Mortal's Curse (定命の者の呪い)

Chapter 8: First mission

Hikari, Yuna and Xenon went to an apartment building, Yuna asked, "Why are we here?" Hikari explained, "Heard that there are rumours of people disappearing in the building when they enter the lift at 8pm, hence we are here to check it out, the apartment owner has been bothered by this for a long time and he came to ask me for help."

Yuna looked at Hikari in confusion, "You have a business?" Hikari shrugged his shoulders, "Well, there are a lot of spirits out there causing troubles for people, people can't see them but can feel their presence and see the damage they do. For us exorcists, we have our headquarters in Heito, I usually have to go out and help." Xenon nodded, "Mhm mhm, don't think Master is like those guys who always stays at home doing nothing."

They entered the apartment, indeed there was a rather dark vibe in here, Hikari and Xenon can already feel the curse aura around them, "There is indeed a cursed spirit here." Hikari then turned to Yuna, "Now we just wait for the perfect time for the spirit to appear." Yuna's eyes widened, "But it is only 4pm right now..." Hikari stretched, "That's the point, we have the time to chill and explore this place a little more before working." Yuna rolled her eyes, "I could have completed my homework in the meantime..."

The three of them walked around the area for a while, also enjoying dinner there, Yuna looked at Xenon eating human food, "Oh? Xenon, you can eat human food as well?" Xenon nodded, "Mhm...even though it may look weird for the people around us but I still can eat human food." Hikari explained, "Yeah...most spirits can't be seen by humans with normal eyes but that doesn't mean that they can't eat food from mortals." Yuna nodded, "I see..."

Hikari looked at the time, "Now...let's get moving, it is nearly 8pm already." Xenon and Yuna nodded, "Let's go." They entered the apartment again, this time the atmosphere was a lot spookier, there was not much lighting at the lift lobby and everywhere was dark and barely lit, Yuna frowned, "I wonder how people even live here." Hikari shrugged his shoulders, "Heard that the price of the rent here is extremely low, this is what attracts people to stay here despite the poor conditions."

Hikari took a glance at his watch, "It is 8pm, Yuna, it's your time to shine." He pushed Yuna out, "Bruh are you guys not even going to follow me?" Hikari smirked, "This kind of work is best done alone." Yuna whined, "Why..." Xenon giggled, "You are not scared, are you?" Yuna pouted, "Of course not!"

Yuna then entered the lift lobby slowly, she pressed on the lift button, waiting for it to come, Hikari thought, "Here it comes..." The lift arrived and Yuna stepped into it, Xenon gave Yuna a thumbs up, "Good luck!" Yuna sighed, "Why am I doing this to myself?"

Yuna pressed the top floor of the apartment, the lift moved up slowly, she slowly felt the presence of someone watching her, there was a sound, "Grr...grr..." Yuna looked up, she was shocked to see a large black slimy creature on the ceiling, black tentacles extended from its body and wrapped around Yuna's body, she was absolutely disgusted by it, "Eww...its slimy..."

The spirit then raised Yuna off the ground and a tentacle wrapped around her neck, preparing to suffocate her to death, Yuna struggled to break free, she then closed her eyes, cursed mana flowed out of her hand and like a beam of light, it pierced through the tentacles, freeing herself. Yuna coughed, "How dare you harass people like this..."

The cursed mana around her changed into the shape of a long spear, Yuna then threw it at the spirit, it pierced right through its body, the spirit groaned in pain, Yuna then created more spears and threw them at the spirit, all the way until the spirit stopped moving and disappeared into light particles.

Yuna was exhausted after killing the spirit, she sat on the ground panting heavily, "Jeez...killing spirits could be really tiring." Hikari and Xenon saw Yuna coming out of the lift, Hikari went to check on her, "Are you alright?" Yuna gently nodded and collapsed in Hikari's arms, Xenon chuckled, "She must be exhausted." Hikari sighed, "It is her first mission after all..."

Hikari carried Yuna back to his place and let her rest on his bed, Hikari then sat down on the sofa in the living room, Xenon shook her head, "You are just going to leave her up there?" Hikari sat up, "Then what else do you want me to do?" Xenon crossed her arms over her chest, "At least tug her in with a blanket or something, she is going to freeze at night." Hikari shrugged his shoulders, "Alright." He then went upstairs and covered Yuna with his blanket.

The exorcist came back down and laid on the sofa, Xenon asked, "Then how about you? Are you cold?" Hikari just closed his eyes, "I will just bear with it." Xenon giggled, she transformed into her fox form and laid on Hikari's body, "I shall be your blanket then..." A small smile appeared on Hikari's face as he patted Xenon gently, "Thank you...my little kitsune,"