The Chronicles of a Scalebound Sage: Wandmaker Vol.2

WM [18] Return To Your Lodging

The bar was closed, but people came in and went on official business since it was also the administration building. Ashley was in the middle of updating the monster hunting contract board which had grown sparse over the past few weeks. The scarcity of good contracts was the reason so many people joined the subjugation party of the armored chrysalis.

A small crowd had formed while she was tacking up the new contracts although people gave her time to finish her job before rushing the board. It was an unspoken rule amongst the Jackrabbits that you don't rush the person with the contracts. Ashley herself was no push over and was not afraid of getting in someone's face if they tried.

People were always excited on days the board was updated, new monsters meant more profit and potentially the first crack at a lucrative hunt. As she posted the last contract and stepped back the floodgates opened and the hunters who had been patiently waiting surged forward. A few fights for some of the higher paying contracts ensued almost immediately.

"I saw that one first, besides what are you going to do against a madness warp? Poke it with your little stick?" someone said.

"Little stick? That's not what your mother said," someone else replied.

Ashley sighed and walked away as the men became more irate. She did her job and if they wanted to fight over contracts she couldn't do anything about it even if she wanted to and she didn't. Whoever ends up getting the contract will have to come to her office anyway and she would have to sign off on it. It was how they tracked who was hunting what and if they went missing where they could start looking.

"Ashley?" a voice called out to her.

"If you have a contract you would like to take, please follow me," Ashley said without turning around.

"I finished my contract, but I have a message from Alfred."

Ashley spun on her heels to see the woman that was there earlier with her hydra familiar. The demon woman was tall, her eyes a golden hue that seemed to faintly glow. In her armor, she looked like a real monster huntress with the faint smattering of monster blood to boot. She had a regal calmness about her that isn't present in the monster hunters she is used to dealing with. She backed up a step when she saw the hydra trailing behind the demoness.

"Uh-yes," Ashley stuttered out.

The demoness saw Ashley was uncomfortable and told her familiar to wait while she talked to her. Ashley was relieved and guided the woman upstairs to her office. Once they were settled in the corner office she sat down and prepared herself mentally.

Tanisha looked around the office space; it was significantly neater than Alfred's. Ashley herself was a fair skinned woman and Tanisha guessed she was a young adult although human ages were difficult for her to tell. She was thin and had angular features. Tanisha left Bjorn down stairs since she also seemed to be afraid of him. Tanisha understood that not all people would appreciate his handsome charm so it didn't bother her.

Tanisha reintroduced herself as the woman didn't seem to know her name. She then recounted the events on the hunt and the sound they heard. Ashley's face blanched with horror at the mention of potentially multiple skinwalker sightings.

"Are you sure?" Ashley said.

"Alfred was pretty sure, yes," Tanisha said.

"Divines, where is he, is he okay?"

"He continued to the town to inform Robert and the city council. That is all he told me. He said I should come here to tell you."

"The city council? Yeah, I am sure they are going to issue a state of emergency until we are sure they are all dead."