In the following days up until the meeting, the boys kept coming up with different scenarios as in the reason of that warning.
Each one was less likely than the other, and the rest are just them being teenage boys who never interacted with a girl.
Who knew that a remote lonely location coupled with a dangerous and yet somehow boring job won't attract .. attractive females?
It was the day of the meeting, and I was standing still inside the captains office.
Captain Roche was in his 50s, well built but not muscular, tall but not a tree, he had hair and yet .. he didn't. Now, he was busy spelling messages with his wand to the patrols out there.
" So you want to leave? " He asked without looking up.
" No Cap, as I said last week ..
" You know you can leave, right? " He looked up while continuing. "I mean, this is not some prison. "
I took a calming breath and didn't let the intrusive thoughts in before I recited my lines again.
" Cap .. we been through this already. Me and the boys are going out for a few hours to meet my uncle. We even promised to buy acceptable food on our way back. "
" .. Obviously, yes, you can go. " He said with a stoic expression.
He let us go the seventh time this week...
But that was not why I'm here ..
" Cap, you called me here .. Remember? "
He took a few seconds while giving me his signature furrowed eyebrows. I could practically see his braincells activated.
" .. Yes. There was a report I thought you might be interested in. " He handed me a piece of paper.
The report was made near the town of Tupyi.
People have been disappearing at a steady rate since the summer began .. no trace or remains, nothing except some feathers found.
" Gryphon's don't hunt that frequently .. what is this? " I flipped the page.
The captain knew me, so he understood I was talking to myself. So let me continue finding out the mystery bird.
The reports also mentioned a few earshot witnesses .. and they all heard a woman's voice when there was none around.
" An Alkonost? " I asked, confused.
" That was our assessment of it as well .. and if it's true .. "
He baited me with a large smile ..
" She worth an absolute fortune. " I answered for him.
Yes .. our job was mostly protecting the public from Magical Beasts.. but the Oddities were added for a reason.
You see .. magical beast .. of any kind really worth money, but most of the intelligent ones were protected by laws, breaking them, meaning killing the monster, carried the most severe of punishments .. death.
But all that changes, if the monster itself is a danger to the non magical cities and its non magical people surrounding the Carpathians...
It was all very convoluted, full of little loopholes, but it became crystal clear if.. and only if there's indiscriminate killing involved.
Like now .. if we hunt it down, it's parts can be resold to the government for a mountain of gold, which in turn they will use it for potions, elixirs, poisons, it's body, flesh, bones and even blood .. they are all priceless.
" Do we have permission to hunt it? "
He took back the paper.
" Not yet, but it's been 5 victims already, so it should be fast, even for those useless paper monkeys. " He winked.
Nice!
I mean, we will need at least two dozen BC agents to hunt it, but it will be a payday on an unprecedented level.
If .. they include us.
On my way towards the portals, I made plans in my head for my hypothetical fortune. If only one of us would be lucky ..
The boys were tasked to go around and collect the wishes and money for the things our comrades wanted from the city.
" .. We got the list for around 2 dozen, mostly those we like. " Pelit waved the list.
" What did Captain Roche want? " asked Rim.
" Come .. " I checked for time. " Let's hear the old man out, I'll tell you on the way. "
—–——
The magican city, the cathedral town Piatza, was chosen as our meeting spot.
Coincidentally, it was also the nearest town to the Taj.
There, the proper safety measures were taken, so attacks against people were rare. It was also the only town where the troops had some fun on their time away from the job.
2 years ago, I met my uncle at a coffee shop near the square, so I wasn't surprised he wanted to have the meeting there.
Needless to say, we made our way there to get a good table and order something delicious ..
Except the cosy little cafe filled with dear and semi dear memories was gone and in its place was an uninspired souvenir shop instead.
" When did that happen? " asked Rimel.
We were here just 2 months ago and the cafe was intact, now we couldn't even see a trace of it.
" Let's take a look.. " I said defeated and took the lead.
We opened the door .. God, it made that awful sound, counting its customers.
I understand the need for these in non magical shops for thieves, but a simple anti theft spell will take care of all that.
The place was extensively remodelled, and all cutesy and .. flowery.
The souvenirs themselves ranged from .. somewhat disappointing to absolutely useless.
I suppose they were all great fun for non magical folk.
Like the standard key chain with your name on it..unless you called Ferith, expect this one had a sentient entity in there whom the name belongs to, that shouted whatever came to their hypothetical minds
Or the replica of certain monsters and mythical creatures around, that occasionally made, what I can only describe as farting sounds, and lazy attempts at actually acting like their real-life counterparts.
As I said, It was all good fun really, if you can't find a working toilet you can flush your hard earned money down instead.
" Who would open a place like this? " I wondered out loud.
" No one from the looks of it . " Pelit leaned over the counter. " Hello! .. anyone here? "
I checked the time, and we were just on it, so I started to keep an eye on the outside.
Wondered how much he changed, if at all.
" Welcome customers. "
Some creep suddenly appeared in the middle of the shop, spooking the three of us.
The sounds we made wouldn't indicate that we were bad ass monster hunters .. sometimes.
The man? .. looked someone who would actually own a shop like that.
Flamboyant and colourful with a sprinkle of attitude.
" Hello, good sir, we wondered what happened to Russo's?.. the cafe from before? "
Pelit stepped forward, asking politely.
" Oh, that out of touch, little place? Gone .. I'm afraid. But out with the useless and in with the beautiful as the saying goes. " He gave a big toothy grin.
We literally all looked around once again, looking at all this .. beauty. Luckily, no one laughed.
" Oh .. indeed! Thank you .. we umm .. continue to browse then. "
I took the confused Pelit and walked him towards the window only to see.. there wasn't anything there to check.
" .. Maybe we just leave. "
I confirmed it with the others, and without looking back, we slithered out the door .. followed by that sound as if to mock me.
" Come again. " He said it after us.
We took one more look at the shop and collectively cringed.
" Maybe he got busy with something else? " asked Pelit, cheking the time.
" Good theory, brother, but after so long without contact, I doubt he would set his nephew up like that. "
You don't know the man, Rim ..
We walked around cheking if any other establishment we had been accustomed to being demolished to make space for a cat toys - toys shop or maybe something ridiculous.
" You're right .. kidnapped? " asked Pelit.
" One of the most powerful of the 12? Doubtful. "
I kept silent as I usually do and let them cook.
" Maybe that girl and her warning is somehow tied to his lateness? "
" She said do not trust what he says .. he kind of needs to appear for that to happen. "
We walked past a monument made after the war from years and years ago.
It showed a hopeful and inspiring stone statue of the brave who decided to fight .. except they never did.
The town of Piatza was far removed from the main theatre of the war. People were nervous, afraid from an attack.. but it never came.
This monument was probably paid by those men who were actually depicted on it.
" Why would they name this the monument of perseverance? .. how .. how do these men persevered ..? "
They didn't answer immediately .. that alone was a dead giveaway that something was wrong.
Turning around, I saw my friends in the middle of an argument .. frozen in the middle of it might be more accurate.
I immediately applied multiple layers of shield on my body, only after that familiar clicking feeling as fitting a puzzle in, I checked them out.
Frozen, alright .. in the moment. Would make a good visual for a horror movie.
Not just my friends, but everyone around me.
I closed my eyes and extended my senses ..
" Venturo "
( SWISH )
I heard that spell before, and I felt it .. so I didn't need to react.
Not because of all the shields on me but because I recognised the signature behind it.
" Uncle Marcus .. theatrical as ever. " I lifted my hand, catching a few.
My field of view was filled with white .. it was snowing. But I could pick out that particular walk from anywhere. His laughter rang through the haunted square he created.
" Memories are precious things .. Hello Ferith. "