---
Chapter 10
Rakael stood poised, her fists clenched tightly, as frigid air escaped her lips in sharp, ragged breaths. She weighed her options in a storm of anxiety—running was no longer feasible, not now that they had uncovered her true identity. The only path left was to fight. But could she win? She knew she had the strength to confront Seraphina, but Veyan was another matter entirely. Steeling her resolve, she made her choice.
With a sudden burst of speed, Rakael charged forward, her focus fixed firmly on Veyan, the more formidable of her opponents. She threw two quick punches, which Veyan deflected with ease, his movements fluid and confident. As she dodged his counterattack, she slipped deftly around his considerable bulk, locking onto his neck. With a swift, powerful strike of her elbow to the side of his head, she landed three quick blows before Veyan caught her and slammed her hard to the ground.
Seizing the moment, Seraphina lunged to stomp on her, but Rakael rolled nimbly aside, springing back to her feet and creating a bit of distance between them.
"I can't win like this," she muttered, her heart pounding as tendrils of smoke began swirling around her, coalescing into the forms of two miniature dragons. Without a second thought, she dashed forward once more, her dragons transforming into ethereal doppelgängers—one aimed at Veyan, the other at Seraphina.
With a flick of her wrist, Rakael and her first doppelgänger conjured swords of malevolent energy, their attacks harmonizing in a fierce assault on Veyan. The relentless onslaught forced him onto the defensive, his movements growing increasingly sluggish. Seizing the moment, Rakael kicked the back of his knee, sending him sprawling, while her second doppelgänger finished the job, crashing him into a nearby wall.
Meanwhile, the other doppelgänger relentlessly battered Seraphina, parrying her every attempt to retaliate. Blow after blow landed, and at last, Seraphina was forced to retreat, her usual calm demeanor shattered.
"I can't believe I'm losing to a mere imitation!" she spat, frustration seeping into her voice. As if summoned by her ire, smoke began to rise from the ground, coalescing into the form of a young maiden clutching a small ceramic jar. The maiden's beauty swiftly withered, revealing a grotesque, charred figure. It opened its eyes, which gleamed with a darkness deeper than the void, malevolent energy emanating from it and healing Seraphina's wounds. She rose, her power surging anew.
"Now you've gone and done it," Seraphina growled, enveloped in a massive wave of energy. Her veins throbbed with power as she charged at the doppelgänger, obliterating it with a single, furious punch. Even as her arm broke from the impact, it healed almost instantly.
Veyan shook off the lingering dizziness and climbed back to his feet, a glimmer of respect dawning in his eyes. "To think you've grown this strong in such a short time. Guess I'll have to take you seriously now." Flames began to swirl around him as his demon form materialized, a sight that sent shivers down Rakael's spine.
"It's four against one," she thought grimly. "I can't defeat them like this. One of my demons is already critically damaged. I'll have to attempt it again…" A surge of malevolent energy radiated from her body as the mark of Gemini on her arm flared with brilliant intensity. She absorbed her demon, unleashing a shockwave that blasted her opponents backward.
Cursed Form; Gemini Ascendance
---
Saint Agnes Basilica, Church Library
Micah stood in the hushed sanctuary of the library, a cigarette dangling carelessly from his lips. Ignoring the prominently displayed "No Smoking" sign, he ventured deeper among the towering shelves, lost in thought.
"Seven artifacts used to separate the four worlds... and The Commander hasn't heard of them?" he muttered, his fingers brushing over the spines of leather-bound tomes until one caught his eye. He pulled it free from its resting place.
"Didn't know you read," came a teasing voice from behind him, and he turned to find Hana leaning casually against the shelves.
Micah raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"
"I came to apologize for last night, on behalf of the crew. I know you despise being reminded of your past... and who you are," she said, her blue eyes steady as they met his.
He sighed, the weight of her words settling uneasily within him. "It's fine, I guess." He walked over to a nearby table, thumbing through the dusty pages of the book he had selected.
"What are you reading?" Hana asked, slipping into the seat beside him.
"I need information," he replied vaguely, his attention focused on the text.
"About what?"
"Something came up last night concerning the Insidious Covenant Church. Their plans."
"How did you manage to dig that up?" she inquired, leaning in with genuine curiosity.
"It just... came to me."
Hana frowned thoughtfully. "Why don't you ask Kiqutu? Her grace grants her access to knowledge most can only dream of."
Micah shook his head, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice. "That grace has a significant flaw. She needs to be in direct contact with whatever knowledge she seeks. If she had a Holy Form, things might be different."
"She doesn't have one? I thought you had to possess at least a Holy Form to ascend to the rank of Master Exorcist."
"Well, that's not strictly the case. You can rise through merit alone, but to climb higher—like becoming an Inquisitorial Captain, High Inquisitor, or Ecclesiastical Commander—you absolutely need a Holy Form."
Hana rolled her eyes dramatically. "What? And I busted my tail for a Divine Form?"
"Hey, a Divine Form is no small feat. Merging your innate malevolent energy with angelic energy and drawing out sixty percent of an angel's power is impressive. Anything beyond that could destroy your body, and it heavily depends on the angel—grace from Archangels, Powers, and Dominions exacts a much heavier toll."
"Wow, for a guy who looks like he could break walls, you're surprisingly intelligent," she smirked.
"Ouch."
"Wait." Hana flipped through the book, her finger tracing the text with keen interest. "After mankind fell from grace, Yahweh separated the worlds to prevent humans from achieving immortality and eternal knowledge. But He also devised a plan for humanity to return to Him, utilizing divine artifacts scattered across all planes of existence," she read aloud. Turning the page, she continued, "The artifacts include the Celestial Orb, Infernal Chalice, Purgatorial Mirror, Mortal Blade, Ethereal Key, Divine Compass, and Arcane Tome…"
"Anything else?" Micah asked, rubbing his temples in exasperation.
"There's something more," Hana said, squinting at the unfamiliar script. "We should take this to Kiqutu."
---
Elsewhere
Veyan towered over Rakael, who lay bloodied and bruised upon the unforgiving ice. With a vicious kick, he turned her onto her back, blood spurting from her mouth like a cruel reminder of her fragility.
"You thought you could defeat me, huh? Just because you're a Witness?" he sneered, pressing his foot against her chest, sending her rolling helplessly across the ground. But then a cloaked figure stepped into view, halting her descent.
"My dear Rakael, look at what you've become."
Through swollen, bloodshot eyes, Rakael recognized him instantly. "Cedric...?"
He smiled, an unsettling sight. Cedric's gaze flickered toward Veyan and Seraphina. "What's happening here?"
"She needed to learn her place," Seraphina snapped, her tone sharp as glass.
Cedric's eyes darkened ominously. "Veyan, explain yourself."
"You dare—" Veyan began, but Cedric cut him off, his voice low and dangerous. "Do not make me repeat myself."
Veyan growled and lunged at Cedric, throwing a punch with enough force to crack the very walls around them. But Cedric merely smiled, unperturbed.
"That's the best you've got?" he taunted, his confidence palpable.
Veyan recoiled, stepping back toward Seraphina, beads of sweat glistening on their foreheads. "Not only did you assault a Witness, but you dared to raise your hand against me. The nerve."
"Who are you?" Veyan asked, his voice quivering slightly.
Cedric smirked, advancing slowly, malevolent energy radiating from him with each deliberate step. "Who am I?" he echoed. "I'm merely a demon seeking what was taken from me. I want my throne back. I want Heaven restored to its former glory. And above all, I want Heaven beneath my feet."
Seraphina's face drained of color. "It can't be... Cedric, you didn't—"
"I *said*, be quiet," he interrupted, extending his arm. A stone spike erupted from the ground, piercing through Seraphina's chest. Blood gushed from her mouth as her eyes widened in shock.
Veyan eyes widened as he stared at Seraphina's impaled corpse.
"No one will stand in the way of my ambition to attain godhood"
Veyan let out a roar of rage, the mark of Aries burning fiercely on his chest as flames incinerated his clothing, two horns sprouting ominously from his forehead.
"You're going to regret that," Cedric hissed, turning to Rakael with a dark, predatory smile. "Hold on—this won't take long."
With a fierce clap of his hands, Veyan summoned a fiery beam, launching it directly at Cedric. To Veyan's astonishment, Cedric parried the attack with effortless ease, a chilling smile creeping across his lips.
Fueled by fury, Veyan charged, unleashing a barrage of powerful punches. Some of Cedric's moves were expertly dodged, but one landed squarely on Cedric's midsection. The impact exploded upon contact, scorching Cedric's skin, yet he bore no sign of pain; his wounds healed almost instantaneously.
Infernal Convergence: Combustion
Suddenly, Cedric's body erupted into a shower of dark, swirling energy, scattering his remains across the battlefield. Veyan let out a victorious roar, believing he had achieved a decisive blow. But then he heard Cedric's voice, clear and mocking, emanating from behind him.
"Hold your horses, will ya?"
Veyan spun around, his eyes wide with shock as Cedric delivered a punch that sent Veyan hurtling through the air. Cedric was upon him in an instant, grasping Veyan by the neck and slamming him into the ground with a force that reverberated through the icy floor.
Veyan retaliated with a searing heatwave, forcing Cedric to release him, the flames leaving deep scorch marks on Cedric's chest. But once again, Cedric's wounds closed with a disturbing swiftness, as if he were made of something far more resilient than flesh.
"Interesting," Cedric mused, his tone almost casual. "You might be stronger than you look."
"You haven't seen anything yet," Veyan growled, his eyes alight with fury.
Infernal Convergence: Fire Form
In an instant, Veyan ignited, flames engulfing him entirely. He unleashed a massive firebeam aimed directly at Cedric, but the ground beneath Cedric erupted into a protective barrier, absorbing the blow.
Cedric, unfazed, raised jagged spikes from the earth, forcing Veyan to weave and dodge through the violent barrage. Though he managed to land several explosive punches, each strike seemed to bounce off Cedric's defenses, leaving him more frustrated than victorious.
Infernal Convergence: Eternal Damnation
Veyan unleashed a colossal firebeam that blazed through the air, so intense that it sheared the tops off nearby mountains, triggering a thundering avalanche. Panting and drained, Veyan reverted to his human form, sweat trickling down his brow.
"That was quite the attack," Cedric remarked, emerging from the thick smoke, his wounds already healed. As the haze cleared, Cedric's true form became visible—two dark horns atop his head and four bloodstained wings unfurling lazily behind him.
"If I hadn't released my true form, that might've killed me," Cedric confessed, his voice smooth and dangerous.
"It's... impossible," Veyan whispered, disbelief etched across his features.
"Let's see how you handle this. Hold on tight."
Titan's Embrace: Seismic Crash
With a wave of his hand, Cedric unleashed a massive wave of seismic energy that roared toward Veyan.
"I'm not dying here. I can't!" Veyan roared, desperation surging through him as he braced for the impact. "After all I've done for you, Cedric, this is how you repay me?"
"Never underestimate what a desperate man will do for his family," Cedric replied, a cold smile playing on his lips.
Gathering the last of his malevolent energy, Veyan conjured a towering firewall in a desperate attempt to shield himself. But Cedric's onslaught tore through it effortlessly, the overwhelming force crashing down upon him.
Cedric sighed, a look of satisfaction crossing his face. "That's that." He turned away, but his satisfaction was short-lived when he saw Rakael standing defiantly, bloodied but resolute, a knife aimed directly at him.
He raised his hands in mock surrender, a smirk curling his lips. "What are you? What do you know about me?" Rakael demanded, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and fury.
"Is that how you say thank you? I just saved your—"
"Answer me!" Rakael screamed, cutting him off, her heart pounding in her chest as the weight of the moment pressed down upon her.