Chapter 6: Contract
The suddenly emerging Demon plunged the girls, who were originally resting in the courtyard, into a brief state of chaos, but the executing Witches of the Holy See quickly regained their composure and began organizing an attack.
The white Demon dodged the attacks, darting left and right in the courtyard, with bony spikes constantly thrusting towards the surrounding crowd, leaving the garden in ruins.
Arabella evaded a flurry of ice blades and leaped into the air once more, a bony spike sweeping across and shattering a fountain, causing several Witches by the fountain to dodge.
One Witch wearing glasses was a bit slow, knocked to the ground by splintered stones. The Demon's attack was instantaneous, a sharp bony spike descending from above, aimed directly at her. The glasses girl had nowhere to escape, desperately covering her eyes.
Suddenly, a golden light shield rose around her, sending Arabella flying. A black chain appeared out of thin air, coiling around Arabella's body like a serpent, binding her tightly so that she could no longer move.
"Is everyone alright?" A blond man dressed in high-ranking High Priest attire held a shield of Holy Light radiating golden light. Behind him, a slender black-clad Witch stood atop the wall, her light golden hair flowing in the wind.
"Demonization right after arriving, what bad luck." The Witch's pale purple eyes were filled with a cold killing intent, as black mist began to congeal in her hands.
"Alicia, hold on!" Dorian rushed over from behind, stopping the blond Witch who was ready to launch an attack.
He leaped into the air towards Arabella, golden light erupting around him, and the dazzling blade of light severed both the black chains binding Arabella and the bony spikes.
He crashed into Arabella, bringing her down heavily to the ground. The green stone tiles of the garden shattered into a web-like pattern under the weight of her bony body, and the enormous impact rendered the Demon temporarily immobile.
Dorian sliced his palm and pressed it against Arabella's chest. The blood instantly seeped into her skin, forming a complex pattern at her collarbone.
More and more Priests were drawn to the chaos, recognizing the familiar blood-red pattern: "Is this… a Sigil?"
As the pattern was completely drawn, Dorian began to recite the Incantation. The Demon beneath him suddenly erupted with inhuman shrieks that were enough to pierce human eardrums. A golden shield rose again, protecting the newcomers who covered their ears from the pain.
Arabella struggled violently, and Dorian activated the Holy Light binding, suppressing the Demon beneath him and locking all her movements. The Sigil attacked the Demonic Aura within her while simultaneously assaulting every cell in the girl's body, causing sharp, agonizing pain that made Arabella scream in torment.
The Demonic Aura within her surged violently, attempting to break free from the shackles of the Sigil and clash with the silver-haired Priest's Holy Power. Dorian exerted more force, enveloping the girl in a radiant light. Arabella felt as if her body were being crushed piece by piece, her skin melting and constantly changing, twitching uncontrollably.
In the end, with a gaze filled with hatred and unwillingness fixed on the High Priest, the golden beast-like eyes finally extinguished. The bony claws retracted, returning to the form of human hands and feet, and the golden light faded away, leaving the girl in a human form unconscious on the ground.
"Is that even possible?" gasps of amazement arose from the crowd of onlookers.
"Incredible... She can actually recover after Demonization." The blond Priest looked on in disbelief.
Next to him, the black-clad Witch, who had been leaning against the wall with her arms crossed since her attack was interrupted, let out an ambiguous chuckle: "Interesting." She lost interest in the subsequent events, tossed her hair and turned to leave.
Dorian removed his coat and wrapped it around the girl's bare body, lifting her in his arms.
"I'll leave the rest to you." He looked at the blond Priest, who nodded in understanding.
The girl in his arms frowned, her breathing becoming rapid again. Dorian sighed softly and began to carry her toward his residence.