In another village, well to the east of Jake and his companions, two hooded individuals emerged from the shadows. The sun was about to set again and their appearance went unnoticed. Except for one person.
"Inquisitors, to what do we owe the honor of your humble visit?" A striking Eskimo-looking woman took aim at them with the scepter in her hands.
The object was carved from a human femur and ended with a tiny human baby skull stuffed into the mouth of a carved snake. If Jake had been present, he would have recognized the scepter the Fluid Ghost had reported seeing tattooed on his murderer's arm, except that here it was no longer a tattoo but a genuine one.
The woman was still young, with a malignant look and a pierced nose, while an ugly scar scarred her lower lip all the way down her chin. Her curves and charms were hidden under the multiple layers of fur covering her. It was as if she was gearing up for another ice age. Anyone else would have sweated profusely in her place.