The Priest or Priest? (*Updated*)
From the very beginning itself, the common public of Seventh Gate was never fond of the idea that a Devil lending his help to the government and working for the betterment of the city. They found it way too good to be true.
And this sentiment only continued to grow over the years, resulting in Priest vanishing from the Seventh Gate once every five years to escape from the infectious hatred. The press, funded by the Cults and some shady Businessmen who were against Priest in every way, milked this hatred by publishing news containing nothing but hate and contempt towards Priest and his actions (mostly to hide and overshadow other pressing issues in Seventh Gate). They used to take whatever he does out of context and twist it to fit into their narrative, spewing whatever nonsense they can come up with.
And to these drooling wolves, Priest just offered everything they were looking for, on a gold platter - Killing a citizen.
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The news of Priest committing a murder, spread like a wildfire, invoking the accumulated hate and anger all at once. The politicians rejoiced, the officers were overjoyed, and the Elites even celebrated it like a festival. But the feelings were not the same for the people who actually knew who Priest was and what he was standing for.
*In Hospital*
After getting her hand treated, Diana rested in her wardroom while Maguire was busy talking with his subordinates. From looking at his face and reactions, Diana realized Maguire was having a heated conversation with the other person.
"Protest? People are gonna do a protest? Who permitted this?" yelled Maguire.
"Sir, it is 'The Youth of the gate' community (YGC) sir. They say that the future of the seventh gate should not rest in a Devil's hands—"
"Bullshit! Damian. The leader of the community is 45 years old. What's so youth in it? Idiots!" ranted Maguire, punching the wall hard in frustration.
"Mr. Maguire??" Diana called him. Maguire sent his subordinate back to his place and went inside the wardroom; knowing exactly what she was going to ask.
"About the healing, right?" Maguire asked. Diana nervously nodded. She was too concerned about the visual she saw - the immortal Priest getting stabbed. Maguire sighed hard in response as he prepped up to explain the most complex thing about Priest's existence.
"It's a very tricky thing... If you want me to put it simply, all those things you heard about him is just plain rumours. That's the simpler version. He doesn't have healing powers and stuff. He doesn't age, but that doesn't mean he can walk scot-free from physical wounds..."
"That's the simpler version? You call this 'simple'?"
"Ah... well, yeah. The elaborate version is not something you could handle—"
"Sir?" another officer came into the room, rushing. "Emergency, sir... We are in trouble," he told with a panting breath.
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As there are not enough agricultural lands in the seventh gate and for food, Seventh Gate dispatches workers to the other gates to work on farms of theirs. As a reward, they get 25% of their cultivated crops along with other food-related goods, medicines, and some money for the deal. But these workers are mostly people belonging to the lower social order (Defected) of the Seventh Gate and get little to no part in the benefits of this plan. 'Defected' are usually mistreated, discriminated, and enslaved because of the fabricated ideology that they are lower than others. Even though higher in strength, they eventually made to be lower in social status than the wealthy who enjoy exclusive benefits because of 'The Cult' - a community headed by four leaders and also the group which controls all the gates and charted the 'controversial 'social hierarchy.
To put it simply, all those 25% of the cultivated crops, the goods and the money will not be fairly shared with the 'Defected'. The workers will have to pay from their own pockets to buy the foods they helped to produce. And worse is, all the first quality food items will be exclusively given to the Elites, while the second and third-grade quality will be thrown to the 'Defected' and 'Regulars' but with the same price tag of first quality goods.
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The news broke out that the ship carrying second and third-grade food items sank in the ocean. The entire Seventh Gate (excluding the Elites) was shaken because of it.
Luckily for Priest, the news overshadowed his supposed crime. To the politicians, it struck a huge blow as they may get held responsible for the fiasco if the goods were lost, which may trigger the workers to refuse to work for the next season. Before the issue gets blown up, the Cult supreme decided to halt her plans.
In the First Gate, sat on her throne, the Cult Supreme dialled up a number in her phone.
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"Father! You have a phone, " informed the nurse to Priest. But the nurse nearly screamed after what she saw. She slammed the door back and rushed out, traumatised.
"Is it done?" asked Priest, laid on the surgery table with his wounds still open and was completely awake throughout the procedure.
"One second..." The doctor pushed the string one last time and successfully sealed it, as he tied up the string and closed the wound on his abdomen.
"Done... it was quite complicated, but I sealed the wound. It's kinda perfect," replied Alchameleon, Priest's usual doctor and surgeon who also happens to be the only doctor in Seventh Gate to accept all his immoral requests without questioning it.
"Just don't ask me to operate on you without admitting any anaesthesia on you... It really messes up my brain—"
"It's not like you treat real people. You are a bloody pathologist! Chill out!"
[And Alchameleon was a pathologist and only gets his hands on dead bodies, making a perfect match for Priest.]
After Alchameleon put a finishing touch on Priest's stitches, he bid his adieu and left to have his lunch. Covered in bandages around his abdomen, still in pain and heavily tired, Priest picked up his shirt. Diana and Maguire entered the room.
"Father!" Diana gasped, shocked by what she saw. She caught Priest shirtless and even if it lasted for a second, she caught the glimpse of all the multiple stitches, marks and scars on his body along with his recent abdomen wound.
"Another mark?" asked Maguire.
"No, this will disappear... hopefully," Priest said, wearing his shirt, and went to the reception to attend the call while Diana was standing there frozen by what she saw.
"If you really wanted to know about some things, I suggest you read 'History lesson' from our city library—"
"It is illegal to have it... and the Cults criticized it, saying it has nothing to do with the truth—"
"And you believe it? Seriously? You know them. You're originally from the 'First Gate' after all..." Maguire said, leaving the room. Diana stood silently processing the information.
Priest reached the receptionist and picked the receiver.
"Well, Well, Well... Seems like you dodged a bullet... again," welcomed a lady's voice on the other end with a fake sexy accent which was so fake to the point that could make anyone cringe.
"Ahh... shit. What did you do this time?..."
"Welll... a shippp... carrying the goooods... for the low-lives—"
"I don't have all day. Please, hurry up—"
"Oh. Okay, the ship is sunk."
"You did it again, huh?"
"Hey! Hold up!... You are making it sound like, it was... usss (us)... no, no... I think it must be the... fate of those low-life scums—"
Priest slammed the receiver back to the phone hanging up. "I told her a million times not to use that accent."
Maguire joined Priest. "Hey, the ship sunk—"
"I know... We are going to the seashore... ah.. the place is... Aquashore, yeah! I'll grab my coat. You, go and start the car," said Priest grabbing his coat and umbrella, as both of them hurried to the seashore.
Maguire called the higher-ups and requested them to pressure the media to publish the news about Priest aiding the rescue of the goods, hoping it would help to clear the Priest's charges. Though the higher-ups were against it, they agreed as the possible reaction to the failure might prove fatal to their careers.
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The rain was on its glorious high. Even though the heavy rain is common in the town and everyone adjusted to it, it didn't ease the way of their living. The transport is often difficult, sometimes flooding the road and for the fishermen, it is the worst nightmare, but they continued their profession by sailing on scheduled days which has lesser rain.
"How much is the rain acidic today?" asked Priest from the backseat, holding the umbrella.
"It's heavy! So level-0, I guess! It's safe!", yelled Maguire as his voice sounded lower because of the storm and the rain.
Both of them stepped out of the car and Priest opened his umbrella as they both walked towards the end of the Seventh Gate, which connects to the sea directly, the Aquaharbour.
"How can I hear you clearly amidst... these noises? But I have to yell louder each time?", Maguire asked as they walked to the bridge.
"Because I can manipulate my voice to cut through the air and travel, but—wait, why are you even asking me this? I've told you this a hundred times already."
Both of them walked up to the harbour and saw a crowd of people waiting already. They came to see the navy in action, but as they saw the Priest, they became wildly agitated. Protestors from 'YGC' craving for media attention and some media to cover the rescue mission, were also present, unleashing the chaos.
"Haa, the Priest came! Get the hell out scum!" a man shouted from the crowd as the others joined him soon. Seeing the crow slowly getting in his way and growing berserk, Priest urged Maguire to rush.
"Okay," nodded Maguire, rushing to the navy officers to explain the situation. Already suffering in pain, Priest sped up his walk to the sea, trying his best to ignore the overwhelming opposition.
"Mister Devil, what do you think about the allegations saying you committed a murder?"
"Why are you even here, man? Get lost, let the officers do what they are paid to do..."
"Showing off your satanic gifts, you scum? You think we will fall for it?"
The media and the mob interfered and threw questions, insults and curses wrapped in hatred towards Priest, testing his patience.
"Move aside, people... please. It's for your own good... And it's urgent," Priest's polite words, lost among the overwhelming crowd. Fed up with the small brains, Priest unleashed a small glimpse of his anger.
He glared. Just a simple glare from his deadpan face.
A strong premonition of them getting stomped to death flashed right before their eyes. It was so infectious and transmissive, as they felt an electric current hitting them, all at once. But the current, in this case, was fear. The fear gobbled up their soul, warning them of the impending danger in front of their eyes and causing them to move out of the way, shuddering. The air grew dense; raindrops exploded into even smaller sprinkles, the gravity felt slightly higher and even the electrical appliances around the radius got fried, all as a result of Priest letting them peek into his anger.
"Monster! Stay away from him... Move!"
"Stay the fuck away from him! Out of the way!"
"Why the camera is not working? Not even the mic, my watch... None of the electrical appliances was working... Don't say he is the reason? Fuck, I can't even breathe..."
People obliged to the fear, and let Priest move forward. But Priest sighed in disappointment as he knew such acts will only alienate him further and further away from the people.
Yet among the frightened crowd, an elder woman blocked the way of the Priest who just scared the shit away from everyone with a single glare.
"You killed my son," she said with a sore throat and worn-out eyes, probably because of crying all night.
Priest realized who she was.
"You son? The guy from yesterday?"
"The guy from yesterday? He has a name... Ralph Jameson, son of Helena and Robert."
"I'm... I'm sorry"
"Who even wants that?... How did it feel like?... Did you enjoy it? Did you have a merry time killing him? Out of everyone in the world, he died on your hands. Poor guy won't even ascend to heaven now. Why?" she screamed.
"I had to... a woman's life was on the line. —"
"I don't care about that fucking bitch's life... My son died! And what kind of excuse are you giving? A woman's life was on the line? Fuck off! You've been murdering people for centuries. And now you say you killed him because you had to save another life? Do you know how funny it sounds?" she broke down.
Priest stood motionless. He realized that no matter what he says, the woman was not in the right mind to listen. So instead of consoling her, he decided to just deepen her wound.
"You're healthy... Fit enough to carry another child. Go... and spread your legs as much as you can. Who knows? Maybe you could get another son with a similar face."
The woman died inside because of the words, as did the Priest. He quickly moved past the woman, hiding his tears under the umbrella.
He borrowed the big-sized stones from the fishermen and tied them to his legs. He took out his broken sword and walked towards the bridge's end, ready to dive in.
"What the hell is he even doing?" the Marine chief wondered, observing everything from afar. The Priest's eyes were fixated on the surface of the seawater. He took out his flat-head lollipop and put it into his mouth.
A smirk appeared on his face as he saw something in the water. He jumped and the weight of the stones plunged him deep into the sea. As he was drowning towards the depth of the ocean, he closed his eyes and patiently concentrated on finding the 'Portal thread'.
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Portal threads are found to be existing in the seas and oceans after the war. They are energy particles released into the world's atmosphere because of the explosions caused by the weapons in the war and are usually present within the hydrogen molecules among the ocean and seawater. These threads act as mini-version of wormholes which will lead to unknown destinations. Coming into contact with such threads is extremely dangerous as it can fasten someone's motion like drowning, swimming, causing fishes and curious aqua-divers to crash on giant stones by teleporting them, causing the specimen in contact to age rapidly and transport one's body to multiple dimensional portals, tearing them into pieces.
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The Priest grabbed the thread and entered the transition point where multiple portals suck his body. Thousands of flashing colours appeared in front of Priest's eyes as he felt his body was getting pulled in various directions. He concentrated, looked desperately for exit points among the infinite portals. Found the right vibration, Priest navigated himself into the dimensional whirlpool safely and teleported himself to where the ship was sunk.
Out of nowhere, a giant shadow appeared behind Priest and its mammoth tentacles immediately grabbed him, strangling him and suffocating him.
Up in the harbour, Diana arrived at the harbour after she heard the news of Priest jumping into the ocean.
"Where is he?" she asked, concerned and scared to Maguire. The freaked out crowd returned to their homes and the navy officers were preparing strategies to dive in anytime soon as they ruled out the possibility of Priest returning.
Bubbles began to sprout out on the surface of the water. A roaring growl was heard from below. The navy chief smirked, realizing what was happening.
"Here he comes," Maguire pulled Diana back. The giant octopus emerged from the sea carrying the ship. Priest came down sliding on one of the tentacles and landed on the surface, safely. But the heavy toll it took was pretty evident on his body.
Priest panted hard and knelt down, losing balance on his footing. His skin was releasing hot steam, which appeared all around Priest's body. The blood spilling from his palms and the injury in his abdomen dropped on the floor. Diana saw how different humans were from Priest, as the blood melted the surface, like lava releasing smoke as the raindrops fell on it. The blood was also heavy in its composition as each drop of blood weighed heavier than an average human's blood.
Diana rushed to his aid and shielded him from the rain with her black umbrella.
"Don't look under the skirt," she joked while sobbing as her eyes welled up but still tried to put a forceful smile on her face. She cannot see what's happening with his body under the umbrella, but she can clearly understand that he was in pain - unexplainable and excruciating pain.
"So, all it took to tame a monster was an uglier monster," mocked the navy chief, laughing. The other officers joined him too, laughing at Priest. Priest laughed at the joke too, but cannot be louder as his chest felt like getting ripped out from his ribs.
Maguire watched all this with contempt towards his fellow officers and shook his head in guilt as he walked towards the Priest. Thoughts rolled within himself.
'Even though I hate him and loathe him... I would love to have a partner like him. But I refuse to let him in... not because of hate... but because of the fact that one day he might be pushed to break his limiter... and die for this ungrateful city'
"Just 'Priest', right?" asked Maguire, handing him over a cup of milkshake.
"Right," Priest replied, smiling.