“I am rotten,” X thought to himself as the cold, heavy acidic rain poured on his face. A blank expression took over, rendering his face in a seeming emotionless state. His body went limp and for a moment he felt like he found himself in a massive dark birdcage.
“Come on, we have to go,” Joseph said as he placed his hand on X’s shoulder.
X snapped out of his bitter sulking.
“I guess you’re right,” he replied. “We can’t keep them waiting for long.”
The bells toiled in the background as the pair, dressed in black suits, made their way into the Knights’ graveyard. A place where distinguished knights, who die during fieldwork, are laid to rest. Stone memorials are erected for each of them, a statue of their likeness to be remembered for ages to come. A rare commodity in the modern world.
X closed his eyes. His weary gaze shifted towards the ground as the pair approached the gathering.
“Two holes,” X thought to himself. “No one will remember them,” he paused, “apart from me.”
It was a funeral procession, the first one that X had gone to since he joined the ranks of the Knights.
“Hey, boss!” a voice called out to X.
“Brick! What are you doing here?” X raised his eyes.
But what he saw was a mere shadow of his expectations. A previously tall masculine figure bound to a wheelchair. In the span of a couple of days, his ginger beard began to turn gray. His normally puffy, lively face had sunken in, seeming tired, appearing almost dead and sickly.
“We’re gonna have Bec fix you up some high-grade prosthetics!” X smirked.
“I’m not sure if I’ll need them, boss,” Calvin anxiously laughed.
“What do you mean?” X asked.
“I’m going to retire,” Calvin stumbled while scratching his head.
“You’re not going to retire!” Maddie suddenly yelled, interrupting the conversation.
“I’ve made my choice!” Calvin screamed out.
“Fuck your choice!” Maddie shouted back.
“Maddie!” Joseph said as he grabbed him by the shoulder.
“Fuck his choice!” Maddie shouted at Joseph. “You mean to say that a man strong enough to resist a contract will give up after losing a few limbs?!”
“I have an obligation to my family,” Calvin frowned in despair.
“You can put the wolf into a kennel…” X smirked.
“…But you can’t stop him from hunting deer in your backyard,” Calvin continued. “I need some time,” he muttered.
“Time is the most limited resource for a human,” X grinned, “But fine! I’ll order you those legs. I’ll even pay for them out of pocket, regardless if you come back to do fieldwork. Just promise me one thing, that even if you won’t hunt demons, you’ll still work for me.” X smiled and approached Calvin with a handshake.
“You mean work for Timothy?” Joseph cleared his throat.
“I’ll think about it,” Calvin shook X’s hand with tears in his eyes.
“That’s all I want,” X said with a smile that didn’t match his eyes.
“I’m rotten to the core,” X thought to himself with a blank expression.
The farewell ceremony proceeded. Several muscular men carried in the caskets, all members of the organization. The caskets were gently placed into their respective holes and buried.
“Tsk. Butchered like dogs,” Maddie muttered in anger, something only X heard.
As the grave diggers shoveled, covering the coffins with dirt, the people attending the funeral looked on. Some cried, others stood in silence, consumed in thought. But X was the only one smiling, despite his grief, or rather, in spite of it.
Goerges family stood opposite to X, glaring at him the entire time. His son appeared like he had all life artificially removed from him. Not a single tear rolled down his cheek, yet his face was grieving, twisting, and contorting into a rage so great that no words could describe it.
X looked back at the little boy, flashing a smile in his eyes, embedding it into his subconscious. A face of someone his father had trusted more than anyone, and now an enemy the boy is swearing to destroy.
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“He’s just at that ripe age,” X thought to himself before turning around and leaving mid-ceremony.
Everyone looked on at his back as it got farther, but most knew it was for the best if he left without making the situation worse. Only Calvin and Maddie were clenching their fists at this great injustice. A hero viewed as an unsympathetic demon.
For the next couple of hours, X scoured the streets in his usual pattern, alternating between wandering aimlessly and looking at the sky with a sorrowful expression. He walked until it got dark.
The damp cold air clumping together near his mouth and nose brought his gaze towards the magnetic monorail.
“I should probably go home,” he thought to himself as he boarded a wagon.
Inside was rather barren, which was unusual for this time of the day. Three young men were sitting in the back wearing sweatpants and cheap plastic bomber jackets. Their hair was shaved short in punk styles. One youth was playing with a knife, tossing it around in the air, another was chewing gum and the third was zoned out on his phone, playing loud electronic music through a cheap speaker from inside of his bag.
X sat down on one of the front seats near the window so he could gaze at the beautiful vista. However, his plans were interrupted by the sound of obnoxious, high paced music, which suddenly got a lot louder. X turned his head at the youths to see the youths staring right back at him.
“Whatcha looking at?” one youth asked with an over-articulated expression.
“Your bad music taste,” X paused. “Well, to be more exact, I’m listening to it,” he laughed.
“What did you say?!” another youth shouted.
“See, I don’t really have a choice other than to listen to your awful music. Because you’re blasting it so loud,” X continued.
“You tryna pick a fight?” the same youth asked.
“So, could you please turn it down? I want to enjoy the scenery in peace,” X finished explaining.
One guy stood up and started making his way towards X while continuing to play with his knife.
“You get out on this stop,” he said while bringing the blade up to X’s throat.
“I was planning to either way. I live not far from here.” X stood up, glaring at the young man while avoiding the point of his knife, gracefully dancing around him towards the exit.
X stood next to the door, waiting for it to open as the three piled up behind him.
“Oh, you’re getting off here too, guys?” he grinned.
“Sure we are,” one guy replied.
“Don’t make any sudden moves,” another said as he brought the blade to X’s nape.
“Ooo, scary,” X replied as he giggled slightly. “Ordinus, data check.” He requested in monotone.
“Target one: Michael Grinn, status: contractor. Target two: Josh Mintc, status: ordinary. Target three: Caleb Tinge, status: contractor.” Ordinus replied, spooking the teenagers.
“I see you guys are legal,” X looked back at them, “why would you do something so stupid then?” X laughed, pointing his finger at the bunch.
“Fuck you,” one boy swiped his knife at X.
“Ordinus,” X replied while shifting his body slightly to the right.
“Disciplinary action permitted against Josh Mintc,” Ordinus replied.
X dodged the attack with little effort, and kicked the boy in the chest, hitting him unconscious against the interior of the wagon, causing it to shake.
“Next please!” X waved his hand at the boys.
Suddenly, one youth began channeling a fire spell in his right hand.
“You know I’m a Knight, right?” X shook his head.
“Does it look like I care? I’ll blast this entire cabin if you don’t give us all your money!” He screamed while preparing to fire out the projectile.
“You should have said so,” X said before grabbing his wallet and throwing it on the ground. “Nevermind, that wallet was a gift,” he remarked as he picked it back up off the ground, took out all the credits inside and handed them to the guy closest to him.
As the doors of the monorail opened, X walked out, leaving the youths standing completely speechless.
“Don’t spend it all at once!” He waved them goodbye before going on his way.
X slowly made his way into the most expensive neighborhood in the city. A place called the “Safe-zone” of lower babel. The streets were paved in clean, perfectly defined concrete slabs, turrets and cameras were placed around every corner. The buildings, mostly consisting of multi-apartment high-rises, were built with pristine appearance and impeccable stability in mind.
X entered the lobby of his apartment building. A large central area with a receptionist and 3D holographic visualization of the high-rise.
“Hey X, it’s been a while,” the receptionist remarked.
“Four months Vince, I see you’re still as sharp as ever,” X responded, giving the receptionist a high-five.
“Miss Amanda is…” the reactionist said before being interrupted.
“I’ll figure it out on my own Vince, have a good night,” X sighed while getting into the elevator.
“Likewise,” Vince smiled.
X slowly paced along the interior as the elevator climbed upwards. Its mechanical gears clanking and screeching before stopping on the top floor.
“I’m home!” X shouted as he walked in.
The penthouse was lavishly decorated, with many modern art pieces strewn about. A perfectly designed blend of modern architectural shapes and ancient roman aesthetics.
X took off his soaked shoes, leaving them by the elevator. He made his way into the apartment, turning on the lights in the kitchen and living room. He walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, grabbing a bottle of expensive wine. As he closed the fridge door, he noticed a note taped on to it.
The note read: “Dad, I don’t know where you are or when you will return. I asked you to call me at least once in a while to see how you’re doing. I can’t keep sitting and waiting for you like a little girl. I know Eris feels the same way. I’m leaving for compound 67 in Turkey for the next eight months. I wanted to leave your granddaughter in your care, but I don’t know when you will be back, so I’m taking her with me. I hope I can see you again when I return. Love, Amanda.”
“Fuck!” X sighed.
He picked up the bottle and removed the top with his bare hand like it was made of butter, leaving a clean cut. He sat down next to the panoramic window overlooking the city, its great and terrifying beauty expanding before his very eyes.
His gaze slowly shifted towards the full moon, as its massive tyrannical glory expanded over the night sky.
X lit a cigarette. “The moon,” he thought to himself. “What a load of bullshit,” he said with a tired and lonely gaze.
End of prologue
image [https://i.postimg.cc/tgwR68N0/Name-Alias-X-Species-Demon-Age-80-Height-182cm-Affiliation-Knights-Rank-Special-grade-investigator.png]
image [https://i.postimg.cc/C5VFPD2m/Name-Alias-X-Species-Demon-Age-80-Height-182cm-Affiliation-Knights-Rank-Special-grade-investigator.png]