Chapter 14

Logan, Kitty, and Vela stayed in the room they were lent. The three of them were lying down, but none were asleep. It was late at night, and they had run out of topics to discuss some time ago, so they just lay there on their beds, waiting for their moment.

"When are we going to start looking for clues?" asked Kitty.

"In a little while, just to be sure," Logan replied.

"And what are we looking for?" Vela asked.

"Anything, really. From what the monk said, this seems to be where the supposed demon stays. We think it's a mutant, but the way he talked made it seem like he wasn't entirely convinced himself," Logan answered.

"And yet, it's our best lead," Kitty added.

"Yes."

They remained silent for a while longer until Logan got up from his bed and said, "Enough time has passed. Let's go."

When they opened the door, it creaked a little but didn't seem to wake anyone, so they left the room.

"Alright, remember, we're here to find the possible mutant. Don't take anything, don't break anything, and if anyone catches you, just say you were looking for the bathroom."

And so, they began their search.

...

"Shouldn't we split up?" Kitty suggested after more than an hour of searching without finding anything.

"Bad idea. Haven't you ever watched a horror movie?" Vela said.

"But this isn't a movie," Kitty countered.

"Still a bad idea. We don't know how the guy will react if we find him," Logan said.

"Fine, let's keep looking," Kitty concluded.

They continued searching for several minutes without success, at least until Vela stopped and began sniffing the air.

"What's wrong, kid?"

"Don't you smell that?"

Logan stopped and began sniffing the air like a dog as well.

It was a sight that made Kitty want to laugh, but she held back, as it seemed their target was near.

"It smells… it smells like one of the chemicals from the Doctor's lab," Vela said.

"It's sulfur, and it's coming from over there."

The three ran through the monastery's halls until they spotted a shadow that also noticed them and, with a very distinct sound, dissipated into smoke.

"He escaped!"

"No, he's still here."

Logan kept running. Kitty, unsure of the target's location, used her power to run through obstacles and followed Logan. Vela decided that to catch someone who could teleport, she needed to go all out, so she shifted out of her human form and pursued their target with great agility.

The three ran through the monastery, probably waking several people in the process, but they didn't care. After a long chase, the figure teleported into a room with no other doors or windows.

Finally, they could see the figure: a being with blue skin and hair, three fingers on each hand, a tail ending in a pointed tip, and piercing yellow eyes. He did indeed look like a demon but still had an air of youth, no older than Kitty herself.

Seeing himself cornered, the demon-like being assumed a fighting stance, though it was clear he was exhausted.

"Wait! We just want to talk," Kitty said, noticing the defensive posture of the person in front of them. He froze in place as if genuinely surprised that they only wanted to talk. His surprise grew when he noticed that one of his pursuers was a girl about his age and another looked more demonic than he did.

"We're from Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. To the world, we're a school for genius kids, but in truth, we're more like a refuge for mutants. We also teach mutants how to control their powers and live alongside normal people."

Vela looked at Kitty in surprise. Usually, Kitty was carefree and fun, so it was shocking to see her adopt such a serious attitude.

"… So, you came all the way here to help me? Then why were you chasing me?"

"Yes, and, well, you ran before we could talk," Logan said.

"… Good point."

Both sides fell silent. The lone figure seemed lost in thought, while the group of three waited for his response. Suddenly, they heard footsteps and voices approaching.

...

"It's this way!"

"A demon dared to enter the house of our Lord?!"

"Should we call the police or bring more holy water?"

"Calm down, brothers. Let's see what it was first. It might have been the wind or just your imagination. I told you watching The Exorcist wasn't a good idea."

At this last comment, the three other men bowed their heads.

The priest who calmed the situation was the same one who had opened the door for Vela and her companions. He opened the door where they heard the noise, entered alone, and looked around without finding anything unusual. Finally, his gaze fell on the ceiling, where he stared for a few seconds before saying, "There's nothing here. It must have been the wind or your imagination. Seriously, stop watching horror movies."

At this comment, they first felt relieved but also a bit embarrassed.

"Anyway… let's go to sleep. As they say, God helps those who wake early."

...

After ensuring no one else was outside the room, four figures silently dropped from the ceiling.

"Did… he see us?" Kitty asked.

"Yes," Logan replied.

The four remained silent until Vela spoke.

"By the way, what's your name?"

"My name is Kurt Wagner."

"And why did you hide here, of all places?"

"Because I was looking for help."

"From the monks?"

Instead of answering, Kurt simply pointed to a cross hanging on the wall.

"So, what do you say, kid?"

Kurt looked at the cross, and after a few seconds of contemplation, said, "I came here seeking help and found it in an unexpected way."

I know I'm late, but it was a busy week, and now I'm going to be even busier with final semester projects, so I apologize in advance.