《The Exile》 The Exile The chapel of the Royal Cross peered over mountains¡ªcovered in snow and the howling of the frigid air. The building was untouched by time, but the interior was modernized. The Exorcists walked through the corridors and the snowy field getting to their next place of business. No one uttered a word, not even the rookies who just began their training that week. The entire location was dead silent, except inside the chapel¡ªwhere the footsteps echoed. The Four Elders were holding a meeting of grave importance. "How long ago did this happen?" The First Elder spoke with his beard covering his mouth, but never muffled his words. His clerical robes dragged whenever he walked around the table, sometimes giving the illusion of him hovering above the floor. "Looks like over forty-eight hours." The Fourth Elder spoke with his eyeglasses glaring at the screen across from the table. His outfit consisted of a generic priest outfit and combat boots. An odd mix, but being in charge of the offensive Exorcists requires preparation on his part. "How did we not know about this?" The First Elder shook his head in disappointment as the head of the Exorcists, the oversight falls on his shoulders and questions his role as a leader. "Our squadrons haven''t been able to locate a static source to this..." The Third Elder''s words paused as she brushed her pants while she flicked ash from her cigarette, "Dilemma." Their screen across from the table showed a map of dark energy consuming parts of the nation. No one understood the source or how something so big can easily avoid the trained eyes of the Royal Cross. "If we don''t come up with something quick," The Fourth Elder cleaned his glasses, "That dark energy will annihilate the world in less than a week." "That''s too short of a deadline!" The First Elder banged on the table. "Well, if I may," The Second Elder rose his hand as he sat silently that no one noticed he was there, "We can bring in the exile." "The Hell Walker?!" The First Elder exclaimed, "We have no use for his recklessness nor his black magic!" "I hate to say it," The Third Elder exhaled her smoke, "What choice do we have?" "We can have Amy escort him," The Second Elder suggested, "If he strays then she''ll put him down." "Amy?" The Fourth Elder scoffed, "She''s one of my best soldiers! I can''t have her settle for some babysitting mission!"This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Her abilities are not in question," The Second Elder clarified, "In fact, that''s why she is capable of watching over him." "So what do we do?" The Third Elder rubbed the table, "We give this monster free rein?" "Now, now," The Second Elder waved his hand in disbelief, "Amy will make sure he doesn''t stray from his mission." "What makes you think he''ll even decide to aid us after we banished him?" The First Elder stared at The Second. "We''ll figure out that bridge once we cross it," The Second smiled, "For now, let''s call Amy in." "Very well," The Fourth Elder reached to an intercom, "Can you bring in Ms. Downs?" "Yes sir, right away." A petite voice chimed in from the intercom. The Elders waited for a good ten minutes until a gentle, but ambitious knocking echoed through the chapel. "Come in, my child" The First Elder''s voice boomed to the entrance. A young woman in her mid-twenties, dressed in the standard Exorcist uniform which consisted of a navy coat, undershirt, navy pants, and combat boots entered the room without a shred of angst. She was ready to follow orders or die trying. "How can I be of service, my Elders?" Amy''s fixed her blonde hair behind her ear. "It has come to our attention that something has lurked out of the shadows." The Third Elder lit another cigarette. "So you need me to lead a squad?" Amy assumed. Why shouldn''t she? Her skills and academic achievements have been the subject of envy from her peers since she started. The Elders calling her by name is enough to generate enough authority to lead her own soldiers into battle, but this was not the case. "This mission will involve you and an escort," The Fourth Elder sighed, "You must bring in someone." "Who?" Amy asked, ready for anything. "Kayden Yamada." The Second Elder said without hesitation. "The Exile?!" Amy couldn''t keep her disbelief in check, "For what purpose?" "We believe he may have the answers to defeating this monstrosity before it consumes our plane of existence." The First Elder spoke out. Amy was disgusted that her superiors would stoop so low as to bringing in Kayden, a man that she was trained to hate. Every policy she followed was to stay away from the path that he chose. Her abilities put her above him in rank and as an Exorcist. She wasn''t afraid to face him, but once again, this wasn''t the case. "Is he in custody?" Amy wanted more details. "On the contrary," The Second Elder clicked his tongue, "We will be commissioning his services." "Don''t hold him in such high regard," The Fourth Elder gritted his teeth, "He''s still a traitor!" "Sweetie," The Third Elder stared down at her cigarette, "Please don''t underestimate him. He is highly dangerous and is a skillful tactician." The young woman was told in school that the Devil possessed his soul and gave him powers that rivaled God, but to her those are fairy tales. She saw him as a modern-day Napol¨¦on, or just some power-hungry monster who couldn''t back his mouth up. "When do I begin this mission?" Amy accepted the assignment. "As soon as you leave this room," The First Elder said, "Time is of the essence, so you must hurry." "May God be with you." The Second Elder said. The Fourth Elder walked up to his prized pupil for a handshake and whispered into her ear a message only meant for her. Her eyes widened a bit and she nodded in agreement. After years of service, Amy Downs felt somewhat as an equal to the Elders, and she hoped that this will grant her more recognition from not only them, but her peers. The world stood on her shoulders and all she had to do was escort the exile. The Hell Walker. Nothing to Worry About Amy entered her dorm and sat down on her bed. She stared onto the floor, knowing she had to face her enemy to aid her or face the apocalypse within a week. The options were slim, but to climb up the Royal Cross¡ªshe knew what to do. The advanced student stood up to her wardrobe and pulled out her clothes for the trek into the world, where Kayden resided in exile. She hasn¡¯t been out in the world since her parents left her in the orphanage. Nothing was expected from her adventure except retrieving Kayden. She never understood entertainment or any of the like. The Royal Cross were strict with things like that, and they stood by it¡ªno matter what. Books were written by the Devil, games where distractions created by the Devil, or movies were the ways the Devil speaking to you. Amy respected the rules and she expected others to follow them, which gained her favor with the Elders. Her room was never cold, since a slight decrease of temperature was very uncomfortable, but she wasn¡¯t sure about outside of the mountains or if it¡¯s even inhabitable nowadays. The mountains were known for its freezing temperatures and no matter longer how long she stayed there, she just wasn¡¯t used to it. She grabbed enough clothes and stuffed them into her bag. Amy walked out of her dorm and made her way into the armory to load up, especially against someone like Kayden. She¡¯s faced Hell¡¯s cannon fodder, but never someone capable of possessing its power. All she knew about his was that he used to be a student under the Royal Cross, but no one knew the length of his studies. The only people that knew his capabilities were the Elders themselves. All she saw in him was betrayal and evil¡ªnothing else. ¡°Amy Downs?¡± A voice called out. Amy turned around startled to see a man about her age, a fellow student standing by the door. ¡°Who¡¯s asking?¡± The star pupil asked. ¡°I was told to escort you on your mission.¡± The young man said holding two bags. One in each hand. His blue eyes pierced at her with a degree of certainty. ¡°Great,¡± She scoffed with a sound of pistol hammer clicking, ¡°They leave me to hunt down a demonic psychopath with a no-name. What class are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a medic class with a rank of 1 in Grade S.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Amy fixed her bag of arms, ¡°So you know your way around a possession?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done a few with no problems.¡± He confidently said without a hint of arrogance. They knew he was picked among countless of recruits for a reason. ¡°Okay,¡± She sighed, ¡°Does the medic with a rank of 1 in Grade S have a name?¡± ¡°Kearney,¡± He replied with a smirk, ¡°Kearney Nielsen.¡± The pair walked out of the armory to the Elder¡¯s meeting room to talk more about what they have in store. The variety of students with passed by them unknowing of what was happening beyond their walls. Their chatter scattered around about what they ate or how the week¡¯s training was. ¡°How much do you know about the job?¡± Kearney asked under his breath. ¡°How much do YOU know?¡± Amy shrugged. She assumed the Elder¡¯s left out most of the details due to his standing. ¡°Just that I¡¯m your backup in case something goes wrong.¡± The medic was oblivious to the fact that he will soon face an opponent that is far stronger than anything that he read about. ¡°What makes them think something will go wrong?¡± Amy turned to him. ¡°Trust me,¡± Her partner chuckled, ¡°Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.¡± The halls were cluttered with young Exorcists making their way to their classes or dorms to finish the rest of their day. The pair continued to the meeting room to finish being informed and make it to the city across the mountains. The doors were closed almost in unison while they walked to the other side of the school. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. They found the meeting room, which had the exterior doors stained with a cherry oak color to make it stand out and give it the ¡°important¡± room status. The door was heavy and required at least two hands to pull it out fully. The purpose for it was merely entertaining for the Elders in some sense. The pair barely spent five minutes inside before being greeted with a booming voice echoing throughout the room. ¡°Have you sorted your affairs?¡± The First Elder asked. ¡°Yes, I am ready to look for the target.¡± ¡°I see you have already met your partner.¡± The Third Elder chimed in. ¡°With all due respect, I--¡± Amy was ready to voice her concerns. ¡°Your life will not be gambled against such a fiend!¡± The Fourth Elder said, ¡°You are in capable hands with Mr. Nielsen.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Amy grunted in defeat. Kearney patted Amy¡¯s back as a sign of trying. ¡°You will be reaching the city of La Vista by helicopter and you¡¯ll be based in a small apartment for the next three days while you track down the Hell Walker.¡± The First Elder informed the two students. ¡°Be extremely cautious.¡± The Second Elder emphasized his words, hoping that they would ingrain themselves into their minds when they arrive in the city. The power that possessed Kayden is one of merciless, blood thirst and something that shouldn¡¯t be underestimated. Amy and Kearney marched to the helipad where their transportation was getting fueled up to leave. ¡°How are they sure that it¡¯ll take us three days to find this guy?¡± Kearney asked. ¡°I doubt we¡¯ll need that much time.¡± Amy scoffed. ¡°How can you be so confident?¡± Kearney smirked at Amy, leaving her scoffing. ¡°Are you the recruits who¡¯ll be going into the city?¡± The pilot yelled over the loud sound of the helicopter starting up. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Kearney yelled back. ¡°I was given strict orders to leave you for seventy-two hours,¡± The pilot gave them a stern warning, ¡°If the both of you don¡¯t make it at the rendezvous by then.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll leave us?¡± Kearney joked with a clueless smile. ¡°Yes.¡± The pilot stared at the pair with a lack of empathy. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Kearney wasn¡¯t entirely sure on how to take the answer. ¡°If you don¡¯t think you can handle it,¡± Amy continued walking to the helicopter, ¡°You can always turn around.¡± Kearney bit his tongue and followed Amy up to their ride. The spinning blades continued throwing gusts at them as they climbed aboard with their bags of supplies and other gear. The pair waited for the pilot to finish his inspection before they leave. The pilot finally completed his inspection and climbed aboard to start lifting the helicopter while the Four Elders meet up outside by the helipad prepared to see them off. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll survive?¡± The Third Elder turned to the First. ¡°Only God will decide.¡± He replied. Amy couldn¡¯t help but look down to the shrinking school. She was calm and collected on the exterior, but inside her fears began to unravel. She was finally on her own with another life in her hands against a possible formidable opponent. Amy didn¡¯t want to alert her unsolicited partner about her change in attitude. ¡°No turning back, right?¡± Kearney smiled nervously. ¡°Right.¡± Amy turned to him with a subtle unnerving smirk. The Waiting Game The helicopter stayed by the nighttime clouds, avoiding unwanted eyes. Kearney didn¡¯t want to stop staring below him. Everything looked like specks of sand from their height. ¡°Sure looks nice up here.¡± Kearney spat from the helicopter to see where it lands. ¡°Yup,¡± Amy wiped her cheek of the residue Kearney left for her, ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re having fun.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Kearney¡¯s smirk slowly turned to an expression of discomfort. The helicopter decreased its altitude slowly to get better stability as they reached closer to their destination. The lights of the city began to glow through the clouds. The nightlife was prosperous with countless of people enjoying their night out. This proved challenging for the Exorcists as they couldn¡¯t land discreetly. The pilot would have to change his landing zone to the nearest skyscraper that wouldn¡¯t be suspicious. ¡°This spot here will be the rendezvous,¡± The pilot shouted over the loud chopper, ¡°So be here in the next seventy-two hours.¡± ¡°How are we supposed to get back here?¡± Kearney was puzzled¡ªthe building wasn¡¯t exactly abandoned, in fact, it was one of the eventful buildings out there. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Amy chimed in, ¡°We just need to find Kayden first.¡± ¡°How are we supposed to find him in this hell?¡± Kearney stared below him where possibly thousands of people scurried through the streets. ¡°Are you finished?¡± Amy mocked. ¡°For now.¡± Kearney replied without thinking about the sarcasm behind the question. The twosome jumped down on the roof of the building with their equipment in tow. The helicopter lifted up and flew off back to the mountains. ¡°Do you have a lead on this Hell Walker?¡± Kearney turned to Amy, his eyes peered to hers, ready for any response. ¡°All I have is a photo of him ordering something called yakisoba.¡± Amy pulled out a snapshot from her pocket. One of the Second Elder¡¯s scouts was tasked with recon around the city to locate a possible location where the exile was based in. They found him by a food truck among other patrons trying to get their orders placed. He looked like one of them, easy to disguise himself from his friends or foes. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Her partner responded with a sign of bewilderment, ¡°Not exactly devil-like.¡± He expected Kayden to be torturing innocents or causing destruction along the city, but instead he¡¯s ordering Asian cuisine from a food truck. The pair located a fire escape and jumped down to it. Their training granted them agility and acrobatics that were on par, or even better, than the parkour experts seen on the internet. The elegance of their jumping while accurately descending the building showed just a minimum of their aptitude as Exorcists. No one saw them climb down or even heard them land onto the ground below. They skillfully blended in the shadows of the alleys, ready to scope the area for their target. The crowds of people walked throughout the sidewalks, standing in line to the hottest clubs, or trying not to vomit onto the asphalt. This was expected, but the amount of crudeness wasn¡¯t what they anticipated. Amy was stared down with ill intent while Kearney tried not to create a disturbance with the sinners. Women dressed in an exposing fashion while the men were like Neanderthals trying to answer the night¡¯s mating call. The cars struggled to move an inch down the road thanks to the various people limping to the next street. The loud sounds of honking horns blared through the air. The pair couldn¡¯t adapt quick enough with the drunks lumbering over them and shuffling between them. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Where did they get there manners?¡± Kearney grunted trying to squeeze through the inebriated crowd. ¡°Scope through them,¡± Amy peered over the throng, ¡°Kayden can be hiding here for all we know.¡± ¡°And if he isn¡¯t?¡± Kearney advocated. ¡°He has to be here.¡± Amy kept her calm demeanor. She was convinced that he was hiding out in the area. The only question was where he was taking cover. The night quickly passed and the streets was soon being cleared out of its patrons. Amy and Kearney kept cover in an alley by the hobos and other lowlifes of the city. ¡°Four hours,¡± Amy stared out to the buildings, hoping to locate the Hell Walker in one of the windows, ¡°And could you stop kicking those damn things.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Kearney whispered. Amy noticed nothing out of the ordinary except for a carpool full of impressionists of former Presidents of the United States. Other than that, no sign of Kayden. ¡°Maybe that was just a lucky shot,¡± Kearney said, ¡°For all we know, he could¡¯ve just came to this city to visit.¡± ¡°Visit what or who?¡± Amy questioned, ¡°It¡¯s not like he has family or even interests besides death or destruction.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying that,¡± Kearney gave Amy a look of confusion, ¡°We¡¯re looking at this wrong.¡± ¡°Do you have any better ideas?¡± Amy scoffed. They only have the next three days to find him, and the last thing she wanted to do was go on a cross-country adventure for one person. She prayed to pinpoint him in one location close to her. ¡°I¡¯m thinking that he can be a recluse,¡± The medic thought long and hard about it, ¡°I mean, he was nowhere outside in the streets, not even the crowded areas. So maybe he¡¯s a private person, you know, like a hermit.¡± ¡°That is a¡­¡± Amy¡¯s eyes widened in clarity, ¡°Good observation.¡± ¡°Thanks?¡± Kearney couldn¡¯t distinguish if she was serious or sarcastic. The new information changed the entire plan of investigation. They had to look at the least active areas of the city, like outside of the university, library, and isolated small towns. They began their search at a hotel to locate a map of the surrounding areas. ¡°Okay,¡± Kearney scanned the paper eager to find an answer to their dilemma, ¡°If I was a devil-possessed, combat-trained killing machine bent on chaos and the downfall of humanity, where would I be?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be the metropolitan areas,¡± Amy continued to analyze the streets, ¡°That¡¯s too obvious.¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± Kearney blankly stared at the map. The hotel was soon packed with tourists and the like while they continued looking through the map. Their presumptions allowed them to remove a large area of the map, only focusing on the small towns a few miles away from their current location. ¡°I guess we should start now.¡± Kearney sighed. ¡°The sooner, the better.¡± Amy sighed as well. Pandas and Burritos A hooded figure stood among the crowd of drunks that night, holding some food wrapped in a paper. He kept his sights on the incoming helicopter above the city. He smirked while concentrating on the passengers. Unfortunately, his eyesight wasn¡¯t exactly ¡°superhuman¡±, but he knew the helicopter was nothing ordinary. He slowly chewed on a burrito and blended himself into the swarm of people. He walked through the alley and scaled the side of a hotel with relative ease. He gained speed as he used the momentum to run up the wall. The hooded figure skidded up the side and clasped onto an edge of a window. He blended into the shadows and stayed on his perch. He never moved an inch¡ªhis patience was inhuman. The duo of Exorcists scrambled down one of the buildings as the figure kept watch. His position was never alerted even after getting a couple bites on his burrito. He gently slid down to the street below to keep on their tail, hoping to get some answers of his own. The figure sat down with some of the vagrants of the city while sharing some of his burrito with them, but never keeping his sights away from the pair. He watched them stumble and struggle to keep their footing while looking at their new environment. Almost like, two baby deer wandering off into the hunting grounds. Muggers could pick up their unfamiliarity a mile away. They had trouble blending in and the figure couldn¡¯t help but look over them as if trying to protect them. He stood up and left his burrito for the drifters to eat amongst themselves. Something bugged him about them, but he needed to inspect further. The moment seemed very crucial until the figure stopped by a market that was open for the special event going on that day. The entrance chimed with a little electronic bell and he made his way to the fountain drinks and playfully skipped toward it with his Panda bear lanyard swaying back and forth. He dragged his finger over the various soft drink flavors while each nozzle sprayed below. His hand reached for the biggest cup and he filled it with his preferred spicy cherry flavor drink with a hint of vanilla, Sir Fizzle. The figure snapped on the lid and slipped the straw inside as he walked to the cashier. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Not drinking tonight?¡± The cashier asked with a smile. ¡°Not one to get inebriated on a fine night like this.¡± The figure sighed. ¡°That¡¯s two seventeen.¡± ¡°Here ya go,¡± The figure dropped three one-dollar bills and walked off, ¡°Keep the change!¡± As expected, the pair were still there bickering about directions¡ªthey looked like married tourists who are on the verge of divorce and felt that a vacation would help them. Unfortunately, just like the tourists, nothing¡¯s helping them. This is just sad.The figure thought to himself while he sipped on his soda. He merged with drunken crowd and followed the motion toward the duo. He brushed through the middle of them to see if they were actually aware of their surroundings. Surprisingly, they ignored the ¡°accidental¡± bump. He smirked and continued on his merry way. He turned around to see if they said anything, but they vanished causing the figure¡¯s steps to stagger over each other. His eyes quickly skimmed the atmosphere, hoping to pick up their location. His deductions didn¡¯t return any reason to worry. He walked across the streets until he reached a hostel above a library. The celebration in town meant that the rooms were somewhat vacant¡ªallowing him some privacy and sleep. ¡°Who are those idiots?¡± He said to himself while he fixed his hood for his snooze, ¡°The Elders outdone themselves this time.¡± Playdate in the Farmhouse The pair arrived in a rural town, just outside of the city. Nothing was in sight, but an old abandoned farm with no one in sight. ¡°Are you sure this is the place?¡± Amy searched the area. ¡°The library said this was a place full of black masses.¡± Kearney replied. The empty lot showed no signs of movement from the days before, so it began to look more abandoned by the second. The pair crossed past the field and noticed the lock of the farm was still intact. The clean silver finish gave them an uneasy feeling. ¡°Who¡¯s been here?¡± Amy studied the lock. ¡°It looks new,¡± Kearney added, ¡°Whoever was here, it was recent.¡± Amy drew her gun waited to shoot open the lock. ¡°Wait!¡± Kearney pulled out some pins from his bag, ¡°I got this covered.¡± ¡°I thought you were just a medic.¡± Amy smirked. ¡°I¡¯ve had free time.¡± Kearney picked away at the lock until the last tumbler popped open, allowing the lock to unlatch free. Amy stepped in first with her gun drawn, ready for anyone. Kearney followed with his gun as well. They were focused and neither of them showed a signal of fear. Whether they felt it was really empty or they were expecting something to happen may have been a factor to their attitudes. For a moment, they felt like fools with nothing happening around them. The history of black masses may have proved to be just an urban myth that made it into the history books. ¡°Do you hear anything?¡± Kearney whispered to his partner. ¡°This was just a wild¡ª¡± Her words cut short by a loud whispering wind entering the farm. The door violently sealed shut along with a loud slam. The event seemed more of coincidence as nothing appeared afterwards. The duo expected creatures or hellfire to appear, not a surprise scare. ¡°Let¡¯s just get out of here.¡± Kearney suggested with a voice of disappointment. ¡°That may just be the only option here, Nielsen.¡± Amy sighed. Amy reached for the door of the farm, but it never inched. She applied more force that seemed more of a workout than an answer for the sealed door. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kearney stared at her with confusion. ¡°This damn door won¡¯t open!¡± She said frustratingly. Amy and Kearney tried opening it together, but to no avail. The door was fastened on the other side with something that was strong enough to hold its own against two trained Exorcists. Kearney leaned on the door in exhaustion while Amy sat on the floor trying to get a new plan. ¡°Have you seen any ladders?¡± Amy asked. ¡°Oh, here,¡± Kearney said, ¡°In this empty farmhouse. No, I didn¡¯t see a ladder.¡± ¡°A simple no would¡¯ve sufficed.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being a baby.¡± ¡°A baby wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡±, Kearney noticed Amy¡¯s face change expression as she stares whatever is behind him, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Just walk toward me and do NOT look behind you.¡± Amy signaled her partner toward her. Kearney¡¯s curiosity was piqued and he slowly stepped toward her. On the last step, he turned around quickly and what he saw questioned his eyesight. ¡°Is that¡­Is that a giant eyeball sticking out of the door?!¡± Kearney turned to Amy, not sure what he was looking at. He thought being stuck in the farmhouse for a long time was affecting his mind. ¡°Hello Exorcists,¡± A disembodied voice spoke to them in a menacing, booming voice echoing through the barn, ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you for a while already.¡± ¡°Is that him?¡± Kearney whispered to Amy. ¡°It has to be,¡± Amy responded, ¡°He¡¯s the only source of dark energy in this area.¡± ¡°Ah yes,¡± The voice laughed, ¡°The Royal Cross¡¯ cannon fodder has come to put an end to the evil plaguing this city.¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Cannon fodder?¡± Kearney¡¯s voice trembled lightly to the voice¡¯s words. ¡°What do you know about the evil that¡¯s invading the city?¡± Amy peered at the large eyeball. ¡°Other than the source,¡± The voice sounded more arrogant, ¡°Not much.¡± ¡°Stop playing with me, Hell Walker!¡± Amy aimed her gun at the eyeball, hoping to scare the voice into giving up more information, ¡°You know how to stop it and the Elders called me to bring you in.¡± ¡°Here I was thinking that this was a playdate,¡± The farmhouse started to grow colder as the ground cracked open into little chasms, ¡°The party was just about to start.¡± ¡°Do you hear that?!¡± Kearney frantically aimed his gun at the holes. The noise of loud guttural, chattering grew louder as it reached closer to the surface, ¡°I thought this was an extraction mission!¡± ¡°We have no choice, Kearney,¡± Amy backed up close to her partner, ready for whatever was coming, ¡°This is survival.¡± ¡°I hope to see your pretty face in hell.¡± The menacing voice laughed as hundreds of demons exited the burrows with their chattering growls. ¡°It¡¯ll be the last one you¡¯ll see,¡± Amy shot down a couple demons, ¡°Yamada.¡± The eyeball closed by left a burned mark on the door as a seal for an easy execution for the pair. ¡°Did the Elders tell us that Kayden was a more kill first, ask questions later kind of guy?¡± Kearney shot down a couple more demons. They were getting outnumbered by the second as the demons kept crawling out of the ground in almost unlimited amounts. As if they were the heads of a hydra, Amy was ready to accept her fate and the mission failure. ¡°We¡¯re going to run out of ammo soon.¡± Amy sighed. ¡°There¡¯s got to be another exit in here.¡± Kearney tried to reassure her, but his voice kept getting cut off with their guns firing into the hellions¡¯ flesh. ¡°Even if there is one,¡± Amy said, ¡°That bastard must¡¯ve already sealed it.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± Kearney kept on shooting into the horde while Amy ducked under a table to look for a trump card in his bag. ¡°I guess this can wipe out a good amount of them with us.¡± Amy pulled out a grenade. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Kearney continued shooting. ¡°What other choice do we have?¡± Amy said, ¡°Not like a miracle will come down any second.¡± The moment was official for Amy. She was prepared to give up on her faith and everything she was taught in the Royal Cross academy. Her shining moment felt it was slowly crashing down like a meteor heading to earth. Kearney grabbed onto Amy¡¯s hand for a last moment of comfort and gave her a nod in agreement. Her thumb slowly reached the pin to cook the grenade. The mass of demons didn¡¯t care for anything except for the mutilation of the Exorcists and were going to achieve it by any means. One of the creatures managed to climb over the obstacles and found them under the table where they were hiding. ¡°Damn it, hurry Amy!¡± Kearney exclaimed. The demon ferociously lunged toward them ready to finish them off before she even got the grenade ready. Boom! A loud explosion sounded above them and a loud thud landed on the same table they were finding shelter in. After that, a sound of flesh ripping oozed into the ears of Amy and Kearney. Suddenly, they were greeted with the lifeless eyes of a dismembered demon head. Amy¡¯s thumb retreated away from the pin. ¡°I guess I¡¯m a bit tardy to the party.¡± A voice unknown to them emerged with a sound of confidence and even a bit reassuring. ¡°Who is that?¡± Kearney whispered. ¡°Our miracle.¡± Amy smirked. Demons and a yeti named Otis? The figure hopped down from the table and made a line across the Exorcists with his foot. He raised his hand toward it which slowly consumed itself in a blue aura, which signaled the line he made to rise up as a wall of blue light. Amy and Kearney couldn¡¯t help, but peek at who their savior was. Two pistols drawn out, his jeans dragged onto the floor while his sneakers scuffed playfully toward the pack of hungry devils. One by one, his guns fired into their heads. They never put up a fight against his superior skills allowing him to arrange headshots without a problem. Nonetheless, the demons kept coming out of their burrows looking to finish their task. Some unlucky ones managed to slip away and went straight toward the table, but the wall burned them to a crisp in a merciless fashion. ¡°Do we help him?¡± Kearney whispered. ¡°Is there any ammo left?¡± Amy whispered back. ¡°A few clips.¡± ¡°Alright, maybe he can lead us to Kayden.¡± The figure continued his onslaught on the creatures. His guns flowed through the air quickly and precisely, hitting each target on point. He climbed on top of a pile demon corpses and continued firing away. They got a good look of him, but his face was still obscured from the hood. They only saw his panda lanyard and a t-shirt that read ¡°HONEY BADGER GIVES NO SH!T¡±. The figure then reached to his lanyard and pulled out a keychain that resembled an ankh. He flicked his wrist and a white energy consumed the keychain transforming it into a full-sized sword. ¡°What kind of magic is that?¡± Kearney gasped in excitement. ¡°How does he even know magic?¡± Amy questioned. The figure zipped down the hill of corpses and sliced at the horde just as fast as he was shooting them. His skills were unmatched and the Exorcists knew it. He slammed the ground with his palm¡ªsending out a shockwave to the massive horde, which propelled them flying through the air making easy victims of them. ¡°You know,¡± The mysterious young man said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind having some kind of help.¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± Kearney asked Amy. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Amy sighed. She always believed that her skills were the superior of her kind, but seeing a complete stranger in her age group doing the things she¡¯s trained for years in an advanced state knocked some humility into her. ¡°Block the holes,¡± The character continued slashing away, ¡°Use a very fat guy!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t exactly have that.¡± Kearney was surprised by his suggestion. ¡°Fine,¡± He sighed, ¡°Use your grenades! Let¡¯s just make everything less amusing.¡± The hooded man put away his sword and pulled out a playing card marked with symbols in black ink. Amy noticed the markings as runes, but couldn¡¯t decipher it as she never studied them before. The mystery surrounding him kept growing bigger by the minute. ¡°Amy,¡± Kearney snapped her back into reality, ¡°You¡¯re going to have to help me.¡± The pair crawled out from the table and avoided the line on the floor. They didn¡¯t know if it struck anyone or just demons, but they didn¡¯t want to risk it. They struggled into the crowd of hell spawns until they reached the focus of the burrows. One after another, Kearney tossed in the grenades while Amy kept him covered with some gunfire. A song emerged under the sounds of violence. Sam Smith¡¯s single ¡°Latch¡± played through the man¡¯s pocket. The moment was clear, this guy was clearly a possible psychopath. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Ready?¡± The mystery man said with a giant smile, ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to use this!¡± He tossed the card into the crowd which answered back with a blue flame forming a symbol on the floor. ¡°What is going on?¡± Amy exclaimed at the figure. ¡°I¡¯m making an exit.¡± A large, white ape-like creature climbed out of the burning symbol with the same sapphire flame in its eyes. The brute strength from it wreaked havoc inside the farmhouse, tossing pillars and demons indiscriminately. ¡°If you know basic seal spells,¡± The figure said, ¡°Mortal instruments won¡¯t destroy the place affected by it, so you need ¡®Otis¡¯ here to unlock it for us.¡± In a matter of minutes, the roaring ¡°Otis¡± cleared the farmhouse and steered itself toward the locked entrance. The figure climbed atop of his summon absorbing the moment of excitement. He patted him in affirmation to attack the door. The large ape raised its fists and let out a loud howl¡ªpunches rained down onto the burned seal, leaving dents. The door took about eight punches before it gave in. The trio walked out of the building along with the mighty ¡°Otis¡±. The man climbed down and joined the duo while he reduced the monster to a burnt four of spades. They turned around to view the farmhouse fall apart with only the person in the honey badger shirt smiling. ¡°What was all that?¡± Kearney asked surprised. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± The young man said, ¡°I thought he was a yeti.¡± ¡°What my associate meant was,¡± Amy interjected, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Whoa,¡± The young man gasped, ¡°What¡¯s with the personal questions?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not every day that we bump into demons nor is it even more normal to witness someone obliterate them.¡± She cut to the point. ¡°Well before we jump into introductions,¡± The figure said, ¡°Let me ask you this.¡± ¡°Sure we owe you!¡± Kearney jumped into the conversation. ¡°Are you two stupid?¡± He asked honestly. ¡°What¡­what do you mean?¡± Amy asked. She must¡¯ve looked unprofessional and felt useless just watching a total stranger do her work. ¡°You guys walk into black mass chapel with pistols and no back-up plan,¡± The stranger continued, ¡°Did you idiots expect to walk out of there with your heads intact?¡± ¡°We were looking for someone,¡± Kearney said, ¡°Our research led to this place.¡± ¡°We¡¯re Royal Cross students,¡± Amy sneered at Kearney for leaking the mission, ¡°We were tasked with retrieving an exile, but he obviously put up a fight.¡± ¡°No shit,¡± He walked off, ¡°I knew you were Royal Cross Exorcists. You didn¡¯t do much to disguise that. Oh, and good job with the whole helicopter entrance.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Amy chased him, ¡°How did you know we were Exorcists?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯re done here.¡± He continued walking. ¡°We need your help,¡± Kearney followed them, ¡°Kayden is still out there doing God knows what.¡± ¡°Kayden?¡± The man stopped in his steps, ¡°Did your precious Elders tell you that?¡± ¡°How did you know about them?¡± Amy¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s not Kayden,¡± The man turned to them, ¡°That¡¯s Valac rising to power to overthrow hell and heaven.¡± ¡°How can you possibly know that?¡± Amy scoffed at him as she was convinced that it was the exile who is growing in power to destroy the human world as well as heaven, so hell could take over. ¡°Because,¡± The figure revealed his face under the hood, ¡°I¡¯m Kayden.¡± This is chapter seven, right? The new revelation shocked the pair that the person they were tasked with escorting has been in front of them the whole time. Amy¡¯s attitude changed from gratitude to anger as she came to the realization that the traitor insulted her training and rubbed his abilities in their faces. ¡°So you already knew why we came here?¡± Kearney said, his attitude never changed. In fact, he saw it as a job well done to know that they were able to find him in under seventy-two hours. ¡°I¡¯m not a mind reader,¡± Kayden scoffed, ¡°I assume you guys are out to ¡®exterminate¡¯ me.¡± ¡°No,¡± Amy¡¯s voice trembled in anger, ¡°We¡¯re here to escort you back to the chapel. The Elders need your help.¡± ¡°Oh really,¡± Kayden smirked, ¡°Then I¡¯ll totally overlook the whole banishment thing.¡± ¡°Joke all you want,¡± Kearney said, ¡°But if what you¡¯re saying is true, then the Elders would want to know about it.¡± ¡°You guys are a pain in the ass,¡± Kayden walked away, ¡°Follow me.¡± They walked toward a red Ford Focus, which was how the Hell Walker got to the farmhouse. The Exorcists were trained in combat-based driving, but they¡¯ve never been inside a civilian car. The buttons and air vents were enough to drive them crazy. ¡°So you¡¯ll help us?¡± Kearney smiled at Kayden. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some pointers,¡± The exile said, ¡°But after that you two are on your own.¡± Amy thought he would¡¯ve been grateful to be able to return to Royal Cross, but she was sure that demons were still inside him, infecting his mind with unholy decisions. This was going to take a lot of convincing on her part to get him to share his findings. They all got inside the car and drove back to the rural highway that led to the city. La Vista looked like it was already touched by evil from afar, but to Kayden it was his home. The misunderstood city shared the chance Kayden felt he never had¡ªa chance for redemption. He learned quickly to survive in a city capable of sin, but he soon realized that no matter what he was still in a hell. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Amy peeked outside of the car window. ¡°We are going to meet a dear old friend of mine.¡± Kayden focused on the road. ¡°Can we stop by the apartment first?¡± Kearney tapped on the window, ¡°I miss sleep.¡± ¡°No time,¡± Amy lunged toward the front seat, ¡°Who¡¯s your friend?¡± ¡°An expert on these things,¡± Kayden said, ¡°I¡¯ve followed Valac¡¯s movements for a while and now he¡¯s starting to get a bit brave.¡± ¡°So who was that voice from before?¡± Kearney leaned in as well, ¡°He had no problem claiming to be the Hell Walker.¡± ¡°Okay, first, you guys are getting really close to my face,¡± Kayden¡¯s said, ¡°It¡¯s starting to get uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Kearney whispered as they both sat back in their seats. ¡°Second,¡± Kayden sighed, ¡°That was Valac¡¯s spoiled brat of a son, Zare. We crossed paths more than a few times.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°So what¡¯s so special about them?¡± Amy asked. ¡°Do they even teach you demonology history there?¡± Kayden replied with a question of his own, ¡°I¡¯ll let my pal explain this to you.¡± They arrived at a record store where it seemed to sell more drugs than it did albums. Graffiti scrawled the windows and walls of the shop, but it never stopped patrons from happily making their purchases. The trio opened the door, where they were greeted with alternative rock music and the smell of weed. Kayden didn¡¯t seem to mind, but he couldn¡¯t say the same for his guests. They followed the Hell Walker to the front desk where a man about their age played on his smartphone. ¡°Can I help you?¡± The cashier said without looking away from his phone. ¡°Can I talk to Catherine?¡± Kayden placed his elbows onto the desk. ¡°Give me a minute.¡± The cashier walked to the back room. ¡°Who wants to know?¡± A young woman¡¯s voice scowled at him. ¡°Some Asian-hybrid looking guy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m half Hispanic!¡± Kayden¡¯s sudden interruption which gave her an instant answer. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Kayden Yamada,¡± A tattooed woman in her early-twenties stomping onto the linoleum below with her sneakers, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you called me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been busy.¡± Kayden scratched his head turning away to toss off any form of suspicion. ¡°Obviously,¡± She said as she stared at Amy with jealousy in her green eyes, ¡°So what did you do now?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kayden nervously smiled, ¡°Why would you think that?¡± ¡°Are you seriously asking me that?¡± Catherine drummed on the desk with her black and pink painted nails. ¡°He said you can help us with a predicament.¡± Amy joined the conversation. ¡°Meet me in the back.¡± The shop owner said as she winked at Kayden. ¡°Old friend?¡± Kearney tapped Kayden¡¯s shoulder with his own. ¡°Don¡¯t ask.¡± The exile sighed. Amy felt a sense of trepidation exiting the back room¡ªsomething dark, but soothing. Those two feelings should never be paired, but it felt right and mesmerizing. Was that how sinning felt? Or is this something different altogether? ¡°So what brings you here?¡± Catherine smirked as she sat down on a futon crossing her legs in a domineering fashion. ¡°The Hell Walker said you know about Valac.¡± Amy jumped straight to the point. Kearney was distracted by the various devices inside the room such as the iPad and some headphones. ¡°And by Hell Walker, you mean?¡± Catherine didn¡¯t follow Royal Cross code words, and she didn¡¯t care to. She was the expert on the occult and didn¡¯t need to share her discoveries to people who thought less of her. ¡°Kayden,¡± Amy clarified, ¡°The traitor.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean your savior?¡± Catherine leaned on the edge of the futon. ¡°How did you possibly--¡± ¡°Who do you think locked the barn?¡± Knowing is only half the battle! The chapel stood still as the snow above the mountains flew across within a soft breeze. The mood seemed calm, in spite of what was going on beyond the gates. Inside the building was the same ambience, the Exorcists carried on with their studies, training, and jobs like a normal day. The instructors were never told about the Hell Walker dilemma and believed nothing was wrong. They were kept in the dark about what was going on inside the Elder¡¯s meeting room, but the teachers were shocked about Amy and Kearney being assigned together with no other backup. The Royal Cross usually deployed squads in a minimum group of four. The lack of another pair of students was odd, but they learned to never question the motives of the Elders. One of the many rooms was decorated with paintings that were done within the building. The Second Elder sat alone in the center of the room with a canvas facing the only window inside. The clinking sound of his brush tapping on a glass of water echoed inside the room. ¡°You seemed bothered with something.¡± He said to the quiet figure standing behind him. ¡°Was I obvious?¡± The figure revealed himself to be the Fourth Elder. ¡°I heard you walk in about five minutes ago,¡± The Second Elder, ¡°Should I be worried about something?¡± ¡°You should be,¡± The Fourth Elder stood right next to the Second, ¡°Kayden can and will kill them whenever he chooses.¡± ¡°Is that what you told Amy?¡± ¡°I told her for her own safety. A man like that cannot be trusted once evil has touched them. Although, I don¡¯t know why you have such confidence for him.¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°You assume I¡¯m up to something?¡± The Second Elder never stood up even with the accusation, ¡°By all means, indulge me.¡± ¡°How long have you known about the dark energy?¡± ¡°If by known, you mean studying then about two weeks prior.¡± ¡°When were you planning on telling us?¡± The Fourth Elder clenched his fist. ¡°I was hoping to understand it within that short time frame, but I was--¡± ¡°You fool!¡± The Fourth lifted the Second Elder by his collar, ¡°What did you find?!¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± The Second Elder escaped his grasp, ¡°All my searches have been fruitless.¡± ¡°Then you better hope you know what you¡¯re doing with this plan of yours!¡± The Fourth fixed his sleeves. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± The Second sat back down on his seat and continued to paint, ¡°All you need to do is act natural and allow the Exorcists to get the answers we need.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in that head of yours, but I¡¯ll be keeping tabs of my own.¡± The Fourth made his way out of the room, but was stopped by the Second¡¯s words. ¡°Very well,¡± The Second said, ¡°Oh, and how did you know that I had already known about the evil energy?¡± This paused the Fourth¡¯s steps for a moment, but resumed his exit. The Second¡¯s brush continued stroking down a red color across the canvas. He smugly smirked as he dipped his brush inside the water with the red paint oozing out of the brush as if it was bleeding from a deep wound. The air of the chapel grew tense and vexing, and it seemed the Second Elder was the only one who noticed. ¡°I pray they find him.¡± He sighed to himself. Whats the Problem? Kearney and Kayden waited outside of the backroom as Amy and Catherine continued their talk. ¡°So you left Zare in there?¡± Amy said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Catherine scoffed, ¡°And you ruined four months of work. Luckily, Kayden was able to contain the danger he left you before it got any bigger.¡± ¡°So what happens now?¡± ¡°Now,¡± Catherine sighed, ¡°We need to make sure he doesn¡¯t find his father or else it¡¯s really going to be hell on earth.¡± ¡°What is Valac¡¯s story?¡± Amy tried not to feel offended. ¡°Valac is one of the Devil top commanders who grew tired of his policy of over-promising and under-delivering. Now he thinks that he¡¯s the one suited for the job along with his son, Zare.¡± ¡°So he¡¯s looking to conquer earth for himself?¡± ¡°Not just earth, but also hell.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s a coup?!¡± Amy couldn¡¯t relish the thought of demons actually backstabbing each other. She always understood that monsters helped monsters for survival¡ªto her, they were incapable of understanding authority or respect. This was something she was never taught or even heard about. ¡°I take it you know about the other civil wars?¡± Catherine gave Amy a look of arrogance. ¡°What other civil wars?¡± Amy didn¡¯t even know about the current ones let alone the ones in the past. Why weren¡¯t they called? How much destruction did these monsters do at those times? ¡°Sheesh,¡± Catherine sighed, ¡°What do you Exorcists even do? Luckily, Kayden has been able to prevent them, and we even had a bargaining chip until you and your boyfriend decided to let him go!¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t know about it until Kayden told us.¡± ¡°Never mind that,¡± Catherine raised her finger to shush her, ¡°Now we have two extra recruits helping us with the rising tide.¡± ¡°Recruits?¡± Amy mocked, ¡°What makes you think we even have time to join your little brigade? We need to bring Kayden to the Royal Cross for his help.¡± ¡°More like execution,¡± The occult expert rebutted, ¡°You seriously think that you precious Exorcists will let someone like Kayden live, the ¡®Hell Walker¡¯?¡± ¡°We¡¯re soldiers of God,¡± Amy argued, ¡°We won¡¯t stoop to low and sinful morals!¡± ¡°You forget that you¡¯re human,¡± Catherine stood up, ¡°And like all humans, we were made for temptations and sinning.¡± ¡°Not us.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s best to accept it before you find out the hard way.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not get advice from a reader of the dark arts.¡± Amy walked away. Catherine knew a lot more than Amy did about the culture of Hell. This rubbed the young Exorcist the wrong way especially the way she mocked the Royal Cross. Something was off about her¡ªor at least that¡¯s what she thought. ¡°Or maybe you¡¯re blind to the fact that I¡¯m right.¡± Catherine picked up one of her books and flipped through the pages. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Amy was angry at being called a sinner. Her training was revolved around the fact that she can never fall for temptation and the like. This girl never understood the concept or even experienced the struggle that Amy and many like her faced to be the person she is. Her fist clenched next to her as she bit her lip to prevent another argument. ¡°So what¡¯s the story on Kayden? How did you find him?¡± Catherine broke the silence. ¡°Nothing that involves you or your witchcraft.¡± They both derided at each other and carried on with whatever they were doing. The aura Amy felt earlier soon turned into tension-filled air. ¡°We found him ordering yakisoba.¡± Amy gritted her teeth. ¡°Of course,¡± Catherine smiled, ¡°That idiot.¡± The young tattooed woman sat back and pulled out a cigarette. She lit it with the thought of the Hell Walker rushing through her head. Their history wasn¡¯t exactly stable¡ªto put it lightly. They were young people who got caught up in a war that was far older than all of them and even their forefathers. She didn¡¯t show it, but she often worried about Kayden ever since the day she met him. The young exile was complicating her life, but she didn¡¯t worry much about it. Amy couldn¡¯t say the same about Kearney or Kayden. She never had a chance to feel any sort of emotion but antagonism toward the demons who try to consume the world. She expected the worse out of Kayden, who was to her still a traitor. This meant she trusted his associates and him as far as she can throw them. Amy knew her position¡ªit was one she took seriously. The fate of the human race stood on her shoulders, and hers alone. ¡°Look at--¡± Catherine¡¯s searched seemed to give her some results before she was interrupted by a sudden change in the environment. The ground around them began to shake violently, causing cracks to appear below them. Amy dashed toward Catherine and managed to pull her away from the falling futon. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Amy held Catherine back to prevent her from slipping down to the chasms. ¡°This place should¡¯ve been protected by my spell!¡± Catherine panted. She left out seals to prevent any being from detecting their auras. ¡°Unless they¡¯re attacking around the building.¡± Amy deduced, ¡°Direct attacks are obviously going to be repelled, but that doesn¡¯t mean the entire perimeter will be safe. We need to leave now!¡± Kayden and Kearney managed to cut through the falling debris. They looked disheveled and a bit freaked out from the situation that was going on outside. Whatever they saw outside was enough for concern, especially for Kayden. ¡°We have a problem.¡± Kayden stared blankly. ¡°A big one.¡± Kearney added. Always find time for a joke Kayden grew tired of the conversations and invited Kearney to explore the city a bit while the ladies talked like ¡°mature grownups¡±. There were details he didn¡¯t want to repeat or listen to all over again. ¡°So are you going to smother me with some Royal Cross propaganda?¡± Kayden joked as he opened the door for the Exorcist. ¡°I feel Amy is doing a better job at it than I am.¡± Kearney returned the witticism, ¡°I do want to know about Catherine.¡± ¡°An Exorcist interested in the opposite sex?¡± Kayden playfully gasped. ¡°You know what I meant.¡± ¡°She and I have a wonderful partnership going on, but in this job,¡± Kayden¡¯s mood shifted, ¡°Anything more can kill you. Do you have doubts about your partner?¡± ¡°She¡¯s actually a lot more than I hoped for,¡± Kearney sighed, ¡°But I feel I¡¯m way under-qualified to be helping her.¡± ¡°Trust me,¡± Kayden said, ¡°She¡¯s going to need you more than you think.¡± They stopped by a market where Kayden skipped toward the fountain drinks. He grabbed the biggest cup and filled it with Sir Fizzle with a hint of vanilla. ¡°What¡¯s all this stuff?¡± Kearney picked up a bag of Cheetos. ¡°That my good Exorcist,¡± Kayden popped the plastic lid, ¡°Is the fall of mankind.¡± ¡°You¡¯re joking.¡± ¡°Want to test me?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡± Kearney tossed back the bag of chips and continued following Kayden, ¡°I always thought that the Hell Walker would be on top of a building destroying souls and not buying soft drinks at a store.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty gruesome,¡± Kayden walked up to the cashier, ¡°What made you guys think that I wouldn¡¯t enjoy a cold drink?¡± Kearney wasn¡¯t as tactical and cold as his partner, but even he expected a little bit of antagonism from the man that they claimed walked through the fires of Hell and was consumed by the evils inside. Instead, he¡¯s walking with a class clown who enjoyed vanilla-hinted drinks and possibly has a picture of a cat in his pocket. This made Kearney comfortable to an extent, but not enough to put his guard down. This was a change of pace from being with someone who refused to refuge inside a furnished apartment for the sake of the mission. He understood the pressures of being the top student since he technically is one, but he knew when it consumed him and when he slacked off. ¡°Hey,¡± Kayden snapped his fingers, ¡°Are you still here?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Kearney thought extremely hard about the situation, but he didn¡¯t think he actually spaced out. That was a rookie move and thankfully he wasn¡¯t in a battlefield. ¡°I bet you¡¯re wondering how I ended up here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I heard your story from three different mouths.¡± Kearney kicked a pebble in front of him. ¡°I wonder which one¡¯s the truth.¡± Kayden scoffed. A tap caught his attention causing him to look straight ahead. A man stood in front of them holding the rock Kearney kicked. ¡°Are you the one?¡± The man asked in a deep monotone. ¡°It was this guy,¡± Kayden pointed at Kearney without a hint of consideration, ¡°He has a thing for rocks.¡± ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Kearney pushed Kayden. ¡°Obviously, you hit him with the rock,¡± Kayden jabbed his finger at Kearney¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Just say that you¡¯re sorry.¡± ¡°Are you the Hell Walker?¡± The man¡¯s voice grew more aggressive. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Kayden squinted his eyes in confusion. The man¡¯s arms developed in muscle with claws growing out from his fingertips. His teeth morphed into a sharper version along¡ªthis person was not human and he had a bone to pick with Kayden. The stranger dashed toward the pair with relentless speed and power. ¡°Shit!¡± Kearney tried to reach for his gun, but only to be swatted away from the man¡¯s brute force. He crashed into the wall next to him leaving a crater. Kearney struggled to get his breathing back. Kayden was punched straight to the face which sent him flying a few feet until he crashed into a parked car. His drink crashed back onto the floor with ice splattering all over the sidewalk. The force made his body leave enough damage to the car that it could be confused for a hit-and-run. The stranger dashed again to continue a flurry of punches toward the fallen Hell Walker. ¡°I expected a challenge!¡± The man¡¯s voice grew into a sinister growl. Two gunshots rang out with only one bullet hitting the stranger in the neck. He let out an inhuman howl, a shrieking, moaning sound. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°And I expected to finish my drink,¡± Kayden punched the stranger with enough force to launch him backwards, ¡°Now we¡¯re both disappointed!¡± Kearney continued to shoot at the disturbing beast while Kayden drew out his panda lanyard. He flicked his wrist transforming it into the sword from before. The medic managed to get more hits onto the man, but he was still standing¡ªangry with Kearney in his crosshairs. Before he was able to leave a mark on him¡ªKayden interfered with a sword attack managing to cut off his arm. This angered the creature more who let out his shrieking howl and growing more in size. The hulking beast was now quicker and exponentially stronger than before. ¡°Uh¡­let¡¯s go back.¡± Kayden holstered his blade. ¡°I totally agree--¡± Kearney didn¡¯t finish his sentence as he already made a run for it. Kayden didn¡¯t waste time arguing. His feet quickly met the ground and he sprinted away from the titan. Whenever the beast got close, he slammed onto the ground, but Kayden and Kearney jumped over the shockwaves to prevent getting tangled in a nasty death. ¡°Let¡¯s take the roofs!¡± Kearney suggested. He jumped onto a car and skillfully made it to a fire escape. Kayden followed suit, but using a shockwave to propel him to skip the climbing. ¡°Do you know any seals? Kayden breathlessly asked. ¡°No,¡± Kearney kept his sprint, ¡°We never learned them. The Royal Cross felt it brought evil to the academy.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Kayden charged his arm with a blue energy and converted it into an orb, ¡°I hope this works.¡± The pair jumped to the next roof which gave Kayden the opportunity to throw the sphere at the monster. The blue energy zoomed to the creature, leaving a massive explosion. The pair smiled in victory, and their sprint began to slowly halt. ¡°Is he dead?¡± Kearney gasped. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kayden tried to breathe, ¡°Let¡¯s just get out of here.¡± Kearney skidded down the side of the building to the street below. He took a peek at the aftermath and noticed a silhouette standing still with red eyes glowing through the smoke. ¡°Kayden he¡¯s not--¡± The warning was slow since the hulking beast managed to jump up to the building before Kayden even prepared to jump down. ¡°Are you--¡± Kayden¡¯s remark was cut short as the demon¡¯s fist slammed him down to the roof causing a cave in. ¡°Kayden!¡± Kearney loaded up another clip and began firing into the rubble. He knew it wasn¡¯t enough, but he needed to buy him time. The dust of the debris cleared with the brute standing and holding Kayden by the throat. ¡°I told you I was sorry.¡± Kayden struggled to break free of his grasp. ¡°Valac doesn¡¯t have time for your petty jokes,¡± The creature growled, ¡°He just wants you dead!¡± ¡°For what,¡± Kayden gasped, ¡°Zare?! That little shit started it!¡± The stranger slammed Kayden back onto the ground with merciless force. ¡°You will not talk ill of the new prince!¡± The monster threw down more punches with power that shook the ground. Kearney couldn¡¯t figure out how Kayden managed to survive the abuse. Does he really have the power of the Devil?Kearney thought to himself. The abilities he possesses as well as his fighting prowess can be all marks of him being consumed by the evil, but maybe he just doesn¡¯t know it yet. Before he could complete his thinking, he noticed a blue energy glowing through the rubble. The blue light exploded in an extravagant fashion successfully pushing the demon back and even clearing some of the rubble. ¡°Run!¡± A worn-out Kayden fired more barrages of blue energy. He didn¡¯t wait to see the results and followed Kearney out of the area. He formed a line with his magic and created a wall to hopefully buy them some more time. The visceral strength of the demon still managed to get through the barrier and with the young men in his sights¡ªhe was confident in finishing the job. ¡°He¡¯s like a wolverine!¡± Kayden was amazed at his pigheadedness. ¡°Yeah,¡± Kearney agreed, ¡°A one-armed wolverine!¡± The pair managed to locate the record store, but the stranger was still behind them. Now with the whereabouts of their hideout, if they didn¡¯t stop him who knows if he¡¯ll bring back-up. The demon let out another punch onto the street causing a massive shockwave sending the duo into the record store. ¡°Let¡¯s go get the girls.¡± Kearney winced in pain. Kayden simply nodded in agreement. The Maid Amy stood outside of the record store face to face against the hulking hell spawn. Catherine stayed inside helping Kearney tend to their wounds. Amy didn¡¯t shake in fear, but with drive that she was going to put him down for good. She drew her pistol and waited for his first move. As she anticipated, his eagerness would make him lunge first and she rapidly fired her pistol into him. Each bullet made their mark, but they weren¡¯t enough to take him out. The giant stomped his way to Amy and returned a hit of his own sending the young exorcist toward the record store. The hit may have been fast, but her defenses were quicker. ¡°How is this guy powerful?¡± She turned to Kayden and Kearney, who just shrugged as they bandaged themselves up. Amy quickly dusted herself off and reached into a clip with a silver cross engraved across it. The bullets were crafted with silver from a holy cross and dipped in holy water¡ªthey were a gunslinger exorcist¡¯s trump card whenever normal bullets weren¡¯t enough. Since Kearney was a medic, he didn¡¯t have access to the bullets¡ªthis didn¡¯t stop Amy from giving him a clip. ¡°Make them count.¡± Amy cocked back her pistol and made her way back to the fray. The young men bit their tongues and limped their way behind her. The handicap was looking to their favor, but the strength of the beast could prove otherwise. ¡°Do you think you can stop us?¡± The stranger growled, ¡°We are forming an unstoppable army and soon heaven or hell won¡¯t be able to fight back!¡± ¡°You really think your ¡®King¡¯ Satan will let you do something this stupid?¡± Kayden said. ¡°My king is Valac!¡± The creature dropped his fist down to the trio, who all managed to jump out of the way. ¡°I¡¯ll suppress him,¡± Kayden pulled out his twin pistols, ¡°You guys focus on hitting any vital points with those bullets.¡± Kayden jumped around the demon while he fired his guns with inhuman speed and accuracy. The clips were reloaded as fast as he emptied them, but none was enough to stop the hulking demon. Amy and Kearney used the distraction to shoot at his spine, neck, and hand. The The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.powerful shots were enough to leave wounds, but he quickly shrugged off the pain. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s enough to stop an enforcer of the almighty Valac?!" The demon¡¯s growl turned to snarling laugh. ¡°I thought you were his maid!¡± Kayden unsheathed his sword and jumped toward one of the wounds by his neck with his intent on opening the wound further. He drove his force downward with his sword deep inside the demon¡¯s spine. The snarling yell of pain echoed through the street. Something out of horror movies, but more amplified and disturbing. The sound didn¡¯t bother the trio, all it did was give them the good news that the hulking demon wasn¡¯t indestructible after all. Black blood poured out of the creature¡¯s body, limping toward Kearney who didn¡¯t hesitate to shoot his knees to prevent him from walking. The blessed bullets did enough damage to leave the brute regretting his choices. Amy pulled out two crosses from her holsters and revealed blades on their edges. She threw them with great power and accuracy, striking the behemoth in the neck. ¡°Leave him here,¡± Kayden walked up to the beast, ¡°As a message for his buddies.¡± The Hell Walker drew his sword and with lightning fast speed, he dashed toward his neck and sliced him. The attack was clean, precise, and the snarling quickly stopped. The attack didn¡¯t make the towering goliath look like he was decapitated until he finally fell. Kayden whipped the air to remove any leftover blood from his blade. ¡°What was that?¡± Amy holstered her gun. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kearney wiped his sweat, ¡°All we know is that he was under Valac¡¯s command.¡± ¡°This was your basic assassination.¡± Catherine walked out of the ruined record store. ¡°On us?¡± Kearney was shocked at the revelation. They were only in the city for a day and a half to be considered a viable threat. ¡°You¡¯re so precious,¡± Kayden sarcasm was still intact, ¡°It¡¯s on me.¡± ¡°Is it because of the whole Zare in the barn incident?¡± Catherine asked. ¡°No,¡± Kayden looked at the dead demon, ¡°This is beyond personal.¡± Family Reunion
A man watched above him the footsteps of civilians unbeknownst of the world under the city. His face showed an expression of disgust and a lack of concern for the people above him. ¡°Pitiful creatures,¡± The man said to himself, ¡°Nothing, but dogs looking to be put down.¡± A younger man appeared behind him cloaked in coat and a scarf around his neck. His face showed an expression of arrogance and his hair slicked back in a fine fashion. Although, he was dressed in the nines, he didn¡¯t seem to mind being in a sewer. ¡°Dad,¡± The young man smirked, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would be coming up here anytime soon.¡± ¡°They killed Till,¡± The man said, ¡°So now I have two failures and not a single result.¡± ¡°He¡¯s been a handful.¡± The man turned with blinding speed and grasped his son by the throat, slamming him against the wall. ¡°I think you¡¯ve been stuck in that barn far too long, Zare,¡± The man known as Valac gritted his teeth, ¡°You fail to realize that we need him dead to achieve the next step.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so important about him?¡± Zare coughed, ¡°He¡¯s just some mortal punk.¡± ¡°He has something that no one will ever be able to replicate. Beings of different castes would die for that kind of power,¡± Valac sighed, ¡°I wish it was easier to explain.¡± ¡°What do I do about his friends?¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t much of a threat,¡± Valac¡¯s tone grew deeper, ¡°But the girl may be of some use to us. I already planted that seed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll gather some assistance,¡± Zare retreated into the shadows, ¡°I won¡¯t fail again.¡± ¡°You better not or you can forget about returning.¡± Valac immolated himself until he disappeared from the sewer. He traveled into a tunnel of fire with speed faster than Mach Five. The flames quickly grew colder and colder as he reached the entrance to the desolate land below. Valac landed onto the icy ground below him¡ªhe reached Hell, his home. The air was dead with only the chill filling the atmosphere. There was no fire, no screaming, and no punishment, it was just them. They were generals and rulers of nothing, but the frost below their feet. ¡°Valac,¡± A snarl called onto him, ¡°Where have you been, brother?¡±
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.¡°Eveo,¡± He said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ve gone to visit some family.¡± ¡°Ah yes,¡± Eveo laughed, ¡°So, has my nephew survived the farming?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still alive,¡± Valac said, ¡°And he brought friends.¡± ¡°Does the lord know?¡± Eveo¡¯s laugh halted as quickly as it emerged. ¡°No, and I plan to keep it that way.¡± ¡°I hope you have this under control,¡± Eveo whispered, ¡°He¡¯s been asking questions about your disappearances and it¡¯s only a matter of time he finds out.¡± ¡°Trust me on this, brother,¡± Valac assured him, ¡°As long as Zare handles the Exorcist, we¡¯ll be in the clear.¡± The brothers walked their separate paths and tried not draw eyes to them as they made their exits. They were intent on achieving the coup successfully and it fell on Zare¡¯s shoulders. The pressure was at its highest since they needed to send aid to Zare through cautious means¡ªhoping not draw attention to their plans until Kayden¡¯s death was confirmed. Although, the latter seemed impossible, his power was unmatched to those of Hell¡¯s generals. Valac looked across the icy ground and saw the caverns of the dark lord¡¯s ¡°kingdom¡±, which looked more prison than a home. The demons would pass the time with small wagers of whether they would survive a twenty-foot fall or if their teeth could grow back. Hell was as empty as the Devil¡¯s promises and this made his most fearsome general angry. Nothing made sense to him and the moment they saw Kayden find his way into the gates of the underworld¡ªit all made sense. The Devil knew something was off about the intruder, but chose to ignore it for his own safety. He didn¡¯t want to fight mere mortals nor did he ask his forces to stoop to that level. Valac and Eveo¡¯s patience grew tiny and hotter as they watched their king become a parody of his past self. Desperation oozed out of their skulls and pores whenever they came up with a new plan to conquer the earth. The rising darkness was enough proof that he was ready to take over the throne of hell and reign chaos throughout all planes of existence. The Hell Walker may have dampened his plans, but the shadows are still consuming the world by the day like a disease without a cure. Nothing was going to stop him, not even the ruined king. Uneasy Feelings
¡°Well,¡± Catherine sighed, ¡°I could cover you for protection spells, but you can forget hearing music in the car.¡± ¡°We need to get you to the chapel before more of his friends come.¡± Amy reached into her pocket for her radio. Kayden struggled to make up his mind about going to the same place that abandoned him. He didn¡¯t need their help, but they possibly needed his. ¡°Can you handle being alone here while I¡¯m gone?¡± Kayden finally gave in. ¡°You mean clean up this mess while you play superhero.¡± Catherine¡¯s sarcasm cut through the air. ¡°Yes.¡± Kayden stared back blankly. ¡°Just leave before I finish HIS job.¡± Catherine sighed while she pointed at the dead demon. ¡°We need an extraction,¡± Amy radioed the chapel, ¡°We have the exile.¡± ¡°Roger that,¡± A voice appeared from the radio, ¡°Be there in twenty.¡± ¡°We need to go, Kayden.¡± Kearney said. Kayden still hesitated about leaving without Catherine. Even though, he was only going to be gone until they find a way to defeat the darkness coming¡ªhe didn¡¯t feel right to leave her alone especially after learning that he¡¯s a target of vengeance. He extended his hand to Catherine¡¯s, who returned the gesture. They stared at each intimately, and this made Kearney understand their history from the conversation before. ¡°Can you not get yourself killed, Yamada?¡± Catherine tried to smile. ¡°What doesn¡¯t kill you,¡± Kayden smiled back ¡°Am I right?¡± Amy continued speaking on the radio away from the others, and Kearney didn¡¯t seem comfortable about it. As her partner, he felt he needed to understand the current plans that were underway or are in the pipelines, but her guile made it seem impossible. ¡°We need to go, Kayden.¡± Kearney patted the exile on the back. Kearney never experienced love, so it was awkward for him to fully comprehend the scenario between the pair. He was taught that faith drove the mission and nothing else, but is this what Kayden chose to fight for? The man who was believed to be a cold-blooded monster seemed to surprise the Exorcist by the minute.
¡°Is this finished?¡± Amy coldly said. ¡°We need to get a move on.¡± Kayden slowly released Catherine¡¯s hand and followed the Exorcists to the car. He turned back to her with a face of uncertainty and gave a little wave. ¡°Careful.¡± Catherine said to herself as she returned the wave. The trio got inside the car with Kayden in the driver seat since he was the only capable of driving through the streets unscathed. The sun slowly descended below the horizon with the sunlight being interrupted by the skyscrapers of La Vista. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°How long until we get picked up?¡± Kearney asked. ¡°About twenty.¡± Amy looked out to the sky to search for the helicopter. The sky was vacant with only the stars keeping them company. The young woman couldn¡¯t help but shake off a feeling of uneasiness. The buildings soon blended with the shadows, and still no helicopter. ¡°Problem?¡± Kayden sensed her anxiety. ¡°No,¡± Amy looked at her feet, ¡°Just focus on the road.¡± Kayden smirked, but didn¡¯t chase the topic any further. The night was still young, but the sudden increase in darkness bothered the exile as well. ¡°Where are we supposed to meet our ride?¡± Kearney asked. ¡°The same building they left us at yesterday.¡± Amy replied. ¡°I know the place.¡± Kayden chimed in. ¡°How did you¡ªnever mind.¡± Amy already saw full proof of his abilities and chose not to doubt him. They took a turn into an alley next to their pick-up zone. The vagrants and usual hobos weren¡¯t in the area as well. This wouldn¡¯t be anything of notice to most people, but to Kayden it was something of a sour note, noticeable and bothersome. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Kearney looked at Kayden. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kayden scouted the alley, ¡°Something seems a little off.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not waste our time with trying to figure it out,¡± Amy got out of the car, trying to shake off her own worries, ¡°We need to get to the rendezvous right now.¡± The guys followed her out of the vehicle without an argument. Soon, the sound of the helicopter¡¯s propellers cutting through the sky gave the Exorcists some relief. The trio climbed the building with ease and finesse until they reached the roof where the helicopter was waiting for them. ¡°That was fast.¡± The pilot smirked.
¡°What can I say?¡± Amy climbed aboard along with Kearney and Kayden. The helicopter soon lifted itself to the sky with its flight set on going back to the chapel. ¡°I still don¡¯t feel right leaving.¡± Kayden looked below the shrinking city. ¡°You¡¯ll be doing this city a disservice if you stayed,¡± Kearney reassured him, ¡°We have bigger problems, you¡¯ll see.¡± Maybe he was right, but Kayden couldn¡¯t shake Catherine¡¯s face or the trouble he went through in one day. Although, it was far too late as he made his decision or rather, the decision had been made for him. ¡°Goddamn it.¡± Kayden uttered to himself. Welcome Home
¡°Where¡¯s the welcoming party?¡± Kayden broke the silence. ¡°The Elders are waiting for you in the meeting room.¡± The pilot answered. ¡°Let¡¯s not keep them waiting.¡± Amy climbed down from the helicopter with her gear in tow. ¡°Yeah,¡± Kayden sighed, ¡°Let¡¯s not keep them excited and on the edge of their seats.¡± The trio walked to the entrance of the chapel where the other Exorcists rushed to their rooms, leaving only the sounds of boots stomping and doors slamming. The halls were just as empty as the atmosphere. ¡°Guess they just announced a new curfew.¡± Kearney tried to get Kayden¡¯s mind out of it. ¡°Or maybe the sight of the devil scared them.¡± Kayden walked off ahead of them to locate the meeting room. His happy--go--lucky persona seemed to melt away as each step he took inside the chapel. ¡°Do we need to do this?¡± Kearney whispered to Amy. ¡°This was our mission,¡± Amy cautioned him, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re starting to feel bad for this traitor.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen him, Amy¡± Kearney disputed, ¡°He¡¯s saved us the entire time we¡¯ve been there and he only met us this morning!¡± ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know that?!¡± Amy¡¯s face changed in uncertainty, ¡°Just one day and everything I¡¯ve known doesn¡¯t make sense to me anymore.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just not comfortable with this,¡± Kearney walked off, but not before adding another remark, ¡°You feel it too, don¡¯t deny it.¡± ¡°I can hear you guys talking about me.¡± Kayden popped out of the corridor while his stare stayed on them as he slowly retreated back into the hallway. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Amy tried to play it off with her cold attitude.
¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t trust him.¡± Amy sneered at Kearney. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°One day,¡± The Third Elder exhaled her cigarette smoke, ¡°Can you believe it?!¡± ¡°It was expected with Amy,¡± The Fourth smiled with arrogance oozing out of his pores, ¡°I never had a doubt.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s save the celebration once we know Kayden will accept this task.¡± The First said with his booming voice. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± Without a second to spare, the door swung violently with a kick by Kayden, ¡°Because for sure as shit, I missed you.¡± All the Elders rose from their seat in astonishment from the impulsive entry. ¡°What is wrong with you?!¡± Amy covered her face in shame for not preventing the rude entrance. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± The First raised his hand to signal that all was fine, ¡°His anger is understandable.¡± ¡°Anger?¡± Kayden took one of the empty chairs for himself, ¡°Don¡¯t hold yourselves in such high regards. I¡¯m here because you need me, not the other way around.¡± ¡°Well,¡± The Fourth Elder smirked, ¡°I see your arrogance is still intact.¡± ¡°And I plan to keep that along with my head.¡± Kayden scoffed. ¡°Can we start the debriefing?¡± The Third Elder lit up another cigarette. ¡°Thank you,¡± The First sighed in exasperation, ¡°Now just as what we told your escorts. There is some sort of influx of pure dark energy flooding the towns across the world.¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± Kayden picked at his ear, ¡°What does this have to do with me, specifically?¡± ¡°Did you learn anything in your brief visit of hell?¡± The First asked. ¡°That place didn¡¯t worry me,¡± Kayden stood up, ¡°Nor should it worry you.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The Fourth questioned his remark.
¡°My God!¡± The Third exclaimed. ¡°Hate to say it,¡± Kayden continued, ¡°He¡¯s about as useful as sour cream on a sandwich.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± Amy whispered to Kayden. ¡°Why did you, Kearney, and I take down a behemoth on our own?¡± Kayden sighed, ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly see the ¡®Almighty¡¯ shine from above.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kearney stared blankly. ¡°Basically, we¡¯ve all been thrown into the wolves¡¯ den and the only thing that can save us, is well,¡± Kayden looked at his former mentors, ¡°Eating the wolves.¡± ¡°Are you saying that we need to follow your words?!¡± The Fourth slammed his palms onto the table. ¡°What I¡¯m saying is,¡± Kayden teleported in front of the Fourth Elder, perched on the table, ¡°I¡¯m your only hope.¡± The Elders stared in awe of the exile¡¯s abilities. ¡°And you know that.¡± Father and Son La Vista was enjoying the prime of its nightlife while the streetlights and the bar signs illuminated the streets for the people to enjoy their near-fatal consumption of alcohol. Nothing made a demon¡¯s night more enjoyable than a night of pleasurable sinning. Atop the skyline watched Zare, his coat swayed along the wind as he relished the sight of La Vista¡¯s ¡°beauty¡±. His hands were relaxed and he sighed as if he woke up from a wonderful nap. ¡°This is what Earth has to offer?¡± He exhaled happily. His hands raised in front of him and he focused on the streets below. His concentration was unbreakable as the ground below him began to shake with terrifying tremors. The air was filled with the sounds of screaming and cars crashing into each other. Zare loved every minute of it. He didn¡¯t care who the victim of the destruction was as long as there was a victim to be claimed. The young demon focused even harder onto the streets to cause chasms to litter the streets. People fell into the voids and were consumed by whatever was escaping from the darkness. ¡°The darkness will soon be here and nothing will get in my way!¡± Zare announced to the citizens of La Vista. Screeching began to echo below the streets as the chasms grew larger by the second. Nobody could prepare themselves for the danger, not even the police. Everyone was helpless and the creatures loved it that way. The air was soon filled with the agony and torture that made people go insane and beg for death. They were helpless against this unexpected feeling of evil. People were quickly attacked and ripped apart by the fierce ferocity of the foul creatures. Zare simply stood by and watched his work come alive as their screams filled his ears with a euphoric tone. This was the beginning of the end and the Exorcists were nowhere in sight to prevent it. Zare pinned his sights over the mountain where his arch-nemesis was still a sitting duck, ripe for a surprise attack. Nothing made him happier than killing the person who trapped him inside that disgusting, wrecked barn. The chapel was silent and unaware of the dangers that were seeping into the city below the mountains. The snow fell violently and fast, something of a normality except for the tension inside. The thick feeling swallowed the atmosphere whole and allowed nothing to break free of its grasp. The young Exorcists stood in the middle of the bickering Elders and Kayden, who was far from happy having to see them another time. His opinions about faith and standing for their oath has changed over the time of his exile and he knew he wasn¡¯t coming back to open arms, but with a settlement of blood. ¡°Tell me why you waited until this coup got into the mortal plane!¡± Kayden said with a hint of annoyance. ¡°We followed it at the source, but nothing seemed certain that it came from Zare.¡± The Third said calmly with a cigarette in her mouth. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°How can we be sure that it¡¯s him?¡± The First asked while he rubbed his beard. ¡°It¡¯s not just Zare that should cause you to worry,¡± Amy said to the Elders, ¡°Valac has been mentioned by name from one of his followers.¡± ¡°Valac?¡± The Second Elder¡¯s eyes widened, something unusual from his most used expression of someone calm. ¡°Zare is a power hungry bastard,¡± Kayden looked at the monitor, ¡°But Valac is just as conniving and while Lucy is comfortable on his throne, watching over the desolate land of Hell, he¡¯s not going to give a second glance to his men.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you find it strange¡± Amy asked. ¡°I find everything strange, but I¡¯m intrigued by what you have to say.¡± Kayden winked at Amy. ¡°Okay?¡± Amy looked away from Kayden and onto the screen, ¡°When we fought that beast, he mentioned that his king was Valac, not Lucifer.¡± ¡°Do you think they successfully overthrew him?¡± Kearney walked up behind the pair. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kayden said, ¡°It seems pretty ballsy to actually call someone else ¡®king¡¯ while the other one is still on his throne.¡± ¡°What do you think we should do?¡± Kearney turned to Amy, who seemed to be calculating a plan throughout the entire conversation. ¡°We need to go back out there.¡± Amy said, looking to Kayden. ¡°You will need to bring more back up,¡± The Fourth looked at Kayden as well, ¡°Keep him in check.¡± ¡°Thanks for that, ¡®Dad¡¯!¡± Kayden scoffed sarcastically. ¡°No,¡± Amy refused, ¡°Kearney is all the help I need.¡± Kayden cleared his throat. ¡°Also Kayden.¡± Amy rolled his eyes. ¡°Why do you want to go back to that place?¡± The Third Elder asked with smoke exiting her mouth with each word. ¡°Something tells me that something big is going to happen,¡± Amy looked to her Elders, ¡°But it won¡¯t happen here.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± The Fourth Elder surprising accepted the plan, ¡°We won¡¯t find any answers to defeating this damned thing with no course of action.¡± ¡°Looks like you three will have to venture past La Vista,¡± The Second Elder returned to his calm demeanor, ¡°We need to locate where these monsters are managing to pull all that energy from.¡± ¡°Looks like we¡¯re raiding the armory lady and gentleman.¡± Kayden happily pulled out his pistols. ¡°Do not make us regret this, Yamada!¡± The Fourth Elder looked at Kayden angrily. ¡°Trust me,¡± Kayden looked back, ¡°Or don¡¯t, I really can care less. It¡¯s not about all of you or me, it¡¯s about the millions of innocent people who will die if we don¡¯t stop them.¡± Amy looked at Kayden with her eyes widened. She saw the real Kayden, not the stories or rumors about him rising from the pits of hell to end the world. This was someone willing to pay whatever price was necessary for the sake of mankind, no matter how big. Was she lied to the whole time? What other truths did they bend for their benefits? ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± Kearney followed Kayden out to the armory to prepare themselves for the next step into combating the coming evil. Ambush! No? The trio returned to the city of La Vista, but what they saw was not how they left it. Buildings left in rubble with the corpses of the population littering the ruins. Demons ran around the city without a care, trying to scavenge off whatever they can sink their teeth into. The image was gruesome, but with the severity of the oncoming danger, it was expected by Kayden who looked across the horror scene with indifference. ¡°They were here.¡± Kearney¡¯s voice shook. ¡°It seemed like they were here for a while.¡± Amy couldn¡¯t look away. This was something out of her previous experiences. The amount of death scared her, and to see Kayden unfazed by it seemed unnerving. ¡°This is completely out of their character.¡± Kayden looked around trying to find some kind of evidence to why the sudden increase of violence. ¡°You¡¯re saying that demons aren¡¯t capable of this kind of damage.¡± Amy bit her lip in anger. ¡°I¡¯m saying is that they use guile and their words to get to their goals,¡± Kayden looked at the leftover horde of demons that were left scavenging off the bodies of their victims, ¡°They only plan to murder as a last resort, never as the primary tactic.¡± ¡°Seems desperate.¡± Kearney said. ¡°Exactly,¡± Kayden readied his pistols, ¡°That¡¯s where my uncertainty begins.¡± Chaos roamed the city, and each passing minute grew more gruesome than the last. The trio was caught in between searching for survivors and any member of the demon horde. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s weird?¡± Amy stopped her steps. ¡°What is?¡± Kearney looked at her with a face of ambiguity. ¡°They throw a sucker punch at us,¡± Amy pointed across the damaged city, ¡°And as fast as they came, they vanished.¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Like they expected us.¡± Kayden turned around to Amy with his eyes widened in fear. ¡°This was an ambush!¡± Amy raised her hands to her face. ¡°No,¡± Kearney pointed at the mountains that was now covered in smoke, ¡°This was a distraction.¡± ¡°Those bastards!¡± Amy dashed toward the direction of the chapel, knowing she wouldn¡¯t be able to make it by foot, but desperation took over her instincts. ¡°Amy!¡± Kearney followed her to stop her from doing anything rash. He didn¡¯t want to risk an ambush, even if Kayden was capable of helping them. Kayden teleported in front of the duo with his face sternly looking at the both of them. They couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking or why he would stop them from helping out the chapel. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± Amy shouted at Kayden. ¡°Trying to stop you from doing something stupid,¡± Kayden answered, ¡°Like getting killed!¡± ¡°We¡¯re outnumbered,¡± Kearney sat on the ground¡ªdefeated, ¡°The odds don¡¯t look good for us.¡± ¡°If we¡¯re going to fight them,¡± Kayden looked at the chapel, ¡°We need to do it smart and with our emotions in the back of our minds.¡± ¡°You expect me to just pretend everything is okay while my teammates are getting massacred!?¡± Amy couldn¡¯t believe that her only option up to that point was to just play it safe. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that,¡± Kayden looked at the ground below, ¡°What I¡¯m saying is sometimes you gotta fight like you have something to lose.¡± ¡°I agree with him,¡± Kearney nodded to Kayden, ¡°We can¡¯t just run into the Royal Cross with guns blazing. We need a plan and a really good one.¡± ¡°So what do you suggest?¡± Amy sighed. School Fight Screaming filled the halls of the Royal Cross. Students tried to fight back, but couldn¡¯t defeat the enemy force. One by one each fell by a demon¡¯s hand. The teachers managed to put up a fight to protect as much of their students as they could. ¡°We need to get them to the HQ!¡± One of the marksmen teachers yelled out as he fired his gun into the horde of raging demons. ¡°How?!¡± Another marksmen teacher reloaded her clip, ¡°We can¡¯t even see the damn hallway with all these pissants!¡± A few students risked their lives to create a clear path with their blades. The creatures made a counter-attack of their own, but the students fought back with every lesson they knew. No matter the cost and with no mercy. ¡°How did they get past the Exorcists?!¡± A female student fired into the crowd of creatures while she stepped on another demon¡¯s head with her combat boots. ¡°Well,¡± Another student cooked a grenade, ¡°They¡¯re not gonna get past us!¡± His fellow students followed suit and threw their own grenades into the demonic horde. ¡°Where are the Elders?!¡± A swordsman teacher yelled out before he was quickly dispatched by a hellish ogre. ¡°Dammit!¡± Another teacher ran to his aid. The students held the injured teacher and quickly made their way into the path they managed to create themselves. Nothing seemed to get any better. More demons seemed to spawn out of nowhere and quickly replaced the ones that were killed. ¡°What do we do now?!¡± The female marksmen teacher reloaded another clip. She stumbled on her reloading motion once she saw three creatures rush at her. They were relentless even when she dodged their attacks; they didn¡¯t stop until blood was spilled. A blade student went to her defense until she reloaded. His strikes were precise, but the hellspawn pushed through enough to drive the student back. The teacher fired rounds into the creature¡¯s skulls. ¡°Get the students out of here now!¡± The Third Elder arrived. Her presence almost froze time itself as everyone paused in their steps. The Third Elder gazed upon the destruction and stared at the demons. She slowly puffed away at her cigarette as her black hair swayed around her face. Teacher and students scrambled to escape from the onslaught and recuperate until they could come up with a new strategy. The Third Elder kept her gaze at the fiends as her staff and students ran by her. Her calm demeanor either frightened or taunted the demons, but their disgusting faces didn¡¯t allow an expression to be read. ¡°Who will be my first victim?¡± The Third Elder flicked her cigarette and stood in a martial arts stance. She stomped her right foot on the ground and the demons could feel the floor shake with her force. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.A few of the demons looked amongst each other. They didn¡¯t want to break her fists in. They were monsters, but they weren¡¯t idiots. One of the demons shoved one of its horde members toward the Third Elder, who quickly answered with a quick kick and an open palm strike which seemed to crack the bones in the creature. They gave a collective gasp as they saw their brethren hit the ground without even putting up a struggle. They stared at each other for a few moments before they all quickly lunged at her hoping to take her out with the sheer volume of their horde. ¡°An attack of desperation,¡± The Third Elder smirked, ¡°You bastards need to do better than that!¡± She was right. None of them could put up a fight, but they seemed to be invincible due to another popping up after one was dispatched. She couldn¡¯t tell who was who, but she still moved among them fiercely and with deadly precision. Her fists connected into the bodies of the creatures. They yelped in pain and tried to strike with a counter-strike of their own, but no dice. The Third Elder wasn¡¯t going to make this easy. Splat! Her blood was soon on the wall. One of the beasts managed to cut her abdomen while she was focused on another demon. ¡°Damn,¡± she cried out, ¡°How did I let my guard down?¡± She struggled to gain her footing, but it was clear she wasn¡¯t done yet. She positioned her arms in a combat stance and slowly reached into the back of pants. Another creature jumped to her, but she quickly parried the attack with her now-drawn Tanto knife, engraved with markings of the Royal Cross. She sliced through its chest and threw it hard to the ground causing the floor to crack. No injury big or small was going to prevent her from protecting her students. She quickly backed away from the growing horde. She quickly dispatched any stragglers, but she avoided confronting them head-on, especially now that they drew blood from her. Four demons charged at the Third Elder and she dispatched three of them before the fourth one got the drop on her. A kick to the head made her skid toward a wall. The group advanced toward her without a sign of mercy. Almost as instantly as they attacked, they paused in their steps. The massive count of demons flooded the halls and possibly the school. She finally admitted to herself that she was far out-numbered. ¡°Where is that Hell Walker?¡± She said to herself. ¡°Right where he needs to be.¡± A familiar voice emerged from the crowd of demons. Kearneys Problem ¡°Can you slow down?!¡± Kayden yelled through the backseat of an off-road Jeep the trio found abandoned back in the city. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the Hell Walker is afraid of a little speed.¡± Amy smirked as she applied more pressure to the accelerator. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Kayden looked at the passenger seat where a hunched over Kearney is releasing his fear all over the ground, ¡°I can¡¯t say the same for your friend here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Kearney gasped as he found his way back to his seat, ¡°I just came down with a bug.¡± The vehicle sped up through the hill toward Royal Cross, which seemed to be hours away still, but the trio kept pushing up hoping to get closer. ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll find any survivors?¡± Kearney looked over to Amy, but her eyes stayed fixed up the hills trying to avoid any rocks and trees that can make their journey more difficult. ¡°Let¡¯s hope that we actually get to the chapel in one piece first.¡± Kayden joked. The question didn¡¯t require that kind of humor, but as usual for Kayden¡ª anything was fair game. ¡°Do you have any sort of sympathetic bone in your body?¡± Amy scoffed, ¡°Or is that another Hell Walker myth?¡± ¡°Ask the Elders,¡± Kayden sunk to his seat, ¡°Apparently, they know more about me than I do.¡± ¡°I think I puked out my spleen.¡± Kearney squeezed onto his abdomen with an exhausted look smeared across his face. Amy merely looked over to Kearney and continued piloting the vehicle upward until they reached the school. She didn¡¯t want them to notice her actual mood¡ª which was a frantic mess under her stable exterior. Part of her hoped for the school to be on in one piece, but from what they experienced; it seemed to be far-fetched. ¡°Can this piece of¡ª¡± Kayden paused his words and looked out of the window. The noise left as quick as it appeared and that was enough to prepare him for what was to come. The Hell Walker drew out his pistols slowly from his holsters. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Kearney turned to Kayden, who shushed him by tapping his pistol barrel to the Exorcist¡¯s lips. Kayden rolled down his window and aimed into the trees. He stared out to the wilderness for a few minutes without making a sound and kept his focus out to whatever was bothering him. ¡°Amy,¡± Kayden whispered with his gun still drawn outside, ¡°I need you to speed this up, now!¡± ¡°What do you think¡ª¡± Amy¡¯s words were cut off by a gunshot from Kayden¡¯s pistol. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. A loud growl echoed through the trees. He hit something and it wasn¡¯t an animal. Soon, demons emerged from the hiding places to give chase. Their speed almost matched the moving Jeep, but their challenge was not getting killed by the Hell Walker and his blazing pistols. Kearney tried to combat his motion sickness to help him with some cover fire of his own. ¡°You flew in a chopper,¡± Kayden yelled over the gunshots, ¡°How can you not handle a simple car ride?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s so simple about this car ride?!¡± Kearney yelled back. A demon managed to reach to the driver side window. Although, it was short-lived due to Amy snapping its neck. ¡°Good point.¡± Kayden looked at Kearney. Kayden climbed out of the back window onto the roof of the car and drew out his sword. ¡°You better hang on Kayden!¡± Amy yelled from the driver seat. ¡°Then how am I supposed to kill these...things?¡± Kayden readied himself. One demon launched toward the car. Before the creature could let out a shriek, Kayden¡¯s blade sliced through it like a knife through water. A smirk emerged from Kayden¡¯s lips. He was just getting warmed up. He followed the momentum of the car with each strike and jump to maintain his footing. The rhythm of jumps helped him time his attacks against the demons. ¡°Keep it steady!¡± Kearney leaned out of the car and got himself on the hood of the car and began firing his gun at the oncoming hellions. His aiming wasn¡¯t as precise as Kayden¡¯s, so he had to put them down with two or three shots. Even then, that was before they hit a ditch up the hill. One bump made Kearney misfire and almost hit Kayden¡¯s ear, who stared at him with an intent of harm. ¡°Do that again.¡± Kayden mouthed to Kearney while he pointed at him with his sword. Kayden was tackled unexpectedly by a cunning demon. Although surprising, Kayden quickly regained his footing on the roof of the Jeep and snapped its spine. The Hell Walker¡¯s eyes shifted by to Kearney. Kearney simply nodded a no. ¡°I can see the wall!¡± Amy shouted through the driver side of the car. ¡°Great!¡± Kayden reached into the driver side window and grabbed Amy. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Amy slapped his hands away. ¡°Making an entrance!¡± Kayden smiled as he reached for her again. A few of the surviving demons kept their distance from the Jeep, hoping to plan a new form of attack. Uh-Oh! A Twist?! The Third Elder struggled to gain her footing. Her breathing was heavy and her arm dangled helplessly by her side. She met her match in this adversary. The merciless tormentor was none other than the Second Elder. His hand-to-hand skills were just as fierce as the third¡¯s, but with his surprising knowledge of the dark arts; they were amplified to a much deadlier degree. ¡°Where are the others?¡± The Third Elder winced. ¡°You should worry about yourself,¡± The Second Elder smirked, ¡°You might not even survive long enough to help your peers.¡± ¡°Why are you doing this?!¡± The Third Elder backed away with her working arm up in a defensive stance, ¡°Were you promised something?¡± ¡°You Elders sure are stupid,¡± The Second Elder calmly advanced toward his now-former peer, ¡°I¡¯ve been planning this since the get-go. You¡¯d think I¡¯d allow someone like the ¡®Hell Walker¡¯ and his merrymen interfere with our plans.¡± The Second Elder began to summon the darkest energy he can conjure to begin his final attack against the weakened Elder. Black smoke began to consume him with each passing second. ¡°Here I thought we should¡¯ve been wary about Kayden,¡± She picked around her person for another cigarette to face her final moments against the traitor, ¡°And yet, you were Valac¡¯s slave all along.¡± ¡°More like brother.¡± The Second Elder used the black smoke to transform himself into his actual form of Eveo, the co-conspirator of Valac¡¯s scheme. ¡°You snake!¡± The Third Elder lunged at the devil with the speed of the wind. Eveo disappeared in the smoke and reappeared behind her. Her speed was no use against Eveo¡¯s, who probably saw her movements before she even thought of them. His abilities in dark magic proved to be a bigger obstacle than she anticipated. ¡°Insults will not make your death come any faster.¡± The devil lifted the Elder with nothing, but the air around them. The air squeezed tighter around the Elder¡¯s neck with her gasps for air getting faster and increasing in desperation. Eveo¡¯s merciless torture was brutal and pointless. He asked no questions¡ªjust joy from getting a chance to kill an Elder. One of his sole enemies against his goal of conquering the world. The Third Elder stared over him with a calmness. The thought of her own death was inevitable and she accepted it, except for the fact that her much needed acceptance appeared behind Eveo in the form of the Fourth Elder, who managed to clear the hall with a combat shotgun, cocking it back with each pull of the trigger. He was quick on his feet, which he used to reach Eveo¡¯s personal space with the barrel of his gun aiming at the demon¡¯s skull. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Are you brave or stupid?¡± Eveo smirked at the Fourth Elder, he didn''t care about the weapon that was aimed at him. He was arrogant and the way he brutalized the Third Elder showed that he was just as deadly against the well-trained Elders. A large boom echoed through the halls from the Fourth Elder¡¯s shotgun. Eveo managed to safely slide away from the buckshot, thanks to his higher level of speed. The shotgun blast made a hole into one of the walls of the highway. ¡°Ah yes,¡± Eveo teleported behind the Fourth Elder before he let out a second blast, ¡°You were always a shoot first kind of person.¡± ¡°Damn!¡± The Fourth Elder quickly turned to face Eveo, but was interrupted by the demon¡¯s powerful grip on his throat. ¡°You¡¯ve always been a pain in my ass,¡± Eveo lifted him up with incredible ease, ¡°You spent the whole time investigating me. Yet, you¡¯re still going to die before you even witness our plan coming to full fruition.¡± An unexpected kick greeted Eveo¡¯s cheek. The power of the attack made him release his tight grip and slam against the wall¡ªcreating a bigger hole than the shotgun¡¯s blast. The Third Elder stood above him. She looked ragged and breathed heavily. Exhaustion was the expression she wore like an outfit, but she wasn¡¯t going to stand and watch a traitor believe his plan was going to succeed. ¡°You still have some fight in you?¡± Eveo leaned back out of the wall with his infamous arrogant smirk. ¡°How do you feel about your odds?¡± The Fourth cocked back his shotgun with the Third standing next to him. ¡°Funny,¡± Eveo sighed, ¡°I was going to ask you the same thing.¡± A gust of wind zipped through the hallway toward the Fourth Elder and ripped up his shotgun. The wind calmed and another figure who almost looked similar to Eveo dropped the shotgun pieces to the ground. ¡°Hello,¡± Valac spoke in his sinister tone, ¡°Looks like I missed the party. How about the after-party?¡± ¡°You must have a death wish.¡± The Fourth Elder stood in a combat stance with his fists clenched tightly. ¡°Trust me,¡± Valac raised his hand to prepare himself, ¡°Death is the least of your problems.¡± Homecoming The trio successfully jumped the walls of the Royal Cross. The scene was similar to the destruction in the city. Walls destroyed with the bodies of students, teachers, and demons laid across the field. The oncoming darkness would soon come and by the looks of it; the Royal Cross will tragically lose. ¡°This doesn''t look good.¡± Kayden cautiously looked around. His sword still drawn. ¡°We need to find the elders!¡± Amy made her way toward the chapel with the look of desperation smeared on her face. ¡°What if they¡¯re not¡­¡± Kearney tried to pause himself, ¡°Alive?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± Amy attempted to swallow her despair. ¡°Both of you calm down.¡± Kayden walked behind the Exorcists. His warm breath revealed itself in the cold whenever he opened his mouth. He grew to dislike the Royal Cross over time, but he never wished for this. Nothing like this ever. He¡¯s been through hell and seen more than what the Elders claimed to have seen. The pits of agony and evil, but he never wished those ugly things on the Royal Cross, even after they betrayed him. He was just as angry as them. The students couldn''t hold their own. How could they? The sheer numbers of those monsters was an unfair ratio of ten to one. The trio got into the chapel and the scene was just as horrible. Nobody made a move. They scanned the halls to make sure they were clear of stragglers that may be faking among the bodies. ¡°We need to get out of any open spaces,¡± Kayden warned, ¡°We don''t need another ambush.¡± Kearney stared in shock. He had trouble processing the images he had seen. His mouth stayed shut and he couldn¡¯t get his words to exit his lips. His hands tightened into a fist, a shaking fist. He followed the exile into the chapel. His anger exposed on his sleeve. ¡°You might want to keep that locked up somewhere.¡± Kayden quietly said to Kearney. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kearney tried to change his tone into a calmer one. ¡°The way you¡¯re walking says ¡®walking target¡¯ on you,¡± Kayden replied, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the greatest fighters make mistakes because they couldn¡¯t keep their emotions in check.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not like them!¡± Kearney argued. ¡°Yeah,¡± Kayden stopped Kearney in his tracks, ¡°That¡¯s what they always say.¡± They walked through the hallway, hoping to discover some of their allies still alive, or at least surviving. One by one, each door in the hallway was checked, and they managed to locate a few students and teachers who managed to live through the battle¡ªbarely. They weren¡¯t strong enough to carry on the fight and the trio didn¡¯t feel right forcing them to do it either, especially after what they went through. ¡°They outnumbered them,¡± Amy frustratedly held her head, ¡°No amount of training could¡¯ve prepared them for an ambush!¡± ¡°They¡¯re not exactly an honor bound bunch.¡± Kayden sighed. He kept his anger hidden and continued to formulate some kind of plan inside his mind. He always had to fight them ten to one, but due to his powers this helped them gain an edge over the army of hell. The exile couldn¡¯t say the same for them. Some of them were too young to begin combat training and some probably hadn¡¯t even fired a gun yet. They grabbed the students at the weakest and exploited it until it almost became a massacre. ¡°They think they can win,¡± Kearney gritted his teeth, ¡°But we¡¯ll show them!¡± ¡°Show us what, kid?¡± An arrogant voice appeared through the air. Before Kearney had a chance to turn around, a strong kick greeted his ribs causing him to skid through the halls. ¡°Zare!¡± Amy drew her gun and began firing at him. His speed was far more superior against the bullets and quickly dodged the ongoing gunfire. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you figured the distraction before we got to finish our redecorating.¡± Zare grabbed ahold of Amy¡¯s neck and slammed her to the heavily tiles floor. The unrelenting force cracked the floor with Amy. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. His hand slowly squeezed onto her neck, cutting off her oxygen intake. Zare simply smiled and pulled Amy off the ground and threw her toward the fallen Kearney, who was still nursing his possibly cracked ribs. ¡°Now where''s Kay-¡± Zare¡¯s sentence was cut-off by a kick to the head. His speed didn¡¯t give him enough time to react to Kayden¡¯s surprise attack. Their old battles proved it and their endings always revealed the same winner¡­ The Hell Walker. Zare barely minimize the impact by shielding his face with his hands before he landed on the floor. The tiled floor cracked with the impact. ¡°I¡¯m right here you stupid son--¡± Kayden couldn''t finish his insult with Zare giving an attack of his own. ¡°I hate your mouth!¡± Zare kicked Kayden¡¯s abdomen with a heavy helping of frustration. Kayden managed to defend himself after the first couple of kicks. Zare had terrible powers, but he wanted to kill his nemesis with his bare hands. He couldn''t think of anything else to do to him. Kayden knew that would be his advantage and Zare wouldn''t know what hit him. ¡°I can say the same to you!¡± Amy lunged at Zare with her knee meeting his cheek. The demon skidded through the hallway¡¯s floor. Zare scoffed with his hand rubbing his cheek. Not a marking showed on his face. He probably just didn¡¯t expect it. Either way, it wasn¡¯t enough to take him out of the fight. The young demon sped toward the Exorcist, but was interfered by her partner. Kearney tossed a flash bang that blinded Zare and accidently captured Amy, but that allowed Kearney to push Amy out of the way of Zare¡¯s onslaught while Kayden charged with his sword. The blinded demon couldn¡¯t defend himself in time. Blood scrawled across the walls. The demon¡¯s blood caused the walls to smoke as if acid was poured onto the brick walls. Zare winced in pain as he tried to pull the blade away from abdomen. Kayden applied more force causing Zare to get pinned against the wall. The exile didn¡¯t want his enemy to try to teleport away from his fatal blow, so he pierced the tip of his blade through the wall. ¡°Damn you!¡± Zare yelled out, he continued to try to pull the blade away from him. His hands slid across the sharp blade, but he still failed to escape from Kayden¡¯s sword. Amy rushed to the demon and placed a silver cross on his forehead. ¡°Incendemus animam ad inferos portans et derelinquam vos Deus!¡± Amy shouted an incantation to allow the cross to seal Zare to prevent him from escaping before burning him. ¡°You really think you pissants can prevent us from taking your world!?¡± Zare struggled to say his words. ¡°It¡¯s a start.¡± Kayden withdrew his sword and allowed Zare to burn into a lifeless pile of ash. The smoking body knelt down to the floor before his skull collapsed from the gravity¡¯s pressure. ¡°Where¡¯s the Elders?¡± Kearney looked around the area. A loud crash echoed through the halls. The debris cleared which revealed the First Elder on the floor bleeding from the side of his head. ¡°Found him.¡± Kayden remarked without missing a beat. ¡°Well, well, we--¡± Valac paused in his steps, ¡°Is that my...no!¡± Valac stared at the smoking corpse of his son. His teeth gritted, fist shaking, and his eyes turning into a blood red. All meant one thing. Anger. Something Kayden knew all too well. ¡°Go find the other Elders!¡± Kayden walked toward the older demon. This was the first time he faced one on one against Zare¡¯s father. He was something of a brutal demon--claimed to be far worse than the dark lord himself. The exile wasn¡¯t all too familiar with his fighting style and he wasn¡¯t planning on coming out of it alive, but he hoped for the best. That was all he could do. Hope. Couldve used a pun...at least The duo rushed to locate the other missing Elders. They heard the blows landing back and forth. One louder than the last as each step advanced the halls. ¡°It sounds bad.¡± Kearney looked over to Amy. ¡°I really hope the Elders have it under control.¡± Amy said. The pair could see a figure swaying from side to side dodging a red beam of hellfire. As the they got closer, the shadowed figures revealed to be Eveo combating the Third and Fourth Elder. He was holding his own against the Elders and it didn¡¯t look pretty. He easily dodged and countered their attacks with his demonic speed while taunting him with small laughs. ¡°How do we do this?¡± Amy whispered to Kearney. They never faced a lead demon in their short careers of being Exorcists. Their powers could be infinitely powerful for all they know, but at this rate, Kearney and Amy can¡¯t let that interfere with their mission of rescuing the Elders. ¡°I aim high,¡± Amy readied herself, ¡°You aim low.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Kearney followed suit. They charged at Eveo with their animosity turned up to the max. Their speeds were advanced, but not as fast as Eveo, who anticipated their moves. He held them in their steps with his telekinesis and began his own flurry of attacks on their frozen bodies. Their lack of movements prevented them from defending themselves from his assault. No matter how hard the impact was, their bodies stayed in place to continue receiving his attacks. ¡°You kids,¡± Eveo scoffed, ¡°You always thought you were ahead of the curve, but just as I thought. The both of you can¡¯t cut it. I thought you children would be able to put up some kind of a fight.¡± ¡°Ignore him!¡± The Fourth Elder winced. His hand clutched onto his wounded arm tightly. He struggled to stand up and aid his students. All he could do was watch as they were mercilessly beaten. ¡°Where¡¯s the Second Elder?!¡± Amy struggled to say. ¡°That''s him!¡± The Third Elder shouted. Her eyes opened wide as the last hit sent her flying across the hall. ¡°I wasn''t worried about you monkeys figuring that out.¡± Eveo transformed back into the Second Elder persona and taunted the Exorcists. They were being visited by a mole and they never knew. ¡°I was wrong,¡± The Fourth Elder sighed, ¡°Kayden wasn¡¯t the one we should''ve kept tabs on. It was that squirrelly bastard!¡± ¡°Language.¡± Eveo shifted back.The demon followed his words with a kick to the hot-headed Elder¡¯s chest. The recovered Kearney dived toward the Fourth Elder to soften the landing.The demon was ready to end their existences in one powerful swoop. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°We can¡¯t take him on like this!¡± Kearney winced with his body struggling to stand back up, ¡°We¡¯re going to need Kayden!¡± ~ ~ ~ A loud slam echoed through the halls. Kayden struggled to stand up from the assault. The demon struck him down with a flurry of kicks. All making contact toward the young exile; he struggled to defend himself, but the pain was too much for him. He winced whenever he raised his arms and yelled whenever he got struck. This was not familiar to him. Someone who was feared to be immortal and all-powerful finally met his match, or superior. Icarus flew too close to the sun. ¡°How did my son lose to you?!¡± Valac stood over the fallen Kayden. ¡°I¡¯m starting to ask myself the same thing.¡± Kayden winced from the damage. He couldn¡¯t feel his abdomen, which was starting to bruise heavily. He slowly reached toward his keychain and held to it tightly. Valac held up the defenseless former exorcist. His eyes still red from anger over his now-deceased son. He clenched Kayden¡¯s throat ready to end his life in a swift second. The young man struggled to say something. He mumbled enough to drive Valac¡¯s interest. Thus, the demon drew his victim closer to his chest. Kayden kept his distance by putting his hand on the demon¡¯s abdomen. ¡°I see,¡± Valac grinned, ¡°What are your last words?¡± ¡°What¡¯s black, white, and covered in blood?¡± Kayden struggled to ask with Valac¡¯s hand tightened around his throat. ¡°What are you babbling--¡± ¡°A panda in your chest cavity!¡± Kayden summoned his sword from the his panda keychain. The sword drove through the demon¡¯s chest in a brutal fashion. Valac dropped the weakened young man back on his feet. ¡°Damn you!¡± Valac screamed in agony, ¡°Damn you!¡± Kayden raised his hand and created a blue flame around his forearm. He extended his palm and projected the energy toward his foe, setting him aflame. Valac¡¯s scream grew inhumane, disturbing, and bestial. Kayden merely limped past him to pick up the wounded First Elder. He painted the walls with his blood while Valac continued to incinerate behind him, roaring away his last breath. ¡°Damn,¡± Kayden said to himself while he held up the First Elder, ¡°That was a bad joke.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± The First Elder weakly said. The Final Battle! The group huddled away trying to recoup and gather some second wind before they tried another assault against the demon. Eveo smiled arrogantly and attempted to push forward with his onslaught. The powerful demon began to breathe deeply as a dark stream of energy as dark as shadows began to surround him. ¡°Today this ends,¡± The demon snarled, ¡°The beginning of the Exorcists¡¯ demise!¡± The halls began to shake violently, worse than before. The Exorcists and Elders were caught between falling pillars and the deadly attacks of the demon. They uttered prayers to themselves hoping it will keep them safe enough to fight back. At least with some kind of last, desperate attempt. Desperation. Something the Elders never taught, but knew all too well. The last strike that is their final will and testament. A way to leave the world still fighting and refusing to give up. Amy and Kearney had their desperation before when they were in the farm. They were ready to blow themselves up with grenades in order to bring down the demons and prevent them from getting the last blow. Until the Hell-Walker appeared. He rescued them with pistols, a sword, and a yeti. He would be laughing at the face of Eveo, but they weren¡¯t sure if he survived the battle against Valac. He seemed far too powerful and out of the levels of the Elders themselves. ¡°So who¡¯ll it be?!¡± Eveo shouted arrogantly, ¡°Who will taste my wrath first?!¡± As soon as he finished his sentence, a soft plush toy smacked the demon across his face. He stared at the doll with confusion. He picked it up with his sharp fingernails puncturing the inside of the plush. ¡°What the hell?¡± Amy whispered to Kearney. Kearney couldn¡¯t find words to describe what they were looking at. He just shrugged. The plush began to glow in a blue fiery energy and exploded with a powerful blast that sent Eveo skidding across the hall. Out of the blue flames and smoke emerged Kayden, sword in hand, and a whole lot of tricks left in his sleeve. Desperation wasn¡¯t in his vocabulary. ¡°Neither is losing!¡± Kayden shouted. The Exile lunged across the hall and toward his newest opponent, Eveo. ¡°How did you survive against Valac?!¡± Eveo blocked Kayden¡¯s strike. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Amy and Kearney quickly used the distraction to escort the Elders out of the way before any more harm was caused to them. ¡°We need to get out of here! Now!¡± Amy directed at her mentors. Kearney was well-prepared with his first-aid skills. ¡°No way,¡± The Fourth Elder winced, ¡°We need to help him!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t help him if you¡¯re dead!¡± Kearney found his voice within the frustration, ¡°Get your asses out of here! Now!¡± They rushed out to the nearest exit they could find within the raining rubble of their academy. Amy looked back at Kayden and her eyes slowly teared, she hoped she wasn¡¯t going to regret her decision of escorting the Elders. ~ ~ ~ The two combatants slammed each other into the walls and laid strikes against each other, one attack after another. They were at a stalemate. Eveo almost limitless supply of stamina while Kayden struggled to find his second wind. It was obvious who had the upper hand, but Kayden managed to convince him that he didn¡¯t. Eveo hesitated to make his move which allowed the Exile to quickly lay him with a roundhouse kick to the skull. The blow landed heavily and sounded like a buckshot leaving the barrel of a shotgun. Eveo absorbed the attack, all thanks to his supernatural endurance. His neck snapped back into position like if nothing happened. He responded with a powerful cross punch that landed right on Kayden¡¯s chest. The young warrior wasn¡¯t quick enough to block it and took the whole strike. The halls shook with the powerful force and Kayden laid on the ground clutching onto his chest. His breathing was hard and long. Oxygen was coming in scarce. The attack was powerful, almost God-like. Yet, he was breathing. Still breathing. ¡°That was nothing.¡± Eveo knelt next to him. ¡°Wasn¡¯t asking for anything less.¡± Kayden smiled. Bang! Blood splattered over the floor. Eveo clutched his neck as if he was trying to kill an annoying mosquito. The demon slowly stood up and turned to the direction of the bullet. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.Amy quickly jumped in with a knee to his skull. The blow landed hard, but wasn¡¯t enough to stagger him. ¡°Missed us?¡± Kearney quickly grabbed ahold of Kayden and aided him back up. ¡°Barely.¡± Kayden sucked in as much air as he could, but the pain kept squeezing tight. Kearney escorted him to a wall to regain some energy and as quickly as he showed up, he left to join Amy in the fight. ¡°You¡¯re really starting to slow down.¡± Amy taunted the angry demon. The Exorcist raised up her guard and welcomed a predicted attack. She countered it with a quick two gunshots to his abdomen and a kick to the chest. Kearney complimented the barrage with a tanto knife combo which quickly laid enough strikes to get him weakened for another knee to the skull. Blood drew from his mouth, he answered back with a spit to the ground. More of his blood stained on the halls of the ruined academy. Eveo snarled and ferociously charged at Kearney with an animalistic rage. Kearney was ill-prepared for the onslaught, but Kayden interfered with a fiery fist making contact with the demon¡¯s face. The Exile drew his blade and charged against Eveo ready for a final all-out strike. ¡°Go high¡±, He looked at his partners, ¡°Go low!¡± The duo nodded in shared agreement and ran to Eveo. Kearney slid below and managed to knock a foot away from the ground to make him lose balance, which allowed Amy to dive across her opponent¡¯s upper torso to deliver a single gunshot to his skull. The flash of the muzzle followed by the sharp pain of the bullet caused instant confusion. He tried to turn away to avoid another attempt, but another pain appeared. A cold feeling quickly engulfed Eveo. He was looking at Kayden in the eye as he drew the blade closer into him. He saw his blood leak out of his wound and with every bit of his energy his clawed hands squeezed onto the blade to pull it out. Inch by grueling inch, the sword struggled back and forth. Eveo was pinned and he knew it. Kayden summoned every molecule of energy that he could pull to keep the demon at bay. Nothing was going to stop him from finishing the job. He forced Eveo into a wall and used the sword as an anchor to trap him. ¡°You sonofa--¡± Eveo winced. ¡°Shut up!¡± Kayden screamed back in frustration. He was tired of his arrogance, tired of his plague of darkness, and tired of fighting. Blue energy sparked around him and that itself looked exhausted. It sputtered and crackled around Kayden trying to find sweet spot to fire up again. ¡°Take the lead, Amy!¡± Kayden yelled out. Amy and Kearney prepared a seal to finally defeat Eveo and prevent the world from falling into darkness. The pair knelt down in front of the demon and whispered a prayer, a powerful use of the Lord¡¯s word. They made the sign of the cross in a synchronized fashion to finalize the incantation. This was a basic technique taught to all Exorcists as it was something that made sure their job was done. Kayden even knew it, but he upgraded the technique that allowed him to bypass prayers that he didn¡¯t believe in. He stood firmly on the ground with the sword pierced through the chest of Eveo and the wall. Kayden¡¯s arm were scratched from Eveo¡¯s desperation for an escape, but it failed. The Hell-Walker¡¯s blue energy began to manifest in its full glory along with the gravitational push from Amy and Kearney¡¯s seal. The demon slowly began to burn away. Pieces of his skin disintegrated from the combined forces of the young warriors. The seal was working and thanks to Kayden¡¯s hell-gained abilities Eveo didn¡¯t stand a chance. His scream of pain began to echo through the damaged halls of the academy. As the noise faded into the seal, so did the darkness that was surrounding the Earth. The sunlight began to shine through the shadows, signaling the failure of Eveo and Valac¡¯s plan. Kayden kept his stance even when Eveo¡¯s bones were reduced to ashes. His anger wasn¡¯t subsiding. ¡°We did it, Kayden,¡± Amy put her hand on his shoulder, ¡°YOU did it.¡± ¡°We did,¡± Kayden exhaled heavily, ¡°didn¡¯t we?¡± End The sun shined over the horizon ignoring the near catastrophe that could¡¯ve happened. Kayden walked through the snow-covered stone floors, drawing his breath slowly, and exhaling in the comfort he¡¯s been trying to locate for so long. He didn¡¯t feel at home. He wasn¡¯t going to be looked at as one of them. But he was okay with that. He accepted it. A necessary evil to combat the unnecessary wickedness that may decide to return. Amy and Kearney looked at him with an gaze of acceptance. They learned that sometimes what they learn is not what they will experience. They were told this person was the devil in the flesh, the heart of megiddo, or some tool from hell. Yet, they witnessed a person who was more than willing to sacrifice himself to save the same people who turned their backs on him. They knew that something unexplainable followed the ¡°Hell Walker¡±, something divine. Even if Kayden doesn¡¯t want to admit it, but there is someone above who doesn¡¯t want to see him go yet. ¡°So what now!?¡± Amy yelled over to Kayden. ¡°I don''t know.¡± Kayden sighed. All he could do was sit on the floor and try to absorb as much peace as he can take before he was casted away to another city, one that didn''t get ambushed by Zare and his kin. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°I guess this is where we part.¡± Kearney stood next to Kayden. ¡°I guess so,¡± Kayden smirked, ¡°You got a good partner, don''t take it lightly.¡± ¡°I don''t plan on it.¡± Kearney smiled. ¡°He¡¯s more powerful than I imagined,¡± The First Elder coldly said, ¡°A bit reckless, but powerful nonetheless. ¡± ¡°I agree.¡± The Fourth Elder added. His attitude toward the Hell Walker changed after the battle. He never expected a person like Kayden would be capable of self-sacrifice and assistance. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to keep an eye on him here,¡± The First Elder walked away with his arms behind his back, ¡°But today we must rebuild and start anew!¡± ¡°And we shall release him back into the wild,¡± The Third Elder flicked her cigarette, ¡°The lion cub is now the king of his own pride.¡± Kayden walked toward the exit of the Royal Cross and looked over to the Elders and his partners. He simply let out a smirk and walked away until the icy mist covered his distant figure. ¡°That¡¯s such an awesome exit.¡± Kearney remarked. The Hell Walker vanished as quickly as he arrived. ¡°I know.¡± Amy smirked.