Chapter 6
The gentle rush of water from a plaster fountain harmonized with the sweet notes of a songbird flitting through the air. Jeremiah sat cross-legged in a lotus position, his eyes shut in deep concentration, while Karin watched intently, her glasses glinting in the soft light as she diligently scribbled notes in a well-worn journal.
"Excellent, Jerry," she praised, her smile radiating.
"You're really improving at controlling that malevolent energy of yours."
As the dark aura swirling around Jeremiah dissipated, he opened his eyes, their usual vibrant glow now muted. He studied the sigil etched into his palm with a weary gaze, its presence a heavy reminder of his burdens.
"If you keep this up, you might just qualify for Exorcist recruit training. Are you feeling alright?" Karin asked, concern threading her voice.
"Yeah," Jeremiah replied, reaching for the crisp white shirt hanging nearby.
"It's about the sigil, isn't it?" Karin asked.
"You used your grace again?"
"Not that I had much choice," Jeremiah replied. Karin stepped closer, her expression solemn.
"I once had a friend, Israel—Jerome's older brother. Back in our cadet days, he had a fierce rivalry with Micah. But despite their differences, it was clear they cared deeply for one another."
"What does that have to do with me?" Jeremiah asked, brow furrowing in confusion.
"Israel was cursed at birth. Being the Prelate's son made him a target. His soul was bound to Leviathan, a Prince of Hell. He wielded a demon's power but fought fiercely to protect those he loved, even as it slowly transformed him into a devil."
"Then Micah exorcised him," Jeremiah said, a grim realization settling over him.
"It was a harrowing experience," Karin continued, her voice growing softer.
"I'm telling you this because you have the potential to become what Israel couldn't—a true exorcist, despite your circumstances."
"And what if I don't want that? You mentioned that overusing Lucifer's energy might turn me into a devil—a potential gateway for him into the material world. I'm heading back to my room," Jeremiah said, slipping on his shirt and turning to leave. Karin sighed, her shoulders drooping with the weight of concern.
"Don't be too hard on him; he'll come around," Kaiky said, emerging from a side door, his voice lightening the mood.
"Kaiky, how long have you been there?" Karin asked, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Long enough to hear everything. So, that's the devil kid," he remarked, a wry smile creeping across his face. "I'm not thrilled about what Micah's done, but we need all the help we can get. If he can manage not to become a devil, he could be an asset," Kaiky added, a hint of mischief in his tone.
"Assuming he survives today."
"Why do you say that?" Karin asked, a note of alarm creeping into her voice.
"We have a major threat and an unwelcome visitor," Kaiky replied, his expression suddenly serious.
Jeremiah wandered through an open field, the sun casting a warm glow over the swaying sunflowers, which wilted as he passed. He halted abruptly, sensing a surge of spiritual energy thick with bloodlust creeping up his spine. Turning sharply, he spotted Tyreel approaching, his aura a shimmering gold, exuding an unsettling calm that sent shivers through Jeremiah.
"Who are you? Why are you following me?" Jeremiah demanded, a mixture of defiance and fear surging within him.
"So you finally noticed," Tyreel replied, an amused glint in his eye. "Walking around like you own the place takes some nerve."
"Answer me!" Jeremiah insisted, his heart pounding in his chest.
Tyreel's eyes hardened into cold steel. "Do you really think you can talk to me like that?" In an instant, he surged forward, slamming Jeremiah into the ground with a force that sent tremors through the earth, creating a deep crater beneath them. Jeremiah gasped, blood staining the soil as Tyreel loomed above, a boot pressing into Jeremiah's chest.
"Is that all you've got? I'm disappointed," Tyreel taunted, a sneer curling his lips.
Suddenly, a shadow burst forth, revealing Eosphoros. With a swift, powerful punch, he knocked Tyreel off Jeremiah, a dark aura enveloping Jeremiah as he readied himself for the impending fight.
A flashback from earlier that day replayed in Jeremiah's head.
"Every demon possesses what we call a Divine Retribution, much like an Angel's grace. Devils are easier to manifest than angels due to their high concentration of malevolent energy. Eosphoros, do you know your divine retribution?" Karin asked.
"Of course," Eosphoros replied, dark purple flames swirling around him, casting eerie shadows.
"As an anchor, you can draw upon the same ability. Think of Eosphoros as your power source," Karin encouraged, her smile reassuring.
Jeremiah took a deep breath, his resolve hardening, bringing him back to the present.
"Let the flame that burns all creation to dust become my strength."
Divine Retribution: Purgatory Flames!
His aura ignited into dark purple fire.
"A divine retribution already? Maybe you're not half bad," Tyreel remarked, watching as Jeremiah and Eosphoros charged at him. But Tyreel sidestepped effortlessly, a predator evading its prey. Eosphoros unleashed a massive fireball that exploded against the crater's edge, turning it to dust. Seizing the opportunity, Jeremiah closed in, his fist enveloped in purple flames aimed directly at Tyreel's midsection. Tyreel kicked him away, a beam of light trailing behind his strike, sending Jeremiah crashing into a nearby wall.
"Impressive retribution," Tyreel said, observing the burned fabric on his leg where he had kicked Jeremiah.
"You coated yourself with the flames for defense."
"And you used your spiritual energy instead of your leg to hit me," Jeremiah managed to speak, wiping blood from his mouth.
"Playtime is over." Tyreel charged at Jeremiah before he could react, landing a powerful punch to his stomach, forcing blood out from his mouth. Eosphoros sent a wide punch at Tyreel, its hand coated in purgatory flames. Tyreel grabbed its fist, shock evident on both Jeremiah's and Eosphoros' faces. Tyreel's hand was covered in a white aura.
"Undiluted spiritual energy lets me interact with your retribution. Light always prevails." With his free hand, he punched a hole in Eosphoros' chest. He casually walked towards Jeremiah, picking him up by his collar.
"Worthless."
"Tyreel!" A voice sliced through the chaos, and Micah raced toward them, lightning crackling around him like a tempest. Tyreel turned, his dark pupils shifting to a blinding white as a golden sigil replaced his pupils. Time seemed to slow as he gathered energy, striking Micah with such force that the latter was sent hurtling backward.
"So the rumors are true; you harbor this devil," Tyreel sneered. "Is this what you do as an exorcist? You're meant to exorcise devils, not coddle them."
Micah stood, shaking off the impact.
"Jeremiah is not like other devils. There's good in him. He's like Israel."
"No devil or demon shall live while I breathe. There is no good devil; they are all evil. I will avenge Israel and Mother by making sure I wipe all demons and devils alike from this world. I will destroy them all for what they did to my family," Tyreel declared.
"I'll exorcise him if he goes rogue, but until he harms someone, I'll stand against even the Prelate if necessary," Micah countered, his voice steady.
"Micah... let me help," Jeremiah said, struggling to get back up.
"This is beyond you, Jeremiah. I do commend you for standing your ground till now, but leave this to me."
"No, I don't wan..." Jeremiah coughed up blood.
"Protected."
"I made this decision, and I'm going to see it through. Let me show you the level of strength you need," Micah said with a smile.
"Blasphemy!" Tyreel roared.
"Let the wrath of the god of thunder and lightning rise to my aid." Micah's aura crackled with electric energy, transforming him.
Divine Form: Ramiel.
Why is Micah regarded as the strongest?...
He was the youngest ever to achieve a divine form of an archangel.
Lightning struck Micah, dust clouds rose, before slowly settling to reveal six ethereal wings of pure lightning and a halo that glimmered, with two swords forged from electricity.
Tyreel scoffed.
"Flaunt your divine form as you like, but remember I've got a divine form of my own."
"Grant me the gaze of the gods."
Tyreel's aura flared violently, forming golden armor around him, and six wings sprouted from his back. Rune circles of gold, crimson, and black danced in his eyes.
Divine Form: Metatron.
Exorcists gathered at the crater's edge, their expressions a mix of fear and fascination. Karin pushed through the crowd, her face pale as she surveyed the scene.
"This is bad... very bad," she murmured, worry etched in every line of her face. "Both have activated their divine forms. It could disrupt the balance of spiritual and malevolent energy around the church. Their divine forms consume too
much energy. We need to stop them
"I'd like to see how this unfolds. I've never seen Micah go all out," another exorcist remarked, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Micah is singled out as one of, if not the strongest, exorcists in the country," another added.
"So is Tyreel. Being the son of the Supreme Head, he's also incredibly powerful," someone else noted.
Stormstep
Lightning surged from Micah's body as he immediately teleported behind Tyreel, aiming to land a punch.
"I am seven steps ahead of you," Tyreel said, turning and blasting Micah away with a beam of concentrated spiritual energy. The rune circles in Tyreel's eyes spun like gears.
"How did you?" Micah asked, gritting his teeth as he recovered.
"Tyreel has Metatron's Insightful Gaze—a grace that grants him unparalleled perception and analytical prowess, allowing him to read his opponents with extraordinary clarity," Karin explained to the onlookers.
"So that's why he was able to react to Micah's Stormstep," one exorcist muttered, awe creeping into their voice.
"Micah has a lot of work on his hands," Karin added grimly.
"What a troublesome grace you've got," Micah said, his crackling aura intensifying as the size of his ethereal swords grew immensely.
"But this ends now. Sorry if I get a little rough."
Micah dashed at Tyreel, swinging his large ethereal swords with ease. Tyreel's pupils spun rapidly as his body weaved through every attack. Slowly, Micah's strikes grew faster and more relentless. Tyreel's movements became erratic, the spinning runes in his eyes struggling to keep pace. A small smile tugged at Micah's lips as one of his right swings finally connected, cutting Tyreel across the midsection and sending him crashing into a wall, leaving a deep crater.
Judgment Strike
Dozens of ethereal swords materialized behind Micah. With a single hand motion, he sent the barrage of swords at Tyreel. Each sword exploded on impact, echoing with thunderous crashes. Tyreel quickly leapt from the crater, holding his stomach, where blood seeped from the cut.
"Impressive," Tyreel muttered. His golden rune eyes glowed brightly as he whispered,
Absolute Revelation.
Time stopped.
The spinning runes in Tyreel's eyes slowed, pinpointing highlighted areas within Micah's barrage. Golden-colored points glimmered across Micah's body.
The flow of time resumed. Tyreel moved like a blur, weaving through the attacks while gathering a massive amount of spiritual energy. The ground beneath them shook violently as the accumulated energy created a series of craters, splitting the field. Onlookers scattered as parts of the ground collapsed into darkness.
"If we don't stop them, these fools might destroy the church!" Kaiky shouted, but his attention was diverted as red and purple feathers began to fill the air.
"Oh great," Kaiky muttered, shaking his head.
A shadowed silhouette appeared between Micah and Tyreel. With a subtle tap of their cane on the ground, a massive heatwave erupted, blasting both combatants backward and leveling the surrounding area.