章 8: Prayer and Prey
The tension in the air was almost palpable as I watched Agnes confront the demon. Her movements were smooth, controlled, as if she was an unbreakable force. In front of her, the creature snarled, a grotesque parody of the priest it used to be. Its grey skin was pulled tight over a skeletal frame, red eyes glowing with hatred, and long, sharp claws extending from its fingers. The thing's lips twisted into a deranged smile, revealing a mouth full of jagged teeth.
"Do you think you can just come in here and kill me, girl?" the demon rasped, its voice like gravel dragged over glass. It lunged forward, claws slicing through the air. But Agnes dodged, her golden axe swinging in a precise, deadly arc, nearly catching the demon's neck.
"You'll have to try harder than that," she said coldly, her gaze fixed on the demon, unwavering.
The creature laughed, a harsh, ragged sound that sent chills down my spine. "I've waited so long for this… for so many years, hidden away in this forsaken place. They thought they could silence me forever. But now, I'll make you all pay for what they did."
The demon lunged again, this time faster, but Agnes met its attack head-on. The clash of her axe against its claws sent sparks flying, and I winced at the sound. Agnes pushed back with a sudden burst of strength, forcing the creature away. Her axe whirled through the air, the blade gleaming as it aimed for the demon's chest.
The creature twisted, leaping away with unnatural agility. It landed on all fours, hunched over like some wild beast, its red eyes boring into hers. "They called me a *blessing*," it spat, words dripping with venom. "Said I was 'blessed' to be chosen. But do you know what they did to me? What your precious church did?"
Agnes didn't answer, her focus completely on the demon. She advanced slowly, axe held low, ready to strike. There was no emotion on her face—no pity, no hesitation. Just pure, ruthless determination.
The demon's gaze flickered to the golden axe, recognition flashing in its eyes before it was replaced by a look of pure hatred. "They took me to a cabin," it continued, voice thick with bitterness. "A cabin deep in the woods. It was supposed to be a place of 'purification.' A place where sins were cleansed. But all they did was… defile."
It lashed out again, claws swinging wildly. Agnes blocked the blow, her muscles straining as she held the creature at bay. They were locked in a brutal struggle, the demon's strength pitted against her resolve. For a moment, it seemed like the creature might overpower her, but then she twisted sharply, driving the axe into its side.
The demon howled, staggering back as dark, thick blood oozed from the wound. "They said it was for my own good. That the pain would make me pure. And when I fought back—when I screamed—they beat me. Broke me. Left me to die."
It lunged again, and I flinched as its claws raked across Agnes's breastplate, the impact sending her stumbling. But she quickly regained her footing, her axe whirling in a wide arc that caught the demon's arm, severing it cleanly at the shoulder.
"But I didn't die," the demon growled, its voice trembling with rage and pain. It clutched the stump of its arm, dark blood seeping between its fingers. "I crawled through the woods, bones shattered, skin torn. And when I reached the church, they turned me away. Said I was 'tainted.'"
Agnes said nothing, her gaze locked on the demon's face. She moved forward again, step by step, her golden axe gleaming with deadly intent. I could see her muscles tense beneath her armor, her entire body coiled like a spring, ready to strike.
"So I made a deal," the demon hissed, baring its teeth in a gruesome smile. "With something darker. Something older. I let it in, and it gave me strength. Gave me *this*."
It spread its arms wide, its gaunt body shuddering as dark energy crackled around it. The very air seemed to warp and twist, shadows stretching unnaturally. "It took the pain away. Made me whole again. And now… now I'm going to destroy everything they loved."
It came at her with a speed that took even Agnes by surprise, slamming into her with the force of a battering ram. The impact sent her skidding back, her boots scraping against the stone floor. The demon pressed its advantage, claws slashing at her with terrifying speed.
"They left me to rot!" it screamed, voice breaking. "Told me I was worthless. An *abomination*. So I became one. I *became* the monster they said I was!"
Agnes parried each blow, her axe a blur as it deflected the demon's claws. But it was relentless, its attacks fueled by pure, unbridled fury. It snarled and snapped, like a wild animal, driving her back step by step.
With a roar, Agnes swung her axe in a powerful, sweeping motion. The blade caught the demon across the chest, slicing deep. The creature screamed, black blood spraying from the wound as it staggered, its eyes wide with shock.
"But it's over now," she murmured, voice low and steady. She stepped forward, her gaze never leaving the demon's face. It looked up at her, its red eyes filled with rage, with pain… and something else. Something almost human.
For a moment, the two of them stood there, locked in silence. Then, with a shuddering breath, the demon closed its eyes. "Finish it," it whispered.
Agnes didn't hesitate. She raised the axe high, the blade glowing with a fierce, golden light, and brought it down in one swift, brutal strike. The blade severed the demon's head from its shoulders, the body crumpling to the ground in a lifeless heap. Black blood pooled around it, steaming and hissing as it touched the floor.
Silence filled the church, the only sound the soft drip of blood from the axe's blade. I stared at the body, heart pounding, trying to process what I'd just witnessed. Agnes stood over the corpse, chest heaving, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
Slowly, she lowered the axe, her gaze fixed on the severed head. "May you find peace," she whispered softly.
She turned away, the golden glow of the axe fading as she moved toward the exit. I watched her, my mind racing with questions. What had I just seen? Who—*what*—had that priest become?
When she reached the door, I was there, unable to tear my eyes away from her. "Was… was that really a demon?" I asked, voice barely more than a whisper.
"Yes," she said, her tone flat, expression unreadable.
"But… what did it mean?" I gestured helplessly at the body. "All that stuff about… being hurt, being left behind?"
Agnes's gaze softened, just a fraction. "It meant that some demons are made, not born," she said quietly. "That sometimes, it's the ones who are supposed to protect us that become the real monsters."
She turned away again, jaw set, the golden axe still gleaming faintly in the dim light. "Come on," she said, voice firm. "We have more work to do."
I hesitated, staring at the demon's broken form. Then I nodded, my grip tightening on my father's sword. "Right," I said softly. "I'm ready."
Agnes didn't respond. She simply pushed open the door and stepped out into the night. Behind her, I followed, mind reeling.
One thing was certain: The fight had only just begun.
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