"Where is your brother currently located?", she inquired.
As she spoke, I realized that I hadn't considered my response beforehand.
"I'm not certain of his whereabouts. It's possible he's in a predicament," I admitted.
"He could be with someone else. Why do you suspect he's in trouble?" she queried.
"Well, he's only fourteen years old and typically returns home by evening," I explained.
"How do you know he's not at home?" she probed.
"The neighbours keep an eye on him when I'm away," I replied.
"Are there any specific locations that come to mind where he may have gone?" she inquired.
"I don't have any particular places in mind. Perhaps we should search busy areas nearby," I suggested.
"Could you tell me your place of residence?" she asked.
"I live in Paradise Valley, Phoenix," I replied, providing the address on my ID card.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name," she remarked.
"My apologies, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Hank Johnson," I stated, using the name on the borrowed ID card to address the guard.
"May I ask what brings an officer like yourself to this remote area?" I inquired.
"The unexplained disappearances of individuals suggest the involvement of malevolent forces. I am an A-ranked auror, and a federal investigator, tasked with investigating these cases," she responded.
''Devils' and 'auror'? So that's why every individual in this world has a core. Only a select few can master their potential to attain great power,' I thought to myself.
After a thirty-minute drive, we arrived at the designated location and pulled up in front of the houses. I wasn't sure which one was mine, as all I knew was the house number. So, I had to feign familiarity with the area.
However, something felt off. Since we entered the city, not a single soul was in sight. The houses' lights were on, but no signs of life were visible in the entire neighbourhood.
"I have a bad feeling about this," she said as she turned around and reached for the briefcase in the backseat. Her sudden move caused her hair to fall on my face, revealing her cleavage.
"You smell great," I remarked.
She simply stared at me, offering no response.
"I guess it wasn't the appropriate time for a compliment," I added.
"Please step out of the car and keep a distance of two and a half steps from me while we search for anyone who may be around," she instructed.
"Are you an auror?" she asked as she removed a purple and red shade katana from the suitcase and placed it on the trunk of the car.
"I'm not sure," I replied, my attention momentarily distracted by her fair neck.
"I see," she said, turning to face me with a confused expression.
"I meant that I'm not familiar with what Aurors do," I clarified.
"Understood," she said, assessing me with a sharp gaze. "But you seem to be in good physical shape, which could be useful if we encounter any trouble."
'Oh?', a sudden feeling of unease crept over me. It was as if I was being watched by something sinister. I quickly scanned my surroundings, trying to pinpoint the source of my discomfort.
That's when I saw it.
In the gap between the two houses, I caught a glimpse of something that made my blood run cold.
A small, deformed baby with black, gnarled skin was staring straight at me with bloodlust in its eyes. It was the most disturbing thing I had ever seen, but I didn't flinch. I was startled, yes, but I had faced horrors far worse than this.
As I continued to look around, I realized that everyone in the village had turned like that baby.
Their bodies were deformed, and their movements were unnatural. Some were walking on four legs while others were crawling on the ground.
But it was the baby's gaze that continued to haunt me as if it was a window into the darkness that had consumed this once peaceful village.
If even a so-called A-ranked auror is unable to detect the presence surrounding us, it suggests that the perpetrator who caused this transformation must possess great power.
"How strong is an A-ranked auror?" I inquired.
"To put it in simple terms, an A-ranked auror is tasked with special assignments and is part of a team that deals with matters of national security," she answered.
"Your reputation precedes you," I said, admiring her.
"You could say that. There are very few successful A-ranked Aurors," she replied.
Judging from the strength of these creatures lurking in the shadows, an A-ranked auror like her would be able to take on a maximum of three.
After she equipped herself, we started moving along the lone, rugged path of the valley. With each step, the creatures and the baby moved alongside us, surrounding us from every direction.
"Got a smoke?" I asked.
"Smoking is hazardous to health," she responded.
"Oh my, I never knew that. Thanks for saving my life," I said, smirking.
"No need for thanks", she responded.
As we approached the small garden, a rustling noise caught our attention. Out stepped a ten-year-old child, tears marking his cheeks and eyes swollen with despair.
But his presence was the same as the other creatures, a mere facade of innocence.
"Where is everyone, kiddo? Where are the rest of the people?" the officer inquired as she started towards him. I quickly gripped her hand, sensing danger.
"I think it's time we stop playing games," I warned, my golden inscriptions illuminating my hair and my eyes turning into an eerie vertical golden slit. I released my aura, causing the creatures to screech and howl in pain and misery.
But this was not a display of fear or agony, but rather pure anger and bloodlust. They had lost all sense of feeling and reasoning.
As I focused my aura on the child, his facade fell apart, revealing a twisted, black-skinned body with a grotesque smile on his upside-down head.
His hands twisted back in a disturbing manner, and his eyelashes vanished, revealing something that no child should have ever suffered.
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