The Start of An Apocalypse

Seeing how the rest of the mansion was so empty, Aldrich wondered if everyone had gone to the big hall. The big hall was directly under Heinrich's room. Whenever the servants wanted to protest, request, or plead, they would gather in the big hall and beg Heinrich's mercy. 

And just like Aldrich had thought, everyone including Kaspar was present in the big hall, kneeling and pleading. 

"Master! Please protect us! Please shield us! This world is horrible without your presence! Master! Save us from this world!" 

Aldrich frowned and walked toward the center, "What is going on?" He asked. 

Kaspar looked up with a frustrated and stressed expression, "Five of us have disappeared! There is chaos outside. Those who left have not returned! It has been over 48 hours already!" 

"Why was I not made aware of this before?" 

"We panicked!" 

"Master! Please protect us! Please shield us! This world is horrible without your presence! Master! Save us from this world!" 

There was visible distress among everyone. Aldrich didn't know the entire situation so he had no choice but to head toward Heinrich's room again. Even though Heinrich had made it clear that he wanted to be left alone, Aldrich had no other choice. 

He went to Heinrich's room and knocked lightly. No answer. 

He pounded at the door, "Master! Pardon me but there is something we need to discuss." 

No answer. 

Aldrich was frustrated. He considered opening the door himself and barging inside. But then he contemplated if it was acceptable for him to do that. 

'It is the Great Father!' Aldrich thought to himself, 'Am I allowed to do this?' 

Aldrich shook his head and opened the door. "Master?" 

But strangely, there was no one in the room. Aldrich frowned and looked behind the bed to see if Heinrich was lying down on the floor. But he wasn't. This not only confused him but worried him. He quickly left the room and went to the big hall to see the servants still kneeling and pleading. 

He was distraught. Where was Heinrich? In this dire situation, Aldrich had no idea what to do. He quickly went to Teresia's room to see if Heinrich was there but in vain. He knew if he was going to let everyone else know that Heinrich wasn't in the mansion, they were going to panic. He couldn't take this risk and started to search for him alone. He searched the entire mansion inside out but in vain - even the basement. 

Aldrich left the mansion in search of Heinrich. Upon leaving the mansion, he found out exactly what the people were panicking about. There was chaos all around the town. People lying lifeless in the streets, troops surveying here and there, and a lot of people hoarding as much food as they could. Was this the apocalypse Heinrich had talked about? 

Before proceeding into the streets, Aldrich went back inside the mansion to double-check whether or not Wanda's ashes were still in the infirmary storage. To his guess, the ashes weren't present; meaning Heinrich had taken them with him to scatter them. Now he at least knew where to look for him. 

Aldrich took his horse and left for the nearest lake that Heinrich used to frequent. As he reached the lake through the haggard streets, he was relieved to see Heinrich by the lake with the pot of ashes in his hands. 

Aldrich rushed over to Heinrich after securing the leash of his horse by a fence. He was out of breath the moment he ran close enough. Heinrich looked at him with a peculiar gaze before turning back to look at the still water. 

"This is not the best spot to scatter her ashes," Heinrich said softly, "But I cannot think of any other place, for my mind is foggy." 

"Master," Aldrich addressed him while he was out of breath. "Do you not think this particular time was inappropriate for this activity?" He dared ask. 

Heinrich looked at him scornfully, "You will decide for me now?" 

"If you make a decision that puts everyone in harm, I might as well decide for you." Aldrich confidently. 

"How does mourning her put everyone in harm?" Heinrich asked. 

"Have you not seen the situation in Munich?" Aldrich asked. "Our people have gone missing!" 

Heinrich looked away, "They were given a curfew. It is their fault if they fail to return before the curfew." 

"Master! This is not you…" Aldrich shook his head. "The Master I know would go feral and look for them!" 

"You want me to go feral when I have already lost my mind?" Heinrich asked. "Let me mourn in peace. You do not know my pain. You will never understand my pain." 

"Master, this is not the first time you have lost a wife! You never acted this way… And I do not know how to process this." Aldrich expressed his concerns. 

"That is the whole problem." Heinrich frowned. "She was not just my wife. She was much more than that. And I ruined it for her. I made her miserable. Teresia probably hates me just as much because Wanda meant everything to her." 

"So many people depend on you, Master. It is not your fault if things go wrong with one person." 

"Maybe it is because so many people depend on me." 

Aldrich couldn't comfort him nor could he understand him. Heinrich always spoke in riddles so it was hard to completely be eye to eye with him. 

"People are protesting in the big hall. We need you, Master." 

"You lead them." Heinrich said, "If I lead them, they will all die on me and leave me alone." 

"Master-" 

"Please." 

"I cannot." 

"You have to. It's an order." 

"Are you ordering me to return without you?" 

Heinrich looked at him with a blunt expression. Aldrich understood. He turned around to leave with defeat in his hands. He was thinking of multiple things; all bad things. He was a pessimist, to begin with, but the current situation had made it worse.