It was 9:00 AM. Although the morning sun filtered through the window, it could do nothing to dispel the heavy silence gripping the room. On the bed, Naomi lay unconscious, her face terribly pale.
Sitting on the floor right beside the bed was Anthony. He held his wife's hand tightly with both of his own, as if letting go meant losing her forever. Anthony's eyes were bloodshot from a severe lack of sleep; it looked as though he hadn't slept in weeks. His body was exhausted, but his heart and mind refused to leave her side.
Outside the room, the atmosphere in the hallway was just as tense. Sitting in a row on the sofa were Chris, Leo, and Ray. Directly opposite them on a single chair sat Felix, whose anxiety was painfully visible. He was constantly biting his fingers and restlessly shaking his right foot up and down—a nervous habit he had whenever he was pushed to his limit.
Unable to watch any longer, Leo stood up from the sofa, walked over to Felix, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You need to rest, Felix. Don't stress so much. Just have faith; everything will be alright."
Felix looked up, a flicker of relief passing through his anxious eyes. "Thank you, Leo," he muttered softly, finally stopping his foot from shaking.
At that exact moment, the main door swung open, and Dr. Hench entered, carrying a large bag filled to the brim with fresh fruits. He placed the bag on a nearby table and walked straight toward the delivery room door, giving it a gentle knock.
The door opened, and Anthony stepped out. Taking one look at Anthony's exhausted state, Dr. Hench got straight to the point:
"Anthony, we must deliver your baby today. My wife has gone out to fetch some essential supplies I'll need for the procedure."
Dr. Hench removed his round leather hat and set it on the table. Placing a reassuring hand on Anthony's shoulder, he said, "I have cast my Healing Magic on your wife, so there is no need to worry. On top of that, I've administered a magic potion I brewed myself. Do not lose hope."
He reached into the bag, pulled out an apple, and handed it to Anthony. "Eat this, and get some rest."
Dr. Hench then turned around and noticed Felix's gloomy expression. Handing another apple to Felix, he joked with a slight chuckle:
"If you stress this much at your age, kid, you'll lose all your hair before you even grow old!"
This small jest instantly cut through the heavy tension, bringing a faint smile to everyone's faces.
Dr. Hench walked into the kitchen and returned with a teapot. He sat down on a small sofa next to the main one, poured a hot cup of tea, and took his first sip. Suddenly, he locked eyes with Chris and said, "Chris... you want to ask me something, don't you?"
Chris was stunned. 'How did he know I had a question in my mind?' he wondered. 'Can he read minds?'
Reading Chris's expression, Dr. Hench took another sip and spoke:
"My boy, I have seen so many impossible things in my life that everything seems normal to me now. Don't overthink it. Just ask."
Chris composed himself and asked, "Alright Doctor, I have a question... How is Anthony Ward's baby being born so far ahead of schedule?"
Dr. Hench's face grew solemn. He took another sip of his tea and sighed:
"I have my doubts about that too. A baby usually births prematurely only when there is a medical complication. But Naomi Ward is perfectly healthy! I've examined her twice, and there are absolutely no issues. Yet, when I checked her suddenly last night, I felt... as if the baby itself wants to come out. It's as if the child is demanding to be released."
Dr. Hench continued, "I went to my hospital's library earlier to do some research. I found only one scenario where this happens... when a child is possessed by either an Angel or a Demon. But Angels haven't existed since before the First Century, and it is highly unlikely for a demon to do this."
Emptying his cup, Dr. Hench poured himself a second serving from the teapot. "I am confused myself. We must wait for my wife to return."
Just then, a single name echoed in Leo's mind—'Null'. Without thinking, Leo blurted out, "What if... what if the child is possessed by a demon?"
Dr. Hench froze, his cup stopping inches from his lips. Chris and Ray immediately turned to look at Leo. "What are you thinking, Leo?" Ray asked. Leo quickly covered, "I'm just guessing what might happen."
Dr. Hench set his cup down and chuckled, "If a demon possesses the child, then a demon will be born. And identifying a demon is incredibly easy—they have horns on their head! Don't worry, nothing of the sort is going to happen."
Meanwhile, Chris sat quietly. His sensory abilities were active, and while he could sense several presences moving about in the distance, none felt dangerous or demonic, so he remained silent.
Time slipped away slowly. Everyone waited in absolute silence. Before they knew it, it was 5:00 PM.
The main door finally opened, and Dr. Hench's wife, Mrs. Hench, walked in. Seeing her, Dr. Hench asked, "What took you so long?"
With an annoyed look on her face, Mrs. Hench complained:
"The items on the list you gave me couldn't be found anywhere in Morveth! I had to travel all the way to the Greyrock hospital to get them. I ended up spending 6 Gold Coins on the supplies! To make matters worse, these carriage drivers are robbing people blind these days—he charged me 1 Gold Coin when everyone else usually agrees to 50 Silver Coins!"
Dr. Hench calmed her down, "It's alright, don't worry about it. We must begin the work now."
While Chris and Ray sat normally, Leo's mind was racing. The dream of drowning... the voice that called out Felix's name... Mrs. Hench being delayed by half a day... is this all pointing toward an impending danger? And above all, who is 'Null'?
Dr. Hench and his wife entered the delivery room. Naomi was now awake, with Anthony sitting beside her, holding her hand.
In the corner of the room lay a discarded newspaper. Dr. Hench's eyes caught it. From its writing style, he immediately recognized that it wasn't from the local 'Morveth Times'. He read the headline, and though the words were shocking, his face remained completely expressionless. The headline read:
"Naomi Ward, Wife of Morveth's Prominent Businessman Anthony Ward, Assassinated at Home."
Without uttering a word, Dr. Hench picked up the newspaper and threw it out into the hallway. He placed a steady hand on Anthony's shoulder. "Anthony, we must do this now."
Choking back tears, Anthony hugged Naomi tightly. "I'll be right outside. If you need me, just call out and I'll run right back in." Tears welled up in Naomi's eyes, but she smiled bravely. "Of course."
Anthony walked out and slumped onto the floor, staring blankly at the closed door. The thrown newspaper lay on the floor right next to him.
Deep within a desolate, freezing realm, Marcus Reed knelt in a deep bow before a massive mirror.
On the other side of the glass stood a terrifying demon. Its right eye was completely white with no pupil, while its left eye was a crimson-veined black. Standing amidst the ice, the demon's booming voice echoed through the chamber:
"The time has come to break the 9th Seal. After this, only three seals will remain."
Marcus kept his head bowed. "Yes, Master."
The demon continued, "Go, do what must be done. Just complete this task and please Lord Null... for it is He who created us, and He who fashioned me from His very own blood!"
"Have faith in me, Master," Marcus replied.
In an instant, the mirror returned to normal before spiderweb cracks rapidly spread across its surface. Marcus stood up and pulled a pocket watch from his long black robe.
The time was exactly 5:30 PM.
Snapping the watch shut, Marcus muttered, "Let's go."
To his right stood the two cultists who had ruthlessly slaughtered everyone in the 6th Division. To his left stood a new cultist—a towering, heavily built figure whose face remained completely hidden beneath his dark hood.