Uriel’s POV

  Uriel glanced at her side, towards the girl that accompanied her.

  Evantra Wraithmarked had long, black hair and pale skin. The characteristic cloudy white eyes of the Wraithmarked. A relic of a revolver was tucked into her jeans, and she held a shotgun in her grip. Conventionally pretty, without the aid of cybernetic or bionetic enhancement.

  An utterly ordinary girl, in her early twenties, albeit one who had experienced some tragedy in her life.

  “Miss Uriel? Will the Veilsurge dissipate soon?”

  The Ghostslayer nodded.

  “Seeing as the Veilcreatures sustaining the tear have been eliminated, the energy supporting the Veilsurge will dissipate, and it will collapse in on itself. I would give it about a few hours before it disappears. If you would come this way, I have some questions for you.”

  “There’s no reason to be nervous,” Uriel’s golden gaze flicked to the girl. Frankly, she could have left the meagre attempt at reassurance unsaid. There was nothing in the girl’s demeanour to betray her nerves at meeting her.

  Interesting.

  Stepping out of the Veilsurge, they returned to the Aleverez’s living room. It was crawling with personnel, golden lettering against black adorned their jackets.

  The PIU –Paranormal Investigation Unit.

  They exited the Alvarez home to a street full of activity. Armoured black hovervans and soldiers in full military gear had established a perimeter. Bright, moving holographic strips that had long ago replaced mundane police tape, glowed brightly in the darkness, the word “CAUTION” emblazoned at regular intervals along their length, cordoning off the house.

  One of the Elsecaller city’s specialist units that showed up whenever they caught a whiff of the paranormal – even when said whiff came from within a Veilsurge. While Veilcreatures could enter through Mundane Veilsurges, the same couldn’t be said for the paranormal. There was no doubt they would attempt to fully utilise the scant few hours they had before the Veilsurge closed to investigate the elaborate blood ritual she had discovered in the bowels of the laboratory.

  Not that they would find much, Uriel had done them the courtesy of checking.

  Whatever the creators of Project Darwin had attempted had long since failed, and all of the lab’s hard drives and had been wiped of any meaningful information. Beyond that, there were no traces of any ghosts within.

  Uriel smiled, drawn out of her thoughts as she watched her charge display the greatest degree of emotion she had glimpsed since their first encounter. Trailing Evantra’s gaze, she couldn’t help but laugh when she realised what had evoked it.

  Evantra’s eyes were locked onto the hypercar, parked by the curb.

  It was from the Uriel line, the latest iteration of the cult classic, her namesake.

  The Uriel III’s sleek black body was glossy and immaculate, melting into the darkness as its surroundings were reflected in its surface. Dark golden rims that flowed in their hand-crafted artistry adorned every wheel.

  “You recognise the car?”

  Evantra missed a step, fixated on the beautiful vehicle, and Uriel effortlessly shot out a hand, faster than most organics could register, to steady the girl. Her smile widened as she watched Evantra glance down at the hand she had extended. Unlike most other civilians that witnessed her sheer speed, Uriel still couldn’t detect fear or awe in her expression.

  I like her.

  “The Uriel III right? X32 Shademist engine. 3,000 horsepower, you have great taste. Hovercar functionality.”

  Uriel laughed softly, each peal ringing like the pure tone of bells.

  “I saw that Project Elsecaller 2 copy lying around. You have great taste. Come in. I’ll drive you down to City Hall. I’ll ask my questions along the way.”

  Uriel watched with a hint of a smile as the girl awkwardly positioned herself within the car. The interior of the Uriel III mirrored its exterior design, layered in sleek black and gold. The moment her passenger settled into the black seat, she heard the girl gasp as the memory-fabric perfectly conformed to her body.

  The windscreen was comprised entirely of a bulletproof alloy. When she started the car, the screen in the interior blinked into existence, portraying an immaculate recreation of the scene outside – as if she was staring through transparent glass.

  “Flying, or the old-fashioned way?”

  “There’s only one real choice.”

  Uriel laughed again.

  “Right answer. Let’s go for a drive.”

  The car gradually gained momentum, as silent as a wraith. Then the petroleum engine kicked in upon reaching the requisite speed, and she watched the girl’s eyes widen as it growled like a demon as she accelerated, introducing its beautiful, unholy chorus to Wisptown’s dark streets.

  “So, Evantra Blair. Or do you prefer Evantra Wraithmarked?”

  The girl shrugged with a soft smile.

  “There aren’t many ordinary civilians who would dive into a Veilsurge to save their neighbour’s child. Or even to save their own family, for that matter.”

  She watched as the girl returned her gaze. Milky, fogged irises met the golden glow of her own.

  There were some out there that believed the trait to be a bad omen.

  Uriel was not one of those idiots.

  “Daughter to William and Evangeline Blair. Victims of a wraith attack that struck Wisptown two years ago. This town, and you, have certainly been through a lot.”

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  The girl remained silent, greeting her words with a slight smile. It was genuine and unguarded, from what Uriel could discern.

  “What do you do for work?”

  Uriel registered a brief flash of surprise that crossed the girl’s expression, disappearing just as soon as it had appeared.

  “I do… odd jobs. I preach at my parents’ church on the rare occasion. I’m not very good at it.”

  They exchanged a smile.

  “Evantra—”

  The screen in the centre of her dashboard lit up, displaying a name and portrait.

  Abbadon Yang.

  “I can cover my ears if you need me to?”

  Uriel let out a soft laugh as she declined the call. Evantra raised her eyebrows.

  “Are you sure? That was—”

  “Seraphim’s CEO, yes. He can wait. Annoying bosses, they hound you no matter how high you climb. Having the gall to call after work hours. Don’t work for them if you plan to take the corporate route.”

  Evantra smiled at her words.

  “So, tell me. What did you find in the basement?”

  Evantra turned casually to glance for a moment towards the passing houses, before returning her gaze.

  “I had a look around. There was a single, cylindrical tank in the room with the markings. There was nothing inside, from what I could see. I found a single pile of documents, but everything in it was redacted.”

  Evantra paused.

  “If I may ask… Miss Uriel, what was that laboratory? Is that the reason the Paranormal Investigation Unit is here?”

  Uriel paused, her glowing, golden Seraphim optics lingering on the girl. Eventually, she let out a small laugh and continued, acceding to her question.

  “The laboratory was situated in the UK – London. When the Veilsurges first appeared, every state loosened their regulations and tried just about every idea they could think of, to gain an edge against the creatures of the Veil.”

  Uriel smiled.

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if there were countless such laboratories scattered around each jurisdiction. Failed experiments, now abandoned in the Lost Territories. This laboratory seemed to have attempted a ritual.”

  Uriel’s golden eyes flicked back towards Evantra. The girl was seated, her hands folded neatly in her lap. Her eyes wide with rapt attention, her face betraying not a hint of fear, or deceit, only intrigue.

  “As you know, while the creatures of the Veil enter through the tears, the same cannot be said for the paranormal. Ghosts typically enter reality through ritual summoning. Or other ritualistic practices. Still, the ghost, if it was summoned, is likely long gone by now.”

  Evantra let out a small sigh of relief, and turned to watch the passing houses as her hypercar cruised towards Wisptown’s city centre.

  “Did you see any ghosts, Evantra? Or anything else that was strange?”

  Evantra levelly met her eyes and shook her head.

  “Let me give you a piece of advice,” Uriel smiled softly.

  “From one street kid to another. In this ghouldark world, even brave girls become fodder. Trodden over by the horrors and megacorporations alike. Just look at me.”

  For the first time in the duration of their ride, Uriel glimpsed the slightest hint of discomfort in the girl’s expression.

  “Keep your head down. Try to get out of Wisptown if you can. It has received some concerning… attention of late. And if you ever have ambitions to become a Ghostslayer…”

  Uriels’s golden eyes met Evantra’s own once more.

  “Don’t. It’s a life of tragedy. Though I suppose… you’re already familiar with it. ‘Wraithmarked’ right? I lost my parents as well. You’ll find a lot of orphans in the profession.”

  Uriel smiled.

  “But if you do… head to Elsecaller city. Join the Ghostslayer guild, and their academy. Then call me. I can show you the ropes. But if you’re wise…”

  “I’ll stay out of your way, and never see you again?”

  Uriel stopped by the curb, right before Wisptown’s city hall, where Carmen Alvarez and her son had retreated to.

  “I knew I liked you. And Evantra?”

  Uriel smiled.

  “Thanks for telling me the truth.”

  Evantra gave her a soft smile.

  “It should be me, thanking you. I know… that what you did was partly just your job, but I still won’t ever forget it.”

  With a final nod of appreciation, the girl left her car, and she pulled away from the curb.

  The hypercar’s sleek, untarnished black dashboard blinked to life once more.

  Uriel picked up the call.

  “So? Why did you reject my call?”

  She smiled, hearing the curiosity at the edge of Abbadon’s voice. He had never been good at concealing it. Still, of all the employers she had worked for, he was, by a long shot, the most competent.

  “Don’t you get all stern with me, Mr CEO. It was a Mundane Veilsurge. Old lab in the UK, they attempted a summoning. Hard drives were wiped, hardly any documentation remaining but a name.”

  “Go on.”

  “Project Darwin.”

  “Another gene-splicing endeavour?”

  Uriel laughed.

  “Whatever it was, they failed. It was infested by a small teethling swarm, nothing of interest. Especially to Caliburn. Nothing to indicate why they made the junkyard acquisition.”

  “The civilians inside?”

  Uriel chuckled.

  “Look at you, concerned about people. They were fine.”

  “Caliburn must be interested in Wisptown for a reason. Find it.”

  “Oh? So that’s the tone you’re taking with me. Is that how you speak to an Archangel?”

  Uriel grinned as she teased her boss. She laughed when she heard the man clear his throat.

  “Find it, please.”

  The call clicked, and Uriel settled into her seat with a sigh.

  For all that Seraphim Corporation had found niches in optical cybernetics and hypercars, the megacorporation’s true speciality rested elsewhere.

  Intelligence.

  Just like their slogan and namesake, they were always watching.

  Data, in a world of the future, had gilded the staircase they had ascended to solidify their status as one of the foremost powers of the world.

  In the bloodbath that followed the advent of the Veilsurges, was a war that raged between corporations to secure their places in the new world. With the creatures of the Veil and Mythic Veilsurges came opportunity.

  Opportunities to innovate.

  To dominate.

  What Seraphim’s intelligence indicated, was that Evantra Wraithmarked was the only daughter of William and Evangeline Blair. Victims of a wraith attack that occurred two years ago in Wisptown, leaving their daughter an orphan.

  A na?ve, sheltered, girl who played at being a preacher, clumsily attempting and failing to recreate the sermons that her parents had dutifully delivered before their death. Who scrounged a meagre living by taking up odd jobs around the slums.

  A girl, who by all means, was ignorant of the outside world and what it offered. Unsurprising, for those raised in religious families. Insulated from the wonders and the terrors both of the ghouldark future. Sequestered far away from the dangers and temptations of Elsecaller city, just as her parents likely intended for her.

  An utterly ordinary girl.

  Throughout their conversation, Uriel had paid constant attention to her HUD, which projected the girl’s heart rate, sweat concentration on her skin, breathing regularity and eye movement patterns. Privileges afforded to her by the best optics that money couldn’t afford, for they were entrusted only to Seraphim Corporation’s most trusted agents.

  Evantra’s mundane physiological readings were steady.

  In the short time since her parents’ passing, it seemed like the girl had outgrown Seraphim’s profile of her. Further evinced by the occult artefact in the girl’s pocket that she had blatantly concealed from her. From how she carried herself around her, Uriel was certain that Evantra was apprised of her abilities. Most of all, her iconic optics. The twin golden irises that had defined her from their inception.

  “I look forward to your rise, Evantra Wraithmarked. Let’s see just how high you can climb.”

  Uriel's laughter filled the hypercar’s interior.

  She only stopped when her dearest boss gave her another call, ten minutes later.

  ---

  Evantra watched as the Uriel III pulled away from the curb, silent as a wraith as it turned down the street. The shadows cast by the harsh streetlights above alighted on its streamlined chassis, and the car melted into the darkness.

  The Ghostslayer of [seraphim] rank hadn’t disappointed.

  The artificial pheromones that Uriel possessed induced contrived attraction. A pointless feature, because there was nothing deficient in her perfectly symmetrical face, with features that belonged to paintings of the old masters. Michelangelo likely would have had a fit if he had laid eyes on her. Uriel's twin, golden irises that burned themselves into her retinas and memory, leaving nothing beyond their comprehension.

  Evantra closed her eyes in anticipation as she waited.

  The slightest hint of a smile blossomed across her lips as she heard the telltale demonic roar of the engine burgeon into existence, the petroleum engine kicking in, when the hypercar exceeded the requisite velocity.

  Evantra peered down at the black, double-embossed business card that Uriel had handed to her; adorned with elegant golden lettering, which perfectly embodied the Ghostslayer's grace and elegance.

  She tore it to pieces.

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