Descendant of Sloth

The cold air brushed past us as Hina and I strolled through the park with the faint crunch of leaves below us. It was chilly enough that we both had our hands tucked inside the pockets of our jackets. The chilled air came out with our breaths as we talk. 

"You sure you're okay now? Don't you want to rest a bit more?" Hina asked, her voice carrying a mix of concern and teasing. 

"I was fine the moment I opened my eyes," I replied, giving her a sideways glance. "You're the one who kept pestering me to rest." 

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Shut up. You needed it." 

A frowned look at my face as I said. "I think you just like bossing me around." 

"Sigh... You never listen. Never do anything." She rubbed her temple in irritation. 

"Hehe... Why not just give up?" I asked, my tone as nonchalant as ever. 

"Never." Her response was soft but resolute. 

The conversation pause, the silence between us filled only by the faint rustle of leaves and the distant laughter of children playing. I didn't say anything, but my gaze lingered on Hina for a moment longer. 

She was always so concerned, always there, even when I brushed her off. I admired her silently, a flicker of warmth breaking through the coldness I'd been feeling. 

Finally, I broke the silence. "So... Hina," I began, my tone more serious now, "can you tell me what happened that day?" 

She stopped walking abruptly, her boots crunching the path as I took a few more steps forward. 

"Hmm? What happened?" I turned back to face her, her expression uneasy. 

"You seriously want to know?" she asked, her voice hesitant. "Can't we just forget it?" 

I shook my head, my gaze steady. "I would've forgotten if it was something I could ignore. But the other members of the Higher Order didn't even come to see me. According to Henry, they all refused outright. And Henry himself… he's been acting strangely, hesitant. Then, because of all that, the elites decided to execute me. So… it's definitely not something I can just let go." 

There was a weight to my words, and I saw it reflected in Hina's expression. Her lips parted slightly, her eyes searching mine. 

"You…" she began but faltered. She closed her eyes briefly, inhaling deeply as though bracing herself. When she opened them again, they were filled with a mixture of fear and sadness. "Fine. I'll tell you." 

"Yes, please." I nodded, urging her to continue. 

She took a shaky breath before starting. "That evening… we all heard it. A loud, screeching, demonic voice screaming from the floor you went to. It was so loud it made the air feel heavy, like it was pressing down on our chests. Then the glass windows shattered, and the air became unbearable. It was so thick that we felt like even moving might make our bodies disintegrate." 

Her voice trembled as she spoke, and I felt a chill that had nothing to do with the weather. 

"And then you…" She hesitated, biting her lip. "You started killing all the hosts—full hosts and demon hosts alike. Normally, even the Higher Order can't take on that many demon hosts, but you… you wiped them out in a flash." 

I blinked, my breath catching slightly. "What?" 

"When I finally reached you, you were huffing out of breathe, standing in between of smoke." she continued, "you turned to look at me. But your eyes… they weren't yours anymore. They were just plain black, no pupils, with veins bulging all over your body. It was horrifying, Adrian. You were covered in blood, and when I called out to you…" She gulped, visibly shaken. 

"What?" I asked, my voice low. "What happened when you called out to me?" 

"You… you launched yourself at me," she admitted, her voice breaking slightly. 

The words hitting me like a punch to the gut. "I… I attacked you?" 

She nodded but forced a small, reassuring smile. "Hehe, you did. But it's okay. One of the other members pushed me out of the way just in time. Still, we were all petrified. Your presence… it felt like the end for us, too. Like nothing could stop you." 

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling shakily. "And then?"

"And then… you collapsed," she finished. "Just like that. 

After all of it, you fell to the ground. You didn't wake up for three days." 

The weight of her words settled over me, heavy and suffocating. I brushed my hair back, sighing deeply. 

We walked in silence for a while after that, the air between us thick with unspoken thoughts. 

Finally, I broke it. "I'm sorry," I said quietly. 

She glanced at me, then gave my shoulder a gentle bump. "Shut it. I don't want to hear it." 

"I mean it," I insisted, glancing at her from the corner of my eye. 

"You never listen," she muttered, feigning irritation. Then, without warning, she reached over and tugged at my hair playfully. 

"Ow! Hey!" I protested, holding her hand. 

"Serves you right," she said, her tone lighter now. 

The rest of the night passed, and the next morning came far too quickly. I stood in front of my house in a plain white T-shirt and black jeans, the chill of the morning air biting at my skin. 

I was lazily looking at the cat on the top of the house in front of me and I was thinking.

"He's sleeping so peacefully..." 

Yes, I am the guy who feels jealous looking at a cat. 

And then a sleek black sedan pulled up, the engine humming softly as it came to a stop. A man in a black suit stepped out, his face unreadable. 

"You're Adrian?" he asked, his voice clipped and professional. 

I nodded. 

"Get in," he said, opening the back door for me. 

I slid into the car, the leather seats cold beneath me. The drive was long, two hours of winding roads and silence. I leaned against the window, lazily watching the scenes blur past. 

Eventually, we arrived at a heavily guarded facility. The car was scanned thoroughly before being allowed through a tunnel leading underground. The air grew colder as we descended, the shadows thickening around us. 

When the car finally stopped, the man opened the door again, motioning for me to follow. I stepped out, my eyes adjusting to the dim light. 

The underground base was vast, a sprawling network of rooms and corridors. We passed through several layers of security before finally reaching a large, open room. 

As I stepped inside, all eyes turned toward me. 

Three men and two women stood in the room, all clad in black jackets, matching pants, and daggers and swords around them. 

Among them, I recognized Mira and Esther from the hospital. At the center of it all sat Ezekiel, his sharp gaze fixed on me. 

"Welcome, Adrian," he said, with a gentle smile.