2 Possessed

The priest frowned, still uncertain of what to make of the newly appointed High Paladin. But time was of the essence and too precious to waste on mysterious uncertainties. He began to brief the High Paladin on the current crisis.

They were led towards an apartment complex opposite the roadblock. "The building's been evacuated," The priest supplied as they made their way up the stairwell, "But that doesn't mean we can be careless." The air was oppressive with the scent of mold and the sight of cobwebs aligned with peeling paint contorted Anita's face in clear displeasure, though Gabriel remained unfazed.

"We're almost there." The high priest huffed, voice ragged with an aged croaked as they approached the seventh floor.

Already, Gabriel could hear a commotion of shouts and chants along with a piercing cry that was difficult to pinpoint as human. There was crashing as well, tearing sounds and all the hallmarks of a chaotic battled that brewed above the thin half-rotten floors within the old crumbling building.

"It sounds like a party." Anita joked with nervous laughter while her hand was held close to her mouth and nose. The complex was far from the familiar luxuries the young noblewoman grew up with. But a job was a job and Gabriel ignored whatever signs of groaning and complaints from her. He, for one, was no stranger to such a place.

"There is only one," Their guide continued, stopping them at the hallway door, next to a pair of priests that quietly chanted prayers to supply fortifying holy magic. "A young man corrupted by an illegal brand ARC. If you can hold down the beast for twenty minutes then we should be able to purify him."

Twenty minutes? That was much too long. Gabriel scoffed despite himself. His fingers were already tracing the pummel of the blade that rested at his hips in anticipation. "That would be unnecessary, I have a much simpler solution to offer."

The high priest blinked, watching with apprehension as a long, silver blade was drawn out of its sheath. "High Paladin, sir? What could you mean by that?"

"Withdraw your men." The High Paladin ordered, "My ability alone will suffice for this job."

Realization began to dawn on the old man, his lips drew into a thin line, "Sir, I couldn't possibly abandon the operation halfway through."

But Gabriel already had his back turned, waving off the holy men that upheld the barrier containing the monster within. "I understand that you want to finish this up with the least amount of casualties and damages, am I correct, High Priest?" The door before him was splintered with faded paint and Gabriel was more than eager to soon kick it down. The priests watched him with raised shoulders, eyes nervously turning to their superior for answers.

The older man sighed, "Do you understand our position, High Paladin?"

Priests of the Empyrean, devoted to their faith excelled at catering and alleviating individual suffering. It wouldn't look good on their part if they willingly let someone die without exhausting all other measures first. Well, Gabriel would be the first to admit that he was wholly unsuitable for priesthood. "Yes. And I can swear to you if nothing else that I will abide by my words. Minimum damage. Minimum casualty."

The silence was tense, even as Anita broke it with her carefree chirping, "The boss is actually pretty good, you know? At keeping promises."

Finally, the high priest relented, "Very well, as long as you keep that in mind."

With a final nod, Gabriel kicked down the door. A miasmic stench instantly gusted past them as the holy barrier evaporated. "What are you doing?" A voice shrilled from one of the priests within the chaos. From the paleness of her face and the amount of red painted upon her once sky blue robes Gabriel knew with a single glance that she was no longer fit to be fighting. Surely, there were more idiots to be found in similar states.

Gabriel quickened his pace. If he was going to keep his promise to the old priest then he would have to hurry. He passed by the priestess, commanding her to stay out of the way. Luckily with all the loud rumbling and howling it wasn't hard to pinpoint the exact apartment all the fighting was taking place. "Anita, make sure no one gets in my way." He ordered as he made a sharp right into the room with the thickest corrupted mana.

"You got it, sir!" Her voice was like distant static as Gabriel's eyes lay upon the root of this morning's malaise. It growled like a feral beast, eyes glowing an unearthly red. The humanoid form of the monster that stood before him was but a parody of the man it had once been.

"Help! Help me!" A desperate voice pleaded. An unfortunate priest was caught within the grasps of an engorged claw. There was the telling light of an ominous glow that came from the mutated appendage.

Gabriel clicked his tongue, knowing well of the origins of the corruptive power. He raised his blade and steadied his breath, calling upon the powers that dwelt within to stir.

The demon paused in its movements, head jolting upwards like a dog picking up a scent. It dropped the priest who scampered away like a hurt animal before turning its attention to its new advisory. Mutated by the corrupted mana, the creature stood almost a head taller than Gabriel, roaring like a rabid boar.

He dashed forward with a burst of lightning, blade clashing with blackened claws. The demon cried and slashed at the High Paladin in a crazed frenzy but none of its blows struck true. Gabriel was too fast, dodging with minimal effort and movement. It took little time to find an opening through the demon's mindless attacks. With a long clean stroke and magic abuzz in his veins Gabriel cleaved the beast's head right off its shoulders.

The blood that flowed freely from the severed neck was black. Gabriel watched as the corrupted air eased, if only slightly. Deformed skin shrank back into the semblance of the person it had once been. To Gabriel, a pile of bones wrapped in shriveled skin did not look human at all.

The stunned silence was only broken when Anita waltzed in to report, "Everyone is safe sir and," She startled when she caught sight of the remains and a pulled a face of disgust, "How terrible…"

A shining glint caught his eye, something metallic rested by the shriveled hand that was once the demon's giant abominable claw.

Gabriel reached for it and picked it up, scrutinizing the intricate details carved along the sides of cheap steel.

A presence approached from behind, the priest gazed upon the corpse without scorn nor disgust. "He could have been saved." The old man lamented as he knelt down to offer the dead a prayer.

Neither sympathy nor pity graced Gabriel's heart. He could only gaze upon the scene with calloused apprehension. "Perhaps," He acknowledged, at the very least, before adding, "but there was a crime to be paid for as well. Anita."

When Anita tilted her head in question towards her boss he ordered her to take out her hand. In it he dropped the heavy ring into her palm explaining, "This man was corrupted by continued use of an illegal Oracle brand ARC. Bring that back to headquarters and have its origins uncovered. I want to know where it came from." He commanded before making his departure.

"Certainly sir!" She agreed while following his steps. "So this is an Oracle brand ARC, how peculiar!" Anita inspected the tiny band of metal in her hand, humming an annoying tune to show her pleasure. ARCs were Artificial Resonance Cores, a superb new piece of magitech that could simulate resonance cores that allowed the nobility and royalty to use magic. But they were expensive pieces, impossible to afford for the lower or even middle-class people, which thus popularized illegal knock-offs that didn't follow Imperial safety standards. These illegal ARC brands were the number one cause of demon possessions in the entirety of the Empire but with an economy that was dependent on the ability to use or work with magic, people were reluctant towards even acknowledging the issue.

As they left the parameter a woman's wail could be heard, "My son, oh, my son! Give him back to me!" She clawed at the knights that prevented her from bolting into the crime scene.

Gabriel paid her no mind. He dialed a number to inform the Council that he would, unfortunately, be a little late to the meeting due to some unprecedented circumstances.