WALKÜREN - THE THREE MARIAS - Chapter Eleven

 WALKÜREN - THE THREE MARIAS

Chapter Eleven

Juvencio was tired of riding that day. He had scoured the entire surrounding village looking for clues, but nothing. He couldn't find anything that could give him even an idea of what might be haunting the region. He knew that, during the day, it would be almost impossible to find any signs denoting spectral attack... but he hoped to find something, any indication, of what kind of beast he was facing. He knew that, probably, the monster at the time would have feline characteristics. Well, if you've already faced dog monsters, it wouldn't make much difference... in terms, of course. After all, cats were much more slippery than canids. And the greatest proof was the fact that he had been pounding the track for days without finding anything. The sun was starting to go down on the horizon... our friend was a long way from the nearest village, so he didn't have much choice... he would go camping right there. He was close to the river, so there would be no shortage of water to take a shower and make his coffee. And if he wanted to, he could have fish for dinner. But he didn't, not tonight. He took from his saddlebag the blanket of dried meat that he always carried on his wanderings, cut a generous piece, put it on a skewer that he had made with a tree branch and roasted it in the fire he had lit. After eating his improvised barbecue, he drank a generous mug of coffee that he had brewed a little earlier, stretched his skin next to the fire, covered himself and tried to rest a little. Soon he closed his eyes and slept deeply, which was not normal for him... anyway, he only woke up when the sun was already high, the next morning...

Half an hour later our friend was back on his black sorrel, going back to looking for clues... and, for the first time, he found some kind of sign... near where he had rested, there were some footprints... something tried approach him... but her talismans had prevented her. Yes, Juvêncio always carried several talismans with him, which he had acquired throughout his life. They were protective shields against forces from beyond... and apparently they had saved his life tonight. Juvencio carefully examined the marks on the ground... they were like nothing he had ever seen before. If asked what had left the marks there, he would have to be honest and say he didn't know. He surveyed the terrain cautiously. He noticed that, out of nowhere, the marks disappeared. Well, whatever it was, it tried to attack him in his sleep...

Around two in the afternoon Juvêncio was back in town. He went straight to the police station. After all, he needed to find out about the news in the region. He found the sheriff in his office, talking to the Coroner. He greeted them, was invited to sit down, which he readily accepted. He was soon informed that, during his absence, five people had been killed by the beast... Juvêncio was thoughtful... this was not normal... usually these beasts attacked one, two people per moon... this one had already made ten victims in less than a week... He thought of a hypothesis and he didn't like the idea at all... it wasn't just one beast that was attacking, but a bunch of them... and that would complicate the situation a little more. situation...

- But what do you mean, Chief?

- I'm telling you guys... it's not just one monster! There are many victims... and one far from the other...

- But... don't they say that these mystical beasts can go from one corner to another in a matter of seconds?

- Yes and no...

- Like this?

- Like everything else in this world, they also follow rules. Yes, we can say that these monsters wear "seven league boots"...

- Can you explain it better?

- Of course, doctor... we say that something... or someone... wears seven-league boots when that entity is capable of transporting itself from one place to another instantly...

- And this... creature... is capable of this...

- I don't know why, but I don't think so. At least for me, it's a bunch of parasites we're up against...

- And why do you think that?

- Do you have a map of the region?

- Yes of course...

Deputy Santana went to the closet and got a map. Of course, this map should have been fixed to the wall, but for some reason, the delegate preferred to keep it safe... after laying it out on the table, the three of them stared at it for a few moments. Finally Juvencio asked...

- How many attacks were there tonight?

- Five...

- Five victims?

- Yes... all dead in the same way...

Juvencio studied the map for a few moments...

- Santana... where were the bodies found?

The delegate took some notes, always under the watchful eye of Juvêncio....

- And then, Santana?

- So what?

- Looking at these points, would you say it was just a beast attacking everyone?

After carefully examining the marks, Santana was forced to agree with Juvêncio... the locations were too far away for just one beast to be attacking the region.

- You said that we are being victims of a bunch of parasites...

- And that's what they are. After all, it depends on sucking our life to survive...

- Well, in that case, we would be too, wouldn't we?

- Philosophy at this stage of the championship, Doctor Carneiro?

- It's not that, chief... it's just that we also take lives to continue surviving...

- Yes, I know... it's the Law of Nature... for one to survive, another must die...

- Okay... now we're in good shape... How about we turn our attention to our current problem?

- What would it be...?

- Did you notice anything special about these attacks?

- Everybody died?

- Yes... but besides that...

- No, I can't see anything...

- Me neither...

- Guys, if we draw a line, connecting the points of the attacks, we will have a pentagram...

-  And...?

- A pentagram... still don't get it?

- I am not. And you, doctor?

- To be honest, I didn't understand anything...

Juvêncio puts his hand on the table, discouraged... apparently, he was the only one seeing something abnormal in those attacks...

- What about Torquato?

- What about him, delegate?

- I needed to talk to him...

- Now it's not possible... he went to visit his family... and they live far away...

- Come back soon?

- In a month, more or less... his father is sick...

- All of a sudden, he doesn't come back...

- Why?

-It's just that his father is the chief of the tribe... if he dies, Torquato takes over his father's place...

- I didn't need anything else...

- What is it, deputy?

- Nothing, nothing! Well, whatever, I'm going to visit him in the tribe, so...