Chapter 165: The Corpse

  Inside Reinhart's library basement was damp and dimly lit, the air thick with the unbearable stench of decay.

  The wooden beams overhead groaned faintly as a group stood in a loose circle around the grotesque corpse sprawled out on the stone floor.

  It was an unnatural sight—the body of a man long since deceased, his flesh sallow and peeling, the gaping wound at the top of his skull oozing a foul mixture of brain matter and dark fluids.

  Whatever parasite had been latched onto him had self-destructed before they could study it, leaving only remnants of its presence behind.

  The putrid stench made everyone wince, covering their noses with cloth or sleeves—everyone except Abel, who remained fixated on the eerie silk strands still wrapped around the corpse.

  He turned his gaze toward Jenny, his tone neutral but inquisitive. "Who subdued it?"

  Jenny, still looking slightly nauseous, straightened her posture. "A gentleman named Bob Abatos. He’s from a family that recently moved into town."

  Elliot interjected before Abel could respond, arms crossed as he leaned against a nearby bookshelf. "I actually did some checking on them before coming here today. The Abatos family moved into a house at the end of Fifth Street, a few doors down from your place, Abel. They’ve kept to themselves mostly. Bob’s appearance today was the first real interaction anyone’s had with them." He exhaled sharply through his nose, shaking his head. "But since it was positive, I’m not complaining. The man did help, after all."

  Abel’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Did he use an artifact?"

  Jenny and Stuart exchanged glances before Stuart shook his head. "Not that we could tell. He shot some kind of webbing from his hands, but we didn’t see any relic or enchanted object when he did it."

  Abel nodded, but inwardly, his thoughts churned. No artifacts visible, but he can produce webbing? Interesting. He filed the information away for later.

  Turning back to the corpse, Abel crouched down, his keen gaze analyzing the jagged wound where the parasite had attached itself.

  The flesh around it was necrotic, blackened, and sickly, as if the body had been long dead before the creature ever took hold. Reaching into his robe, he pulled out a pair of gloves, slipping them on before prodding at the wound with careful precision.

  "The host was already dead before the parasite controlled it," Abel muttered, his voice quiet but carrying through the room. He leaned in closer, his fingers pressing lightly against the exposed bone. "And this—" He reached toward the gaping mouth of the corpse and hesitated. Something pulsed faintly in the darkness of its throat.

  Frowning, he grabbed a thin metal rod from a nearby table and carefully pried the mouth open further. Inside, nestled at the base of the throat, was a cluster of fleshy sacs—translucent, veined, and filled with a viscous fluid.

  Jenny stiffened. "Is that…?"

  "An egg sac," Abel confirmed, his voice laced with intrigue. "Whatever parasite this was, it laid these before it died."

  The room fell silent as the implications set in.

  Abel slowly pulled away, standing upright as he removed his gloves. He turned toward Burt, who had been watching with a grim expression. "Do we know where this thing came from?"

  Burt scratched the back of his head, his face lined with concern. "Locals said they saw it wandering in from the south," he said. "Even Bob Abatos mentioned he saw it coming from that direction."

  Abel hummed in acknowledgment, but inwardly, his suspicions sharpened. The tower’s warning about potential dangers in Reinhart still loomed in his mind, and the Abatos family, conveniently appearing around the same time as this incident, only added to his growing list of concerns. He wasn’t about to take Bob’s words at face value.

  Still, he kept his thoughts to himself for now. Instead, he gave a nod of understanding. "We’ll need to investigate the area to the south, then. If one of these things made it here, there could be more."

  Elliot exhaled. "Great. Just what we needed—more things creeping into town."

  Abel smirked faintly but didn’t comment further. He crouched once more, staring down at the corpse for a final moment. Whatever this parasite was, it wasn’t ordinary. Its ability to animate a dead body, to function and even reproduce while using a host—it was dangerous.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  His gaze flickered toward the silk strands still wrapped around the body, remnants of Bob’s intervention. Abel reached out, running his fingers over the delicate fibers. They were unnaturally strong—more questions than answers.

  With a sigh, he stepped back. "Destroy those sacs and cover it," he ordered.

  Two of the lieutenants moved quickly, pulling a thick cloth over the corpse, concealing its twisted form.

  The heavy atmosphere in the basement of the library had finally begun to dissipate as the group covered the grotesque corpse and moved to more different discussions.

  Abel crossed his arms, his sharp gaze scanning over the assembled officers. “Have there been any interesting additions to the enforcement team?” he asked, his voice steady but curious. “Are we seeing any real growth?”

  Burt, standing with his usual casual confidence, gave a nod. “Yeah, actually. Jet’s been making great progress,” he said. “His knowledge of magical artifacts has made the transition easier, and with the artifact he possesses, he’s become a strong candidate to lead his own small group as a lieutenant.”

  Abel considered this with a slight tilt of his head. Jet, huh? He had always shown promise, but leading a unit was a different kind of responsibility. Still, Abel trusted Burt’s assessment.

  “Who else?” Abel pressed.

  Burt exhaled, rubbing his chin. “Another individual applied recently. Has a magical artifact of his own. Seems like he just wants to settle down and build a life in Reinhart.”

  Abel’s expression didn’t shift, but internally, he noted the potential implications. People with magical artifacts rarely just "settled" without a deeper purpose.

  “Keep an eye on him,” he instructed. “And be extra cautious about the south. We still don’t know what’s out there, and I have a feeling we’ve barely scratched the surface.”

  The officers nodded in agreement.

  Abel turned to Elliot, who had been waiting for his turn to speak. The mayor’s arms were crossed, but there was an air of excitement in his stance. “Speaking of new arrivals,” Elliot said, “the tower’s sending a representative to take up a temporary position with the officer team while the institute is being built.”

  Abel raised an eyebrow, he had some info but obviously not the whole picture. “Who?”

  Elliot shook his head. “No clue yet. All I know is they’ll be staying in the temporary villa you used before moving into the Starry Villa.”

  Abel’s fingers tapped lightly against his forearm. The tower’s interest in Reinhart was growing, and while that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, it did mean more outside eyes on the town’s development. “Interesting,” he murmured.

  Seeing Abel’s interest, Elliot continued, shifting gears. “Construction on the institute is moving fast, but it’ll still take some time to finish. The tower’s requirements were pretty extensive.” He lifted a hand and began listing them off.

  “Living quarters for recruits, a large cafeteria, a dedicated training area, a transport system, and a three-story building for the HQ and management of the regular institute members.”

  Abel nodded, impressed. The scale was bigger than he expected. “A transport system?” he asked, unaware of this specific information.

  Elliot’s expression turned slightly puzzled. “They mentioned something called ‘big jellies’—whatever that is. Apparently, they’ll help create a transportation network throughout Bask. No idea what they are, but the tower seemed confident it would be an effective mode of travel.”

  A knowing smirk played at Abel’s lips. He knew exactly what they were. “They’re massive jellyfish-like creatures,” he said. “Domesticated and engineered for transport. They’re able to carry groups of people across long distances, gliding over land and water at an impressive speed.”

  Everyone in the room and Elliot’s eyes widened in astonishment. “That’s insane.”

  Abel chuckled, he had some positive thoughts on this development. “It is. And it means faster, safer travel across Bask. It seems Institute members will have the privilege of using them for free, along with other perks.”

  A ripple of excitement spread through the group. Even the officers, who were usually more grounded in their enthusiasm, exchanged eager glances.

  The prospect of a structured institute, better transportation, and more recognition for their efforts was a promising step forward. Long distance transportation was a privilege only to the nobles for as long as everyone could remember, this was remarkable.

  “This is really happening,” Elliot muttered, as if finally grasping the full scale of what was coming. He let out a short laugh. “Bask is changing for the better.”

  Abel said nothing, only giving a slow nod. He had always known that independence would reshape the region, but now, standing in the middle of a growing town, speaking with those responsible for securing its future, he could truly feel the momentum building.

  “Let’s not get too comfortable,” Abel finally said, breaking the moment. “There’s still work to do. Keep training, keep learning to use your artifacts properly, and keep an eye on the south.”

  The group collectively nodded, a shared sense of determination settling over them. The weight of responsibility loomed heavy, but so did the drive to strengthen their defenses.

  Elliot crossed his arms, his brow furrowed in thought. “We need more artifacts.” His tone was matter-of-fact, but there was an underlying urgency. “Our goal is ten lieutenants, and even with the new applicants, we’re still stuck at seven. If we want the enforcement team to be a real force in Reinhart, we need to equip them properly.”

  Abel leaned back slightly, considering the request. “It’s possible.” His fingers tapped absentmindedly against his side. “Especially with some of the recent… acquisitions I’ve made.” A flicker of amusement danced in his gaze, but he didn’t elaborate. “I could donate a few artifacts to the team. Strengthen your numbers.”

  Elliot raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Really? I might have some things that could interest you in a trade.”

  Abel’s grin widened. “Now that sounds promising.” The idea of expanding his collection was always appealing, and if it helped fortify the town in the process, all the better. “We’ll talk details later.”

  With that, they all left the library, each heading in different directions, their minds focused on the ever-growing future of Reinhart.