BLINK
BLINK
BLINK
Keiran opened his eyes to see his swarming vision, radiating white light, polished marble floors and walls, with a metal desk in front of him. He sat in a chair, his wrists were locked in glowing black cuffs that pulsed with light, fused into the desk like they grew from it
As he finally regained consciousness, all he could think about was how much the side of his head was killing him. Even blinking that eye came with unbearable pain—but at least his vision had finally settled.
He tried turning his head to see what was behind him, but something around his neck was preventing movement. A collar—like a dog chain—though he couldn't see it clearly.
The door swung open, revealing a blinking light before it was blocked by two figures. The first was the lady who had knocked him out earlier, dressed in a professional suit and still sporting that cross tattoo below her left eye. The man who walked in with her was tall, with a stumpy beard, slicked-back black hair, and sunglasses—even though they were indoors.
They sat in the two seats across from Keiran, both glaring at him as if waiting for the slightest movement or excuse to behead him. Keiran watched them, still with a lost expression on his face.
"I'm Lucy," she said with an all-too-fake smile she shot at him.
"And this is David," she added, gesturing to the man sitting next to her.
"So... let's calm down and actually try to decipher what exactly happened in your school. Heard your name's Keiran Maddox—so why don't you walk me through what happened?"
"I don't even know anymore. All I remember was going out to throw trash away and then running back through the halls!" Keiran screamed in a panicked voice.
"Hmmm... What do you know about demons?" Lucy asked, rubbing the bridge of her nose with an exhausted voice.
Just by the look Keiran gave her, it was clear he didn't know anything—or at least, he only knew the common knowledge.
"Demons are beings formed from negative emotions: anger, fear, rage, jealousy, lust, and so much more.
And in the year 2030, negative energy had accumulated enough to actually synthesize into spirits that could possess children. That's when the gods had to come into play.
They've always been among us, living their lives in plain sight—but when a demon becomes rampant, that's when their divinity and the god gene finally becomes active," Lucy explained with a low voice that said, I'm tired of telling this story.
"Uhhh... What does any of this have to do with me?" Keiran whispered to himself.
"I heard that," she said, tightly shutting her eyes.
David just sat in his seat, boring a hole through Keiran—more or less like a glorified bodyguard.
"There are five ranks of demons:
1. Rank D – Lesser Demons
They are the commonality, only capable of possessing animals and turning them rabid. Not really a problem—can easily be killed with an obsidian bullet.
2. Rank C – Moderate Threats
These are the ones who possess children, warp their bodies, and in rare cases, take control. Can be dealt with by several obsidian bullets, or maybe even a low-tier exorcist team.
You know what a Rank B is?
Keiran snarked "B as in bitch?"
Lucy sighs "B as in break-your-body-in-half."
Keiran's swallowed his remarks
3. Rank B – High-Risk Entities
These are actual threats. The IDC treats them seriously. They're not just superhuman—stronger, faster, and smarter than humans—but in some rare cases, they defy the laws of nature. Obsidian bullets only slow them down. Only the child can power through, or a mid-tier exorcist team is sent—or, if there's no other option, execution.
4. Rank A – Cataclysmic Class
These aren't considered humans anymore. More like rabid beasts with beyond-world powers. Obsidian bullets don't even phase them. Whenever they're out, the rules are simple: do not engage unless you're an elite Paladin, an Archangel—or, of course, a god. Because they listen to no one.
5. Rank S – Ghouls
Even now, we don't fully know what they are.
They are just sadistic, terrifying and goddamn despicable.
They are the only demons who can possess anybody or anything at any age.
They cannot be exorcised—only an Archangel can compete with them.
The only thing that saves the world from these things is the fact that they are so fucking rare.
But there's one simple thing I cannot shake off and I think you can help me with, there's never been a case of a human fighting for control with a Ghoul.
So answer me this, Keiran Maddox...
How the hell are you even talking to me right now?"
She narrowed her eyes and glared at him.
"Wait, wait, wait... I don't know!" Keiran said at the top of his lungs.
Lucy stood up from her seat and walked across to his side, trailing her finger across his cuffs.
"Ghouls are unkillable motherfuckers. But you see, you, Keiran... you're human. And as long as those cuffs are on you—you on the other hand can very much easily be killed."
A chill ran down Keiran's spine as he swallowed hard. The beads of sweat on his forehead were all too visible under the fluorescent lights above them. Taking a deep breath, Keiran shifted his gaze from Lucy to David, who bore an unreadable expression on his face.
"Maybe he'll have a heart," he silently hoped to himself.
A light chuckle escaped Lucy's lips as she snarked, "If you think I'm scary, wait until he talks, he's way worse than me, I assure you."
"Holy shit, I'm fucked,"
Lucy bent closer to Keiran, so close he could feel her heat radiating off her body. "There are two options here. Either I kill you right now—cut off your head so fast and clean you'll be dead by the time you finish blinking—or you become an IDC recruit. I train you myself. You'll be more or less my pet. I say jump, and you ask how high. I say kill, you say who, when, and where. And if you ever give me a reason to believe the Ghoul is in control, I assure you—I'll split you open before you can see the light of day."
Keiran's mouth went dry. Those were his two options: death or submission for the rest of his life. Those were his only options left. If he chose death, at least it'd all finally be over—but he'd be dead at seventeen. If he chose to be IDC, he'd be worse than a slave. He'd heard how they treated recruits in the IDC.
"I'll do it," Keiran said, as he finally accepted his fate.