Chapter 31 – Slaughter
Today marks 12 days since Nala's visit, and nothing out of the ordinary has happened. The atmosphere in the palace is calm and relaxing, as it should be. However, it's a bit past bedtime, and I can't stop thinking about what I learned today.
In fact, whenever I learn more about this world, I feel a bit uneasy and happy at the same time. Information has always been and will always be power, but it always comes with a price, much like a person gaining a glimpse of the future...
Knowing the future means that everything that happens will be what the person managed to prevent or failed to prevent.
For example, if I foresee the death of an acquaintance, what should I do? Try to prevent it and find out I can't, or not try to prevent it and let the acquaintance die?
That's why many say that ignorance is bliss.
Anyway, my attention was drawn as soon as Abigail informed Mom that she had obtained more information about the crimes committed by the fugitive criminals that Nala was tracking.
Mom was curious to know since Nala said they were nearby, and Nenvia is her territory. Abigail then started mentioning the names of the wanted criminals, their crimes, and how they were committed...
It felt like I was in an investigation room. But it's good to know that Abigail has contacts that can provide such information.
Starting with the first three wanted criminals, who are actually four but are more dangerous and have priority in capture. They are Nendula Zindor, Cristhine Ferguson, and Felicia Martin. Along with their Statera, Gregory Smirnov, they are sought as the main suspects in the massacre of 203 people northwest of Nenvia.
According to the data obtained during the investigation, these 203 people were part of a research expedition led by Sammuel Guller, chief scientist of the biomedicine department at the Draco Magister Akemi Yunozaka University.
They set up a research camp near a Aura zone Level 4 in an uncolonized territory. The expedition was authorized and had the support of the university's three rectors; it also had full financing from the university.
The mission was to study how Aura zone Level 4 differs from Aura Zones Level 5, 3, 2, and 1, as well as the Forbidden Zones. They were collecting samples, specimens, and evidence, as well as cataloging and classifying the specific changes of the AZL 4(Aura zone Level 4) in the natural environment, whether fauna or flora.
As it was an extremely dangerous place for any rational being, they were strictly prohibited from approaching beyond 1500 meters from the AZL 4. If they crossed beyond that, they would be held responsible for any incident that occurred and penalized according to the rules.
These were the main rules that the Southern Regional Council of Bordium established after reaching an agreement with the university. In return, the Regional Council offered a means to assist in collecting samples, protecting the camp, and enforcing the rules.
The Regional Council selected candidates and hired a team of Aspiring Dragons, consisting of three women and their Statera. The initial plan was to hire an experienced Dragon Lady, but unfortunately, none were interested in the university's proposal or the research.
This wasn't a reason to cancel the expedition. The team was personally recommended by a Great Lady Dragon, and their skills were also proven by tests applied by the Regional Council.
The team would be more than enough for the task at hand. So, once everything was ready, the expedition caravan set off towards its destination, and after 2 days of travel, they finally arrived.
Everything seemed to be going well, and it really was. After 20 days camped in the area, Sammuel was confident that his research mission was a success and even managed to make some progress in the theory he was working on.
With a few more days collecting information and analyzing the area's characteristics, he could gather enough scientific evidence and data to complete the theory.
But he didn't count on a fatal setback...
On the 29th day of research, the team with the 4 dragons was sent to collect samples from inside the AZL 4, as was done in the previous 25 days.
It was the first task of the day, and the dragons always returned about 2 hours later, already with the samples. But for some reason, the dragons didn't return even after 5 hours.
However, after 5 and a half hours, a tremor was felt, something huge and massive had just fallen, or rather, been thrown right into the center of the camp, crushing some people with the fall.
Gregory Smirnov, the Statera of the hired dragon team, somehow was thrown directly into the center of the camp in his original form. His body was a mess, a broken wing, a severed front paw, half of the tail cut, and several deep cuts.
Shortly after he fell into the camp, Nendula Zindor, Cristhine Ferguson, and Felicia Martin landed nearby, also in their original forms. But they were intact, without any injuries.
These were the clearest details the investigation could gather. In fact, it was only possible to collect this data because of the monitoring device that was installed in the center of the camp.
The last thing the monitoring device captured was the image of Cristhine preparing to release her breath. The device stopped functioning as soon as she unleashed her breath towards a group of researchers nearby.
Screams, loud noises, running, and many thuds were captured by some other recording devices that were being used as research diaries at the time of the massacre.
Fortunately, all captured images were sent directly to the processing cube responsible at the university. And the university quickly reported the events to the Regional Council.
The investigation team works with the hypothesis that the AZL 4 corrupted and drove the aura tuning of the women mad, and they ended up entering Blood Frenzy. And for some reason, their Statera couldn't harmonize and tune them when the situation demanded it.
Perhaps due to some accident that occurred within the AZL 4 or the Statera's lack of experience, it is still uncertain.
But according to the hypothesis, as soon as the women entered Frenzy, already in their original forms, they sought the nearest target, which in this case was their own Statera.
After nearly killing Gregory, they probably sensed the people in the camp before they could finish the job. In a hurry, they headed to the camp, and there they slaughtered everyone in the area, leaving no survivors.
Given the condition of the bodies, the massacre lasted less than 15 minutes between the first victims and the last. After they finished, they disappeared, probably to look for more prey, but were not seen anywhere else.
Their Statera, despite suffering life-threatening injuries, probably fled in the meantime between the massacre and the arrival of the inquisitors and the investigation team from the Regional Council.
The crime scene has been sealed since then, and only those responsible for the investigations are authorized to enter.
Because of the nature of the crime, a brutal massacre on a large scale, the Supreme Council was alerted. Which, in turn, passed the case to the Great Lady Dragon, Nala Diguard, Chief Inquisitor of Bordium.
Now with the case in Nala's hands, the main suspects were identified, and they began to be personally tracked by Nala. It seems she was authorized to use lethal force, but the priority is to capture the individuals alive.
The Supreme Council wants to know how everything happened and why three Aspiring Dragons lost control simultaneously in a AZL 4 even with a Statera. They also want to clarify why their Statera couldn't force the aura tuning to stop the Blood Frenzy.
Depending on how and why everything occurred, Nala can decide whether to execute them or not. But if she doesn't execute them, the punishment will be equally severe.
Abigail mentioned some examples, such as damaging aura veins, prohibiting transfiguration and divine speech, applying lethality, and some other weird names that I don't care to remember.
These are all the details related to the first case. But there is still another case that is also part of Nala's mission.
The second case in question is Norberta Elstart, an experienced Dragon Lady of 951 years. She is also the clearest example that even someone considered Non-Ingenious can become extremely powerful and recognized.
A powerful woman, with the second most well-developed and structured territory among all in Bordium.
Very popular among academics in Bordium and abroad, both for her generous donations to universities and the Sanctuary and for the commercial partnerships she maintains with them.
She is also highly recognized for the social events she hosts in her palace, such as balls, dinners, costume parties, auctions, etc. A hostess recognized for her 'peculiar' taste in entertainment and fun.
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I hope you can help me correct any spelling errors in the chapters.
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