"I am rotten," X thought to himself as the cold, heavy acidic rain poured on his face. A blank expression took over, rendering his face in a seemingly emotionless state. His body went limp, and for a moment he felt as though he was inside a massive dark birdcage.

"Come on, we have to go," Joseph said as he placed his hand on X's shoulder.

X snapped out of his bitter sulking.

"I guess you're right," he replied. "We can't keep them waiting for long."

The bells tolled in the background as the pair, dressed in black suits, made their way into the Knights' graveyard—a place where distinguished knights who die during fieldwork are laid to rest. Stone memorials are erected for each of them, a statue of their likeness to be remembered for ages to come. A rare commodity in the modern world.

X closed his eyes. His weary gaze shifted toward the ground as the two approached the gathering.

"Two holes," X thought to himself. "No one will remember them," he paused, "apart from me."

It was a funeral procession, the first one X had attended since joining the ranks of the Knights.

"Hey, boss!" a voice called out to X.

"Brick! What are you doing here?" X raised his eyes.

But what he saw was a mere shadow of his expectations: a previously tall, masculine figure bound to a wheelchair. In the span of a couple of days, his ginger beard had begun to turn gray. His normally puffy, lively face had sunken in, seeming tired, almost dead, and sickly.

"We're gonna have Bec fix you up some high-grade prosthetics!" X smirked.

"I'm not sure if I'll need them, boss," Calvin anxiously laughed.

"What do you mean?" X asked.

"I'm going to retire," Calvin stumbled, scratching his head.

"You're not going to retire!" Maddie suddenly yelled, interrupting the conversation.

"I've made my choice!" Calvin screamed back.

"Fuck your choice!" Maddie shouted.

"Maddie!" Joseph said, grabbing him by the shoulder.

"Fuck his choice!" Maddie yelled at Joseph. "You mean to say that a man strong enough to resist a contract will give up after losing a few limbs?!"

"I have an obligation to my family," Calvin frowned in despair.

"You can put the wolf into a kennel…" X smirked.

"…But you can't stop him from hunting deer in your backyard," Calvin continued. "I need some time," he muttered.

"Time is the most limited resource for a human," X grinned. "But fine! I'll order you those legs. I'll even pay for them out of pocket, regardless of whether you come back to do fieldwork. Just promise me one thing: that even if you won't hunt demons, you'll still work for me." X smiled and approached Calvin for a handshake.

"You mean work for Timothy?" Joseph cleared his throat.

"I'll think about it," Calvin said, shaking X's hand with tears in his eyes.

"That's all I want," X replied with a smile that didn't match his eyes.

"I'm rotten to the core," X thought to himself with a blank expression.

The farewell ceremony proceeded. Several muscular men, all members of the organization, carried in the caskets. They were gently placed into their respective holes and buried.

"Tsk. Butchered like dogs," Maddie muttered in anger, something only X heard.

As the grave diggers shoveled dirt over the coffins, those attending the funeral watched on. Some cried, others stood in silent contemplation. X was the only one smiling—despite his grief, or perhaps in spite of it.

George's family stood opposite X, glaring at him the entire time. His son looked as if all life had been artificially removed from him. Not a single tear rolled down his cheek, yet his face was grieving, twisting, contorting into a rage so great that no words could describe it.

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X looked back at the little boy, flashing a smile in his eyes, embedding it into the child's subconscious: the face of someone his father had trusted more than anyone, now an enemy the boy was swearing to destroy.

"He's just at that ripe age," X thought to himself, then turned and left mid-ceremony.

Everyone watched his back as it receded into the distance, most believing it was for the best if he left without making things worse. Only Calvin and Maddie clenched their fists at this great injustice: a hero viewed as an unsympathetic demon.

For the next couple of hours, X scoured the streets in his usual pattern, alternating between wandering aimlessly and looking at the sky with a sorrowful expression. He walked until nightfall.

The damp, cold air clumping around his mouth and nose brought his gaze to the magnetic monorail.

"I should probably go home," he thought to himself as he boarded a car.

Inside was rather barren, which was unusual for this time of day. Three young men sat in the back, wearing sweatpants and cheap plastic bomber jackets. Their hair was shaved short in punk styles. One youth was playing with a knife, tossing it in the air; another was chewing gum; and the third was absorbed in his phone, blasting loud electronic music through a cheap speaker in his bag.

X sat down on one of the front seats near the window, hoping to gaze at the vista. But his plans were interrupted by the obnoxious, high-paced music growing louder. X turned his head toward the youths, only to see them staring right back at him.

"Whatcha looking at?" one youth asked, exaggerating his expression.

"Your bad music taste," X paused. "Well, to be more exact, I'm listening to it," he laughed.

"What did you say?!" another youth shouted.

"See, I don't really have a choice but to listen to your awful music, because you're blasting it so loud," X continued.

"You tryna pick a fight?" the same youth asked.

"So, could you please turn it down? I want to enjoy the scenery in peace," X finished explaining.

One of them stood up and made his way toward X, continuing to play with his knife.

"You get out on this stop," he said, bringing the blade up to X's throat.

"I was planning to anyway. I live not far from here." X stood up, glaring at the young man while avoiding the point of his knife, gracefully dancing around him toward the exit.

X stood next to the door, waiting for it to open as the three piled up behind him.

"Oh, you're getting off here too, guys?" he grinned.

"Sure we are," one guy replied.

"Don't make any sudden moves," another said, pressing the blade to X's nape.

"Ooo, scary," X replied, giggling slightly. "Ordinus, data check," he requested in monotone.

"Target one: Michael Grinn, status: contractor. Target two: Josh Mintc, status: ordinary. Target three: Caleb Tinge, status: contractor," Ordinus replied, spooking the teenagers.

"I see you guys are legal," X looked back at them. "Why would you do something so stupid then?" he laughed, pointing at the bunch.

"Fuck you," one boy swiped his knife at X.

"Ordinus," X replied, shifting his body slightly to the right.

"Disciplinary action permitted against Josh Mintc," Ordinus said.

X dodged the attack effortlessly and kicked the boy in the chest, knocking him unconscious against the interior of the car, causing it to shake.

"Next please!" X waved his hand at the others.

Suddenly, one youth began channeling a fire spell in his right hand.

"You know I'm a Knight, right?" X shook his head.

"Does it look like I care? I'll blast this entire cabin if you don't give us all your money!" the boy screamed, preparing to fire.

"You should've said so," X remarked before pulling out his wallet and tossing it on the ground. "Never mind, that wallet was a gift," he said, picking it back up, removing all the credits inside, and handing them to the nearest boy.

As the doors of the monorail opened, X walked out, leaving the youths standing speechless.

"Don't spend it all at once!" he waved them goodbye before moving on.

X slowly made his way into the most expensive neighborhood of the city, a place called the Safe-zone of Lower Babel. The streets were paved in clean, perfectly defined concrete slabs, with turrets and cameras placed around every corner. The buildings, primarily multi-apartment high-rises, were built with both pristine appearance and impeccable stability in mind.

X entered the lobby of his apartment building, a large central area with a receptionist and a 3D holographic model of the high-rise.

"Hey, X, it's been a while," the receptionist said.

"Four months, Vince. I see you're still as sharp as ever," X replied, giving the receptionist a high five.

"Miss Amanda is…" the receptionist began before X interrupted.

"I'll figure it out on my own, Vince. Have a good night," X sighed, stepping into the elevator.

"Likewise," Vince smiled.

X slowly paced inside the elevator as it ascended, the mechanical gears clanking and screeching before stopping on the top floor.

"I'm home!" X shouted as he walked in.

The penthouse was lavishly decorated, featuring numerous modern art pieces scattered around. A perfectly designed blend of modern architectural shapes and ancient Roman aesthetics.

X took off his soaked shoes, leaving them by the elevator. He turned on the lights in the kitchen and living room, then walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, grabbing a bottle of expensive wine. As he shut the fridge door, he noticed a note taped to it.

The note read: "Dad, I don't know where you are or when you will return. I asked you to call me at least once in a while so I know how you're doing. I can't keep sitting and waiting for you like a little girl. I know Eris feels the same way. I'm leaving for Compound 67 in Turkey for the next eight months. I wanted to leave your granddaughter in your care, but I don't know when you will be back, so I'm taking her with me. I hope I can see you again when I return. Love, Amanda."

"Fuck!" X sighed.

He picked up the bottle and removed the top with his bare hand as though it were butter, leaving a clean cut. He sat down by the panoramic window overlooking the city, its grand and terrifying beauty expanding before his eyes.

His gaze slowly shifted toward the full moon, its massive tyrannical glory dominating the night sky.

X lit a cigarette. "The moon," he thought. "What a load of bullshit," he said with a tired and lonely gaze.

End of prologue

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