The piercing sirens of ambulances wailed, their mournful tones blending with the inconsolable sobs of friends and loved ones grieving the lives lost. Scattered across the floor were thousands of lifeless, half-naked bodies, and blood had stained the floors red to the extent that even the grass appeared more crimson than green. Chaos still reigned as law enforcement struggled to restore order and alleviate the panic and fear gripping the students.

"Oh no..." Charlotte's face lost its color after seeing all the dead bodies on the floor. "There's so much blood."

Edel, Charlotte, Perchance, and Tabo ran up the campus, but their arrival came too late. The police had already initiated discussions with witnesses, and there were no murderers in sight for them to confront.

"We're too late," Edel said, frustrated.

"UCLA?" Charlotte observed the banners hanging from the light poles. "Why would they attack here out of all places?" Charlotte inquired, seeking an answer from Edel.

"It could be that college students may be more vulnerable as a target," Edel noticed some of the injured students had gashing knife wounds. "And perhaps the cult needed to recruit young, strong, and impressionable people as their own."

"I guess that makes sense..." Charlotte replied, trying not to gag at the sight of remains scattered across the floor. "I can't even imagine the pain their families must be feeling right now."

The four approached a deceased student wearing boxers on the floor, drenched in blood and their guts pooling out. "Well, that's one way to go out," Perchance remarked. "Why is everyone only in their underwear? I thought college students were smart."

"The cult had this all meticulously planned. They knew this was the perfect opportunity because the students are at their most vulnerable," said Edel. "They are more sophisticated than I thought."

"Underwear makes you weak. That's why I don't wear any," Perchance said as if it were the most normal thing in the world. His comment caught Edel, Charlotte, and Tabo off guard, leaving them looking at him with puzzled and reproving expressions.

"What? You guys seriously wear underwear? It's overrated!" Perchance insisted. The other three did their best to move past his comment.

"I've always dreamed of attending a university like this one," Tabo lamented, looking up to nearby buildings to avoid seeing all the bodies on the floor. "I wished to study psychology, read books, and have a normal college experience. It's sad that my first time setting foot on a college campus is like this."

"I'm sure you'll make it to college one day," Charlotte reassured, giving Tabo's arm a gentle squeeze. "You're really smart, and you'd do amazing there." Her hand lingered on his jacket, unconsciously gripping it for comfort.

"Thank you," Tabo replied, comforted by her kind words. Though he felt a bit awkward with Charlotte's grip on his jacket, he didn't pull away, letting the gesture remain as they walked quietly, passing more groups of injured students. Some were critically wounded, while others had sustained significant cuts and injuries.

Out of nowhere, Edel's attention was enraptured by a beautiful young woman with wavy long brown hair, who was dressed in maroon lace underwear and was sitting near the edge of a small fountain. Despite being unharmed physically, she exuded an air of deep despondency. Something compelled Edel to approach her.

"I'll go check on her," Edel announced to the others before moving in the direction of the distressed woman.

"Okay. I'll help around. There's got to be something we could do," replied Charlotte. She, along with Tabo and Perchance, headed toward the nearest EMT to offer their assistance.

------

As Edel approached the young woman, an unusual sense of nervousness overcame her. It was out of character for her, especially when there was no immediate danger. Nevertheless, her heart raced as she neared the woman. She decided to pause at a reasonable distance, giving herself a moment to regain her composure. Edel couldn't help but wonder why she felt so drawn to this stranger.

The young woman was undeniably attractive. She possessed a busty, slim physique and had two thin braids of hair framing both sides of her cheek, which added a touch of playful innocence to her appearance. Yet, her makeup had a more seductive allure with black mascara smudged from tears. It was easy to see why people might mistake her for a model.

It was like a shot to Edel's heart seeing this woman all alone and miserable. It stirred in her a deep need to rescue her, to save her. Gathering her courage, she took another step forward.

"Hey, are you okay?" Edel inquired gently.

The young woman looked up, and Edel felt her heart skip a beat. Her green eyes seemed to twinkle like stars in the moonlight, giving her an otherworldly appearance.

"No... Not at all. One of my sorority sisters was killed. She was one of my littles too," the stranger replied with a heavy sigh.

"I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?" offered Edel.

The stranger's eyes widened and seemed to shimmer as she looked at Edel. Edel couldn't help but sense that this strange connection, whatever it was, was mutual.

"A-actually, c-could I get a hug? It's been... you know... a really hard day," said the woman. She looked like a sad lost puppy in the streets, which struck Edel worse than any physical pain she had to endure thus far.

"Of course," Edel replied, slightly taken aback by the request. She stepped closer to the woman and embraced her gently, offering comfort in the midst of the turmoil around them. The hug was tender, and it felt oddly pleasant to Edel, who hadn't experienced such a simple act of human contact in a long time. However, she was cautious not to overstep any boundaries, carefully hugging the woman's shoulders to ensure she didn't make her uncomfortable.

Edel had expected the hug to be brief, but to her surprise, the woman held onto her tightly, pulling her in closer. The woman's hands gently ran through Edel's hair, and she buried her face in Edel's neck, her hot breath sending a tingling sensation through Edel's body. Edel hesitated, unsure whether to pull away or continue offering the comfort the woman seemed to need. She lightly patted the woman's back in a reassuring manner, but the woman misinterpreted her actions as a signal to draw nearer. Their bodies pressed together, and Edel could feel the woman's breasts against hers, as if the woman desired even greater closeness.

Feeling uneasy, Edel abruptly, almost forcefully, pulled away, causing a flicker of disappointment to cross the woman's face. A pang of guilt swept over Edel, as if she had denied the woman the comfort she sought.

"I-I'm so sorry," Edel blurted awkwardly. The woman scowled at her, which made Edel feel even worse. Silence settled between them, and Edel shifted uncomfortably.

"S-so... um... why's everyone in their underwear?" Edel asked, hoping to break the silence and fix the problem she had caused.

"You don't know?" the woman replied with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "We do this the night before finals. It's called 'The Undie Run.' It's a tradition here."

"O-oh. I see..."

"Where are you from?"

"I'm from here. LA," said Edel.

"I assume you don't go here."

"No..."

"Hm. You from Hollywood or something?" asked the woman, resting her head on her hand and eyeing Edel from head to toe. "You look like someone rich and famous."

"I do?"

"You really look like a celebrity," commented the woman. "What's your name?"

Edel hesitated. Typically, in situations like these, she would use her alias name, Eileen. However, for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to lie to the woman about her identity. She felt guilty for pulling away from the hug earlier and wanted to make amends. Against her better judgment, Edel gave her real name.

"My name's Edel. What about yours?"

"I'm Astrid. Nice to meet you," Astrid said with a playful smirk. Edel's face instantly turned red and hot from Astrid's gesture. Did she just wink? In a situation like this? But it's weird. I mean, didn't her friends just die? thought Edel.

"I would like to get to know you more. Could we meet tomorrow at the Starbucks in Westwood Village at 1 PM?" asked Astrid,

Another feeling of guilt washed over Edel. She didn't want to say no, because she still felt that she was responsible for comforting Astrid. Yet, she still had the mission to take care of. She was torn, but she allowed her compassion to take over. For the first time in a while, her emotions gave way to logic.

"Okay... sure," Edel agreed. Maybe I should be there for her at a time like this, she thought. I don't want her to experience the hurt of loneliness that I felt before.

"Great! I'll see you there," Astrid smiled, seemingly unaware of the bloody massacre scene around them. Edel found Astrid's attitude a bit strange and unsettling, but she nodded in response.

"Yeah," Edel fidgeted awkwardly. "Look, I've got to go. I've got some people to check up on."

"What? You're going to leave me?" Astrid said, her eyes sad and pleading like puppy eyes. Edel felt her heart squeeze, caught between the desire to stay and the responsibility to check on the others.

"N-no. I'm not leaving. I'm just going to check up on some people. I-I'll see you tomorrow," Edel hastily explained, eager to reassure Astrid and not upset her. She waved with a friendly smile as she turned away, but Astrid only gave her a half-wave and a frown in return. Edel's heart dropped, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of regret for leaving Astrid.

"Hmph. I'm going to make you all mine," Astrid whispered to herself once Edel was far away, a devilish smile curling at the corners of her lips. "...Edel."

------

As the group continued to search for survivors, a female reporter with brown hair and a gray blazer reported live from the edge of the grass.

"Tragedy has struck again in Los Angeles, this time on UCLA's campus during a well-known student tradition," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "Eyewitnesses report that a group of masked assailants suddenly appeared and launched a brutal attack, armed solely with knives and other bladed weapons. The chaos quickly spread across campus, leaving dozens dead and triggering a mass panic. Just as abruptly as they arrived, this unidentified group vanished without a trace."

She paused, her composure wavering as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Emergency services are on site, and police have announced an imminent investigation. The body count could reach as high as 1,000, a number that's both unimaginable and deeply painful for this community." Though she struggled to remain professional, her voice shook under the weight of the tragedy unfolding around her.

"These were young college students, each with dreams, plans, and a future ahead of them. This is... this is devastating," the reporter's voice cracked, and she paused, struggling to hold back tears. "They were sons and daughters, friends, family members, colleagues, classmates..." She took a shaky breath, pressing her lips together as she tried to regain her composure.

"Please, everyone, stay safe. Hug your loved ones, tell them you care. This is truly one of the darkest days in our nation's history."

One could hear the terrified screams and cries of injured and survivors alike even through the cacophonic ambience of horns, sirens, and rotor blades chuffing in the air.

"Good God..." Charlotte gasped, a horrified expression on her face as she brought a hand to her mouth.

"God had nothing to do with this." Tabo scowled in an almost resigned manner, looking down at the blood-stained ground.

"...W-well, if a god was involved, what kind would have had some hand in this horror?" Perchance thought out loud, pacing.

"I don't think-" Charlotte attempted to object, before getting interrupted.

"S-surely, if there was some supernatural force at play, a-and I know for a fact that something is definitely not natural here, it must have willed such a collective effort to slaughter all these innocent people? Right? That can't be far-fetched, c-can it?" Perchance frantically rambled on.

"Perchance, what reason is there to kill innocent people?!" Charlotte argued, arms crossed.

"They're cultists, Charlotte!" Perchance corrected, his posture becoming shrunken yet almost pointed accusingly.

"Still, what sort of belief in a god convinces a large group of people to kill others?! I don't get it!" Charlotte was not convinced, her hands raised to her shoulders as she asked. "What good is there in being evil?"

"For power, salvation, fear, the need to feel closer to a higher being— there are many reasons!" Perchance argued.

"Dark magic," Edel interrupted. "How do we win against dark magic?"

"We haven't done anything since they've showed up!" Edel shouted in frustration. "Razor Lounge, the docks, the street, and now UCLA?! How many people need to die before we can even stop them?!"

"But we fought some off-"

"That's NOT enough!" Edel yelled, the others startled.

"We're doing our best. I mean, it's just the four of us. What can we do against mobsters and cultists?" Perchance tried to reason.

Edel stayed silent, looking clearly disappointed, as did the others.

"Look, Edel, I know that you have business to take care of. We all do, really. We're trying to pitch in. Me and Tabo, we're not killers. Perchance isn't even much of a fighter." Charlotte spoke in a suppressed, almost regretful tone, while leaving a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey- No, wait, I can't get mad, she's right."

"I just want to stop this madness. Once and for all, and get to the bottom of everything." Edel spoke solemnly, the whole group starting to walk back to the van.

"When I spoke to your family, read your fortune a bit, there was that hope. The cards are there, right now they're turned away from our view, but they are there. We just need time to flip them over, and then we can see about going ahead with the plan, boss! Hey, why don't we all go to my shop, relax? ...Maybe a bit of, er, burning bush?" Perchance tried to comfort everybody, especially Edel.

Edel asked with a faraway look in her eyes, "You got room for all of us?"

"Of course, boss! Got a whole back room for us to kick it and blaze it in."

"...Are you offering weed, Perchance?!" Charlotte inquired harshly.

"Well, I wasn't offering tax filing and accounting." Perchance retorted.

"Wait, do you pay your taxes?!" Charlotte exclaimed in suspense, looking at Perchance with a quasi-hopeful glare

"'Course not! Everybody who's got their eyes open knows that's a national scam!"

Charlotte's hand made an audible plap against her forehead.

"Hm," Edel interrupted with a grunt. "Let's go there then."

"'Kay."

They all piled into the van, heading toward Perchance's shop. Edel drove in focused silence, the deep hum of the van's wheels rolling steadily beneath them. Perchance sat up front, quietly giving directions while the others stayed mostly silent, each lost in their own thoughts as the scenery blurred past the windows.

------

"We're he-re!" Perchance announced in a sing-song tone, hopping out of the van with unrestrained enthusiasm. The rest of the group followed more slowly, visibly worn out and somber after the day's grim events, their weary expressions contrasting with Perchance's upbeat energy.

How can he be so cheerful after seeing all those bodies... all that blood? Charlotte thought, feeling a wave of nausea rise just at the memory.

As they all approached the back door of the shop, an "Employees Only" sign next to it glistened under the industrial lamp above.

"Don't worry, I won't prosecute. Unless you broke my stuff." Perchance half-joked, getting his keys and unlocking the door.

As the group walked in, they were immediately hit with the intense aroma of incense, cannabis, and scented candles. The stench was enough to make Charlotte nearly hurl. Perchance's backroom was dark, and hazy with smoke, with neon signs and comically stereotypical fortune-telling machines that were also plastered with caution tape and an "Out of Service" paper on the front panels. The backroom also had a one-way window, with a view of the front of the shop with many random talismans, idols, and jewelry on display that were all very likely counterfeit.

"Jeez- Perchance, do you not have ventilation?!" Charlotte complained, covering her nose.

"It stopped working after some rats got freaky in there. Damn things made a nest. Probably all dead now, from all the smoke." Perchance wafted the air, completely unbothered as the others were clearly sickened by the smell.

As everybody tried to get settled, Edel remembered Perchance's offer. Almost as if reading her mind, he proceeded to offer once again.

"Anybody want some...?" Perchance said while rolling a paper full of weed. "You know, this stuff is real good. I can assure you that it's the best quality!"

Perchance glanced at Edel before continuing. "This can really open your mind to the universe. I always take a hit before I talk to some ghosts. Letting go of your reality can make you more susceptible to the spiritual world."

Everybody but Edel looked in disinterest.

"No thanks, I don't do drugs," Tabo muttered, settling onto a worn, ragged sofa with a grunt. Charlotte moved to the cleaner side of the room, carefully arranging a spot that looked decent enough to rest on, brushing off dust and adjusting her position until she felt comfortable. "Ugh, this place is disgusting," Charlotte whispered to herself before laying down. "But I suppose this will do."

Edel walked around and took a look at the various talismans and inspected them before inquiring, "Spiritual world, you say?"

"Yeah. This place right here has some high spiritual activity. Sometimes ghosts show up and think I'm saying some higher power stuff when it's really just the weed."

"Interesting."

"Plus, it makes you feel better. I imagine we all need that right now," Perchance said while hopping on a dusty, torn red felt couch and kicking his legs up on the table. "Now, where's my lighter?"

Edel had never tried it before, but she found herself drawn to the rolled blunt like a moth to a flame. The smell was unpleasant, yet the promise of escape—of shutting out reality, even briefly—was too tempting to ignore. If it meant she might reconnect with her family, she was willing to tolerate the stinging odor and the fog it would cast over her mind.

She knew it was unwise, even reckless, to consider such an offer, yet the thought of unwinding after the day's horrors made her hesitate. She couldn't sleep with the nightmarish visions replaying in her mind—the Maskers, bodies strewn in a sea of blood, the chilling screams echoing in her head. Just the memory gave her goosebumps. Edel understood that marijuana's effects varied for each person, but she was willing to risk it, hoping for the escape and calm it might bring.

And with that, another choice must be made. Will Edel decide to kick it and relax for a night? Or keep it tame?