The clock was turning backwards like a countdown or an incident timer. Like it was showing exactly how long before the next disaster strikes. I was nineteen so I took responsibility immediately. My family was apprehensive but kept to themselves. Mom didn't like some of the stuff in the corridor. One looked like an accurate depiction of the human nervous system. There were several skeletons and a few suits of armor. I didn't want mom to be uncomfortable so I told her that I will clear the debt and give mom some money so she can stay wherever she likes. She liked the idea very much. So after lunch we went to the city and cleared all debts. And made sure if anyone in my father's family gets into debt they deal with them and not come after my mom. If they ignore my warning then I will send every law enforcement agency I get my hands on. The debtors promised to leave mom alone as they walked away. Afterwards I gave mom a million dollars so she can have a life. Then I boarded the limousine and went back home. It felt a little lonely but I will find a way to be happy.
Tiberius gave me a hug and encouraged me to be good. I was no different from Aunt Cassandra. He hopes I get to do wonderful things just like her. But first I had to read her letter. It was a black envelope sealed with green wax and I got a paper cut as I opened it. The blood touched the paper and it became ink and started writing her message in thin cursive writing. My dear Kiera. If you are reading this then I am no longer amongst the living. I have left everything in your name and I hope you have already helped your dear mom with her happily ever after. You have taken a serious responsibility cared only by specific family members under special clearance and circumstances. You shouldn't take this duty lightly. There are forces out here who have nothing better to do than mayhem. We are the balance. We are the last stand and we are the vigil. You are now the Guardian. You will face creatures who will test your faith, sanity and also your will to live. Be strong, be kind and be curious. The Grimoire in the attic will assist you. If not the staff will help you. Remember outsiders are not allowed in. Protectees are allowed. Make friends but don't trust blindly. Your loving Aunt Cassandra. Ps Tiberius please take my great niece to the midnight watch and show her the ropes. I am counting on you my friend. I showed him the note and he promised to do so.
Zilmera took me upstairs to the Grimoire. It was a leather bound book and the cover looked like it was made from human skin. I had to prick my finger and rub the drop of blood from top to bottom of the cover. It opened abruptly like a gust of wind had burst out. The language that was written was foreign to me so I asked if it could write in words I could understand. The texts sank in and words reappeared in English. A heading appeared in thick gothic text Wendigo. There were no illustrations. Below it says the following:
Origin: Algonquin-speaking tribes (Canada/Minnesota region). Appearance: Gaunt, with skin stretched over bones, ashen complexion, sunken red eyes, and a lingering odor of decay.
Nature: Represents insatiable hunger, greed, and the dangers of cannibalism during harsh winters. Transformation: Humans who turn to cannibalism, or are possessed by a spirit through dreams or bites, can transform into a Wendigo. How to Kill a Wendigo
Destroy the Heart: The most critical step is destroying the heart of ice, often by using a silver bullet or silver stake, or by cutting it out and burning/melting it.
Fire: Wendigos are highly sensitive to fire, and burning them is a common method of destruction. Dismemberment: The body must be cut into pieces to prevent regeneration.
Salt and Burn: Similar to supernatural, the remains should be salted and burned to ash. Burying: Alternatively, the pieces can be buried in a remote location specifically the cemetery.
Possession: Sometimes depicted as a spirit that possesses humans ("going wendigo"), often targeting the greedy or gluttonous. Defense: Protective symbols (Anasazi symbols) are said to keep them away. Appeasement: Some tales suggest they can be temporarily satisfied with fatty, melted meats, although this is more of a temporary measure to make them vulnerable rather than a true "kill".
I was redirected to the armory and dressed accordingly. I wore a black undershirt, a black leather pants and the dress I wore was different from my usual. The front end of the skirt was shorter while the back end was longer. I was given a sash to cover my face and elbow length gloves. I was given a silver sword, an obsidian knife, a bow and quiver filled flaming arrows. I was taught how to use a bow when I was five. I became good at it when I was nine years old. I had won a few competitions. The hunt begins. I walked out of the building with Tiberius and his wife. I felt a faint tug in the direction of the woods. Tiberius walked past bushes and when we weren't visible to anyone on the street his appearance changed to a decent resemblance of count Dracula on the old black white movies. His wife lifted her veil and turned herself into the Gorgon Medusa. We kept walking till we met a clearing. A Wendigo was eating a young man. A young girl no older than fifteen was whimpering. I guess the beast was feating on her father. I lowered my head for a moment of silence and then walked forward and stabbed the beast on the back. The girl started cheering me as I proceeded to hack it to pieces. We burned the parts and scattered the ashes away. Then I gave the mask and the weapons to Zilmera before I escorted the young girl to the sheriff's office. Tiberius arrived an hour later with a different solicitor. The sheriff was a man in his forties with few words. He appears to listen with immense suspension. It was as though he had his own opinion and no one can change his mind. That was before Tiberius showed up. Apparently he saved the sheriff's wife. So he trusts his word. The interview was brief. And I was allowed to go. My stepfather was there writing reports. He was pleased that I saved someone's life. He gave me a fist bump as I walked by. The girl was placed with her cousin. A woman in her thirties with straight light brown that was left carelessly. A few leaves were attached to them. I heard one of the other deputies call her a hippie. I walked back to the Audi and Tiberius drove the car back home. A different man was waiting for me. He introduced himself as the night foreman. He and his brother takes turn guarding the place. I grinned, "Very nice to meet you. I hope you wont have to shoot me." He grinned at Tiberius, "You atruck gold my friend. She's a keeper. Now get in I have to rearrange the security wards before what's his name comes back." Tiberius held out a jar. It had two eyeballs, a finger and a brain. The second foreman delightfully cheered as he accepted his dinner. We were allowed to pass and I was able to change for dinner. The others stood still as I ate by myself. I ask everyone to tell me about themselves and how we can work together. I wanted to help them as they are helping me. This earned me a smile as I understood that some of them are here on a temporary basis. When unfinished business is over they will disappear.
After dinner I sat down with the Grimoire. I read about others who are living here with me. Each page was interesting. The foreman and his brother were from Norse mythology creatures the Ljósálfar (Light Elves) and Dökkálfar (Dark Elves) represent a clear duality of existence. Light Elves (Yang-like): They are described as "fairer than the sun," residing in the heavenly realm of Álfheimr. They represent the sky, light, and benevolence. Dark Elves (Yin-like): They dwell deep within the earth (Svartálfaheimr) and have a dark complexion. They represent the subterranean world, shadow, a more grounding or chaotic force. This explains why everything is so chaotic. One restores order and the other just scrabbles it at a moment's notice. A few pages turned swiftly and words bled out as though from a wound. The illustration showed the twins. The two brothers are the central "balancing" forces of the Aztec cosmos, constantly in conflict yet both necessary for the creation of the world. Quetzalcoatl (The Feathered Serpent): Associated with light, the wind, and the creation of humanity. Tezcatlipoca (The Smoking Mirror): Associated with the night sky, ancestral memory, and destruction.
Complement: Neither is considered "evil"; rather, they represent the necessary friction between order and chaos that keeps the universe in motion. I took a sip of hot cocoa and waved my hand. Black ink spread like spiderweb before an illustration showed the Scandinavian. According to the text the Scandinavian washerwoman was a Rusalka. A Slavic mermaid as a matter of fact. She was one the spirits of young women who died tragic or violent deaths near water. In modern lore often depicts them as vengeful ghosts who lure men to watery graves through song or by tickling them to death.