[In the latest news, last night, following an anonymous call, the police department organized an inspection of an old building. What was initially supposed to be a routine check ended with a shocking discovery.]
[Later, Officer Cortez, the first to arrive at the scene, described it as something out of a horror movie. Five people were scattered around the scene, bleeding profusely, with enormous wounds inflicted on various limbs, and most shockingly, each of them was still alive.]
[The victims in this case were criminals, responsible for the kidnapping of three 10-year-old girls. The parents thanked the person who provided the information that made this rescue possible.]
[After a thorough analysis, it was revealed that the wounds were caused by the animal leaving its prey. This raised a new question: would an animal be capable of leaving its prey alive? Which animal was responsible, and most importantly, where is it now?]
This news was reported on most major news channels, narrated by various reporters but all from the scene of the incident.
The newspapers were no better; various headlines such as [Beast or Hero: Massacre and Recapture in the Same Place] [Unknown Creature Roams the City] [Are We Really Safe With Something Like This on the Streets] occupied the front pages.
Social media buzzed with discussions: "What caused these events?" "An animal or a beast?" A certain group of people even began to idolize the event, naming the creature "Grimm" after an anonymous user shared a very poor-quality photo of a wolf-shaped shadow. Comparing its size to the door frame, they estimated its height to be at least two meters. Many users theorized that it could have been the work of a werewolf, a theory dismissed since there was no full moon on the day of the events.
Main Dining Room, Stone Family House
"Honey, how did you find the missing girls?" Catherine asked.
"Actually, it was pretty simple. I found one of the families' addresses, climbed in through a second-floor window in my cat form, and stole a handkerchief… ahem… ahem." Will tried to change the subject, realizing he'd been tricked.
"Too late, go on," Uriel said.
"Aren't they angry?" Will asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
"Your mother's a little upset."
"You should have warned us sooner. It's normal to want to test your new skills, but that was dangerous. There was a shotgun. Even with your physique, it would have been a problem," Catherine continued, giving Will a warning look.
(There was no mention of a shotgun in the news.) (William)
(Even if he takes the form of a bloodhound, finding those girls is quite a feat. If it were that easy, the police and their K-9 unit would have found them days ago.) (Uriel)
"After that, it was easy to find their hideout. I followed the trail, scouted the place, and attacked when they were off guard," Will continued, feeling a pang of guilt. If they were going to find out anyway, it was better if it was from him.
"You were careless. Someone even managed to take a picture of you, and you could have gotten rid of them completely," Uriel said. (There were only a few Normis.)
"Get rid of them?..." William replied.
"That was unnecessary. You don't have to do it if it's not necessary, honey. Ignore that last bit." His mother quickly spoke up after sensing his discomfort. Dinner ended harmoniously; judging by his tone, his father was proud of him, as was his mother.
Forest near Stone House
"I figured you'd come today. You've been hanging around for the last three days." Uriel's voice echoed through the empty forest. He was sitting on a log cut into a makeshift chair.
"Ohooo, you knew you'd come!" a voice replied casually in the darkness.
"Your son was careless; he barely got a little way from the building before changing again. It was easy to figure out where he lived after that; I just had to follow him from a distance."
"You can start now. I don't have all night, and I suppose you don't have the last full moon of the month either." (Uriel) His tone was flat, showing no interest in knowing who the man was or continuing the conversation.
(The leader of those five new invalids was probably out looking for a buyer.)
"Alright, arghhhh!" The strange screams came from the man's throat as he transformed into a grotesque werewolf—thin, tall, and with large bald patches. He looked sick, though he still retained most of his power.
As soon as he finished transforming, he lunged at Uriel, opening his jaws wide and tearing at him with both front paws. Uriel dodged him with a simple step to the right, calmly and without panic.
"Arghhhh rrfra" The werewolf screamed in pain as a gaping wound opened on his right side. Silently, a delicate silver sword, adorned with gold details, appeared in Uriel's hands.
He frantically tore at the wound with his left claws in a desperate attempt to inflict it, but as a result, his left hind leg was severed at the heel with a clean cut, blood spurting across the area.
(Let's finish this) (Uriel)
Before the werewolf could attack a third time, its head was severed from its neck with a clean cut; the exchange had taken five seconds.
"Your turn, Love," Uriel whispered before disappearing into the trees toward his house.
Immediately, hundreds of roots erupted from the earth, swallowing the corpse as deeply as possible. While all this was happening, William lay wrapped in his sheets, fast asleep.
William's Room, Stone House
"You've packed everything, you haven't forgotten anything, Will," Catherine said, watching William sprawled on the bed, fiddling with his phone. She was tempted to pinch his cheeks, but changed her mind when she saw all his suitcases and backpack already packed.
"Nothing at all. I'm taking everything I think I'll need, but I really don't need to bring my tools and materials. I want to keep helping Dad with his work," Will replied, looking away to meet his mother's gaze.
"I already spoke with your father. We'll send them to you by courier, and we'll talk to Larissa about a place where you can work." His mother continued, smiling gently. "Larissa and I are good friends from our student days. We haven't talked much; she's very busy with school... Anyway, your dad wants to give you something. Come downstairs in a moment."
(Larissa Weems, the headmistress of Nevermore Academy, asked me if she's as tall as she is in the show, 1.9 meters.) Will thought about that tall and imposing headmistress as he slowly descended the stairs.
Living Room.
"Here you are, son, a farewell gift." His mother handed him a small, delicate box. Inside lay a beautiful watch. Without wasting a moment, his mother gently took it, slipped it onto his wrist, and gave him a tight hug. She wouldn't see him for at least a couple of months.
William hugged her back affectionately. He was reluctant to leave his family. Two months with them had allowed him to experience their warmth and love.
"This is for you, son. It belonged to your grandfather, and now it's yours," he said seriously, placing a long briefcase on the center table. Inside, he found three elongated cylinders and a long, sharp, yet delicate and beautiful spearhead, adorned with intricate designs and decorations in gold and silver.
"Your grandfather's spear. If you accept it now, it will become a family tradition. I inherited my grandfather's sword, and you inherited my father's—that is, your grandfather's." He skillfully took each of the three cylinders and fused them together to form a short spearhead.
"Its handle is expandable, and the tip splits into three." Uriel smiled at her astonished face before slowly handing it to her. It was dangerous to handle the spear inside the house; they risked damaging a sofa or a flowerpot.
"Uwaaaaa!!!"
"Who hasn't wanted to use a sword or spear at some point? And this one is gorgeous!" (William)
"Okay, enough of this manly stuff. Put the suitcases in the car; we have to go." (Catherine)
"Huh? We're not taking a flight," William said.
"That was the original plan. Now we're driving to Jericho," his mother declared firmly, refusing to take no for an answer. His father was already loading the suitcases into the car.
(I guess I won't see you for a while. I'll miss you, warm house... especially my giant beanbag... maybe I'll buy another one in Nevermore.) William was a little excited and a little sad—excited to finally go to Nevermore and sad to be leaving the house he called home.
"You'll be back next summer. Your sister will be home then too. Maybe it'll be time to do something as a family," his mother remarked, noticing his slight sadness.
(Phew, that'll give me time to explain my change in attitude to my sister. My parents might have attributed it to the awakening of my abilities, but my sister might be suspicious.)
Yale University
"Achuu"
(Is Will thinking about me again? According to the date, he should be starting at Nevermore Academy by now. I hope he has as much fun there as I do.)
A beautiful young woman sneezed delicately. She was sitting in the sunlight, drinking coffee in a café. From every angle, she looked like a very popular girl, from her fashionable clothes to her delicate accessories.