Inside the bustling mall, Sermon and Aaron are running away from a certain threat, a person who they'd knew was a threat to them. They kept running, trying to lose the Cleric Knight's leader, Anastasia.
Sermon bumped to a lady, the lady was surprised and dropped her purse. "Sorry!" Sermon yelled, his voice sounded like he is in a hurry.
The two ran desperately; even tripping with their own feet, bumping into someone, or bumping into some objects that is blocking their way. Aaron, was puzzled and panicked at the same time as he speaks. "W-Wait? Can't you... just fight t-that girl!?" He questioned Sermon, his voice was gasping for air.
Sermon looks at him, every drop of the sweats from his forehead fell from his eyebrows, down to his cheeks. Aaron never saw him in this panicked state before, he thought the girl was stronger than him.
"I... can't fight t-that girl. A f-first... ranked hunter may can." Sermon replied, panting.
"Wait, you're not a first rank?" Aaron couldn't believe what his hearing, that came out of Sermon's mouth. "I thought you were a first rank because of that cocky yet nonchalant attitude of yours!" Sermon yelled, his voice laced with disbelief.
"You judged a book by its cover in a nice way." Sermon responded with a snicker.
The two of them tried looking back, to their surprise, Anastasia was no longer seen. The two had stopped for a bit near the escalator that is moving upwards, Sermon was not buying it, he stayed cautious as his eyes wanders around the place.
The environment was silent, the sound of every footsteps or the people talking was muffled to Sermon, when out of a sudden, a dagger was thrown at Sermon; He caught the dagger with his bare hand and his unbelievable reflex.
Before Aaron could even react nor say anything, he felt a sense of danger coming towards him, time had turned slow to him. "What's this? I'm feeling something that I couldn't tell." His hand started moving on its own, it felt like a muscle memory but it wasn't. "What's going on?" He wondered in himself, he's completely puzzled.
His gaze followed his hand's direction to where it's going, to his surprise, it automatically caught an incoming dagger, after catching it, the time went back to normal. "What just happened?" Aaron looked at Sermon, completely dumbfounded.
Sermon narrowed his eyes as he looks around the place and saw nothing, Sermon stepped on the escalator. "We should take the fire exit at the second floor." Sermon said, he kept his determined look.
As they head at the second floor, they quickly rushed to the fire exit without thinking twice nor saying anything. The fire exit was a long hallway with a stair that leads to the alternate exit door downstairs.
When they we're just about to make another step inside the fire exit, the door behind them suddenly closed, locking Sermon and Aaron inside. "What the hell?!" Sermon yelled as he walked to the door behind them and forcefully opening it.
When he tried kicking it, a barrier just deflected Sermon's kick, he staggered back. "We've been locked by a barrier." Sermon said with a hissing tone.
"You can't escape now," Anastasia appeared before them, blocking the way that leads to the alternate exit. "Surrender or fight back, that's your choice." she declared, her gaze unwavering.
Anastasia swiftly drew her sword, the polished steel gleaming in the firelight. Without any hesitation; Sermon with a determined look, summoned his katana out of thin air. Aaron on the other hand, conjured shadow flames from his arms, turning his arms into a deadly weapon that is engulfed in black flames.
Sermon and Aaron looked at each other before turning their gaze back to Anastasia, Anastasia preparing herself whether she makes the first move or let them move first. The place went quiet only punctuated by the sound of their steady breathing.
The air from the air conditioner, cool and still, caused their hair to wave gently, by the time the dust settled, Sermon quickly lunged towards Anastasia with a loud scream, his hand holding the katana was about to swing and slice Anastasia upwards.
Anastasia, effortlessly fends off Sermon's attack by blocking it with her sword, Sermon has another plan with his mind, he changed his position from facing Anastasia to facing away to throw a horse kick.
When his foot was about to hit Anastasia on the head, She quickly teleported a few inches away from her current position earlier. She caught Sermon's leg.
"WHAT THE?!" Sermon yelled, completely baffled.
Anastasia swung his arm that is currently holding Sermon's leg and slams him to the ground like a whip, the ground breaks as debris from the ground started flying. She threw Sermon like he was the lightest thing in the world.
"SERMON!!" Aaron yelled out his name, watching him flying and slamming against the wall, a few cracks formed as soon Sermon's back hits the wall.
"You bastard!" Aaron growled at Anastasia as the black flames on his arms started to flare-up. "I have no idea what your deal is, but if it requires more explanation, then I should force you to spit what comes into your mind." Aaron growled, his teeth clenching out of anger.
"Plus, I'll involve Sermon's back with this." Aaron added.
Shadows started forming into a huge pitch black sword, as it finished forming; Aaron, glared at Anastasia. "I swear to god, Once I knew what you're up to or..." He thinks for a bit for his next word. "...I have no idea what you're deal is."
Aaron lunged forward, attacking Anastasia with the huge shadow sword; Aaron, aggressively swung his sword, each swings was dodged by Anastasia. She stretched out her arm that is holding her sword to pierce Aaron.
As soon as the tip of her sword was about to pierce Aaron's chest, he quickly blocked the attack by using his shadow sword as a shield; Aaron, pushed her away with his shadow sword.
They glare at each other for a bit before their sword clashing, the sound of their sword clashing echoes inside the fire exit; Sermon struggles to stand up but stands anyway, he grabbed his katana and charged forward as if he were joining the battle.
Anastasia was focused to Aaron but she didn't noticed Sermon who was behind her and ready to strike her, Sermon, swiftly swung his katana, slicing Anastasia from the back, Sermon noticed Anastasia in a pain state so he quickly pierced Anastasia in her back.
"Mara," He muttered Mara's name. "I hope, I won't lose my sanity while using your power."
He took a deep breath before giving Anastasia a dead stare, staring directly at her eyes. "Don't let me down." He muttered to himself.
Suddenly, circular black flames started emerging below his feet, surrounding him. Anastasia started feeling something odd, something that she can't explain. As the flames started spreading from Aaron's body, completely covering his whole body like a fur.
"W-what is this feeling?" Anastasia took a big gulp, she is completely puzzled at the sight of Aaron being covered in flames. "Hey now, what's going on here, don't tell me you're scaring me off by your shitty ass flames."
"I've dealt with demons like you in my whole life as Cleric Knight, a simple transformation won't scare the shit out of me, boy." Anastasia said with a mocking yet confident tone in her voice as she smirks. "You're not the only demon I've fought against."
"Is that so? I guess I'll be adding thrill to this fight, because fighting you would be a piece of cake." Said the woman like voice, the tone of the voice sounded like a mature woman.
Anastasia started sensing something strong coming inside from Aaron, it's almost like an eerie yet strong power, Anastasia eyes were widened and shaking, her body trembles in fear.
Aaron slowly made a few steps to approach her, every object that he walks over, bump into, or walk pass by him melts. Anastasia prepared her sword, waiting for Aaron to attack her.
"I'm a Cleric Knight, I'm not afraid of you!" Anastasia yelled, she was trying to act tough and confident but her shaky voice betrays her.
As Aaron intermittently approaches her, Anastasia was stepping back too until her back touched a wall. A constant reminder that it is a dead end. Anastasia, without any choice, gritted her teeth and swung her sword, attempting to slice off Aaron's head.
But to her surprise, her sword melted like a plastic, Anastasia stumbled in fear and drew back, her eyes were gazing at the flames, it felt like an never ending burst of fires. Aaron lift his hand in the air, his palm facing the ceiling as he was like to summon something.
The fires that was covering his body started to diminish, slowly revealing Aaron. Anastasia was shocked, it felt like her blood started flowing back backwards. Aaron's head had turned into a black goat's head with long horns and red eyes.
Aaron, slightly puts down his arm and kept it still as soon his palm was facing Anastasia, Later, outside the mall, an explosion occurred at the second story of the mall, obliterating the whole fire exit, windows and every boulders.
Including Sermon and Anastasia who was sent flying in the air by the explosion, Aaron caught Sermon using his own hands, except for Anastasia who was slammed in the ground, limp.
The civilians stared at Aaron in complete horror and some were puzzled. "A goat with a body of a human?", "What the hell is that thing?", "Could be a drunk dude with a goat's head costume." The crowds murmured.
After Aaron placed Sermon's body down; Aaron, made a loud and blood curdling screech that made the crowd cover their ears, the windows and some other objects that is made out of glass started shattering.
The screech was so loud it sounded like a fork scraping a plate.
"W-what the hell i-is that thing?" Anastasia stammered.
Anastasia's face was covered in blood due to her heavy fall and the explosion earlier, he gaze at Aaron that seems not to be him.
She struggles to stand up as the bones in her leg was dislocated, the only choice that is left for her was to crawl her way out of this situation.
Aaron noticed Anastasia who was trying to escape, in a blink of an eye; Aaron, teleported Infront of Anastasia who was crawling her way out of him.
Aaron, grabbed her by the neck, choking her as he lift her up in the air. Her hands clawing on Aaron's grip, her nails digging into his flesh as she makes gurgling noises.
Aaron started speaking in a language that is really difficult to understand, his voice was distorted low-pitch and high-pitched sounds was mixing in his voice.
"M-mons.... Mon-ster." Anastasia said, her voice broken and barely a whisper.
Anastasia's eyes were turning white as a sign of death, when suddenly...
"That's enough..." A familiar voice spoke from behind Aaron.
Aaron quickly turned around, to his surprise; Hendrick, was the one who spoke. Hendrick was about to snap his finger.
"If Sermon was watching 'ya, he'd be disappointed in you." Hendrick smirked as he snapped his finger.
The snap made Aaron's goat head dissolve like a burning paper; his sanity went back after the echoing sound of Hendrick's finger.
"And you Cleric Knight lady, The contract and the deal is done." Hendrick said.
"It was an order from the archbishop, you shall not harbor a demon." Anastasia responded her voice raspy.
"Aaron was in full control everytime he uses Mara's power, just like I've said, The deal is over and none of the cathedral's member is going to take Aaron." Hendrick's eyes started narrowing. "If you're going to take him, you'll have to go through me."
"Tsk! Protecting a demon? Don't make me laugh Hendrick, that isn't your style."
"Sermon, Angela, and I made a vow not to make the innocents suffer into the hands of hypocrisy of the cathedral!" Hendrick exclaimed, he stares at Anastasia with a determined look, showing no fear to the church.
Anastasia just stood there, her hands shaking as it began clenching. "Hypocrisy, huh?"
Hendrick closed his eyes for a moment and opened them. He started walking towards Aaron and carried him, as well as Sermon. He placed them over his shoulder.
"Tell the archbishop, I had enough with their shits." He said, before disappearing in the wind.
The crowds were puzzled at the sight of the incident, Anastasia looked around in shame as she picks up her sword and leaves.