"I did not do it to impress Captain Percival." Awgin snaps, though he does sit up straighter. "I was just trying to keep it from escaping. If this thing decided to flee we could not have chased it."
Heward holds up both hands palms out. "I never said you did it to win a medal. I'm just saying it was one of the bravest things I've ever seen. Makes me proud to be in this team."
"That means a lot coming from you, Law-man. You were pretty good yourself."
Laya and Calatin escort the Tarrigans inside the Cathedral, easily tracking down the Cryptmistress. The infected from the warehouse have all fallen asleep in a hastily erected hospital ward in an inner room. She looks up and smiles wearily and grimly.
"Two more? Welcome, friends. I can heal one more person of this disease now, and in a few hours will be able to help the other. Have no fear, we will halt its terrible progress in both of you."
"Begging your pardon, Cryptmistress," Mr. Tarrigan says, "but, if you please, use your magics on my wife. The creature did not infect me. It told me that it needed me free to do his bidding without any changes. That if I served it well enough, it would undo what it had done to Mona."
"Well, rest assured, sir, that creature could not have undone what it did, even if it had wanted to, but I can. Laya, could you bring me that staff?" The Cryptmistress points to a smooth white staff leaning against a wall. Once she has it, she holds it over the infected woman, utters a command word, and glowing magical energies suffuse her body, ridding her of the disease.
After he escorts his wife to an empty bed, Mr. (Farron) Tarrigan turns back and asks, "Cryptmistress? Do you know of a Pharasma midwife named Wynoma Pierce? These heroes mentioned that she had died. The creature spoke of her often. Tomorrow morning, I was to come here and find her and bring her to the creature. Something to do with the diamonds he had me steal."
The Cryptmistress goes pale. "I am she," she says. "No doubt these good people had good reason for their deception. The creature used to be a person, someone I knew long ago. No doubt he thought I could help his condition. He was mistaken." She heads for the door, turning back for a moment.
"You are both welcome to stay here at the temple until we are certain that you are both free and clear of the disease and we've been able to restore any permanent damages. Get some sleep. We all need sleep." With that, she departs.
Mr. Farrigan turns back to the group. "She seems very sad. Was she close to the creature?" He shakes his head, as if that's not really what's on his mind. "Officers, may I remain here until I am certain Mona is well? I will swear whatever oath you wish to remain here and turn myself in to you once she is declared cured."
Laya watches sadly as the Cryptmistress departs. "Yes, they were close," she replies. "Before it became what it now is."
She spins round rather suddenly as Mr Tarrigan asks about remaining with his wife. All signs of sadness are gone from her face and she beams at him. "I think we can trust to that. Indeed, I may stay here myself. It's late and I'm tired. Walking back to MSI headquarters does not feel appealing at the moment. I'm sure Heward and Captain Percival won't mind if we don't report in until the morning." A flicker of a frown on her face makes it clear that she's not entirely convinced of that, but that doesn't seem to deter her.
She looks around for a place to lie down, spots an empty bed, and starts to head over to it. Then she stops. "No, I should save the beds for those who need them most." She turns around again and sits down against a wall. "This will do just fine," she says with a yawn.
The rest of you staying as well?
"Calatin, Awgin, let's get this head into a cell and catch some sleep."
All shops are closed, as it's about four in the morning. Your HQ is only a few blocks away.
"Let's get this thing locked up." Awgin resists giving the head monster a 'thump'.
"Let's get this thing locked up." Awgin resists giving the head monster a 'thump'.
"Good idea."
On the way back Heward wonders how the rest of the watch has done. Were there any more vargouilles out there? Maybe he should have brought Tarrigan in for interrogation right now. Maybe he was just too tired to think straight.
He shakes his head and asks, "Calatin, do you think we got them all?"
****
Once back at MSI headquarters, Heward sends runners to let the other precincts know Mital's been captured. He looks at the mound of paperwork on his desk and sighs. Tomorrow, we're back on the mage case.
After Awgin makes sure the vargouille is taken care of, he takes the time to douse himself with water to get the bulk of the grime off of himself before collapsing in his bunk.
"I think so, but if not it will soon become apparent," said Calatin.
Priorities whirl through Heward's head. Sleep, paperwork, go out and get drunk, visit his parents, fish. The mage case tips the scales. Sleep it is. Before turning in he leaves a note for Mrs Brigglespan to wake him at dawn and walks to the cells for a last look at their captive.
Awgin wakes early in the mornning and goes to the roof. He enjoys a few moments of quiet in his burgeoning garden before the day begins in earnest.
Heward wakes at Mrs. Brigglespan's call. After thanking her, he washes and shaves. He ponders the day past and the day to come. We need to find out how many Mital infected. The cryptmistress may be of help.
Drying his face he walks across the room to his desk and starts his report. Commendations for Awgin, Laya, and Calatin for bravery in the face of an unusual and deadly foe. No recommendation for the fate of the Tarrigans, although their cooperation once entry had been forced was noted. He ends it with recommendations for 1. expert interrogation of Mital Cobbers to determine the number of his victims and 2. the continuation of squad-sized nighttime patrols in neighborhoods where vargouilles were. He stares at the report and wonders briefly if the recommendations overstep his bounds. Then he signs it and runs it down to Mrs. B's desk.
" Seen any of the others yet, Mrs. Brigglespan?"
Surprised to find the desk empty, Heward leaves the report and goes upstairs to the roof, looking for Awgin.
"How'd you sleep? We did good work last night, but we have this killer mage case to deal with today. We'll have to be sharp."
Awgin takes note of Heward's approach, but pretends not to, trying to eek out the last few moments of peace in his garden. The flimsy illusion is shattered once Heward speaks though. "I slept well I guess. And last night was pathetic." Awgin responds. Obviously not happy with their performance. "We bumbled around until we got lucky. If that thing had any skill we'd all be dead. But we're not and the bad guy was captured, so I guess that's something." He concedes. "We will have to do better, be better organized to take down the wizard."
Heward frowns. The halforc was right. It took some of the sheen off last night. He nods grudgingly.
"You're right of course. We bungled the fight. We didn't have weapons for a flying enemy. We have to do better there. But we did the ground work. We got ourselves where we needed to be. We did that right."
He shakes his head and catches up to Awgin's last comment. "You really are right. We have to do better. A mage. We need to be able to hit him if he flies, turns invisible, enchants us. Calatin and Laya are going to have to protect us there. We'll get their advice on gear or counter charms. If we find him. We don't have a lot to go on yet. I wish Wizzo would be more forthcoming. How do we find this joker?"
From up on the roof, Heward and Awgin see Captain Percival making his way towards HQ. He spots you up on the roof and offers you a quick salute before heading inside.
Awgin returns the salute. He brushes as much dirt and dust from himself as he can before going to meet Captain Percival.
Heward smiles at Awgin's enthusiasm to please the captain. And hurries in the halforc's wake, no less eager to please.