[Task Assigned]
[Task Difficulty: Tier 2]
[Perform your first sexorcism]
[Reward on Completion: 3 Lust Points]
[Failure: Paralysis for 24 hours]
The reward, a cryptic "3 Lust Points," was meaningless to him. But the penalty - paralysis, a living death - sent a shiver down his spine. He had to choose, and he did.
"I'm coming with you," he declared, his voice hoarse but firm, despite the tremor in his limbs.
Lara and Jake stared at Ethan, jaws slack and brows furrowed. Just about an hour ago, they were mourning him, reliving the horror of his supposed demise. Now, he stood ready to charge into a demonic inferno.
"Ethan," Jake began, his voice low and measured, "you're barely alive. That fire…" he trailed off, the memory of Ethan's lifeless body still fresh in his mind. "Let us handle this one. We'll be back before you can say 'possessed.'"
Lara stepped forward, and added. "I usually don't do this, but… I agree with Jake. We'll handle it. Get some rest, get back on your feet, then you can join us on the next mission."
"Look," Jake growled, his voice gruff, "we appreciate the enthusiasm, but you're barely clinging to reality here. Trust me, we can handle this."
But Ethan, his eyes blazing with newfound resolve, seemed unaffected by their pleas. "Like you handled the last Level 3 demon solo which almost ripped your soul apart," he countered, his voice surprisingly steady despite the tremor in his limbs. "Now, if you don't want a visit to the abyss I just left, you'll need all the help you can get."
'How did he know that?' Ethan asked himself, a flicker of surprise sparking in his eyes before it was quickly masked by his usual nonchalance.
Memories of this body, of Ethan's life, seemed to be syncing with him faster than he expected. He dismissed the thought, focusing on the immediate task at hand.
Jake's fists clenched, knuckles turning white. This was one reason he couldn't stand Ethan. The guy was good, better than everyone in the Unit, maybe even the District, and he didn't hesitate to remind you of it.
'Can't believe just a few minutes ago, I was happy to see you alive,' Jake thought, the unspoken words hanging in the air.
He was about to unleash a retort, something along the lines of "Maybe you should have just remained in the abyss," when he caught the questioning look in Lara and Ethan's eyes.
He swallowed the bitterness down, clearing his throat. "Uh…" he mumbled, feeling the heat creep up his neck. "You said…?"
Ethan, oblivious to the internal storm brewing in Jake, smirked faintly. "Got some extra clothes I can borrow?" He pulled at the tubes and lines still clinging to him like unwanted tentacles.
Jake sighed, defeated. This wasn't the time for pride or petty squabbles. "Yeah, in the trunk. Your weapon too."
"Then let's roll out," he said, heading towards the door.
The Demon Hunters' armored beast shuddered to a halt in front of the Third Precinct, its sleek black metal contrasting starkly with the shattered glass and flickering police lights.
The air was filled with the wail of sirens, screaming civilians, and guttural roars emanating from the building's shattered windows.
First responders and cops swarmed the scene, erecting makeshift barricades and establishing perimeters. Jake strode towards the officer in charge and Lara followed, her silver cross gleaming beneath her jacket like a beacon in the chaos.
Ethan, however, remained by the vehicle, leaning against its cool surface. His hospital garb felt alien under the borrowed coat adorned with the Hunter emblem, unbuttoned to reveal the faint sheen of sweat on his chest.
He watched Lara's hip sway from side to side as she trailed behind Jake. She was blessed with all endowments in the right places, that's for sure.
He tore his face away and stared at the building in front of him. 'How do I go about this?' he thought, a tremor of uncertainty rippling through his newfound awareness.
"[Locate the possessed. When you find it, you'll know what to do,]" came the cool, digital voice of Lilith, his system.
Lara, her face taut with concern, approached him. "It's bad," she said, her voice low but firm. "Multiple officers are down, civilians trapped inside, and there's a Level 1 in the garage."
A guttural scream, raw and primal, ripped through the air, tearing through the night like a banshee's wail. It erupted from the precinct's shattered windows, sending shivers down the spines of the assembled officers.
Jake soon got to them, as he was about to say something, Ethan spoke, his voice a low rumble. "You two can do what you want," he said, his gaze steady. "But I'm taking the Level 3."
Before any of them could protest, Ethan strode towards the building, his boots crunching on broken glass.
Inside, the darkness pressed in, thick and suffocating, even though it was daytime outside. The stench of sulfur and decay assaulted his nostrils, clinging to the dusty air. Broken furniture and scattered papers choked the hallway.
Ethan navigated the debris-strewn corridors, the System guiding him with whispers of demonic energy. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he felt it, a malignant presence tugging at the fabric of reality. The faint, rhythmic pounding of demonic power throbbed in the very walls, a heartbeat waiting to explode.
He rounded a corner, and there it was, the Level 3 Possessed. It wasn't the raw, brutish power of a Level 3, but something more subtle, more… seductive.
Crimson light pulsed around her, revealing a cascade of raven hair that framed a face sculpted by moonlight itself. Her lips, the color of forbidden berries, curved into a smile that promised whispered secrets in the dark.
Golden eyes, like molten coins, held his gaze, a depth that threatened to swallow him whole. Her dress, the color of a dying ember, clung to her like a second skin, displaying curvy curves that defied description.
Bare legs, long and sleek, peeked from beneath the hem, ending in sandals that kissed the debris with each seductive step.
The air around her shimmered, charged with an almost tangible energy – a heady mix of desire and danger.
"Lost, little hunter?" she purred, her voice a silken caress that sent shivers down his spine. "Don't worry, I'll show you the way."