Even though she was suprised that I asked, Lila nodded all the same, using the small amount of karmic energy she had left to grab the child and descend into the eye of the cyclone with them. Swiftly preventing the child from falling to his death.


    [Luftraum!]"


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The space around us had become black and white, our movements frozen in time, our minds eaten by the incomprehensible words that repeated themselves in our heads.


    "This woman here, her true soul was not touched. Very interesting."


    In a moment, a wall of fire separated us from the creature.


    "P-prayer to Agni, p-urification of evil."


    I couldn’t believe my eyes, this wall of fire was created by Melissi, that feeble and fearful girl. It seemed to me that Lila had mentioned that she was an exorcist, something along those lines.


    "I’m sure we can kill him if we all work together", Lila said, panicked and profusely sweating.


    "Why do I have to go through this ?"


    The long-haired young man, another member of Lila’s junk club, expressed, his attitude as relaxed as when I first encountered him.


    In a moment, his eyes turned serious.


    "Caith Sith, make it appear."


    The two tailed cat threw up an axe, to my surprise and disgust. How the hell did it store that in the first place ? Considering it''s size, it shouldn''t have even been possible.


    "It''s a good thing you don''t really eat it, otherwise my allergies would get the better of me."


    Lila whispered to us, slowly walking backward into the fire Melissi created. I wondered what she was even thinking trying to go into these flames, however she got past the wall of fire unharmed.


    "Alright, it''s unlikely we''ll able to kill it. Here''s the plan, while Marth and Allison distract it, Melissi will begin reciting an incantation meant to seal demons."


    "How can we even serve as a distraction when it could bind our movements at any moment ?"


    "It''s fine, I was able to move while under the negative space."


    "Really, Allison ? Then, I''m sorry to ask this of you but could you occupy this creature for..."


    She turned her head to Melissi, waiting for her to give the approximate time she would need to manifest a seal powerful enough to rid us of this creature.


    "O-One hour..."


    "Are you kidding me ?"


    Lila shout, her confidence diminishing by the minutes, bringing down part of her hat into her forehead.


    "S-Sorry, that demon has too much karmic energy, the seal will take a long time to be fully effective. I-It usually takes five minutes for small imps but considering it has twelve times the amount of energy of such small creatures I''m afraid there''s nothing I can do to reduce the time."


    After some through consideration, Lila''s expression darkened as she bit her lower lip consumed by stress and anxiety.


    "In that case... We should grab the kid and run..."


    Seeing white corrupt Lila''s natural skin tone, my other self put her hands on her shoulders, her eyes filled with determination and certainty.


    "It''s fine, Lila. Don''t be afraid, I''m right here with you."


    Those words seemed to calm her down, even for a little bit. Strange, what is that soft and warm feel I''m sensing inside me right now ?


    "Allison, wait!"


    With those words, my other self expulsed itself from the tornado, directly facing the nightmare''s fly.


    Her head proudly raised and sword''s tip on the ground, she held the weapon like a knight bound by honour, facing the creature as my blonde hair were balladed by the wind.


    "Let''s have a duel, Beelzebuth."


    I dared to say, pointing my sword once more at a being beyond human logic and comprehension. At the same time, Melissi came out of the tornado, her hands joined together.


    "G-Good luck, Allison ! I-I''m sorry to ask this of you but you''re the only one we cant count on right now!"


    Not wasting a single moment of it''s time and assessing the danger Melissi represented,  the fly immediatly tried to use it''s time manipulation trick.


    "[Nega Space]"


    "I don''t think so."


    Unfortunately for this creature, they were ready for it to use cheap tricks to hurt us, Marth landing a powerful hit on the creature left ribs, taking advantage of the small window it wasn''t focused on all of us to attack it. The fly heading headfirst into a nearby abandonned building.


    Meanwhile, Lila, still in the eye of the cyclone, was trying her best to reassure the child.


    "I wish I wasn''t so useless. This body is a curse, even when I want to help my friends I''m unable to do it efficiently."


    Her eyes seemed distant for a moment.


    "Miss, are we gonna die ?"


    I couldn''t blame this child for asking such questions, trying to fight such a monster was akin to suicide after all. As I continued to observe, I could only be blinded by Lila''s radiant smile in response to the child''s question.


    "Don''t worry, I believe in them. When my friends have their heart set on something, they always deliver."


    Those words were empty to me, after all, when had we even become friends. From my perspective, she was only filling this kid''s head with delusions and refusing to make it face reality. After all, if hope and good feelings worked, his parents would have still been alive and the school wouldn''t have ended up like this


    For as much as this other self represents my inner secret hope, the fact is it wasn''t enough to prevent my darkness from overtaking my desires and ruin the world.


    As usual, I was proven right, as right before my eyes, the one named Marth''s body was assaulted by a million flies, the eyes of Melissi and my clone filled with horror.  As they all screamed his name, the axe he so proudly held in his hand to strike the monster fell on the ground like a vulgar object that had no value whatsoever.