“The earthquake struck the regions of Umbria and Marche, causing part of the Basilica of St. Francis at Assisi to be ruined.”

Robert stopped his car not far from the shop that called him. He walked close to the shop and smelled something sticky. It smelled of fluid used in a morgue from one of the scents he picked up.

Cocking his tranquilizer. He moved forward, climbed the second floor of the shop, and marked the walls after clearing. Loose clothing and gauze on the floor. The sink was still wet and there was a droplet of blood on the bottom of the sink. 

Robert used all of his senses at once and followed a trail leading to the basement. The hatch was hidden by the floormat. He quietly pried the floormat off the floor and then took a peek inside.

He felt that sickly feeling. He pulled back. Wrote a seal on the back of his hand before taking the pin off the flashbang and smoke. He dropped the flashbang first and then the smoke. He closed the hatch and waited for the smoke to settle before peeking down.

He saw a creature that was on the floor not moving. It was a man in his thirties that had merged with this dog-like creature. Robert examined the creature before stomping his foot on the creature’s leg thrice. He snapped the creature’s limbs and then bound it with the binding light and dragged the creature out of the basement. He took his wootz steel blade out and cut the tendons of the creature before calling a number.

“Paul. Got here a mutant. Failed to summon a hellspawn. I need the building and perimeter closed.”

“Got it.”

Robert drew blood and sealed the creature’s movements with binding lights. He then secured the building before taking a position where he could spot anyone entering the building from all sides.

The creature woke up and then looked at the binding light searing through his skin.

“What's this?”

“Binding lights. Got options for you, sir. You stay still. And we’ll see if you can be cured. The second option is you resist and I put a bullet in your head and send you to the depths of hell for violating it.”

Fear came into the eyes of the man. He could tell that there was no jest or compromise in Robert’s voice. Robert didn’t want to scare the man truly so he squatted down and tapped the barrel of his pistol on the floor.

“Why do it?”

Robert had to ask. The creature that was once a man trembled before speaking in a subdued hopeless voice. His tone was full of regret and despair and rage.

“I wanted to bite my enemies to death… I was hoping that a spawn from hell could do it for me.”

“Oh.”

Robert nodded slowly. The creature was surprisingly honest, then again he probably had a feeling that he couldn’t escape Robert. The moment he got caught by Robert, this creature wouldn’t be able to escape.

Cars stopped in front of the building with police markings on them. Paul entered the building and had the officers with him block the entrances of the building.

Paul walked up to the creature and checked the area that fused with the person. He whistled.

“Fused soul and flesh. This fucker messed up the spell pattern and ritual by a long shot. Probably spoke the verses wrong. Friend, how you speak the words of power will make the difference.”

Robert pocketed his hands. Sunlight entered the gaps while the rest of the officers searched the building. After clearing the area, they dragged the creature to the back of the armored truck with officers guarding them.

Robert sat outside of the store with his eyes on the sky.

“Bothered?”

Paul walked out, lighting a cigarette with his finger.

“Not really. Could be finding those shitheads. Not complaining that we’re fighting cultist fucks, but it’s still a bother that there’s a lot of cases like this.”

“Saint Lucius is an aberrant. They told once that this city wasn’t supposed to exist. A blind seer told me that a place like Saint Lucius wasn’t supposed to exist. It’s a well-accepted theory.”

“A well-accepted theory?”

“You need to read up, Oswald. It is said that there was a shift that allowed Saint Lucius to exist. That these lines created a conjunction that led to this world. Think of it. They say that it wouldn't be long before our world’s scale. From magic to technology. To technology to magic. It can work both ways, no?”

Paul checked the bracer that he got recently. It was the same bracer that Robert was wearing. Modified and fine-tuned to pierce through steel if fired. Robert didn’t hand over the batteries and just allowed them to make it themselves without his supervision.

Usually, Juliana could convince him with a glare and a demand. This time Robert didn’t budge at all. Stared Juliana in the eye as he said only one word to her.

“No.”

Juliana usually could talk him down. Make him obey, but this time there was no convincing Robert who held a belief that it shouldn’t be handed over recklessly.

When the building was clear. Paul left first. Robert stayed in front of the building before driving his car back to the headquarters and started his report about the situation around the city.

Continuous activities of people trying to summon hell spawns and end up fusing with the creatures they summon. It had been the fifth case and from the looks of it, there was nothing else to do other than have the enforcers take notice, stop the summoners, and eliminate the problems caused by the unruly summoners violating the laws of the world.

Pulling creatures from hell and ending up causing themselves to become a fusion of them. Abominations without nothing to live for other than the selfish desire that drove them to summon these spawns to the mortal plane.

 

***

 

Robert pressed the final key on his report.

After finishing the report he looked at the schematics he had noted. He took the report from his desk. The report stated that after the Magi Families started their war.

Most of the Western Europe Cult had banded together to resist the provocation from the Magi Families. It was an end-of-the-century witch hunt that involved those who did not obey the Laws set by the Magi Families.

Four hundred in the first few months alone.

Most of the battles were done in remote areas where they could fully use their arms and weapons to compete with themselves. It came to Robert whether in the past or the future. Battles remained the same. They use whatever weapon they have to win against their enemies. The future that Robert knew had people use cutting-edge technology to kill.

Monsters made of steel. Men that have fused with chrome and plastic to extend their lifespan. Robert could liken it to the carved runes. Implants were made possible because the tech and runes were made to do the same thing, the difference is that it was tech instead of magic.

Was his mind reverting to the old one? That pessimist who wanted nothing more than to find a cushy job and retire somewhere? At least this time he didn’t have to worry about a geothermal sky. Some fucker in the streets going mad and spewing bullets at him. Robert stopped thinking. He ground his teeth at the maddening thought before taking that thought away.

Like a clock ticking. His eyes hardened before he squeezed his brows to concentrate on the report. He’s a lap dog. A bystander to the affairs of the strong. 

What changed? Other than being a dog to another. I thought you had enough of this life, Kato? Back to being on the leash, but at least you’re free and you earned well, right? You have magic. You have everything. What’s there to hate, Kato?

Robert leaned back in his chair. Somehow letting Rubio Ferric go gave him an awful taste in the mouth. Then again the organization he was in thrived on the idea of taking care of the affairs. But after spending enough time. He had realized that CASE thrived on the donations spent by the Magi Families who wanted to keep the status quo for everyone.

It was not about goodness. It was about making sure that the affairs of that side of the world stayed on that side of the world. The reports he read made it clear that they weren’t good either. 

Interest comes first, and when the other side leaks. They’re the ones who come to fix them. They were the fixers. The shadows that make sure that this side of the world doesn’t leak out. But he came to know something as well.

That when the millennium bug fades everything magical. What’s left will be just a collection of hardened soldiers that fought the supernatural up for taking.

Like pieces of pawns that will be ripe for the taking. If some retain their powers then they’ll be the ones who’ll gain something. Miss Sinclair and the top seem to have plans. Too lenient over Ferric’s case. Wilson wasn’t happy either that they let go of the case, thinking of them as cowards, no, apathetic bastards that cared only when it bothered them. Ferric is smart for knowing this and got away by minimizing his loss through compromise.

Robert lifted the report about a shootout in Tripoli involving Sin-Eaters and Ferric’s men who took down their magicians. He could guess what happened and how Ferric wormed his way out of the problem.

Robert caught sight of a report. He skimmed through the report and saw that it was a report from the Enforcers about Leona Lionheart proposing to hunt down the criminals.

Hunt down the criminals who stained this city. Let them know that only the Pact rules this city of ours. They will bend. They will obey.

“Strong words for the Lioness. Why were we called off when something happened? Are they going to hit us?”

Robert was about to ponder when he was called to the office of the Lieutenant. The lieutenant looked like he didn’t sleep. As if he was about to crack.

“Lieutenant.”

“Oswald. You’ve been doing good. Among the Enforcers your martial abilities are well-accepted. I’d like to ask you to take care of a problem with us. Wilson will be accompanying you in regards to a new problem.”

The lieutenant threw a dossier on his desk. Robert opened the dossier and in the dossier was the picture of a man who they only call Yaga. The recent criminal warlord that entered Saint Lucius.

“He got here and set shop fast. How?”

“Magicians. This time the Lupus is backing them. At least we think that they are ordered by the Lupus Family to handle the criminal syndicates to take control.”

Robert grunted.

“The reaction of the Lionheart?”

“Nothing. The Lionheart does business legally through their own means. This means that even if they control the city, it doesn’t matter as long as they stay out of their business.”

“What do you actually want me to do, sir?”

“Go with Wilson. Try to get anything out of them and learn their motives. It’d be best if you try to approach it quietly. We don’t want to bruise them for now.”

Robert nodded slowly. The lieutenant looked him in the eyes.

“You did well, Enforcer. But I want you to understand that when it comes to this side of the world. You’re one of the people who had the experience and skill.”

“Lots of trust, sir.”

“‘Cause I know you can, Oswald. Meet up with Wilson and ask him about Yaga’s Syndicate. We need to know if they are going to be a problem. If they are… then I hope you can prepare for some drastic actions.”

Robert was getting a read on what the Lieutenant was hinting at. He nodded his head and left the office, calling Wilson.