My whole body ached. Every muscle screamed in protest, and for a moment, I truly considered hunting Caleb down and cutting him into neat little pieces.

I lay sprawled on my bed, staring at the ceiling like it personally offended me, imagining at least five different ways to murder him.

My room was the usual chaos: pictures of Rei and me from the orphanage covering the walls, clothes spilling off my chair, empty candy wrappers on my “clean” desk. I groaned and sat up, forcing myself to move. I needed to find her.

I dragged myself to Reika’s room and knocked. No answer. She usually opened in two seconds. My stomach tightened.

Did Caleb send her on a mission without me?

The thought made heat crawl up my spine.

I stormed straight to Caleb’s office and slammed my fist against the door. It swung open, revealing Caleb—with his messy blond hair, tired green eyes behind square glasses, freckles, and that eternally soft expression that somehow annoyed me more when I was angry.

“Ari, you’re back,” he said, as if that wasn’t obvious.

“Where’s Reika?” I snapped.

“Oh, Reika?” He glanced at the clock, then back at me. “She’s… walking around town with the newly recruited exorcist.”

I froze.

Reika?

Voluntarily showing someone around town?

The Rei I know would rather fight a demon barehanded than socialize. My eyes narrowed dangerously.

“You didn’t force her to go, did you?”

“I didn’t do anything,” he insisted, raising his hands.

I shoved past him and flopped onto the couch. Caleb sighed, returning to his mountain of paperwork. I noticed the dark circles under his eyes.

“Are you alright?” I asked, despite myself.

He exhaled, long and tired. “Headquarters has been on my back ever since Reika’s success rate broke the record.”

I sat up straighter. “What do you mean?”

“You weren’t present for the exam. Reika reached an 85% bond rate with the Mani. The highest in recorded history.” His voice dropped. “Since headquarters learned that, they’ve been sending requests to transfer her.”

“Why?”

His expression darkened—completely stripped of warmth.

“To experiment on her. And Ari… those who go there never return alive.”

My blood went cold.

“Does she know?” I whispered.

He shook his head.

If Reika found out… she’d spiral. She’d run. Or break. Or both.

A sharp knock made me jump.

“Coming,” Caleb called. He straightened himself as Rei entered, followed by a tall man I didn’t recognize.

“Did you enjoy the town, Krishna?” Caleb asked.

“Yes, it’s beautiful,” the man answered politely, his eyes on Reika. 

Reika spotted me and ran over, relief bright in her eyes.

“Hey—you’re alright, right?” she asked, checking me over.

“I’m fine,” I waved her off. “How are you feeling?”

“First class.” She even smiled—an actual smile. I hugged her tightly, overwhelmed by how long it had been since I’d seen her.

Caleb cleared his throat, so I let go.

“You two haven’t met,” he said. “Ari—this is Krishna.”

We shook hands—

But the moment dissolved as Timmity burst through the door, panting.

“You have to see this,” he gasped.

We followed him at a run to the science division.

The room was buzzing—scientists huddled around something on the floor.

“What is the meaning of this?” Caleb demanded.

Behind me, Krishna’s soft voice asked, “Hey, are you alright?”

Caleb and I turned to see Reika’s cursed eyes glowing faintly. She’d gone pale—two shades lighter than normal.

“Rei, what do you see?” I asked, gripping her shoulder.

“Eren,” she whispered.

My heart dropped. I pushed through the crowd until I saw him.

Eren lay motionless. Eyes glassy. Skin purple. Nails gone. Clothes untouched—no wounds, no blood.

A chill crawled over my spine.

“Good lord,” someone whispered.

“Move,” Reika murmured.

“Everyone, move!” she shouted. The crowd scattered instantly.

I reached her side—

A sudden BOOM.

Eren’s body exploded into purple dust.

“There was a demon inside him,” Reika said hollowly. “It was eating him from the inside.”

Caleb’s jaw clenched. “It’s Diabolos’ warning. He’s targeting us. Find the locations of all active exorcists—now!”

Scientists scattered.

“Ari…” Reika whispered.

I turned.

“There’s a flower.”

Where Eren had been, a single white chrysanthemum lay on the floor. I knelt and picked it up. A note was tied to the stem.

“There’s a note,” I said.

“What does it say?” Caleb asked.

“Ayam sansārah mam bhavishyati… What does that mean?”

Krishna stepped forward, eyes narrowing.

“It means: This world will be mine.”

My breath hitched.

“How do you know?” I asked.

“That’s Sanskrit. If Diabolo is a millennium old, ancient languages would be nothing to him.”

The flower crumbled to dust in my hand.

Then Mark ran to us, breathless.

“Caleb—thirty exorcists have been found dead. Forty others were found alive, but their minds are gone. Their brains were still alive, but they weren't functioning normally. They won't respond and stare right into space while some laugh at the empty wall, talking to themselves. They are completely broken."

Caleb nearly collapsed. I grabbed his arm and helped him out of the room.

Back in his office, he downed a bottle of water, shaking.

“Are you feeling better?” Reika asked softly.

“Yes,” he forced out. “Thank you.”

Then he straightened.

“I’m sending all three of you on an emergency mission.”

“What?!” I exploded. “We’re still practically babies! Reika almost died—now you want to send us out alone?!”

“Ari—listen. I’m not sending you to die. I just need answers.”

“What about a supervisor?”

“We’re low on exorcists. We’ve lost contact with the rest.”

I looked at Reika.

I HAVE to protect her.

I glanced at Krishna. At least… I won’t be alone.

“Fine. I’ll do it,” I sighed.

“Sounds fun,” Krishna said lightly—clearly his first mission.

Reika gave Caleb a small, determined smile. 

“I’ll do my best. I want to help.”

Caleb handed Reika and me each a small phone.

“You’ve earned these.”

We headed toward the dorms.

“Rei, go ahead. I need a word with the new guy,” I said sweetly.

Reika hesitated but nodded.

Krishna and I walked in silence until I stopped and turned to him.

“I have three things to say to you,” I said coldly.

“One — never get in my way.

Two — never hurt Reika, or I’ll kill you.

Three — on this mission, you help me protect her.”

I walked off before he could respond.

But the strangest part…the whole time I spoke, he didn’t say a single word.