"He was exiled from both the heavens and hell..."
"What do you mean by that?" Gibbous asked, perplexed.
"Well…" Quill sat down, releasing a long, shaky breath. "That demon was once an angel, loved too much by the people and revered as a god. But he turned corrupt... and was chased away from the heavens, only to be repelled by hell."
"Repelled by hell..." Crescent echoed. "How could that happen?"
"Hell is a monarchy with the most powerful sitting on top," Quill explained.
"If a new demon arrives and is powerful enough to claim the throne, the entire hierarchy would collapse. The legions wouldn't dare to serve this new ruler, fearing the upheaval and retribution. So, when he tried to enter, the lords of hell banded together and drove him out."
"So, he's been wandering ever since?" Pierrot asked, looking down.
Quill nodded. "Yes. Neither heaven nor hell will accept him, and his power prevents him from blending in with mortals. He's a wanderer, powerful but alone. I don't know how he got to Arc..."
"But what does he want?" Crescent asked, her voice tinged with concern.
Quill's eyes darkened. "A vessel. He needs a vessel to be on Earth. That might just be Arc."
"If he collects enough souls, he might just go back to hell. For redemption... or destruction. And he won't stop until he finds one or the other."
Silence hung heavy in the air as the weight of Quill's words settled over them. Finally, Pierrot broke the silence, his voice steady but laced with urgency. "We need more information about him. If we're going to understand his motives and find a way to stop him, we need to dig deeper. We can't... let him have Arc."
Crescent nodded in agreement. "But where can we find anything more about him?"
Quill stood up, determined. "The Archive of the Church. They keep records that span eons, including those that both heaven and hell would rather forget."
Gibbous furrowed her brow. "But the Church guards the archive fiercely. How are we supposed to get in?"
"We'll have to rely on the old-fashioned way: stealth, wit, and a bit of luck. The Church may be powerful, but it isn't infallible. If we can sneak in, we might just find what we need." Quill looked at everyone.
Roy looked at each of them. "Then we have no time to lose." He turned to Pierrot. "Pierrot and I will do the archive."
"No..." Quill interjected. "It will be Pierrot and I."
Roy was silent for a moment before he realized they had cases to handle outside of this mission. He was needed more for the possessions as he worked rather fast.
"I understand."
Quill nodded and released a breath. "Let's talk to Arc by morning and head to the Church afterward."
They all shared their agreement.
"We'll handle the cases while you're gone," Gibbous said, giving a nod. She melted next to Pierrot. "Why did it have to happen now? There is only so much of us... the possessions are getting out of hand."
Nobody said a word. They all knew the truth of it. The increase in demonic activity had stretched them thin, and the thought of dealing with a powerful demon on top of everything else was daunting.
Finally, Pierrot spoke up, his voice firm. "We'll manage. We've always managed. Our priority now is to get to the archive. The rest of you will handle cases and watch out for Arc."
Crescent nodded and asked, "But where is the archive?"
Quill glanced at her. "It's in the heart of the previous capital city, beneath the old cathedral."
"In Stonehill City?"
He nodded. "The Church built the cathedral decades ago to store all manner of forbidden knowledge and ancient records. Getting in won't be easy, but it's our best shot."
Silence once more, yet this time, a hopeful thought within.
"Then you should get some rest," Roy said. "You're both off duty tonight."
────────
When Arc gained control of his body, he was hanging suspended in front of the demon, within his soul's gate.
He fumbled in panic, trying to get away from it. Arc's mind raced, fear gripping him as he struggled to understand what was happening.
"Welcome back..." the demon's voice rumbled, deep as it echoed inside him. "Seems like all I needed was you on the verge of death."
It tried to reach for him, and shackles pulled him back from doing so.
Arc's eyes widened, his heart pounding in his chest. "What did you do? What do you want from me?"
The demon's smile was cold and unfeeling. "I want what I've always wanted. To be free. To use your body as my vessel. Your soul is strong, but your will is weak."
Arc shook his head, trying to clear the fog of fear. "No. I won't let you."
The demon laughed, a sound that reverberated through Arc's very being. "You don't have a choice, do you?" It released a low chuckle. "As do I... but you will be my escape. Your body... will soon be mine."
It stood from sitting. "So what do you say? How about a deal?"
Arc always knew to never trust a demon's words. Deception, as he knew, was what they did best. He needed information about what the demon had done to his body.
"Were you able to use... me? Did you come out?" The questions came out slow, as if he himself struggled to believe it.
"Why, yes."
Arc immediately thought of Malachim. The thought of disappointing them... The thought of keeping this thing from them... He didn't want it to take place, and now it seemed like it was too late.
"Why..." Arc fell back down to the floor. "What did you do?" His voice trembled in anger.
"Why?" the demon echoed back, its tone dripping with mockery. "Why did I do it? Because I could. Because it was the only way to break free from the chains that bind me. You see, Arc, your body is a perfect vessel—powerful enough to contain me, yet weak enough to be bent to my will."
He looked at what he could see of himself. Something felt different.
"The barriers that separate us are weakened. I know now... of your soul."
"No..." Arc stepped back.
"It did happen. Only once, and I've memorized you."
"It can't be." Arc repeatedly shook his head. "I never permitted. I always said no."
"I did not need your permission when you'd lost consciousness."
Arc stood from a distance in silence, his mind racing as the demon retreated back into the shadows.
"You take care, Arc. The next time you put one foot beyond the lines of death... I will be waiting."