it quietly but very quickly move away from me and move toward the cathedral where the man had gone. I heard a single shout from the man, so I ran to the cathedral gate entrance and stayed low. He was confronted with this thing that had just dropped down from above, a bit like a dog, except it looked like it had a human head. It was all muscular and weird, looked like it had human hands but with long claws. But it wasn’t like the wolf beasts some people turn into, it was hairless, disgusting.”
“Did it make a sound?”
“After it ripped the poor man to shreds, it let out this horrible screaming, really high pitched like a banshee. Then it just made off into the night, never saw it again.”

After the statement from the woman Clara, Ethan had been sure what he’d seen last night was indeed the killer, the Church Devil. But now was his time for a resolution, and he had a feeling he knew what had given way to the killer, for the entire city was shrouded in its power, but there was one other thing he needed to confirm first.
Returning to the cathedral, the Vicar had returned by the afternoon. He’d welcomed Ethan back in as if nothing had happened, for it seemed the man knew how to clearly separate work from home life. He’d insisted Ethan tell him anything he may have discovered on his night vigils, but Ethan had questions of his own.
“Vicar.” He started.
“I am sorry, truly, to hear of your loss recently. I’m sure it pains you, but I must ask a few questions.”
Vicar O’Neill stumbled for a moment. “How did you discover this?”
“When I arrived this morning, you weren’t here. One of the grounds keepers explained.”
He nodded gently to himself as if coming to an emotional resolve about it.
“I know this may seem a little invasive but…..may I ask what you did with the stillborn?”
“The….what?” O’Neil gasped, obviously perplexed.
“Vicar please.”
He straightened his gaze once more. “Right yes, we buried it, down at the bottom of the cathedral gardens.”
“I’d like to see the burial site, if you’d allow me.”
“You think it’s somehow connected to what’s going on.”
“Please Vicar, the burial site, I’ll explain in time.” Ethan insisted.
He led Ethan down a winding path behind the cathedral and through the gardens that seemed overly populated with the deadly nightshade flower before emerging out into the opening of the lower garden area. There seemed ample time to ask a few questions on the way there.
“Did you ever know of the child’s gender?”
“No Spectre, we didn’t want to hurt ourselves by knowing.”
“So I’m also assuming you didn’t name the child to be either?”
“Indeed, we didn’t.”
Surprisingly, the Vicar held himself together through the understandably difficult questions. They soon reached the lower gardens, a grassy opening surrounded by tall masonry walls slightly overgrown with ivy. Several open flowerbeds punctuated the little grass space, a trail of dirt coursing through the uncut lawn in between the flowers, Ethan began to suspect.
“The grave?” He asked before the Vicar pointed to the far end of the opening.
Walking, Ethan followed the dirt trail, strangely enough, leading to the burial site.
“Dammit!” O’Neil let out as he starred down.
The site of the burial, now just upturned soil and roots surrounding a small pit in the grass.
“Someone’s dug the grave up! Dammit who would commit such blasphemy on these hallowed grounds?”
The sight of the upset grave sent an invasive sense of dread through Ethan’s very spirit, for it was looking dangerously close to something he’d never seen, but heard of many times before. He didn’t lie to himself, he already knew what this was, one of the few things almost any Spectre hoped they’d never have to deal with.
“Vicar I insist you contain yourself for just a moment please.” Ethan said calmly before meeting eyes.
“Your wife, when did she miscarry? Specifically.”
The Vicar thought for a moment.
“Well, it was six days ago…..yes, six day ago. Indeed, because Silbûr died the day before.”
It confirmed everything to Ethan, everything made perfect sense now, but even more instilled a disturbingly perfect sense of dread within him. He took a deep breath, then explained to the Vicar.
“No one has dug this grave up, I believe your stillborn child has turned into a Caedling, that’s what’s hunting the cathedral grounds.”
The Vicar looked confused, his eyes squinting. “A Caedling? Explain yourself.”
“Caedling’s are a type of Void Devil. Stillborn fetus’ without names who are given improper burial rites, their spirits become consumed by the Void.”
“Good god man, how is this possible?”
“I believe the recent death of Silbûr somehow triggered your wife’s miscarriage, at that point the unborn child was infused with a certain amount of its Void Energy which triggered the process.”
The Vicars eyes widened, Ethan had seen that look from clergymen before, but not from him.
“So the murderer is a Void creature, and also my child?”
Ethan nodded slightly. “Indeed, I think so.”
The Vicar had then strode back to the cathedral altar insisting that they had preparations to make in light of recent events. His spirit had changed, his mood now much less sombre, for Ethan knew exactly what the Vicar, and the rest of the Orthodoxy had in mind. He’d tried to caution the Vicar against what ever it was he was planning, but he’d only insisted Ethan leave and return in the evening. But for the Spectre, he had no choice, for it was written in the code of the Spectres that they must abide by what ever choice the church makes in any matter, although to Ethan, it sounded more like Dalhurst making compromises just to keep the church happy.

That evening, as the sun began to set below the Lockwood horizon, Ethan had taken his blade to hand. Unsheathing it, he inspected its edge, the steel still bright and sharp as a razor. It was a Moonlight Blade, a sword based from a very old Dalhurst weapon designed by Helmût, the first Spectre. For they were always trained for combat, the Spectres of Dalhurst were highly esteemed duellists and slayers of various Void creatures, if the need should arrive. Ethan had been told nothing of what the Vicar intended to unfold that evening, yet he knew exactly what the man had in mind. Unfortunately, it was Ethan’s first time in such a circumstance, but it had been written in the records of Dalhurst many times, each ending in disaster.
When returning to the cathedral that evening, he’d kept his blade in plain sight more as a warning of what was potentially to come. No one had openly mentioned it for a Spectre with his or her blade was a common sight in a great many cases, but he wore wore it more as a kind of warning. The Vicar had had the various clergymen burning copious amounts of Void incense which had meandered through the near streets and into the open air, intent on reaching the keen senses of the Caedling which roamed the spired roofs of the city. Ethan had always been wary of the church’s worship of things so unpredictable, violent and twisted, but here he was, with front row seats to the initiation of the church’s most recent subject of worship. He’d been told nothing, but knew exactly what was going on in the cathedral. The Vicar was going to be attempting something called The Rite Of Balsomoth, by burning Void incense they would hope to introduce the Caedling into the alter and attempt to make the creature aware that they meant it no harm, that they in fact worshipped it and hoped to commune with it. Of course Void Devils simply weren’t intelligent enough to understand the concept of worship or the very nature of their existence and the church’s interest in it. Such practises were rare, but of course when the church realised they had effectively given birth to a kind of Void Spawn, they had to at least try.
Ethan had been forced to watch as the incense burned fiercely and the choir began their haunting chants that reverberated harshly through the alter. That terrible sense of dread once again percolating to the surface with the unwanted aid of the choir’s insidious chanting. Ethan, like many others in the alter had remained seated for nearly an hour before Vicar O’Neil had taken his place at the front of the alter to begin his sermon of things unknowable and occult. The man had practically been openly worshipping the forces at work for nearly half an hour before the rites had begun and they began trying to lure in the Caedling with yet more insidious chanting and the burning of incense. Of course with such a strong Void Energy having been conjured up within the cathedral it had only taken several minutes before the choir died down to a high pitch whine and a fleshy thud was heard from the entrance. Ethan watched as the Vicar gazed intently at the alter entrance, an enthralled, slightly insane smile writing itself across his face as the moments passed. The Caedling eventually showed its grotesque, almost human face as it paced cautiously through and into the alter proper. The thing was a monstrosity, angry, unstable and looked as though it were ready to unleash hell at a moments notice. As it had been described by Clara, it was indeed akin to a dog in general form but seemed grotesquely deformed and of no pleasure to the eyes by any stretch of the imagination. Vicar O’Neil had stepped forward and off the alter to put himself in clear sight of the Devil, his arms outstretched as if welcoming a child home. With every second Ethan felt the palpable tension rising, as with each step closer the Vicar took, the Devil twitched and trashed ever so slightly more. A drop of sweat coursed down Ethan’s for head, his palm moist as he clutched the hilt of his blade more out of instinct than anything else. If it had been appropriate, he would have called to the Vicar to stop and instead back away from the Caedling, for the thing obviously wasn’t taking too well to his approach. But even if he had, he doubted the seemingly possessed Vicar would have heeded his words. O’Neil took one more step and the Caedling was suddenly on full alert, its strangely human eyes darting wildly from side to side, its head thrashing as if wary of an ambush. Suddenly it was a completely wild beast, not a single person or thing in the alter had any measure of control or guess as to what it might do next. A clergyman stood along the alter wall in the beasts periphery moved his hand up to wipe his nose, the Caedling taking full notice of said movement took action as if to defend itself. Darting far quicker than its body would have indicated possible, the Caedling went for the hapless clergyman claws first. Within a mere moment the nameless man was eviscerated in a single stroke, his legs and torso flying in two bloody directions while a sickening red mist filled the air. The entire alter suddenly burst into a hive of flustered and panicked activity as a cacophony of death screams and wailing filled the air. Ethan jumped up from his seat as the hideous sight gave way to only more horrors as the Caedling quickly went from one target to the next in a grim sprint of messy deaths. Several other of the cathedral staff closed in on the Devil in an attempt to try and distract it away but their attempts led to only more bloodshed. It had taken only moments before the floor of the cathedral alter was awash in blood and littered with disembowelled, eviscerated and unbearably mutilated bodies. The Caedling worked quickly in tearing apart anything in its sight and it wasn’t at all difficult to see how it had ripped apart its victims in the previous days. Vicar O’Neil had still stood there, by some miracle he’d yet to have been torn apart by the evil thing yet he’d remained where he was. Ethan had pushed through the distraught crowd, his sword drawn and in clear sight when he’d come face to face with the Devil. But strangely enough, it had taken little notice of him to start, instead, it had darted past him as if in the direction of the Vicar instead. Turning, O’Neil stood there amid the chaos, his arms still outstretched, a tear in his eye as he gazed upon his child from the Void.
Ethan called out but his words fell upon deaf ears, for the Vicar was not himself any longer. His mind had gone, and his body would be swiftly behind it. Charging forward with his blade at the ready, Ethan found himself just too late before the Caedling smothered its parent with claws and teeth and sent the Vicar in several directions through the air. Streams of intestinal tract and shredded muscle went through the air just as white flecks of bone reflected through the viscera in the light of the alter. Ethan struck a blow across the Devils back that opened up a wide wound before it screamed out and turned. Rushing toward him, the Caedling had obviously no concept of sharp objects for it ran directly through and into the path of Ethan’s second cut. His blade deftly sliced an arm clear from the Devil before it fell to the floor suddenly realising something was wrong. Making his approach for the coup-de-grace, he raised his sword before the beast darted for him in a last attempt before its dying energy waned completely. Ethan took a single step back and composed himself for a thrust just as the Caedling made its move. But the beast was too late, for Ethan’s blade thrust into the Caedling’s yellowy and putrid maw as it lunged at its target. The tip of the sword pierced the back of its mouth before erupting through the back of the head with a violent and bloody explosion of blood, brain and bone that cleansed the alter floor.

After the moment had passed and the people of the alter came to terms with the evenings gruesome events, Ethan had but one thing to do before his work here was concluded. Finding a new Vicar and repopulating the cathedrals clergymen wasn’t his job, for he still had business to conclude with the Vicars wife. For her, it was a sad time indeed, not only had she lost her child, but now her betrothed as well, as she would soon find out.