Chapter 6: Welcome to the Vigil squad

The woods outside the Vigil's mansion remains eerily still, the air thick with the scent of pine and frost. Erin stood at the edge of the tree line, his breath visible in the cold morning light.

He'd expected guards, barriers, or at least a sign warning trespassers away. Instead, there was only silence.

Then—

"TARO!!"

The roar tore through the woods like a landslide. Birds erupted from the trees, their wings beating frantically as Captain Sage Akira's voice shook the ground. "How dare you disobey me?! I gave you an order that we have an important mission today, and you dare bail on me?! I will kill you the moment I set my eyes on you!"

Erin flinched. The threat was followed by the sound of shattering glass and the panicked caw of crows fleeing the mansion's rooftop. His grip tightened on the shovel slung over his shoulder—his only weapon.

"You can't do that, Captain Sage," a girl's voice chimed from inside, light and teasing.

"Huh! Who says I can't do whatever pleases me?!" Sage's rage vibrated through the walls. "I'm the strongest and most powerful captain amongst the seven captains, and I'll do what pleases me!"

"It's actually two captains, plus you making it three," the girl corrected, her tone sugary sweet.

"How dare you say I'm wrong?!"

"Come on, guys, keep it down. I'm trying to get some sleep here," a groggy male voice grumbled.

"I will kill you now!"

Erin's pulse raced. Behind him, Taro—the stone-faced Vigil officer who'd intercepted him at the gates—materialized from the shadows. His expression was unreadable, his voice colder than the northern wind.

"Leave," Taro said flatly. "If you step inside, you're dead."

Before Erin could respond, Taro flicked his wrist and vanished into thin air, leaving only a wisp of smoke that smelled like burnt cedar.

"I can't give up now," Erin thought, his jaw clenched. "Aria needs me."

He took a shaky breath and charged toward the mansion's massive oak door, its surface etched with strange, glowing symbols. The door groaned as he shoved it open, its hinges screaming like a wounded animal.

The grand hall was a nightmare of absurdity.

Captain Sage stood at the center, his massive hands clamped around Taro's head like a vise, shaking him so violently his boots barely touched the ground. Sage's wild black hair stuck up in all directions, and his crimson coat—trimmed with gold thread that glinted in the dim light—billowed around him like a storm cloud. To his left, a girl in nothing but only blue panties and bra leaned against a marble pillar. A tattoo of a grinning pumpkin stretched across her shoulder, its eyes glowing faintly. On the floor, a boy lay cocooned in a striped sleeping bag, his sandy hair sticking up in chaotic tufts as he snored like a chainsaw.

The air reeked of tobacco, burnt sugar, and something metallic—like old blood.

All movement stopped as Erin stepped inside.

The girl yelped, crossing her arms over her chest. Sage dropped Taro, who crumpled to the Persian rug with a grunt.

"And who the hell are you?!" Sage barked, a cigarette dangling precariously from his lips. His eyes—bloodshot and wild—locked onto Erin.

Erin's face burned. "I-I'm Erin Veyne. I took your test… I got your letter."

Sage's boot crunched over broken glass as he stormed closer. "You weren't present at the meeting yesterday. Why is that?!"

"I—"

"I told you to go home," Taro interrupted, rising to his feet and dusting off his pristine uniform. "You're disqualified al—"

CRACK. Sage's fist collided with Taro's head, knocking him face-first into the rug. "Shut the hell up! Stop interrupting!" He turned to Erin, looming so close Erin could smell the stale coffee on his breath. "And you—what's your magic?!"

Erin's throat tightened. "I… I have none."

Silence.

Then—

"HA! HA! HA! HA!" Sage doubled over, laughter exploding like fireworks. "So you're basically a weakling!!" He wheezed, slapping his thigh. "I didn't know we were taking in weaklings! What's next? A blind squirrel?!"

No one laughed.

Sage froze, his grin vanishing. "And why aren't you guys laughing?! Am I not funny enough?!"**

The girl forced a giggle. The boy in the sleeping bag snorted. Erin choked out a laugh that sounded more like a cough.

Sage loomed over Erin, his expression deadly serious. "Hey, weakling! You're probably going to die today. You have no magic and I sense no energy from you… I hope you're a good cook?"

"Huh?! Cook?!" Erin's voice cracked. "I came to join the Vigil squad, not to cook!"

Sage's eye twitched. "How dare you challenge me?! I'll kill you for that!"

Erin's survival instincts kicked in. "Yes! I'm a very good cook!"

"Good." Sage straightened, dusting ash off his coat. "From now on, you'll cook for the squad, do the laundry, and clean up my mess. I have an important mission." He grabbed Taro's collar, and both vanished in a swirl of smoke.

The girl sighed, twirling her wand. With a flick, her lingerie transformed into a scandalously short skirt and a cropped tank top, the pumpkin tattoo now peeking above her collarbone. "Welcome to the squad, weakling," she said, smirking.

"My name is Erin!" he snapped.

"Calm down," she purred, stepping closer. Her heels clicked against the marble floor, echoing in the cavernous hall. "I'm Regina. Witch. Prankster. Professional troublemaker." She pointed to the snoring boy. "That's Noah. Captain calls him 'Snoozle.' He's got sand magic… which mostly means he sleeps all day, he only woke up once last month just to eat bean cake"

Noah mumbled in his sleep, and a tiny sandcastle rose from his snores. It collapsed as he exhaled, scattering grains across the rug.

Erin blinked. "you're a witch? That's so cool!"

Regina rolled her eyes. "Follow me. I'll introduce you to the rest." She strode toward a back door, her heels clicking on the marble.

Erin hesitated, staring at Noah's sleeping form. A tiny sandcastle rose from his snores, collapsing as he exhaled.

"Coming?" Regina called over her shoulder.

Erin tightened his grip on his shovel and followed.