Chapter 7: Shadows of the abyss

The wildy lit club was alive with an unsettling energy, shadows twisting and curling around the figures that occupied it. Isaac stood at the edge, his heart pounding as a mysterious figure stepped forward, cloaked in darkness.

“Well, then, boy, what are you doing here?” the figure asked, voice smooth yet edged with something that sent chills down Isaac's spine.

Isaac felt a mix of curiosity and fear. The figure didn't seem to pose an immediate threat, but something in the air told him this was someone not to be trifled with. Just as he was about to respond, a familiar voice broke through the tension.

“Hey, Isaac! There you are! You can't get lost in a place like this, man!” Shiki exclaimed, his cheerful demeanor a stark contrast to the ominous atmosphere.

“Oh, Shiki, you know this boy?” the mysterious figure inquired, a hint of amusement lacing their tone.

“BOSS! Ehh, yeah, this is my friend,” Shiki replied, a nervous edge creeping into his voice.

“Care to introduce us to each other?” the figure—Loraine Asuka—pressed, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Shiki cleared his throat, trying to maintain composure. “Uhm, of course! This is my friend Isaac Dimitte, and Isaac, this is my boss, Loraine Asuka.”

Isaac extended a hand, attempting to mask his unease. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Asuka.”

“Please, no need to be so formal, sweetheart. You can call me Lory,” she said with a sultry smile that made Isaac’s stomach churn.

“Well, okay… Lory,” he replied hesitantly.

“So, Shiki, did you just bring this handsome boy here to join the fun, or is it something else?” Loraine asked, her gaze lingering on Isaac.

“Yes! Uhm, Isaac would like a job here if that's fine,” Shiki answered, his voice rising slightly.

“Oh, a young man trying to make ends meet, huh? That’s fine with me. How old are you?” Loraine inquired, her tone shifting to something more serious.

Shiki jumped in, “He’s like my age…”

Suddenly, Loraine loomed over Shiki, her presence intimidating. “I’m asking him a question, not you. You got that straight?”

“Yes, ma'am, I understand,” Shiki stuttered, fear evident in his voice.

“Good. Now then, Isaac, how old are you?” Loraine asked, eyes glinting with interest.

“Well, I’m… like, what Shiki said, I’m 16 years old,” Isaac replied, trying to hold her gaze.

“Mmm, okay, that’s fine. You don’t look 16, but hey, we all come in different shapes and sizes,” Loraine chuckled, a predatory gleam in her eyes. “Alright, why don’t you come into my office for a proper interview?”

“Sure, I’ll be there,” Isaac said, feeling a strange mix of excitement and dread.

“Good, Shiki, you can take him there while I attend to business,” Loraine commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument.

“Yes, ma’am,” Shiki replied, visibly relieved.

“If you keep working this hard, I might give you a raise,” Loraine teased, winking at Shiki.

“Thank you, ma’am,” Shiki said, his cheeks flushing slightly. “Alright, Isaac, let’s go.”

As they walked, Isaac couldn’t help but voice his thoughts. “Hey Shiki, that chick’s your boss, huh? She was getting a little bit close to you.”

“Uhm, yeah, it’s complicated,” Shiki admitted, glancing around nervously.

“I mean, I’ve seen some complicated stuff here, so…” Isaac trailed off, his mind racing.

“Okay, fine, I banged her,” Shiki blurted out.

“Wait… you said what?” Isaac looked at him in disbelief.

“You’re such a child, Isaac. I slept her. I stuck it in. We had sex,” Shiki said nonchalantly.

“What type of employee-employer relationship is that?!” Isaac exclaimed, flabbergasted.

“I know you’re not religious, but your damn boss, bro? You really desperate for money, aren’t you?” Isaac pressed, incredulous.

“Listen, it’s not like that! It’s just… I had to do it, okay?” Shiki defended himself.

“You had to?!” Isaac echoed, his voice rising.

“If you want to work here, Loraine tests your metal, by you pleasuring her...,” Shiki stated bluntly.

“Why in God’s name would she do that?!” Isaac retorted, horrified.

“I don’t know. Maybe to prove your dedication, or maybe she’s a sex-addicted whore. The second one sounds real,” Shiki shrugged.

“So every employee has…” Isaac murmured, piecing it together.

“Yep, she got every employee,” Shiki confirmed.

“So Vanessa… has…” Isaac started.

“Yes, even Vanessa. Well, I don’t know about the female employees; I’ve seen them come out of Loraine’s office with petrified faces filled with disgust and shame.”

“I don’t think I can do this,” Isaac said, shaking his head.

“Isaac, can you just—”

“HEY BOYS! You ready for the interview?” Loraine’s voice cut through their conversation.

Isaac glanced at Shiki, his heart racing, but before he could react, Loraine pulled him into her office.

Meanwhile, Father Jacobs was still grappling with the unsettling rumors of a devil lurking in town.

“I’ll go find the demon and end it,” he declared, determination shining in his eyes.

“Jacobs, wait! This is no normal demon; it’s a devil, remember? At least let me come with you,” Luke urged, concern etching his features.

“No, you stay and call the organization for reinforcements,” Father Jacobs commanded.

“Why not wait for reinforcements? It’s a devil; that would be suicide, dammit!” Luke protested.

“My son and his friends could be with that thing. I’m not risking it. I can’t ask Lilith to fight; she’s not in the right state of mind after those orphans were…” Father Jacobs trailed off, the weight of his words hanging in the air.

“THEN JUST LET ME GO WITH YOU, JACOBS! A DEVIL’S POWER IS NOT TO BE UNDERESTIMATED! EVEN IF YOU ARE AN EXPERIENCED PRIEST, IT’S TOO DANGEROUS!!”

“LUKE! Listen, you remember our training. If a devil is around, it most likely has demon minions surrounding it. In this town, it’s probably in a club; that’s where you find most demons anyway. We need all the help we can get. I’ll go only because my son is out there, and he may be with that monster. It’s not a tactical decision, but it doesn’t matter.”

“Fine then, I understand. I’ll call for reinforcements and stay with Lilith and the child,” Luke conceded.

“Thank you, Luke,” Father Jacobs said, relief washing over him.

“Hey Jacobs! Don’t die,” Luke called out as Jacobs prepared to face the darkness.

“I don’t plan to,” Jacobs muttered, steeling himself for what lay ahead.

With a shovel in hand Father Jacobs walked to a graveside, Father Jacobs began digging, uncovering a large locked case. Using the key found in his Christian necklace, he opened it, revealing an array of old priest weapons—a sword and priestly garments. He knew what had to done.

Back in the club, Loraine leaned closer to Isaac, her presence suffocating. “Wow, aren’t you a handsome boy.”

Isaac, nervous and flustered, stammered, “Wh-what? Me? No, I’m not even average looking.”

“Oh no, I know beautiful people when I see beautiful people, and you’re beautiful,” Loraine purred, wrapping her arms around him.

Then, she whispered a question that sent shivers down his spine. “Hey Isaac, are you a virgin boy?”

Isaac’s heart raced as he fell to the floor in shock, his eyes wide as he met Loraine’s gaze, which glowed with an unsettling red hue. Panic surged through him, and he bolted from the office, Loraine’s smirk haunting him as he sprinted into the club.

“ISAAC! What are you doing?!” Shiki called out, concern evident in his voice.

“Shiki, I can’t do this! I just can’t!” Isaac gasped, breathless.

“Isaac, this is an opportunity! This job pays well, really well. We can save enough money to help the orphans—clothes, fancy food—we can give them a better life.”

“Shiki, I already know what Vanessa does here, and then there’s you. What do you do, Shiki?” Isaac shot back, anger rising.

“I told you already; I make sure people have fun,” Shiki replied defensively.

“How? By drugging them?” Isaac accused.

“Wait—” Shiki started, but Isaac cut him off.

“That’s right! I know! You’re drugging unsuspecting people so they blow their cash here!” Isaac shouted.

“Isaac, I wouldn’t expect you to understand. I had to do it!” Shiki pleaded.

“What do you mean ‘you had to do it’? You’re drugging people!” Isaac exclaimed, incredulous.

“Like I said, I don’t expect you to understand. Everything Vanessa and I are doing is for the orphans,” Shiki insisted.

“Oh yeah, Vanessa! DID YOU FORCE HER TO DO IT? TO PRESENT HERSELF?” Isaac retorted.

“She made that decision by herself; it was for the orphans!” Shiki defended.

“All those teachings at church, just cut out, huh?” Isaac shot back, disbelief coloring his tone.

“What part of ‘I don’t believe in God’ did you not understand yesterday?!” Shiki snapped.

“We were doing fine all this time! My dad would even take almost all the offerings from the church and give it to the orphanage. Every penny he ever made, he shared it with the orphanage!” Isaac shouted, frustration boiling over.

“Well, it was never enough! All I’m trying to do is give those orphans a better life than I had!” Shiki yelled back.

“LIKE THIS?!” Isaac exclaimed, incredulous.

“In life, you have to do what you have to do in order to SURVIVE!” Shiki shot back, his eyes blazing.

“Fine than, if that’s how it is, I’m out of here,” Isaac declared, turning to leave.

“Fine, then go back to your make-believe god,” Shiki called after him, disappointment heavy in his voice.

“What did you say?” Isaac turned back, anger flaring.

“You heard me,” Shiki replied, his expression serious.

In a fit of rage, Isaac lunged at Shiki, and the two began to fight, chaos erupting around them as onlookers turned their attention to the spectacle. As their scuffle intensified, Isaac was shoved into another patron, who turned out to be someone he had encountered before.

“Huh, get the off me, you lousy runt. Oh, it’s you, kid. They messed you up,” the stranger said, recognition lighting his eyes.

A small light began to glimmer in Isaac's eyes, catching the stranger's attention.

“Wait, your eyes… are you a-a-a-a-a priest? HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA HA!” the man cackled, madness evident in his demeanor. “A PRIEST IS HERE! YES, IF I DEVOUR HIM, I’LL EVOLVE AT LAST!”

The crowd began to murmur, other partygoers echoing the sentiment. “A priest, a priest is here! I’LL DEVOUR HIM!”

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted as grotesque monsters emerged from the shadows, their forms twisting into nightmarish figures that fed on human flesh. Isaac's heart raced as horror washed over him as these monsters began devouring all the partygoers.

“SHIKI, WHAT’S GOING ON?!” Isaac shouted, panic gripping him.

“I—I don’t know, Isaac!” Shiki stammered, his fear palpable.

“I’ll eat the priest first; he’s mine!” one monster growled, its eyes glinting with hunger.

“No, he’s mine! I’ll devour him first!” another demon snarled, chaos erupting as the monsters fought amongst themselves for the chance to feast on Isaac.

As Isaac stood frozen in fear, he caught sight of Loraine amidst the carnage, her expression unsettlingly calm as she smiled at him.

“Loraine, why aren’t they attacking her?” Isaac wondered aloud.

“Ma’am, what’s going on here?!” Shiki demanded, his voice trembling.

“You will soon understand, Shiki. For now, I think you’d look good in demon skin,” Loraine replied, her voice dripping with malice.

In a horrifying twist, Shiki began to transform before Isaac’s eyes, his body contorting as he succumbed to the darkness.

“SHIKI! NO!” Isaac cried out, helpless.

“You're special, Isaac. You have a special connection to the Holy Spirit. You have divinity inside you. I’ll devour you and evolve from a devil to an arch-devil,” Loraine taunted, her form shifting into something dark and powerful.

With black wings unfurling and horns sprouting from her head, Loraine became something monstrous—SEOPHERIA.

“IT’S SEOPHERIA!” the demons around her shrieked, recognizing the danger. Seopheria eyes down Isaac with predatory stare, and charges at him.

In that moment, Isaac felt his life flash before his eyes, a sense of helplessness washing over him. Just as despair threatened to consume him, Father Jacobs burst into the fray, his presence commanding.

“Get the hell away from my sons, YOU DAMNED DEMONS! Don’t worry, Isaac; I’ll end these monsters tonight, in the name of the Lord!” Jacobs shouted, determination shining in his eyes.

“Another priest? Things are getting spicy now,” Seopheria sneered, ready to unleash her fury.

As the battle began, the lines between good and evil blurred, and the fate of Isaac and those he loved hung in the balance. Shadows danced, and the night was far from over.