“Reika. Reika, wake up.”

Ari’s voice tugged me out of sleep as she shook my shoulder. I blinked my eyes open, rubbing the grogginess away.

“We’re here,” she said, grabbing my hand before I could fully process it. She practically dragged me off the train.

The cold afternoon air slapped me across the face the moment we stepped out. I blew into my hands and rubbed my arms, trying to gather whatever warmth I could.

“It’s freezing here,” Eren muttered, hugging himself.

A short, middle-aged man with an egg head approached us. “Hello, are you three from the Black Corps?”

“Yes,” Eren answered, stepping forward. The man clapped his hands together, rubbing them nervously.

“My name is Gilbert. Pleasure to meet you.” He shook Eren’s hand.

“I’m Eren. And these two are Ari and Reika. They’ll be in charge of the mission—I’m just supervising,” Eren explained.

Gilbert’s eyes drifted to Ari and me, then back to him. “Well then… please follow me.”

He turned and started walking, and we fell into step behind him.

“Ever since my best friend died, my house has felt haunted,” Gilbert began. “Objects move on their own. I hear screaming at night. That’s why I called the Black Corps. But if you can’t handle it, I’ll call the church instead.”

“Don’t worry, sir. We’ve got this,” Eren said confidently.

We climbed into Gilbert’s tiny car and drove down snow-covered streets. Frost clung to the buildings, the road, even the trees. When we turned into his driveway, the house appeared through the snowy haze—surrounded by tall, dark trees, their branches drooping under the weight of white powder. The roof was blanketed in snow. The yard too.

He parked in front of the garage and motioned for us to get out.

“For starters,” Ari said, stepping out and eyeing the trees, “you really need to get rid of those. They make the place look like a horror movie.”

Gilbert frowned but didn’t answer. He led us to the front door.

It creaked loudly when he pushed it open.

The second my foot crossed the threshold, a stabbing pain shot through my left eye. My vision flickered—shifting into X-ray sight. The demon’s signature lit up like a flare.

A level one.

Gilbert was lucky to still be alive.

“Do you see it?” Ari whispered.

“Mr. Gilbert,” I said, keeping my voice steady, “I advise you to wait outside.”

“This is my house. Why should I go outside?” he asked, annoyed.

“If you want to stay alive,” I replied, turning toward him, “then leave.”

Gilbert caught sight of my glowing eye—and instantly paled.

He bolted out the door and slammed it behind him.

“So where is it?” Ari asked.

“In the living room.”

I glanced at Eren leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking proud and overly calm. He nodded for us to begin.

Ari and I stepped into the living room. It was small—coffee-colored couches, paintings on the walls, and a tiny coffee table in the center. The air felt different here. Heavy. Wrong. A chill curled deep into my bones.

A loud crash echoed through the room.

Ari stepped toward the noise, but I grabbed her arm, shaking my head. Something inhuman sat in the air—thick enough to choke on.

Ari reached for her dagger-shaped necklace. She yanked it free, and green light burst from the blade, filling the room with a soft warmth.

“It’s here,” I whispered. My voice echoed unnaturally.

Then—

A sudden purple flash.

“Duck!” I shouted.

We dropped just in time. A beam of purple energy sliced through the air where our heads had been.

We spun around.

The demon hovered behind us—a floating circular body shaped like a mutated virus. A twisted face of agony bulged from its center, and hollow purple eyes stared at us without blinking. Its mouth stretched open, glowing with building energy.

Ari leapt to her feet and spun her dagger by its chain. The demon fired another beam, but Ari dodged and hurled her dagger—

The demon slid out of the way.

Ari froze. “Why did it—?”

“Is it still visible?” she asked.

I nodded. “It went to the basement.”

I took careful steps toward the basement door. But when I looked down—

I froze.

“Reika?” Ari whispered, bumping into me. 

“What’s wrong? Did you see something?”

My throat tightened.

“A… nest,” I said. “There’s a whole nest of them downstairs.”

Ari’s eyes widened. “What?!”

“We can’t fight a horde by ourselves. We need to report this—now.” I kept staring at them, half-expecting one to launch upward.

“No.” Ari grabbed my shoulder and turned me to face her. Her eyes burned—a fierce, fearless fire.

“We can do this. We’ve trained day and night for this. Reika… we’re ready.”

Was I?

I wasn’t sure.

But looking at her—at the determination blazing in her eyes—I wanted to believe.

I needed to.

I nodded.

Ari smiled. “Let’s do this.”

We descended the stairs slowly. One step creaked under my foot, loud in the suffocating silence. The demons froze. They couldn’t see us through the basement walls, but they could sense us—hungry, eager.

Their mouths opened in unison, energy building, purple light glowing like dozens of evil lanterns.

They surrounded the staircase.

We were trapped.

We. Are. So. Doomed.

I froze, knowing we were doomed—but Ari’s fire told me we weren’t finished yet.