72 Pillar

To recap my first day of being a sophomore in high school, I was attacked by a black-eyed demon that left me and my best friend Harold with injuries that miraculously vanished, as if they were mere daydreams. Then the love of my life had a life-and-death battle with said demon, threatening to turn the whole neighborhood into demon soup. After that, I was whisked away to this opulent mansion filled with dazzling treasures, where I learned that demons are real, and I may or may not have one chilling inside me. Oh, and last but not least, I was invited to join the House of Bathin, which, by the way, is the name of the demon residing inside my crush, Madelyn. So, yeah, calling today a wild day would be the understatement of the century.

"Bathin," I said, looking at Madelyn, who was sitting next to me. I couldn't help but crack a grin, thinking that this was probably the most bizarre plot twist a high school sophomore could ever dream up, and lucky me, it was all mine.

"That's the name of my demon," Madelyn admitted with a hint of shame as she looked away from me.

"It's this demon that our house is named after," Madelyn's grandfather continued the conversation, his arms crossed, ignoring Madelyn's unease.

The idea of naming an entire house after a demon didn't sit right with me. It felt like tempting fate, inviting calamity to knock at the door. But maybe that was just my unease speaking.

Seemingly able to read my puzzled expressions, Madelyn's grandfather chimed in, "Names have power, especially high-ranking demon names; they convey a sense of power and respect."

"I've already mentioned that there are 72 demons sealed away by Solomon himself," the old man further explained.

"Alongside those 72 demons, there are the 72 Houses of Solomon, each wielding their own demon of incredible power and boasting a pillar to represent their family." The whole concept was starting to sound like some sort of supernatural high-stakes family reunion, and I couldn't help but feel a mix of fascination and trepidation.

"This is the 18th house, the House of Bathin," Madelyn's grandfather clarified.

As the old man continued to speak, a sense of revulsion crept over me. The notion that there could be more of the monsters like the one that attacked me and Harold was a terrifying thought. It was a disturbing realization, one that cast a shadow over any sense of happiness.

"So, what would happen to me if I were to join your house?" I asked cautiously.

"You will be protected and trained, and you will also be closely watched and examined," the old man answered with a piercing gaze. "I've already informed the higher-ups about the situation."

Another unsettling idea popped up. The prospect of being monitored like a lab rat day in and day out. The thought of constantly being under scrutiny didn't sit well with me.

"You'll pretty much be treated like an ordinary Pillar," Madelyn added, placing her hand on my shoulder.

"As my granddaughter says, you will be treated like any other Pillar, and like every Pillar, you'll have certain responsibilities," the old man explained.

"Wait, what responsibilities?" I asked, my concern growing, I mean responsibilities of any kind always made me fill uncomfortable.

"Pillars have a mission," the old man replied.

"It's a pillar's duty to defend the world, hunt, and destroy demons. It's a tremendous responsibility, and any failure is unacceptable," he explained sternly, casting a glance at Madelyn.

"Wait, is that why you hit her? Because she let that demon escape while trying to rescue me and Harold?" I questioned, my anger flaring up once again.

The old man remained silent, his gaze fixed on me with a weighty seriousness, that almost made me question, was he going to hit me too.

"You don't understand the problem this represents," he finally responded with a calm demeanor.

"What problem?" I asked, trying to stay calm myself.

Madelyn's grandfather raised three fingers.

"There are three recorded levels of demonic possession," he continued.

"The first is Taoreta, the second is Shoakuma, and the last is Akuma. These are the three stages that a possessed individual goes through," he clarified. The situation was growing even more complex, and I could sense that there was much more to this world of demons and Pillars than I had initially thought.

"The reason these levels exist is because it takes time for a human body to adapt to a demon's power," the old man clarified.

"Taoreta is the lowest level, and possessed humans of this level can only harness about 5 to 29 percent of their demon's power. Shoakuma is the second level, and possessed humans of this rank can access about 30 to 59 percent of their demon's power. Akuma is the final level, and possessed humans at this stage can wield about 60 to around 89 percent of their demon's power," he continued to explain.

I couldn't help but grasp the gravity of the situation; Madelyn's involvement with this demon wasn't just a curious twist, but it was deeply entwined with these stages of possession, and it was all becoming increasingly complicated.

"O-okay, but how is any of that Madelyn's fault?" I yelled, attempting to process the overwhelming information.

The old man let out a long sigh. "There are two reasons why demons crave human souls."

"The first is to boost their individual powers, especially true for minor demons with little strength. The second is to advance the level of possession." His tone grew darker.

I didn't like where this was heading. "So, you mean—?"

"That demon, which my foolish granddaughter let escape, will keep hunting and killing. Once he's fully healed, he'll come for you," the old man finished, his words adding a heavy burden to my already stressed mind.

"Oh, man,"

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