The air was thick with the stench of decay as David and Tariq stood at the entrance of Austin Wizard Village. The stone gate loomed before them, its sign splattered with dried blood. The village, once a refuge for wizards, now lay in ruins, its streets littered with bones and the remnants of a violent struggle.
Tariq's face was pale, his hands trembling as he clutched a cookie box. "This… this can't be happening," he muttered, his voice barely audible.
David's heart sank as he took in the scene. The village was eerily silent, save for the buzzing of flies and the occasional rustle of wind through the broken buildings. "Tariq, we need to be careful," David said, his wand at the ready. "Something terrible happened here."
Tariq didn't respond. Instead, he bolted into the village, his footsteps echoing against the stone walls. David followed closely, his senses on high alert. The first house they came across was shaped like a giant mushroom, its pink cap and white stem now marred by claw marks and bloodstains.
"Catherine!" Tariq shouted, his voice cracking as he pushed open the door to the mushroom house. Inside, the furniture was overturned, and the air was thick with the smell of rot. Tariq's eyes darted around the room, searching for any sign of life.
David stepped in behind him, his wand raised. "Tariq, wait. Let me check first."
But Tariq was already moving, his desperation overriding any sense of caution. He rushed into the back room, only to freeze in the doorway. David followed and saw why—a female corpse lay on the floor, her body decayed beyond recognition. Maggots writhed in the remains, and the stench was overwhelming.
Tariq fell to his knees, his voice breaking. "No… no, this can't be her…"
David stepped forward, using a Levitation Charm to turn the body over. The face was unrecognizable, but the clothes were familiar to Tariq. "This isn't Catherine," David said gently. "She's wearing Catherine's clothes, but it's not her."
Tariq's eyes widened with a flicker of hope. "You're right… it's not her. It's not her!" He scrambled to his feet, his relief palpable.
David helped Tariq to the living room, where he handed him a piece of chocolate. "We need to figure out what happened here. Who is this woman?"
Tariq took a shaky breath. "She lived across from Catherine. She was kind… always helping others. I can't believe she's gone."
David nodded solemnly. "We'll find out what happened. But first, we need to search the rest of the village."
The two spent the next hour combing through the village, uncovering more bodies and signs of a brutal attack. The claw marks and thick black hairs scattered around the scene pointed to one conclusion: werewolves.
"Werewolves did this," David said, holding up a strand of coarse black hair. "I've seen this before. They're behind this massacre."
Tariq's face darkened. "Werewolves… I should've known. A few months ago, we encountered a group of werewolves attacking children. We stopped them, but they must've followed us here. This is my fault…"
David shook his head. "No, Tariq. This isn't your fault. The werewolves are to blame. What we need to do now is find them and make them pay."
Tariq clenched his fists, his grief turning to anger. "You're right. We need to find them. For Catherine… for everyone here."
The two spent the rest of the day burying the dead and searching for clues. By the time they finished, the sun was setting, casting long shadows over the desolate village.
"Where do we go now?" David asked as they stood at the edge of the village.
Tariq's eyes were steely with determination. "There's a wizard's fair nearby. Catherine's sister runs a shop there. Maybe she's heard something."
David nodded. "Let's go."
---
The fair was winding down when they arrived, most of the stalls already closed for the day. Tariq led David to a small shop, its windows filled with magical trinkets. He knocked on the door, and a fiery red-haired witch appeared, her temper as sharp as her appearance.
"Tariq?" she exclaimed, her eyes narrowing. "What are you doing here? And why do you look like death warmed over?"
Tariq's voice was heavy. "Is Catherine here? Have you seen her?"
The witch's expression shifted from annoyance to concern. "Catherine? No, I haven't seen her in months. Why? What's happened?"
Tariq's shoulders slumped. "The village… it's gone. Werewolves attacked. Catherine's missing."
The witch's face turned pale, and she stepped back, her hand flying to her mouth. "No… not Catherine…"
David stepped forward. "We need your help. Do you know anything that could lead us to her?"
The witch hesitated, then nodded. "Come inside. We need to talk."
As they entered the shop, David couldn't shake the feeling that they were stepping into something much bigger—and much more dangerous—than they realized. The werewolves were on the move, and if they didn't act fast, more lives would be lost.