The morning sunlight filtered through the precinct's windows, casting long shadows on the floor as Adrian sat hunched over his desk, lost in thought. The recent surge in sorcerer-related crimes had him on edge, each case more baffling than the last. He was jolted from his reverie by the sound of Officer Walsh bursting through the door, a look of excitement on his face.
"Detective, we've got an incredible lead!" Walsh announced, breathless with urgency.
Adrian straightened, his interest piqued. "What is it, Walsh?"
Walsh quickly filled him in. "Mr. Whitmore is missing from the crime scene. We believe he's been kidnapped. His journals were taken from his study at work. You know Mr. Whitmore—he's an extremely intelligent man, well-versed in binding spells and ancient tomes. He's written books and journals on the subject. But here's the crucial part: he had a protégé, a young man named Evan Reed."
Adrian's eyes narrowed. "Evan Reed? Where is he now?"
"We're not sure, but we need to bring him in. He might have some answers."
Adrian didn't waste a moment. "Send a team to Reed's place immediately."
Within minutes, a squad of officers was dispatched to Evan Reed's residence. The house was an old, two-story building in a quiet neighborhood. The officers approached the front door, their expressions tense.
"Evan Reed! This is the police. We need to speak with you," one of the officers called out, knocking firmly on the door. Silence greeted them.
The officer knocked again, harder this time, but still received no response. Another officer, scanning the exterior, suddenly pointed towards a side window.
"Hey, look at this. That window's broken."
The lead officer's face tightened with concern. "Break it down. Now."
With a powerful kick, the door was forced open, and the officers moved in, their weapons drawn. The house was eerily silent, each creak of the floorboards amplifying their sense of foreboding. They spread out, checking each room methodically.
It was in the living room that they found him. Evan Reed lay unconscious on the floor, a pool of blood forming beneath him. Standing over him was a figure clad in black, a hood obscuring his face, and a mask hiding his features. The figure's eyes glinted with a cold, malevolent light.
"Hands up!" the lead officer shouted, his gun trained on the intruder.
The figure moved with blinding speed, his hands glowing with a blue aura. He unleashed a condensed wave of water, the force of it slamming into the officers. Two of them were thrown back, one crashing into the wall and slumping down, severely injured, while the other lay lifeless on the floor.
The remaining officer fired his gun, the bullet grazing the intruder's arm. The intruder hissed in pain but didn't slow. He moved with fluid grace, leaping out the already broken window and disappearing into the morning light.
Adrian arrived at the scene minutes later, his heart pounding with a mix of anger and guilt. He should have anticipated this. He should have known they would target Evan Reed.
Detective Mason met him at the door, his expression grim. "We lost another officer, Adrian. Reed's alive but unconscious. The perp got away."
Adrian clenched his fists, struggling to keep his emotions in check. "Any idea who he was?"
Mason shook his head. "We'll need to get Reed to the hospital and see if he can give us any information when he wakes up. We found traces of water magic. The perp's a water sorcerer, powerful one at that."
Adrian's eyes flicked to the broken window and the blood on the floor. "Get a sample of that blood. We need to find out who this guy is and what he's after."
As the paramedics rushed in to tend to Evan Reed, Adrian couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, but the picture they formed was darker and more terrifying than he had imagined.
Back at the precinct, Adrian's mind raced with possibilities. He needed answers, and he needed them fast. The Elementum Obscura was growing more dangerous by the day, and time was running out to stop them.
As the sun set, casting long shadows over the city, Adrian vowed to himself that he would find those responsible for these attacks. He would uncover the truth behind the Elementum Obscura, no matter the cost. And he would protect those he cared about from the darkness that threatened to engulf them all.