As Astrid entered the room with her tablet, Ethan had a choice: Tell Thompson everything or just the need-to-know bits. Wendy drew his attention. She motioned towards Astrid, who laid the tablet on the table. Astrid was trembling, her face white. She seated herself next to Thompson.
"We are fucked. Just hold me, please."
Thompson pulled Astrid closer, her chair sliding closer to his. Bridget took Astrid by the hand, her eyes searching her friend as her brow furrowed. Ethan pushed out of his chair and stood next to Thompson.
"Alas, you have seen the Skinwalker. It is obvious."
Astrid stared at Ethan. Her voice trembled as she spoke.
"You know what that monstrosity is."
Thompson, now intensely interested, played the footage on the tablet. The scruffy little dog walked unnoticed through the police headquarters, changing shape as it neared the door of the evidence room. Thompson's eyes widened, and his hands started trembling. Ethan looked around at everyone; they all had the same reaction to the footage. Ethan could feel the hair at the back of his neck raise as he continued to watch.
"Alas, that is a Tar silken from my realm. Extremely dangerous, they dissolve their prey in their flat, tarlike bodies. They ambush and envelop their victim, slowly dissolve it until nothing is left."
The four-foot monster touched the door handle, which melted and dissolved into the monster's body. The door opened quickly, and the beast shifted into a human man. Lucy, who had moved to stand beside Ethan and Wendy, pointed at the tablet.
"Squee, Alaric, it is Alaric. He is supposed to be dead."
The Skinwalker, who looked like Alaric, came out of the evidence room. He threw the book's protective wrapping to the side on the floor. It opened the book, and dark mist flowed from it into a form, then vanished. Alaric trembled as he stared at something invisible. Ethan could see his pants at the back was soiled, and urine ran down his pants. The Skinwalker spoke in the direction where the form disappeared. The black fog appeared, and a mysterious beast formed out of the black fog with rows of sharp teeth and tentacles. Everyone cried out in fright at the sight of the thing as it vanished into the mist and flowed inside the book's pages. Ethan tried to calm his heart rate and breathe, but Wendy and Lucy had steel grips on his arms. Astrid sobbed softly as Bridget and Thompson held each other. Thompson shuddered as he spoke.
"Ethan, what the hell was that monster? It stood eight feet tall."
"Alas, the Skinwalker's nightmare. It is afraid of the thing. It could be his natural enemy."
The Skinwalker took out a dagger of black metal that sucked in the light around it. Symbols glowed on the blade a dark crimson. It cut its hand, and a black taffy flowed from the wound onto the pages. The Skinwalker spoke as his black blood filled the page. The Skinwalker bent down using a severed hand he pulled from a pocket. It used the severed hands and bloody fingers, making symbols in blood on the floor with it. The Skinwalker was talking with a feverish look on his face. Sophia spoke in Ethan's mind.
"Alas, Ethan, that dagger is a cultivator's dagger from the dark realms. It should not be in this realm. It is used in sorcery to be specifically used by a cultivator of sorcery."
Ethan felt bile rise in his throat as Sophia spoke. What was going on in this realm, and how did an evil dagger like this one show up in it? Ethan recognised sorcery, as he often fought on campaigns in the dark realms.
"Alas, sorcery, it is chanting that hand is freshly cut off."
Black blood flowed into the book as it touched the bloodied finger to the page. Black mist flowed from the book, enveloping the Skinwalker and the symbols on the floor. Suddenly, there seemed to be an explosion of black mist upwards, then nothing. The Skinwalker and the blood on the floor were gone as if it never happened. Thompson looked up from the tablet.
"What the fuck, Ethan? Where are you from again."
Before Ethan could utter a word, Wendy answered with her hands on her hips. It would have been impressive, but her body trembled. Her ears vibrated and moved erratically. Her face was pale and ghostly; she had a haunted look in her eye.
"We come from the realm of the Divine Nexus, where the gods like Ethan live."
Astrid had stopped crying, lifting her head from Thompson's shoulder, a wet spot where her tears had soaked his uniform. Astrid sniffed.
"That thing comes from the realms of the gods, and we are doomed."
Thompson patted her hand, as did Bridget. Her accusation had been aimed at Ethan. Ethan seated himself, pulling Wendy and Lucy onto his lap. It had been his goal since Thompson had Bridget sit on his lap. Ethan held his hand up in surrender.
"Alas, I have been sent to kill this creature."
Thompson's eyebrows rose as he took a bottle of mead out of his drawer. After taking a big sip, he handed it to Bridget. Bridget took a swig from the bottle, staring into Ethan's eyes.
"How do you kill that thing? We cannot even know what it will look like."
"Alas, all beasts can be killed. We will handle the Skinwalker. It is what we do."
Lucy punched Ethan's shoulder.
"Squee, you know it."
Ethan wondered how long it would take for the blood to flow back into his hands after Wendy and Lucy let go of his arms. Ethan could not hold a mug of coffee then, and his hands were dead like doornails. He could feel pins and needles as the blood flowed back into his hands.
"Alas, I suspect that the Skinwalker killed Lark. She must be part of a bigger conspiracy. We have just scratched the tip of the iceberg."
Thompson pulled silver coins from his desk, placing a stack before Ethan.
"You are leaving for Dark Clover Village. Investigate everything that seems to point to that village. These funds should help with lodging and transport there."
Ethan counted fifty-seven silver coins, placing them into his coin pouch. Bridget stood righting her skirt.
"Whatever you need, just ask. We need to stop this monster as soon as possible."
Ethan looked at Wendy and Lucy's boots. They were worn and old, and he grinned as he looked into Bridget's eyes.
"Alas, new leather boots for my party will go a long way."
Astrid pulled a piece of paper from a cabinet, filling in the blank spaces she had Thompson sign, and handed it to Ethan. The pen disappeared down her blouse. Thompson's eyes followed the pen as it vanished. He had a hunger in his eyes. Astrid straightened, motioning for ladies outside to come closer. Astrid spoke to Ethan.
"Next to the bakery three blocks down, you will see a shoemaker hand him this request. Time to get to work, team. We need time alone with our hubby."
Ethan took Wendy and Lucy, leaving hurriedly as eleven female officers piled into the office. The last young woman closed the door. Ethan spotted Grace and the other two as they descended the stairs. They were seated on a bench, officers hanging around them like flies trying to start a dialogue with the three. Maple was flustered, and Lara was annoyed. Grace smiled at the men but said nothing in response.
"Alas, my wives are waiting for me. How lucky a man I am."
Ethan waved his thumb ring at the officers. Ethan took Grace's hand and helped her from the bench. Ethan did the same with Lara and Maple. The three women checked their hair and straightened their dresses as they took their backpacks. Wendy pulled Ethan down, her head next to his ear.
"Hail, they blush prettily for you. I want them to want us back. They would make excellent lovers."
Ethan wiped Wendy's drool from her mouth with his sleeve. Kissing her as he pulled her into his arms, her feet dangling in the air. Lara cleared her throat, pointing to the exit. Ethan gave Lucy a peck on the lips as he took her hand and Wendy's leading the way out of the Royal Police Headquarters. Officers could be heard speaking softly as they left. That giant has all the luck with women. He has five beauties for himself. He looks like a killer for hire with that face and scar.
Ethan felt uncomfortable, and something bugged him as they walked to the shop selling boots. Sophia spoke in his mind.
Alas, two men are following us. They waited outside the Royal Police Headquarters. Their skills are impressive."
Ethan stopped pretending to fix his robe as the ladies walked ahead, deep in conversation about shoes. Ethan could catch the one in the reflection of the store window. Movement in the corner of his eye gave away the second position behind a stall selling buns.