malevolent patron episode (chapter 242)

SPOILERS FOR THE MALEVOLENT PATRON, EPISODE 242!!

I need to get my thoughts organised somewhere so why not here! AND ALSO THE CHOICE OH GODD, its such a hard one for me cause there seems to be an equal amount of cons and pros for each atleast of the ones me and my friend thought of.

I SWEAR IM SO UNSURE WHETHER BARNABAS ACTUALLY DID IT OR NOT CAUSE MAYBE HE DIDNT? We got nothing confirmed at all, simply speculation and strong evidence. The fact that we could have possibly saved Gerard is so akjshbh, why do all the gerrys have to die. First TMA and now malevolent ;-; ANYWAY, i do wonder what would have happened, possibly arthur may have found the secret passage either way as it obviously lead to the library and even if he didnt it seems friar had no intention to hide it? They didnt try to hide from Gerard when they saw him, believing him alive, and immediately mentioned it. 

Theres also that fact of in the passsage those footsteps from overhead that caused the dust to fall when arthuru shh'ed the friar. I'm wondering if thats possibly barnabas or maybe Evrard, I am leaning more towards Evrard or some unknown person as it seemed to come from the floor above though I dont know the floor plan of the castle so it could possible be sloped? I dont remember them mentioning anything about the library being on a lower floor but that might just be my bad memory,, MOVING ON, THE CHOICES. We go through the common room or the secret passage grahjdkas for me it all depends on which one is safest due to arthurs obviously worsening condition (As he had pointed out near the end of the chapter). The friar did make a good point about the danger of using the passage, barnabas possibly knows of its existence and possibly could be waiting. He may have suspected the friar had found it? He was the one who pointed out the sweat the friar had earlier on. He could have deduced the friar had found it and started exploring. 

I think i am leaning towards the common room option because theres also the chance of running into barnabas if they were to head through the friars room. Though now thinking about, what did happen to the first murder victims ring (i forgot his name), we never actually got to emptying the pockets due to arthur "framing" barnabas with it but I wonder if he actually had it on him. It could be possible there is another person hiding that comitted both murders but then where would barnabas have gone to give that supposed person a chance. I do believe thats unlikely though im hesitant to dismiss the fact we focused in on someone walking above them while friar and arthur were in the passage.

Now back to the point, the only possible con i can think of by going through the common room is the chance someone is in there, the witch may not be any harm, Evrard doesnt sound like he would be either but if its barnabas or a possible new person that could raise issues. Though i highly doubt this would happen its best to think about it as a small possibility. The friar mentioned barnabas would be heading to kill them next but we dont actually know that for sure, he might not be at all.

I do wonder if arthur will try touch the body, they weren't able to with the other guy but now is a good chance, he could send friar of ahead or something and then do it though that risks the chance of barnabas coming. Either way I dont think it'll happen as much as i wish it wouldd sighh,,

Next theres Arthurs obvious illness of some sought. My friend was speculating it may be the plague which then could be linked to Horig (though all illness' could), It could be a "punishment" for deceiving Horig but it could also have something to do with the talisman. We know the talisman brings people back, it brought back the prince albeit as a zombie. Now with this, its possible it was because of the maggot children things but also what if its like a curse? Forgetting the zombie prince for a minute, they killed the witch. Mother darkness does not like them as revealed by malem(?) during the fire episode so could there possibly be some curse that comes with killing one of her children? It could also be a curse from simply using the talisman and not being one of mother darkness' children. Its possible the talisman doesnt bring people back completely or maybe that it theres a cost when its used? I am defintly leaning more towards it being to do with mother darkness' and the talisman more than horig (though i wont complain if we get more horig content :>).