Grolm walked back to the station. One of the probationary officers walked up to him. "So I hear you found something interesting at that murder scene sir. Is there anything you can share at this time?"
Grolm smiled. "Not yet. Shadar is still translating the book and apparently it's slow going. I'm sure that he will finish soon. The book isn't very long and Shadar is an accomplished translator. We will catch this killer soon."
The officer nodded and walked away. Grolm stared at the officer's back. It was unusual to have a subordinate being so abrupt. He shrugged and walked back to his house. On his stoop was a package. He opened it and dropped it, shocked. Inside was a Roegadyn head with 1 written on his forehead. Grolm picked it back up and ran back to the station. He burst inside and ran to the Homocide Division. He plopped it in front of the desk sergeant. "I need this looked at by our best mage. I suspect this is the head of the murdered Roegadyn we are investigating. Tell him or her to try and see if they can sense who it was. I'm going to see if I can get Shadar to hurry up."
The desk sergeant nodded. Grolm rushed out and ran to Shadar's room. He didn't even bother to knock. Shadar looked up sharply as Grolm burst in.
"What is it?! You scared the life out of me!"
"I'm sorry Shadar. I just had the life scared out of me. Whoever dropped that journal just left a package on my doorstep with a head in it. Is there any way you can finish your translation sooner?"
"As a matter of fact, yes. I have skimmed a little and it seems the person's handwriting improves remarkably. I can probably finish by tomorrow night if I really push it. Here is what I've gotten so far. It gets worse from here for whoever wrote this journal."
Grolm grabbed the pages and sat down in his usual chair. He started to read.
11/20
It happened again. I woke up covered in blood. I searched my body and I don't have a wound. I changed my clothes and looked out my window. On the ground was a sheep, shredded. I used one of the spells I was taught in school and washed the mess away so no one will connect it with me. I don't know what is going on but it's scaring me.
11/25
I had the nightmare again. I got as far as the dragon when the nightmare changed. I was staring down at myself walking down the road, naked for some reason. I walked up to a stranger coming to trade and started to mutter and dance. The stranger exploded with ice spikes and covered me with gore. I saw the amulet was glowing. It couldn't be doing this, could it?
11/26
They found a body on the road we were traveling. He was ripped into pieces. They are saying a cactuar did it. He was filled with holes and it looked like he had been ambushed on his way to our caravan. I'm hoping it was a coincidence that I dreamed about this last night.
Grolm looked up. "This sounds ominous."
Shadar rolled his eyes. "Duuhh. I have a feeling that this will get worse as it goes along."
The door burst open. The probationary officer from before burst in. "Sir! They found three more bodies behind The Drowning Wench!"
Grolm shot up. "Let's go!" he cried as he followed the officer out the door. Shadar looked on and got back to work. A few hours later, he was done. It really had gone a lot faster once he put his mind to it. He had just finished tucking the translated pages into his safe when the door burst open with a bang. He stood up and was said "Grolm! I just finished...." when everything in the room, including him, flashed to ash.
Grolm smiled. "Not yet. Shadar is still translating the book and apparently it's slow going. I'm sure that he will finish soon. The book isn't very long and Shadar is an accomplished translator. We will catch this killer soon."
The officer nodded and walked away. Grolm stared at the officer's back. It was unusual to have a subordinate being so abrupt. He shrugged and walked back to his house. On his stoop was a package. He opened it and dropped it, shocked. Inside was a Roegadyn head with 1 written on his forehead. Grolm picked it back up and ran back to the station. He burst inside and ran to the Homocide Division. He plopped it in front of the desk sergeant. "I need this looked at by our best mage. I suspect this is the head of the murdered Roegadyn we are investigating. Tell him or her to try and see if they can sense who it was. I'm going to see if I can get Shadar to hurry up."
The desk sergeant nodded. Grolm rushed out and ran to Shadar's room. He didn't even bother to knock. Shadar looked up sharply as Grolm burst in.
"What is it?! You scared the life out of me!"
"I'm sorry Shadar. I just had the life scared out of me. Whoever dropped that journal just left a package on my doorstep with a head in it. Is there any way you can finish your translation sooner?"
"As a matter of fact, yes. I have skimmed a little and it seems the person's handwriting improves remarkably. I can probably finish by tomorrow night if I really push it. Here is what I've gotten so far. It gets worse from here for whoever wrote this journal."
Grolm grabbed the pages and sat down in his usual chair. He started to read.
11/20
It happened again. I woke up covered in blood. I searched my body and I don't have a wound. I changed my clothes and looked out my window. On the ground was a sheep, shredded. I used one of the spells I was taught in school and washed the mess away so no one will connect it with me. I don't know what is going on but it's scaring me.
11/25
I had the nightmare again. I got as far as the dragon when the nightmare changed. I was staring down at myself walking down the road, naked for some reason. I walked up to a stranger coming to trade and started to mutter and dance. The stranger exploded with ice spikes and covered me with gore. I saw the amulet was glowing. It couldn't be doing this, could it?
11/26
They found a body on the road we were traveling. He was ripped into pieces. They are saying a cactuar did it. He was filled with holes and it looked like he had been ambushed on his way to our caravan. I'm hoping it was a coincidence that I dreamed about this last night.
Grolm looked up. "This sounds ominous."
Shadar rolled his eyes. "Duuhh. I have a feeling that this will get worse as it goes along."
The door burst open. The probationary officer from before burst in. "Sir! They found three more bodies behind The Drowning Wench!"
Grolm shot up. "Let's go!" he cried as he followed the officer out the door. Shadar looked on and got back to work. A few hours later, he was done. It really had gone a lot faster once he put his mind to it. He had just finished tucking the translated pages into his safe when the door burst open with a bang. He stood up and was said "Grolm! I just finished...." when everything in the room, including him, flashed to ash.
