The amber shine of the pub''s lights cast a warm haze over the worn wooden floors. Patrons laughed and clinked glasses, their conversations melding into a pleasant hum. Zack glanced around as he entered Pub on King, noting the familiar scent of beer-soaked wood. He spotted Deb sitting at a booth with Ahmed and Boon, who were animatedly discussing the last basketball game.


    "Hey guys," Zack greeted, sliding into the seat next to Deb. "So, is there a pool table available?"


    "Of course!" Boon declared, his eyes gleaming with excitement. " I reserved a table in advance. We''re doing teams: you and Deb against me and Ahmed."


    "Sounds fun," Zack said, trying to sound enthusiastic despite his inexperience with pool. He noticed Deb''s confident smile and wondered if she was any good.


    As they approached the pool tables, Zack couldn''t help but feel a little intimidated by the rows of cues and the serious-looking players hunched over the green felt. He picked up a cue stick and tried to mimic Deb''s stance, but the awkwardness of it all made him feel even more out of place.


    As the game progressed, it became clear that Deb and Boon were the superior players, while Zack and Ahmed struggled to keep up. Boon seemed to take particular delight in needling Zack about his performance.


    "Didn''t you say you were a great pool player, Zack?" Boon taunted after Zack missed yet another shot. "I guess you thought we were talking about a swimming pool."


    Zack clenched his jaw, feeling his frustration grow with each barb from Boon. Deb, noticing his irritation, pulled him aside for a moment.


    "Hey, don''t let them get to you," she whispered. "Just relax and focus on the game. After all, it is just a game."


    "Thanks, Deb." Zack tried to put her advice into practice, but still found himself struggling. Boon''s leering gaze and annoying comments, left him focusing more on controlling his powers than having fun.


    "Here''s a tip," Deb said, leaning in close. "Imagine me naked. That should help take your mind off the pressure."


    Zack''s eyes widened at her suggestion, and he could feel his blood pressure rise. "Wait wha... What" Zack stammered.


    Deb laughed "You are too tense, you need to relax your shoulders and not hit the ball so hard. "


    He glanced over at Ahmed and Boon, who were smirking at each other, and then back at Deb. Her playful smile was all he needed. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.


    As Zack opened his eyes, he felt his powers shifting within, almost achieving a balance for the first time. His hands steadied as he gripped the cue stick, and he focused on where he wanted the ball to go before taking his shot. To his surprise, the ball sunk effortlessly into the pocket.


    "Whoa!" Ahmed exclaimed, watching in shock as Zack continued to sink shot after shot. "What happened to you?"


    "Deb just gave me some pointers," Zack replied, his newfound confidence evident in his voice. It also helped to have his powers working for him, instead of against him for the first time.


    "Nice work," Boon grumbled begrudgingly, clearly annoyed by Zack''s sudden improvement.


    "Thanks." Zack couldn''t help but feel proud of himself as he continued to dominate the game, the image of Deb in his mind raising his heart rate, allowing him to tap into his vessel abilities without anyone suspecting a thing.


    Ahmed narrowed his eyes at Zack''s sudden increase in skill. It was impossible to get that good so quickly, and he couldn''t help but be suspicious.


    "Hey, what pointer did Deb give you exactly?" Ahmed asked, his voice laced with curiosity. But Zack was too focused on the game, sinking another ball into a pocket without so much as glancing in Ahmed''s direction.


    "Nice shot," Deb encouraged, grinning at her teammate. Boon scowled, clearly unhappy with the turn of events.


    With a huff, Ahmed approached the pool table and chalked his cue stick. His demeanor had shifted, and his whole stance changed to a professional form.


    As he took his shot, Ahmed displayed perfect form, easily sinking the ball and earning a look of surprise from Boon. Ahmed lined up another shot and sunk it with ease, his focus unwavering and his fun-filled facade dropping.


    "Didn''t know you had it in you," Boon commented, raising an eyebrow.


    "Neither did I," Ahmed replied cryptically, smirking as he continued to dominate the table.


    Meanwhile, across town at Short Stop, a late-night convenience store, Ethel browsed the snack aisle, acting oblivious to the exorcists approaching her. In the dim lighting, she noticed Jessica''s reflection in the glass door of the slushy machine – her dark eyes scanning the store cautiously, ever vigilant.


    "Quite the selection they have here, huh?" Jessica''s voice came from behind her, making Ethel''s skin prickle with unease. She turned to see Jessica leaning against the slushy machine, accompanied by two other exorcists whose expressions were cold and calculated.


    "Can''t complain," Ethel replied evenly, refusing to show any sign of fear despite her racing heart.


    "Strange coincidence, running into you here," Jessica said, her tone dripping with false cordiality. "You know, I heard about your family. Such a tragedy, that fire five years ago."


    Ethel''s eyes narrowed, but she kept her composure. "Yes, it was," she responded, her voice steady.


    "Must be tough, I wonder who you blame for setting that fire?" Jessica''s words were like venom, and Ethel felt the sting of anger rising within her. "I mean they were never caught after all."


    "Sometimes life is just cruel," Ethel replied, her tone icy as she stared Jessica down. She wouldn''t give her the satisfaction of a reaction. With that, she turned on her heel and walked towards the exit, leaving Jessica and her cohorts standing there, their faces a mixture of frustration and begrudging respect. As Ethel stepped out into the night, she knew that their paths would cross again, and next time they wouldn''t just let her walk away.


    The raucous laughter of the pub''s patrons began to fade as Zack, Deb, Ahmed, and Boon exited Pub on King. The chilly night air nipped at their faces, bringing them back to reality after a heated game of pool. Zack rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, feeling the weight of Boon''s gaze upon him.


    "Hey, Boon, I''m sorry about outshining you back there," he said, scratching his head. "To be honest, I didn''t know how to play pool before Deb gave me some pointers."


    Boon''s lips curled into a tight smile, and he extended his arms to hug Zack. As they embraced, Boon''s voice dropped to a whisper, barely audible above the sounds of the busy street next to them. "I don''t know what''s going on with you, Zack, but I''ll find out. First, you are some unknown basketball prodigy and now you just magically learn pool in less than an hour. You may have everyone else fooled with this whole nice guy routine but I don''t buy it for a second." With that, Boon released Zack and stepped away, joining Ahmed in the waiting ride share.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Deb, oblivious to the exchange between the two men, laced her fingers through Zack''s and smiled up at him. "Walk me back to my dorm?"


    "Of course," Zack replied, his heart pounding from Boon''s whispered threat and Deb''s gentle touch.


    As they strolled beneath the moonlit sky, Zack''s thoughts raced. How could he hide these abilities from the world if he kept using them to get ahead? And how could he deal with Boon now analyzing his every move?


    Upon reaching Deb''s dorm, she turned towards Zack. "You''ve been awfully quiet tonight,"


    "Just thinking I guess," Zack rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn''t expect a few games of pool to get so intense."


    "Right, and holy shit did you see Boon''s face when Ahmed started to really play," She laughed "I mean I thought he was actually going to explode. I am sure that was one awkward ride home for them."


    As Zack watched Deb laugh in the moonlight, she looked more beautiful than ever. She was one person he could just be with, without feeling like he was being dissected. Without even thinking, Zack leaned in for a tender goodnight kiss. Their lips met briefly before parting ways.


    "I really had a great time with you tonight, Zack. Next time let''s make sure it is just the two of us." the warmth of the moment lingered as Deb retreated to her dorm room. Zack headed back to his dorm, feeling like he was walking on air.


    Meanwhile, at UWP, Zack and Rob''s residence building, Kenzie stood outside Zack''s room, poised to do a curfew check. The door creaked open, revealing an empty room. Frowning, Kenzie stepped back into the hallway, her finger hovering over the call button on her phone to report the violation to campus security.


    But before she could press it, a noise caught her attention—the sound of someone climbing through the window by Zack''s bed. Her heart pounding, Kenzie grabbed a heavy Chemistry 101 textbook from a nearby shelf and readied herself for a confrontation.


    "Who''s there?" she demanded, raising the book above her head.


    "Whoa, easy, Kenzie! It''s just me!" Rob exclaimed, shielding his face with his arms.


    Lowering the textbook, Kenzie exhaled in relief. "Thank goodness it''s you, Rob." She turned to see Zack entering the room, his brow furrowed with concern. "Do either of you even care about the police-instigated curfew?"


    "Uh, not really," admitted Zack, heading towards his bed.


    "Same here," Rob added, as he started emptying the bag full of mythology books onto the floor.


    Flustered, Kenzie decided to let the issue go and retreated to her own room, leaving Zack and Rob to talk in private.


    "Zack," Rob said solemnly, his voice barely above a whisper, "I have some bad news. I have had Greg marked on my news feed, he was found dead in his hospital bed, they are saying he was scared to death, literally."


    Zack''s blood ran cold. "What? When?"


    "Yesterday, they have no suspects," Rob explained, his eyes filled with sorrow.


    "Ethel must have something to do with it," Zack muttered, clenching his fists. " She is the only other vessel and the only one who could turn into a monster scary enough to kill someone." Rob was about to poke some holes in his logic but Zack swung open the window and climbed out into the night before Rob could utter a single word. Rob watched his friend disappear into the night, wondering if any good could come from confronting her alone.


    Zack stood outside Ethel''s small, dimly lit house, his heart racing with a mix of anger and trepidation. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he pounded on the door—once, twice, three times.


    "Ethel!" he shouted, voice cracking. "I know you''re in there!"


    The door creaked open, revealing Ethel''s stone-faced expression as her dark eyes bore into him. "What do you want, Zack?" she asked coldly.


    "Greg was found dead," Zack accused, clenching his fists. "You did it, didn''t you? You killed him and Joanna. And you turned me into one of you, like some kind of fucked up vampire." Zack was shaking and unable to control his anger


    "Is that you truly believe Zack?" Ethel asked, her eyes conveying no emotions. "what would my motive be to kill a homeless lady and used car salesman? Really think about that, because you are new to this I am going to be lenient here but I would stop pushing if I were you,"


    "Who else has powers like ours? I didn''t kill them so I think the answer is pretty obvious." Zack refused to back down, his demon side fueling the anger and feeding off it.


    "You know what I think, I think this has nothing to do with Greg, this is all about you," Ethel stated with a smug grin. "You feel guilty because you had a vision that led you to Greg, and he was alive and could be saved, but now reality hits you. You could have stayed with him and protected him but you didn''t and now he is dead. So go ahead take out your anger and guilt on me but you know deep down his death is on you."


    Without warning, Zack lunged at her, but she vanished from view before reappearing behind him. Ethel''s claws extended as she propelled herself towards him, forcing Zack to react instinctively. His powers surged, creating a protective barrier that repelled her attack and sent her crashing through the living room wall.


    "Ouch," Ethel muttered, dusting off her sweater nonchalantly. "That was cute, Zack. But not nearly enough."


    With a snarl, she unleashed her own powers, a green glow emanating from her eyes. Zack struggled to keep up with her newfound speed and ferocity, she moved as if she could predict his movements before he made them, but his thoughts were scattered, his movements uncoordinated.


    "Stop..." he gasped, trying to catch his breath. "You were right" The words tasted like poison to him "I knew something was after Greg, I could feel it and I still didn''t stop it."


    "It takes a big person to admit that. Unfortunately for you, I have my own frustrations I need to work out," Ethel replied, relentless in her assault. Her mind was still clouded by the memory of Jessica confronting her.


    Their battle raged on, the sound of shattered glass and splintered wood filling the air as Ethel sent Zack flying like a ragdoll through an old china cabinet. Eventually, both Zack and Ethel collapsed to the floor, their powers spent and their bodies bruised and battered.


    "I think we got it all out of systems," Ethel panted, her human form reasserting itself. "Now let me fill you in on what is really going on, neither of us killed Greg if that wasn''t obvious already."


    "Then who did?" Zack demanded, his chest heaving with exertion. "And why did you turn me into a vessel?"


    "I didn''t, vessels cannot create other vessels" Ethel insisted, her gaze softening for the first time. "Think back to your dream, Zack. It was like you were watching the whole thing through someone else''s eyes right?"


    Zack''s mind raced, replaying the haunting images from his nightmare. A look of realization spread across his face, how could he have forgotten?


    "Gluttony," Ethel whispered, sitting up with great effort. "One of the most powerful demons on Earth, They turned you into a vessel. I''m a vessel too like you, but I was born one because my mother was one as well. Gluttony can create vessels to follow him and shift back into human form to hide in plain sight, he is the one killing people."


    "How do you know this?" Zack asked, his mind reeling at the idea of an even more powerful demon in the city. "Why didn''t you tell me before?"


    Ethel looked over at Zack, her eyes filled for the first time with concern. "I had to be sure you weren''t a killer. It is our base programming to be monsters, I can''t work with that."


    Ethel stood up, her legs trembling slightly from the exertion of their fight. She extended a hand towards Zack, who hesitated for a moment before accepting her help to get back on his feet. As he rose, he couldn''t help but notice the determination in Ethel''s eyes.


    "Joanna came to Waterloo hunting Gluttony, she was an old exorcist that left the church," she explained, her voice soft but unwavering. "She was a friend, she protected everyone who needed it. I know Gluttony killed her, so I am going to hunt them down and return the favour."


    "Wait, but why me? why did Gluttony choose me? " Zack asked, confusion clouding his features. "Why am I involved in all of this?"


    "I can''t speak for Gluttony''s choices but a demon needs a strong host to become a vessel, if the host is too weak then both the host and the demon could die," Ethel replied, her gaze never leaving Zack''s face. "He turned you into a vessel, and now he wants you to follow him so he can draw even more power from you."


    As Zack tried to process this information, his mind raced with questions. Why would Gluttony want him? How does Gluttony draw power from vessels that follow him? But most importantly, how could he protect Deb and his friends from this powerful demon?


    "Listen, Zack," Ethel urged, grabbing his attention once more. "I know this is a lot to take in, but we don''t have much time. Gluttony is out there, growing stronger with each passing day, we have no idea how many other vessels they have created. We need to find them and put an end to this as quickly as possible."


    "Right...I understand," Zack said, nodding resolutely. He couldn''t let fear hold him back when the people he cared about could be at stake.


    "Good," Ethel said, a small, sad smile playing on her lips. "I am going to help you train, as you are now you wouldn''t last ten seconds. Just remember that Gluttony is cunning and dangerous. Don''t underestimate them."


    Unbeknownst to both Zack and Ethel, a pair of glowing orange eyes watched them intently through the window. The figure''s sinister gaze never left the young man who had shown greater promise than expected. As Zack and Ethel clean up the mess they made, the demon''s lips curled into a malevolent smile as the sin vanished into the shadows.