Chapter 1

"That… what is that." Roy stared in horror as in front of him was a humanoid lizard-human monster. It was all bloody, it ate a corpse of a human.

It was a late evening, Roy was walking back home from university, when he heard strange growls. Curiosity got the best of him, and he went in to the dark alleyway, deeper in there he found… that.

The monster stopped eating and tilted its head up, its serpentine pupils now stared at Roy.

Seeing this Roy gulped and started retreating. While the monster growled loudly and rushed at Roy on two legs. It ran not quite a human, but eerily similar to it.

Roy obviously also started running. His heartbeat increased as fear got the best of him. The situation was straight out of a horror film.

Then he jumped to the side, almost hitting a trash container. The monster leaped and hit landed on the place he previously was. Its long claws made an unsettling sound touching the concrete ground.

The creature didn't wait for Roy to stand up, it immediately rushed at his downed figure. Now the only thing Roy can do is close his eyes.

Slash. A sound came and went. It was silent. Roy opened his eyes up and saw the lizards head on the ground, the rest of the body was more far away. Red blood spilled like a fountain out of the hole where the neck should have been.

To the side stood a blond youth, who just sheated a long blade on his waist. As unbelievable as it sounded, the youth literally killed the monster with just a sword and possibly one swing.

The blond youth turned towards Roy, his expression unreadable in the dim light of the alleyway.

"Are you hurt?"

He asked with no care in his voice. Why even ask if you don't care. Roy thought, but he still answered back.

"I… no. What was that thing? And who are you?"

The blond youth turned his head to the outing of the alleyway and started walking away. "It doesn't matter to you." His simple words reached Roy's ears.

Roy scrambled to his feet, his fear rapidly turning to indignation. "Doesn't matter? That thing almost killed me! You can't just walk away after—"

The youth paused but didn't turn around. His shoulders tensed slightly beneath his jacket. "You were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Forget what you saw tonight if you want to live a normal life." His voice was flat, emotionless, as if reciting something he'd said countless times before.

Roy took a few steps forward, his shoes splashing through the pooling blood of the creature. "And if I can't forget? If I want answers?"

For a moment, silence hung between them, broken only by the distant sounds of city traffic and the dripping of blood from the monster's severed neck.

Finally, the blond youth half-turned, his face partially illuminated by a distant streetlight. His eyes looked far older than his youthful appearance suggested.

"Then you'll find more questions than answers, and none of them will bring you peace." He reached into his pocket and tossed something that glinted in the dim light.

Roy caught it reflexively—a small metal object, warm to the touch. A coin or medallion of some kind, engraved with strange symbols he didn't recognize.

"If you're stupid enough to want this life, come to the abandoned church on Westbrook Street tomorrow at midnight. Bring that." The youth's eyes flickered to the medallion in Roy's hand. "Or don't. Your choice."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows at the mouth of the alley as if he'd never existed.

Roy stood alone with the dead monster, the medallion heavy in his palm, and a decision weighing even heavier on his mind.

After a minute of thought, he decided to show up there tomorrow. Then he put the coin back in his pocket and glancing one more time at the dead remains of the monster, hurried out of the alleyway.

The city streets seemed different now, as if a veil had been lifted. Every shadow concealed potential danger, every dark corner possibly hiding another monster. Ordinary pedestrians passed by, oblivious to the horror just meters away in that alley. Would anyone find the creature's body?

Roy's walk home was a blur of racing thoughts and backward glances. When he finally reached his apartment, he locked the door behind him and leaned against it, exhaling deeply. He pulled out the medallion again, studying its strange markings under the light. Symbols he'd never seen before curved along its edge, surrounding what appeared to be some kind of stylized beast in the center.

Tomorrow at midnight. The abandoned church on Westbrook Street.

Part of him knew he should forget everything—the monster, the youth with the sword, all of it. Return to his life of lectures and exams and normal concerns. But another part, a curiosity that had already led him into one dangerous situation tonight, had already decided.

He ate some noodles and quickly fell asleep on his bed with the thought— tomorrow will be a lot more exciting than ever.

The next day, classes passed as usual, after they ended, Roy went on to a cafe that worked 24/7. There he passed time by either phone or eating.

Staying there for so long did give him weird glances from the waiter, but right before midnight, he paid and left for the church.

The night air was crisp as Roy approached the abandoned church on Westbrook Street. Its Gothic silhouette loomed against the moonlit sky, stained glass windows either shattered or covered with dust and grime. The once-ornate doors hung slightly ajar, as if inviting him in.

He hesitated at the bottom of the crumbling stone steps. The church had been abandoned for years—condemned after a fire, if he remembered correctly. Local teens sometimes used it for dares or parties, but tonight the building stood eerily silent.

Taking a deep breath, Roy climbed the steps and pushed one of the heavy wooden doors. It opened with a groan that echoed through the empty nave. Inside, the church was dimly lit by moonlight filtering through the broken windows and— strangely flickering light bulbs on the ceiling.

Inside the church, Roy found himself standing in a space that had been reclaimed from abandonment. Though the stone walls still bore scorch marks from the old fire, the nave had been cleared of debris. Tables lined the sides, laden with maps, books, and what looked like weapons. The flickering bulbs overhead—clearly powered by a generator humming somewhere—cast uneven light across the space.

"You're late," came a voice from near the altar.

The blond youth from the alley emerged into the light, his features sharper now that Roy could see him clearly. He wore a black tactical vest over a simple t-shirt, with cargo pants and heavy boots. The sword from last night was strapped to his hip, alongside what looked like a pistol holster.

"It's exactly midnight," Roy replied, pulling out his phone to check the time.

"Doesn't matter." A voice of a weary old man. "So you want to become one of us, right?"

The old man to the side was dressed simply— a white jacket and baggy black pants. His hair was grey and already balding in places. He would look like an normal old man if there weren't his eyes— they were sharp and filled with light, Roy's body instinctively felt that this guy was dangerous.

"I want answers first," Roy said, trying not to be intimidated by the old man's piercing gaze. "I don't even know what 'one of us' means."

The old man's mouth curved into something between a smile and a grimace. "Smart boy. Never sign up for something without reading the fine print." He gestured toward one of the wooden pews that still remained intact. "Sit."

Roy hesitated, glancing at the blond youth who watched him with obvious skepticism. After a moment, Roy moved to the pew and sat down, the ancient wood creaking beneath his weight.

The old man remained standing, leaning against a table. "Let me explain first what you encountered. Its what we call a chimera— Monster made from experimentation."

"A chimera," Roy repeated, the word hanging in the air between them. "You're saying someone… made that thing? Created it deliberately?"

The old man nodded grimly. "Yes. The creature you encountered was the result of deliberate experimentation—combining human and reptilian DNA through means that violate both natural law and ethical boundaries."

"Then" He continued. "We are the Order. An organization created to help normal people from crazy guys that do those experiments."

"The Order," Roy echoed, trying to wrap his mind around everything. "So you're like… what? Some kind of secret monster hunters?"

"More like cleanup crew," The youth muttered from his position near the pillar.

The old man shot him a sharp look before turning back to Roy. "We're protectors. We operate outside governmental oversight because many of these research organizations have infiltrated official channels. We track down dangerous chimeras and eliminate the threats they pose to innocent civilians."

Roy leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "And the people making these things? You go after them too?"

"When we can locate them, yes," the old man answered.

Roy's mind flashed back to the creature in the alley—its unnatural movements, its human-like qualities mixed with something reptilian and predatory. The memory made him shudder.

"How many of these… chimeras… are out there?" he asked.

"More than the public knows," the old man said gravely. "Most incidents are covered up or explained away as animal attacks or violent crimes. The general population isn't ready to know the truth."

The youth stepped forward, his patience visibly wearing thin. "This is all very fascinating, but we're wasting time. Either he's in or he's out. We need to make a decision."

The old man looked at Roy, waiting for his decision.

The silence stayed for a few minutes until Roy took a deep breath, he knew he was getting himself into something very dangerous, but the monotonous life outside is much worse then this. "I accept."

The youth sighed, shaking his head slightly. "Another idealist," he muttered, but made no further objection.

The old man's expression remained neutral, though something flickered behind his eyes—perhaps approval, perhaps concern. "Very well." He extended his hand. "Welcome to the Order, Roy. I'm Elliot, the grandmaster. One of the highest positions in it." He smiled.

"Cade will show you the ropes." He nodded toward the blond youth.

"Lucky me," Cade said, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Looks like I pulled babysitting duty."

Roy shook his hand. It was firm and strong, but yet soft at the same time. It felt like he was holding back his strength.

"So what's next?" He asked.

Elliot gestured toward Cade, who was already heading for the back of the church. "Cade will start your training. You'll need to learn fast."

Roy stood up, trailing after Cade. "Training," he repeated, trying to keep the uncertainty out of his voice. "Is this where you hand me a sword or something?"

Cade pushed open a door hidden at the rear of the building, revealing a stairway leading down. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, rookie. First, you have to survive basic conditioning."

Down there was a massive basement. All sorts of machines where there. Weapons on tables, and some kind of syringes.

Cade pointed at a chair for him to sit down and picked up the syringe.

"Sit tight and try not to scream."

Roy hesitated, his mind racing back to alleyways and chimeras. "You're injecting me with something? You just told me these things are made from—"

"Don't worry," Cade interrupted. "This isn't for turning you into a monster. It's for making you strong." He explained. "S12. It unlocks the full potential in human dna. Basically makes them superhuman."

Roy's eyes widened. "Superhuman?"

"Not invincible," Cade clarified, flicking the syringe. "You'll still bleed."

Elliot appeared at the top of the stairs. "It's your choice, Roy. But if you want to stay alive in this line of work, it's the only way."

Roy took a deep breath, fear and excitement warring within him. Finally, he nodded and sat down in the chair, gripping its arms.

Cade approached, needle gleaming under the harsh light. "This is going to hurt."

He jabbed the syringe into Roy's arm. Pain shot through him like liquid fire, and he clenched his teeth to keep from crying out. His vision blurred; it felt like his bones were being twisted inside out.

For a moment, Roy thought he might black out. Then the pain receded, leaving behind a strange clarity—a heightened awareness of every sound, every movement around him.

Roy looked up to see Cade watching him in surprise. "Your parents. Do you know them?" He asked strangely.

Roy's mind reeled from the question, trying to focus through the lingering haze of pain. "My parents? What does that have to do with anything?"

Elliot came down the stairs, his face etched with curiosity. "It usually takes longer for the transformation to settle in."

"Guess you're just special," Cade said, leaning back against a table, arms crossed. "Lucky me."

Roy shook his head, trying to clear it. He felt different—stronger somehow, like every muscle had been tightened and tuned. "I don't know my parents," he admitted. "I grew up in foster care. Why?"

Elliot exchanged a look with Cade, something unspoken passing between them. "We've seen this before," Elliot said slowly, as if weighing each word. "Sometimes those who adapt quickly have… family connections."

Roy's brow furrowed. "Are you saying my parents might have been part of this? Part of the Order?"

"Or some other organization."