Several disappearances and unexplained events have been registered shorty after the commercialization of an ancient statue linked to some legends from a mysterious place called "Reich der Finsternis" in eastern Germany, there is no know route leadin...
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A sleepless night
The night was quiet. Outside the tents, only the steady footsteps of the officers on duty and their hushed conversations could be heard. Each of the American agents had been invited to share a tent with other officers. Liz was sharing hers with Steffi and another agent named Katrin, with whom she hadn't had much interaction. Despite feeling relatively secure in the camp, sleep eluded her. The searing images of the village and the uncertainty about what lay ahead gnawed at her. Her brief stay in Reich der Finsternis had made one thing clear: bravery wasn't just about heroic deeds and defending others, but also about facing your deepest fears, something her father had taught her long ago.
Normally, she would have leaned on Bernard in moments like these, but the protocols of the German agents prohibited men and women from sharing sleeping quarters. Steffi had shown herself to be kind and empathetic, but she was fast asleep, and Liz didn't want to disturb her.
The autumn wind blew hard against the tent, producing eerie, whispering sounds. Even with the cold outside, Liz felt uncomfortably warm, sweat gathering on her skin even though she wasn't wearing her black leather jacket. The air carried the scent of damp earth and something more, something unsettling, despite the fact it hadn't rained. Deep down, she knew this heat wasn't due to the environment—it was coming from within. Along with the wind, she heard faint, disturbing roars. Her vision blurred, distorting the space around her until she couldn't make out anything. In her mind, grotesque scenes of bloody rituals unfolded in vivid, terrifying detail. The panic that surged within her became unbearable, forcing her to sit up with a sharp cry. Suddenly, reality snapped back into place, but a burning sensation gripped her abdomen. Lifting her black tank top, she noticed a faint trace of blood seeping from the healed wound.
Liz gasped for air, sweat trickling down her forehead and neck. Outside, the wind continued to howl, leaves scraping against the tent with a soft rustling sound. Her heavy breathing and quiet groans had woken Steffi, who gently sat up, her eyes finding Liz in a state of distress. Despite her exhaustion, Steffi quickly came to Liz's side, whispering words of comfort.
"Ist alles ok mit dir?" Steffi asked, half-sitting on her stretcher, momentarily forgetting Liz didn't speak German. "Sorry, is everything all right?"
Liz raised her hand, trying to signal she was fine, though her pale, shaken face said otherwise. Not convinced, Steffi approached her cautiously.
"I'm fine," Liz sighed. "It was just a nightmare... I think."
Steffi didn't look convinced. She studied Liz for a moment, then spoke again in a soft, reassuring tone.
"Look, I know we don't know each other well, but I want you to know I'm here to help however I can. I can see you're feeling dizzy and maybe a bit chilled," she said, her words calming Liz. "And it looks like something's bothering you in your abdomen. Would you like me to take a look?"
Steffi's genuine concern broke through Liz's defenses. She nodded, hoping that with Steffi's medical background and experience with the bizarre events surrounding Reich der Finsternis, she might offer some insight into what was happening to her.
Liz lay back on her stretcher as Steffi began a thorough examination. She checked Liz's temperature, blood pressure, and pulse with a level of precision and care Liz wasn't accustomed to. Though she hadn't been injured much during her training or missions, no one had ever looked after her quite like this. She realized she was in the hands of a doctor who truly cared for the well-being of others.
"Your vitals are mostly normal, though your heart rate is a little elevated," Steffi said softly. "Could you tell me more about what you saw in your dream? And what exactly is bothering you in your abdomen?"
Liz hesitated briefly before opening up to Steffi. She described the strange, haunting vision she had experienced, her voice growing quieter as she recounted the eerie chapel. Steffi's expression shifted, her concern deepening as Liz spoke.
"Wait, you woke up in a chapel?" Steffi asked, alarmed. Liz nodded, her astonishment mirroring Steffi's concern, her mind racing with the implications of such a story. Steffi watched her as she clutched her abdomen, trying to manage the burning sensation. "Come on, let me see what you've got there!"
Liz had no choice but to comply. She climbed onto the gurney and lifted her shirt, exposing the bleeding scar shaped like a five-pointed star. The doctor gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in disbelief. Liz felt a surge of panic as her heart rate spiked.
"It's just a few scratches, isn't it?" Liz asked, her voice tinged with desperation as she struggled to understand the severity of her condition.
"At first glance, it seems like that, but..." Steffi's sudden pause indicated she had something unsettling to say. Liz's anxious gesture revealed her eagerness to know the truth. Steffi closed her eyes momentarily and sighed.
"Here's the thing," Steffi said gently, "I still don't know exactly what's going on. The five-pointed star you've got is an emblem seen in all the chapels around here. But it doesn't stop there," she paused to catch her breath before continuing, "I'm responsible for examining the bodies of villagers who've fallen in our skirmishes. We've found this same scar on many of them."
Liz's breathing quickened, and her pale face became even more pronounced. Steffi gently urged her to lie back on the gurney, trying to keep her calm.
"This doesn't look good, then," Liz said with a heavy sigh.
"Just try to stay calm. It's probably just a mark," Steffi replied, though she was clearly troubled by how rapidly it had healed. "I'm going to take a blood sample and give you something to prevent infection for now. Do you have any allergies?"
Liz shook her head and allowed Steffi to proceed. As Steffi worked, Liz turned her gaze to the top of the tent and lay her head on the pillow. The icy wind seeped through the tent's opening, casting long shadows from the trees in the camp's light.
After finishing the examination, it was just after two in the morning. The wind had died down somewhat, but a light drizzle disturbed the brief silence, not quite turning into rain. Liz lay on the stretcher, listening to the soft patter of raindrops on the tent. She closed her eyes, trying to find solace in the familiar sound.
Outside, the voices of the German officers grew increasingly loud and anxious, clearly indicating something was wrong. Suddenly, the tent flap was yanked open, revealing Bernard's distressed face. His expression made it clear he had troubling news.
"Bernard, for God's sake, what's wrong?" Liz asked, her voice filled with worry as she propped herself up to see her friend.
Knowing Bernard, Liz understood it was unusual for him to enter so abruptly unless it was an emergency.
"It's Max," Bernard said, his voice tense and urgent. "I've been searching for him with other agents, and he's missing! He's nowhere to be found!"
