Chapter 6: 6 – Unchanging Path

Morning had come.

Clouds covered the sky, dust and debris wafted into the air because of the previous day’s destruction.

Still, the sun shone through.

And, for those that survived the night, life proceeded, without ever stopping.

The Clergy had been quick to recover. Thanks to the quick action of the exorcists, they had all lived, and casualties throughout the city were minimized.

Through masses and public speech, the public was quick to bow down to the church’s whims, and they followed through their duties as usual.

Although the Holy Assembly had had casualties the previous day, at the beginning of it all, stating that ‘they followed the Holy Will’ the greater group ignored those and moved on as if nothing happened.

Cleanup of the destruction and corpses, both human and demonic, were being conducted by them, and it was estimated that soon the city would be restored.

And through that cacophony of movement and actions, his name was called.

He walked the length of the great cathedral, his every step echoing loudly.

A small chunk of the roof had collapsed, bathing the once dark cathedral in sunlight.

Regardless of the current state of the building, of anyone’s current mood, that person stood there as if nothing was different.

With priestly robes that spoke of his importance and a fat belly.

The old man watched, as the red-wearing man walked to the altar.

Holding both his hands behind his back he smiled at the approaching exorcist.

“Alma, I see you’ve come.” With the same smile he always wore, with the same posture he always took, with the same voice he always used.

“…yes.” With that short confirmation the young man displayed no pleasantness or desire to be there.

Still, the priest, the Reverend Father, smiled.

As if it was all a pleasantry for him, an amusing situation.

The young exorcist stopped short of the steps to the altar, and the old man started to speak once more.

“You did very well in doing so.” He nodded towards the man, as if commending him. “For the clergy has a order for you.”

“…” He didn’t say anything, he didn’t need to say anything. Acceptance wasn’t an option, it was expected.

And, much like he didn’t need to say anything, he didn’t need to be told anything.

He already knew what would be asked of him, he had known since last night.

“As claimed by members of the Clergy and the Holy Assembly, and confirmed by distantly observing exorcists. Azza, the Fake-Angel, has deserted.” His voice reached through the entirety of the otherwise empty cathedral, and the lack of reaction told him the man already knew.

He closed his eyes, what would be said next were words he had been dreading since the previous night.

The church’s stance towards deserters was only one.

“Follow through your duty as an exorcist of the church, and slay her.” The words were short and to the point, the order delivered with weight and power.

No one left the church.

Those who do so have forsaken their duty with the Holy Will, and as such, the Holy Will itself. The greatest betrayers, the greatest heretics.

And he was the one chosen for the assignment.

Because he was the one closest to her, because he knew best how to find and kill her.

Because even among the exorcists, who held no official ranking, he was among the top of the hierarchy.

Because his powers allowed him to recover from battle faster than any other exorcist.

As he was the one chosen, it was only expected that he would slay her.

It was only expected that he would accept without complaint.

“No.” But that wasn’t what happened.

“No?” The priest glanced at the red-wearing man. For the first time, did his smile falter, for the first time, did his pose stiffen, for the first time, did his voice lower.

“Yeah, no.” And, for the first time, did Alma walk up the steps of the altar, glaring at the Reverend Father.

A look of disbelief, the priestly man looked at him intently, trying to understand the true meaning of those words.

“You know, yesterday, I’ve been faced with a most disturbing conundrum.” His glare was filled with accusation and damnation. “Would you mind explaining why I saw a child turn into a demon, and why the body of the other children disappeared?”

And it was then that the priest understood. The true meaning of that conundrum, that disobedience.

And like many other times, did the priest smile.

“Ah, I see, so you’ve been faced with such a situation.” He raised a hand to the side. “One that brings wavering faith and doubt in your duties.”

He clicked his tongue. “Just spout the truth out already.”

Without shame, without hesitation, without doubt, the priest answered. “That happened, because the demons are people.”

“Huh?” The statement hit him off guard, his feet moving back involuntarily.

He had expected many words to be spoken, but such a clear confession was far from what he had envisioned.

“Yes, it is a story that goes back to the church’s rise.” His hands were once again behind his back, his smile was once again in place, his voice was once again commanding.

“… so you’re telling me… that this whole time, we weren’t killing demons… that you were lying to us?!” His voice was raised in a fit of rage, his arm thrown to his side in a display of anger.

“You may think of it as a lie, or you may think of it as omission.” The priest looked around the church, as if the conversation lacked any need for his attention. “However, our words were not false, and neither was your duty. You were indeed slaying demons, and there’s no need to think of them as people.”

“Demons are beasts that come from outbreaks, they are a distortion that invade reality seeking to destroy everything… if that was a lie, then what is the truth?” He demanded, his eyes glaring at the priest, an all-consuming need for the truth.

“Oh? But that is the truth.” The priest held back laughter. “It is through events known as outbreaks that demons come, and they are distortions bent on destroying everything. The part where you are wrong is when you assume that outbreaks lead to the spontaneous formation of bodies.

“In fact, demons are, in essence, distortions, existences that do not possess the form necessary to live in this world. They do not possess the matter, the defined existence that this world requires.

“So, through outbreaks, they reach out to humans. Us, who possess a defined existence, who are incarnated into this world. Wishing to be born, they incorporate themselves into the body and incarnate themselves, highjack the existing matter, and come into their own.

“At which point the human is a mere vessel. Do not think of that as human, but a demon. Even if that which is called the ‘soul’ resides within that body, any action taken against its continued existence would be a mercy, as they are better thought of as aberrations that stole the lives of other humans.”

Bringing a hand to his head, he tried to nurse a headache. A thousand questions came into his mind, filling it with doubts he had never even had before. “… and why do they come? You’ve always told us that they wish to destroy humanity, a plague. But is that the truth? What makes them an evil entity that seeks to destroy and not a reality that merely stumbled upon humans?”

“That? Well, it reaches back to two hundred years ago.

“At the time, human scientists were researching a weapon to wage war and destroy enemy nations. During their research, they stumbled upon a power, something, somewhere else. Where these undefined existences who distorted the world into a form incomprehensible to humans resided.

“Labeling it the perfect weapon, they immediately began research into using these existences, into controlling them. It is only unfortunate that they lost control, and the clearly defined barrier between the here and there was erased.

“Outbreaks are the events in which these beasts pass through to our world, and in the wish of having a defined existence, take the body of a human. Of course, however, the research of the humans left a mark. The original purpose of using them as weapons is still clear, and even now they are led into destroying everything the instant they reach this reality, and so is their clear demand for human bodies.

“Devils, on the other hand, are demons who overcame that programming. Who were so rooted in reality, in their own concept of existence, that even though their nature is still plagued by its existence as a weapon, their first instinct is still to follow through with their will of reason. For example, a chitinous white devil who chose to reproduce instead of slaying all who were in a building.

“Their continued presence was also an issue. The distortion attracts itself. So a great concentration of demons, or a devil would inevitably open way to more and more demons.

“At the time, of course, all nations were at disarray. They could not trust each other, they couldn’t allow that story to become public, nor could they allow each other to hold this power. Without this power, however, they could also not fight these beings that surpassed their own reach. It was then that the church intervened. Becoming the mediator, it received power and authority, becoming the only ones with full knowledge of that research. They were tasked with eliminating the demons that appeared, and keeping the peace.

“It was then that organs such as the Clergy and the Holy Assembly were fully institutionalized. The latter utilizing of its efforts to keep everything running smoothly, and cleaning up any hints of the truth.

“Yes, demons are not what you were originally led to believe, however, they are much the same thing. Even if the path to reach it is different, the point of arrival is the same. In the end, they are invaders who are wont to destroy everything in their path.”

“…”

It was as the priestly man said all that, that realization came upon him.

“Then… the exorcists… us…”

“Are the fruits of that research. While it wasn’t fully completed, we could utilize it. We force one of those existences to possess your bodies, and slow down the rate in which they incarnate within you. Yes, in essence, exorcists are merely devils in the process of being born.

“It is why demons are attracted to exorcists. It is why your hair is white even though you’re not even twenty-five, it is why your skin is sickly pale. Despite having bodies that show such signs of disease, you feel powerful. That is because your human body is slowly withering as the demon inside you comes to the surface.

“Why do you think you were all induced into preferring to work alone? Why do you think that when we would allow that, when we send groups if we wish for absolute results? Yes, exorcists are meant to die in combat, before their demon overcomes them.”

His eyes glanced at his own body, fear and disgust written in them.

“Then we… the Holy Quest to save humanity… our duty with the Holy Will… was it all… fake?”

“It merely depends on what you consider a truth. It does not exist, that divine duty. However, the duty preached, the path you must follow, it is all too real. Even if reality does not will something as such into existence, the shared belief of humans turns it into reality.

“You were lied to, but only for your own salvation. Wouldn’t you agree, that it is only cruel to have you knowing that those are possessed humans, instead of mere demons?

“It may all be a fabrication, but the truth is now bare, and your duty, the correct path is not different. Slay the monsters that will destroy humanity, slay the betrayer that will bring harm to the people.

“Do not abandon slaughter, do not fail bloodshed. The Holy Quest of the ones that rid humanity of their plague. Drench yourselves in massacre until the final one is slain.”

The priest turned his back, and began walking towards the room in the back.

“The path ahead is yours to choose, alongside its consequences. Follow through the duty, and slay Azza, or betray us, and bring an end to humanity’s salvation.”

The priest left, and the exorcist could only look ahead, wondering the correct path ahead.

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The sun overhead slowly set into the horizon.

Despondently, he walked down the road.

Rubble and half destroyed buildings loitered here and there, demon corpses spread over this untended for part of the city.

Yet, despite all this destruction, there was not a single human corpse to be seen.

There was no need to say what happened to them.

A faint breeze of danger and cold swept by him, making his hair and robes sway with it.

“…”

He stopped.

What was the meaning of it all?

From the very beginning, he had followed through this sacred duty, to prevent demons from going around and killing people.

He wasn’t particularly heroic, not someone who would be going above and beyond to save and aid the people. Demons appeared and destroyed everything on their sight, so it was only natural that someone would have to fight them.

There was no higher calling, no compulsive desire, just a situation where the common human sense of ‘not letting monsters follow through’ acted. It was the rational desire to stop people from dying in mass, to stop something from destroying the world.

Yes, there was no such thing as heroism.

But… he couldn’t help but feel as if he failed.

In the end, the people he was protecting were the same he was killing.

One day someone got saved because he eliminated a demon, and in the other, that same person was possessed and killed.

Again and again, without ever caring he did what he did.

What would be the end result of this course of action?

What would this path lead into?

But… he could not wipe the priest’s words from his mind. What is the correct thing to do, what is the right path ahead?

A chill ran through the destroyed city, and another one down his spine.

He was used to this. It was something he felt over a thousand times.

And with a despondent step after another, he walked around in search of the enemy.

In no time, he reached his target.

A bleached-white demon. Resembling a ghost with big eyes and a wide, sharp-teethed mouth. A creature that had escaped during the mass outbreak, for whatever reason.

And right below it, sprawled on the ground with his back to the wall, a young boy. His face was colored in fear, and tears threatened to run down his eyes.

The child was too slow to ever perceive such an enemy’s movements, and the demon seemed to look its prey from above, as if analyzing the next kill.

Soon enough, as if it had been satisfied with what it found, the monster opened its maw and lunged for the life ahead of it.

But… the demon too, was not even close to fast enough.

His sword pierced its body before it could get close, and it imploded into crystals.

It was no more than a flash for the normal child, the monster that came for him was gone, and in its place was a man in red.

But that wasn’t enough, not nearly enough to qualm his fears and anxieties.

The young boy trying to melt into the wall kept pushing back.

And, after a short while, the man spoke.

“Just run from here already.” And with a nod of his head, pointed the direction of the fastest way out of that destroyed area.

Without a nod of recognition, the young boy raised from his place and left, running.

Left alone in the orange sunset, he glanced at the sky, and realized, the path ahead.

Something he had forgotten in this mess of revelations and choices.

“Damn priest.”

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The clouds had covered the sky.

The ash, debris, and dust had finally settled into the air.

The blue above was finally covered, and the sun would not reach all in its full resplendence.

Shining through the white clouds, the only light that came through was a white one, bathing all beings in a half-monochrome scheme.

In this new morning that spelled a new path, only one would follow through.

Demons grunted and scratched, in pain and restriction.

Atop a tall skyscraper that has had its upmost floor destroyed, a dozen demons were kept in cages and restraints of light.

Every time they tried to move or traverse them, the light would purge and burn, and whatever instinct of self-preservation remained kept them at bay.

The fake-angel stood in front of them, her wings of light having recovered part of their resplendence, her expression darkened with delusion.

She paid no heed to her prisoners. Her gaze was set straight ahead, to the entrance to the upmost floor.

The wind had already died down, and the only sound that crossed the air were the steps that came towards her.

A familiar figure draped in red priest robes, a sword that resembled a twisted cross in his hands. With slit red eyes and a messy white hair that swayed with the wind.

There was no need to ask how he found her, it was only obvious.

He was her best friend, the one with her since childhood, it was only obvious he would be able to find her.

“So, you’ve come to kill me… Alma.” Her voice was filled with sadness, an unbearable grief that threatened to bring her down to her knees.

“…yes.” An answer filled with equal sadness.

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The wind blew with a soft breeze, the white light coming from above bathed them both.

“You are going to kill the same people you protect, again and again. Fighting, never having an end in sight, you will kill people until there is no one left.” She looked at him with bags under her eyes. “Are you really… making that choice?”

He looked into the horizon, a pensive look in his expression. “I realized something.” He looked back at her. “That I kill monsters that threaten to destroy people. Even if they were once people, even if they are the end result of humans. I’ll kill them, and prevent them from destroying more.

“People’s suffering will not end with us killing these things. But that was never why we did it. We drench ourselves in slaughter, again and again, so that these things won’t end everything, so that people will have a future, a world where these beings won’t kill them, even if that future is only a few days longer.

“Regardless of the past and future, I will kill the demons that end everything, and save those who can still benefit from that action.”

He wasn’t particularly heroic, or charismatic, or empathetic. He wouldn’t try to save everyone, nor did he have an ideal of saving others. He would simply slay demons and prevent them from doing senseless destruction.

“Because, in the end, no matter how much you try and search, you don’t even know where to begin with people and demons being the same. You can try and not kill them for all you want, but simply standing idle will allow them to destroy everything.”

The two of them looked at each other and no more words were spoken.

The one who resigned conflict, and the one who embraced it.

There were no more words to be said.

There was no return.

“And… no matter the result.” He pointed his sword towards her, and spoke a final confession. “I won’t resent you.”

Whether he lived or died, whether he succeeded or failed, whether he was right or wrong.

“… me too.”

With those words spoken, it was over.

It wasn’t that they hated each other, nor was it that they couldn’t stand the existence of each other’s choices. Rather, they simply stood in each other’s path, and neither was disposed to stop.

Their final exchange was done.

The two of them lunged at each other.

Golden scythe and sword met in a shower of sparks.

Again and again the weapons sought to overcome each other and lunge for the opponent’s necks.

With a curved movement, the scythe wielder brought the red-wearing man’s sword down and swung at his neck!

Swerving his head back, he avoided certain death by a hair’s breadth.

Stomping his foot down, he brought his sword back with a counter!

Once again their weapons met in an encounter of indomitable wills and unmatched skills.

Like in an elegant dance of two warriors that see only death, the exorcists sought to destroy each other.

A clash of weapons sent the two of them rearing back.

She twirled her scythe and struck a pose, the wing-like blade shone with light and she lunged ahead, the weapon ready to unleash a slash that would sever everything.

The golden light reached his eyes, and muscle memory carried him through. It was a blow he dodged over a thousand times, a deadly slash meant to sever head and armament.

His body swerved back, his head dodging dangerously short of her slash.

Her body was carried forwards by momentum. He brought his sword to bear, and with might and will, slashed at her!

With a clank, the only thing his sword hit was the butt of her scythe, brought up to defend its wielder.

Forcing their feet, the two combatants created distance from each other by lunging back.

The fake-angel spread her wings wide, and soared to the sky!

She understood very well the situation she was in, this was the moment her powers were at their strongest, the beginning of a fight. She would end it all in a single strike.

She raised her hand and took aim.

Her wings lighting up with a dozen shining points of light, she prepared to hit him with deadly precision.

The light lunged forth!

A dozen beams that drew arcs in the air, with pinpoint accuracy they all moved towards him.

If he killed the demons she had captured, then most surely, he would have the blood to completely defend and counter.

But— he couldn’t do that. The light came too fast, and by the time the blood became his the attack would have already hit.

The blinding light that would purge him out of existence approached with the intent to sear him!

And—

It slammed and reflected against a wall of blood crystals!

“What…?” She looked stupefied at her beams that reflected in all directions.

Where had the blood he used come from?

Light died down, and the answer… was himself.

A gash left in a part of his stomach. Not something lethal in and of itself, but deadly given time.

Blood oozed and formed that wall that reflected her attacks, and as soon as it was over, red crystals covered the wound.

“You…”

But her words never reached or had effect.

He brought his left hand up towards his body, and using it as a lever, pressed his own nails against it. Curling his hand into a claw, he snapped them clean off his hand!

Blood seeped out, and turned it into claws of red crystals.

They shone with a dark light, and she knew that getting close to those things would make her weaker.

She brought her hand up again, facing the red shield floating in front of him, facing the dark claws that he bore in his left hand.

Her wings shone with light!

The beams of light once again flew down towards him, at different speeds, arcs, directions.

No more would he be able to dodge it all with only that shield.

But—

That too proved meaningless.

Flexing his legs, he shot high into the air!

The beams of light swerved, as if guided towards his very existence!

Midair, he could never dodge such attacks.

Not normally, at least.

Blood that still seeped from his wounds pooled out below his foot, and using it as a stepping stone, he jumped in the opposite direction!

Like a red blur that flowed through the air, he jumped again and again, the impromptu platform being remade again and again. It was an impossible evasion maneuver around the beams of light that came at him.

Light came from above, and the wings that shone with light shot off a storm.

A thousand needles made out of light all came down on him!

The awaited time came, creating a platform once more, he jumped completely to the side!

And, before his movement came unto a halt, before anything had the chance to react, he formed a platform once more.

Slamming into it with all his speed, the shock ran through his body, threatening to shatter his every bone.

But he did not let that stop him.

He pressed firmly against the blood crystal, and lunged forwards!

His target was only one, the fake-angel that was in the sky!

Rearing back his sword, he approached the sprite in the sky with a slash!

Realizing too late that the enemy had gotten this close, she couldn’t swerve back and fly away.

She brought her scythe to bear, the rain of needles coming down on the one approaching her.

Needles of light pierced him with a burning sting, all throughout his body, burning, searing, leaving an unfading mark.

But—

He pushed through it!

His body came close to hers, passing the range of those wings.

Sword and scythe slammed against each other midair, with a clash that was felt through both their bodies!

But, that should have been the end of it, he clashed with her, and he failed to kill her.

Even if he managed to get this far, he couldn’t stay aloft like she could, it was impossible for him to continue, or even win.

But, in the precious few seconds before his fall, taking a hand off his sword and lashing out one last time—

He thrust his clawed hand towards her!

The blade still in conflict with his sword, she brought the butt of her scythe up towards the incoming arm, and hit it with a sickening crunch!

The opposing limb twisted in an ugly sight.

However, as if oblivious to the pain, the man’s arm continued with all its speed and strength.

A curse born from blood, the very presence of those claws meant weakness to the enemy.

And now, it pierced her!

“Aaargh!” In her shoulder, the claws dug deep.

Not enough to be lethal or maiming, but it was all it needed to be.

A searing pain assaulted her body.

As if her entire vitality had been drained at that very instant, her focus slipped, her control gone.

For but a moment, her wings lost their shine, and the two of them came plummeting down to the roof!

Falling through the wind, she could feel the moment of impact come closer and closer.

She did not go down without a fight.

As if experts, their limbs moved to strike against each other even in this situation.

And yet, not a single blow managed to be delivered again, and the two enemies fell to the ground in an explosion of smoke and debris!

“Argh!”
“Aaahh!”

The two of them tumbled away from each other.

The smoke cleared, and slowly, still in pain, the two exorcists got up from their places on the ground.

He grasped onto his sword, and looked her straight in the eye.

In a second, he lunged forwards!

His cross-like sword brought to bear, he prepared for a final attack!

Twirling her scythe in her hand, she lit it up with a bright light.

In a fight, they were each other’s worst opponent. If the conflict went for long, then his victory was assured, but at the beginning of a fight, her victory should be unquestionable.

However, she wasn’t at peak form. Even now she still kept demons at bay, without sleep, without true rest, and… weakened by him.

The result could be only one.

He ducked under the scythe that came to take his life, reaching her exposed side.

He reared his sword back and thrusted it—!

“Ahhhh—!”

The opposing attack pierced her side and destroyed her organs.

The air was driven off of her, and her body tilted.

In that instant that lasted an eternity, the world ceased to move.

With widened eyes, she looked down towards the sword that was sticking out of her.

Her old friend stood there, by her side. His hand still grasped the blade, his body frozen in the position, as if he himself was still coming to terms with the action.

“Gah—!” An involuntary convulsion forced her to cough out blood.

Looking down, she realized blood was slipping down her whole body.

This was it, this was the end.

She couldn’t survive this blow. Maybe if someone else had delivered it, it would’ve been possible. But this was Alma. If he delivered such a blow…

For a moment, she looked above, to the cloud covered white sky.

His hands letting go of the blade, her body fell back.

Falling with her back to the ground, the edges of her vision slowly began fading to black.

She looked towards the one by her side.

Looking down at her, he was doing his best not to cry.

She wished she could sigh.

Slowly, everything began fading to black.

And, just before everything faded away, the happy faces of those children flashed by.

Just like that, he was the only one standing there.

He knows the church only wants more power, he knows his fate.

Even so he will fight. For whatever can be achieved by following them.

He will fight and one day he will die. Amidst slaughter, amidst the incoming fate.

The demons she imprisoned were now freed and advancing towards him, and he will kill them too.

In a never-ending fight, there will be no one to be saved. Until he melts away, in a sea of blood and crystals.

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