Rade's Demon Elimination Service

Chapter 28: Spatial Void

New York could actually walk, but everyone refused to let him do so and that was why he was wheeled into the wheelchair against his wishes, rolling around to see the lanterns and the petals of the cherry blossoms.

He, of course, felt incredibly useless. He has never been the one being taken care of, he was always the one taking care of Kalleid so this was a new thing for him.

"Be careful," Kalleid told him while he was being guided to get out of the wheelchair.

Almost instantly, blood rushed towards his head. He didn't know what to think. Should he compliment Kalleid for being so caring? Or should he berate Kalleid for being so clingy to the point of suffocation? Honestly, this i***t, New York thought internally. He was making him feel odd to the point of being speechless.

New York heard a snicker from behind them and saw Felif staring at them both, a teasing smirk on his lips. The guy has been around for almost a few weeks now, over a month but only shy of a few weeks for his second month. After the Shadow Fantasm being wounded and reduced to nothingness (or its humanoid form more appropriately said), he didn't went away as expected.

Instead he stayed and tried to investigate more which put Fannie, the current mortal name of the Shadow Fantasm, and his position into a rather complicated manner. No one knew about the Shadow Fantasm being in its humanoid form and the Aldeia clan would like to stay on that status quo.

"i***t, Kalleid!" New York shrieked and slapped away the hand of the other boy. "i***t! I can walk by myself, can you not coddle me?" he said irritably but what answered him was only a smile from the other boy.

"Okay, if you say so," he said and indeed let him walk by himself and slumped on a comfortable chair. "I should go, New York. I only came here to see you home safely. Good evening, Felif," Kalleid then greeted Felif who was lounging at a sofa ay the drawing room where Kalleid guided New York on.

New York nodded at Kalleid.

"Okay, bye," New York said and waved his hand. Though he seemed to have been casual and nonchalant, New York was wary of the person by the window, looking at the Aldeia clan's manor's grounds.

He was still very shy by being so out in the public and he also get looks, even to the Aldeia clan's manor's servants.

He kept his mouth shut still, not wanting to lower his pride but it was Kalleid who literally lowered his head and put place a gentle blow on his forehead. New York glared at him but only received, yet again, a small smile from Kalleid.

"Bye, New York," Kalleid said, also greeting Felif who was sitting not a distance away from him.

"I heard there's a festival?" Felif asked New York as soon as Kalleid left. There was a good-natured smile on his face that New York felt guilty of being violent towards him earlier.

"Yeah, lantern parade," New York answered nonchalantly. Before he could share more of the details of the festivities, a cold and indifferenr voice was already speaking from the door.

On her formal attire, Geneva Aldeia came in the drawing room. She was wearing an immaculate suit that pronounced how powerful and intimidating this plain looking little lady.

"The lantern parade and wishing lanterns were all to honor the Aldeia clan," she said to Felif. "The whole clan sent representatives to get the floats for the parade ready while the latest generation would partake on the wishing lanterns. It's all to take good care of the ancestors' hard work."

"That's rather nice to hear," Felif responded.

"New York," Geneva called to her younger brother. "Shall I take you up the stairs?" she asked.

It was then that New York realized Geneva wouldn't call him to go to the drawing room and meet up if she didn't want to say something essential to him. It just so happens that Felif was also in the same room.

"Alas, I must also retire to my own room," Felif announced, standing up from his seat from across New York. "Good evening to you, Lady Aldeia. And to you, Young Master, New York."

New York said the same sentiments but Geneva only nodded stiffly at the man who was already on his way out of the room.

"What is it?" New York asked as soon as he couldn't hear Felif's footsteps on the hallway.

"Not here," Geneva answered New York, gesturing for him to follow her. "Come along now, I'll tell you on your room."

Like all hunters, the Aldeia's last generation didn't live to see their children grew up. New York was only eleven years old when his mother and his father died of a demon attack. Geneva wasn't named as the head of the family immediately but the elders also did not prolong to announce Geneva as the head. It was only five years ago that the elders decided to named her by the death of some random distant uncle that led the Aldeia clan in the stead of their mother, who was the original head of the clan.

Geneva has been London and New York's mother and father for the past years. Singing lullabies though she doesn't suit doing it, making sure that the two younger generation of the Aldeia clan doesn't piss themselves, and establishing the Aldeia clan to its former glory after their parents' death.

The Aldeia wasn't always the glorious and powerful clan it is now.

"What do you want to say, Geneva?" New York asked as soon as they went inside his room.

"Keep an eye out for Fannie," Geneva told him frankly.

That was it? New York wanted to ask but couldn't bring himself to do so. Geneva looked more worried than the situation warranted and New York didn't want to think lightly of the situation. It was rather serious, after all, they were both talking about one of the most powerful demons that ever lived.

"Fannie's at our mercy, Geneva," New York reassured his eldest sister. "Don't overthink too much. I think what should be talked about is who might be the ones who kidnapped Kalleid and brought him to where the Fantasm is."

"The hunters are already investigating that, you don't have to worry," Geneva assured him.

New York was not satisfied with the answer that was given to him but before he could protest though, Geneva was already talking.

"What I told everyone of you of the reason that I'm doing this is to prevent any shift of the power, is that not right?" Geneva confirmed at New York who only waited for her next words. "That's not the whole truth, New York."

The window of New York's room was not covered by the curtains and so Geneva could see the expansive sea from the distance. It was blue and dark under the moonlight but there was a creeping sensation that could be felt roaming around, making its presence known.

"You should also keep an eye out for Kalleid, New York," Geneva advised yet again, her voice was cold and full of grim. "Those who kidnapped him might take this chance of vulnerability to achieve their goals."

New York who has slumped on the bed of his room strode towards where his sister was. With a shock, he felt the sensation flowed through him, the presence was particularly beautiful and destructive but stagnant. It spread across the sea like a blanket, quickly covering any length but not doing anything. It felt as though New York was looking at a time bomb, waiting for the right trigger to make it explode and blast everything on its way.

"What is that?" New York asked unconsciously. His eyes were wide with wonder and amazement as the world stood still.

"The Deep Manifestation Dimension has been opened and unleashed the Spatial Void," Geneva said. "Where manifestation and the demons will be provided with more power. This is the whole truth of the reason I did not chose to eliminate the Shadow Fantasm."

"Geneva," New York whispered, his eyes were still locked at what was unfolding right in front of his eyes. "Is that... a manifestation?" he asked again.

Geneva only looked over at him, her soul seemingly moved out of her own body.

"With the Spatial Void it will not be too impossible that other manifestations and demons will also be unleashed," Geneva told him.

Two days later, New York has been permitted by the doctors to finally go to the school and attend classes. Though he was fine and all, he expected Kalleid to come by and force him to go back into the manor but he was nowhere in sight.

He opened the door to the Supernatural Club's clubroom only to find a grand total of three people there holding a welcoming banner for him.

"Eh? Not so bad," he commented, but he only got a good smack on the back of his head from London.

"Welcome back, New York!" Lyu greeted him with a cheery smile, handing over an ice cream cake.

"Welcome, New York," a more formal greeting from Rade and a slight bow.

There wasn't really anything to catch up on. They all have seen each other in the past couple of weeks that he was recuperating but still someone was missing. And New York, as his original goal from the very start, was supposed to be keeping an eye out for him.

"Where is Kalleid, that i***t?" he asked the three of them.

"Kalleid is nowhere to be found, New York," London told him grimly, "I think he wasn't over by the fact that he almost killed all of us."

"Let him be for a moment," Rade said surprisingly that even Lyu looked at her. She proceeded to talk, setting the small spoon for her ice cream cake by the side of her plate. "He will come to realize that there are certain things we could never control."

"True!" Lyu agreed. "He needs time to think and reflect. Maybe he's still scared of being out of control and hurting anyone. He will come around, New York."

"The juniors are right," London also agreed. "Don't stressed yourself out, little bro."

A buzz from one of their phones vibrated through the walls of the room. When London checked, it was a text message from Kalleid himself.

"Speaking of the devil," London whispered and showed the other three her phone and the text message on the screen. "See? He's tellling us to get to Attic later. I told 'ya, he'll come around!"

They quickly packed up everything they prepared and headed over to the Attic to find out why would Kalleid asked them to see him there. When they went over, they found Fannie reading another book by the same place he ever sat on.

"Hello, Fannie!" Lyu greeted then came Rade who also greeted Fannie in a lukewarm voice and bowed slightly.

"Fannie, wazzup!" London also greeted, giving the humanoid demon a high five in which he received with an irritated glare towards London.

It was the first time that New York would see the Shadow Fantasm, or Fannie as they all called him, on its humanoid form. He supposed he looked slightly like Lyu and Megumi with slanted peach blossom eyes though the warm eyes of the brother and sister were not present in his face but the three of them have defined bone structure. The only diffrence was that he actually has golden yellow hair and there was a more sinister air about him that made all of their skin's hair stand up in their own without any encouragement.

Kalleid wasn't there when they arrived and they have to wait for another couple of minutes before he showed with a shy smile. He politely apologized for being late.

"But I wasn't the one who told you to go here, I just relayed the message for Miss Megumi," he answered when New York asked him why would he want to meet them in the Attic. "I guess Miss Megumi wanted to say something."

They all looked at Megumi. She smiled in return, her peach blossom eyes were as beautiful as ever.

"I have some message for you all," she finally announced. "Your father asked me to relay this message."

There was a silence that spread through the whole shop. It was known that Kalleid's father was a bearer of bad news, he was also the one who notified them all about the arrival of Shadow Fantasm.

"And I'm afraid that the Attic will have to close down for a while," Megumi continued.

"What?" Rade asked, much to everyone's shock. "Why, Miss Megumi?"

For New York, it made sense since Rade was helping out in the Attic in exchange for some petty cash since she was suspended from demon hunting for a whole month.

"Only the appraisal shop, Rade," Megumi reassured her. "The café shop would go on... or maybe not even that," she added with anxiety.

"But why, Megumi?" London asked again. "The appraisal seemed to be doing well?"

They forgot of the presence reading a book and steeping tea by the chair in front of the desk where more books were laid. When he spoke, Fannie gathered their attention and made all of them look at him with wide eyes.

"Because the Deep Manifestation Dimension had been opened," he answered coolly. "And the Spatial Void manifestation will descend in the region which will has the ability to make demon stronger, including mine, rendering hunters helpless from the mercy of the demons."

Lyu nodded sadly. "We were already subjected by two attacks since two days ago, when the great manifestation by the sea appeared. We don't know how the Spatial Void would affect our abilities. I might lose control over my human flesh."

"Worst case is that we all reform to our demon form in which not many hunters would not be able to recognize us as allies," Megumi explaned. "The Spatial Void is a phenomenon that put every demons on a stronger state. It might be because the Shadow Fantasm—" everyone looked at Fannie again whose peplos' sleeve slipped from his shoulder with the sudden unwarranted attention "—was not out and powering up lower demons that the nature have to curve its way to control the hunters from annihilating demons without the power of the Shadow Fantasm to keep then on standby."

"The Deep Manifestation Dimension opened to caused the Spatial Void," Rade surmised and Megumi nodded in affrimative. "In order for the demons to be in line without the Shadow Fantasm's help, the Spatial Void occurred to overpower demons."

"That is exactly so," Fannie said. "So hunters must be careful of the demons. Or at least us."

That didn't reassure any of the people within the shop. Rade was already thinking that it would pose a great threat on the whole city and the Aldeoa clan with demons being more powerful than ever. While New York and London were both worried about the oncoming Spatial Void.

"Kalleid, would you mind also letting them see the letter?" Megumi asked politely. "Or would you like to be left alone while you read the letter?"

Kalleid shook his head. "It's fine if we see them all together," he responded languidly and smiled.

"Very well, shall we go up the stairs to open the letter?" Megumi offered them. Before leading the group upstairs, she said to Fannie with a dangerous glint, "Fannie, man the counter, won't you?"

Fannie just avoided her gaze and continued to read his book, the smoke from the steeping tea was a fragrant jasmine— the flavor that was becoming his favorite. Megumi slitted her peach blossom eyes at Fannie like she wanted smack his golden head and motioned for everyone to go and follow her.

The traditional Japanese room hasn't changed for the weeks that passed. Bare but cozy, everyone filed inside. Similar to how it was before, there was already a steeping tea waiting for their arrival and filling the room with fragrant scent.

While Megumi told them she would get the letter in the other room, Ai was already on move to make each of the guests some tea.

"I'm afraid that my father's message would also be about the Spatial Void," Kalleid said amidst the timid sipping sounds from everyone.

New York and London both agreed with him and they borh have a bad feeling about it all. When the door slid open and Megumi entered, anxiety rose among the teens. On her hand was an undecorated white envelope thay contained one letter only.

"Here it is, Kalleid," Megumi said mildly, sliding the door shut behind her and sitting righr scross Kalleid. She slid the letter in table and Kalleid was able to reach out to it and ripped the envelope to get the letter that his father sent to him inside.

Unlike before, the letter was only just a letter with scribbles of cursve handwriting. It was Kalleid who spoke of the words written by his own biological father.

"Kalleid," Kalled started and Kalleid straightened his back on it. His voice was deep and serious, not gentle any longer, and it was a little stiff too like he knew that no one would like the message this letter brought over. "As you might have already know, a Spatial Void is coming to your town where the demons would be in a weakened state. I have heard of how you dealt with the Shadow Fantasm, but your recklessness won't do in the midst of a Spatial Void."

Kalleid looked awkwardly at the sheet of paper that came from his father. Though he couldn't really be seen by the actual eyes of his father, he still covered his cheeks while his ears burned put of shame. He indeed didn't listen to his father. He didn't stay away from the Shadow Fantasm, and he even engaged it into a fight instead.

New York rather thought it odd that Kalleid's father didn't engaged his son into a simple and plain retellings of what he has been up to the past months like what he has been doing for the past letters he sent. New York supposed that the Spatial Void would have a rather significant connection with him.

"That's all I can really say now," Kalleid repeated his father's words. There was a tight set on his jaw that New York found interesting, he really was worried. "Be careful of the Spatial Void. If you're not going to heed my advice...."

A sigh could be heard from him, but he brushed it off and looked straight at Kalleid as though he could see his son during the time of the letter's recording.

"You might lose to your demonic side," he ended and the letter has ended with those lines.

An eerie silence enveloped the room broken only by Megumi who also sighed as though this has been weighing on her shoulders for a long time now. She collected the useless remnants of the letter and stuffed it on one of the sleeves of her kimono.

"So we all have to be careful of the Spatial Void?" Kalleid asked, he was looking at eveyone but even Rade lowered her head, unable to believe what has been uttered by Kalleid's own father.

"I think you're forgetting a very important detail, my dear," Megumi said to Kalleid, her eyes were casted towards the tea cup she has been holding. Very slowly, she sipped from it and finally looked up to meet Kalleid's confused eyes.

But it was Lyu who told him what he needed to hear.

"You're a half demon, Kalleid," he said, a very remorseful and sad expression touched his peach blossom eyes and his curly hair bounced when he lowered his head, cheeks were burning with what he said.

"You'd be affected as much as we would be with this Spatial Void manifestation," Megumi continued for her younger brother, patting his shoulder while he nodded for her to speak. "We will have to be more careful of both the demons and the hunters. No one but the Aldeia would ally themselves with us but many would be interested at the only immortal alive in this world. Not even a side would be able to tell if you are demon or a human."

New York clenched his teeth after Megumi explained everything.

"The Spatial Void wouldn't happen until a few more weeks but with its march, we would still be significantly affected," Megumi said again. "It isn't just your immortality that your father is afraid you would lose, it's whether your humanity would still be intact with the Spatial Void. You might lose control all over your body and the demonic side of you might reappear."

New York caught Kalleid's eyes and, as always, he smiled at him like death was not looming in front of him.

This must be a joke, New York told himself while looking at Kalleid, this must be a sick joke.