The sounds of the footsteps echoed through the city streets as Adam and Jordan raced against the encroaching danger. The two kept to the roof for a while and dropped down to the streets when they were forced to.
"I know a safe house." Jordan shouted. "My people are planning to go there. We can meet them."
"Sounds like a plan." Adam replied.
Adam and Jordan continued their escape through the streets of the city. Jordan, relying on his knowledge of paths that aren't known to all, skillfully guided them through alleys and deserted streets, avoiding surveillance cameras that could potentially expose their movements.
The tension in the air remained high. Adam's heightened senses remained alert, scanning the surroundings for any signs of pursuit or imminent danger.
Adam, realizing the importance of discretion in the city streets, deftly shifted back to his Homid form. As he did so, he reached for the crescent moon pendant around his neck, whispering words of command to the illusion spirit bound within. The pendant responded, subtly altering his facial features, providing an additional layer of concealment. His once wolfish features softened into a more conventional human appearance, making Adam blend seamlessly into the urban landscape.
Eventually, Jordan led Adam to an entrance. They arrived at a seemingly ordinary house nestled within the city's bustling neighborhood. Jordan knocked on the door and after a moment, it opened to reveal a woman.
The woman was in her early thirties, greeted the unexpected guests with a mix of concern and some relief. Her hazel eyes held a spark of resilience, reflecting a sense of strength forged through life's challenges. She wore her chestnut brown hair in a practical ponytail. Her attire, though casual, hinted at a readiness for any situation. A faded band T-shirt and worn jeans complemented her athletic build.
"Hey Elena." Jordan greeted with a mix of relief and urgency evident in his voice. Elena, opening the door, met him with a mixture of anger and concern.
"Where the fuck have you been!" The woman, Elena exclaimed, her initial frustration giving way to a subtle relief.
"I wanted to make sure the others could get away safely." Jordan explained, attempting to justify his absence. "I found a friend who seems to hate the guys that held us captive. We managed to run away together."
As Elena's attention shifted towards Adam, her eyes widened at the sight of his bloodied and torn T-shirt. Despite Adam's rapid healing had ensured to heal Adam's wounds completely, Elena's maternal instincts kicked in, and she rushed toward him in a display of genuine concern.
"Oh my god, are you all right?" she asked with worry etched across her face.
Adam, not entirely comfortable with such interactions, took a step back, assuring her, "I'm fine, I heal fast."
"No, you don't. Bullet wounds don't work like that," Elena exclaimed.
"No, it's okay. I am a werewolf." Adam explained as if it was a normal thing.
"Oh my god, he's in shock! We need to help him." Elena urgently turned to Jordan.
"No, I think he might be right." Jordan said with a shrug. "When I met him, he had claws and fangs and shit. He was ripping snipers apart. His body also was healing."
"Wait, what?" Elena asked in shock.
"Listen, I can answer your questions later. The First Team is after us, and they are bad news." Adam said.
"Good point." Jordan acknowledged, concern etched on his face. "We need to go to the bunker. Are the others there? Did they manage to get in safe?
"Yes, they did." Elena said while she kept staring at Adam with both confusion and now a little fear. "They seem a little shaken, but they were mostly fine. Come on, follow me."
Elena led the two through her house to a trapdoor on the ground. Going through the narrow staircase led Adam and Jordan down into a dimly lit bunker beneath Elena's house. The air felt cool and slightly damp. The bunker seemed well-equipped, with shelves stocked with supplies and a sturdy metal door that hinted at security measures.
As the two entered the bunker, Adam suddenly realized the setting sun wasn't bothering him that much. Checking for his sunglasses, he seemed to have lost it somewhere and he simply didn't it. The bloodlust, the adrenalin of the battle and the fact that sun was setting had made him forget all about his unprotected eyes.
As they descended further into the bunker, the atmosphere changed. The central area revealed not only Elena but also the other individuals. The group of six were gathered around each other, exchanging glances, they seem to be happy to see Jordan but Adam and the way his clothes looked concerned them. The underground refuge, now shared with other survivors, provided a sense of solidarity in the face of the looming danger.
As the tension in the bunker settled, a figure approached from the six. This was a woman in her late twenties with her dark hair, partially tied back, framed her face and she had intense blue eyes. The scars on her arms hinted at a history of challenges. Her skin-tight tank top showed off her athletic body, some tattoos on her shoulders and some scars. Other than that, she wore a cargo pants, sports shoes and carried a pistol on her belt.
"Hey Izzy, are the others alright?" Jordan asked as they descended into the bunker.
Izzy, the new woman, staring at Adam with a mix of curiosity and caution, replied, "Yeah. Is this guy okay? His shirt has bullet holes, but he doesn't seem to be dying."
"Apparently, he's a werewolf." Jordan started to explain, then paused, realizing he never asked for Adam's name. "Wait, I just remembered I never asked you your name. Who are you?"
"Adam." came the reply. "I'm sure you also asked my name, we just had to run away soon because the first team was after us."
"Werewolf? Really?" she exclaimed, casting a doubtful look toward Jordan as if expecting him to admit it was all a joke.
"No, I'm not lying," Jordan insisted, turning to Adam. "Adam, would you grow some claws and show them? They aren't going to believe me without it."
Adam, unfazed by the request, nodded. "Sure." With deliberate ease, he initiated the transformation, his body gradually shifting into the imposing Glabro form. Claws extended, and his stature expanded. As the others witnessed the slow transformation, a mix of awe and a hint of fear painted their expressions.
Adam, sensing the mixture of reactions from the onlookers, halted the transformation through sheer force of will. His body, which had begun the shift, reverted to his Homid form. The illusion of the pendent remained intact as transformation wasn't complete.
"Okay, what the fuck?!" Izzy exclaimed, her disbelief evident in her expression.
"I told you." Jordan responded with a self-satisfied smile.
"Should we be worried?" Elena asked.
"No, I just have some questions and I will leave soon." Adam reassured.
"Leave? Like hell you will." he declared firmly. "You really saved our asses back there. I'm not letting you leave just like that. This place is safe, you can stay here as much as you want."
"No, seriously, I am not really in danger." Adam reassured them. "I usually keep my face hidden from others. Even now, you are looking at a face covered with illusion, so I will be fine."
"Illusion, like magic? Magic is real? That can't be true." Izzy asked, her skepticism evident in her voice.
"Come on, keep up Izzy, we saw a werewolf, magic isn't that weird." Jordan responded with a hint of amusement.
"I feel like Izzy is taking it the right way." Elena remarked.
"Can you guys freak out later? I have some questions." Adam said, trying to steer the conversation.
"Go ahead." Jordan responded.
"Why are the servants of the Wyrm looking for you guys?" Adam asked.
"The servants of the what?" Jordan asked in confusion.
"Pentex, they serve the Wyrm." Adam explained.
"I have no clue what any of them are." Izzy admitted.
"You said something about the Pentex, are they connected to the ones they got us?" Jordan asked.
"Can you tell me about the ones that got you?" Adam asked.
"They are called the MindHarmony." Jordan explained. "All of us found ourselves with different problems and they offered help. It turns out they were lying."
"Ah, the PsyTech Dynamics." Adam recognized the name. "That is their real name, they are Pentex subsidiaries. They were probably trying to turn you guys into brain eaters, a form of Fomori."
"Fomori, you mean the mythology giants?" Elena asked.
"No, that is Fomorian, Fomori is different." Adam explained
"Are they real too?" Elena asked.
"I think so." Adam said as he scratched his head. "My mum talked about changelings and mentioned Fomorians, but I didn't get that much information about them. Truth be told they didn't seem to be immediately want to kill me so I didn't care about them that much."
"Wait, wait, wait." Izzy interrupted. "What the hell is a brain eater, and why would they want to turn us into one?" she asked with a mix of confusion and concern.
"Brain eaters are a type of Fomori, creatures corrupted and mutated by the Wyrm." Adam explained. "They feed on the minds of others, absorbing knowledge, memories, and they have psychic abilities. Pentex, the corporation behind PsyTech Dynamics, usually tries to create these abominations for their purposes that I am too lazy to explain right now."
"So, we were supposed to become monsters?" Jordan's expression darkened.
"Yep." Adam said.
"So, how do we take them down?" Izzy asked.
"We don't take Pentex down." Adam said. "There is a worldwide battle against the Wyrm and its servants. Pentex as one of the biggest servants of the Wyrm usually comes out on top in these battles."
"What is even this Wyrm?" Jordan asked.
"The Wyrm is a primal force of corruption and destruction in the spiritual realms." Adam explained. "To get more information you have to find some other people I am feeling lazy today. I will say this that Pentex and its subsidiaries, like PsyTech Dynamics, serve the Wyrm. They actively seek to spread corruption and chaos, using their influence to further the Wyrm's goals.
"Oh, this is some myth thing you werewolves tell each other?" Elena said, her voice carrying a hint of pleading as if she wished the supernatural revelations were mere folklore.
"No, I can travel to the spirit world." Adam replied, his tone emphasizing the tangible experiences he'd had. "I've seen Wyrm spirits, we call them Banes. I even destroyed a lot of those Banes. I also saw gates to the Malfeas, the realm of the Wyrm."
"You wouldn't talk to us if you didn't think we could do something." Izzy said.
"Nope, I just wanted to know more about Pentex." Adam said. "Truth be told, you guys aren't strong enough to fight the wyrm. Maybe you should just live your life away from all of this shit and let people like me deal with this."
"Bullshit, we can do a lot." Izzy said angrily. "Me and Jordan are both trained soldiers, we can do a lot against this shit. Well, I was a soldier, Jordan was a marine."
While she spoke, Adam suddenly felt something, a twinge of corruption. Jordan also started to voice his determination, but Adam wasn't listening anymore. The air in the bunker grew heavy as he activated his Wyrm sense, honing in on the unsettling energy. The disturbance seemed to center around a psychic girl in the bunker.
As Adam focused on the source of corruption, his gaze fell upon a figure in the bunker. The girl, of Hispanic descent, stood at a medium height of 167cm (5'6"ft). Wavy brown hair framed her face, and warm brown eyes held a mixture of confusion and concern. Around Adam's age, she possessed a beautiful face that seemed momentarily oblivious to the chaos unfolding.
Dressed in a black crop top t-shirt that revealed a hint of midriff and skinny jeans, she had a medium build that exuded an air of both strength and vulnerability. The room seemed to pause for a moment as everyone else noticed Adam's sudden shift in attention, their eyes turning to the psychic girl with a mix of curiosity and trepidation.
"What's her problem?" Adam inquired, his tone edged with a rare display of anger.
"Hey, leave her alone!" Izzy stepped forward defensively.
"Answer the fucking question." Adam pressed on, demanding an answer. "Does she have a problem? Does she hear sounds or something like that?"
"Yes, she said she was hearing sniffing sounds." Jordan answered when he sensed Adam's serious tone.
"Spiral dancer." Adam muttered, a surge of urgency propelling him toward the girl. Izzy in attempt to stop him, grabbed his wrist. Despite Izzy's attempt to stop him, Adam's strength prevailed, and he broke free from her grip, rushing toward the troubled psychic girl. Tension hung in the air as the others watched, uncertain of what would unfold. The psychics quickly positioned themselves between Adam and the distressed girl, creating a barrier.
"Listen here, you idiots." Adam growled, his voice shifting between a more animalistic tone and back to human. "We don't have time to coddle her. There's a killing machine looking for her and I need information to stop it before it rips open a hole in reality and walks right through it."
"Why don't you tell me what's going on." Jordan interjected, attempting to maintain a calm demeanor despite the escalating tension.
"Black Spiral Dancers, they're my kind, but they serve the Wyrm, they..." Adam was about to say.
As Adam spoke, a sudden disturbance disrupted the air in the bunker. A low, guttural growl echoed, accompanied by an otherworldly sound akin to flesh being torn apart, the tearing of reality itself. The psychics felt a shiver down their spines as the fabric of space seemed to warp and twist.
A dark void manifested and from within, a grotesque creature emerged. In Crinos form, the war form of the Garou, the black spiral dancer revealed its inky fur that seemed to absorb the surrounding light. Its face held a disturbing fusion of wolf-like features, with a bat-like nose and ears, creating a nightmarish visage. The creature's eyes were positioned on the lower jaw, casting an eerie and unsettling gaze. It stood around 3 meters (9.8ft) and it was very muscular. It's claws were green and toxic material dripped from it.
The emergence of the black spiral dancer triggered an immediate and overwhelming wave of delirium among the psychics. Chaos ensued as some individuals stumbled backward, falling to the ground in a panic, while others frantically attempted to use their psychic abilities against the nightmarish creature. However, their telekinetic waves proved futile against the supernatural foe.
Amidst the chaos, Jordan and Izzy managed to retain some degree of composure. Recognizing the danger, they worked together to pull their disoriented companions away from the advancing spiral dancer. Fear gripped the room, but the two focused on getting people to safety. In stark contrast, Adam remained eerily calm. With a composed demeanor, he removed his clothes and took off the pendant around his neck.
The black spiral dancer arrogantly strolled into the bunker, reveling in the fear reflected in the eyes of those present. The rift through which it emerged closed behind, sealing the intruder and intensifying the sense of impending danger.
Adam, seemingly unfazed, swiftly retrieved two fang daggers from his pants. As the spiral dancer relished the terror around him, Adam seized the opportunity to strike. With precision and strength, he hurled both daggers towards the creature's chest. The blades found their mark, causing visible damage, eliciting pain and momentarily disorienting the foe.
Exploiting the confusion, Adam closed the distance, shifting into his war form, the Crinos. Massive claws extended from his transformed hands as he delivered a powerful uppercut beneath the spiral dancer's chin with his claws out. The strike, amplified by the force of Adam's shape-shifting, lifted the creature off the ground, hurling it backward a meter in a display of raw strength.
Emerging from the transformation, Adam stood just under three meters tall. His Crinos form resembled a majestic yet terrifying Anubis, but with an eerie, albino twist. His fur, a stark white, shimmered faintly even in the gloom. Every muscle was sharply defined, rippling with latent power.
His eyes, pools of molten silver, glowed with an unsettling intensity, reflecting a determination honed by years of struggle. Sharp claws gleamed, ready to tear through anything in his path. As he faced the enemy ahead, the bunker seemed almost too small to contain his formidable presence. This form was the easiest for Adam to transform into as this was how he was born.
Adam leaped onto the back of the spiral dancer, launching a flurry of rapid slashes aimed at the creature's body. However, fueled by its rage, the spiral dancer channeled newfound strength and retaliated with a forceful kick aimed at Adam's right knee.
The impact was brutal, breaking Adam's leg and forcing him to stagger back. The injury, though was blunt force in nature and in his Crinos form it healed in a few moments.
The spiral dancer swiftly regained its footing, channeling Gnosis to summon sickly green flames that danced in its hands, a form of balefire. Adam, unfamiliar with this type of Gnosis manifestation, found himself unprepared as the spiral dancer hurled the balefire balls towards him.
Instinctively, Adam ducked down, narrowly avoiding the initial trajectory of the flames. Unbeknownst to him, the balefire exhibited a peculiar form of intelligence, adjusting mid-air and returning towards him. The sickly flames slammed into Adam's back, searing his flesh and attempting to induce a grotesque mutation. Adam's strong will resisted the mutation, but this brief distraction allowed the spiral dancer to exploit the opening.
The creature lunged forward, driving its claws into Adam's stomach. With a swift and brutal motion, it pulled its hands apart, tearing a massive wound in Adam's abdomen. The toxic in the claws seem to just intensify the pain caused by it. The pain was excruciating, but Adam's resolve remained unbroken.
Adam, though wounded, quickly retreated a few steps, adopting a defensive stance as he prepared to face the relentless assault of the spiral dancer. The corrupted Garou wasted no time and unleashed a rapid flurry of claw strikes, aiming to exploit any weakness in Adam's defense.
With calculated precision, Adam raised his arms, intercepting the incoming claws with his own massive hands. Adam skillfully maneuvered his hands, using his strength to parry the onslaught, preventing the spiral dancer from landing any significant blows. Swift and agile, Adam managed to avoid the worst of the attacks, keeping his guard up as he assessed the situation.
Fueled by rage, the spiral dancer unleashed a burst of supernatural speed, closing the distance between them with astonishing swiftness. In the accelerated onslaught, the corrupted Garou managed to land several hits on Adam, his claws cutting through the air and tearing into Adam's flesh. The wounds, inflicted with supernatural source, caused excruciating pain to Adam and it seemed to heal very slowly.
Despite his formidable regenerative abilities, the wounds from the spiral dancer's claws didn't heal as rapidly as usual. The burn on Adam's back and the fresh cuts all from supernatural source and a powerful one. The spiral dancer, too, showed signs of delayed regeneration, indicating the potency of Adam's counterattacks. The two combatants were locked in a brutal dance, each striving to overcome the other's defenses.
Fueled by his own wellspring of rage, Adam harnessed the primal energy within him to enhance his strength. As the spiral dancer lunged forward for another assault, Adam seized the opportunity. With a swift and forceful movement, he slammed his open hands into the fang daggers in creature's chest, driving the two fang daggers deeper into its corrupted flesh. The impact wasn't enough to reach the heart, but it had a profound effect, sending the spiral dancer hurtling backward.
The corrupted Garou staggered, momentarily thrown off balance by the powerful blow. It snarled with a mix of frustration and pain, its inky-black fur bristling. Adam seized this momentary advantage to assess the situation and prepare for the next exchange in their fierce confrontation.
Despite the intense emotions that accompanied the Crinos form, Adam demonstrated a level of control that set him apart from many Garou. While the pain from his injuries threatened to drive him to the edge of a berserker rage, Adam took a deep breath, centering himself in the midst of the tumultuous storm of emotions.
Instead of succumbing to the primal instincts that often consumed those in Crinos form, Adam chose a different path. He brought his guard up, adopting a defensive stance that defied the feral nature of the beast within. In this moment of steadiness, Adam waited, calculating and observing, determined to confront the corrupted spiral dancer with strategic precision rather than succumbing to the unbridled chaos that typically accompanied the battle form.
The spiral dancer got to its feet, driven by its own rage, attempted to strike Adam with a powerful downward swipe. However, Adam's quick reflexes came into play. With remarkable agility, he intercepted the descending claw, grasping the spiral dancer's wrist with a firm grip.
Leveraging the momentum of the spiral dancer's attack, Adam deftly pulled the creature off balance, redirecting its trajectory, throwing the creature to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, as the spiral dancer was about to fall, Adam let go of the spiral dancer's hands then he thrust the claws of his free hand into the vulnerable area of the spiral dancer's neck, tearing open a substantial wound. The tough hide of the spiral dancer prevented the injury from proving fatal and it responded with a furious howl.
The spiral dancer jumped back to its feet moved its snout toward Adam's and bit the top of his snout. It then pulled back, ripping a chunk of meat on the side of Adams nose.
Undeterred by the creature's counterattack, Adam maintained his composure. In a calculated move, he delivered a powerful kick to the back of the spiral dancer's knees, causing the creature to collapse face-first onto the ground.
Adam leaped onto the fallen spiral dancer, strategically pinning its hands to the ground by jamming his claws into the creature's arms. He sank his teeth into the back of the spiral dancer's head, attempting to inflict substantial damage.
However, the spiral dancer, unwilling to succumb easily, tapped into its Gnosis, invoking the Metis Gift of the Porcupine. The Garou's fur transformed into sharp spikes, turning its body into a defensive weapon. As the spikes emerged, they pierced through Adam's hands, legs, and mouth, causing him intense pain. Forced to release his grip, Adam swiftly retreated, creating distance between himself and the formidable adversary. Fortunately none of the fur acted like an actual porcupine spike and didn't stick into Adam's body.
The spiral dancer rose from the ground, seizing Adam and allowing the spiked fur to pierce through his body. With a firm grip, the creature lifted Adam off the ground, prompting the Garou to retaliate by slashing at the spiral dancer's body.
The spiral dancer forcefully hurled Adam away, causing him to crash into the wall on the opposite side of the bunker where the psychics were gathered. The impact sent shockwaves of pain through Adam's body as he struggled to regain his footing. The battle between the Garou and the spiral dancer continued to unfold with escalating intensity.
The spiral dancer used gnosis to summon balefire into his hands again and hurled them toward Adam. Adam swiftly shifted to his Glabro while tapping into his rage to speed up the transformation. The smaller frame of Glabro allowed Adam to evade the incoming balefire as he ducked beneath the flames. However, the supernatural nature of the flames allowed them to twist and follow Adam. Adam allowed his body to shift back to his powerful Crinos form and lunged towards the spiral dancer. Adam leaped over the spiral dancer's head, seizing its snout with one hand as he landed behind the creature. Employing the spiral dancer as a shield, he manipulated its position to intercept the returning balefire. The flames hit the spiral dancer and didn't stop as they tried to reach Adam. The flames tried to reach Adam so it started to spread and engulfed the spiral dancer, burning through its chest, neck, and eyes, leaving it writhing in pain.
As the weakened flames reached Adam, they had lost much of their potency. Although Adam's hands sustained minor burns, the spiral dancer bore the brunt of the attack, its form consumed by the supernatural fire. The bunker echoed with the sizzling sound of burning flesh as the battle took a decisive turn.
Adam gripped the spiral dancer's snout firmly in one hand, holding the creature in place. Drawing upon the wellspring of his rage, Adam reared back his free hand, readying for a final strike. The energy of his fury surged through him as he brought his claws down with relentless force. The razor-sharp claws tore through the spiral dancer's neck, cleaving through flesh and bone. The spine severed, the once-menacing creature was rendered powerless. Adam released his grip, allowing the now-lifeless spiral dancer to slump to the ground. He then thrust his fingers into the gaping wound on the spiral dancer's neck, gripping the remains of its spine. With an abrupt, forceful pull, Adam ripped the creature's head clean off, separating it from its body.
Adam started to slowly shift back to his Homid form, the tension in the bunker seemed to dissipate. The lifeless body of the spiral dancer lay on the ground. The fact that it remained in its Crinos form even in death indicated its Metis nature, a detail not lost on Adam.
Adam walked to his pants as he slowly shifted back. Grabbing it, he started to put it on as his body got to the point that it was possible to wear the pants.
As Adam donned his pants, the psychics, slowly emerging from the grips of delirium, looked around the bunker with wide eyes. Confusion and fear were etched across their faces as they took in the aftermath of the intense battle. The dead spiral dancer lay on the ground, was the proof of the battle that just happened.
Adam, though still healing from the wounds inflicted during the fight, maintained a composed demeanor. The psychics exchanged uneasy glances, grappling with the newfound awareness that their world was not as ordinary as they once believed.
As the psychics struggled to make sense of the surreal scene around them, Jordan, their de facto leader, voiced the confusion that echoed in their minds. "What happened here, what is that thing?!" he asked, his voice laden with bewilderment.
Adam, now back in his Homid form, stepped forward to provide some clarity amidst the lingering unease. "When mortals see us in our war form, they fall into delirium," he calmly explained. "That is a spiral dancer in his war form. Delirium puts you in a state of fear and you forget everything, so you might have to look at my face to see the fight wasn't easy."
The psychics, though still grappling with the extraordinary, turned their gaze toward Adam, searching for the telltale signs of a recent battle on his face. His wounds were still there but slowly were healing. Adam himself had blood on his body particularly on his hands and around his mouth.
"Are there more of these coming to hunt us?" Izzy asked, her voice betraying a tinge of fear.
"I don't think so." Adam said. "This tracking thing is not easy to do. The chance of them trying something like this again is almost zero. But I do suggest you burn the body and throw away the bones, it isn't a good idea to keep a corrupt creature close to you. Oh and I know for some of you with less brain power it might not be obvious" Adam looked at Izzy as he said that. "but you guys can't really fight the Wyrm so live your life away from all of this shit."
Elena, still visibly shaken, offered, "I... um... I got a place to burn the body."
"Good, now if you don't mind, I have to go." Adam said, as he searched for his things. "Just before I go, can someone tell me where I can find the PsyTech? You know the MindHarmony, I plan on burning some of their offices."
"Wait, hold on, you want to leave like that?!" Jordan exclaimed, a mix of disbelief and concern in his voice.
"No, I will wash my face if Elena lets me use her bathroom." Adam, calmly replied.
"I think your problem is a lot bigger than just your face being dirty." Jordan pointed out, eyeing the wounds on Adam's body.
"I can make people ignore me," Adam said.
"Don't you want to stay and help us?" Izzy inquired, her expression a mix of curiosity and a hint of desperation.
"Not really, I think you guys would be fine." Adam stated.
"Come on, man, you can't leave us." Izzy said. For the first time, she appeared calmer. "I will be the first to admit that I was wrong. We can't fight that Wyrm thing you mentioned. We really need your help right now."
"You really don't." Adam replied as he found his pendant and put it on. "Pentex usually comes out on top because they don't invest too many resources in small projects like yours. The Spiral Dancers also wouldn't bother mentioning you guys because a bunch of humans killing one of their hunters is a great shame to them. They might send some people after you, but they would be shitty Fomori. I will tell someone to check on you but other than that you don't need my help. Your situation improves even more when suddenly a werewolf decides to pay PsyTech a visit and burn a couple of their offices down. So, would someone tell me where I can find them?"
Jordan sighed and agreed. He provided Adam with information on three of the offices and the location of a lab where they were kept. Adam pulled out his notebook, jotting down all the details. After that, he managed to find his shirt and put it on.
"Hey can I use your bathroom?" Adam asked Elena
"Sure, follow me." Elena said.
"Thanks." Adma said and followed Elena out of the bunker.
Elena led Adam to a bathroom in her house. Adam knew the bunker had a bathroom too but for some reason she brought him here. Adam thought that maybe this woman wanted to keep Adam away from the others, like this would stop him from anything he wanted to do.
As the two reached the bathroom and Adam opened the door revealed a modest but well-kept space. Elena gestured for Adam to enter, her expression still a mix of concern and uncertainty. Adam stepped inside. Adam closed the bathroom door behind him, giving himself a moment of privacy. In front of the mirror, he assessed the state of his body. The healing of his wounds was visible, but it lacked the explosive speed that typically characterized Garou regeneration. The burns on his back, particularly from the balefire, proved to be more challenging. Fire, combined with the corruptive essence of the Wyrm, had taken its toll on his werewolf form. Fire, magic and wyrm corruption each are very deadly and this fire was all of them.
Adam took a deep breath and began the process of cleansing himself. He used the sink to wash the blood from his face, revealing the gradual healing of the wounds there. Turning around, Adam carefully inspected the burned spot on his back. The area was still sensitive, the skin struggling to regenerate. The malevolent nature of the balefire had left a mark that resisted the usual restorative abilities of a Garou. Adam frowned at the sight. He needed to be cautious, as such injuries, if left unchecked, could pose a genuine threat to a werewolf's well-being.
Taking a moment to gather himself, Adam focused his mind on the healing, strengthening this power a little. The process was slower than usual, each moment of regeneration requiring a deliberate effort. The burned spot gradually closed and the pain subsided, though not entirely eradicated.
Once satisfied with the progress, Adam waited for his face to fully heal before leaving the bathroom. The mirror reflected the resilience of a Garou who had faced the corruption of the Wyrm and emerged, scarred but undeterred. With a final glance, Adam opened the door, ready to rejoin the others and continue the fight against the encroaching darkness.
When he got out of the bathroom, Adam saw Elena waiting for him. Elena's anxiety was visible as she stared at Adam.
"I agree with you." Elena said abruptly. "You being around them isn't that necessary. I also think at this point, you will be a danger to them. You are the expert in these things, so I am going to take your word that this Wyrm thing wouldn't send more hunters after them, but if it was me, I would send them after you. You said it yourself; your kind have been fighting it, and..."
"I understand what you mean," Adam said calmly as he sensed Elena's anxiety rising. "I get you are worried about them, I have people like that so no offense taken. But that was really unnecessary. I really am going to leave you guys. There is a chance Pentex would send some Fomori after them, but they wouldn't risk much. If things get weird, go look for werewolves in areas with a connection to nature, they protect those spots. Tell them about hurting the Wyrm, and they will happily accept. My people will also probably want to check on you guys, they can help you with your problems."
"Are you going to do something about that PsyTech?" Elena asked.
"I do." Adam answered. "Brain eaters are a problem and there are some psychic people that I really need to protect. So, there is a good chance I am going to go there and take care of everyone or have someone I know take care of it."
"You want to kill everyone there?" Elena asked. "I've been to the office and there are a lot of nice people, I don't think they deserve to die."
"There is a good chance they are Fomori." Adam said. "Besides just because they act nice, it doesn't means they are nice. Even without corruption there are a lot of people in the world that act nice and would kill you later."
"It still doesn't feel right." Elena said.
"Do you care about your people or the people that work for PsyTech?" Adam asked.
"I can care about both if there are innocents working there." Elena said.
"There wouldn't be one." Adam lied. "PsyTech is important to them so they keep it out of the hand of normal humans. Besides the people that agree to abduct and experiment on people can hardly be called innocent."
As Adam spoke, he wrestled with his own uncertainty. He knew that there were many good people working in companies connected to Pentex. These individuals used the resources at their disposal to genuinely help others. Pentex, in its cunning strategy, allowed these seemingly altruistic endeavors to thrive because they knew that beneficial products like medicine sold well. However, Adam, like most other Garou, was prepared to accept collateral damage, willing to burn both the good and the bad together to halt the insidious spread of the Wyrm.
"That is a fair point." Elena said. "Do you need anything else before you go? I really feel bad about wanting you leave like this."
"Don't worry, I'm fine." Adam said. "It was nice meeting you, hope if we ever to meet, it wouldn't be like this time."
"Likewise." Elena said with a smile.
"Goodbye." Adam said and started to leave.
Adam left the house and noticed that the sun had disappeared, leaving the surroundings bathed in the soft glow of the night. Taking a moment to orient himself, he scanned his surroundings before starting to walk away. Glancing around, he decided to employ the Gift of the Blur of Milky Eye. He slowed his pace slightly, focusing on the gift that allowed him to move without drawing unnecessary attention. With this subtle manipulation of perception, he confidently walked away.