Eva moved slowly through the darkened mansion, her steps deliberate and quiet. The wraiths' screeches echoed through the halls, a haunting symphony of rage and hunger as they scoured the house for any sign of human life. Despite the noise, Eva remained calm, her measured pace unbroken.

She halted abruptly at the faint sound of movement behind a nearby door. Tilting her head, she listened intently. There. A muffled shuffle confirmed what she suspected: she had found her rescue target.

Pushing the door open, Eva scanned the room. It appeared empty at first glance, but the faint sound of breathing led her to a large wardrobe. Her fingers grazed the handle as she slowly pulled it open, revealing a teenage girl huddled inside. The girl's face was streaked with tears, and she clutched her phone tightly. On the screen, a livestream played, its cheerful chatter an odd contrast to the oppressive darkness of the mansion.

"What are you doing?" Eva asked, her voice calm but curious.

The girl flinched at the question, quickly wiping her tear-streaked cheeks with trembling hands. "I thought... I thought I was going to die," she stammered, her voice small and shaky. Her eyes darted to the phone in her hands, and a blush crept up her cheeks. "So I... I just wanted to see him one last time."

Eva's gaze flicked to the phone. The screen displayed a streamer mid-broadcast, accompanied by a flood of animated gifts and comments. Among them were messages from the girl: I love you and Remember me when I'm gone.

The girl noticed Eva looking and hugged the phone to her chest, her blush deepening. "Please don't tell anyone," she mumbled, barely meeting Eva's eyes.

Eva gave a faint nod, her expression unreadable. "Come on," she said, turning to leave. The girl hesitated, then scrambled to her feet and followed.

"So, where do we go now?" the girl asked, sticking close behind Eva.

Eva shrugged nonchalantly, her calm demeanor unshaken by the chaos around them.

The girl studied Eva, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Are you a guy or a girl?" she blurted, unable to tell through the illusion that cloaked Eva's true form.

"Neither. I'm a robot," Eva replied flatly.

The girl's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"No," Eva said, glancing over her shoulder. "I'm a root."

"Oh. That's cool too," the girl said, her tone brightening as they moved deeper into the shadowy halls.

Roots were mysterious beings with incredible powers that were too strong for them to control on their own. To handle this power, they joined with humans, creating a bond where the human, called a diabolist, could use and control the root's abilities.

But not just anyone could become a diabolist. No one knew why some people were chosen and others weren't. In fact, no one understood where the roots came from or how they got their powers. The roots themselves never explained.

Some people thought roots were demons, while others believed they were aliens. But the truth was something nobody knew.

The girl grabbed Eva's hand tightly as a wraith's screech echoed nearby. A moment later, the creature rounded the corner, its eerie form coming into view.

The wraith looked almost human, but its body seemed to melt and drip as if it were made of wax. Its feet hovered above the ground, though it moved them as if walking. It let out another piercing screech before charging toward them.

Without hesitation, Eva scooped the girl into a princess carry and bolted in the opposite direction. The girl gasped but quickly wrapped her arms around Eva's neck, clinging tightly.

As they turned a corner, another wraith lunged at them. Eva didn't slow down. With a swift, effortless kick, she sent the creature flying into the wall before continuing her sprint down the dark hallway.

Downstairs, Jane sprinted through the dim hallways, the wraiths' screeches growing louder as they closed in on her. Digging into her duffle bag, she pulled out her C.A. gun—short for Capture Alive gun—a device she'd designed herself to trap wraiths without killing them.

Skidding to a stop, Jane spun around to face her pursuers and pulled the trigger. A swirling vortex shot from the barrel, and the wraiths were sucked into the gun with a flash of light. Lowering the weapon, Jane panted and slipped it back into her bag.

"I guess you don't need my help," Peter's voice called from behind her.

Jane sighed, looking up to see him leaning casually against the wall. "Did you at least find the girl?" she asked, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

Peter shook his head, his expression turning serious. "No, but you're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine," Jane replied, adjusting the strap of her bag. "I can't reach Eva, though. She must've turned off her earpiece again."

Peter chuckled. "Eva always does that. You should be used to it by now."

Jane shot him a glare. "Did you at least find the leader?"

"Yeah," Peter said, scratching the back of his neck. "But I ran into him, and, uh... I think I lost him."

As if on cue, an earsplitting screech echoed through the mansion, making the walls tremble. Jane raised an eyebrow. "What was that you said? You lost him?"

Peter laughed nervously. "Well, maybe not completely."

Jane sighed, pulling another gun from her bag. This one looked far more dangerous than the C.A. gun—it was her I.K. gun.

"Back to back," she ordered. The two stood with their backs against each other, eyes locked on opposite ends of the hallway. The air around them seemed to grow heavier as they prepared for the wraith leader to make its entrance.

The sound of countless screeches and pounding footsteps filled the air, sending shivers down Jane's spine. She and Peter turned toward the noise, tense and ready, when suddenly Eva appeared around the corner. She was carrying a teenage girl in her arms, running with urgency etched on her face.

Before they could even feel relief, a swarm of wraiths flooded the hallway behind her, their twisted forms moving fast. Peter's eyes widened at the sheer number, but he didn't hesitate. He sprinted toward Eva, determination blazing in his gaze.

As they reached each other, Peter pressed his forehead against Eva's. In an instant, a brilliant flash of light engulfed them, forcing Jane and the girl to shield their eyes. When the light faded, what remained was a single figure: a tall, bare-chested man with long, snow-white hair and piercing blue eyes, his body radiating a soft, pure glow. He held the teenage girl in a steady princess carry, his expression calm and unreadable under the shimmering illusion that masked his face.

The teenage girl stared in awe, unable to see the details of their merged form through the illusion but utterly captivated by its grace and presence. "Amazing," she whispered, clinging tightly to the man's neck.

Jane, on the other hand, could see everything. She had witnessed this transformation countless times, but it never failed to leave her stunned. The beauty of their merged form was otherworldly—white hair as radiant as moonlight, glowing blue eyes that seemed to pierce through the darkness, and an aura of power so pure it felt almost divine.

Peter's original brown hair and green eyes, and Eva's black hair and striking blue eyes, always gave way to this extraordinary appearance. The reason for their merged form's ethereal look was as much a mystery as the roots themselves, but Jane couldn't deny its breathtaking beauty.

"Focus, Jane," she muttered to herself, shaking off the awe as the wraiths screeched louder, closing in.

Peter smiled softly as he set the teenage girl down gently on her feet. Turning to face the approaching wraiths, he raised a hand. A surge of black fire erupted from his palm, roaring through the hall and incinerating the creatures in an instant.

"Wow," the girl whispered, her wide eyes filled with awe.

The ground trembled with heavy thuds, each step like an earthquake. Jane and the girl turned toward the sound as Peter glanced back over his shoulder. "You should step back a bit. It's about to get a little hot," he warned.

Jane grabbed the girl's hand, pulling her several steps away, just as the leader of the wraiths appeared.

The monstrous creature bent the corner, its hulking, grotesque form filling the hallway. It had two heads with warped, misshapen faces, and a bloated body that quivered with every step. Its presence was overwhelming, radiating malice.

"Found you," it growled, its voice deep and guttural, rumbling like distant thunder.

One of its mouths opened wide and let out an ear-piercing screech. A torrent of smaller wraiths poured forth, flooding the corridor and charging toward them.

Peter didn't flinch. He raised his hand again, releasing another wave of black fire that swept through the hall, incinerating the wraiths instantly. But when the flames subsided, the leader remained untouched.

"That won't work on me, boy," the creature sneered, both heads speaking in unison.

Peter smirked, unfazed. "Really? In that case, I've got something special just for you."

He brought his palms together, and as he slowly pulled them apart, a brilliant white flame flickered to life between his hands. It burned intensely, brighter than anything Jane or the girl had ever seen, its heat palpable even from a distance.

The leader of the wraiths recoiled slightly, its tone shifting to unease. "What is that?"

Peter didn't answer. With a sharp thrust, he sent the white flames surging forward. The fire engulfed the creature, its massive form disintegrating into ash in seconds. The hallway fell silent except for the faint crackle of fading flames.

"Oh my gosh, this is the coolest thing ever!" the teenage girl exclaimed, quickly tucking her phone back into her pocket after filming the entire fight. Her face lit up with excitement. "I can't believe I got that on camera!"

"Let's get you out of here," Jane said, her tone firm but kind.

They led the girl out of the dark, crumbling mansion and back into the safety of the town. Waiting anxiously in the town square were the girl's parents. The mother's face lit up the moment she saw her daughter, and she ran forward to embrace her tightly, tears streaming down her face.

The father approached Peter and Jane, his expression a mix of relief and gratitude. "Thank you so much for bringing her back," he said, his voice shaking.

As the family reunited, it became clear what had happened. The girl had argued with her parents and stormed off, deciding to stay in their abandoned mansion without realizing it was infested with wraiths. When her parents discovered where she'd gone, they'd immediately hired the best diabolists they could find to rescue her and eliminate the threat.

"I've already made the payment," the father added, nodding to Jane and Peter.

Jane gave him a curt nod. "Then our business here is done." Her voice was professional, but there was a hint of satisfaction beneath her calm exterior.

Peter stepped forward and raised his hands. A soft, glowing light began to surround them, intensifying until it became blinding. When the light faded, the diabolists were gone, leaving only the family in the quiet square.

The girl clung to her mother, glancing back at the empty space where her rescuers had been. "They were amazing," she whispered. Her parents said nothing, just holding her close as the realization of her safety finally sank in.