—Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
No sooner had the prayer ended than a shrill, metallic screech tore through the ears of those present, as though thousands of blades were slicing the air at once. From the girl's possessed body emerged a repulsive shadow: an overwhelming demon whose form was that of a monstrous circle with a single central eye, surrounded by dark wings and limbs marked by tense, throbbing muscles that seemed to burn from within.
The stench of burning sulfur flooded the room as the creature lunged at the exorcist. His rugged face, scar close to his lips, and command robe that looked more like a battle uniform, hardened with focus. He spun on the creaking wood like a whirling top, raising a cloud of dust, then grabbed the demon by the arm and hurled it against the wall with a crash that shook the house.
The demon rose amid sparks of plaster, and, seizing the moment, shot through one of the windows, shattering the glass with a screech like rending steel. The priest immediately followed, adrenaline hammering at his temples.
Inside, the family seemed frozen in time. Their faces, twisted into masks of terror, looked like wax statues. The girl, now freed from possession, collapsed unconscious, her sweat-drenched body still trembling. A cold wind swept through the room, extinguishing the candles one by one, leaving behind a tomb-like silence.
Meanwhile, the priest pursued the demon as it leapt across rooftops, claws gouging deep marks into every surface. The cold night air bit at his skin. Then, with a sound like snapping bones, the creature split into two.
—Shit! —the priest cursed between ragged breaths—. Now what? Damn it!
He froze for an instant, his heart pounding like a war drum in his chest. Both demons shot off in opposite directions, one to the right and one to the left, their cavernous laughter reverberating through the darkness.
—Damn it all! —he roared.
He leapt after the one on the right, only to realize at once it wasn't the original. His steps faltered. With a swift motion, he pulled out a Bible that glowed with spectral light before transforming into a green-edged sword. With a single, precise slash, he cut the copy in two, the strike ringing metallic in the night.
He turned immediately, panting, to chase the other. But when he reached the edge of the roof, a knot of dread tightened in his stomach: the real one was gone.
—Damn it, shit! —he muttered through clenched teeth, fury mingled with helplessness—. Now I won't even get my damn check.
He dropped down from the rooftop, but the instant his feet hit the ground, a crushing force slammed into him like an invisible wave, knocking the air from his lungs.
—What the hell…? —he whispered, before racing back toward the house, a gut-wrenching premonition tearing at him.
When he opened the door, the air reeked of fresh blood and rusted iron. The sight froze him: the demon was no longer alone. Beside it stood a draconic beast, fangs like spears and eyes burning with fire, chewing slowly on the mangled remains of the family. The wet crunch of bones between teeth filled the room.
The priest swallowed hard. The demon had transformed, its grotesque silhouette radiating a twisted, unnatural energy.
—Impossible! —he shouted, voice trembling.
The demon hurled itself at him with a roar that rattled the broken glass. The priest raised his hand, clutching a wooden scapular worn with faith and sweat.
—Exorcism technique: Sacred Fire! —he bellowed.
Fuchsia flames burst from his hand, crackling with the scent of burning incense, but when they struck the demon they scattered harmlessly. The reptilian beast lunged with an ear-splitting roar. The priest leapt back twice, the ground shuddering beneath the monster's claws.
—This is beyond my rank —he growled, face hardened, as he retreated.
The night air was thick with fear. His heart hammered, cold sweat slid down his spine as he fled at full speed, the two abominations pursuing him with relentless fury, their steps pounding like warhammers on stone.
—Why the hell would a demon and a dragon fight side by side? —he thought, his lungs burning with every breath.
The alley ended in a dead end. The grotesque demon blocked him, and with a brutal punch hurled him against the far wall. His breath left him in a sharp burst. The dragon charged, its claws ripping his garments like blades, hot blood spilling from his arm.
He tried to rise, but shadows closed in, twisting into the forms of illusory demons. Each breath tasted of iron and despair. His trembling hand reached for his pocket, but another strike from the dragon sent him rolling toward the edge of a cliff.
The demon's roars echoed grotesquely, the dragon's steps shaking the ground like war drums as it advanced. The priest tried to stand, but his legs refused him. With a roar that split the night, the dragon leapt at him…
A sharp whistle split the air, like steel cutting wind. An instant later, the dragon's head rolled across the ground, leaving a blazing trail of blood.
From the sky, she fell like a thunderbolt: a girl of unsettling beauty, with black hair and crimson eyes like a lake of boiling blood. Her presence weighed down the world. The priest gasped, unbelieving.
The demon lunged at her, but was crushed by a steel disk that appeared from nowhere.
—Exorcism technique: Release! —rang a second female voice.
Another dazzling girl appeared—black hair, expression like ice, her irises completely white. From her body erupted blue flames that engulfed the demon in a scorching whirlwind, reducing it slowly to nothing but drifting ash.
—Priest… what is your name? —asked the girl with red eyes.
Her aura was crushing, heavy as a mountain, yet her slouched shoulders carried an unnerving carelessness.
—Dofres… Priest Alberth Dofres —he answered, voice trembling under her piercing gaze.
—Priest Dofres, for what reason did a demon attack you alongside a dragon? —her voice was faint, cold, sharp as ice.
—I don't know… I was wondering the same thing —he said, forcing himself to stand. Then his eyes widened—. Wait… I know who you are! You're Deborah…
The red-eyed girl remained silent, watching him without blinking.
—And you're Astrid Blancken… the Blancken sisters.
The silence grew heavy as lead.
—This is strange indeed, Deborah —said Astrid, her voice as cutting as a frozen gale—. Two abominations that despise each other… working together.
—Tell me about it. Let's go, Astrid. I don't want to see EXOR's dogs… I despise them —Deborah replied, her tone flat, stripped of emotion.
—As you wish, sister.
The two vanished like shadows devoured by moonlight.
A heartbeat later, two EXOR members appeared on the scene. Their faces were hard, their gazes heavy, clad in black uniforms that looked like extensions of the night itself. One of them stepped firmly toward Priest Dofres.
—Dofres, what happened here? —his voice struck like a blow.
The priest swallowed, images of the creatures still burning in his mind.
—I was conducting an exorcism and—
—Get to the point, Dofres —cut the other, voice sharp.
—Victor! A demon and a dragon attacked me at the same time! —he cried, disbelief cracking his tone.
—So the rumors were true… —Victor murmured with unnerving calm—. That's enough, Dofres. You may leave.
—What do you mean? The organization already knew? —he demanded, rage barely restrained.
Victor seared him with a raw glare.
—I have no reason to explain myself. Least of all to you, who operate without a license.
Dofres clenched his teeth.
—I get it…! But I will find out what's going on here —he declared firmly.
—Do as you please —Victor replied with disdain.
Victor stared at him a moment longer, then added coldly:
—Dofres… how did you survive? Don't tell me you're the one who defeated those creatures.
—I don't have to answer that —he shot back, voice rough.
Victor advanced slowly, pulled out his wallet, and showed three high-value bills.
—I know you're broke. Tell me what I want to know… and this is yours.
Dofres clenched his jaw, drew a deep breath, then snatched the bills with a harsh motion.
—It was the Blancken sisters… they helped me —he admitted bitterly—. And for the record… Deborah carries the aura of a demon.
—You're an idiot —Victor scoffed.
He pulled out his phone, dialed a number, and waited.
—Sir… our suspicions were correct. Demons and monsters are working together.
On the other end, a shaken voice replied:
—What the hell could they be planning?
—And that's not all… —Victor added—. The Blancken sisters know as well.
—Damn it! —the superior spat.