14

Beyond the Veil: Kiran's Supernatural Hunt

Chapter 14: Fragmented

It was too cold; Kiran could feel that sensation of being bathed in a thick, warm liquid. The first night sleeping in the hospital after waking up from the coma was something he could never forget.

"No!" Kiran woke up abruptly, drenched in cold sweat, and realized he was in his bed, his breath heavy and his heart pounding. The darkness of his room reminded him of the night the mission was issued.

The memories were vague, but Kiran was already getting a faint idea of what he was doing before falling into a coma and forgetting those traumatic events. It all started with a simple intelligence report from the NIS: A dark entity had been identified in a secluded neighborhood in the heart of Seoul. Kiran and his team, a group of highly trained elite soldiers, were selected for the elimination mission.

But upon arrival, they realized it wasn't just one monster, but three, each larger and more dangerous than the previous. And here is where Kiran can't remember the appearance of those monsters; he can only visualize a black figure in that dark building.

He knew or had the vague impression that these dark entities weren't the first they had eliminated, but the situation had slipped from their control at the last moment, and it soon became not a battle of elimination but a battle for survival.

Kiran remembered every detail: the sound of the monsters' roars, the smell of sweat and blood, and the sight of his fallen comrades one after another. There was no way those memories would stop replaying in his dreams, even after trying to wake up many times.

"Damn it..."

Kiran sat up in bed, trying to erase the images from his mind. He remembered how he fought to the end, but he couldn't understand how he survived. The last thing he remembered was a blurry figure approaching him.

Back to reality, Kiran realized he was back in a hospital room, in a big city far from that dark building where his comrades had been killed. The mission had ended, and he had been the sole survivor.

He tried to control his breathing and pulse, reminding himself that the mission had been a success, although it had cost him everything he had. The nightmare was just a reminder that his job, which he couldn't remember, had never been easy, and these losses were normal within the probable range.

He got out of bed and walked to the window, looking out at the city. He thought about his team and those who had lost their lives on that mission, and he promised himself that he would honor them by remembering everything in detail and never forgeting what they had sacrificed for him and the country they all loved.

...

To be honest, Kiran didn't want to share everything he knew with someone like Gabriel, and it's not because he didn't trust him, but nowadays it's always good to have something reserved for oneself in case it's needed.

Kiran, for the fourth time after Gabriel took care of his paperwork, changed quietly. Then his eyes focused on the gun that was in the box, and he took it in his hands. Just as he was about to store the gun, a memory came to his mind.

"Captain, it's not time to hesitate! Kill that beast before it's too late."

"Argh!"

Kiran held his forehead and groaned softly; a terrible pain had flooded his head. His vision blurred as images he didn't understand reached his brain.

"Is it the memory I lost?" Kiran asked himself.

"Ahhh!" Kiran resisted for a few more seconds, and then that pain began to diminish. Looking at the gun holster, he placed it on his waist and then put the gun along with the magazines.

"No matter, we need to get out of this place first."

Kiran didn't know why he carried the gun with him; he just felt safer and more relaxed with it. When everything was in place, he put on a black trench coat and left the room.

Gabriel approached and patted Kiran on the shoulder with a discreet smile, reminding him, "From now on, you're an ordinary person. No matter how much time you take to recover, In the future, as an upstanding person, you can play your role in society as you please."

Kiran nodded.

After leaving the hospital, Kiran boarded the car with Gabriel.

But just before boarding the car, a girl with a nervous expression ran and collided with Kiran.

Boom!

After Kiran merged with the HDW-37 serum, his physical condition had improved tremendously.

His whole body was as hard and resistant as a gorilla's muscles.

After the girl hit Kiran, he felt a headache and fell to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Kiran asked with concern and immediately helped the girl.

He reached out a hand, wanting to lift the girl off the ground.

"For God's sake, don't you know where to look?" The girl looked at Kiran angrily, but after seeing the gun on his waist, she didn't say anything else.

Kiran didn't notice the girl's change of expression, so he said, "I'm sorry, are you okay?"

"Yes, see you later." The girl, without saying another word, ran off.

"What's happening, Kiran?" Gabriel asked as he looked out the car window.

"A girl..." Kiran muttered, somewhat lost.

Kiran felt helpless in the situation; he could only fold the paper and put it in his pocket. Without touching the subject, he got into the car.