William barely manages to fire once before she crashes her wings into his chest. He’s pushed several feet forward before his feet slip and he rolls painfully across the ground. Then the angel flies up into the air.

Edlic Jiza sighs.

“You mortals have weak bodies. Get up already.” Edlic Jiza complains.

With forced energy, William’s body gets back up and is aiming at the angel before William even sees her. Edlic Jiza pulls the trigger two times, but keeps holding after the second.

A single holy bolt flies at the angel. She spins in the air to dodge it. Then she dives down with her spear held out above her head.

A white ball has formed inches from the revolver’s barrel tip.

The image of the tumbleweed growing a smile of crimson flames fills the angel’s mind.

The angel’s speartip is a foot away from William’s throat as Edlic Jiza lets go of the trigger, and the white ball transforms into a cross for a brief second. Then a six inch wide beam of holy energy bursts out the cross, and pushes the angel back hard.

The energy scorches her entire upper half as it pushes her into a wall forty feet away. She crashes into it with a loud thud. Deep cracks form across the wall for the few seconds the beam holds her against it.

Then the cross dissipates, and so does the holy beam. The angel slides down to the floor. Her entire front is black for a few moments. Then a white beam descends down from seemingly nowhere, and the angel’s burns become covered with golden light.

Edlic Jiza’s fiery fury crackles loudly.

“Seras is healing her. We need to find the exit.” he states firmly.

William is compelled to move forward. They run down the hall, and out into a courtyard. They don’t stop running. Angels looking through windows on both the ground level and a floor above spot them dashing through.

They watch him for a few moments, some quietly asking what they should do. Suddenly a chosen few feel a compulsion from their Goddess to chase after William. They break away from the windows, their rooms, dropping whatever duty they had. They make quick prayers, and create their weapons with their faith. Large longswords with black hilts and spears are the standard here. They feel a similar compulsion to what William feels. It draws them to William. But there is a difference in feeling. Seras’s touch is soft, while Edlic Jiza is forceful and coarse.

It isn’t long until an angel intercepts William. It turns the corner, and it’s only a second after she registers William’s existence that she strikes. She swings her sword across, and William’s body is forced to be flexible and nimbly duck under the blade. Then his body rushes forward and smacks William’s shoulder against her stomach. His arm presses the barrel of his revolver up against her knee and fires.

The angel cries out and falls to one knee. Then William kicks with the limits of his human body. The angel falls back onto the ground with a meaty thud. Then William fans the hammer of his revolver, and fires six shots into the angel. Three shots hit her stomach, two her chest, and one right in her forehead. These shots leave black burns, but otherwise don’t kill her.

Edlic Jiza is upset about this.

“How do these bastards resist my magic? I should be killing them.” he complains angrily.

William sighs, and before the answer can even fully form in his mind, Edlic Jiza is ranting.

“Don’t even fucking think that their redemption means it’s suddenly fine! I’m still hurting them. That means they’re still sinners.” he snaps angrily.

“Yeah, whatever. Let’s keep moving.” William says annoyedly.

The sound of wings flapping fills the air. Both William and Edlic Jiza will themselves to move at the same time, and this makes the body run forward at its highest speeds. He sprints at the level of an olympian athlete, even if he shouldn’t be able to. Especially when William has a bit of a beer gut. But Edlic Jiza’s powers are already changing William. And his mental influence forces the best results out. But William is feeling it. He’s sweating profusely, lightheaded, and his body feels heavy. Edlic Jiza doesn’t care. And honestly, neither does William.

They are both compelled to move forward.

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At an intersection of four different hallways, three angels come out. One from each direction ahead of William.

Edlic Jiza brings the revolver up, and William feels pain as his arm rises.

“I’m running low on fuel, Edlic.” William says nervously.

William feels a hand smack him upside the head.

“Pay your respects and use my full name. Do not shorten my name like I am someone who uses nicknames. I am Edlic Jiza, Justice Incarnate.” Edlic Jiza snaps angrily.

William looks behind him, and sees a door on his left. He tries to move to it, but Edlic Jiza asserts control at the same time.

They have a tug of war on that spot. His body halfway through a turn, his upper half twisting towards the door while his legs stay in place. The angels advance forward with amused smiles.

“It appears this vessel wishes to flee.” Angel 1 says amusedly.

“Does he not know Edlic Jiza is no coward? You can not flee with him inside.” Angel 2 says amusedly.

“Good sir, you look rather tired. Maybe you should sit down.” Angel 3 says nicely.

Edlic Jiza forces William to turn forward. William’s hands move with unnatural speed as they unload holy justice at the angels.

The angels sing in harmony, and a white ethereal shield with a large black core is formed before them. They block the shots.

Edlic Jiza growls, and his anger makes William’s mouth do the same.

“Prepare yourself.” Edlic Jiza commands angrily.

William’s left arm suddenly absorbs the revolver. His arm’s veins become bright white. Then his body is forced to dash forward, and punch the ethereal shield. A five foot wide explosion of holy energy shoots out. It breaks through the shield, and sends the angels flying with scorched bodies.

By the time they hit the ground, William’s body is forced to take a right and continue running.

Within a minute, they enter a grand entry hall. A giant statue of a woman with bloody hands and a serene face stands in the center of the room. And past it is the exit. Two black double doors. Painted across the doors is a heart with tar hanging off the bottom, and white wings.

They rush to the doors. When they’re within feet of the doors, they swing open. And standing behind them is a divine presence.

William is unable to recognize this being. He instead sees a beautiful woman with a shining face. So bright he is unable to discern any detail. But he knows she is beautiful and she is crying. He sees her hands are red, and he hears a heartbeat that soothes him.

Edlic Jiza sees his own truth. An ugly, blind hag in black robes.

“Do you truly need vengeance William?” Seras asks nicely.

William hesitates to speak for a moment. She seems so divine, he doesn’t want to give her a cruel answer. But Edlic Jiza pushes the answer out.

“My family…my family deserves to be avenged.” William says angrily.

Seras tilts her head to the side and smiles. A light blinds William and he has to turn his head aside.

Edlic Jiza sees a mouth of black teeth and scowls with disgust.

“I understand your rage. But revenge can end up being an endless trail of fire. Your rage will only destroy this second chance at life. Do you truly wish to throw yourself into Edlic Jiza’s service for the sake of your family? Do not hope he will even give you priority. His justice compels him to attack the nearest sinners. You will be exhausted and your body broken before he helps you.” Seras explains sympathetically.

William feels hesitation. Edlic Jiza feels anger, and compels William to raise his revolver. But William refuses.

“Well, I see whatcha mean. But I don’t care. The world can go blind for all I care. Those bastards deserve death. Get out of our way.” William states angrily.

He moves forward, continuing to ignore Edlic Jiza’s cries for violence.

Seras smiles sadly, and her form dissipates into nothing. William walks past, and out into a cave. As they walk, Seras leaves them with a warning.

“I have told Ares and Destiny a shard of you has escaped, Edlic Jiza.”

It isn’t long until William is questioning Edlic Jiza.

“Ares? Destiny? Are these other Gods?” he asks calmly.

“Yeah, what about it?” Edlic Jiza says annoyedly.

“You should explain why they’re our enemies.” William says calmly.

Edlic Jiza scoffs.

“A mortal demanding answers? You’re arrogant, aren’t you?” Edlic Jiza says angrily.

“You need me as much as I need you.” William says annoyedly.

“For now. We will see how long you remain useful.” Edlic Jiza says angrily.

Edlic Jiza sighs, and William sees an image of the tumbleweed rolling its one eye.

“Ares is the God of War. He is an enemy because he’s a monster who deserves death. Destiny is the God of Power. He is the same as Ares in that he deserves death for his crimes.” Edlic Jiza explains angrily.

They see light at the end of the tunnel. William moves faster, happy to be out of this cave.

They exit, and emerge at the top of a red sandstone mountain. Fierce winds blow around them. The cool air of the caves is replaced with the heat of the desert. And the sun shines brutally down upon them.

Edlic Jiza makes William take a deep breath through his nose. William notices a new smell in the air. Something like burnt blood.

“I can smell the sinners from here. Follow it. It will lead us to civilization.” Edlic Jiza commands angrily.

“Can’t we take a break? I’m not exactly a young man.” William complains.

“Shut up and keep moving.” Edlic Jiza commands annoyedly.

William is compelled to begin his descent down the mountain. He begins walking down a hill, but it isn’t long until he reaches a cliff. And is compelled to climb down. His body cries out for rest as it is run ragged. His hands are cut on rocks, but he is forced to ignore that pain.

It is several hours before Edlic Jiza finally allows rest. The pain of William’s body finally reached Edlic Jiza, and he has tired of it.

The second he releases his influence on William’s body, William faints from exhaustion.