Sebastian had sleepless nights after they returned from the Rattlers. He had tried hard to identify what he desired most but didn't succeed. Everything seemed mixed up with the other, making it very hard for him to distinguish his feelings from everything else. He understood that the crew was counting on him to find the last gospel, although they didn't talk about it too much.
"Hey! How are you doing?" Marcus asked concerned.
"I think I overworked myself too much yesterday" Sebastian replied simply.
"Don't beat yourself too much, if there is one thing I really knew about you, it would be how well your unusual training pays off" Marcus said with a mild smile.
"Unusual?" Sebastian reciprocated his smile, trying to look confused.
"Did I hurt your feelings? I would really love to do more of that" Marcus teased.
"Not even close" Sebastian said as they both entered the room laughing.
"I seems someone woke up on the right side of the bed today" Andrea said with a smile towards Sebastian.
"I hate to break it to you little miss Andrea but all the sides of my bed are right" he replied with a smile that touches his eyes.
"I surely didn't" JJ came in looking a mess as he had a hand over his head.
"I surely had too much to drink last night" he added, slowly melting into his seat.
"The time and place is inappropriate to discuss drinks" Marcus warned in a polite tone.
"I'm surely hoping to get some action today, I want to see if my unusual training as Father Marcus puts it, pays off" Sebastian said looking to the screens of the huge monitor.
"I have sent the text to some colleagues to check if they can help us solve the puzzle" Andrea said simply.
"Good, we can take care of some of the problems we faced, at least, while we still awaits their call" Marcus said.
"JJ, tell me we have something interesting to start with" Sebastian asked quietly.
"Where is Faye anyway?" Sebastian asked when he missed her presence.
"She was sent to help train the nuns assisting the Seraphs. She said she would be out for a few days" Andrea answered.
"That's her loss, she will miss out on all the action" JJ said with a trace of longing in his voice.
"What do we have JJ?" Marcus asked pulling them back to the task at hand.
"We just have an old lady looking for her lost cat, missing children in the western woods which the other Seraphs have clue to already, and" JJ continued searching through the files for something unusually interesting.
The search was proving to be to no avail till Marcus's eyes caught an old case file.
"Roll back to the third one" Marcus said quickly.
"Yes open this" he added when JJ located the file.
"What is that?" Andrea asked disgusted, when JJ brought up the pictures of the pieces of human bodies which were found at the crime scene.
"It says here that the body pieces and torn clothes were the only things found at the various crime scenes" JJ read out.
"What kind viscous creature did this?" Marcus asked.
"What did the investigators say about this?" Sebastian further asked.
"Since there were no leads to follow and most of the attacks happened in the woods, they ruled it as bear attacks" JJ read out from the big screen.
"Those claw marks looks far bigger than those of a bear. Bring the pictures of the victims to a bigger screen" Sebastian said immediately.
"The first five victims were attacked in the forest when they went out for a walk, there is only one attack that happens in a cabin, close to the kill sites" Andrea read from the case file on the screen.
"Where did the attacks happen?" Sebastian asked walking to the middle.
"They all happened around the western colony. Just beyond the Vatican city walls" JJ said turning the them.
"Those were not bear attacks. The only bear tracks found are far north to the western colony. Whatever killed those people is not a bear" Sebastian said eagerly.
"How are you sure about that?" Andrea asked concerned.
"He knows because he used to train aline in those woods when he was around fourteen years old" Marcus explained.
Andrea looked surprised when Marcus ended his statement. She realized there was more to Sebastian than she ever imagined.
"We need to head out there now" Sebastian said immediately.
"We need to know what we are up against before we get involved. As you always say, it's difficult to kill what you can't see. I will ask the boys to do a thorough weep at the area so we can have a little clue about what we are dealing with" Marcus said heading out of the room.
Andrea walked out to make calls to her colleagues about the text she sent them
"It says here that the only supernatural creature known to leave those body trails is a Wendigo. A Wendigo is said to be a human induced with insatiable hunger after they had practiced cannibalism for a long while. It can only be stopped by killing its heart" JJ read from the archive books he had pulled onto his screen.
The door slammed before he could turn to Sebastian. He had already exited the room and there was only one place he was headed, the western colony.
"Where is Sebastian?" Marcus asked when he entered the room and found only JJ.
"I think he has gone to fight the Wendigo" JJ said simply.
"What Wendigo?" Marcus asked surprised.
"Well I matched the attack patterns to every evil creature I could find and the perfect match I found was a Wendigo" JJ explained.
"What is going one here? Where is Sebastian?" Andrea asked when she met the ongoing fight.
"The stubborn lad has left to battle a Wendigo on his own" Marcus said simply as he fixed his gun into his robe
"Why didn't you stop him?" Marcus said with frustration.
"What? The person you are talking about is skilled in every art of combat that exists and he has even gone beyond to create his own skills, how I'm I supposed to stop him?" JJ said as quickly as he could.
"I will come with you" Andrea said rushing after Marcus.
"I don't think that's a good idea, it could be very dangerous for you" Marcus warned.
"I still want to help, I promise to be obedient" Andrea said.
"I will control this things from here. He has his tracker, I will get you his location" JJ explained, sitting behind the giant monitors.
"At least he didn't go blank, let's go Andrea" Marcus said rushing out of the building.
Sebastian wandered in the cool breeze of the hollow forest, moving from each scene to the other as he had commemorated to memory. Hoping to find a sign that would lead him to his prey.
The huge monsters watched him closely from afar, with nothing but pure hunger visible in it's eyes. It waited patiently like a lion waiting to pounce on a helpless deer. Sebastian moved swiftly with a hesitant smile when he heard some rattles in the nearby bushes. His glanced landed on squirrel carefully stuffing it's nuts in the mouth. He let his guard down and smiled. Just when he loosed his grip on the sword, the beast launched at him. Slashing his chest to his ribs with its Sharp claws. The attack came in very quick but with a display of skilled acrobatics, Sebastian managed to get away from the danger zone. He stood just few paces away from the dreadful beast as they gazed upon each other with an intense gaze.
He held onto his swords tightly as blood slowly dripped from his wounds. They both launched themselves at each other, exchanging both heavy and light attacks. Despite being injured, Sebastian fought valiantly against the ferocious Wendigo. With each swing of his blades, he managed to strike deep into the creature's flesh. However, the Wendigo's razor-sharp claws and teeth proved to be formidable weapons as well, causing more severe wounds
on Sebastian's body. Undeterred by his injuries, Sebastian fought relentlessly, fueled by determination and the desire to protect those who might fall victim to the Wendigo's relentless hunger. He endured the pain, pushing himself beyond his limits, knowing that defeat was not an option if innocent lives were to be spared.
As the battle raged on, Sebastian's swords clashed with the Wendigo's enormous, twisted antlers. Blood dripped from his
wounds, staining the dry ground beneath them. Despite the overwhelming pain, his skill and experience kept him one step ahead of the Wendigo's attacks. Finally, seizing a brief moment of vulnerability, he launched a daring and precise strike. One of his swords found it's mark, piercing through the Wendigo's heart. The creature let out an otherworldly howl of agony, and its body stumbled backward, collapsing onto the ground.
Breathing heavily and bloodied, he clutched his wounds, feeling the weight of his injuries press upon him. But the battle was won. The Wendigo lay defeated, its monstrous reign of terror brought to an end by the unwavering determination of a man who refused to be
broken. Despite his injuries, his victory was
bittersweet. The pain and exhaustion reminded him of the sacrifice he made to protect others, and he knew the road to recovery would be long but he also knew that he had successfully vanquished a formidable foe and saved countless lives in the process. With a deep sense of satisfaction and a renewed resolve, he tried to walk away but fell few paces away from the Wendigo, he lay on the cold ground staring into the skies helplessly, his swords stained with the blood of the fallen Wendigo, a testament to his indomitable and unwavering courage. His eyes caught a glimpse of Andrea running towards him before they finally closed.
Sebastian's eyes slowly opened. He was surprised to see himself back in his room in the Vatican City. He turned around to see Marcus standing before his bed with JJ and Andrea standing in one corner of the room.
"I hate to say this but I'm glad you are okay. What were you thinking going into the woods alone to battle something you knew nothing of. I know you are always open for new adventures but this was a suicide mission" Marcus scolded.
"Thank you" Sebastian whispered simply in an agonising tone.
"Don't thank me. Thank Andrea for paying attention to Faye's health lessons. I will leave you to have your rest" Marcus said leaving the room followed by JJ and Andrea.
"Wait" Sebastian called to Andrea making her turn towards him as the rest exited the room.
"I never thought I will say this but thank you" he whispered trying to sit up but the pain stopped him midway.
"I may not know much about you but I know what the old man said has really gotten into your head. It's the reason why you've been pushing yourself too hard, trying to prove something. What you have is enough, we will find other ways to acquire the gospel, it doesn't have to end with you as the sacrificial lamb" Andrea said moving closer to the bed.
In the midst if the growing silence between them, Andrea's eyes scanned his whole body, admiring each tattoo her lustful eyes settled on. Her eyes finally locked onto a deep, solemn scar which ran across his chest and abdomen, just beneath his bandages, a testament to the dangers and triumphs he had witnessed tryin to save others. The once fiery blue eyes were now clouded with lingering pain as she stared into them. Andrea realized she had spent countless hours tending to his injuries in the car, often concealing the depth of her emotions.
Sebastian's tired eyes met hers in a fleeting connection that spoke a thousand unspoken words.
"Why do you constantly ut yourself in unnecessary danger?" she asked confused.
"It is my duty to protect the people of God from their oppressor, in any form they may come" he replied softly.
"I must admit, Sebastian, yours goes beyond that. I have admired your strength, kindness and bravery, from afar for some time" she murmured softly.
Sebastian's brows furrowed, a mix of curiosity and surprise engraved upon his face.
"I see" he whispered simply with traces of agonizing pain on his face.
"My father used to say that a soldier is not only defined by the physical battles he's fought, but by the indomitable spirit burning within his soul. I find myself drawn to your mysterious spirit each and everytime I see you. It is that which holds those around you closer even when you push them away" Andrea said with a smile.
A shared silence hung between them, broken only by the soft creak of the doors and windows. Sebastian's gaze softened, the lines on his face seeming to fade, if only for a moment.
"Thank you for the words of wisdom little miss Andrea" he confessed, his voice filled with raw sincerity.
"You are most welcomed" she said. As the afternoon stretched on and the sun cast its final rays into the room, the two souls found solace in each other's presence until Andrea stood suddenly and walked out.
Sebastian lay on the bed trying to make more understanding of what Andrea had said. He gently turned on the bed and recited his prayer before sleeping.
Andrea received her call and was disappointed by the discovery. No one seemed to know anything about how the codes worked. She walked to her room exhausted. Her feelings mixed with disappointment and terror. She fell backwards on her bed. Staring at the ceiling and taking in everything that had happened.