NOVEL NEXT Chapter 456: Teleporation Issues
Jade slid into the open booth seat, the red vinyl creaking slightly under her weight. On the table sat two steaming cups of coffee, untouched and growing cold.
Anger flared in her eyes, a flash of white amidst the green. "What do you mean, the death of Ty?!" she demanded, her voice trembling with emotion. "Did you kill him that night? You put that hole in his chest!"
Heads turned at her outburst, causing Jade to lower her voice. She dropped her head, struggling to keep her composure. "No, not exactly," she replied. "I failed to protect him from Erebos."
Kieran's face hardened with the weight of her words. "For one reason or another, Erebos sought souls and managed to acquire around twenty that night, including Ty's."
Jade's eyes widened in shock. "Twenty souls? Including Ty's?"
Kieran nodded solemnly. "I was dispatched to investigate because they were alarmed about another creature being on Earth. They never expected a Vampire Lord."
She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "My name is Kieran, by the way. It's a long story, but Ash got involved with some nasty creatures and sent me to meet you.
Jade's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Okay, so are you with the agency or something? Who exactly are you, Kieran? I think I would have heard of you if you were important."
Kieran leaned back, her expression contemplative. "That's an even deeper question that will take a while to answer, but I suppose we have some time. Then I'll let you know why I'm here."
She paused, choosing her words carefully. "I am an Angelic Creature. It feels weird to call myself a 'Creature,' but that's the easiest way for you—"
A loud bang interrupted her, echoing from the distance, followed by a low growl near the window.
Both Jade and Kieran turned their heads toward the sound. Outside, a man with rotting skin and blue lines flowing through his body banged on the glass, growling persistently.
Jade's eyes widened in horror. "What the hell is that, Kieran?"
"I, uh, don't really know. Is he a friend of yours?" Jade's voice wavered as she spoke.
Suddenly, the creature banged on the glass again, the sound echoing through the room. The glass shattered into dozens of pieces, and the creature leaped onto the table with a snarl.
Jade instinctively reached behind her, drawing her dagger. "What the hell is going on? That looks like that one creature that was locked away," she said, her eyes wide with fear.
The creature's rotting skin and blue lines pulsed as it stared down at Jade. It lunged toward her, but before it could reach her, it exploded into a mist of blood. Jade rolled out of the seat, dodging the splatter that painted the wall of the booth.
Kieran, now holding a sword with a focused look, said, "I don't know what that was, but something told me it's best if it doesn't touch you. I've read about worlds with virus infections that turn humans into enraged creatures."
"Didn't you just kill him right now, though?!" Jade exclaimed, still catching her breath.
Kieran shook her head, wiping the blade of her sword. "He was already dead, just a shell with some animal in charge of the body."
Moments later, a vibration began to ring from Jade's pocket, breaking the tense silence.
Jade shook her head, trying to right her mind. She pulled out her phone, and a yell came from the other end from a voice she hadn't heard before.
"Agent Jade! Come in, Agent Jade, are you still ALIVE?"
"Who... who is this? And yes, I am alive."
"This is Assistant Director Shieldon of the United States, but that's beyond the point. You are to withdraw yourself and make it back to HQ. Is Master Ashiki with you?!"
"N-no, another woman is in her place right now, stating Master Ash directed her to meet me, saying she got held up."
"Shoot, well that's fine. You and the new encounter need to arrive as soon as possible. We have a code red. A full breach is happening in Japan, New York, Oregon, and the Pacific Ocean right now!"
Jade's hand tightened around her phone as she processed the urgency in Shieldon's voice. She looked at Kieran, urgency in her eyes. "We need to move, now."
"Last words," Shieldon continued, "if you come across anyone bitten or with blood flowing from their eyes, either ignore them or put them down instantly."
The phone clicked off as a roar echoed through the line. Kieran nodded. "Well, things are getting more complicated."
Everyone in the café was screaming as Jade and Kieran stepped outside. The sun hung overhead, casting an eerie orange glow across the sky. Electricity crackled ominously as a massive portal began to open up, distorting the horizon.
"What the hell is that?" Kieran asked, gripping her sword tightly.
Jade didn't hesitate. "We can get straight to HQ pretty quickly," she said, pulling a cross from her back. "To return, just hold it like this and press here."
Moments later, the cross began to glow brightly. "Place your hand on my shoulder, Kieran. We will—"
As Kieran reached out and placed her hand on Jade's shoulder, the cross ignited in a bright light, pulsating with increasing energy. They disappeared on the spot, leaving the chaos behind.
In a heartbeat, they materialized in a dark room, the air thick with an oppressive silence. The temperature had dropped significantly, and a cold draft brushed against their skin. Snowflakes swirled around them, though no source of light or windows could be seen.
"Okay, uh, what happened?" Jade asked aloud, her breath visible in the frigid air.
A voice cracked through the darkness, chilling them to the bone. "The extermination is what's happening," it said in broken English. Discover stories at empire
Jade squinted, trying to make out the source of the voice. "Who's there?" she demanded, her hand hovering near her dagger.
"You have been killing our kind for so long," the voice continued, dripping with malice. "It's about time I return the favor."
The sound of footsteps crunching on snow grew louder as a figure emerged from the shadows. The figure was tall, cloaked in darkness, with eyes glowing a menacing red.