Chapter 5: Exorcism in a church
"Zack!" Hiraku yelled as he rushed into the old church.
"Oy, boy, can't you see I'm praying?" Zack said, kneeling with his head bowed low before the holy altar, a chaplet in his hands.
"Lisa, she... she..." Hiraku stuttered.
"Hmm, you brought her here again!" Zack retorted angrily. "Why do you keep involving her in your battles, Hiraku?"
"We can save the scolding for later, Zack. She's losing her breath—save her!" Hiraku pleaded.
"Place her on the front pew," Zack instructed.
Hiraku quickly and gently placed Lisa on the front pew on the right side.
"I'll use the Exorcism spell to drive that demon out of her," Zack said confidently.
"Will she be alright after she's exorcised? She's just a mortal, after all," Hiraku said with a hint of worry.
"You're forgetting that I am the greatest exorcist in the world," Zack replied in a resolute tone. "Besides, she's no mere mortal. She should be dead—or at least her spirit should be crippled. But somehow, she was able to detain the demon for four whole hours."
Zack wanted to say more, but he knew that the more time he wasted, the worse her condition would become. It wasn't yet the stroke of midnight—the perfect time to cast out a demon and send it through the gate of damnation. Performing an exorcism before then could harm him and put him in a state of temporal spiritual suspension, leaving him motionless and in a dream-like state for days, weeks, or even months.
"Before I perform the spell, Hiraku, there's something frightening awaiting the world," Zack said as he levitated Lisa in mid-air.
"Here." He handed Hiraku a diary. Its dark cover looked ancient and worn.
"Everything you need to know about the impending apocalypse is written in this diary. Guard it well," Zack said solemnly.
"What impending apocalypse? Zack, what are you talking about?" Hiraku asked, alarmed.
Zack didn't respond but gently lowered Lisa until her feet touched the ground, though she remained unconscious. Placing both hands on her back, he began the ritual without uttering a single word.
Suddenly, a gate with four vertical bars on either side appeared on the altar, with four giant chains protruding from it. The gate creaked open, revealing a dark, swirling spatial portal. From within, the haunting voices of the undead screeched and howled.
"Abi daemon!" a voice echoed through the surroundings, though Zack's lips remained unmoving.
The demon let out a piercing cry as it was forcefully expelled from Lisa's forehead. The malevolent aura spiraled toward the portal and was sucked inside. The gate slammed shut and vanished, the eerie screeches fading away into silence.
Zack gently carried Lisa and placed her on the pew. Her breathing steadied, returning to normal.
"A strong kid. This one is promising," Zack said in an affirming tone. He glanced at Hiraku, as if wanting to say something, but his knees suddenly grew weak, and he collapsed backward. Luckily, Hiraku caught him in his arms.
"Zack, are you alright?" Hiraku asked, though he knew the question was pointless. He already understood what was happening but refused to accept it so soon.
"Listen," Zack said weakly, "this girl you see is not an ordinary child. Train her to be your partner in battle. Value your friendship with her. She is linked to your destiny. She..." Zack broke off, coughing up blood, unable to finish his sentence.
With trembling hands, he placed his palm on the diary and nodded silently. Hiraku couldn't hold back his tears any longer. He wasn't the type to cry, even in the most painful situations, but Zack was more than just a friend to him. Deep down, Hiraku had faith that Zack would overcome the attack on his spirit. Yet, what hurts was how this moment brought back the memory of losing his father at such a young age.
Through his hazy consciousness, Zack nodded frantically, as if trying to reassure Hiraku that he would be alright. Suddenly, a spatial portal appeared above their heads,and Zack levitated into its destination.
Hiraku still knelt down in dismay,he starred up above and then looked at Lisa who slowly moved her head. Hiraku stood up and wiped his tears with his sleeve and went to her,she slowly opened her eyes,
"Where's Zack?" Lisa said in a worried tone
"He's alright Lisa,he went to visit someone dear to him,I'm sure he will be back in a couple of days" Hiraku responded,though he was anxious about Zack and had no idea how long it would take for him to heal. He was more worried about the fact that lisa just recovered her strength,and with her personality,she might try to blame herself for Zacks condition. Best to keep the truth from her for now.
"Are you telling the truth?" She said with a glint of fear in her eyes.
"I am," Hiraku said while holding her left hand. He couldn't understand himself, but whenever she looked worried, his entire being felt compelled to console her in every way possible. One of the quickest ways he could think of was holding her hands with a gentle squeeze. She sat upright and looked into his eyes. Her blue eyes gazed into his.
"I felt Zack was in danger of dying," she said, looking worriedly into his eyes.
"Lisa," Hiraku responded, his left hand touching her right cheek, "he's fine."
She nodded her head gently and smiled.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't protect you earlier..." Hiraku was cut short.
"There's nothing to be sorry about. I'm glad I helped you. For a moment during the battle with that demon, I felt your soul slipping away. I had to act," she responded in a firm tone. Hiraku looked at her in amazement. He quickly remembered Zack saying she was no ordinary mortal, and at that moment, he knew Zack was right.
"I'll take you home," Hiraku said as he helped her up. Lisa tried to walk forward, but her legs became shaky, and she fell against his chest.
"I'm sorry," she said, her face flushed with embarrassment.
Hiraku realized she didn't have enough strength to walk, so he bent down slightly.
"I'll carry you home," he said with a kind smile.
Lisa hesitated. No boy had ever behaved this way toward her. She wanted to refuse, but a part of her didn't want to seem awkward or make him feel bad. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, her hands clutching his shirt as he lifted her onto his back. She still couldn't believe she was being piggybacked in a church.
Hiraku walked toward the outer entrance of the church and headed toward her house.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone