Cain drove all the way to the woods; it was a six-hour drive from Raven's Wing.
When he reached his cabin, which he had built himself, he slumped into his bed, feeling defeated. Cain was well-known in the supernatural community as a guy who struggled with suicidal thoughts. What confused people was that he continued to work instead of finding ways to end his life.
He had tried everything to kill himself, and now his only hope was to find death through overworking. As he reminisced about old times, he received a message on his phone.
[Evelyn]: You free?
[You]: Sure.
Cain was intrigued by the message because Evelyn usually offered him high-paying or particularly risky jobs.
[Evelyn]: There's a job to protect a rich kid's son. Do you think you can handle it?
There wasn't much information to go with, but he trusted Evelyn not to waste his time. The location of his target was a remote private island, and luckily, transport was paid for by the employer, making everything go smoothly.
However, Cain wasn't alone. He was with some of the most famous and powerful mercenaries and mystic sorcerers, which made him even more curious about what they would be up against. The flight was quiet and awkward; it was a private jet, so he expected the younger members of the group to be more lively.
Upon arriving at the island, they were greeted by security and led to the boy. The security was tight; even a mouse would find it difficult to sneak past them. Cain also noticed a barrier—it was transparent and looked sturdy enough to withstand a dragon's breath multiple times.
The special security team consisted of Cain, two sorcerers, and five mercenaries.
They found a teenager in a room sealed with every imaginable security measure. He was fidgeting and mumbling to himself, appearing somewhat unhinged, and the dark circles under his eyes didn't help.
The chief of security, who had guided them, briefed them on the details of the job. Their task was to protect Aiden, the son of a wealthy CEO of a construction company. It turned out that Aiden had messed with a bride ghost.
Bride ghosts are spirits of brides who died on their wedding day. They seek out living grooms to wed, and while they are considered good partners and are faithful, they are very possessive and drain the soul energy from their husbands.
Cain was puzzled about how an 18-year-old could attract a bride ghost, given that they usually follow those they truly love.
Once everyone understood what they had signed up for, they began preparations, setting up holy weapons, barriers, and traps around Aiden.
Just as everyone thought they might have to wait days for the ghost to appear, the lights went out, rendering all electric defenses useless.
A gunshot rang out, followed by a scream, and then the air filled with a chaotic mix of gunfire and the screams of men.
The screams grew closer as Aiden panicked, feeling guilty since this situation wouldn't have happened if he hadn't rejected her.
All of this began when he rejected her proposal. He felt justified in his decision; after all, a stranger had approached him out of nowhere, and the right answer was to turn them down. However, guilt soon crept in—if only he had accepted