Chapter 13: The Werewolf in the Far North
Sitting in one of the conference rooms of the base I looked over reports along with Chess and Dominque, as well a few others tasked with helping us do so.
These reports had been provided to us by our human contacts, and gave detailed information on how all of the exorcist up until now were killed, as well as various other things that would help in tracking down the assailant.
Which we needed to do asap, otherwise those idiots in charge at the church might do something reckless.
And I really don't want to deal with that headache.
That's why I've pretty much been working non-stop for the past two days. Supernatural physiology and endurance for the win.
Flipping through another report I ready it within ten minutes. I then set it down and leaned back in my chair. "Hey guys, let's discuss what we know so far." I said.
Dominque and Chess stopped what they were doing and simply nodded.
"First up, we know that over the past 8 months, this assailant has killed fifteen exorcists." I mused.
Which is no easy feat.
From what we've read so far we know that this killer is working alone. meanwhile all the exorcists he targeted were working in teams of three or more. Yet this person still managed to kill them without dying.
It means they have some skills.
"Yes. And from the autopsy reports we've managed to collect we also know that all the exorcists were killed in the same manner." Dominque spoke. "All of them ended up dying of internal injury or massive blood loss, caused by bite wounds, and claw marks."
All of which could point to a vampire.
But I don't think that's the case. Because if it was a vampire that did this then they would have used some magic, or at least tortured the exorcist a bit before killing them. Vampires are really messed up like that.
However that wasn't the case in these incidents.
No, in these cases the killer simply knocked off the exorcists with an almost surgical precision. It's almost like they are on a mission of some kind.
I know I am talking out of my ass here, so sue me. I was really into crime procedural primetime dramas in my last life. I just loved my Criminal Minds.
But unfortunately they do not have that holy show here.
Blasphemers.
But back to the matter at hand.
"This person who is killing the exorcist started in their territory, but has since started moving away from it towards ours." Chess said. "Does that mean they are running, or is it something else?"
"Probably the former considering whoever did this is took out fifteen exorcists single-handedly." I mused. "And if that's the case it mean we can predict what they'll do next. They are most likely heading towards Omsk itself to either hide out for a bit, or use it as a decoy to escape the exorcist pursuit that has most likely been put in place. So here's what we'll do. Calculate all of the routes the assailant could use to sneak into the city, or to another and then set up sentries at each point." I explained.
"But that's hundreds of points, we'll never be able to cover them all." Dominque said.
"True, but we can eliminate the most beaten paths and obvious routes, and instead focus on the out of the way routes. The ones with the most dangerous terrain." I said. I then picked up a report in front of me. "From the reports this killer struck in the woods and out in the wilderness and then disappeared without a trace. Which means they are skilled in wilderness survival. So them using the unbeaten paths is likely their home court, probably how they've stayed ahead of the exorcists so far."
"I'll get right on it." Chess said. She and the workers in the room then got started on making a list of those routes.
Soon, we will have this killer in our grasp.
----------------------------------------------------
Leaning with my back against a tree I watched as the snow fell from the night sky.
It only took a few hours for Chess and the others to put those list of routes together. Once they did and I explained my train of thought to Urd, he authorized the operation.
He is still the one in charge of the region after all.
Anyway, after he gave the go ahead we split into teams and moved out.
Now here I am, stationed at one of the designated routes along with Chess and Dominque.
Both of whom are huddled together hugging each other, trying to share their warmth.
Looking at the two of them hugging, it's bringing up a warm and fuzzy feeling inside of me.
As for me I am completely fine on my own. I've noticed as I've gotten older, cold temperatures don't really seem to bother in the slightest. I can only conclude is has something to do with my own ice manipulation power. So that's another boon for me.
The time passed slowly, and before we knew it over two hours had gone by.
"I don't think they're coming, let's go back to the base." Dominque said.
"Yes, I second that." Chess said.
I looked at the two of them. "Don't be like that you two. Are you just really telling me this cold compares to the cold of the ice Veronica uses? Well?"
"No." Dominque said.
"You're right Kufa. Compared to teacher's ice this is nothing at all." Chess said.
The two of them then got a renewed burst of energy.
Once that happened they didn't complain any more. The three of us stood there, just chatting and enjoying the nice atmosphere.
But all of that stopped when we sensed something approaching us.
Turning our heads in its direction, we focused our senses. Then a few moments after we did we saw a shadow move through the tree line.
"They're here." I said.
Dominque and Chess drew their weapons. Chess's handle wrapped thorns around her left hand, meanwhile Dominque's handle punctured her left hand with three prongs, both of them blades turning red as they drank their blood.
Before we left Chess and Dominque were gifted with first-class vampire weapons.
As for me I just drew the blade at my side. Since I don't have a first-class weapon. Rather I chose not to take one.
It's not that the first-class weapons aren't great, I just have this feeling that there is something better out there for me to use as my personal weapon. So until I find it, I'm sticking with the generic stuff so to speak.
The three of us tracked the figures movements as they got closer and closer. We couldn't see them clearly, but we can see them.
"They're fast." Chess said.
She's not wrong. This person is pretty fast. Almost as fast as us. Which really says something about their abilities.
The figure moved behind another tree. Then they disappeared entirely, stopping their mad dash.
"Woo!"
Hearing that we all looked up and saw a figure in the shape of a man, but with fur all over their body, and deep blue eyes the color of sapphires. Instantly we all knew, this person is a werewolf.
'Well that explains the claw marks.' I thought.
Werewolves are notorious for getting up close and personal even if they do learn magic.
The werewolf descended on our position with breakneck speed.
But we all easily jumped out of the way and dodged them.
Once they landed, the wolf immediately bounded towards Dominque, needing only two steps to close the distance.
'Not only fast, but agile with incredible leg strength as well.' I thought, observing our target.
Things are much clearer now on how they killed those exorcists. Sadly, this is where their luck runs out.
Tapping into my sacred gear I activated my time stasis field which I have named [The World].
Also any haters can fuck off. I'm calling it [The World] no matter what any says.
Moving on, after I activated my power a dark blue sphere of energy extended from my body and covered the area for 15 meters in all directions.
My limit on range currently for this technique is 25 meters by the way. As for the time limit itself it depends, but right now I can sustain the field for 20 minutes straight when I am in top condition. It extends by 10 minutes when I am in my vampire form. But if I am injured I can only hold it for five minutes.
That's my current limit, which is why I came on this journey in the first place.
As everything stopped all around me, even the falling snow I walked up to our werewolf assailant and then froze them up to their necks in a three meter thick ice pillar. Once I accomplished that I canceled my power and time resumed.
"Fuck!" The werewolf screamed right at time resume. They looked shocked as all hell for a second, and then they tried to escape.
"It's useless." I told them, causing them to look at me.
"That ice is three meters thick, so even if you manage to break it I'll just freeze you again. Better to stop struggling." I said.
But the werewolf didn't take my advice. They continued to struggle to break free for a good five minutes, until finally they stopped.
"There was that so hard?" I questioned.
The werewolf shot me a dirty glare, but I ignored it.
"Right, let's get down to business." I began. "You are the one whose been killing the exorcist right?"
The werewolf stayed silent.
That's when I flared my power and looked at them with a cold gaze in my eyes. "Answer the question. You seem to think that I won't kill you, but make no mistake I will. So then, what's it going to be."
"Do it." The werewolf snarled at me in a male voice. "Just do it."
"You really don't care if you die?" I questioned.
"I'm already dead anyway so what's the point?" He questioned me. "But at least if you do it I won't have to go through the indignity of having those fucking pieces of filth exorcist defile my body. So do it, just kill me!" He roared.
When he did I toned down my body.
"What's the matter, too chicken?" He called out, trying to taunt me.
"No, not chicken." I said. "I just don't feel like helping you with your death wish. If I'm going to assist in the suicide of anyone, it's only going to be for the worst scum in this entire world."
And by assist in suicide I mean send straight to the afterlife.
"You on the other hand, you are only asking for death because you're running from something." I said.
"Fuck off!" He shouted. "What the hell do you know about me?!"
"Absolutely nothing. Well except for the fact that you are not a monster." I said. "I've read several reports about your activities, and not one of them mentioned you attacking our trying to attack civilians. Meaning you were only after the exorcists. So I would like you ask you why, just call it a passing curiosity."
The werewolf looked at me with an "Are you serious right now?" look. I just nodded and shrugged my shoulders in response.
This caused him to go dead silent for several seconds.
Until finally he sighed.
"Fine, if you want to hear my reason here it is." He began." Those pieces of shit exorcist killed my parents." He revealed.
'Ah, so its a revenge story.' I thought.
Common enough.
"Wh-" I turned my head to the left, and flared my power once again. "Come out right now, if you hide any longer I will take it as an act of aggression and properly dispose of you without hesitation, you are dangerously close to our territory after all."
A few moments after I spoke ten exorcists emerged from the trees, all of them holding light swords and light guns, and all of them dressed in that black BDSM exorcist uniform from canon.
All except one.
A male who stood in the front. He is my age with short white hair and red eyes, and he is also dressed in a green and yellow priest uniform.
'Well well this is rather unexpected.' I thought.
I never would have imagined I would run into Siegfried from the Hero Faction this early.
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