There were many forms of demonic creatures. Ludovic thought. Most were dangerous but became an asset if adopted at the right time.
To facilitate their awakening, the village had a tradition of taking a demonic creature of the parasitic type that would stimulate them constantly.
This was one of the ways to keep them active so that they could last up to one year of constant activity. They would not need to worry about their mental mind or being corrupted. It was so they find their path.
Using a parasite for more than a year was forbidden, as they could go wild, almost like humans.
Ludovic fixed Alain in a long silence. The man in front of him was hosting a mature demonic creature. The demon looked like a larva, lying on Alain's back, some of its body so soft it spilled everywhere. It's opened glue-some mouth out of its body, tripping Alain's body.
The bond between a Knight and squire exists until mental death, recalled Ludovic; killing Alain would make him unable to return to kill Jean and the 4th.
That thing... was clever?
A cold feeling spread from his stomach.
He summoned the book of progress, reading at high speed.
The book wore a brown cover, appearing out of nowhere, in the air, showing the progression of its members by 'chapters'.
He turned the page, zapping to the most helpful information: the date and some of their life themes.
This book was a copy of their sacred text, the Evolving Village, where the global progression of humanity and their village resided. This was what listed their paths. To look at someone else's path might cause him to partially lose his one.
But he had no choice. He couldn't afford to pass one more second in a situation where things weren't safe.
March 21, 01. Beginning of the story. The progression seemed classic, though they did not remember.
'Maybe that's because they were already adults?' That didn't seem to be the case; he had his memories and lived as much as they did.
Something must have happened.
He continued to read and remarked how intelligent that demonic creature calling itself 'system' was.
He continued reading: the progression was slow! In 6 months, they had only spent one year.
Gradually, the time was getting longer and longer. On October 20, no more news, December ended that for almost 8 months...
The thing was well over a year old.
He had to hurry and fast!
He might be paused there with no ability to escape.
He raised his hand, and energy spread across Alain's village, preparing to detonate. He grabbed Alain, following back the lead to Jean, before exploding the energy.
The link disappeared.
With one blow, he smashed Jean's body.
That was three.
His hands manipulated the energy. In an instant, a barrier five times wider and longer than the Paladins' appeared. Then he bombarded the area with energy.
Within seconds, the area was covered with more than 50 feet deep craters, and he felt the 4th die.
Only Tenebre and a box remained intact.
Okay! He had done pretty well.
He took a sword, energized it, and slit his throat.
...
The world, after him, did not disappear.
Fortunately, Alain's alter had so much ego it could even confront the true consciousness. For a time, at least.
It had to be quick. The part it had extracted from Alain wouldn't last long.
It summoned them.
Under a forest, a group of golden rabbits was forging weapons. Using the scale of dragons and dinosaurs and the phoenixes' fire, they covered themselves in strong armor they strengthened with demonic creatures' blood.
A pack of golden rabbits riding dragons, phoenixes, and griffin took flight, each superior to a Paladin. They arrived at the battle's place and took Tenebre, swallowing Ludovic's energy and recovering part of the system's consciousness.
Then, they searched for some bodies' rest. Some of Ludovic's cells, Jean's cells, and Emilie's cells remained. They took those and brought out armors the height of those coming from another world, putting them in and sealing them.
They even found some similarities in Alain's and Jean's blood that allowed a sort of Alain's body to be recognized by the heavens.
The world stopped collapsing.
They had been parasitized.