Chapter 3: The Evil
After the events of the rescue mission, Shin and Sen relocated all the rescued people, including Kaide, Hans, Yin, and Ren, to their new refuge.
As they trudged uphill, Sen suddenly yanked Shin closer by the collar, whispering furiously. "How the hell are we supposed to explain to them that angels exist, huh?! When we met Vermis, we were so scared we couldn't sleep for nights!"
Shin scoffed, shoving Sen's hand off his shirt. "Well, they'll just have to adapt." He said it so casually, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Besides, Vermis might look terrifying, but he's literally an angel. He saved us from being demon breakfast, remember?"
"I know! That's not the point!" Sen hissed, throwing up his arms. "The point is, these people have no idea angels exist!"
"They know demons exist, don't they?" Shin replied, his confidence unshaken. "And if demons are real, it's not exactly a leap to think angels are, too."
Sen jabbed a finger at his brother's chest, glaring. "Can you not be so blunt for once? Be serious! You're my older brother, but somehow I'm the more mature one here. How is that even possible?!"
Shin smirked, crossing his arms. "Well, I'm 22 years old, but in my heart, I'm still a kid. Quit judging me."
Sen stared at him, completely baffled. "Huh?! Are you being sarcastic or serious?!"
"Both," Shin said with a straight face, that smirk still lingering.
"Anyway." Shin turned to the group of rescued people down the hill. "Hey, guys!" he called out, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Did you know angels exist?!"
Kaide, Hans, Yin, and Ren all looked up at him, confused. "What?"
Shin repeated louder, "I said, do you guys know angels exist?! Yes or no?!"
Sen's jaw dropped. He grabbed Shin by the arm and spun him around to face him. "You dumbass! Why would you just blurt it out like that?!"
Shin shrugged, unfazed. "Why not? They'll find out eventually."
Sen's eye twitched. "Eventually! Not five seconds after we rescued them!"
"Angels exist? Like in the Bible?" Kaide shouted up from the bottom of the hill, squinting in confusion.
Before Shin could answer, Sen waved his hands frantically. "Don't answer that!" He turned back to Shin, seething. "Do you have any idea how overwhelming this is? Knowing angels exist is already too much to process. If they find out Heaven is real too, they'll lose their minds!"
Shin tilted his head toward the group below. "Look at them. They already know demons exist. How much worse can it get?"
"They're not ready to be exposed to all the cosmic secrets of existence!" Sen snapped, throwing his hands in the air.
Meanwhile, at the bottom of the hill, Kaide crossed her arms, frowning. "Why do I feel like they're talking about us?"
Hans shrugged. "Beats me."
Up on the hill, Sen's rant was cut short when he noticed Shin chewing on something. He froze, blinking. "Are you... eating an apple?!"
Shin nodded, casually taking another bite.
Sen's eye twitched again. "Where the hell did you even get that apple?!"
"It was in my pocket."
Sen's voice rose an octave. "Why do you have an apple in your pocket?!"
"For emergencies."
Sen stared at him, speechless for a moment, before bursting out, "What kind of emergency involves an apple?!"
Shin paused, looking at the half-eaten fruit in his hand. Then, without missing a beat, he said, "This one."
Sen let out an exasperated groan, dragging his hands down his face. "You're impossible."
Shin tossed the apple core aside and clapped a hand on Sen's shoulder. "Listen, little brother. We saved them, which means they're our responsibility now. Whether they like it or not, they'll eventually figure out that angels, Heaven, and everything else are way beyond what science can explain."
Sen looked at him, still fuming but too exhausted to argue anymore. "You're going to drive me insane one day."
Shin grinned. "That's what brothers are for."
Shin composed himself and look at the distant. "There it is a clear path without too much demons to waste our time. Still I don't get it why we shouldn't make our presence known."
"I think he's being cautious since he heard a rumors about a underground government who use bio weapons." Sen started climbing down the hill.
So as Shin. "He is literally an Archangel. Couldn't he just smoked them out?" Shin followed Sen down the hill.
"Beats me he is very cautious this time I've never seen him this cautious. Maybe this corporation isn't something to be messed with that easily." Sen said as they both climbed down.
Shin chuckled. "Maybe they have an Anti-Christ or something like that."
Sen scoffed. "That's blasphemy."
"...How's that blasphemy? We're not talking about God or Jesus here. We're talking about Vermis, an Archangel who raised us," Shin explained calmly.
"Dude, just stop. There's a line between being funny and being disrespectful."
Shin instantly composed himself. "Yeah, you're right. Vermis is like a father figure to us because he saved and raised us."
Shin and Sen continued to climb down. They eventually made their way down and met up with the group.
"We're heading down to the main city. It's not exactly clear, but it has fewer obstacles than the other routes. Tons of demons, though, so expect the unexpected," Shin explained calmly.
"What?! Are you serious, Shin?!" Kaide's frustration was palpable. "Those demons can tear through or even burst through walls! And you want us to go straight into the heart of their territory?"
"Yes," Shin said without hesitation.
Sen interrupted before the argument could escalate. "Kaide, calm down. Everyone, calm down... The reason we need to go through there is because it's the fastest way. Our settlement is up on a mountain, out of the city."
Kaide threw up her hands, still upset. "Why don't we just go around the city and take the forest route?"
"We could... if you want to walk for two mornings and two nights, non-stop," Shin replied. "And demons roam the forest at night, too. With so many people to guard, if we stop to camp, we risk someone getting dragged off before we even realize they're missing."
Kaide sighed, pulling her brothers close. "If all of us walk across the main city, and you say 'expect the unexpected'... does that mean we won't leave without casualties?"
The others murmured nervously, gossiping about what might happen if a demon caught one of them.
"Everyone, calm down!" Sen shouted.
Kaide threw up her hands in frustration. "No disrespect, Sen, but how are we supposed to calm down if we're heading straight into demon territory?"
She looked at Shin, voice trembling slightly. "Someone's going to die if we go into the heart of the city. You said 'expect the unexpected.'"
"I didn't say someone is going to die," Shin said, his voice firm as he met her gaze. "What?"
Kaide stared at him, still unsure. Shin's eyes narrowed. "I said 'expect the unexpected,' not 'expect someone to die.' AS IF I'LL LET SOMEONE DIE HERE!"
With that, Shin stormed ahead, walking toward the path leading into the city.
"…I'm sorry my brother lashed out," Sen said gently, addressing the group. "It's just… he's done letting people suffer on his watch. He takes it personally when someone feels afraid while he's protecting them."
The group exchanged uneasy glances but had no choice but to follow Shin. The world outside was crawling with demons and ruthless people, and right now, Shin and Sen were their only chance at survival.
Kaide sighed, walking alongside her siblings. "Shin… he's got to be the most aggressive passive guy I've ever met," she muttered, shaking her head.
Sen chuckled softly, keeping his tone light. "Yeah, he's always been like that. He's got this one rule: 'Kill anyone who hurts the weak.' Simple, but that's how he lives."
Kaide frowned slightly but said nothing more as they followed the brothers down the path leading to the city's entrance.
They walked the empty street's but the feeling of being watched never left them.
Demons started appearing from everywhere surrounding them instantly.
"A lot of fresh and young meats." A big demon said. "Lay a finger on them and you all will leave here with a lot of casualties!" Shin clearly isn't on the mood this time.
The demon grin in mockery he said. "Or what boy? You think you have strength to take hordes of hungry demons?"
The people start being afraid as demons continues to surround them. "They're too many Sen..." Kaide held her brothers close.
Shin didn't budge at the demon's threat he look up and stood forward. "Lay a finger on them and leave here with a lot of casualties. Or don't touch them and live to see the sunset. Your pick."
"Or we feast tonight!" The demon roared riling every demons around them. They're completely surrounded every building windows alley ways are demons waiting for the order to strike.
Veins started appearing on Shin's hands he's completely pissed off his arms started flaming of the purple flame. "Choose an option that will benefit each side..."
The demons roared stopped. They know them. They're the brothers the archangel Vermis trained. They slowly back away.
Sen pulled out his heavenly sword as well. The demons slowly backing away they're beast but not dumb they know if they engage they will leave with a lot of casualties or wiped out.
"Pick bastard... Live or die?!" Shin said as he hold the demon's neck he easily over power the tall demon.
The demon groan in pain as he felt his skin slowly tearing apart. "Pick demon before I rip your throat out and watch you drown in your blood..." Shin ask calmly yet his threat rings as a promise.
"...Stop! I'll tell them to back down..." Shin let the demon's neck and he gasp for air he feels his neck bleeding he can feel the skin slightly dangling off from Shin's grasp.
He gesture to the others to back down they know they'll either get wiped out or barely escaped with tons of loses either way they know this is a lose lose situation.
Shin back down his flames went out. "Good decision demon." He calmly said. "Well if you excuse us we have to pass through."
The demons made way for them. Stopping their gluttony in human flesh in exchange to see another day.
The group continue walking yet Shin remain on his spot. He grab the demon's horn and rip it out of its head. It yelled out a blood curdling scream but it didn't attack Shin.
"Remember this as a lesson never show a demons face Infront of us." Shin hand out to the bleeding demon hand his horn back.
They felt disrespected but out of fear didn't chose to attack they know whatever situation is they'll always lose.
Shin turned his back on them without a hint of hesitation. "Let me make one thing clear. If I see any of you again, in my view or even my peripheral, I will hunt down every last one of you in this city. The only reason I'm not killing you all right now is because I expect you to handle the human filth in this city."
"Y-Yes... We understand..." One demon said, carrying the bleeding one away, eager to let them pass.
Shin's voice was calm but unyielding. "Good. In return for letting us pass without further disturbance, you get to live to see another day."
Shin gave him one last glare and turn his back and walked away like nothing happened he followed up quickly to the group.
"Took you long enough Brother." Sen said as he found their place for tonight a house.
"This brings me back..." Shin said. He remembered the past where the two of them are surviving trying their best. Living from abandoned house to another abandoned house.
The group settled in as the sun set the house is not big but not small.
The people they saved at the slave auction is exactly 20 people. Including Kaide and her siblings.
"So Shin how can we fit 22 of us inside of this house?" Kaide ask. Shin replied with a scoff.
"We'll figure it out maybe sleep on the floor?" Shin said with a soft scoff. "I'm sure all of us here are used to that even I and Sen slept on the floor most of the time."
Kaide sigh as Shin do have a point they're once slaves and sleep on the cold concrete wall all the time back then.
"Hey? Having a flashback or something?" Shin softly asked sensing her discomfort.
"Nothing I just thought once we leave on that hell hole we could have sleep to a nice bed..." Kaide looked down.
The house they're currently staying for the night have three bedroom one bunk bed, one normal bed, and one master bed.
The others people knew Kaide and the brothers really want this so they gave their master bed position to the siblings.
"Really?!" Kaide asked surprised. "Yes Kaide you and your siblings deserve a good night sleep after spending on that place." A middle age woman said.
"See Kaide don't worry we understand your needs or even wants. We understand what you and the others had went through being a slave is something no human should ever experience..." Sen said as he set up their sleeping place on the floor.
The rest of them settled nice and comfortably but the others remain being nervous thinking a demon might grab them in their sleep because they're in the city infested with tons of flesh eating demons.
Shin lay on the floor exhausted by the walk. He noticed their behaviors. "Let your worries drop down the sink. Demons won't lay a finger on anyone of you."
"How can you be so sure of that?" A worried woman said. Which Shin replied with annoyance. "The more you fear them the more they will take pleasure on eating you alive." Shin yawn and lay on the floor.
Few hours later. 2:21 AM Kaide wake up Shin
"Shin... I can feel them circling around the house. Demons Shin..." Kaide worried about their safety.
Shin slowly sit up and calmly said "They're just sniffing us out. Hunting to be exact but once they smelled me and Sen they would leave us out."
Kaide can still feel their presence so as Shin. It woken up Sen as well so does the rest of the group.
"What's going on...?" A man said in fear.
"Are they...? Are they hunting us?!" A woman in panicked.
"Oh my god... They are...!" The woman screamed in fear.
Causing everyone to panic...
"My god shut the fuck up!" Shin shouted his authority lingered the air.
"They're hunting but not us they're looking for food but not us so shut the fuck up and get some sleep!" Shin bantered out in anger.
Shin absolutely hated having a noisy night.
"Shin brother calm down." Sen softly said.
"I know Sen." Shin replied in calm tone after he composed himself.
"Look everyone... You're all under our protection no one can or will lay their fingers on everyone here. So sleep and I'll confront them in the hope of putting everyone at ease." Shin said as he grab his coat and went to the door.
The demons who are circling the house quickly put themselves in defensive position and grown at him. "You demons never learns huh?!"
Shin quickly grab the a female demon by the throat. "Didn't you heard the deal earlier at the plaza?! Lay hands on one of my people and die suffering right?!"
The demon wiggle in fear. She saw her life flash before her eyes she can feel her throat getting crush slowly "Please... I.." Shin's hand slowly yet painfully tightening around her neck. "Please I'm sorry... I didn't mean to wonder around here..."
Shin in mercy throw her to the other demons. "Leave here before I change my mind into sparing demons... Consider this as my kindness." He confidently turn his back on them and enter the house.
"So how'd it turned out?" Sen asked.
"Spared them to tell the tale." Shin replied.
Sen Shrug it off and tell everyone to get back to sleep because tomorrow they'll walk a long path to get to the settlement.
3 Am. few minutes passed. Shin is sitting on the house roof looking at the dead empty quiet street.
"Can't sleep?" Sen appeared out of nowhere.
Shin nodded. "Me neither... Remember the time when this city is full of life no demons no deaths... Except the crimes committed by heinous people." Sen said.
"Yeah I do. We're very young back then. Happy I guess and then everything went downhill... I wanna kill them all." Shin said
Sen could feel the darkness in Shin's presence his anger, his hatred for evil.
Sen felt unsettled for a little. "Shin... Brother your anger, you should not let it get ahead of you. I get it evil needs to be eradicate from the world... But we already killed people, well bad people anyway but still we slaughtered and get bloods in our hands."
"Brother in our hearts you know we're murderers we kill bad people but they're still people... We may look like the hero or the executioner the heaven intended but we are more than executioners we have our lives we don't live just to kill evil. We are meant to have fun as well love, marry a woman someday." Sen sat near Shin.
"We're not a killing machine brother." He place his hand around Shin. "Don't you dare become someone that isn't my older brother."
Shin took a deep breath, the presence Sen felt earlier that's unsettling instantly vanish.
"Thank you Sen... Without you no one would keep me sane in this messed up shitty world." Shin smile softly.
"Go back inside I prefer sleeping on this roof." Shin said.
"Oh you're not afraid that demons might advantage of your vulnerability huh?" Sen said teasingly.
"Nah they know they wouldn't get near me without losing a limb." Shin said with a smirk.
Shin chuckle and softly said. "But being honest with you. You can go back inside I prefer sleeping on this roof with cold breeze going through my skin."
"If you say so... Goodnight brother." Sen said as he jump back inside through a window.
"Goodnight to you too..." Shin watched as his brother get back inside. He look at the empty street's before laying on the roof.
He alone gazing at the sky. "My brother's right... But I can't just stop killing evil no matter what. I might burn in hell but I would rather burn in hell for the people I care live in heaven..." Shin said to himself before closing his eyes.
Kaide listening in the quiet night. "You're too naive Shin... But it's part of why I adore you..." Kaide said herself.
She went back to her sleeping spot next to her brothers who are asleep.
"...I would rather burn in hell for my people to live in heaven." Kaide smiles a little. "You're truly good despite your brutal way of justice Shin..." Kaide said to herself as she close his eyes close to her beloved brothers.
There's few things remarkable about the world. Beautiful moments, devastating moments, Moments that would make you angry, sad, happy, but one thing's for sure. Kaide felt happiness because she followed and adore the right person this time...
The world is truly hell on earth. But with Shin and Sen existing on it hope will never be extinguish, Evil think they can take advantage on innocents but with Shin and Sen existing, they will be hunted.
No matter how many evil people and creatures Shin and Sen killed they know that evil will continue to rise. Army of darkness lurking in the dark waiting for the right moment.
But with Shin and Sen being the guardians of this new found world. They will weaken evil no matter what... Even if it means slaughtering hundreds or thousands of evil bastards.
After the night passed. The war sunlight hit Shin's skin waking him up, he slowly opens his eyes searching the surroundings.
He slowly stood up and jump. Leaving the house, he expected Sen to bring them in the safe place without him.
He walked to the demons territory alone where demons awaits him. Why? And what is Shin doing?
He walked in silence cold breeze linger the air even though the environment is warm. Shin's presence is undoubtedly cold.
To be continued...