Eclipse - Act 4 - Cycle's End

Chapter 19 - Trouble Incoming

Dutch

Shock was not enough to describe the emotions that swelled through Dutch's chest after hearing the news from Winter.

"They're... all out? Every single one of them?" He asked her, wide eyed. He couldn't help but picture all those dots on the map of the Atlesian Wildlands suddenly vanishing, and that merely made the reality of how dire this situation was feeling even worse.

"That's correct, sir, and not only that, they've evolved far beyond what we've ever seen. They are all capable of the same instant adaptability that the Hounds were capable of. I watched a Beowulf grow wings and escape Atlas, meaning all of them no doubt have the same capabilities to leave Atlas seemingly unnoticed by the populace." Winter explained. Hearing that sent a shiver crawling down the back of his neck, and making the hairs on his skin stand on end with fear, he squeezed his stress ball repeatedly to manage the emotions in him.

"Shit, this situation just keeps on getting worse. Meaning the Grimm are no doubt here in Vale, right?" He asked her.

"If the Hound is, then no doubt the rest of the Grimm are, too. The only reason we found that Beowulf in there was because of a Cryostorm freezing it a few weeks ago." Winter explained, and Dutch nodded his head in understanding.

"And you said that someone was helping the Hound free the Grimm? And he was completely unharmed?" He asked.

"That's right, I've never seen anything like that before, outside of Salem, anyway." Winter explained, leaving Dutch puzzled. He got up and walked around his office, stopping at the large window that overlooked Vale, keeping his scroll to his ear.

"Hmm, from what I've been studying in Salem's old journal, she talked about a spell she used on the Children of Salem." Dutch explained, digging through the desk until he found the tattered old book. No matter how long he had been reading this book, it was always quite unnerving to be reading the journal of Salem. After everything she did and how long she lived, it was surreal. "Each of them were blessed with this secret spell that meant the Grimm would not harm them unless she released this spell. But after her death, that spell would have been erased."

"That and the last Child of Salem is Adam, and he's still locked away." Winter replied.

"That's true, but this is simply one of her journals. I know she wrote a lot. It's entirely possible she could have done the same for certain individuals who were not in her inner circle, ones that were just as loyal." Dutch explained, then Winter caught onto what he was thinking.

"Like a High Ranking Black Gallows Official, or a Feral One..." Winter realised, Dutch nodded his head.

"I remember seeing some Black Gallows individuals able to give orders to Grimm, even walk past them without the beasts giving them a look. Yes, when Salem was ruling, the Grimm worked with the Black Gallows and Feral Ones and walked the streets, but you remember how it was. Sometimes Grimm would just attack people for getting too close, civilians or soldiers. They were hard to control in that way. That's why the law demanded that everyone kept their distance from the beasts for their own safety." Dutch couldn't help but scoff at that.

"So we're dealing with a Follower of Salem who was once valued enough to be given this spell, and clearly is aware of it. Which means the spell doesn't wear off after Salem died..." Winter realised, then she furrowed her brow. "You were high ranking in the Black Gallows once. Did Salem ever give you that mark?"

"No, she never trusted me. Rightly so, she and Watts always suspected me of not playing fair to their side." Dutch replied. "But I do have some suspicions on which of the two that person could be, and that's the Feral Ones. They're getting desperate, and with their lieutenant dead, they're down to double digits. Nobody is going to reinforce them, and they're on the run. I would not put it past them to go to the Atlesian Wildlands in search of a new power to use to their advantage against the White Fang. But messing around with the Wildlands Grimm... that's a whole new level of mad."