FUNCTION DISORDER :: VOLUME ONE

9

"So, I think I mentioned an organisation a while back that I've performed for a couple of times, this is that again, or at least part of it.", Rain explained to Kota. He carried a black backpack decorated with lots of pink glitter glue through the gritty, high-tech streets of Herbert Park.

"Is this that House of Love thing?", Kaleva asked.

"Nah, this is something else.", responded Rain, looking around the forbidding alleyway. "This is called the Witching Tower, it's part of something called Shellen Corp that includes a heap of other stuff."

Kaleva nodded. How outlandish. "Uhhuh."

"Hey!", somebody shouted from behind Kaleva.

Both of them stopped walking and spun around, to see a sunburnt human man with curly brown hair and crazy eyebrows step out from behind a corner. "You're that missing kid, aren't you? Come with me, I'll save you!" The stranger pulled out a flawless glittering silver crucifix and began waving it around wildly. "Jim, are you recording this??"

Rain jumped in front of Kota with his canine reflexes, lightning in his eyes, putting up a large, curved barrier large enough for both of them to hide behind, glowing against the cold night air. "Get away from us!". He reached for his needle gun. "Kota, run!"

The human gave an unhinged grin and held the cross high in front of himself. It glowed a soft vibrant yellow. "Demons‼ I'll slay a thousand more, will that be enough for you, O Father??"

Four ethereal golden chains were called forth from the crucifix and rushed directly at Rain. They bounced off his barrier with a metallic crackle, but then snaked around its sides and firmly attached themselves to each of Rain's limbs.

Rain crumpled to the ground. He let out a yelp of pain, dropping his needle gun as his barrier disintegrated.

Damnit! I thought that maybe the Eight Orders would come for me, but who is this freak?

Kaleva stepped out sideways from behind Rain, vicious white eyes in shadow. "Wait, stop! Who are you looking for exactly?"

"That missing kid, what's his name? Do you remember, Jim?"

"It was Kaleva Jaska. This is at least the sixth time I've told you, Dan, you need to remember this shit better. We'll be paid a lot if we can ensure his safe return." A thin, dark man with angular features and a purple jacket stepped forward out of the darkness, holding up an expensive-looking camera with his right hand while resting his left on a sleek black handgun at his side.

"Oh, there must be some mistake! I don't know who that is, my name's Vertti Seppanen, I live in Rocky River, I haven't seen anything about any missing kids.", claimed Kaleva.

Dan looked taken aback. "I'm very sorry. This has been a terrible misunderstanding. Just let us handle this monster for you and we'll leave you to your night."

"He's lying to you, you idiot!", Jim reprimanded while grinding his teeth, pointing his camera back and forth between Dan and Kaleva. "That's definitely him. We need both of them."

"The beast and the false person!", Dan exclaimed. " You both belong in the pit. I will see to it that LORD judges you harshly‼". He waved the cross again, and the magic chains glowed deep scarlet. Rain let out yelps and whines of pain, convulsing on the floor.

"We need the kid alive.", Jim issued a reminder. "You restrain him, I'll finish off the demon." He withdrew his gun from its pocket, pointed it at Rain and took several steps forward.

No! We can't go down like this! Kaleva hastily leaped in front of Jim, blocking his line of fire.

"Get out of the way, kid!", Jim ordered, face glistening with the fury of the night.

"Just shoot both of them! He's given himself over to a reprobate mindset!", Dan hissed. "I can't hold this thing down much longer, just kill it!"

"No, I'm not doing that.", Jim snapped, glowering at Dan. "If the kid dies then we get no money for him."