Location: Restaurant Mirabé, Barcelona - Spain
Yan Rain P.O.V.
As any self-respecting exorcist, I was enjoying a delicious meal and a glass of wine after a tiresome mission when it happened. Mirabé not only served dishes that made me question the strange things I've eaten over the years, but also a sweeping view over the city of Barcelona.
My new friend Mateo, a talented exorcist who had been my partner for the mission earlier today, described in fancy words the beauty of the city below. In his eyes, the architecture, showcasing a blend of Gothic, Moorish, and modernist styles epitomized by works like Gaudí's Sagrada Família and the Alhambra, was a subject worth discussing the entire night.
In my eyes, the city unfolded like a detailed mosaic without meaning or end. I could appreciate the beauty of the different buildings individually, but as a whole, I couldn’t understand a thing.
Yet, as the sun went down and the lights illuminated the city, I could see more of Spain's beauty. I’ve always had a soft spot for when the lights turned on, considering myself a night lover as I could act unrestrained, even though I was an early riser.
But as nothing lasts for long, the damned alarm echoed everywhere, ruining my time by announcing a disaster.
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Omniscient P.O.V.
“Everybody, run to the safe zones!” Mateo yelled, starting the commotion. He got to his feet, ready to organize the crowd, but hit the table in his hurry, almost spilling his drink—and Yan’s wine as well.
Everyone panicked, chairs were pushed aside, the "alpha males" carried their beloved wives in high heels to save time, and everyone rushed out the doors. The city below howled with a cacophony of sounds, streets filled with masses of people, all heading to the emergency centers.
Yan and Mateo’s phones buzzed, receiving a message.
“Code Red, all exorcists are called to duty. As a Rank C, please ensure the people’s safety by escorting them to the emergency centers.”
After checking their phones, Mateo went outside. Yan emptied his glass before following him.
This is not a good place to die, Yan thought. Never having experienced a Nexus from such a close distance, he was afraid. Everyone was.
Reaching outside, their eyes remained fixed on the shimmering air above the city. The Nexus was forming—its presence undeniable as the temperature dropped and shadows deepened unnaturally.
The first sign was always the cold. The second, the whispers.
They called names, spoke in unknown dialects, and assaulted the minds of the weak. Mateo tightened his grip on the hilt of his spirit blade, the silver weapon humming with latent power. Yan looked into the distance, breath fogging in the eerie chill as he watched the birth of the Nexus.
It began with a convergence of spiritual energy, drawing upon the raw essence of the world itself. At the center of this convergence, a swirling vortex was distorting the boundaries between the two realms, blurring and blending them together. Reality itself seemed to warp and shift, bending to the will of the burgeoning Nexus.
A low, guttural growl emanated from it, and in response, one by one, figures appeared on the rooftops.
“All exorcists, respond to order!” the voice of Barcelona’s IEB branch president thundered over the city. “Those Rank B and above, gather at the Nexus to help us face the main force. The rest are to protect the people and deal with whatever escapes from us! We can’t allow them to freely roam our world.”
“Clear the area!”
“Toma solo lo que es importante!” (Take only what’s important), the exorcists shouted at the people.
All exorcists had to communicate and understand each other no matter the country they were from. So in order to achieve that, English was decided as the common language, which needed to be learned by all.
With a swift leap, Mateo descended without the need of stairs, landing silently on the ceramic tile walkway. He weaved through the crowd, providing assistance and direction, his eyes never leaving the vortex in the distance. Not being able to follow his friend as his physique wasn’t yet at that level, Yan took the stairs.
The exorcists closer to the Nexus quickly prepared for battle. Prayers were lifted to the sky to increase the presence of positive energy and the level of vibration in the surroundings. Totems and talismans were used to erect barriers to serve as safe points. Some summoned angels of light to fight and assist them, while others opened the gates for their sealed monsters to come out.
The International Exorcists Bureau (IEB) branch in Barcelona activated the city’s defenses as well. The Sound Beacon started to vibrate, emitting a sound of 963Hz that covered an area of 1000 square kilometers, strengthening the positive spiritual energy and weakening the evil entities.
However, a chilling burst of energy instantly lowered the vibration of the area around the vortex. With that, the sky opened and the Nexus erupted. An unstoppable torrent of malevolent spirits spewed out from it. Wails, screams, and laughter filled the sky, as if the Nexus were the gate of hell itself.
The wave of negative emotions and whispers instantly assaulted every living being, weakening the common pedestrians to the point of fainting. But the exorcists resisted.
“NIGHT HAS FALLEN!” the voice of the S Rank president echoed again. “Keep your minds clear!”
Explosions illuminated the sky, and sacred fire wielders turned the atmosphere into a crematory. The negative energy was being consumed by flames. But among the multitude of brainless soldiers, there were chieftains who directed the horde.
“Fight together, don’t stand alone!” shouted the president.
The horde of specters quickly gained ground, spreading over the city like poison in water. Not just the sky, but the streets and rooftops ignited in battle as well. The exorcists didn’t have to worry about the spirits running away, as they were the hunters and humans the prey.
Mateo’s spirit blade flared to life, a beam of pure energy slicing through the first wave of spirits. Each strike was precise, each movement a blend of training and instinct. And everything he did bought more time for the people behind to get away.
Normally, the spirits could only be perceived by the exorcists' trained senses, but after the worlds merged, the story changed.
Yan grabbed the head of a specter trying to bite him. The light emitted from his palm turned it into specks of spiritual energy. Focusing, a fire rune materialized before him. Punching it, the rune shot a line of fire reaching up to ten meters, burning away all the spirits. After the one-time use, the rune dissipated, and Yan ran to find and support his friend.
“Sálvame, por favor, sálvame!” (Save me, please, save me), cried a man throwing himself at Yan’s feet, grabbing his leg.
Yan almost stumbled and fell. The people remaining on the street, frozen by fear, found a new hope in him.
"Llévame a un lugar seguro, te daré cualquier cosa," (Take me somewhere safe, I'll give you anything), shouted a woman, her face pale, barely standing on her feet.
"Sálvame, tienes que salvame!" (Save me, you have to save me!)
Yan couldn't understand a word, but he could guess what the people wanted from him. He tried to break free, but only managed to drag the man clinging to his leg a few more meters. Specters assaulted another man on the street, fighting among themselves to enter the poor guy's mouth.
"Por favor, sálvame!" the woman screamed, horrified, unable to take another step forward.
Yan cut down the specters lunging at him with the blade of his palm. Under the influence of the negative energy, he felt the urge to shoot the man holding him. After all, he didn’t want to die either.
The air grew thicker with animosity. Human screams echoed from the nearby streets, so Yan knew something bad was approaching.
"Rest in peace," he said, stimulating his spiritual energy. Two runes appeared beneath his feet, allowing him to jump back and free himself from the man's grasp.
"Exorcista, no te atrevas a dejarnos aquí!" (Exorcist, don't you dare leave us here!) yelled an old man.
Yan thought again about showing them mercy by killing them. But then their grief and hate would attack him, and he didn't want to waste precious time cleansing himself for nothing.
Taking out his pistol, he shot a magic bullet between the eyes of the man inhabited by specters. The immaterial bullet instantly passed through the fleshy body, leaving a burnt hole in the wall of a building.
"You have legs, use them," Yan said before taking some paper doll talismans from the inner pocket of his coat.
His actions heightened the people's animosity and fear, more words being shouted in his direction. But Yan continued to retreat, throwing the paper doll talismans onto the street and walls of the buildings.
The talismans adhered to the surfaces they touched, emitting a dim light under Yan's mental command. The evil spirits chasing him from the sky and between the buildings all gathered around the talismans.
Scratching the concrete walls, biting pieces of cobblestone from the street, and fighting with each other, the spirits tried to seize the light for themselves.
"Ignite!" Yan commanded, and the talismans burst into a blinding light, disintegrating all the hungry spirits in the area.
He continued to run, trying to catch up with Mateo as lone exorcists could easily be cornered by such a numerous enemy. And judging by the chaos in the distance, no one would come to save them anytime soon.
People continued to run through the streets, trying to save themselves, leaving behind those who could not move forward. The specters stopped to feast on those who lagged behind, but others came to pursue.
Yan killed as many as possible, giving people passing him time to reach safety. But his actions drew the enemy's attention.
Something flew from between the buildings, crossing the street, smashing into a wall, staining it red. Yan continued his advance, catching a quick glimpse of what had fallen from the wall. A body. A chill ran down his spine. It was an exorcist.
Sensing danger, a rune instantly materialized at his back. Yan noticed it too late, leaving no time to dodge. In the next moment, something collided with the white rune at his back, sending him flying.
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Turning in mid-air, Yan first shot, then looked at what had hit him. Unloading a few magic bullets from both pistols, he observed the two-meter-tall apparition. With a blurred head and a body emitting a black, smoke-like substance, the thing had scythe-like arms.
Yan landed on his feet, firing a few more shots even though no visible wounds were inflicted. The bullets seemed to hit an invisible wall shielding the apparition.
This is definitely above C, Yan thought, confident in the penetration power of his bullets. After all, they could affect both physical and non-physical entities.
The apparition's abdomen opened in five, revealing a bottomless abyss. A continuous sharp sound assaulted Yan's ears, causing him to lose balance. But not for long, as runes appeared at his ears. They materialized physically only for a moment but remained active in the spiritual world, protecting the ears of Yan's spiritual body.
The apparition turned into a puff of smoke, reappearing before Yan, aiming to cut off his neck. Yan ducked low, evading the attack, but the apparition followed swiftly, not giving him time to react.
Forced to dodge and utilize runic shields continuously, Yan tried to find a way out. He cast a black rune right beneath his enemy. Then, after evading an attack, he jumped back. The apparition tried to follow, but black chains emerging from the rune below restrained its advance.
Pressing the lower button on the grip of his pistols, Yan changed their shooting characteristics. He pulled the trigger and brought the guns together. All the remaining SE (spiritual energy) in the magazines charged the attack. When he released the trigger, the attacks combined, shooting forward like a purple arrowhead.
The attack pierced through the defense of the apparition, leaving a wide hole in its abdomen before passing through a few more buildings. The apparition let out sharp screeches, twisting, bending, and struggling to free itself. It was weakened, but it didn't perish.
"No presence, barrier wielder, capable of launching sound attacks, physical strength not weaker than a Rank C exorcist, natural suppression over spirits, and can vanish? I've never heard of anything like you before," Yan said to himself.
"Just hurry up and die already."
Placing the pistols back in their shoulder holsters, Yan took out a small book from the inner pocket of his coat and approached the crazed apparition. A white rune materialized above it, and Yan began to read.
"God of all the above and below, almighty ruler of physical and non-physical, open the gate of the 4th Sky, here and now, and pour Thy Precious Light over this... thing before me."
As Yan's words echoed, the apparition screamed sharper than ever. The white rune above it began to emit light that burned its body. The apparition tried to lunge at him, but the chains managed to stop it.
"Clear its body, mind, soul, and spirit; its intellect and will, feelings, thoughts, and emotions. Words and actions, by all the dark and evil energy."
The apparition fell to the ground, its scythe penetrating the street as it tried to crawl away.
Yan smiled and continued. "Help it return its spirit back to the source, and free this world of its presence. Lord, I dedicate all these little words to Thee, and I acknowledge Thee as Lord and Master of all. Help us free ourselves from the pain and suffering brought by others. Amen."
Yan closed the book and returned it to his pocket. The light emanating from the rune above was so bright that it almost made his eyes sting. Strangely, the body of the apparition remained on the ground, not dissipating.
As no spirit dared to approach, Yan took out his Eternal Clepsydra, a device used by exorcists to collect spirit fragments. Currently, the device was only 11% full.
As soon as Yan opened the lid, the Eternal Clepsydra began working. If no spirit fragment was found, it would be safe to assume that the apparition wasn't dead yet. After all, any dead entity would leave behind spirit fragments.
Luckily, the Eternal Clepsydra found something. Its storage bar displayed 19% full. Yan quickly closed the lid after the green light turned blue, indicating the absorption process was complete and no other spirit fragment was found in the immediate area.
"You were a pretty rich bastard," Yan noted, delighted by his catch.
Spirit fragments had many uses and were quite important for an exorcist. However, the weaker the entity, the weaker its spirit fragment was. And even though he could collect a decent amount from what he had killed so far, Yan couldn't risk being surrounded by enemies.
Leaving the lid of the Eternal Clepsydra open to absorb continuously was also out of the question, as after the suction process ended, the spirit fragments could escape. It wasn't a perfect device, but it was the only one Yan could afford at this time.
As seconds passed, the runes began to disappear, and the spirits eyed Yan, waiting for the moment when the light was gone to attack.
Quickly changing the mags of his pistols, Yan used his runes to propel himself away from the place. In his rapid advance, he passed by corpses, claw marks, and possessions, but paid them no attention. His mission for now was to protect the living, not to kill the dead, and there was no trace of living people left on these streets.
Yan had no idea where the emergency centers were, but for now, he continued to follow the trail.
"Hey you, what's your Rank?" someone shouted suddenly.
Yan stopped at an intersection of roads where two people were asking others about their ranks.
"Brother, tell me you're at least D," said the same guy.
"I'm C, why?" Yan decided to answer after seeing their expressions.
"Thank God," said the other one, struggling to deal with the never-ending spirits.
"Please come with us. There's a guy fighting a strange creature near the emergency center. The thing already killed four of us before he arrived. He asked us to find help," the guy explained between rapid breaths.
"Alright, let's go," Yan said, shooting down a rapidly approaching possession.
Most of the time, weak specters couldn't fully control an inhabited body, but they could have fun by moving it around like a zombie.
Yan remained with the two newbies until clashing blades could be heard clearly, then he sped up. Mateo or not, if the one fighting the creature was still alive, then he had to do everything in his power to help. The two newbies were also close enough to be able to return on their own, so there was no point in wasting time.
A few hundred meters before the emergency center, in the middle of the street, Mateo fought a life-and-death battle with the same type of apparition encountered by Yan. However, even though Mateo's attacks managed to wound it, the thing showed no signs of giving up.
"Need a hand?" Yan asked as soon as he arrived.
Knowing how to deal with the apparition, he summoned the black chains that constrained its movements in no time.
"I thought you might be dead." Mateo laughed.
"Force it to stay there," Yan instructed.
This time, the apparition was in a better state than the previous one, so Yan couldn't have absolute faith in the chains. Luckily, Mateo understood his role and kept the thing company until Yan set the white rune and voiced the first verse of the prayer.
After that step, everything went smoothly. And like the previous time, the body remained on the street, not vanishing even though the spirit was gone. Yan collected the spirit fragment in his Eternal Clepsydra, which now displayed 26% full.
"What took you so long to come?" Mateo asked, patting Yan's shoulder.
"I've met a thing like this one," Yan replied.
"Yeah, that's a good enough reason," Mateo said, observing the spirits. "It seems like they are afraid of this thing. Anyway, let's go inside and rest for a little. I'm down on SE."
Yan nodded, knowing that it would be a long night.
They prepared to go inside the emergency center when the sky howled with a series of loud explosions. Right after that, a beam of purple light came from the battle at the Nexus, cutting and melting buildings like a laser.
"Why are the newbies not coming?" Yan asked, shifting his attention down the street.
Even with their speed, they should've arrived by now.
In that instance, Yan felt a force entering his body. The pendant around his neck brightened, the ring on his finger burned, and the paper talisman on his chest turned to ash. Yan felt dizzy, trembling. A sharp pain pierced his chest as he was pushed back.
He could see his own body from behind.
Yet those strange sensations lasted only a moment as he was pulled back. Yan tried to regain his balance, taking a few steps to avoid falling. His chest ached, and his head whizzed as he tried to shake off the sensation.
When he calmed enough to pay attention to his surroundings, Yan saw Mateo lying on the ground.
"What the hell just happened?" he asked.
The personnel watching them from the emergency center immediately exited the safety of the barrier to help.
"Mateo, are you alright?" Yan checked on his friend, but as he was about to squat next to him, Mateo rose to his feet in an unusual manner.
Yan jumped back in fright. He wasn’t sure what had happened, still not fully recovered from his own experience, but he was aware of the danger. Mateo's body was suspended a few centimeters above the ground, his hand still grasping the hilt of his sword.
Yan remained still, not wanting to disturb the strange phenomenon. He considered shooting—it was always best to end something before it began. But if he couldn't end it, he would become a sure target.
The people coming from the center stopped in their tracks as well, silently even backtracking.
Yan slowly reached for the small bottles of holy water hidden in his coat. One could not fail with highly concentrated holy water. That's why it was so expensive in the first place.
But that action was enough to alert Mateo. The second the holy water came to light, Mateo's body moved through the air like a puppet, sword pointed to stab Yan.
Because of the nature of the attack that followed the target, Yan could only summon a protective rune. The tip of the blade was stopped by the rune, but only for a brief moment before continuing to advance, stabbing Yan in the shoulder. If Yan hadn't been quick to evade, his lung would have been pierced.
Mateo gazed at Yan from up close, not blinking. Yan couldn't see the light behind his eyes, which meant the rightful host wasn’t home anymore. A paper doll came out from beneath Yan's coat, sticking to Mateo. The latter swung his arm, sending Yan rolling on the street.
Yan clenched his jaw, remaining silent. He wanted to scream from the pain; it hurt so badly that he didn't want anything anymore. That's what his instincts told him. Fear kicked in, urging him to play dead and wait for everything to pass.
Everyone experienced those things—after all, no one wanted to be hurt or feel pain. No one felt comfortable in it. By default, the natural way of things guided everyone to comfort and pleasure because it was normal to feel good and be happy.
However, the natural way of things was unable to differentiate between situations. Sometimes, in order to feel good, suffering was necessary. That's what the mind was for—a tool for allowing humans to make decisions based on what was best, not on the moment's impulse.
Yan pushed himself up, enduring the pain just so he could keep an eye on Mateo. He hoped not to be followed, but expecting a better situation was often just an illusory desire.
All he saw were Mateo's feet suspended in the air above his nose.
Even though that wasn't Yan’s original intention, desperate situations required desperate actions. The talisman on Mateo's body glowed with a blue light. Chains of numbers emerged from it, surrounding Mateo and binding him. He tried to lift his arm and strike with the sword, but the chains restricted him.
Yan quickly increased the distance. Taking out a handful of paper doll talismans, he scattered them in the air. One was applied to his wound, stopping the bleeding and easing the pain. The rest flew toward Mateo, sticking to his body and swirling around him.
Yan fell to his knees.
"Hear me here and now. By my right as his descendant, with no desire to harm innocents, I, Yan, summon the purple-silver flame of Jarim. To burn the evil spirit threatening my life, to save dozens or more, and to cleanse all evil from this land. Amen."
As soon as Yan finished his words, a purple fire burning with a silver hue ignited from the talismans on Mateo's body, turning into a fire vortex under the guidance of the swirling ones.
I'm down on SE as well, my friend, Yan thought, wiping the sweat with his sleeve.
Screams and groans came from behind the veil of flames. The people returning close to the safety of the emergency center's barrier all watched a human burning. It wasn't the best scenery, but life wasn’t only about flowers and kisses. Sometimes, tough decisions and ugly actions needed to be taken.
Yan poured the holy water on his wound, not daring to use alcohol. The holy water could be used not only to expel evil entities but also to help in the healing process.
A strange sound came from the purple flames, and a whip of black matter made its way out. Moving like the tail of a beheaded serpent, it hit the ground and nearby wall; creating loud explosions, raising clouds of dust, and leaving burnt marks behind.
Yan immediately moved to increase the distance. He saw the black whip coming after him. Not daring to block it, he decided to evade it. So he ducked low. Yet that might have been the worst decision he had made in his 20 years of life.
The whip passed above him. Yan was safe. But the waving thong left him no time or room to fully dodge it. Maybe he should have forced a high jump from the start.
Yan cast a protective rune, raising his hands to defend his head. But the rune was useless, and the force of the impact swept his hands to the side, the thong hitting him in the face.
Falling on his back, Yan could not see anything anymore. His head was so shaken that he even lost the feeling of his body. All the remaining talismans in his pocket were called out with a final command. They swirled around him, and that was all Yan could register before fainting.