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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Amelie's Diaries: The Statue of Anneliese
The diaries contained revelations about Anneliese's statue that no rational mind would have believed without firsthand experience of the horrors of the Reich der Finsternis. Mark Warren was subjected to several rounds of questioning to clarify doubts and break the meditative silence surrounding the events. Even he, however, denied knowing that the "artwork" was, in fact, the petrified body of one of the most fearsome sorceresses and alchemists to have ever lived in the region. Only now did Friedrich Holzmann's intense interest in the statue make sense.
Warren faced harsh accusations for desecrating the sorceress's body. Not only were he and his family condemned as perpetrators of a crime driven by greed, but his actions had also unwittingly contributed to rekindling the blood curse in Europe—the dreadful legacy of Anneliese Holzmann.
He remained stoic under the weight of their accusing stares, at least until Jake broke the silence.
"'That some unwary person would find her and a new dark age would begin,'" Jake repeated mockingly, his tone dripping with sarcasm as he side-eyed Warren. "Well, if we swap 'unwary' with 'moron,' I'd say the prophecy's been fulfilled."
The sharp comment drew a scowl from Warren, but before he could respond, Judith interjected with sharp authority.
"Hey! Nicht fluchen!" she reprimanded, wagging her finger at Jake. "Und ich meine es ernst!"
"Oh, es tut mir leid," Jake replied, raising his palms in mock surrender. Liz, however, could tell he wasn't genuinely sorry.
It wasn't the first time she'd heard him speak German; after all, foreign language proficiency was a prerequisite for recruitment into the Dark Forest Police Department (DFPD). Still, his quip brought a faint smile to her lips—it was reassuring to have him there.
"You know, Jake," she said, her tone light but with an undertone of seriousness, "I still can't figure out why they put a jerk like Max in charge instead of you. You'd make a much better interpreter."
Jake clutched his chest in an exaggerated show of gratitude. "I'm flattered," he said dramatically before his expression turned serious. "But honestly, Liz, there's a lot about this mission—and the institution—that doesn't add up."
Liz raised an eyebrow but didn't interrupt as he continued.
"I mean, look at Max," he said, gesturing vaguely. "Some of the higher-ups are clearly running their own agendas. When we're out of this nightmare, we'll have to dig deeper. Thompson's solid, but your brother and I both agree: Williams? Shady as hell."
Jake hesitated, glancing around before lowering his voice. "By the way, I lied about taking a two-week vacation. Instead of partying it up in Miami—margaritas, beaches, chicks and all that—I snuck onto this mission without authorization. Rick's got my back, though. He's watching over us."
