Descendant of Sloth

I tugged on the black hoodie, the soft fabric warm against my skin as I adjusted the sleeves. The emblem of the Vigilante Order gleamed faintly on the back—a silver insignia shaped like a sword surrounded by a circle of chains. The black pants below I wore. It was narrow end but comfortable enough to move in. 

Looking at myself in the mirror, I sighed. *It feels strange wearing this uniform. It's not just a costume; it's a weight—a responsibility.* 

I grabbed my boots, slipping them on before running a hand through my hair. "Alright," I muttered under my breath, stepping out of the room. 

The hallway was quiet, save for the occasional murmur of voices from other rooms. Jamyang was waiting for me by the exit, dressed similarly in black, though she wore her uniform with a balck casual shirt with an emblem behind and black denim shorts. She was humming a cheerful tune, swaying slightly as she leaned against the wall. 

"Ready?" she asked, her voice light and upbeat. 

I nodded, stuffing my hands into the hoodie's pockets. "I am not but yeah, I am." 

"Haha, You are funny Adrian." She chuckled and walked ahead. 

We stepped out into the cool afternoon air, the faint hum of city life reaching us even from the basement entrance. Jamyang walked ahead, her steps almost bouncy, while I trailed behind her, my thoughts already wandering. 

She glanced back at me, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Why the long face, Adrian? First mission nerves?" 

I shook my head. "Not really. Just… bored." 

"Bored? Already?" she teased, laughing softly. 

I sighed, watching the steam of my breath dissipate in the cold air. "Back in the Higher Order, even the smallest demon host required a group effort. Now, it's just the two of us. Feels a bit... strange." 

"Ah, you'll get used to it as we are strong." she said, waving a hand dismissively. "Besides, you've got me. I'm basically a one-woman army." 

Her confidence was infectious, but I only offered a half-smile in response. 

After a brief silence, she tilted her head toward me. "Hey, how old are you?" 

"Twenty-one," I replied without much thought. 

Her eyes widened slightly, and she let out a low whistle. "No way! You're younger than I thought. I'm twenty-three." 

"Ohhh..I see." I said, though I don't care about it. 

She raised an eyebrow, smirking faintly. "Ohhh my… so young. You're like a young junior to me." 

"Maybe I am." I smiled and nodded. 

She grinned before leaning in slightly, her tone taking on a teasing edge. "So… do you have a girlfriend?" 

I shook my head. "Nope. But I do have a mother who's my age." 

She blinked, her grin faltering in confusion. "Wait… what?" 

I smirked, picturing Hina's constant nagging and overly protective nature. "Never mind. Just someone who acts like one." 

Jamyang burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. "You're weird, Adrian. I like it." 

I shrugged. "Thanks, I guess?" 

As we continued walking, I decided to shift the conversation. "What about Esther? What's his deal?" 

She glanced at me, her expression softening slightly. "Esther? He's twenty-six. He joined a year after me but climbed the ranks faster than anyone. He's strong—like, really strong." 

I hummed in acknowledgment, my mind flashing back to his cold stare and dismissive attitude earlier. *So that cold bastard is 26. Figures.* 

Jamyang didn't notice my internal grumbling as she continued, "He's not a bad guy, you know. Just… intense." 

"Yeah, I can see that," I muttered, more to myself than to her. 

We eventually reached the subway entrance, where two higher order officers stood guard. One of them stepped forward, eyeing us warily. 

"IDs?" 

Jamyang flashed her badge, and I followed suit. The officer scanned them carefully before nodding and stepping aside. "Go ahead." 

We descended into the subway, the sound of our footsteps echoing in the empty station. The air was damp and heavy, the faint scent of rust and something sour like vinegar lingering. 

"It's too quiet," I said, glancing around. The overhead lights were flickering, casting eerie shadows across the walls. 

"Power's out," Jamyang replied casually, kicking the discarded soda can. "Probably the hosts' doing. They like to create a good atmosphere for their prey." 

"Great, hope in the name of two 50 don't swamp on us." I muttered, trailing behind her. 

The further we walked, the darker it got. The lights above us eventually gave out completely, plunging us into near pitch-blackness. 

Jamyang pulled out a small flashlight, the beam slicing through the shadows. 

I stayed close, my senses on high alert. Something about this place felt… wrong. 

As we turned a corner, my eyes caught sight of a small white statue sitting on the edge of the platform. It was a cat, its delicate features almost too lifelike. 

"Creepy," I muttered, ignoring the way its blank eyes seemed to follow us as we walked past. 

Jamyang didn't respond, her focus fixed ahead. 

We continued down the corridor, but something made me glance back. For a brief moment, I could've sworn the statue's eyes moved. 

"Did his eyes moved?" I said to myself. 

Shaking off the feeling, I quickened my pace to catch up with Jamyang. 

After walking like few seconds, she suddenly stopped, her entire body going rigid. 

"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice low. 

She didn't answer, her head turned towards me and gaze fixed on me. But her eyes weren't looking at me—they were looking past me. 

There were no emotions on her face, just hollow eyes looking into my soul. 

"Why are you staring at me like that?" I asked, feeling a chill crawl up my spine. 

Her voice was barely above a whisper. 

"Not you… behind you." 

My blood turned to ice. 

The shadow beneath me began to stretch and shift unnaturally, growing larger by the second. Slowly, I turned my head, my heart pounding in my chest. 

Standing there, barely a few feet away, was a 5 times the size of mine, a black cat. Its glowing red eyes bored into mine, and its mouth was parted just enough to reveal sharp, blood-stained teeth.

Drops of crimson red blood fell onto the floor, the sound almost deafening in the oppressive silence. 

"Fuck…" I expressed.