The silence was absolute. Before anyone could speak Daam, owner of a mill that produced beer, entered the room, opening the main door abruptly. The bang caught everyone's attention. He had a pet scarlet ibis on his shoulder. He had purchased the animal from a mercenary traveler coming from Vila de São Paulo a few months ago. The animal was domesticated. On one of her slender legs there was an alabaster-white covering on which her family's coat of arms was printed in black lines. Daam entered the great hall in a state of panic.
– A violet panther was seen near Gehucht! – Shouted.
– It's the werepanther. – Someone said. – came to choose his victim.
– We `ll kill him. – Said another. Many joined the uprising.
The old woman said without anyone hearing her:
- Do not do it. They will break the agreement. They will condemn everyone. They should make the werepanther's job easier. He is here to help us. Our previous generations welcomed him as a friend and accepted his choice for the offering willingly. This ensured our survival to this day.
But it was already too late. Only the unbelievers remained in the large hall who were already leaving to return to the mills and complete their daily activities that had been interrupted. Outside, the crowd armed themselves and went after the panther. Levien returned to her duties at the mill, very upset with her husband for joining the uprising that included Andries, her father, Amber, Marinus and Derrick, among others. They advanced into the forest following the animal's trail.
– This dark animal will not take anyone from Gehucht. – Someone said.
Others agreed.
The panther trail faded to human footprints. They followed her. Marinus and Derrick went ahead of the group, getting ahead of the tracker, but the track was lost. The experienced tracker could not explain how that animal had managed to escape from him.
– It's no use. – Said the tracker. – We lost him. At this point he could be anywhere.
– The best thing we can do now is return to our homes. There's nothing more to do for now. – Said the patriarch.
An armed host was formed in Gehucht. The soldiers had long since lost their function due to lack of use. There had not been a Portuguese soldier in those lands for over nine years to worry, so the use of armed force in Vilar became unnecessary. In the days that followed, armed men surrounded Gehucht and the nearby woods. They were ready to put an end to the panther-man.
The sorcerer came to Gehucht to talk to the men.
At the landlords' main house, they gathered. The patriarch, some trackers and the leader of the armed host were present, as well as the sorcerer.
– I came here to beg you to abandon your intentions. They should welcome the werepanther as a friend. The one who will save our lives from the wrath of the moons.
– I don't believe that story, old man. – Said one of the men – This animal is a son of darkness and we are going to send it back there before it harms anyone.
It had majority support.
– Tuatu will return and if he finds one of his children molested, the agreement will be undone and we will all be transformed into violet panthers.
– He is just a son of darkness and we will destroy him with the blood of the messiah. – Said the priest who arrived late to the meeting, threateningly raising the crucifix to the sorcerer. – Your pagan legends are deceptions of the devil to confuse us.
The patriarch approached the sorcerer:
– I know you want to find the werepanther to protect him, but with or without your help we will find him. If you help us I promise he will be brought before the Gehucht council of elders in which you can participate.
– Hum, very good. What do you want from me?
– Help us identify him.
– Very well, I will help your people in any way possible. – Said the wizard after a few moments of reflection.
The patriarch set up an investigation team, a commission, from among those who seemed least suspicious to them. The majority of the committee members were from the servants' families. Their daily lives trapped in Gehucht and in the eyes of everyone twenty-four hours a day made them less suspicious.
The atmosphere became tense. People looked at each other suspiciously. Anyone could be the "son of Lucifer". Gehucht was besieged; no one could leave or enter.
Andries looked for Amber in desperation. The collective neurosis and fear hit him, destabilizing her fragile and fickle emotions. There was something else crowning her state of panic; His father held a family meeting where Derrick's family was present. He said how important it was at that moment of tension to have families that love each other closer to each other and "strengthen family ties". Andries found himself coerced and with great difficulty managed to escape the situation without any compromise. He looked for Amber.
– My father is using emotional blackmail to try to get me closer to Marinus. I don't know how long I'll be able to escape his attempts. Take me out of here now. We can hide in the forgotten forest until we decide where we will get married. Then we will return to Gehucht together and then he will not be able to continue making attacks. We may not even need to go back. I don't need anything else in this world other than you.
Amber was reluctant to grant her lover's wishes. Hi knew how out of control and out of control he was at that moment. There were other people involved that Andries in a moment of insanity forgot.
– Do not love me? Do you want my father to take me out of his arms? I want a future by your side. Free to go out into the world on adventures like we did as kids. Besides, just the idea of getting close to Marinus... It scares me.
– No Andries, we can't leave here.
– Give me a reason. Give me one reason why we shouldn't leave now. We'll come back later. Married.
– Right now I can give you several. We have Teunie... Don't you think about how we will break Teunie's heart? He won't understand anything. Furthermore, Gehucht is under siege. If we go out into the forgotten forest and get caught... What do you think they'll think? And even if it doesn't catch us, they'll still think so if they know. Maybe they'll even invade the panther forest to get us. And how will we survive in the forgotten forest? There is something there that makes men panic at the sight of the ominous trees. It's a bad idea.