The next morning, Aivilo woke up earlier than usual. He yawned before grabbing the remote and turning on the TV. A news program about the universe and science caught his attention. Scientists were discussing the vastness of the cosmos, multiverse theories, and the mysteries of outer space.
Aivilo narrowed his eyes and muttered, "This world has no end, so the universe must be infinite. But there is no such thing as 'outer space'... It's as if they want to be God."
He let out a deep sigh and turned off the television. Something about their words unsettled him, as if there was a hidden truth being ignored. But he had no time to dwell on it.
After getting ready, Aivilo headed to his workplace. Upon arrival, he was immediately met with a morning reprimand from his superior—nothing new to him.
Despite being the lowest-ranking director, often seen as insignificant in the corporate hierarchy, Aivilo was still respected by many. There was something about him that commanded a certain presence—whether it was his charisma, decisiveness, or perhaps something beyond the ordinary.
A new day had begun. Yet, for some reason, Aivilo felt as if something was watching him. Something unseen, lurking just beyond the shadows.
Aivilo spent his day working, drowning himself in reports and meetings. Despite his low-ranking director position, his presence was felt in the company. He handled tasks with precision, and though he was often reprimanded, people respected him.
As night fell and the office grew quieter, his phone rang. Aivilo glanced at the caller ID—the police.
"Mr. Aivilo, we need you to provide some statements regarding the incident."
Aivilo sighed. He had expected this. "Understood. I'll be there shortly."
After finishing his business with the police, he left the office and walked down the dimly lit corridor. The air felt heavier than usual, as if something unseen loomed over him.
Then, he saw them.
Standing near the exit were the victim's parents—an older couple dressed in fine suits. But what caught Aivilo's eye was the symbol on their attire. A dark, intricate mark. The mark of Setanic.
His mind pieced the puzzle together quickly. They sacrificed their own child… for wealth.
The father smiled at Aivilo—a twisted, knowing smile. A smile that carried no grief, only satisfaction.
Aivilo's expression remained cold. He didn't hide his disgust as he stared at them with open disdain.
"Nonsense," he muttered under his breath before walking away.
Yet, as he stepped into the night, a lingering thought unsettled him—how deep did this corruption run?
That night, Aivilo decided to go to church. Something was bothering him—a feeling that everything he had experienced lately was not just a coincidence.
There, he met his older brother, Benedictus, a priest known for his devotion to helping those afflicted by dark forces.
They spoke for a long time in a small room beside the altar. Aivilo, ever the skeptic, voiced his concerns—about the victim's parents, the Setanic symbol, and how everything seemed connected.
Benedictus listened intently, but before he could respond, a church attendant burst into the room.
"Father Benedictus! One of the patients is possessed again!"
Benedictus immediately stood up and gathered his tools. Aivilo, who had only come to talk, decided to go along.
They arrived at a dormitory, where a young girl was being treated after exhibiting signs of supernatural possession. Aivilo stood at the doorway, watching as Benedictus blessed the room before stepping in to confront the entity inside her.
The moment they entered, the girl began to thrash violently. Her body convulsed with unnatural strength, a guttural, painful voice escaping her lips. Her eyes were completely black.
They were struggling to hold her down.
"Aivilo! Get the holy oil from the altar!" Benedictus commanded.
Aivilo hesitated, but seeing his brother overwhelmed, he had no choice but to help. He grabbed a small vial of holy oil and rushed back to the room.
As Aivilo stepped closer, something strange happened.
The girl looked terrified.
She trembled, recoiling even though her body was still restrained by Benedictus and the church attendants. Aivilo felt a sense of unease, but he continued forward.
"Anoint her forehead with the sign of the cross. I will pray and hold her down!" Benedictus ordered.
With slightly trembling hands, Aivilo poured a drop of the oil onto his fingertip and traced a cross on the girl's forehead.
The moment he completed the motion—
The demon screamed!
The girl's body arched violently before suddenly falling still. A dark shadow ripped itself from her, writhing in the air before disappearing into the night.
The girl collapsed, unconscious.
Aivilo stared at his hand, disbelief washing over him. This was his first time performing an exorcism… and it worked.
Benedictus looked at him, his breath still heavy from the struggle.
"Aivilo… what are you?"
Aivilo placed the holy oil back where it belonged, his hands still slightly trembling. Without saying a word, he stepped out of the room, his mind clouded with disbelief.
He walked towards his car, his heartbeat still racing. He had just performed the sign of the cross—something he hadn't done in years.
Memories from his past flooded back. His father, once a devout man, had been falsely accused of murder and left to rot in prison. Aivilo had prayed endlessly back then, begging for divine intervention, but God had never been on his side.
He closed his eyes, overwhelmed by emotions.
Then, suddenly—
A voice.
Aivilo's eyes snapped open, and to his horror, he was no longer outside.
He was standing inside a dark, decrepit building.
The air was thick with the scent of blood and burning incense. In front of him, a Setanic ritual was taking place—cloaked figures sacrificing animals, their hands stained red. Chants echoed through the chamber, a twisted, unholy melody.
Aivilo's instincts kicked in. I need to get out of here.
He scanned the room, searching for an escape. Moving cautiously, he slipped into the shadows, hoping to find a way out before he was noticed.
But before he could take another step—
Two men approached him.
Aivilo tensed, preparing for a fight. But unlike the others in the room, these men weren't wearing ritualistic robes. Their presence felt… different.
One of them, a tall man with piercing eyes, spoke first. "We are not your enemies, Aivilo."
The second man stepped forward, his gaze unwavering. "We are the Heavenly Soldiers."
Aivilo's mind raced. Heavenly Soldiers?
"My name is Leahkim," the first man said.
"And I am Leirbag," the second added.
"We are on your side."
Aivilo stared at the two men in front of him, his breath still heavy. His mind swirled with questions.
"What is happening? Where am I?" he asked sharply. "And who are you really?"
Leahkim and Leirbag exchanged glances before Leahkim finally spoke. "You are witnessing the hidden truth, Aivilo."
Aivilo frowned, confusion growing inside him.
Then, his eyes landed on a familiar figure among the ritual participants.
His own boss from the office.
His body tensed. What was his boss doing here?
But as he scanned the room further, he recognized several other faces.
Wealthy businessmen, influential politicians, and well-known figures from Acirema.
They were all here, participating in this ritual.
His blood ran cold.
"This can't be…" he whispered.
Leirbag stepped closer, his voice low but filled with meaning.
"Now you understand, don't you? Their wealth and power are no coincidence. Everything… was built on sacrifice."
Aivilo scanned the room, his heart pounding. Then, his eyes landed on something that made his breath hitch.
A photograph.
He recognized the face instantly—his ex-girlfriend.
"Why is her photo here…?" he muttered, his pulse quickening.
Before he could process it further, his attention was drawn to a man standing near the altar.
Her father.
A famous singer, well-respected in Acirema, though not her biological father. But here, under the dim ritual flames, his expression was different—cold, emotionless.
Aivilo watched in horror as the man picked up a photo of his own daughter.
Without hesitation, he drove a long needle into the photo—piercing it right through the head.
Aivilo held his breath. What the hell is going on?!
Leahkim and Leirbag remained silent, letting Aivilo witness the horrifying truth that had long been hidden.
Aivilo's hands clenched into fists as he watched the horrific act unfold before him. His mind screamed for answers.
Before he could demand an explanation, Leahkim finally spoke.
"This is the price of their success, Aivilo."
Aivilo turned toward him, eyes burning with anger. "What do you mean?"
Leirbag exhaled sharply, his gaze steady. "These people—your boss, those wealthy figures, and even your ex-girlfriend's father—have all traded something precious in exchange for power and fortune."
Aivilo felt his stomach churn. "You're saying they sacrificed their own loved ones?"
Leahkim nodded grimly. "Not always in the way you think. Some give away their loved ones physically, others... curse them, ensuring their downfall, suffering, or even death."
Aivilo's breath quickened. He turned back toward the ritual. The father of his ex-girlfriend still held the photo impaled by the needle, his lips murmuring something incomprehensible.
"Why her? Why now?" Aivilo's voice was barely above a whisper.
Leirbag's expression darkened. "Because she is next."
Aivilo's heart nearly stopped.
Leahkim stepped closer. "You were never supposed to see this, Aivilo. But you're here for a reason."
Aivilo clenched his jaw. His body trembled—not just with fear, but with something deeper.
Rage.
Leahkim stared intently at Aivilo. "Did you throw away the holy oil last night?" he asked firmly.
Aivilo frowned, trying to recall the events of the previous night.
A strange man had entered his apartment—somehow, he had gotten in without a sound.
Aivilo still remembered it clearly. His body had felt paralyzed, as if an unseen force was holding him down. The man had simply sat on his sofa, silently staring at him.
But when Aivilo blinked—the man was gone.
Then, his eyes fell on something sitting on the table.
The holy oil.
His mind had been in turmoil at that moment. He had no idea how the bottle had ended up there. Fear and confusion clouded his judgment.
He grabbed the oil and threw it into the trash.
Now, standing amidst this terrifying ritual, Aivilo finally understood Leahkim's question.
With a steady but quiet voice, he answered, "Yes, I threw it in the trash."
Leahkim and Leirbag exchanged glances. There was no shock on their faces—only bitter realization.
Leahkim exhaled deeply before speaking in a grave tone. "Then… it has begun."
Leirbag stared at Aivilo with a serious expression.
"And you do realize that the man you saw last night… was not an angel sent by God from heaven."
Aivilo felt his chest tighten.
"He was a subordinate of Lucifer," Leirbag continued. "He disguised himself to get close to you."
Aivilo shook his head, struggling to process the truth. "But… why me?"
Leahkim's gaze was sharp. "Because you have disturbed him."
Leirbag added, "Lucifer hates you, Aivilo. He knows you have been chosen by God."
Aivilo was silent. The weight of those words pressed down on him.
"You were tested," Leirbag continued. "If you had applied the holy oil to your forehead in the shape of a cross… it would have turned into an inverted cross."
A chill ran down Aivilo's spine. "What?"
Leahkim nodded. "That oil is not ordinary. It is a symbol of God's protection. But if you are not pure, if darkness has already touched you—then its power will distort."
Aivilo felt his body weaken.
Leirbag stepped closer, his voice lowering but filled with meaning. "You must understand, Aivilo… this isn't over. This is only the beginning."
Leahkim and Leirbag looked at Aivilo with unwavering seriousness.
"We will always protect you."
Aivilo swallowed hard. Those words should have been reassuring, yet they only made his mind spiral further into confusion.
Leirbag continued, "But remember, demons can disguise themselves as humans… or even as us."
Aivilo's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Then how can I tell the difference?"
Leahkim smirked faintly. "Look at their neck."
Leirbag nodded. "If you see an inverted cross… then it's them."
Aivilo felt his breath grow heavier. The world he once knew now felt utterly foreign.
Then Leahkim spoke gently, "Now, close your eyes."
Aivilo hesitated for a moment but eventually obeyed. He took a deep breath and shut his eyes.
Only seconds passed before a sudden rush of noise filled his ears.
His eyes snapped open.
He was now inside a car.
His hands were gripping the steering wheel tightly. His breathing was unsteady. Had everything that happened been just a dream?
Or was it all… real?