Inside the Goddess of the Night Cathedral in Rhode Town, Francis sat waiting outside a black door with a morgue sign above it.
After a while, a man opened the door from inside. He wore a white robe that covered him from head to toe. He had a square face, round glasses, and close-cropped hair. His hair and eyebrows were white, as was his beard.
Francis hurried to his feet and asked respectfully, "How did the examination go, Mr. Eccles?"
Mr. Eccles, whose full name was John Eccles, was the Soul Mystic he had invited.
"Could you let me rest first? You might be fine running all over the place, but all that bouncing nearly made me throw up." John gave Francis a mildly resentful look. He did not truly blame him. He understood the urgency and had begun investigating as soon as he arrived.
After the incident in Lane Village, sending Cruno to investigate had been enough. Francis going along would have been unnecessary, and he still had to conduct further investigations into Alduin and Adele.
Cruno had been right. Both had undergone mutations in their souls, and Night Watchers had little ability to examine souls. Francis had therefore rushed to Forendana to invite a Soul Mystic, hoping he could uncover something hidden.
Although Soul Mystics were Extraordinaries, their bodies were only slightly stronger than those of ordinary people. They could not race through the night as swiftly and lightly as Night Watchers.
Time had been short. Once John agreed, Francis had carried him on his back and sprinted toward Rhode Town, finally bringing him there at dawn.
John had not had a chance to rest after that jostling journey. If Night Watchers had not been skilled at soothing others, he would have thrown up his dinner halfway there.