The moment Marcus stepped through the second gate of the Veil, everything changed.
Gone were the ethereal hallways and floating lanterns—this was the real heart of the operation. A sprawling underground facility, hidden beneath the city's oldest cemetery. The base pulsed with modern technology fused with arcane design: monitors lined with silver glyphs, crystal-powered elevators, glowing holographic maps of spiritual activity across the globe.
"Welcome to the Veiled Core," Tyrese said, hands in his coat pockets. "Home of the Paranormal Control Association—the PCA."
Marcus followed, Kiya at his heels, her ears twitching at every beep and hum.
Geoffrey scanned his ID on a sleek obsidian panel, then waved Marcus over to a biometric station. "We'll get you registered. Full name?"
"Marcus Reynards."
"Date of birth?"
"February 2nd, 2004."
A quick scan of his retinas, fingerprints, and a blood sample later, the system confirmed his new rank: Trainee-Class Exorcist.
Next came a body scanner. Dozens of blue lights flickered over him as the machine calculated height, muscle density, arm length, leg length, shoulder width—all for one purpose: to craft his personalized combat uniform.
"This'll take a few hours," Geoffrey said, stretching. "In the meantime, let's go over the basics."
They led him to a wide training hall with padded floors and floating sigils embedded in the walls. In the center was a massive hologram of Earth, dotted with red and green lights.
Tyrese leaned against a railing and nodded to Marcus.
"You've seen a glimpse of the supernatural world. But here's the full truth: ghosts, monsters, spirits, demons—they're real. Some are malicious, but many just want to live peaceful lives. Our job is to protect humanity, maintain the balance, and defend innocent supernatural entities."
Marcus frowned. "Protect monsters?"
"Not all monsters are evil," Geoffrey said calmly. "Some of them are just victims of circumstance—haunted souls, cursed beings, refugees from collapsing dimensions. We judge based on actions, not appearance."
Tyrese stepped forward, serious now. "And to do that, we need power. Not magic. Not science. Something else."
He opened his palm, and a dark violet flame shimmered into existence. It pulsed like a living heart, thick and heavy, emitting waves of emotion.
"This is Reiki."
Marcus felt a sudden pressure on his chest. He couldn't breathe for a second. The energy wasn't hot—it was heavy, like grief and rage pressed into raw form.
"Reiki," Tyrese continued, "is a spiritual energy born from negative human emotions—fear, anger, envy, pain. Only humans can access it. And only by mastering those emotions can we use it safely."
Marcus stepped closer. "So… it's like fuel from suffering?"
"Exactly," Geoffrey said. "But it's not about wallowing in misery. Reiki is about acknowledging your darkness—and turning it into strength."
Tyrese nodded. "Every strike you throw, every shield you make, every portal you open—Reiki makes it possible. But it will destroy you if you lose control."
Marcus clenched his fists. "And how do I control it?"
"That's what your training is for," Tyrese said. "We'll teach you. If you survive the first month."
Kiya let out a low growl, but Marcus gave a faint grin. "I didn't die last time. I won't die now."
Geoffrey chuckled. "That's the spirit."