New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

Back in Montreal, Jack was standing inside the large elevator that was usually used for transporting goods up and down between the hospital and the facility.

In the elevator with him were Guo, Kary, and Alexander, who was sleeping in a wheelchair, a nurse keeping him upright and carting him around, as well as a few suitcases and bags.

David had already texted Alexander, which Kary responded to in his stead, that he was waiting outside. Jack looked satisfied that they were still on time, regardless of Alexander’s indisposed situation.

As they reached ground level, the group left the elevator and entered the service area of the hospital up above. From there, they walked to the back of the establishment, where a long black limousine was waiting for them.

David was standing next to the vehicle, staring down at his phone. When he heard the approaching footsteps, he raised his head.

Seeing Alex, unconscious, in a wheelchair, he frowned.

“The heck happened to him? Did fighting a possessed knock him out that much, or is he just still sleeping?”

Jack looked at him, before looking at Guo. Guo responded to David.

“Let’s talk about this in the limo, if you don’t mind. Too many ears can hear us here.”

David nodded his head.

“Then don’t mind if I get in first. I’ve been waiting here for ten minutes.”

Saying his piece, he opened the door and climbed in first, eliciting a frown from Jack.

‘What a rude young man. A little stint in the army would fix his attitude.’

Then again, Jack doubted any military officer could ever break this man’s will. He would either get fired from the army, or get court-martialed for insubordination.

The latter would most likely be the result, judging by David’s proneness to anger.

Pushing the stray thoughts aside, Jack climbed into the limousine too. When he got in, he was glad to see that David had at least respected limousine etiquette, and left the spot near the driver empty.

Sitting in his place, followed by Guo next to him, he waited for the baggage to be loaded, and for their two last passengers. Once everything and everyone was one, he knocked twice on the window separating them from the driver.

A moment later, the vehicle went into motion.

Jack locked his gaze on Guo, who understood it was his time to explain.

“Mr. Magnus, I want to clarify something with you first.”

“And that is?”

“In your recounting last night, you said that there wouldn’t be any demons in our world for a while, still. I assume you didn’t know that we already have demons on Earth, if in a somewhat contained fashion.”

“What? Nonsense. The first demons come from the merge. The rest is only a myth.”

Guo snickered at his reply.

“That is what the world is led to believe, yes. Do you remember when I said you were not the first to touch upon an energy that doesn’t come from this world?”

“I remember. But that was just for intimidation, I assumed.”

“Not entirely. You see, my family comes from a long line of demon slayers in China. We were once followers of Zhong Kui, also known as the King of Ghosts, or the Demon Slayer.”

Pulling out a piece of paper from his jacket pocket, Guo carefully positioned his hand before whispering a short incantation. Finishing his short incantation, the piece of paper burnt instantly, before a sword appeared in the man’s hand in its place.

David’s eyes widened a bit before his face turned into a frown.

“Neat magic trick. But that still doesn’t convince me. If that were true, then we would have heard more about it before.”

Guo shook his head.

“The world leaders are all in agreement that they should always keep such incidents as secret as possible. That is why it isn’t a known fact. But the legends and myths aren’t all untrue.”

David looked at him in disbelief, but he wasn’t a stranger to the unnatural. So, for now, he was willing to give the benefit of the doubt.

“I fail to see how this has anything to do with why Alex is still out cold.”

“I was getting to that,” Guo responded, making the sword disappear.

“Demons, or as you called it earlier, the possessed, are usually very susceptible to weapons like the sword I have. And the one yesterday was no exception.”

“So you are the one who dealt with it, I take it.”

“At first, we worked together, and although I was the one to hurt the possessed the most, I wouldn’t have triumphed without the help of your friends.”

Kary chuckled.

“Calling us friends is a stretch,” she said.

“Whatever the case may be, your help was needed and appreciated,” Guo said, not wanting to let the topic slide to something else.

Kary nodded.

“Without them, the combat would have taken much longer, and the possibility of the possessed boy escaping would have been incredibly high. That demon was one of the strongest I have ever met.”

“So you killed it in the end. Then why is Alex still asleep? Did the demon knock him out cold, or something?”

“You have this all wrong, Mr. Magnus. I wasn’t the one to kill the demon. He was.” 𝓫𝓭𝓸𝓋𝓁．𝓬𝓸𝓂

Guo pointed at Alex, who was still out, his head bobbing slightly to the movement of the vehicle.

“The possessed resorted to something I had never seen before, and his power increased tenfold. My attacks became useless on him, and we almost lost someone.”

Jack frowned at Guo’s words. Looking at all the occupants of the limousine, they all seemed roughed up, but not in any life-threatening danger.

Then the realization hit him. Only one other person could have helped them in that fight.

“How is Jonathan? Is he hurt? I hope for your sake he isn’t at risk of dying. If my grandson dies, I will have your head, Guo.”

The low voice at which Jack said this contained enough dread to make all the passengers of the limousine shiver. It impressed David how a man with no mana in his system could apply such pressure on others.

‘If he plays New Eden, he would be an incredible asset,’ he even thought.

“Worry not, sir. Your grandson is fine. A bit in shock and recuperating, but unscathed. Thanks to Mr. Leduc.”

Jack glanced at the unconscious man before locking his eyes back on Guo.

“Tell me what happened. The whole thing.”

Guo nodded. It was better to be entirely honest with his boss, lest the man find out the truth by other means, and decide punishment was due.

“Then I shall report to you now.”