章節 1: Chapter 1: Ashton and Heidi
The office is the same as always—quiet, solitary—the perfect place for me to brood over overdue rent, a dwindling food budget, and the fact that I need soap and shampoo. Life's a bummer when you're broke. Maybe I shouldn't have resigned as head detective at the precinct, but bootlicking my way up the ranks wasn't for me. The higher-ups at Klastenberg PD are a rotting mess of incompetence, and kissing their feet was never in my nature. So here I am, paying the price—on the verge of being kicked out by the landlady if I can't scrounge up enough to cover this month's rent. This office, more like my home-turned-pitiful office, might be my last refuge.
Sighing, I catch a glimpse of daylight breaking through the blinds. Morning already? I should turn off the lights... if only I had electricity. They cut it off weeks ago because I couldn't pay the bill. I don't have a single coin to my name.
Maybe I should look for a new job. Something simple, like street cleaning or construction—those guys are making a racket just a few yards away. But no, that's not me. I've always been about solving cases, catching criminals. But the Klastenberg Police Department has that covered, and I'm not about to beg them for my old job back. So here I am, the city's one and only private investigator, regretting every step of the way.
The door creaks open, and in walks Heidi. Of course—it's always Heidi. She's got a spare key.
Olive skin, straight black hair, and a body that could rival any supermodel. She's in her usual outfit: a brown leather jacket over a white long-sleeved shirt, left unzipped to show off just enough. She never fails to catch eyes with that small beauty mark under her lips.
"My my, what a miserable man, all over the place, this place has no AC turned on, come one I already finished my job and then I got welcomed by more hot air, thank you" She began her rant, as she tug her leather jacket, and look at that, Her white shirt's soaked in sweat—must be boiling out there. Typical Heidi, though—wearing long sleeves when short would've been far more practical. She always has odd tastes, or lacking some common senses
"Hey, Ashton, why everything here is pitch black? no TV, no fridge, and even no AC, how do you even live in this hellish condition"
"Well, get used to it, I can't pay the electricity" so that was my reply, I actually don't even agree on another people in my office.
Heidi clapped her hands, with her smirked face, is she mocking, but I don't really care, then suddenly the television are turned on, the fridge also turned on, all electricity and lamp also turned on.
"Abhor the Thunder Empress, Laitinia" Said Heidi, as she wave her fingers like magical fairytale witch.
"Heidi, stop that. What if the electric company notices? I'm tired of coming up with lies about this."
Yeah, she's not some whimsical witch from a story—Heidi's the real deal. Her magic keeps the power running in this place even though I haven't paid the bill in months.
"Then either lie again, or pay the bill," she says, tossing a thick envelope at me.
I open it and nearly drop it. Five thousand Elle. Enough to pay the bills, the rent, and still have three thousand left over. I glance at her, suspicious.
"Where did you get this money, Heidi?"
"Part-time jobs. Why do you ask?" Her tone is nonchalant, but I know better.
"You've only been here for three months. There's no way you made this much legitimately. Don't tell me you're using magic for this." The thought worries me. If she's crossing dangerous lines with her powers, we're both in trouble.
Heidi raises an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "What? Like a hotel lady? Well, I certainly did sleep with a rich man."
My stomach drops. Great. She's become a prostitute. Just when I thought it couldn't get worse.
"You're blushing, Ashton. Worried about my 'reputation'?" She strolls over to the fridge, grabs a can of soda, and pops it open. It's not cold yet, but she drinks it anyway.
Of course I'm worried. Does she have any dignity left? But saying that out loud would only trigger a smug lecture about how she saved my sorry life, which I have to admit, is why I let her stay in the first place.
"Relax, I didn't actually sleep with him," she says, as if reading my mind. "He paid upfront, but I kissed him out on the lips before things went too far. My lips were laced with a sleep potion."
"You drugged him?" I ask, half shocked, half intrigued.
"Yeah, and got some juicy info out of him, too," she says with a smirk.
I clear my throat, trying to stay focused. "And what information might that be, Heidi?"
She stretches out on the couch, now down to her bra, her discarded clothes hanging over the backrest. Thankfully, the couch blocks most of the view.
"You'll love this. The guy I drugged? Chief Braggart. Can you believe that? On duty, no less."
"Typical. Another cop shirking responsibility. Get to the point, Heidi."
"So impatient," she says, shaking her head. "Anyway, Braggart told me about those mysterious murders that have been plaguing the city. Inspector Matt sent a whole squad to investigate, but none of them made it back. Even your buddy Head Detective Gareth teamed up with Matt, but they lost more people. Braggart said he's had enough and decided to blow off steam with women instead of dealing with it."
"Incompetent Inspector, bootlicker detective, and a lazy chief. Just another day in the Klastenberg Police Department." I sighed
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck, feeling the weight of Heidi's words sink in. A bloodbath, cops dropping like flies. It wasn't exactly surprising given the current state of Klastenberg's police force, but it still didn't sit right with me. Whatever was behind these murders wasn't your run-of-the-mill criminal.
"A monster or a pro, huh?" I mused. "Makes sense, considering how easily they've been cutting down those officers. But then again, half of them are too busy stuffing their faces and guzzling beer to even notice a real threat. Not much of a challenge for anyone competent, let alone something supernatural."
I still remembered what the precinct used to be like during my time as head detective. The officers were more concerned with spending the central department's budget on parties rather than actually doing their jobs. It was no wonder they were getting wiped out. But if these murders were tied to something larger, something beyond the mundane, I had a bad feeling about it.
Heidi shifted on the couch, crossing her legs as she leaned back. "This could be the case of your life, Ashton. Might even give you a reason to stop sulking in the dark." She raised an eyebrow, her tone teasing, but her eyes sharp. "And it aligns with why I'm here, too, remember that day?"
Her words tugged at a memory I'd buried. That night.
It was late, well past midnight. I was out at the market, grabbing what little I could afford. The streets were quieter than usual, but something felt wrong. There was that prickle on the back of my neck—the unmistakable sensation of being watched. At first, it was just a nagging feeling. Then I saw it—a shadowy figure creeping through the alley, moving inhumanly fast, its eyes glowing with a cold, malevolent light.
Before I could react, it lunged. A dark creature, unlike anything I'd ever encountered, claws reaching for me, its presence chilling the air around me. For a brief moment, I thought I was finished. That was, until she appeared.
A woman, dressed in a brown leather jacket and dark glasses, materialized as if from nowhere. In her hand, she held a small stone, glowing faintly with electric energy. With a swift, practiced motion, she flicked the stone toward the creature. Lightning erupted from it, crackling through the air. The creature shrieked, its body convulsing as the magic tore through it, and then—it crumbled into ash, leaving only a small, dark obsidian gem behind.
She casually bent down, picking up the gem, tossing it into the air and catching it again, as if she were appraising its worth. "Just another minnow," she said calmly, her voice as steady as the night.
She turned to me, her eyes sharp behind those glasses. "These creatures. Do they usually show up around here?"
"I've heard rumors," I replied, still shaken as I gathered the scattered items from the ground. "There've been murders at night. I thought they were just stories."
She chuckled, crouching to help collect my fallen goods, her movements fluid and unhurried. "And yet here you are, out in the middle of the night, despite the rumors."
"Well," I shrugged, still reeling from the encounter, "most stores have better bargains at night, when they're clearing out stock. I had to make do."
"Brave or foolish," she mused, standing up, "but it seems you've learned your lesson." She extended her hand toward me, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Heidi Belmasch, Witch from the South Branch of the Feymann Guild. I'm here to hunt these dark creatures and gather their essence." She held up the strange gem, now shimmering in her palm. "The essence of Vile."
I shook her hand, still trying to process what had just happened. "Ashton Grayfield. I used to be a detective."
"Used to be?" She raised an eyebrow.
I chuckled, but it lacked humor. "That's a long story. But I guess it's not over yet."
Heidi gave me a long, appraising look. "Not over yet, huh? Well, I'd say your story's just getting started." She tucked the gem into her jacket, her casual demeanor at odds with the strange and dangerous work she did. "You're going to need someone who knows how to deal with these things, Ashton. They're not going away anytime soon."
From that night on, Heidi stuck around, though I wasn't sure if it was out of some sense of duty or because she found my situation amusing. Either way, her presence had become a constant in my life, despite all of her habits and the condition of us being broke.
Back in the present, Heidi stretched lazily before standing up from the couch. She tossed her jacket onto the armrest, heading toward the bathroom. "We should hit up the police department soon," she called over her shoulder. "Maybe we can squeeze some more intel out of those clowns."
I grimaced. "You might want to skip the shower. The water's been turned off too."
She stopped mid-step, turned back slowly, and gave me a look of exaggerated disbelief. "Wow. Truly, Ashton, you live in the lap of luxury. No electricity, no water... what's next? Should I expect the roof to cave in while I'm washing my hair?"
"Wouldn't be surprised," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "You could always zap the pipes like you do with the lights."
Heidi snorted, rolling her eyes. "Oh sure. Let me just summon a thunderstorm for your plumbing. Wait... I'm the Thunderwitch, Ashton, not a Waterwitch." She made a dramatic gesture, her voice dripping with mockery. "Do I look like a rainstorm to you?"
I leaned back in my chair, unable to stop a small grin. "You've been zapping everything else around here. Figured water wouldn't be much of a stretch."
"Wrong," she replied, crossing her arms. "Lightning, storms, electricity? Sure. Water magic? That's a whole different league. And I can't even get a hold of the one witch who could fix that." She shot me a glance, raising an eyebrow. "You're really curious about how all this works, aren't you?"
It wasn't just the magic. I had a thousand questions: about witches, about Feymann, about these Vile creatures she was hunting. But I hesitated. It felt a bit strange asking those questions when she was standing there in nothing but her underwear.
Heidi must've caught my glance, because she suddenly looked down at herself and realized the awkwardness. She raised an eyebrow, her smirk fading for a moment, as if surprised that modesty even crossed her mind. "Well, look at that," she said, zipping her jacket up with a dramatic tug. "Maybe common sense does kick in eventually." She grabbed her jeans and slid them on.
"Pinch me," I muttered under my breath. "Am I dreaming?"
"Don't get used to it," she shot back. "Anyway, we need a plan. Maybe we hit up a public bath first."
"Great idea," I said, grabbing my gray coat from the hook near my desk. I tugged it on over my blue shirt and grabbed my bowler hat, glancing back at her. "And we've got enough from Chief Braggart's generous contribution to pay for it. You might want to bring some fresh clothes too. I doubt you want to keep wearing that sweaty mess all day."
Heidi zipped up her jacket tightly, smirking as she grabbed a small bag. "Already ahead of you, Ashton. Don't worry, I've got it all covered."
I shook my head, adjusting my coat. "Alright, then. Let's go. Maybe a bath will get us ready for whatever mess we're about to walk into at the precinct."
She slung the bag over her shoulder and flashed me one of her trademark, mischievous grins. "And here I thought we'd already seen the worst of it."
"What's the worst of it?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow.
Heidi's lips curled into a sly half-smile, her eyes sparkling with amusement. One eyebrow arched slightly, daring me to challenge her. She tilted her head, the teasing glint in her eyes suggesting she was in on a joke I hadn't quite grasped yet. "Figures," she replied, her tone dripping with mockery, her expression a perfect blend of playful arrogance and sharp wit.
I couldn't help but feel a mix of annoyance and admiration at her audacity. I guess we'll know what the worst really is when we experience it—not just at the precinct, but throughout the entire Klastenberg, the city of bleak crime and corruption.
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