Chapter 15: The Good Shepherd
The morning after the Wesen plague was cured, a palpable sense of relief hung in the air of Portland. But for Adam, the work was never truly done. He knew the next canon event was just around the corner, and this one involved a betrayal of faith and a community in peril. The Good Shepherd case.
"Eisbibers," Adam explained to Nick, Hank, and Monroe over coffee at his shop. "They're like beavers, Wesen-style. Industrious, communal, and generally peaceful. But they're also incredibly trusting. Which makes them easy targets for exploitation. Especially when that exploitation comes from within their own community."
Monroe, his face grim, nodded. "Eisbibers are devout. They put a lot of faith in their leaders. If someone abuses that trust… it's a terrible thing."
"Exactly," Adam agreed. "And in this case, it's their pastor. He's been skimming money, exploiting their labor, and even worse, he's responsible for a murder. He's a corrupt Eisbiber, using his position to prey on his own flock."
Nick's jaw tightened. "A pastor? Doing something like that?"
"Sadly, even the Wesen world has its fair share of hypocrites," Adam said, a cynical edge to his voice. "But we're going to put a stop to it. And we're going to do it in a way that exposes him to his community, so they know the truth. No more hiding. No more quiet suffering."
Adam, using his knowledge of the episode, directed them to the Eisbiber community, a close-knit group living in a secluded, almost idyllic, neighborhood on the outskirts of Portland. The atmosphere there was heavy with a subtle undercurrent of fear and unspoken resentment.
They approached the community church, a simple, wooden structure that served as the heart of the Eisbiber's lives. Inside, the corrupt pastor, a portly, self-righteous Eisbiber, was delivering a sermon, his woged face flickering with an unctuous piety that made Adam's stomach churn.
"He's good at hiding it," Hank muttered, his eyes narrowed. "Looks like a regular guy."
"He's a wolf in sheep's clothing, Hank," Adam corrected. "Or rather, a corrupt beaver in a pastor's robe. But that's about to change."
Adam stepped forward, his voice resonating with that deep, commanding tone that silenced the room. The Aura of the First Grimm flared, focused directly on the pastor. The Eisbiber community, sensing the immense power, instinctively recoiled, their eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe. The pastor, mid-sentence, froze, his woged face flickering uncontrollably, his carefully constructed facade crumbling.
"Pastor," Adam said, his voice cutting through the silence like a knife. "You have betrayed your flock. You have exploited their trust. You have stolen from them. And you have murdered a man."
The pastor stammered, his eyes darting around, looking for an escape, for a way to deny it. But under the crushing weight of Adam's aura, he couldn't. His woged form became more pronounced, his true, greedy nature exposed for all to see.
"No! Lies! He's a Grimm!" the pastor shrieked, trying to rally his terrified congregation.
But the Eisbibers, seeing their beloved pastor woge into a monster, feeling the truth resonate through Adam's aura, gasped in horror. Their trust was shattered.
"He is a Grimm," Adam confirmed, his voice unwavering. "And I am a Grimm. And we are here to expose the truth. This man has preyed on your kindness. He has used your faith against you. He is not a shepherd. He is a wolf."
Under the relentless pressure of Adam's aura, the pastor, stripped of his lies and his authority, began to confess, his voice trembling, revealing his crimes to his horrified congregation. The Eisbiber community watched, their faces a mixture of shock, anger, and profound sadness.
While the pastor was confessing, Adam moved, swiftly and decisively. He subdued the corrupt Eisbiber, pinning him against the altar, ending his reign of terror.
[System] Wesen Defeated. Wesen Type: Eisbiber. Extracting... Alchemical Vial Created: Eisbiber Potion.
[System] The Eisbiber Potion grants a minor increase in resilience and a slight boost to construction skills.
A new vial, a sturdy, earthy brown, materialized in his hand. He pocketed it, a sense of justice served washing over him.
Monroe, meanwhile, stood among the Eisbiber community, his own face etched with sadness, but also with a quiet satisfaction. He began to speak to them, offering words of comfort, helping them process the betrayal, reassuring them that not all Wesen were like their former pastor.
Nick and Hank, having witnessed the entire scene, looked at Adam with a mixture of awe and grim satisfaction. "You just… exposed him," Nick said, shaking his head. "To his entire community. That was… brutal. But necessary."
"Sometimes, the truth hurts, Nick," Adam said, his voice softer now. "But it's always necessary. And this Eisbiber Potion? Resilience and construction skills. Might be useful if we ever decide to build a Grimm fortress. Or just, you know, fix a leaky faucet."
Hank looked at the community, then at Adam, a growing understanding in his eyes. "So, not all Wesen are bad. And not all Grimms are just about killing them. This is… a lot to take in."
"Welcome to the grey areas, Hank," Adam said, a wry smile. "It's where all the interesting stuff happens. Now, let's get this guy to jail. And help these poor Eisbibers rebuild their faith. In something other than a corrupt beaver, anyway."
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