Chapter Eighteen - No more alcohol for Tia

Azalea Moongraves held her aching forehead, the case file open on the monitor in front of her filled her mind with headaches and pain.

"It's one problem after another ..." she sighed.

The incident that brought her migraines had happened the night before, the central had received a call from a bar on the outskirts informing them about a crime scene, the bar was a well-known point of a smaller rising gang in the city, and it was not the first time that her policemen probed the place.

When they arrived at the scene, the officers expected to be met with the common aggressiveness from the thugs, as well as a warning to stay away, but what they found was a scene straight out of a horror movie.

There were two bodies right at the entrance to the bar, one had a pierced broken jaw, and the other had a hole that ran from the chin to the top of his head. The scene inside the bar was worse than the one outside, the bandits were is all in pieces, blood and guts were scattered around the room, mixed with pieces of broken furniture and glass debris.

In the room at the back of the bar they found a survivor, a fat man who passed out under a torn door, knocked over by a concussion and with a nose broken by the impact, the other bodies in the room were like those outside, shattered to pieces, there was a a body that drew special attention, it was a body on a table, both had been divided in half, separated into two equal parts.

One of the policemen could no longer hold back and started to vomit in the corner of the room, when another policeman broke the news. "We got the security footage!"

Azalea was now watching the same footage that her men recovered from the bar's internal security circuit, a footage that had scared all the men who had seen it, a footage that scared her.

The scene started off normal, some men drank, others talked, one even prepared a tray for what clearly looked like some drug. Everything common for a garbage nest like that, everything went to hell when a figure totally covered in black armor, looking like a medieval knight invaded the door, the figure started to destroy men like a wild beast, even using the weapon of one of them in the other, creating chaos and a bloodbath.

The scenes ended in front of the big boss' room, the only roon that was not monitored, the figure invaded the same way he had done in the bar, kicking the door open, the figure stayed in the room for a while and then left calmly repeating the I way to the doors of the bar, indifferent to the carnage it had caused, The idea of one ... being ... causing all that damage was frightening.

"Sra. they are here!" a voice came from the intercom beside her, taking her thoughts off the video. Two people dressed in suits entered Azalea's room. One was a huge black man, with strange scars on his face that look like some tribal drawings, he carried a huge black suitcase in one of his hands, the second person had an ambiguous gender, he or she was a small and thin figure, extremely graceful and with a beautiful oval face.

"Good morning Commissioner Moongraves" The small figure greeted, her voice was beautiful and clear, but just as her appearance was of an undefined gender. "I am Agent Durand, this is my partner Agent Garrard, we are here representing the BPD, we are here to inform you that your current investigation will, from now on, be redirected to our organization. I hope there is no problem during the process, all evidence and records of the case must be deleted from your database and any future investigation will be carried out exclusively by us."

"Fifteen years, fifteen years without your organization showing up in my city, and now you want to take our investigation?" Azalea got up from her table angrily. "I deserve to know what the hell is going on!"

"Madame Moongraves, you had a chance to work with us and you refused" Durand smiled. "You know that your people are not trained to that." Durand walked to the door. "And I'm not asking, I'm just letting you know that we're taking this investigation!"

Durand opened the door, allowing her silent partner to go through first. Turning, Durand smiled again. "Madame Moongraves, make no mistake, think twice before you decide to get into these kinds of issues, don't forget what happened last time ..."

After they both left the room, Azalea hit the table hard. "Damn it! Damn monsters!" she pressed the button on the intercom and asked the secretary to fetch her coffee. Sitting behind the desk, she looked back at the video from the night before, her eyes on the figure in black armor. "What in the name of God is happening in my city?"

The two agents went straight to the morgue, the coroners were in the middle of examining one of the bodies, the body that had been split in half, as soon as the two entered they immediately asked everyone to leave.

"Well, let's see what we have here..." Durand started analyzing the bodies one by one, his partner Garrard had a strange looking tablet, much more advanced than those commonly available to the public, he was analyzing the video .

"Almost everyone was killed by some kind of sharp weapon, something like a long, heavy blade ... a few died from gunshots" Agent Durand picked up a report on the table. "They are still analyzing the blood samples at the site ... I doubt they will find anything about our mysterious black knight... Garrard, time for your magic."

Agent Garrard passed the tablet to his companion, he searched the bodies for the one that was least damaged and found one that had only a few bullet holes in his chest, he took off his suit, just to show an incredibly muscular body and replete with ritualistc scarifications all over his skin, he opened the suitcase and took out some red wax candles and a bottle of firewater, he laid the body on the floor, arranged the candles in a circular pattern and lit them, Durand turned off the lights and Garrard started singing in a strange language, patterns in the shape of glowing white bones began to appear over his body, with the face of a skull covering his face. He took a big sip from the firewater and spat on the body as he circled around the corpse, he repeated the process seven times, on the seventh time he sang louder, all the flames from each candle rose with his singing, until they all went out at once, nothing happened.

"Hmm? Failed? Are you losing the touch, Garrard?" Durand scoffed.

"No soul..." Garrard replied.

Durand was serious about his companion's reply, "This is bad! Very bad! If this thing can destroy souls, it is more dangerous than we think! Perhaps we should seek more support from the agency..."

Durand took the tablet and started watching the video, "What is it anyway? It is not an apparition for sure, it does not seem to be a wizard or a psychic either... Is it a new cryptid? But why would he attack a gang in the middle of the city? Is it another Tulpa?"

"Witch helps?" Garrard cut off his partner's thoughts.

"Hmm? The witch? Do you think she knows anything? Maybe it's not a bad idea... I was really wanting to see her... but they won't let you in, you know, right?" Garrard nodded his head, "Fine!" Durand tossed the tablet to his friend, who grabbed it in the air and put it in his briefcase. "Let's go!"

As the two left the police station, Durand found himself wondering where such a creature might be hiding.

***

Even after all the disturbing events of the previous night, Locke slept soundly. His actions didn't cost him an ounce of sleep, to be honest Locke didn't even care about those he had killed, for him it was simple: they were after someone he loved, now they were no longer.

The sound of his phone ringing took him out of the dream world, Locke answered his cell phone, still a little sleepy.

"Hello?"

"Locke, it's me Azalea!"

"Mrs., I mean, Azalea!" Locke completely woke up "What is it?"

"I need your expertise, can you analyze whether a video has been edited?"

"I think so, I mean, I'm not an expert or anything but I know some program or two that would help me confirm that..."

"Good! I'm going to send you a video, its content is... well... disturbing things, but I need to know if it has real."

Locke sat at the table and turned on his computer, within minutes a new message was in his e-mail box, Locke almost fell off his chair when he opened the attachment.

It was a shot of himself, during his furious rampage from the night before.

"WERE THERE CAMERAS? HOLY SH*T!" Locke's scream woke Tia, who was snoring on a pillow nearby.

"What the hell, dude! Talk down there bro! I'm f*cking sleeping here!" the fairy was in a bad mood.

"Tia! Tia! They have everything filmed!" Locke was concerned.

"What?" Tia was still rubbing her eyes.

"Yesterday's attack! Against those little sh*ts! The police have all the footage!"

"And?" the fairy looked bored.

"And? They have a footage of me killing at least twenty people! "

"Let me see..." Tia flew to Locke's shoulder and sat down, Locke replayed the video and they both watched it all. "What is the problem?" She asked.

"What do you mean, 'what's the problem'? Didn't you see the video? "

"Yes I saw" Tia flew to the table. "I saw an unidentifiable figure covered in black armor invading a bar and killing at least twenty pieces of human garbage, and then going out. What is the problem anyway? "

"What is the problem? The problem is that we are screwed! " Locke responded alarmed.

"No, we are not" the fairy replied quietly "Tell me how could someone connect you to that figure?"

"I..." Locke couldn't answer.

"All they know is that someone or something killed all those people, you never undid your armor in front of the cameras, we also took the big boss's cell phone, so they can't find the connection of the case with you or Hanna, I don't see any way that they could reach you based on this video."

"You ... you're right ... the footage just scared me, I didn't even think about checking for cameras, I think I have to be more careful in the future ..."

"Well... I kind of noticed the cameras..." Tia looked embarrassed.

"What? And why didn't you tell me?" Locke's voice had a tone that was more surprised than upset.

"Well, I didn't think it was important... your face was covered after all... Can you forgive me?" She looked sorry.

Locke sighed, 'Well... f*ck'it' he thought. "It's not your fault, we are new to this after all... the whole gang thing kinda got out of hand." He took out his cell phone and called Azalea.

"And then?" She already answered asking

"There are no signs of manipulation or edition in the video."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolute"

"Ok... Locke, don't talk about this video to anyone, understand?"

"Yes"

"Okay" Azalea sighed "Erase the copy I sent you!"

"Yes ma'am!" Locke immediately deleted the file. "What was that?" he asked, trying to make the tone as curious as possible, came out more exaggerated than he wanted.

"It is better that you forget the content of this video completely. Will we see you on Saturday?"

"Certainly"

"Goodbye" Azalea hung up.

"You are such a bad actor" Tia's tone was mocking, "What was that?" she imitated Locke, laughing.

"I think someone wants to go without lunch," Locke replied with a frown.

"Take it easy champion, we are not going to take drastic measures just because of a joke, rigth?" Tia seemed genuinely concerned.

Locke smiled and went straight to the shower.

"Hey Locke, are we still going to have lunch? Hey? Hey? "

Some time later they were both sitting on Locke's couch watching television, Locke had ordered two hamburgers for delivery, french fries and wine

"Dude, did I tell you that I love you?" Tia was sitting with a smile that went from ear to ear. Her plate was completely empty.

"Where does all the food you eat go to?" Locke answered the fairy's confession with a question, he had only eaten half of his burger.

"I don't know" replied the fairy "I know I don't need to use the bathroom, which is strange since I have-"

"Too much information" cut Locke "I don't need to know these details."

"What? Are you going to tell me that you were never curious?" Tia floated close to Locke's face, she held the hem of her skirt with a mocking expression "Are you sure you don't want to take a look? It's anatomically correct down here, you know?" she lifted her skirt.

Locke looked away, he looked at the bottle of wine he had ordered with the food and he regretted giving some for Tia. "Stop it, you're almost my sister!"

"Doesn't even try this 'sister' sh*t!" Tia laughed "If it was up to me I would get you before the goth girl... humm... maybe I should get the goth girl ... or better! I should get you and her at the same time!" Tia's smile was scaring Locke, she looked at him like a hungry predator, she flew to her wine glass and dived into it as if it were a bathtub, occasionally she looked ata specific point in the Locke's anatomy and murmured "It's a pity that it won't fit... a pity indeed..."

'No more alcohol for Tia...' Locke thought in horror.

***

"I miss coming here... it makes me feel so... vulnerable..." Durand and Garrard stopped in front of a house in the countryside, outside the city, they got out of the car and walked to a certain gate of steel surrounded by a stone wall, Durand pressed the intercom. The gate opened without warning, a beautiful red-haired girl was on the other side of the gate.

"Alexis Durand, our Mistress requests your presence in our coven, please follow me." The red-haired girl turned to Garrard. "Forgive me priest, but your presence on our land would be a violation of the pact between our gods, I would like to ask you to wait here."

Garrard gave a small resigned nod and went back to the vehicle. Durand followed the girl, they did not go inside the mansion, however, Durand was taken to a clearing in the center of the forest behind the mansion. In the middle of the clearing, a woman completely covered by a black veil was drawing circles and magical figures on some stones.

"Alexis! It's good to see you again! How long does? Twelve years?"

"Madame Barthe, fifteen years!, it is good to see you in good health" Garrard replied

"I apologize for meeting you out here, but we are so close to Sabbat, I cannot delay my preparations, not even for you..." Madame Barthe stood up. "Luckily you arrived just in time for tea!" she turned to the red-haired girl "Wolde, darling, get on with it while I socialize a little with Alexis!"

"Yes, mistress!" the girl, Wolde, replied. She bent down and continued to make equal circles.

"The girl have some skill with glamour." Durand praised, "But aren't those breasts extreme?"

"Some of my apprentices have not yet gotten rid of vanity, who am I to judge them?"

Agent Durand started walking beside Madame Barthe. "Do you know why I'm here?"

"Yes, you are here in search of the unknown variable" Madame Barthe answered bluntly.

"Unknown variable? Do you ... Do you also not know what it is? How is this possible?"

Madame Barthe stopped walking "Alexis, I am a powerful witch, it is true, but I am not omnipotent, I realized the existence of what I called 'unknown variable' when some of the targets I use to train my girls were destroyed, and I mean, really destroyed, whatever faced those undead meat dolls did in a way that I can't find they soul fragments anymore. That was about two weeks ago. "

Branches of a tree began to squirm in chair shapes as they descended to the floor, a small table made of roots rose from the ground and stood between the two chairs, both women sat down and soon another girl brought a tray with a vase of tea, two cups and some cookies.

"Thanks Alse, the second time I noticed the existence of the unknown variable was during an outbreak of fury by the 'son of thunder', apparently something went on in one of his hunting gardens killing his cattle, I only realized that it was the variable because dead beings had something in common with my dead dolls."

The girl filled a cup of tea and handed it to Alexis.

"Thank you" Durand replied, the girl blushed.

"Don't seduce my apprentices, Alexis." Madame Barthe joked. "The third time I noticed the variable was when a psychopath was mysteriously killed, I thought it might have been some of the mountain stray, but it didn't match anything that lives there. The fourth time was yesterday, one of my moles at the police told me about the case, they even sent me the video, you know, a phenomenal performance. Do you know how I realized that all the cases were involved? "

"For the bodies"

"Ah, Alexis Durand, how I miss having an agile thought apprentice like you... Yes, I realized that all the cases were involved by the state of the bodies, but precisely by a common detail between all of them. Do you know which one? "

"They had no more soul," Durand replied.

"Exactly, the soul takes at least three days to disperse naturally, only other souls or a small number of specific beings can affect other souls in this way, the point is that none of these beings would be able to escape my eyes, not for so long." Madame Barthe replied, she opened the veil slightly around her mouth, revealing her burned lips. "I don't know what it is, but I know that he can escape my eyes, I can't perceive his presence anywhere, neither with my gifts, nor with divinations and nor with rituals. The only thing that worked was a direct question to the goddess, I asked her what it was and her answer was not satisfactory."

"Why didn't you contact us?"

"Alexis, I cooperate with your little club because I like a few who are part of it, a few like you! But I never trusted your leadership! They are humans, and you know what humans have done to me" she showed her burned hands.

"Times have changed Angèle, things are not like that anymore, they even accept things like me now." Durand had a sad tone.

"Don't be silly child, they are using you, and they think they can use it too, but they are wrong, very wrong... I will give you advice Alexis, for the affection I have for you and that I had for your mother, go away, this city doesn't need the Bureal, you'll be better away from here "

"I can't... I must fulfill my mission"

"I'm afraid I can't help you, child" Madame Barthe sighed. "Say hi to the priest for me, I wish the goddess to bless you in your search, my child" She got up and went back to the clearing.

Durand got up too and was about to leave when he stopped at her steps. "Madame Barthe, what was the goddess's response?"

"Madame Barthe turned and replied. "She said I shouldn't look any further about this being, and she also said... she said that if I ever made him my enemy, he ..." She hesitated.

"He what?"

"He would kill even the last of us."