Everything the four of them would soon do… was already written—etched not in prophecy, but in manipulation. The devil's fingers moved subtly behind the scenes, guiding fate like a puppeteer.
And Berry?He was the anomaly—the boy with memories that didn't belong to this life. A vessel tethered to a past powerful enough to sway the eternal war between divinity and damnation. His heart, whether he knew it or not, could tip the scale.
"But God had already taken His first step.
While the devil's eleven chosen unknowingly gathered in one place, God was working to ensure the apocalypse remained contained—its ruin locked to a single corner of the world. And the first to walk into the flame... was a girl who had just tasted the bitter truth buried in the human heart."
June 19, 2019
"I finally got a boyfriend after so long!! Tim, guess what? It's Spencer—he asked me out today!" Delrina beamed, practically glowing with joy. "I… I've had a crush on him since—um, I can't even remember when! But I know I did."
Her laughter rang out in the quiet corner of Timmy's father's café, their usual spot. Delrina's smile was dazzling, her joy uncontainable.
Timmy didn't smile back.
"Oh? What was his name again?" she asked flatly. Her tone didn't match her expression—it was too measured, too cool. But Delrina was too swept up in her moment to notice.
"Tim! You've been my best friend for years and you still forget my crush's name? It's Spencer!" Delrina giggled, cheeks flushed pink. Her tiny, doll-like face had that strange magic that made people want to protect her—even when they shouldn't.
Timmy stared at her for a long second. "So... you do remember that I'm your friend," she said, her voice brittle.
The smile on Delrina's face flickered—just slightly. Tim's words stung.
"Wait—what's wrong?" Delrina asked, playing innocent, though she already sensed the storm coming.
"I warned you. Every single day, I told you to stay away from him," Timmy said calmly, almost too calmly. "I tried to keep him away from you, but you kept going back. Do you even care what happens to you?"
Delrina blinked, caught off guard. "Why are you saying all this now? You're the first person I wanted to share this with…"
"Oh, come on," Timmy scoffed. "You had a celebration with those thugs who hang around Spencer, and now you're lying to me on top of it? I let it slide, but now this? He's not who you think he is. You know what he does to girls. How many has he already used and dumped? And now you're next."
Timmy's voice rose, trembling with restrained fury.
Delrina's face darkened. "You're being controlling! It's my life, Tim! You can't just talk about him like that. You're… you're just jealous! I should've realized it sooner."
Those words silenced Timmy. She blinked once, stunned. Those weren't just Delrina's words.She knew exactly where they'd come from.
"…Fine," Timmy murmured, standing. "I won't stop you anymore. But when you come back crying—I'll still be here. Just don't go any deeper than this."
Delrina opened her mouth to call after her, but Timmy was already gone, walking away without another word.
Delrina ran outside a moment later, searching—but the street was empty.
A hand landed on her shoulder, making her jump.
"Hey Del, what are you doing out here?" It was a boy with orange-dyed hair, draped in clunky chains and metal. One of Spencer's friends.
"Oh… nothing. Are you guys hanging out?"
"We're going to the movies, then karaoke—maybe some drinks after," he grinned. "wanna join?"
"I have class…" Delrina mumbled.
"Skip it. Come on." Another girl chimed in, casually draping an arm around the boy. Her presence felt sharp—predatory.
"Your boyfriend's coming too. He'll be sad if you don't show. Oh—and is your little hot-headed friend still around? Ugh. She was so rude to us yesterday. Like, what's she pretending to be? A saint?" She rolled her eyes, and the others burst into laughter.
Delrina forced a smile. "I'll come… just for the movie."
"Good. Keep studying like that and someone might steal your boyfriend." They laughed again.
That night, Delrina ended up joining for karaoke and drinks too, and paid for everything—again. She used money from her mother's savings, just to keep up with Spencer's crowd. In a week, she'd spent more than she usually did in three months.
And then, the call came.Her mother had collapsed. Hospitalized. They needed a large sum for treatment. Delrina had nothing left.
She called Spencer.
"Hello? Hello? I can't hear you—bad connection. I'll call you back, okay?"
He didn't hang up.
"...What a freak. She didn't even spend properly and now she's begging for money," came a girl's voice.
"Yeah, I know. She's probably broke. I'll break up with her soon—get a new one."
Delrina stood still, listening to the words twist like knives inside her.She didn't cry. She didn't shout.She simply… moved on.
She took up a part-time job—low pay, long hours, not enough to cover anything.Finally, she swallowed her pride and called Timmy telling her everything.
Timmy didn't hesitate. She came immediately. And when Delrina broke down, sobbing in her arms, she said nothing—only held her.
She offered no judgment. No "I told you so." Just help.
Even though she didn't have much, Timmy did what she could. Delrina couldn't bring herself to say sorry—but she didn't need to. Timmy understood. Delrina had never been good at apologies.
A few days later, Timmy burst into Delrina's room.
"Hey—I found you a job! It's not high-end, but it pays better than what you've got."
"Are you sure it's real?" Delrina asked, suspicious.
"Yeah, I double-checked. It's a server job at a resort—you can do that, right?"
"I'll charm all the customers with my stunning looks," Delrina teased, slipping back into her old self.
"Hah! Please. You'll scare them away," Timmy grinned. "Anyway—it's at the Riverside Resort in Sunshine Town."
Delrina blinked. "Wait, my favorite place?"
"Yup. Got the lead from some random notification on Whatchat. Weird, I know. But I called to confirm—it's real. They want new staff with… good looks."
"So you do admit I'm pretty?"
"Don't push it," Timmy smirked. "They want you to start tomorrow. I'll stay with your mom. She likes me more than you, anyway."
There was a pause—then both of them burst out laughing.
"You just want me gone already, huh?" Delrina said, wiping her eyes.
"Exactly. Now pack your stuff, pretty girl."
June 26, 2019
Delrina left for the resort the next morning, determined to make money, to support her mother, and to make things right.She had no idea what truly waited for her.
No idea that she had just stepped into the devil's chosen path.
Her downfall had already begun.