Seirei Exorcist

(Inside the Seal)

Deep within the Seirei Exorcist's secondary building—far removed from where the team usually resides—a sealed chamber holds two figures: Damein and Kyoka. The air is tense, a mix of silence and boredom, as Kyoka finally breaks it.

"Damn, it's boring in here," Kyoka mutters with a sigh, leaning against the cold walls of the seal.

Damein offers a faint smile. "You've been complaining about being bored for the last 20 years. You'd think you'd have given up by now."

Kyoka chuckles, brushing off the comment. "Still, it is boring. And you, Damein, are no fun at all. But that's fine—I'll keep watching you. After all, there's always a chance someone might break you out of this place."

Damein closes his eyes, his grin widening. "It's not about a chance I'll escape. I will escape. And when I do, the first thing I'll do is kill your son. Then I'll annihilate every last Seirei." His voice grows colder. "My goal hasn't changed in 20 years, Kyoka."

Kyoka remains calm, leaning casually against the wall. "You're awfully confident, Damein. I won't deny there's a chance you'll escape someday, but don't underestimate Mark. You saw him the day he was born, and even you admitted it—Mark is special."

Damein sneers, disgust flashing in his crimson eyes. "Special? You mean standzless. A freak with no place in this world."

Kyoka doesn't respond immediately. Instead, he lets the insult hang in the air before adding, "Underestimating him would be a mistake."

Damein's tone sharpens. "Mistake or not, my disciples know what to do. I've given them their orders. It's only a matter of time now."

"Your disciples," Kyoka muses, frowning slightly. "I remember them. Filthy, unworthy scum."

(The Disciples)

Elsewhere, in a run-down apartment cluttered with tools and wires, a man named Kaki works diligently on a strange gadget. His friend Dani, slouched on the couch nearby, is glued to his video game, his controller clicking rhythmically.

The door creaks open, revealing a fully clothed figure cloaked in shadows, his face obscured by a hood and his voice distorted by a device.

"You two seem comfortable," the figure says, his tone cold. "But it's time to get to work. I couldn't gain access to the seal myself, so Damein order if I couldn't unseal him was that it's up to you two to handle it."

Kaki smirks, not even looking up from his work. "So, it's about time, huh? What do you think, Dani?"

Dani, without looking away from his game, responds lazily, "Sounds like a hassle. Why don't you go alone, Kaki? The Seirei Exorcists in this region are nothing without Kyoka around."

The figure's distorted voice cuts in sharply. "You shouldn't underestimate them. The Seirei Exorcists grow stronger by the day. And Mark... Mark is not someone you can take lightly."

Kaki snorts. "Mark? Isn't he the one from that Zeyrix Veynith show? The guy's standzless. What's there to worry about?"

Dani yawns. "Didn't watch that boring show. But if Mark's standzless, then yeah, Kaki can handle it solo."

The figure sighs, turning to leave. "Do what you want. But don't expect me to help if things go sideways. I'll remain undercover within the Seirei Exorcist ranks."

Kaki's grin widens. "Don't worry. I'll destroy the Seirei Exorcist group myself and free Damein. Then we'll kill every last one of Seireis."

(At the Seirei Exorcist Building)

At the main Seirei Exorcist building, Mark stirs awake, his body still aching from his recent fight with Zeyrix. He looks down at his bandaged form and sighs before rising from bed. Wandering into the common area, he finds Vanessa cleaning in an apron, humming softly to herself.

Mark observes her for a moment before stating flatly, "You look cute in that apron."

Vanessa freezes, her face reddening as she turns away. "T-thank you," she stammers, trying to collect herself.

"Where is everyone?" Mark asks.

Vanessa busies herself with her cleaning. "Smith and Miwafe went to exorcise a Seirei. Jack and Rin are handling the crowd of fans we gained after your fight with Zeyrix. The boss and Ninda... well, I'm not sure where they went."

"And you?" Mark asks, grabbing a drink from the fridge.

"I was told to stay here and take care of you," Vanessa says, her cheeks still tinged with pink.

Mark nods. "Thanks for that."

As Vanessa turns to leave, Mark stops her. "You know, don't you?"

Vanessa freezes again, confusion spreading across her face. "Know what?"

"That I'm standzless," Mark says plainly.

Vanessa tries to deflect, but her terrible lying skills betray her. Sighing in defeat, she admits, "I read it in Zeyrix's mind during the fight."

Mark leans against the counter, unsurprised. "I figured. A mind reader with shaky control over her standz could probably pick that up."

Vanessa promises to keep his secret, understanding that there must be a reason for hiding it. Mark shrugs. "It's Smith's idea, not mine. You'd be doing him a favor by staying quiet."

Relieved, Vanessa smiles. But curiosity bubbles within her. "How does it feel?" she blurts out. "Being standzless, I mean. Does it affect you? How are you so strong without one?"

Mark chuckles at her rapid-fire questions. "Slow down. It doesn't really affect me. I feel normal, just... without any flashy tricks like you guys have."

Vanessa pats his head, smiling warmly. "You're amazing, you know that?"

Mark stares at her, confused. "What are you doing?"

Before Vanessa can answer, she suddenly remembers the turkey she left in the microwave. She rushes over, only to find it unroasted. Mark points to a sign on the microwave: Out of Order.

"You didn't notice this?" he asks, smirking.

Vanessa tries to lie again, but it's obvious she's embarrassed. Mark presses her. "Wait, can you even read?"

Blushing furiously, Vanessa admits, "I'm dyslexic. I can't read words properly. That's why I was bullied in school does days that I had to drop out. If it weren't for Miwafe, I'd have lost my confidence years ago."

Mark shrugs. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. And don't let it get to you. You may not be able to read words, but you can do something no one else can—read minds."

Vanessa's face lights up at his encouragement.

Mark stretches. "I'll make lunch. You can pick up some skills."

Vanessa's heart pounds as she realizes she might like him.

As Mark and Vanessa prepare lunch, the rest of the team arrives, filling the room with laughter and chatter. Mark proudly announces that Vanessa cooked the meal, pulling her close as she tries to deny it. Her blush deepens as she leans into him, overwhelmed by the moment.

Unbeknownst to them, Kaki has already set his plan into motion. The Seirei Exorcist building is about to face an unprecedented attack, one that will shake its very foundation and pave the way for Damein's release.