Chapter 93 – The Four Investigators

Bonus Chapter

Immediately after his previous outburst, Alexander wanted to ask Daimon dozens of questions, but then something came to mind, and he observed his surroundings.

The park had become almost unrecognisable. Broken branches were scattered across the grass, several trees had been damaged, and the ground was filled with craters and scorched patches left behind by the battle.

Alexander looked around the destruction before turning toward Daimon, "I think... we should probably leave."

Daimon glanced around and grimaced a bit before saying, "Probably..."

Alexander then commented, "Shit! It's already late, and the fight made a lot of noise. If someone calls the police or emergency services, explaining this is going to be a nightmare."

Daimon nodded and said, "Fair enough."

Alexander hesitated before he gestured toward Hannibal and Blade and asked, "Can you help me carry them...?"

Daimon simply walked over to the two unconscious hunters and then, to Alexander's surprise, he picked both of them up with relative ease.

Alexander stared while thinking, 'He's carrying two grown men like they're light bags of groceries. Another reminder that the man standing beside me isn't remotely normal...'

After picking up the two, Daimon simply said, "Lead the way."

Alexander nodded and headed toward the car parked a few meters away from Colan's residence.

They placed Hannibal and Blade in the back seats before Daimon took the passenger seat while Alexander climbed behind the wheel and drove away.

For several minutes, neither of them spoke.

Alexander's mind was still struggling to process everything that had happened.

A few hours ago, he had thought they were investigating a possible Duel Spirit possession; then they had found a demon. Except the demon wasn't actually a demon. At least, not completely trusting his words. And somehow, the supposedly hostile supernatural being had nearly killed all of them because they had attacked him first. Worse, Alexander's instincts told him that Daimon's apology had been genuine.

That was perhaps the strangest part.

He had expected a monster; instead, he had found a man who seemed genuinely embarrassed about nearly murdering three people.

After a few more moments, Alexander glanced toward him and tried to break the ice, "So..."

But before he could continue, a groan came from the back seat, making both people in the front look behind them.

Blade's eyes opened, and he immediately became alert before his gaze snapped toward Daimon and his body tensed.

Seeing that, Alexander reacted quickly as he shouted, "Wait!"

Blade's hand moved toward one of his hidden weapons as Alexander added, "He's not our enemy."

Blade stared at him and asked, "What?"

"Daimon isn't our enemy."

Blade's eyes narrowed.

Alexander kept his voice calm as he said, "Think about what happened. If he actually wanted us dead, do you really think we'd still be alive?"

Blade remained silent while Alexander continued, "He tried to stop the fight several times. We were the ones who ignored his words and attacked him."

Blade's expression remained suspicious, then Hannibal groaned as he called out, "Urg... Blade..."

The vampire P.I. slowly sat up before his gaze immediately settled on Daimon and asked, "So... What happened?"

"We lost," Blade answered.

Hannibal frowned and said, "I noticed that. But strangely, we healed much faster than usual."

He rubbed his head before looking toward Alexander and asked another question, "Is he still here?"

"Yes."

Hannibal looked at Daimon, then at Alexander before he asked again, "What happened?"

Alexander sighed and said, "It's complicated."

Daimon raised a hand, and in a somewhat embarrassed tone he said, "Ehm... I can explain everything when we reach our destination."

Hannibal's eyes narrowed, "I'm willing and curious to listen..."

By the time they reached BorderLine Investigative Services, Hannibal and Blade were both awake enough to walk under their own power.

The moment everyone was inside and took their seat, however, the questions began.

Blade crossed his arms and said, "Start talking."

Daimon nodded and started introducing himself, "My name is Daimon Hellstrom. I'm a professor of parapsychology at St. Louis College. I also investigate occult phenomena and perform exorcisms when necessary."

Blade raised an eyebrow, "You expect us to believe you're a real professor?"

Daimon shrugged and replied, "Technically, that's the least interesting part of my life."

Hannibal looked toward him and asked, "Then why were you watching the Colan residence?"

Daimon's expression became more serious, "Because I was investigating the same thing you were."

Alexander exchanged a glance with Hannibal before Daimon continued, "A few days ago, I accompanied a friend to a party at her employer's house. While I was there, I sensed something."

"Something evil?"

Daimon nodded and said, "Very."

His expression hardened before he continued his story, "I couldn't identify exactly what it was. I couldn't even determine where it was coming from. I tried investigating, but whatever it was remained elusive."

"And then?" Hannibal asked.

"Earlier tonight, I decided to use my trident."

Blade's eyebrow rose, and he asked, "Excuse me... Your trident?"

Daimon nodded, "The trident is a medium through which magical energies can be amplified and projected. It can also help me track supernatural emanations."

Alexander clearly remembered the golden weapon that was about to skewer him.

"And it led you to the Colan house."

"Exactly." Daimon leaned back slightly and added, "I followed the trail, and eventually the trident brought me directly there."

Alexander blinked, "Brought you?"

"With its help, I opened a gate that connected to where the trail ended, thus teleporting me right in front of that house."

That earned him several blank looks.

Daimon shrugged and said, "It's quick and useful."

Hannibal exchanged a glance with Blade, and Alexander noticed immediately.

Their investigations had independently reached the same location.

That wasn't proof that the Colan daughter was possessed by a Duel Spirit, but it was proof that something was truly happening there, something supernatural.

After a brief moment, Blade apparently had a different question, "What are you?"

Daimon looked at him, and there was no hesitation as he replied, "I'm a human-demon hybrid."

The room went silent while Alexander blinked and thought, 'So he told me the truth... He really is not a demon, at least not fully.'

Daimon continued, "My mother was human. My father was a powerful demon."

Blade stared at him, "And you just walk around like that?"

Daimon gave him a dry look before he quipped, "Most of the time, and it's not like you can talk..."

Alexander wasn't sure whether he was joking, but Blade simply shrugged his shoulders.

Then, Daimon continued, "My childhood was complicated." He paused for a moment before he added, "My mother was eventually institutionalised, and I was separated from her while my father disappeared from my life at the same time."

His expression became distant, "When I became a young adult, I entered a Jesuit monastery."

Alexander's eyebrows rose as he asked, "A monastery?"

Daimon nodded and said, "I spent more than three years studying theology under Father Raymond Gossett. I was preparing for the priesthood."

Blade stared at him, "You?"

Daimon sighed, "Yes. Me."

He rubbed his forehead and explained, "When I turned twenty-one, I received legal notification that I had inherited my father's house."

His expression darkened as he continued his story, "I went there and found my mother's diary."

Alexander listened carefully while Hannibal asked, "That's where you learned the truth?"

Daimon nodded, "About my father. About my birth. About what I actually was. And once I knew, my father knew that I knew."

Hannibal leaned forward and asked, "What did he want?"

Daimon's expression became grim, "He wanted me to embrace my demonic nature."

A brief silence followed before he added, "He wanted me to join him."

Blade then naturally guessed, "And you refused."

Daimon smiled faintly, "Very much so."

He looked toward the others and said, "I chose the opposite path."

Daimon's story became progressively stranger. He explained that after refusing his father's offer, he dedicated himself to fighting evil. Demons. Possessions. Occult manifestations. Things that had no business existing in the human world.

Over the years, his work had taken him beyond Earth as well, forcing him to confront supernatural threats in realms Alexander could barely imagine. He didn't go over those stories in detail, but the vague hints were enough to make Alexander understand that Daimon's experience had been "Marvellous."

"I've learned a great deal about the occult," Daimon explained, "Probably more than I ever wanted to. But there's one thing I can't escape."

Alexander listened silently as Daimon touched his chest and said, "My own nature."

Blade narrowed his eyes and asked, "That's what happened tonight?"

Daimon nodded and admitted, "Yes."

He looked genuinely uncomfortable as he further explained, "My demonic side does affect my emotions. When I'm badly injured or placed under extreme stress, I can become... volatile."

"Volatile?" Blade repeated.

Daimon gave him a look, "I may lose control and enter a berserk-like state."

Alexander remembered the flames. The red eyes. The mark on his chest. The trident. Then he said, "And getting stabbed by Blade triggered it."

"Exactly." Daimon lowered his gaze, "When your sword pierced my abdomen, the pain and shock pushed me too far. My demonic nature overwhelmed my judgment, and I literally saw red."

Alexander frowned, "So you weren't actually deciding to attack us."

"Not entirely." Daimon sighed, "I knew you were there. I knew I was fighting. But I wasn't thinking clearly anymore. I just wanted to destroy what hurt me."

He looked toward Blade and said, "Which is why I owe you an apology."

Blade didn't respond while Daimon continued, "I nearly killed two people who were investigating the same threat I was."

His eyes shifted toward Alexander, and he added with more guilt in his tone, "And I almost killed a kid."

He looked genuinely ashamed, and Alexander didn't know what to say.

After everything that had happened, seeing Daimon genuinely bothered by what he had done made the situation even stranger.

Eventually, Daimon's attention shifted toward Blade, "You know, I've heard of you."

Blade raised an eyebrow and asked, "Yeah?"

"The Daywalker."

Blade's expression didn't change.

"A vampire hunter." Daimon smiled faintly and added, "You've been active for quite some time, about as long as me, and had some quite extraordinary experiences."

Hearing one particular detail, Hannibal sighed and muttered in a low tone, "Great, another one above 60s that doesn't look a day older than 30..."

Meanwhile, Blade shrugged and said, "Is that so? I've never heard of you."

Daimon didn't seem offended; instead, he smiled and said, "I'm not surprised."

He leaned back in the chair and said, "I've always kept my civilian identity and my supernatural activities separate. As far as most people are concerned, I'm simply a professor."

Blade gave him a sceptical look and quipped, "How convenient."

"Very."

The exchange was brief, but Alexander couldn't help noticing the similarity between the two men.

Both had spent years fighting supernatural threats, both possessed extensive experience, both had dedicated their lives to dealing with things normal people didn't even know existed, yet they had apparently lived in completely different supernatural circles.

Blade hunted vampires and other threats on Earth, while Daimon's work had taken him into realms far beyond that and until tonight, neither had had much reason to interact with the other.

Hannibal finally brought the conversation back to the matter that had started everything, "Enough with the dick-sizing contest."

Everyone looked at him as he added, "Let's focus back on the real issue, the Colan girl."

Daimon nodded and agreed, "Right."

"Our original investigation isn't over." Hannibal folded his arms and said, "And we still don't know what's happening inside that house."

"And you sensed something there," Alexander added.

"Yes." Daimon nodded and added, "It felt evil."

"How evil?" Blade asked.

Daimon thought for a moment, "Enough that I'd describe it as demonic."

Alexander frowned while thinking, 'That sounded like confirmation. But then again... I have just learned that appearances can be misleading...'

"So you think it's a demon?" Alexander asked.

"I think it could be." Daimon held up a hand and said, "But I wouldn't bet my life on it."

Alexander blinked before Daimon continued, "I've encountered entities before that deliberately concealed their true nature. Some have even made themselves appear demonic just to take those who would oppose them by surprise."

Hannibal's expression became thoughtful as he commented, "So we're back where we started."

"Not quite," Alexander said.

Everyone looked at him as he continued, "We know something supernatural is happening, but we don't know what."

The possibility that the girl's involvement with Duel Monsters was simply a coincidence remained. Perhaps she really was involved. Perhaps she wasn't. The evidence was still incomplete.

Daimon nodded in agreement, "Exactly."

Hannibal sighed and said, "Then we need more information."

Blade glanced toward the others and asked, "So what now?"

Alexander looked at the clock and said, "It's too late to do anything tonight, and I have school tomorrow. On top of that, Hannibal can't move during the day, so I think we should make a move during the evening."

Hannibal nodded reluctantly, "We go back tomorrow evening."

Daimon agreed and said, "Sure, but this time, we don't investigate separately."

Blade looked toward him, and Daimon continued, "We approach the family directly."

Hannibal considered it and asked, "Four of us?"

"Four of us."

Alexander looked around the room.

A strange group had somehow formed around a single mystery.

A teenage game creator. Two supernatural investigators. And a human-demon hybrid professor who taught parapsychology.

A few hours ago, Alexander had thought he was investigating a possible Duel Spirit possession; now he was preparing to investigate what might be a demonic presence alongside a vampire hunter, a vampire P.I., and a man who was literally half demon.

Alexander sighed while thinking, 'Whatever is happening inside the Colan household... It definitely isn't something as simple as an ordinary teenager sneaking out at night.'