Making the first move, the cloaked individual pulled their sword back, then charging after Jay as they prepared to aim for his throat. Jay then swung his blade, deflecting her attack. Appeared to have almost lost their guard, Jay took advantage by rushing at them with attacks. They managed to dodge them all, however, and took a large step back, holding their sword up as they recovered their guard. With no time to waste, the mysterious person charged at Jay again, clashing swords with him.
As they kept clashing swords and dodging, the more they went on, the closer the person's blade came to Jay's body. Noticing this, he spun around, attempting to roundhouse kick her after they clashed swords again. Blocking his kick with the hilt of their sword, they backed out of the alleyway, allowing them more space to fight.
Taking his stance, Jay sprinted towards them, swinging at them. Slicing the air, the person turned their body, dodging. Quickly after, they stuck Jay in the stomach with the hilt of their sword and kicked him in the side of the abdomen, throwing him onto the ground. Having let go of his sword, Jay, laying on the ground, attempted to reach for it. However, his katana was kicked away from him, and the cloaked individual pointed their sword close to his head, making sure he kept still.
"It's over.
You lost." They said.
Lifting up his head to glare at them, he remained relentless.
"Diabolus...!" He shouted as his voice began to tremble in rage, discharging a field of bright blue electricity from his body. Quickly, the cloaked person jumped out of the way before they could be shocked. As the force of the shockwave almost threw down their hood, Jay seemed a bit surprised as he noticed their face. Having gotten up slowly, he continued to glare at the person, putting up a facade as his true intentions now weren't to kill them. As the cloaked individual kept their guard, Jay rushed at them bare-handed. The person swung at them, but Jay dodged, quickly propelling his hand towards their hood.
Having grabbed and thrown their hood back, the person widened their eyes in surprise as they gasped. Their expression soon turned to anxiety as they smiled awkwardly and rubbed the top of their head.
Sighing as his face grew stern, Jay said, "Care to explain, Christine?"
"Oh, don't get the wrong idea!" She said. "I'm not actually a part of Diabolus!"
"Then why are you wearing their cloak?" He asked as he continued to hold his suspicions.
"It's not the same." She said, turning around to show her back. "See? The symbol isn't there."
"Then why'd you come after me in the first place…?"
"I just wanted to see how good you were with your sword. Although you're not very close to mastering it, it's still interesting that you already know how to use it on your very first swing." She said, rubbing her chin as she studied him. Reminding him of his sword that was still on the ground, he walked over and crouched down to pick it up, then sheathing it.
"Angels, I swear…" She said, softly pouting. "They get all this good stuff… What about humans...?"
"...Anyways, let's say we head back." She said, turning around and heading off as Jay walked alongside her.
***
It was still night time, and the faction's main hall was empty as everyone had left to go to sleep. All of the tables were mostly empty, except for Ben, however, who had been sitting by one as he read a book. Creeping up to him was Emily, who slowly rose up behind him unnoticed as she raised her arms, glaring mischievously as she got ready to pounce on him.
"Gotcha!" She shouted, grabbing his shoulders. Ben screamed as he flinched in fear, quickly picking up his glasses after noticing they flew off of his face.
"Jeez…! What do you want, Emily?" Ben asked, trying to regain his composure.
"Nothin', really. I just wanted to check up on you new people and get to know both of ya." Emily replied, smiling as she held her hands behind her back.
"Well you didn't have to go scaring me like that..!" Ben said, looking slightly frustrated.
"Ahh, you'll be fine!" She said, rolling her eyes as she threw her hand forward. She then fixed her gaze to the book Ben had been reading.
"So, what are you readin'?"
"Ah… nothing too interesting. It's about some guy who died trying to protect someone, who, in the end, died anyways. " Ben said, shrugging.
"What a story…" Emily said, widening her eyes in astonishment. Then, the sound of the doors could be heard opening in the distance. As Ben and Emily looked over at the entrance, they noticed both Jay and Christine walking in.
"Oh, Jay!" Ben said, getting up and walking towards him as Emily tagged along. As he got closer, he began to clearly notice the bruises around him.
"Uh… you alright?" Ben asked, raising one of his eyebrows as he examined him.
"Yea… I'm fine." Jay said, rubbing the top of his head in slight embarrassment.
"Let's just say me and Jay had a little bit of play time." Christine said, winking at Jay.
"Wha-" Ben said, getting flustered.
"Well, anyways, I'm off to bed, guys." Christine said, walking away as they yawned heavily. They then lifted their hand as they continued walking, giving a goodbye. "See ya later."
"So, Jay, do you feel it too?" Emily asked as she got near him, appearing excited for his answer.
"...Feel what?" Jay asked, looking confused.
"That weird aura… like something pulling on you. Can't really explain it too well."
"No, I don't think so…" Jay said as he began to look away to think, trying to remember if he felt anything like what Emily explained.
"Ahh, well that's alright. Guess it's just me… And Nora too, somehow..." Emily said, beginning to walk away as she turned around.
"...Come to think of it…" Jay thought to himself. "I did feel a bit of a weird energy from Lisa when she got close to me just now; Same thing with Nora, except, it hasn't occurred with anyone else…"
"Speakin' of…" Said Emily, stopping as she turned back around to face Jay.
"Jay, Ben… Would you like to go on a bit of an adventure with me and Nora tomorrow?" She said, smiling softly.
"Sure." Ben said.
"Alright." Said Jay as he nodded in agreement. After a few seconds, the doors at the entrance had opened. Turning her eyes from Jay, Emily's expression slowly became excited as she watched the entrance. She began to run towards it with a large grin on her face. Turning his head around to look, Jay noticed the same ghastly figure which began to glitch heavily in his vision as it stood by the door. In almost an instant when he saw it, his head began to throb once again in intense pain.
"Narumi!" Emily said as she approached it. "You're finally back! How've ya been?"
"Jay…?" Ben said from behind him. Hearing Ben, Emily turned back to look in confusion as she raised one of her eyebrows. It's as if both Ben and Emily had completely ignored the ghoul's frightening appearance.
"Huh…?" Said Emily.
As his vision had started to become hazy, Jay was vaguely able to see Ben from above him as he had picked up his head. The anxiety was seen in Ben's face as he observed Jay.
"Oh… not again…" Ben said, then looking over to Emily and the figure.
"Is he okay?" Said an enigmatic voice that was almost drowned out by the static it exhaled.
"I-I don't know…" Ben said. "I mean, he should be fine. This happened once before already…"
Right after Ben spoke, Jay's vision had turned pitch-black as he went unconscious.
***
Then, he regained his senses, immediately opening his eyes and quickly getting up. He looked around, realizing he was in the same dark and mysterious place as before. With the thought that something could emerge from the darkness at any moment, he grew anxious, quickly scanning his surroundings.
"Not this crap again…" Jay thought to himself.
"Where are you? What the hell do you want?" He shouted, continuing to look around.
"Do you miss me, Jay?" The voice whispered as it materialized behind him. Quickly turning around, he jumped back, then noticing the figure ahead of him.
"Answer the damn question…!" Jay said muttered furiously. "What do you want from me…?"
"Look!" I brought friends…!" It murmured, as two other ghostly humanoid figures loomed from the darkness Noticing them, he had soon realized that they had him surrounded. Then moments later, they slowly began to close in on him.
"But without you… I still feel lonely…"
"You wouldn't mind….
Staying with us….
Forever?" It said as a deep, horrifying tone emphasized its last word.
***
"Uhh… You sure he'll be okay…?" Said, Emily, looking worried.
"I'm sure he will." Ben said with uncertainty as he put Jay's head back on the ground. "I mean, there's not much we can do to help him. Let's just give him some rest and hope he wakes up soon."
Narumi, who Jay had seen as a shadowy figure, approached him and Ben in concern and said, "I hope he'll be okay..."
"By the way, are you just gonna leave him here…?" She added.
"Well…" Ben replied, rubbing his head. "I don't think I'd be able to carry him-"
"Watch out!" Yelled Emily as she put ahead her hand.
"Huh?" Ben murmured, as he and Narumi turned to look back at Jay in confusion. Upon noticing him, they both jumped far back in shock. Jay's body had begun to exude a dark, visible energy.
"Stay behind me." Said Emily, pulling out a warhammer from a yellow magic circle.
"What's happening to him...?" Asked Narumi.
"I… I don't know, but it doesn't seem good..." Emily said, holding up her hammer as she kept her guard.
"He's being overtaken by malevolence... " Ben said, beginning to panic slightly. "Quick! We need to get it out of him!"
***
"Get away from me…!" Said Jay, trying to remain calm as more of the shadowy figures began to appear, approaching him all at once. The closer they had gotten, the louder he was able to hear their groans and whispers. Eventually, as they got close enough, they began to put out their hands, reaching after Jay. Trying to beat them away, he was inevitably swallowed in by the large group of phantasms, soon hearing nothing but the dozens of agonizing groans and voices.
***
As the energy emitting from Jay grew thicker, his body began to rise off the floor. Then having stood up, his body twitched uncontrollably. Slowly turning his head towards the three, he stared blankly at them.
"How are we gonna take it out?" Asked Emily, slightly turning her head towards Ben's direction.
"You don't have to worry about that, I know of a way. Just make sure he doesn't hurt us." He said, pulling out a bow from a green magic circle.
"Got it." Emily replied, then looking back at Jay as she began to smirk. "You gonna make a move, or what?"