Gabriel
"You're always so soft," She said, and I smiled a bit.
Emergency sirens ripped through the night. At once, every television in sight and billboards display cut to the same message.
"CIVIL EMERGENCY IN EFFECT. REMAIN CALM. A TERRORIST ATTACK IS UNDERWAY. SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS NOT A DRILL."
People around us gasped. Phones buzzed. Panic gripped the air like frostbite. Iris clutched Vivienne's arm,
Elias slammed down his spoon. "What the hell?"
"That isn't any known city alert tone…" Vivi said.
I felt my stomach twist.
In the snowy distance, the crashing began. Cars hurled into the air. Explosions. Buildings collapsed like cardboard under invisible weight.
We saw the nightmare: cloaked figures, dozens of them emerging from the darkness like shadows congealing into form. Their eyes glowed like stars, and their cloaks danced with the wind.
Farther down the street, a woman screamed. We saw a young lady crumple under the weight of a mysterious, cloaked person. They pressed her onto the snow, scratching at her throat. Vivi covered Iris's eyes. The lady fought back in terror, jabbing thumbs into their glowing eyes, ripping at their hood, only to fall still, her body going limp in the cloaked man's grasp.
He rose, clutching his ruined visage, black hair, and curved horns gleaming beneath the neon. I swallowed the vomit of panic in my throat. "They're not terrorists."
I picked up Iris and grabbed Vivi's hand. "We have to go now."
We all darted into a narrow alley. Iris clung to Vivienne's skirt, and Elias's face wore shock and fear.
I cleared my throat. "Elias, check Iris's neck, look for an eye. Babe, I'll check yours."
Vivi turned, brushing her hair aside. Nothing. Elias checked Iris, clean. Then Iris checked Elias, with clear skin as he flexed his coat collar.
"Alright then, we're good," I said, relieved.
"What about you?" Vivi tugged my collar. I let her check, her face paled,
"What is it?" I asked.
"One.. Two… Three… Sweetheart… You have four. Two black, one is yellow with an arrow, and the last one is ruby red."
My jaw clenched.
"Four of them are after me. I think the colored ones are special," I murmured. "I'm a huge target."
"Surely the government wouldn't just let this happen. Where is law enforcement?" Elias asked
"Maybe it's not just us… Maybe it's the entire world…" Vivienne gripped my arm. "What do we do?"
"I'll run," I said. "They won't target you without a mark. You three go hide."
Iris's voice cracked, "No! You can't fight them alone!"
I crouched and held her close. "If I stay with you guys, I'll endanger you all."
"Then we fight together!" She said,
"Maybe next time," I replied
"You're crazy! They'll kill you!" Elias stared
"I've killed demons before," I reminded them, "Remember the camping trip, Vivian?"
Her expression softened. "Gabriel… I lived through that because of you. I owe you everything."
Elias sighed, trying to smile through the dread. "You better not die, man. Who else is going to bake for us?"
I laughed, brief and bitter. I turned to him, "Protect them. Or I'll just have to never bake anything for you again."
He nodded, "With my life. When you're done, meet us in the forest. Okay?"
"Alright." I turned my back
"Wait!" Vivi said.
"Hm?"
"I love you, Gabriel," she told me.
"I love you too," I said.
I took off through the streets, feet slamming against the snow. I ran toward the old Mall—abandoned, remote. A place I could make my stand. Its glass doors were boarded, but a side entrance still sagged. I pried it open and slipped inside.
Inside, it was quiet. The empty halls echoed with dust and memories. I had maybe a minute, two if I was lucky. I had to scavenge what I could
I crouched behind the kitchen door, fingers trembling as I rummaged through drawers and cabinets. My palms closed around a metal bar about the length of my forearm. Heavy, solid. Not ideal, but better than my bare hands, I exhaled, trying to suppress the surge of adrenaline shaking its way up my spine.
Then I spotted it. A crusted, half-used container of cooking salt.
Perfect.
I dumped it into a cloth pouch, tying it shut with a shred of apron. I didn't know exactly why salt worked. I'd only heard whispers, bits and pieces, something about how it irritated their skin or interrupted their energy, but I was in no position to ask questions. After I coated my weapons in salt, I slid the pouch into my pocket and gripped the bars tight.
The wall behind me burst outwards. One demon came through, shoulder-first, sending debris flying like shrapnel. Three more demons emerged behind him, black cloaks fluttering. One of them had yellow eyes, and another had tall, navy blue hair with ruby eyes.
I jammed a syringe into my arm. It was a Spirit Energy supplement.
Then came the voice. Rough, guttural, and mocking.
They turned to me, speaking in low, unknown languages. I activated my Spiritual Aspect, Emphatic Cipher. The world became… quieter. Sharper. Like slipping beneath still water. I didn't just feel them now, I understood them. Their intent. Their focus. Their bloodlust hums like a blade too tightly strung. Each formed a silhouette in my head. But I kept quiet.
"Gabriel Aster Cain, alone."
"Sloppy. Slow. Soft. Human."
"Easy prey."
"Soft meat."
I didn't reply. If they didn't know I understood them, I could use that. I felt them more than I saw them, four emotions like knives scraping across the edge of my mind. Hunger. Amusement. Bloodlust. One of them… Envy.
I had to let them believe I was weaker than I was. Emphatic Cipher pulled at the corners of my mind, translating every wicked thought into something more real than words. They saw me as cornered. Slow. Scared.
I was all those things.
But I was also ready.