The morning sun cast a warm glow through the narrow window of Deb's dorm room, illuminating the array of books and papers strewn across her desk. She rubbed her eyes as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and yawned. Another day in this strange new world awaited her, full of tests and packed with coursework.

Deb slid her feet into her slippers and grabbed her shower caddy, stepping out into the hallway. The scent of fresh-brewed coffee wafted through the air as she closed the door behind her. She had barely taken three steps when she bumped into Abby, who was distracted from changing the song on her phone.

"Oops, sorry," Deb said, adjusting her glasses.

"Hey, no problem, I'm Abby," Abby replied with a warm smile. She adjusted the golden cross necklace around her neck, which caught Deb's eye.

"Nice necklace, I'm Deb," Deb remarked, admiring the intricate design.

"Thanks," Abby said, her fingers grazing the pendant. "It means a lot to me." She hesitated for a moment before asking, "What's your full name, by the way? Every name has a history I always say."

"Deb Hayashi," she responded, curious about Abby's sudden interest.

"Interesting," Abby murmured, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I'll see you around, Deb."

As Deb watched Abby walk away, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. There was something about Abby that seemed off, like a beautiful painting hung on a slight angle.

Meanwhile, Ethel stumbled into the basketball team's locker room, her face pale and her breathing labored. She scanned the room for Zack but found only Boon, who was lacing up his sneakers. The infection from the dagger had spread faster than she expected and it was taking everything she had just to stand. She could sense Zack had been in the locker room and desperate for help she moved towards Boon.

"Where's Zack?" Ethel asked, her voice strained.

"Whoa, you look like hell, also I don't know if you've noticed but this is the men's locker room," Boon remarked, eyeing her warily. "What's going on with you?"

"None of your business," she snapped. "Just tell me where Zack is."

"Look, I don't know what you're on, but I'm not getting involved," Boon retorted, standing up and moving towards the door.

"Wait!" Ethel coughed, a thick black liquid spattering onto the locker room floor. Boon's expression turned to one of disgust and concern.

"Are you okay?" he asked, taking a step back.

"Please... help me find Zack," Ethel pleaded, her voice barely a whisper. But before Boon could respond, a surge of power rippled through Ethel's body, causing her eyes to glow a dim green.

Without warning, Boon froze in place, suspended in time by Ethel's uncontrollable powers. She looked at him, horrified by what she had done but unable to reverse it. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out what was happening to her, and how she could save herself before it was too late.

Ethel's head throbbed as her hearing became overly sensitive, picking up even the faintest sounds. Through the noise of the busy campus, she caught a familiar voice - Rob singing off-key to "Dancing Queen" somewhere nearby. Grateful for the discovery, her change in focus released Boon from his frozen state as she stumbled out of the locker room.

Her vision blurred as she made her way down the hallway, using the walls to steady herself. The sound of Rob's singing grew louder, guiding her towards the parking lot. She stepped out into the open air just in time to see Rob's white Nissan Sentra starting to back out of a parking spot.

"Stop!" she croaked, trying to catch his attention. Her legs gave out beneath her, and she crumpled to the ground right behind his car.

"Whoa!" Rob slammed on the brakes, his eyes wide with shock as he saw Ethel collapse in his rear-view mirror. He quickly jumped out of the car and rushed to her side. "Ethel, what happened?"

"Help... me," she whispered, her breaths coming in shallow gasps.

"Of course. Let's get you inside." Rob carefully lifted her and guided her into the passenger seat of his car, his face etched with concern. With a final glance around to make sure no one was watching, he drove them to UWP.

Upon arrival, Rob managed to sneak Ethel into the building and the dorm room without drawing any attention. Zack, who had been hunched over his laptop at the desk, looked up and immediately sensed that something was terribly wrong with Ethel, her once powerful aura was almost reduced to nothing.

"Ethel, what happened?" Zack asked, his voice tense with worry.

"An exorcist... her dagger..." Ethel stammered, struggling to form coherent sentences. Rob laid her down on his bed while Zack listened intently, piecing together the situation.

"You were the one hit by that dagger," Zack's face turned pale as he remembered the conversation Jessica and Abby had had about its effects. "We have to get you to a hospital right away."

"You can't," Ethel stated "Even if I were human, there is no way a human would know how to reverse this, all this would do is cause mass panic that it is some new incurable virus."

"Okay, so we need to help you without anyone finding out about... all this," Zack said, gesturing vaguely at Ethel's weakened form. "What do you need me to do?"

"Find the exorcist... steal the cursed weapon she used on me. If I know what curse it is, I can reverse it," Ethel rasped.

"Right. The exorcist is probably with Jessica at St. Jerome's dorms, I saw her get into Jessica's car." Zack quickly texted Deb, asking if they could meet up for a study session. Deb responded with an enthusiastic yes, and Zack knew he had his way in.

"Rob, stay with Ethel and keep her safe," Zack instructed, his voice firm but laced with concern."Be careful, man," Rob said, nodding solemnly.

Zack slipped out of the dorm room and made his way to St. Jerome's dorms, his mind racing with thoughts of how to find the mystery exorcist and retrieve the cursed weapon without arousing suspicion.

As he approached the dorms, he took a deep breath and steeled himself for the task ahead. He couldn't let anything happen to Ethel – she was too important, both as a mentor and as an ally in the fight against Gluttony. And yet, the thought of betraying Deb's trust weighed heavily on him.

"Focus," he whispered to himself, shaking off his doubts. If they were going to save Ethel, there was no time for second-guessing.

With each step closer to the dorms, Zack's heart pounded faster. He knew that the fate of his fellow vessel rested squarely on his shoulders, and failure was not an option. As he entered St. Jerome's, he silently prayed that luck would be on his side.

"Okay, Zack," he muttered under his breath. "You can do this. For Ethel."

Zack knocked gently on Deb's door, his heart pounding in his chest. He quickly rehearsed his plan in his head, trying to keep his focus on saving Ethel and not the warmth of Deb's lips that he had grown to crave.

"Come in," Deb called from within, her voice soft and inviting. Zack pushed the door open and stepped inside, his eyes immediately drawn to her beautiful figure lounging on the bed. Her glasses perched delicately on the bridge of her nose as she flipped through a textbook casually.

"Hey," she greeted him with a warm smile, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Ready to study?"

"Absolutely," Zack replied, trying to sound confident. He shut the door behind him and approached her cautiously, joining her on the bed. The moment their bodies touched, a jolt of electricity shot through him, making it difficult to think straight.

"Actually," Deb whispered, leaning in to press her lips against his. The world around Zack seemed to blur and fade away as he lost himself in the kiss. His heart rate quickened, and he could feel the familiar sensation of his powers beginning to stir.

Just then, the shrill sound of an incoming text pierced the air, and Zack reluctantly broke away from Deb's lips. Glancing down at his phone, he saw Rob's message: "Hurry up, man. Things are getting worse."

Zack swallowed hard, feeling a sudden sense of urgency wash over him. He needed to regain control and find a way to get close to search the dorms. As his eyes scanned the room, they landed on the numerous awards Deb had won for gymnastics and knife throwing.

"Wow," he said, trying to steer the conversation in a new direction. "That's quite an impressive collection you have there. Gymnastics and knife throwing?"

Deb blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, my parents kind of forced me into it. They said I would use these skills later on in life."

"Really?" Zack asked, feigning surprise. "How good are you at throwing knives?"

"Want me to show you?" Deb offered, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Sure," Zack agreed, relieved for the opportunity to stall for time.

They made their way to the archery range, and Zack watched in awe as Deb expertly threw several knives, each one hitting the bullseye with incredible precision. He couldn't help but be impressed by her skills, momentarily forgetting about his mission.

"Wow, you're amazing," he breathed, just as their lips met again. The world seemed to disappear once more until Jessica's voice interrupted their intimate moment.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Deb, we really should get going," she said, her tone slightly irritated. "Zack you should..." Just as she was about to ask Zack to leave, Abby appeared beside her, a friendly smile on her face.

"Zack is it? why don't you join us for dinner?" she offered, causing Jessica's eyebrows to rise in surprise. Zack hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement, knowing he needed to stay close to Abby. "I am Abby by the way," the woman said extending her hand towards Zack.

"Zack, but you already know that," he said, slipping his hand into hers as they shook.

The group made their way to Father Bill's residence near the University's parish. Upon entering the dining room, they found Father Bill waiting for them, a fully set table and delicious-smelling food laid out before them, and several other freshmen sitting around the table. Noticing Zack, he set another place at the table without a word.

"Would you like some wine, Zack?" Jessica asked, holding up a bottle with an almost challenging look in her eyes. But Zack, knowing better than to fall for such an obvious trap, politely declined.

"Thank you, but I'll pass," he replied respectfully, earning a nod of approval from Father Bill. As they settled down to eat, Zack's mind raced with thoughts of Ethel and the cursed weapon he needed to find. He knew he had to act soon, or it might be too late.

"Act natural, Zack," he thought to himself, his heart pounding. "You can do this."

As they dug into their meal, Zack listened to the conversation flowing around him, searching for an opportunity to steer it toward Abby, he wanted to check her room first. He needed to find out where she was staying on campus, and time was running out. Rob's text message weighed heavily on his mind: "Things are getting worse with Ethel. Hurry!"

"Abby," Zack said casually, catching her attention. "I haven't seen you around campus. Are you new to here? Where are you staying?"

"Well, Zack, unfortunately, I am just here to take care of some business," Abby replied with a smile. "I'm staying here at Father Bill's residence while I'm in town."

Zack's heart pounded as he made his next move. "Excuse me, everyone. I need to use the restroom. Would you mind pointing me in the right direction, Abby?"

"Of course," Abby said looking amused by the sudden change in the conversation, gesturing to the staircase. "There's a guest bathroom upstairs, just down the hall."

"Thank you," Zack said, rising from his seat and making his way up the stairs. With each step, his anxiety grew, knowing that Ethel's life depended on him finding the cursed weapon.

Once upstairs, Zack quickly located Abby's room and entered, scanning the space for her belongings. He spotted a duffle bag in the closet and approached it, adrenaline fueling his movements. Digging through the bag, he found a wooden box containing several vials. One of them was empty.

Zack hastily dialed Ethel's number, whispering urgently into the phone. "Ethel, I found a wooden box with vials in Abby's room. One of them is empty. Does that mean anything?"

"Bring me the empty vial," Ethel instructed weakly. "It held Holy Water. I can heal myself if I can determine who blessed it, she must have coated the dagger in it."

"Got it," Zack whispered, pocketing the empty vial and placing everything back in the closet. He hurried downstairs, doing his best to appear calm.

"Thanks for a lovely meal," Zack announced, "but I really should get going." He hoped to make a quick exit.

"What, no dessert?" Abby asked "Please, Zack. You must try Father Bill's famous apple pie," she urged, her eyes locked on his. Zack was too interesting to Abby, so she had no intention of letting him leave without figuring him out first.

Reluctantly, Zack sat back down at the table knowing he was wasting precious seconds here. As they enjoyed dessert, the conversation shifted to the recent animal attacks that had claimed Joanna and Greg's lives. " The police think it is some kind of animal," Jessica said as she watched her vanilla ice cream melt on her plate "I don't see how an animal can hold a person for two days."

Father Bill interjected " In the old days the towns folk would have blamed demons or a werewolf for such attacks," The man sounded like he was joking but Zack couldn't help but feel a sense of unease listening to his words. "I hope everyone at this table is careful out there until this animal is caught and put down." the Father continued, it was at that moment Zack realized Abby was no longer seated at the table. Panic gripped him at the thought of her discovering what he had taken. Deb had also excused herself to use the bathroom, leaving Zack alone with the exorcists.

As dinner wound down, Abby reappeared from upstairs her gaze narrowed, "Where is it?" she pointed at the freshmen. "It was in my bag and now it is gone, and the only people I don't know enough to trust are you." Zack was speechless, unable to form the words to defend himself as the entire dinner party looked on in confusion. "All of you empty your pockets!" Abby demanded, her eyes betraying a flicker of suspicion. Just as Zack was about to comply and reveal the vile he had tucked away, Deb returned from the bathroom, her face flushed.

"Actually, I took it from your bag, Abby," Deb stammered, her voice barely audible. "I took some condoms." she held the item out to return it to Abby.

Everyone stared in surprise, and the tension momentarily deflated. Deb's cheeks turned beet red, and Zack quickly offered to walk her back to the dorms.

As they made their way across campus, silence enveloped them, each lost in their own thoughts. It wasn't until they reached Deb's door that their eyes met again, even without words they felt a wave of relief wash over them. At that moment, they shared a tender kiss goodnight, Zack knowing first the first time where Deb saw their relationship going but for tonight a kiss would have to do.

Zack's heart pounded in his chest as he raced back to the dorm, the vial of holy water clutched tightly in his hand. The night air was cold and biting, but it did little to dampen the urgency that propelled him forward. Bursting through the door, he found Rob hovering over Ethel's pale, trembling form.

"Ethel!" Zack cried out, dropping to his knees beside her. "I've got the vial but I can't read Latin!"

Her dark eyes fluttered open, focusing on him weakly. "Can I see it?" she rasped.

"Sure, here take it," he urged, handing her the vial. But before she could take it, her body convulsed and she slipped into unconsciousness.

"Ethel!" he shouted, shaking her gently in an attempt to rouse her. Rob joined him, both boys frantic with worry.

As Zack held her limp hand, he noticed her aura fading fast – a dim green light flickering around the edges of her body. Desperate to save her, he silently wished he could share some of his own energy. At that moment, a faint pink glow emanated from his hand, merging with her green aura. Ethel gasped and her eyes snapped open.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice strained but grateful. "Fill the vial with water from the sink.' she instructed, Rob rushed over to the bathroom and filled the vial to the rim before handing it back to Ethel. Taking the vial from Rob, she muttered a curse under her breath before downing the water. Almost instantly, her complexion improved and the tremors ceased.

"Ethel, what happened to you?" Zack asked, concern furrowing his brow.

"Later," she replied curtly. "Right now, we need to discuss your involvement with Deb."

"Deb? What does she have to do with any of this?"

"Jessica, Abby, and Father Bill are all exorcists, and that entire campus is just a training ground to create more of them," Ethel warned. "It's far too dangerous for you to be around them. They might discover what you are."

"Ethel, they've been nothing but kind to me, well accept Abby" Zack argued, recalling the warmth and feeling of family during the dinner table. "Nicer than you've ever been, actually." the words slipped from his mouth before he could catch them, his own fear about not being able to be with Deb seeping into them.

"Fine," Ethel snapped, her frustration palpable. "I'll show you why you need to stay away from exorcists at all costs." She stood up, her body still weak but determination shining in her eyes.

"Where are we going?" Rob asked, his voice tinged with unease.

"London Asylum," Ethel replied grimly.

The trio made their way to the imposing institution, its gothic architecture casting eerie shadows in the moonlight. Inside, they navigated the dim halls until they reached a room bearing a small plaque that read 'Kyle Rockwell.' Ethel pushed the door open, revealing a catatonic man slumped against the far wall. His eyes stared blankly into the void, unseeing and unresponsive.

"His name is Kyle," Ethel said softly, her voice heavy with sadness. "He's the reason you need to avoid exorcists I know exorcists are the true monsters."

Zack stared at the lifeless form of Kyle, his heart heavy with dread. The man's vacant eyes seemed to be searching for something beyond the room's barren walls. Ethel stood beside him, her expression solemn as she recounted the tragic events that led to Kyle's current state.

"Five years ago," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "a house fire claimed the lives of over twenty people. Kyle was the only one who survived." She paused, her gaze falling to the floor as if weighed down by the memory. "I was supposed to be there too...but I got into a fight with my mother and she made me stay home."

A shiver ran down Zack's spine as he considered the near miss that had spared Ethel from sharing Kyle's fate or worse. He studied the man more closely, taking in the hollow cheeks and haunted eyes that bore witness to a soul trapped somewhere between life and death.

"Exorcists were responsible for the fire," Ethel continued, her voice trembling with anger. "They knew vessels were inside that house – we never thought they would attack us without reason, we had gotten too comfortable."

"Wait," Zack interrupted, his mind racing to make sense of Ethel's revelation. "Are you saying the exorcists set the fire to kill the vessels? But... weren't there humans in the house too?"

"Exactly," Ethel spat, her eyes blazing with fury. "And now you understand why I'm telling you to stay away from them. They may seem nice, but when it comes down to it, they're ruthless and will stop at nothing to exterminate our kind."

Zack's thoughts swirled, each new piece of information casting doubt on how far they would go to kill him if they found out. He felt a gnawing uncertainty take root in his chest, its tendrils slowly wrapping around his heart, would they kill Deb too if she got in the way? If what Ethel said was true, then he was in more danger than he'd ever imagined.

"Ethel," Zack said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "I...I don't know what to believe, they can't all be bad right? What about Joanna?"

"Believe me, Zack," she urged, her eyes locking onto his with a fierce intensity. "I've been doing this for a long time, and I've seen what exorcists are capable of. Joanna left the organization, she knew what they really were too."

As they stood there, bathed in the faint glow of the asylum's dim lights, Zack knew that he had no choice but to follow Ethel's guidance. If the exorcists truly are this dangerous, then he needs Ethel to watch his back. And though he still harbored doubts about Ethel's true intentions, he understood one thing with absolute certainty – survival in this new world was all that mattered, and he would have to confront the shadows that lay ahead with strong allies if he wanted to make it.

"So these exorcists are just out there killing all the vessels they find?" Rob asked, from the doorway.

"Exorcists follow a code," Ethel explained, her voice tinged with bitterness. "They're supposed to only kill adult supernatural beings and only if they have absolute proof that the being caused harm to a human. But there were plenty of children in that house who were guilty of nothing."

Zack felt his whole body shiver as he processed Ethel's words.

"Killing the innocent is just what exorcists do eventually," she continued. "And if they've chosen Deb to join them, then she'll do the same one day."

"Deb? No, she wouldn't..." Zack trailed off, his voice barely a whisper. He wanted to believe in Deb's inherent goodness, but the seeds of doubt had been sown. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to confront the possibility that Deb could be dangerous if she knew what he really was.

"Ethel, I... I need to go," he said, his heart heavy with uncertainty. Not waiting for a response, he turned and left the room with Rob following him out, feeling like a weight had settled upon his shoulders.

***

Later that night, Deb lay in her bed, thoughts racing through her mind about the awkwardness of the evening. She thought about texting Zack to explain why she took the condom but then she heard a startling noise from the hallway and hushed whispers drew her in. The voices from the hallway reached her ears, and she pressed herself against the door to listen more closely. Abby and Jessica spoke in hushed tones, their voices tense with urgency.

"Ethel's not the sin we're looking for, everybody knows that," Jessica admitted reluctantly. "But we know she is looking for it."

"Then let's just take care of that problem," Abby suggested, her tone cold and unfeeling. "That would make things so much easier."

"Abby!" Jessica admonished. "We must follow the code. Remember our duty."

"Fine," Abby conceded, sounding frustrated. Their footsteps receded, and Deb heard Jessica walk away. Confused by their conversation, she crawled back into bed, her heart pounding in her chest.

In the dim hallway, Abby remained, a dark expression on her face. She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a single match. Striking it against the wall, a small flame flickered to life. "If you won't help me eliminate the problem," Her eyes locked on the dancing light, she watched as it burned down towards her fingers, seemingly unbothered by the heat. As the last embers died, a sinister smile crossed her lips "Then I will just have to do it myself." she whispered.