"What did you say, you damn pig?!" Henry roared with desperation burning in his eyes.
Anton took a deep breath and murmured, "Your name is Asmodeus, the demon of lust... You are known in many cultures, under many names, as responsible for the sexual sins of humans, condemning their souls to the second circle of hell."
Crack! Crack! Crack!
At that moment, the walls cracked, but Anton remained unmoved.
"My God, may your pure and healthy blood circulate in this sick body, and may your pure and healthy body transform this weak one, and may a healthy and vigorous life pulse within it," Anton said as he increased the power of his energy.
"[1,000 faith points have been spent.]"
"Asmodeus, in the name of the living and in the presence of the light, I command you to leave this body!" Anton shouted as his eyes faintly glowed with golden light.
His hand, still bleeding, bathed Henry's head as he writhed in pain.
"No!!!!"
"It can't be possible!!!"
"A human can't have this power!!!"
Despite a strong pain in his forehead, Anton didn't let go of Henry.
"Ahhhhh!"
Crack!
The cracked walls visibly trembled, but at that moment, as the darkness was fading, Anton was sent flying against the wall with a force he couldn't contain.
Boom!
Impacted with a force five times stronger than Thomas, Anton, who knew he had successfully expelled the demon, smiled faintly as he closed his eyes.
"Priest!" Julie shouted as she ran towards Anton, who had been tempted to help her son at all times. If he failed, no one could save her son, and unimaginable things might happen.
"Help me stand up," Anton, who had never experienced this pain from being hit, needed time to recover but had no time.
"Yes, take my hand." With help from Julie, Anton stood up and walked towards Henry, who was now asleep. He took a cross from his bag and placed it on the boy's forehead.
Seeing no reaction, Anton sighed and murmured, "No signs of darkness, no fever, stable vital signs, no allergic reaction to the divine... Mrs. Julie, your son is fine."
"Oh my God..." Julie, who watched her son sleep peacefully after all that had happened, felt an infinite sense of relief.
Being possessed by a demon is not a feeling most people can experience; only the bloodshot eyes of the other person told her that he hadn't slept in a long time.
Henry, who opened his eyes, looked at Anton. He couldn't stare directly, but he knew he was a priest and the one who had helped him.
"Kid, you've been through a lot; now you can sleep." Anton said, smiling slightly even though his right arm was now burning with pain from the scratches.
...
By a bonfire, the newly awakened Thomas watched as men in black suits healed Anton, who had his right arm covered in gruesome scratches.
"This place must be confiscated; whatever brought a demon prince here must be contained and sealed. Send a letter to the Association of Light to buy these lands and investigate thoroughly what happened."
One of the men in a black suit behind him with a smart tablet nodded, then walked to the kitchen to talk to Julie, who owned this house.
"Priest Anton, may I ask you a question?" Thomas couldn't contain his curiosity in the end.
Anton, who had been bandaged on his right arm, nodded and asked, "Go ahead, what's your question?"
"Your hand—how did your hand heal so quickly?" Thomas asked, looking at Anton's right hand, which had stopped bleeding.
Anton looked at his hand and smiled. "The abilities given at birth are ones that not even science has been able to discover... But you shouldn't be focusing on those, knowing you've been touched by a demon; you could have died."
"Yeah, I'm not very proud of that." Thomas murmured, embarrassed to know that he had been completely defeated.
"What do you know about demons?" Anton thought for a moment and said, "According to what is known, they are fallen angels; they have a hierarchy; one serves the other; they are cruel, cunning, and evil... But they also have a function for the existence of humans—let's say, cleaning up the garbage we generate."
"Your basic knowledge is very solid, but each demon also has its own personality, just like us humans. That demon was lust incarnate, but it also punishes sinful humans in the second level of hell."
Thomas sighed, looked at Anton, and asked, "Do you think I can follow you?"
"You have no field training; we not only face spirits but also incarnated demons," Anton said as he stood up.
"So, if I train, do you think I can accompany you?" Thomas knew that Anton's purpose was much greater than he could imagine.
"Let's go; make a report on this exorcism." Anton bid farewell as he headed towards the exit.
"Then, will I be your right hand?" Thomas was excited not to be rejected outright.
Anton in the distance said, "You'll be my left hand; Rafael, who pointed a gun at you, is my right hand."
"Oh, perfect..."