Author's Notes: Hello everyone, sorry I have not updated in a while. I still own only the characters I create.
They were delayed by caring for the wounded and the dead so they did not arrive at Altdorf till after noon a day later than when they were supposed to. Remarkably only two men had died in the attack; they had both worked as guards for the same merchant who took their bodies to a nearby temple of Morr.
The caravan went to a warehouse district near the city walls. There men began unloading the wagons and the guards were paid off. Marx paid Karl the money that he promised and even threw in a few extra silver coins as a bonus. "You know;" said Marx, "You are a very useful young man. I think we could do some more business together. I'll be staying at the Golden Unicorn Inn not far from here. Go there after sundown and we can go over the details." So saying he turned to see to his goods not even giving Karl a chance to answer. Wilhelm paused only long enough to give him a contemptuous sneer then he turned to follow.
Karl stifled a growl of annoyance; both at Wilhelm's rudeness and Marx's assumption of his going along with whatever it was he had planned. Still, he thought giggling the coins in his pocket, Marx had paid and even added something extra, he now had in his hand more money than he had ever seen; let alone owned in his entire life. So yes, he decided, he would at least go and see what Marx had in mind. It could mean more money and really Wilhelm's insults were no worse than his grandfather's.
He had a few hours before he was to meet with Marx so he went to see the sights. The city took his breath away; it was simply overwhelming. Everywhere he turned there were things he had never seen before. Rich people in gilded carriages, buildings so high he could not believe they did not fall over, Women in shockingly revealing dresses who called lewd invitations to him, people selling everything that he could imagine and much more besides. It seemed to Karl that all the people in the world must be here in Altdorf. He even saw dwarfs; the hardy mountain folk that he had heard about in the tavern stories.
If the sights where overwhelming the smells were even more so; the smells of street cooks, the perfumes worn by women, the stench of sewage and rising above it all the smell of all the people, many unwashed, pressed together. These smells and many more that he could not recognize all mingled together were almost overwhelming. These, combined with all the noises, left him speechless for several seconds and he just stood there taking it all in.
His being pushed about and cursed by passersby shook him out of his trance. Shaking his head he realized he was both hungry and filthy. Directions cost him a few coppers to a street urchin; but they enabled him to find his way to an inn that also had a bathhouse. The innkeeper had one of his servants take the cloths he was wearing to a nearby washer woman while he took a bath and got clean cloths out of his pack. Afterwards he had a meal of boiled meat and potatoes, it cost him more than he cared to pay but he figured that he had more money coming from Marx. After he ate he proceeded to lose more of his money to several men in a game of dice.
Deciding he had lost enough of his money decided to go find Marx. It took him awhile but he finally found the Golden Unicorn in time for his appointment. The innkeeper informed him the Marx was already there and was expecting him. As he mounted the stairs that feeling of wrongness returned even stronger than before; by the time he reached the door and knocked it almost had his teeth on edge. Entering the room he found Marx sitting at a table. "Karl my boy, so good to see you again; come have a seat and let me get you a drink."
Karl sat down and took the glass but did not drink. "Well;" began Marx, "I suppose before we begin we should clear up a few things. To start with I must confess I have been dishonest with you."
"How so?" Asked Karl; the feeling of wrongness and his earlier loss of money putting in a bad mood.
"I think it would be easier just to show you." Said Marx; so saying he hissed something in a language that Karl did not understand and he seemed to ripple before Karl's eyes. When the rippling was done Marx had changed; he was now taller and slimmer and where before he had had a goatee beard he was now clean shaven and his flamboyant clothing replaced by plain gray robes. He looked at Karl, who had sat in stunned immobility throughout the change, "You may want to have that drink now." He said in a voice deeper than what he had had before. As Karl downed the drink in a single gulp; Marx continued, "As you can see the face I used before was not mine, and Marx is not my name though it will do for our purposes. I am a Gray Wizard and you my boy are a werewolf and I need your help."
"I am a what?" Asked Karl, still reeling from Marx's revelation.
"A werewolf, you ignorant oaf." Said a voice behind him; turning he saw a girl coming in from another room. She was short with brown hair in a boyish cut and grey eyes that matched her robes.
"Wilhelm?" Ventured Karl hesitently.
"Oh, such a clever puppy;" Said the girl in a falsely sweet voice.
"Wilhelmina;" Said Marx in a tone of reproof, "I have spoken to you about this before, you must not allow your personal feelings to interfere with the task at hand."
Turning back to Karl he said, "I must apologize for my apprentice's lamentable lack of manners; though I must confess, I share her skepticism. You are a werewolf so I fail to see why you are denying it."
"I am not denying anything;" Said Karl, "I mean, I knew something was wrong with me but I did not know what was going on this all just happened."
"I see;" Said Marx putting his hands together in front of his face, "Why don't you tell us the whole story."
So Karl did; he began with the attack of the creature and continued on till the time he met Marx. His audience did not say a word throughout his story though Wilhelmina did make a disgusted face when he told them about his grandfather. When he had finished they all set in silence for a while then Marx spoke again.
"While that explains some things, including why you had those silver shackles in your bag; which was a very clever by the way. To answer your question as to what you are the answer to that is both easy and difficult to answer. The simple answer is a werewolf is a person who under the full moon transforms into a creature that is a hybrid of man and wolf; though it is believed by some, myself included that a werewolf can learn to change or not at will. As to what werewolf is; that is rather more complicated. Some say they are the children of Ulric, fathered by him when the world was young. Others say they are mutant beasts of Chaos. While still others believe that they are natural creatures. Regardless; I would not go making the fact common knowledge, as you can personally testify, most people are not willing to give you the benefit of the doubt."
Karl could only nod in agreement at that statement. "Now to business;" Said Marx, his tone becoming crisp and businesslike, "Those men who attacked us were not ordinary bandits, they were after me. Members of the Grey Wizards are charged with the guarding of the Empire from threats from within; and those men were members of a group that poses such a threat. They were members of a cult dedicated to Slaanesh." Karl felt his breath catch and his blood chill at the mention of the dreaded name. Marx continued as if Karl had not reacted. "I have been aware of their cult for some time; in fact when we met I was there following up on a lead regarding them. They obviously know I am on to them; that is why their minions attacked us on the road. The problem is that while I know where part of their coven is gathering I do not know where the rest are, that is where you come in.
You see;" He said in reply to Karl's confused expression, "I believe this cult is preparing to perform some ritual here in the city. The problem is I don't know where all the members are, only that they will be acting soon. As for the ones I do know about; I cannot rouse the local authorities to move openly against them because several of them are people of wealth and influence, including Freda Kasarea, abbess of a local temple of Shallya." Karl had thought his capacity to be stunned had been met; he was wrong, the thought of a servant of the gentle goddess being involved with the Ruinous Powers was mind boggling. "So;" Continued Marx, "I must act on my own and that is where you come in. Wilhelmina and I will go tonight to the home of Adred Von Hartnid, a minor noble; several of their leaders will be there including Kasarea. Wilhelmina and I will seize her and attempt to learn from her the locations and plans of their other members. Your task is simple: kill all the others but one."
Before Karl could say anything Marx explained. "It is simple; this is far from the only illegal cult in this city. I also have been tracking a cult of Tzeentch." Karl barely reacted; he had by now finally reached his capacity to be stunned. "You being a werewolf makes you perfect for this task. Your kind is not well known; indeed many dismiss the existence of your species as a myth. Those there with witch sight will assume you to be a mutant of some kind."
"Pardon me;" Interjected Karl, "But what is witch sight?"
"Witch sight;" Said Marx, "Is the ability to sense magic; all spell casters have it; as do creatures of magic like your kind. Now; as I was saying those there will think you a mutant and as the two are rivals they suspect the other cult of the deed. That is why need a survivor; to spread word to the others. They move against the other cult and in so doing they will reveal themselves to us. Now rest we move tonight."
Author's Notes: Hey everyone, sorry for the delay had internet problems. To answer your questions Kit: 1) he can't control it consciously yet he was just excited and calling forth unknowingly and it is almost full moon again; I am using the real world four week calendars 2) The reason his companions and the room in this chapter felt wrong was because he was sense the magic they were using to disguise themselves 3) Marx and Wilhelmina are not evil they are members of the Grey Order. Their order defend the Empire from infiltration; think of them as combination of FBI and CIA, they have an 'Ends justify the means' mentality 4) As for werewolves Games Workshop, who developed and owns Warhammer, is actually fairly vague about them canon wise so authors just make it up for themselves. All the theories about their origin are mentioned as possibilities; they are seen as evil by most people for obvious reasons.
Finally naming the gods mentioned; Ulric - God of Wolves, Winter and Battle, Shallya - Goddess of Healing and Mercy. For the other two; they are part of a group of four gods who are the main source of evil in the Warhammer world they are at times known as the Ruinous Powers. Khorne - God of hate, rage and bloodshed, Nurgle - God of plague and decay, Slaanesh - God of self-indulgence and lust and Tzeentch - God of change, sorcery, ambition and scheming at times they work together but usually they fight each other.
Well that's all for now just so you all know more blood in next chapter. See you then and as always may Jesus bless you all till next time.