The change Jonathan quickly noticed was happening day by day. For him, it had once been easy to reject a case, to step away from danger and keep himself safe.
But now, refusing to resolve a case had become impossible, even if it threatened his life.
Perhaps it was the power slowly granting him the confidence he once lacked. Or maybe it was the conviction of the former Jonathan. And if not that, then perhaps it was simply his hunter's blood.
There were so many unresolved matters that Jonathan needed to focus. Jonathan shut the last suitcase with a metallic snap. The room he was in fell silent, broken only by the tapping of the wind against the window. A special mission awaited him, and with it, another journey into the unknown.
His life had become routine: depart, resolve, vanish. There was no room to stay still.
Just as he was about to switch off the desk lamp, the phone vibrated. The number wasn't registered, but he knew exactly where the call came from. He answered in a grave voice, almost resigned. "This is Father Belmont speaking."
"Father Belmont, there's a change in your itinerary," said a voice on the other end of the line, informing him: "Before you head to your main destination, we need you to make a stop in Vermont."
"Vermont?" Jonathan asked as he adjusted his jacket. "That wasn't in the plan."
"I know. But something has happened that we cannot ignore. The Vermont School for Outcasts has been placed on the emergency list, and The Healing Church has requested a special review."
Jonathan frowned, recalling a bit of what he had just uncovered. That institution had always seemed peculiar to him, a refuge for those who didn't belong anywhere, but also a place heavy with secrets that often brushed against the dangerous.
"What happened?" Jonathan asked, trying to piece together his thoughts, though a part of him already sensed the answer.
On the other end of the call, there was a brief pause before the voice replied. "Murder. Three outsiders have been killed in less than a week. Local reports speak of a possible serial killer… but the traces, the wounds… everything points to it being a monster."
Jonathan pressed his lips together. Inside him, a mixture of weariness and duty welled up.
"Fine, I'll make the stop." Jonathan slipped the phone into his pocket, picked up the suitcase, and left the room without looking back. Destiny once again pushed him toward the places no one else wanted to go.
Vermont awaited him, and with it, the mystery of a monster hidden within the walls of a school that had never ceased to be an enigma.
Even though he knew the story, he would make his own judgments.