A/N:
I wanted to say before the chapter that I'm incredibly sorry for my absence the past two or so months. Life just always seems to be busy at this point and I need to stop anticipating a break. I've dealt with work, being sick twice, family issues, and my dog getting sick. These aren't excuses but I hope it helps you understand why I've been missing. I really should've stepped up and got stuff done instead of wallowing around with depression during my free time.
I hope I can get back on the writing train this time. The newest chapter I worked on (ch. 23 on patreon) was able to be finished because I've been working on writing at least 100 words a day for the past week and editing it the past two days. It seems to be working but I'm still hoping to get something out again before the end of the month.
Much love, stay safe.
-Mike
Based on the entrance to the Institute, Gabe half expected the place to be mostly barren. But as he walked into the lushous and vibrant courtyard he was shocked to see it was bustling full of life.
Men and women walked all throughout the courtyard and headed deeper into random buildings inside the institute. Many were in suits but the occasional person was in casual clothing like Gabe.
It allowed him to blend in better as he took a step out into the courtyard. Though he had to glance down at his pamphlet's map every couple of seconds.
Mira was right, this place was a complete maze. It even had a whole underground section with stuff out of a wizarding school.
Summoning room? Alchemy Lab? Enchanting Room? This sounded like a childs Minecraft house, it just missed that cartoony brick instead of this rustic reddish black brick.
Luckily the library seemed to be the easiest place to get to. It was the biggest room in the place and seemed to be multiple stories tall. Hopefully finding the information on Zekai would be easy, he was on a tight schedule.
The library was in the back right corner of the institute, Gabe could see it as he crossed through the grounds of the courtyard. A couple windows peered into it and Gabe could see the shelves of books inside.
One thing Gabe noticed was a lot of the people walking throughout the courtyard had similar looking tattoos along their arms. If he wasn't mistaken, they almost looked like runes from a fantasy video game or something.
Is this a cult? Gabe thought. Did I walk into a Cult?
Gabe tried his best not to stare at all of the tattooed people, it would give him away as an outsider if he acted too confused about them. Luckily he slipped right through without seeming out of place by them. No one seemed to notice him at all.
Beyond the double doors was a library that closely resembled the one on campus. Though this was a lot bigger.
Gabe thought he would enter on the ground floor but he was wrong, he was about halfway up. As he got close to the railing, Gabe looked up and saw there were about 4 more levels above him, and about 3 under him.
Surely the whole thing couldn't be filled with books, right? There were a couple busts and paintings on this floor, maybe there were more? Perhaps part library, part museum of some sorts?
As he looked around, the problem came to Gabes mind. He had no idea where he was even supposed to be looking.
Down at the bottom appeared to be numerous tables and what could possibly be a help desk.
It took a bit to find the stairs down, but when Gabe did he quickly was able to head several floors down and towards the kind looking women at the help desk.
Though he was concerned about this whole investigation somehow getting back to Zekai if he asked about him directly, Gabe knew he had no other option. Unless he wanted to spend hours going through every book looking for something on him.
"Hello, I'm looking for a book but not sure where exactly I would find it," Gabe began to say.
"Sure what are you looking for," She said without looking up from her computer.
"I only really have a name of someone in the book, his name is Zekai-"
"Zekai Voidborne and other notable Void Demons can be found on the top floor in the demons section. A bunch of mages have been crowded around the new book all day, is that what you're here for?"
The clerk looked at him through the top of her glasses, her eyes darting to the nametag on him.
"Guest, I see. They're just letting anyone in here nowadays," She muttered.
Gabe rolled his eyes, not even giving her a thank you.
But she knew who Zekai was, just not the correct last name. Voidborne, she called him, which was very close to Vijoigborne. Was Zekai lying, but not exactly lying, about his last name?
And Void Demon, what the fuck was that? Was that some rank in the cult and did Aiden and Zekai happen to be a part of the same one? Demons weren't real so that was completely off the table.
Then again, Zekai did once ask him if there was something weird or off about Aiden. There was more evidence that they were both a part of something that Gabe nor Dom knew about.
But hypothetically, if Zekai was a demon, what was Aiden? A werewolf? Gabe rolled his eyes, there was no he could keep something like that hidden from him and Dom. It did add some sense to the whole "Alpha and Beta" nonsense.
As Gabe walked up the steps he put together what made the most sense. This cult or whatever truly believed they were some paranormal beings but not actually. Because certainly if these paranormal beings existed people would have spread that information like wildfire by now right?
After a long trek up the stairs, Gabe finally made it to the top floor. The institute really could use elevators. Even as a well built guy like Gabe, that many stairs took it out of him.
The top floor was a lot darker than the previous ones. Only the flame from oil lanterns kept the place a lit as well as the occasional tall wax candle on a table. There was a noticeable lack of bookshelves compared to the previous ones.
It was eerie, only missing the cob webs to give it that haunted house vibe. There was a large gathering around a table and the other tables had smaller groups around them all holding on to pieces of paper and chatting amongst themselves.
Gabe walked up to the large gathering assuming this is what the clerk was talking about. The book in question was sitting in the middle, not even open. There were multiple papers scattered around the table and many of the people with the same weird runic tattoos were holding on to them.
When no one was paying attention, Gabe yoinked one of the papers, not really picking one out from the pile.
It was definitely a photocopy of a page from the book in the center. It was a simple photo of what looked like a large fog wall from a Dark Souls game. It was beyond what looked to be a stone wall covered in moss with the strangest looking person guarding at the top.
It was a man in frankly very little clothing with dark green skin and emerald green tattoos jagged along his waist and upper biceps. Sharp horns stuck out of the top of his head glowing green at the tips as if the tops of them were gemstones.
Gabe breathed in, his heart beating, it sure as hell seemed like this person was some sort of demon.
Underneath the photo read "Image provided by Hunter Voidborne." He recognized that name, didn't Zekai say his brother was dating someone named Hunter?
The other page of the book read, The Veil between worlds, guarded by the Earthen Demons of the Earthen Peak.
"Isn't this exciting? Finally having actual pictures from the rings of Hell," One of the tattooed people started talking to him. "It sucks that there aren't that many photos of the Earthern Peak but I assume it's because most of it is forests and well it's hard to spot green demons when everywhere is green."
Gabe just nodded trying not to make it obvious that he thought this guy was completely crazy.
"Have you seen the photos of the Tribunal?" The man started combing through photos before pulling one out.
Gabe took the paper and just stared at what he assumed was three demons not from this Earthen Peak. Their skin was various shades of red and orange with horns that were glowing bronze.
He didn't even bother reading the paragraph to the left filled with names he didn't recognize and places that made no sense.
"Is The Institute just a very complicated and widespread D&D or even larping group?" Gabe asked the guy.
"What?" The guy asked, tilting his head.
"Like Hell isn't real dude. This art is dope and looks very real I'll give you that," Gabe awkwardly laughed.
"Does your pack not have any mages in it? I know some wolves have a hard time wrapping it around their head that there's paranormal stuff in the world besides them and werebears..."
Gabe couldn't help but look confused now. Werewolves? Werebears? What the fuck is going on in here?
None of this could be real. It would've gotten it out by now, normal people like him would have caught on to it now especially with the advancement of technology. Magic wasn't real.
"If you're a beta wolf you really should read up on some of this demon stuff. Sure this Hunter believes that not all of them are horrible awful people but there have been some pretty shitty ones in history. They can be dangerous and manipulative though I will admit those Voidborne brothers are pretty fucking hot."
Voidborne, that name again. That's the last name the clerk gave Zekai.
"Voidborne brothers, is there a page on them?" Gabe asked, his heart thumping in his chest.
"Uhhh," The guy searched through a bunch of papers gathering up a whole bunch before handing them all to Gabe. "They should be in there somewhere."
"Thanks," Gabe sweated a bit. "I'm just gonna..."
Gabe darted for a table and began searching through each paper not even paying attention to all of the papers mentioning the Primordial Void, Void Demons, and a whole lot of other stuff with the word Void in it.
Until he came upon something that made him stop in his tracks. It was as if the room went completely silent and only the ringing in his ears could be heard.
Familiar golden eyes looked up at him from the photo but completely took over the rest of the eye. The same bearded face he was beginning to fall in love smiled back at him posing with someone who looked almost exactly like him.
Gabe's heart dropped as he rubbed his widened eyes. This couldn't be real, this had to be some sort of joke.
It was Zekai, only this Zekai's pale skin was dark gray with beautifully intricate pale gold tattoos. Horns jutted out of his gorgeous obsidian black hair, and crystal glowing pale gold tips were at the end of them.
Zekai Vijoigborne wasn't real, but Zekai Voidborne definitely was.
Zekai the human wasn't real, but Zekai the Void Demon definitely was.
A/N Continued:
I can't believe Zekai is a demon. I'm so shocked. Did you guys see it coming? lol jk
How do you guys think Zekai will react to learning Gabe knows his secret? Will Gabe tell him immediately? Confront him? Also try to perform a ritual to send him back to Hell?
Feel free to add me on:
Twitter: @14MEK
Tumblr: Mek-14
And Patreon! It's currently 5 bucks a month where you get 5 chapters early as well as a handful of NSFW chapters and exclusives! Any support helps and it's always appreciated!
Patreon.com/Mek_14
Until next time! <3
-MEK