Chapter 7: The Casanova Goat
The scent of cheap cologne and desperation hung heavy in the air. Adam grimaced. "You know, Ciri, I always thought 'love at first sniff' was just a cheesy rom-com trope. Turns out, it's just a poorly executed charm spell by a goat-man. The universe truly has no shame."
[ New Wesen Type Discovered: Ziegevolk. Information added to Library. ]
[ Wesen Behavior: Pheromone Manipulation, Abduction. Threat Level: Moderate. ]
They were tracking a Ziegevolk, a goat-like Wesen who was using pheromones to seduce and abduct women. The news reports were full of missing persons, all women who had seemingly vanished after meeting a charming stranger at a local bed and breakfast.
"Honestly, this guy's methods are so primitive," Adam continued, shaking his head. "No subtlety, no finesse. Just 'smell me, love me, disappear.' It's like a bad B-movie plot. And I should know, I've seen a lot of bad B-movies."
Ciri, ever practical, merely rolled her eyes. "He is a danger to innocent women. His methods are irrelevant."
"True, true. But a little flair never hurt anyone. Except, you know, the victims. Anyway, my System says these guys use pheromones to make people fall in love. Good thing my Witcher physiology is basically a walking fortress against that kind of nonsense. I'm immune to cheap tricks. Unlike some people who fall for 'love at first sniff' from a goat-man." He looked at Ciri, who was already giving him her signature "I will tolerate your nonsense for now" stare. "Right, still too soon for that joke."
They found the Ziegevolk's bed and breakfast, a quaint, deceptively innocent-looking place that reeked of deception and something faintly musky. Nick and Hank were already there, investigating, Nick looking particularly bewildered by the women's unanimous adoration for the creepy innkeeper.
"Alright, Ciri," Adam whispered, observing the scene. "Here's the plan. We go in, we stop the goat-man. No collateral damage. No unnecessary drama. Just a quick, clean operation. And then, acid. Lots of acid."
They moved swiftly, Adam's enhanced senses easily cutting through the lingering pheromones, Ciri's combat instincts honed for such close-quarters engagements. They found the Ziegevolk in the basement, preparing to abduct another woman.
"Hey, Romeo!" Adam called out, stepping into the dim light. "Your dating profile needs some serious work. 'Loves long walks on the beach and forced abduction' is not a good look."
The Ziegevolk woged, his face contorting into a goat-like visage, horns sprouting from his head. He released a stronger burst of pheromones, hoping to disorient them. Adam merely blinked, unaffected. He'd even popped a Golden Oriole potion for good measure, just to be extra immune to any lingering toxins or mind-altering effects. His eyes, for a brief, terrifying moment, turned completely black, reflecting the Ziegevolk's startled face.
The Ziegevolk, used to his pheromones rendering his opponents helpless, stumbled back, a whimper escaping his throat. This wasn't right. This human… his eyes were the void. It was unnatural. It was terrifying.
Ciri, seizing the moment of hesitation, moved. Her silver sword was a blur, disarming the Ziegevolk with a precise flick of her wrist. Adam followed up with a powerful, non-lethal strike, knocking the Wesen unconscious.
"Well, that was easier than expected," Adam mused, pulling out his Acid of Dissolution. "Guess he wasn't expecting the 'black-eyed, sarcasm-slinging Witcher' approach." He then proceeded to dissolve the body.
[ Kill Count: 1 Wesen. Level Up! Current Level: 2. Kills to Level 3: 4. ]
"Boom! Level up!" Adam exclaimed. "Two levels in two chapters! I'm on a roll! This is like a speedrun, but with more ethical dilemmas and less Mountain Dew." He then mentally browsed his System. "Ooh, look! New skill unlocked! Axii Sign! Perfect for charming people. Or, you know, making them tell me where the good coffee shops are."
Ciri watched him, a faint, almost imperceptible shake of her head. "You are… strangely excited by this." She then looked at him. "This 'toxic masculinity' you spoke of earlier. Is this goat-man an example of it?"
Adam paused, then nodded. "Bingo, Ciri. Using your power to control and exploit others, especially women, thinking you're entitled to them. That's a textbook example. It's about power dynamics, not actual affection. It's why some men are such jerks."
Ciri considered this, a thoughtful expression on her face. "So, he is a monster, and also a… jerk. I understand." She then added, "In my world, we simply killed such monsters. Less explanation needed."
"Yeah, well, we're in Portland now, Ciri. We have to be more… nuanced. Sometimes. Mostly. Unless they're really annoying. Then it's acid time."
Nick, meanwhile, found himself surprisingly resistant to the Ziegevolk's pheromones, a perk of his Grimm blood. Monroe, with his vast knowledge of Wesen lore, helped Nick identify the creature and its powers. They arrived at the bed and breakfast to find the victim safe, and the Ziegevolk… gone. Another mysterious intervention. Nick felt a growing sense of unease. Who were these people? And why did they keep cleaning up his messes before he even got there?
Want to read more? I've written over 20 webnovels (and counting), and it takes a lot of energy, ideas, and time to keep them coming!If you enjoy my stories and want to support me, even the minimum $5 tier on Patreon unlocks a LOT more chapters and helps me keep going.
👉 Click here to dive deeper: patreon.com/TheFinex5More stories, more chapters — and yes, your support really makes a difference.