A cub reporter – Jasmin Lim – is assigned to cover the story of a “vampire” loose in the country. She resents it, but accepts what she thinks is a bum assignment because it’s better than being made to do the weather on the evening news.
Jasmin travels to the country and dreams.
In her dream, Jasmin is bound and staring up at the face of demon.
Jasmin awakes just as the demon brings its face closer to hers and opens its mouth as if to speak.
Spooked, Jasmin stays awake the rest of the way.
===
In the middle of the floor of a large hall, there is a tripod on which rests a shallow metal bowl.
In the bowl is a pool of water, bubbling as though at a boil.
Standing next to the tripod and staring into the boiling water is a man , 7 feet tall, wearing crimson flowing robes printed with arcane symbols, worked in gold. He looks up at the sound of footsteps approaching and sees two people coming – a man and a woman.
Both are dressed similarly in military-like uniforms, with sleeves folded up to above their elbows. Both wear wide gold bands around their wrists
“Welcome, Peace Keepers,” the tall man says.
“Elder,” the two reply, with a slight bow of their heads.
“I asked you here today to seek your counsel.”
===
The coverage turns out to be as lame as Jasmin expected. When she looked at the piglet carcasses, she immediately saw how the throats had been cleanly slit.
“There’s no story here, boss. It’s either a simple case of vandalism or something, or just another down on their luck couple, trying to get famous. Could be both.”
“So get back here.”
Jasmin cringed at the thought of the long ride back and decided she might as well make the most of the trip.
“Look, you were looking for a vampire story, right?”
“Yeah, but thanks to you –“
“Wait, wait. As it turns out, this place has a ruined old church that people around here say is haunted. Why don’t I go check it out?”
“Whatever. Just make sure you’re back by tomorrow.”
“Great!”
===
“Where have the Duende gone / back to the sky, every last one / Where did the Duende go / They didn’t say, so we don’t know.”
The two Peace Keepers looked at each other in confusion. Why was the Elder reciting a child’s rhyme?
“This, Peace Keepers,” the Elder said, sweeping his arms around as if to encompass the whole world beyond the great hall, “this is where the Duende went.”
The Peace Keepers stared blankly at the Elder.