Chapter 17: Changes Taking Place

Ren, with his eyes still glowing with the dark aura, stood before Jiro outside Ayako's old house. The darkness that had enveloped the area started to recede, revealing the calm night sky. His clothes rustled with an unseen energy, and his skin seemed to pulsate with a darker shade. The once mild-mannered Ren now had an air of raw power about him.

Jiro, still in shock from the dark spectacle he had just witnessed, couldn't help but take a step back. "Ren...what happened to you in there?" he stuttered.

Ren's voice, though still his own, now carried an echo that seemed to vibrate with the air around him. "I've awakened something, something ancient and powerful. But I do not fully understand it yet," he said, his eyes not losing their newfound intensity.

As Ren spoke, Jiro couldn't help but feel a mixture of awe and fear. They had been friends for so long, but at this moment, Ren seemed like a different person.

"We must not waste time," Ren said suddenly, his gaze becoming sharp. "We need to find Ayako's son , and I...I cannot go to Kunnay G like this. He would sense the power within me."

Jiro nodded slowly, swallowing the lump in his throat. "What do you need me to do?"

Ren extended his hand, revealing the bracelet that Ayako's spirit was bound to. "Take this," he said. "I need you to go to Kunnay G's place, ask him about Ayako's son, Don't worry, he will be able to sense Ayako's presence. Ayako will be able to be with you as long as you have this bracelet, and she should see her son. Do not engage to something else if there is any unusual development. Remember, till now we are no match for Kunnay G."

Jiro hesitated for a moment, then took the bracelet. As he did, a soft light enveloped it, and Ayako's presence could be felt.

"You can count on me, Ren," Jiro said firmly, his resolve solidifying. He then turned and started running towards the main road. "Need to find a taxi" he whispered.

Ren watched as Jiro disappeared into the night. He felt the wind against his face, and he could sense the energies around him like never before. He knew he had been entrusted with something terrifying without his will but now he has to wield this power responsibly, again without his will.

Turning back to the old house, Ren's heart weighed heavy. There were too many unknown factors, and he needed answers.

As he stepped back into the room with the ancient mirror, Sarobila's spectral form appeared before him. Her ancient eyes seemed to see right through him, and for a moment, Ren felt like a small child standing before a vast ocean.

"So, shall we start, Sarobila?" Ren's voice was but a whisper, but it filled the room.

Her form seemed to bow slightly. "Very well. We shall delve into the depths of what you have awakened," she responded, her voice an echo from ages past.

Meanwhile, as Jiro rushed through the dimly-lit streets with determination, Ayako's spirit floating beside him, the night seemed to hold its breath. The world as they knew it was teetering on the precipice of change. Seems like forces beyond their comprehension were in motion, and the echoes of an ancient past were beginning to resound through the present.

Unbeknownst to Ren and Jiro, shadows were stirring, and eyes that had long watched from the darkness were now wide open.

.........................

An hour later in somewhere else

......

In a grand hall adorned with ancient tapestries and artifacts, the Exorcist Council convened. The room was bathed in an ethereal glow from the crystals hanging from the high ceiling. Shadows played among the ancient bookshelves that lined the walls. In the center of the room, there was a large, round table made of dark wood, with runes engraved upon its surface. The table was surrounded by imposing figures in ornate robes and hoods, with staffs and talismans that emanated spiritual energy.

Elder Sojiro, one of the Council's most respected members, was standing by the table. His face, marked with age and wisdom, bore a serious expression as he held a phone to his ear.

"Yes, understood. Keep us informed," Elder Sojiro said before ending the call.

He turned to face the council. "That was Mika, one of our operatives in Misaki. She reported an awakening," he announced gravely.

The room tensed. A figure with an ornate staff crowned with a swirling crystal spoke, "An awakening? Do we know which demon?"

Elder Sojiro shook his head. "No, but Mika described the energy as immense, dark, and ancient."

The members of the council exchanged worried glances. A woman, her voice smooth yet commanding, spoke, "We already have six other vessels identified in different parts of the world. We must be cautious."

Elder Sojiro nodded. "Indeed. Our spies have successfully allied with one, known as Ira. She is the vessel of Asmodus, a Supreme Demon. It was a long negotiation, but she revealed some troubling information."

The hall was silent as the Elder continued. "There is unrest in the demon and spirit realms. A war is brewing, involving the vessels of the Greater and Supreme Demons. According to Ira, the Seven Sins are also in motion. This began after Lucifer was banished from Hell by the other Supreme Demons. No one knows of his whereabouts."

Another council member interjected, "What are the goals of this conflict?"

Elder Sojiro sighed. "It is still unclear. But we must be vigilant. The vessels have not yet shown aggression towards us exorcists, and we have decided to observe rather than intervene."

One of the members, a stern man with a deep voice, spoke, "What do we know about the new vessel in Misaki?"

"Only that its awakening was powerful so it should be at-least a vessel of Greater or Supreme Demon," Sojiro replied. "We should contact Kunnay G. He's the closest elite exorcist to Misaki."

The council agreed. Sojiro made a phone call to Kunnay G, instructing him to investigate the new vessel but not to engage.

As the council discussed the next steps, a mystical map on the wall glimmered with an array of lights representing spiritual energies. One light, in Misaki, shone brighter than the others.