MASK

Jayden sits alone on a bench near a peaceful park, feeling the weight of his recent experiences. Holly and James approach him, sensing his distress, and offer their support. Jayden opens up, expressing his fear of causing more deaths due to his perceived lack of skill. In an attempt to reassure him, Holly reminds Jayden of the lives he has saved as a great priest. Overwhelmed with emotions, Jayden confesses that a task of lower difficulty should never have ended in tragedy, blaming himself for the failures that occurred. James, puzzled, suggests that if Jayden is so devastated by Mary's death, he should embark on a journey to find her soul and bring her peace. Jayden explains that it's not as simple as it sounds, as he is uncertain about the state of Mary's soul and the vastness of the void makes it nearly impossible to locate the correct one. James scratches his head, trying to comprehend the complexity of the situation. Holly, understanding Jayden's struggle, assures him that the presence of their Ghost Hunt team in the world will help protect against vengeful spirits and alleviate people's fears of evil entities. She emphasizes that without their team, the world would be exposed to greater danger. Jayden, touched by their support, nods appreciatively and embraces Holly and James, finding solace in their understanding and unity.

While driving home, Grace notices three masked men lurking near her neighborhood. Intrigued by the intricate details of their masks, she observes a twisted smile that extends all the way to their foreheads, forming a complete circle. Just below the forehead, she notices the ominous R symbol with darkened eyes. Grace becomes aware of their gaze fixed upon her. Undeterred, she steps out of her car into the sweltering heat, defiantly shouting at them, expressing her lack of fear if they are attempting to intimidate her. The three masked men synchronize their shoulder movements, seemingly unfazed by her words, as they steadily advance towards her. Determined to protect herself, Grace demands they stay back. Suddenly, a cacophony of footsteps echoes behind her. Turning back, Grace is confronted by ten masked men wielding knives, bats, and machetes, all closing in on her. Reacting quickly, the first masked man swings a wooden bat at her, but she deftly evades the strike, delivering an upward kick to his armpit, forcing him to release the bat in agony. Grace catches the bat, swiftly countering the next masked man who attempts to grab her from behind, executing a skillful flip that sends him crashing to the ground.

Grace continues to evade and counter the attacks of the remaining masked assailants, utilizing the wooden bat to parry knife and machete strikes. With a powerful side kick, she propels another masked man into a nearby bush. Grace maintains her movement, sidestepping to avoid being surrounded by the masked individuals. She valiantly defends herself with the bat, but realizing the need for more substantial firepower, she retreats to her car and retrieves her firearm. Pointing it at the masked assailants, they scatter in fear. Determined not to let them escape, Grace pursues them in her car, following them into a nearby alley. However, as she rounds the corner, she is met with a perplexing sight—the alley is a dead end, devoid of any trace of the mask-wearing assailants. Astonished by their sudden disappearance, Grace is left wondering how they managed to vanish so quick.

Grace drives to the police station and enters the chief's office to report the recent attack she experienced. Inside, she finds the chief engrossed in a meeting with another officer. Startled, the chief exclaims, "Speak of the devil, she's here!" The officer introduces himself as Kevin, extending his hand for a handshake. Grace reciprocates the gesture and exchanges greetings with Kevin. The chief informs Grace that she has been assigned to work undercover as a member of the REVA cult, alongside Kevin. Apprehensive, Grace declines the request, explaining that she was just recently attacked by the cult and they are aware of her identity. Kevin assures her that everything will be fine because they will be wearing masks throughout their operation, and he holds a prominent position within the cult.

The chief reveals that Kevin has been involved with the cult since last year and has risen through the ranks to become one of its leaders. Kevin elaborates that his subordinates are not required to reveal their faces unless he permits it, as only the cult leaders are allowed to do so. Considering the proposition, Grace contemplates the situation and eventually agrees to join their operation. Kevin expresses gratitude for her participation, emphasizing the importance of her combat skills in the event they are discovered. He also reminds her that firearms are prohibited by the REVA cult, as they follow REVA's example of committing evil deeds without the use of guns. Kevin assures her that they will securely stash their guns in a nearby location. Furthermore, he explains that his recent promotion to a leadership position enables him to gain access to the cult's main headquarters. As the conversation concludes, the chief emphasizes that it is crucial for both Grace and Kevin to uncover the mastermind behind the REVA cult, as they have been increasingly active throughout the land of Freeda, perpetrating their nefarious deeds in the name of REVA. Filled with determination, Grace and Kevin raise their hand in a resolute gesture and exclaim, "Yes, sir!"

Later that afternoon, Grace arrives home and is greeted by the sound of the doorbell. Curious, she opens the door to find Jayden, Holly, James, and Mako standing before her. Jayden asks if she would like to have a conversation about the Lord, to which Grace nods and invites them inside. Once in the living room, Jayden and Mako sit down with Grace and discuss the substantial amount of money the Ghost team made from their recent live stream, totaling $9.5k. Grace is slightly taken aback by the news, and Mako explains that their content has resonated with viewers, leading to a significant increase in their followership by 225%. As a gesture, Jayden hands Grace a small stack of money, her cut from the earnings.

Holly and James enter the room, holding a picture of Grace with a female fighter named Alicia, who turns out to be Grace's mother. The revelation surprises everyone except James. Mako adds that Alicia even competes in the men's league, ranking in the top 10. James scratches his head, trying to comprehend the information. Shifting the focus, Grace dismisses the topic of her mother and asks the team if they know anything about REVA. Jayden remains silent, and Mako looks to Holly for an answer. Holly informs Grace that the REVA cult has been gaining prominence throughout the land of Freeda, but interestingly, they have yet to be seen in the vicinity of the church.

Feeling a shared purpose, Grace demands answers from Jayden, who nods in confirmation that he has encountered REVA before. He reveals that REVA is the very reason he became a priest. Grace shares that REVA was also the motivation behind her decision to become a cop. They realize they have a common goal in mind – to track down REVA and put an end to his criminal acts. Determined, Grace extends her hand, and Jayden shakes it firmly. He encourages her to keep the Ghost hunting team updated with any information about REVA that she may come across in her line of work as a police officer. Grace confidently agrees, and Mako softly applauds, congratulating the entire team on their progress and the foundation they are building together. Jayden tries to offer Grace another job as but she declines as she is busy for the time being.

A few days later, during the night, Kevin and Grace find themselves in the same car, driving to their destination. Kevin brings the car to a halt and reaches into the back seat, handing Grace a suitcase. He informs her that it contains her outfit for the mission. Grace opens the case to reveal the REVA mask and a red and black robe. Kevin reminds her that other members of the cult will be joining them at the rendezvous and advises her to act natural and fully immerse herself in the role. Grace agrees but can't help but ask Kevin how he became a leader in the cult.

Kevin hesitates for a moment and then admits that he has done terrible things to people. Grace suggests that he must have taken someone's life before. Kevin reluctantly denies it, lacking confidence in his response. Grace, drawing from her own experiences with fighting, explains that she can sense when someone is uncertain about killing. However, the mask men who attacked her had every intention of killing her. So to be a leader within the cult he must have killed someone before. Kevin nods, overwhelmed with guilt, and confesses that he takes his role as a police officer seriously. He did what he deemed necessary to rise through the ranks of the cult, believing it was for the greater good. He also acknowledges that defeating the REVA cult will require sacrifice and that he shares the same desire as Grace to bring an end to their reign. He explains that this is his way of doing what is necessary to achieve his goals. In response, Grace expresses that as long as they succeed in stopping the REVA cult, she doesn't care about Kevin's moral standing.

Kevin and Grace arrive at a factory, where they proceed to put on their outfits and masks. As Grace looks around, a sense of familiarity washes over her—it feels as though she has been in this factory before. They step into the dimly lit space, and suddenly, a single giant light illuminates the center of the factory. Kevin and Grace spot four masked individuals standing in the light. They approach the group, and Kevin removes his mask, greeting them. In response, all the masked figures bow down. Kevin informs them that another cult leader should be arriving soon.

Unexpectedly, a masked man comes out behind Grace from the darkness. Sensing his presence, she swiftly turns around and bows. The masked man, dressed in a black robe, observes the others. Kevin extends his greetings to him. The black-masked figure strides to the center of the group and addresses them, emphasizing the need to demonstrate their devotion to REVA. From his robe, he produces a small dagger and declares that once he throws it into the air, they must seize it and attempt to kill him. Kevin's unease becomes evident. A moment of silence ensues as the black-masked man hurls the dagger skyward. Grace, along with two other masked individuals, sprints toward the dagger. Kevin is taken aback by Grace's forward movement.

Grace is on the verge of grasping the dagger when one of the masked men intercepts it and charges at the black-masked figure. With lightning speed, the black-masked man seizes the assailant's wrist, immobilizing him, and deftly evades the strike by shifting his body to the side. Disarming the mask man, he tosses the dagger into the air once more. This time, Grace leaps and snatches it, descending with a diving strike toward the black-masked man. He counters with a swish of his robe, parrying her attack and knocking the dagger from her grip. Grace quickly regains her footing after the fall. The weapon flies into the hands of the other masked individual, who catches it. He approaches the black-masked man, pausing momentarily before hurtling the dagger into the air again. The black-masked man, confused by this action, gazes upward at the airborne weapon. In that instant, the masked man delivers a kick to the black-masked man's groin, causing him to drop to his knees in agony. Seizing the opportunity, the masked man brings the dagger down in a striking motion. However, Kevin intercepts the strike, grabbing the masked man's wrist. He remarks that while it was a cheap shot, at least the masked man demonstrated the intent to kill.

Painfully rising to his feet, the black-masked man instructs Kevin to train the others who did not move and leads them away from the factory. They venture into the sewers, triggering a recollection in Grace's mind of how the masked individuals had escaped during their previous encounter. They arrive at a dark corner of the sewer, where a poster with a big smile conceals a hidden tunnel within the walls. Removing the poster, the black-masked man reveals the concealed path. They all enter the long tunnel, guided by the soft glow of candles and lanterns that illuminate their way through the darkness. Finally, they reach a grand opening, where a metal door bearing the word "REVA" awaits them. Before passing through the metal door Kevin and Grace is at the back of group, they hides their guns in the holes of the dirt walls. They step into a vast underground chamber filled with numerous other masked individuals. All eyes turn towards the group as they make their entrance. Ascending the stairs, Kevin and the black-masked men proceed.

The two remaining black-masked men remove Kevin's robe and replace it with a black one. As Kevin turns towards the crowd, all the black-masked men bow down, and Grace follows suit. The other black-masked men remove their masks, revealing their faces. One of them steps forward and addresses the crowd, announcing that they have a new leader in the cult and that Kevin deserves respect for his numerous favors to REVA. He declares that it is time to offer a sacrifice to appease REVA's wrath, and Kevin will be the one to carry out the deed. Several masked children push a wheeled platform onto the scene, with a little girl standing in the center, surrounded by a circle of blood patterns. The platform reaches the stairs, and the unmasked man offers Kevin a dagger. Kevin accepts it and descends the stairs, standing in front of the platform. The little girl removes her mask and shouts, "FOR REVA!" The entire crowd echoes her cry. As Grace senses the murderous intent in Kevin's eyes and prepares to intervene, another masked man swiftly moves forward, delivering a powerful punch that sends Kevin flying away from the girl. Grace is taken aback by the sudden turn of events, and Kevin is knocked unconscious.