Gulping as sweat dripped, Yves smiled—"Is that so? Then congratulations are in order. Thank you very much!" Daemon didn't seem assumed as an unimaginable aura surrounded him. In his vision, it seemed like Daemon was a giant about to step on him—an ant.
"I'd willed your life before and deemed you innocent of your crimes—now, I willed your death!"
—••••••••••—
BEYOND THE
VEIL: THE
GREAT SHIFT
CHAPTER 22:
THE GREAT
SHIFT PART 9
—••••••••••—
Yves could only gulp as Daemon walked so casually to him, and not someone about to kill.
"Eggers?!"
An uncertain tone came from behind Yves, turning slightly—he saw Godiva with a puzzled expression. Daemon Eggers looked at her for a while before his eyes widened, "Grimjoy… is that you?" Her puzzled face turned pale as she nodded. Daemon Eggers stopped his approach and looked at him.
"The brute swordsman is ready, both Cassian and Grimjoy are uncomfortable about what to do, and the rest seem worried or scared. What should I do? Kill Cassian? Let him go?" Before Daemon could think of it, Kinder—his white cat, hissed uncontrollably.
Immediately turning around, he only saw deep eyes that reflected madness a few inches away. It was Auden Sato! Suddenly, the sparks of blades appeared within Daemon's periphery as he saw a thick broadsword blocking Auden's approach. To his left, Atlas was there with a blade in hand—a red translucent veil forming around his neck.
"An Envoy?! …shit, he's probably low Order-Sequence!" As if on cue, Atlas lost control of his strength as his entire arm dried up. Auden continued to try to hit Daemon but was met with an ethereal blade to his body as he was thrown away towards the double doors of the Twilight Cathedral.
"GRANDPA!" Turning, Daemon saw the small boy with black hair and gray eyes shout out. "There is some resemblance. Sorry kid, we all must have to sacrifice something to live in this world. Even family." Right as Daemon finished thinking, he jumped forward with his cat—Kinder, hopping off beforehand and rushing towards his cane.
Landing where Auden was thrown, Daemon saw nothing but dust in the surroundings. Coughing, Daemon spoke out; "Your grandson is crying out for you! Are you going to disappoint him?!" He shouted towards the smoke, however, Daemon knew that once losing control—other forces could control Auden, so the chances of him regaining his rationality were low—nearly impossible. However, deep down—Daemon held out some hope.
Fortunately, Daemon heard soft steps echo once he said his comment. Enough time had passed as a thin illusory blue veil wrapped itself around his neck and flowed in the wind produced by him. The wind completely cleared the dust—showing Auden.
He was leaning on the double doors of the Twilight Cathedral, and both of his hands laid on his forehead as sweat came out. "The… voice… 'It' continues. 'He' wants death… 'He' wants war… 'He' wants you!" Auden was once again lost to the madness as he pointed beyond Daemon to Elijah. Elijah Black was frozen in fright as he heard the words of Auden.
Standing away from the double doors of the Cathedral, Auden scratched away on his skin with both hands over and over again as he shouted with his voice loud and filled with humanity: "Kill me!" He said as if he had gotten one last glimmer of humanity and sanity.
Crouching down, Daemon disappeared from human sight and reappeared behind Auden Sato as the man slid off into two pieces diagonally. Even while sliding into pieces, Auden kept his smile.
…
…
…
Seconds passed as everyone saw this, even Hana and Godiva were stunned by the scene and following silence that they didn't cover the eyes of their respective boys.
Before anyone could speak, a thin vibration was heard through the silence. It came from Elijah's breast pocket— and before anyone could see or hear it, blood spattered on the ground.
Turning around, they all saw something that went beyond human comprehension. Auden Sato had risen!
Both halves reconnected with each other and an illusory red blade formed within Auden's hands. The red blade was made from faces—some of them screaming, others silent, and others crying or laughing. Around the handle, thick thrones wrapped themselves around Daemon's hand.
The red aura began to bubble up like magma ready to explode. This built up as Auden roared, shaking the entire Cathedral, breaking every window within, and cracking the ground around the Cathedral and streets which reached even to the massive forest five blocks down.
Daemon had backed up towards Yves and Atlas while holding his chest which seemingly burned uncontrollably. However, it was being healed by this thin glow on Daemon's hand.
"Damn it! Cassian, do you know this guy's Order-Sequence?!" Yves looked puzzled by this question as he looked at Atlas for some response, but even he looked confused. Daemon could only sigh, "Fucking buffoons!"
"Order Sequence 6: Cosmic Invoker—from House Hadō. Buffed with Cursed Energy, he's close to an Order Sequence 4!" A voice came to their right, turning around—Daemon saw his best friend and brother speak, Elijah Black.
"How do you know this?" Daemon could ask where Elijah received this useful information. Elijah Black simply opened his breast pocket and grabbed something. It was a black orb with a white strap wrapped around. Daemon could only grin nervously as he muttered: "So the little Angel decided to sit this one out."
While muttering nonsense to them, both Atlas and Yves saw the near-hopeless expression he had. Sighing, he felt like he was about to make the right decision.
"Kinder!" The little white cat immediately ran towards Daemon as the little cat ran up his leg onto his hands. Opening the small wooden box, he saw the full amount of items there. About 80% of the wooden box was taken by the 'Yesterday Ointment' which was partially Elijah's life support tonight.
Below the ointment were three small boxes, opening the middle of the three—Daemon inhaled the air as both Yves and Atlas were confused by this. Looking forward, the black swordsman and Cassian saw Auden endlessly scratch his face without moving or seemingly knowing that they were here.
After Daemon just inhaled the air from the middle, he closed the wooden box and sent Kinder to Aryanna who happily crawled on her back. Sighing, Daemon looked at Elijah and tapped his forehand. This was so random that Elijah couldn't answer the tap.
Suddenly, information flooded his mind as Elijah saw the maps, entrances, weaknesses, and much more.
[When Daemon tapped Elijah's forehead, selected information flooded Elijah Black's mind. Most of the information was the base infrastructure of Eldritch Morr and all the entrances and exits and where they lead.]
Elijah could only smile half-heartedly as he knew what Daemon was doing. "I understand. I'll take care of them and her." Smiling, he fully turned to Elijah with tears building up within his eyes.
"What makes you think I'll die?" This was said with no certainty, Elijah could only smile back. "Came then. Leave with us and never return to this place!" Daemon smiled at Elijah's pleas. "I can't. Not when there are monsters like him to follow us. So please… leave, and never return!"
Nodding softly—Elijah led his sister, Augustus, and Aryanna who didn't move at all until she received a glance from her husband. They all moved towards the other group. "You know… this is your chance to leave as well." Both Yves and Atlas looked at each other before shaking their heads.
"We won't. We can't leave Auden like this!" At this comment, Daemon could only chuckle.
"Your friend, Auden, has the power of a mid-order Sequence Martyr. A fancy way of saying he has half the power of a low-born Angel—in other words, he's a problem!" Daemon commented as he saw from the corner of his eye the group being pulled away. Aryanna desperately tried to go to him, but Elijah managed to pull her back.
Smiling, he could only say in a self-deprecating manner:
"And here we are… an Order-Sequence 7, an Order-Sequence 13, and a regular human against a Half-Angel!"