Crash

The Demons claws went through Johns body and exited on the other side but at the same time his knife with its golden white edge pierced deep into its neck where before bullets all but were ineffective. As they collided the Demons momentum carried them both forward a bit before they fell on the floor with John beneath the Demon.

Enraptured with the first battle to the death that I witnessed I forgot about the deal I had made to protect John. It was only when both of them fell to the ground that I remembered it. ` While it wasn't a power backed deal, a deal is a deal. Best one does not get the habit of breaking them. `

Moving to them both I noticed the Demon was jerking, as if gasping for air. To prevent him from moving I created a construct ideal for binding enemies, an Auril rope enhanced 3 times. Sending it on the Demon it wrapped around its joints with multiple layers and knots just in case. Done with him I moved on to John. Observing it a bit I noticed that the Demon pierced his stomach instead of the torso. ` Did he purposely jump back a bit to reduce the area and might of the impact, all while relying on the momentum to drive the knife into its neck. Hmm looks like he hoped to take it down with him. Let's examine if there is a way to save him. `

Placing my hand on his shoulder I used Auril to examine the body. ` Ugh, the spine was shattered in places, organs ruptured and the intestines. Yea, no way I am able to save him without drastic measures. ` Still not moving the Demons arms I tried my best to get everything back into its position all while making small constructs of how the organs should have looked. Once I made them and everything that was needed I slowly started to remove the foreign hands in John's body. As I did I used the constructs and attached it to the organs. Using them to influence and mimic the organs as best as possible I detached them away.

With plenty of constructs as replacement I fixed everything where it should be. Now it was time to see how much I would be able to fix in a proper biological sense. ` Unlike my own body cells tied to Auril which are easy to manipulate, I can't manipulate other people's cells so that leaves me with only one option. `

Placing my left hand over the injured part, I made a small gash on my artery on the wrist and let my blood flow into John's body. Using quite a lot of it as a replacement I had it directly work on his body where it could. With Auril there was no need to worry about rejection. As I worked I stemmed the bleeding in my wrist and soon I heard another gasp from the Demon.

Taking a look at it I decided to let it live a bit longer and removed the knife from its neck. The moment it was out I noticed a black glow gather around the wound. Noticing that fact I observed Johns inside again, this time I focused on his Soul. There I found the equivalent of the Demon one I still had in possession. Its numerous tentacles wrapped around and inside his brain. Still since it was made of the same stuff as the Soul it wasn't a physical connection.

Poking it with my Auril I observed its reactions, but there was hardly any. It was as if it could not sense it at all. Deciding to improvise I grabbed a tentacle hard and yanked at it. This time a reaction came and as if it finally realized something the Angel Soul started to probe around.

The moment it started to probe John awoke. “ Ughh ” Still weak and unresponsive at first, he soon came to himself and his eyes refocused to observe the surroundings. When his eyes saw the Demon he tried to move but only his hands reacted. Still in response time it took him a few seconds to realize he was not moving. It was only then that he focused on me.

“ Who are you and why can't I move? ” Asked John.

Raising an eyebrow I looked at him. “ Remember this voice, Johnny boy? ”

“ The insider? ” He realized.

“ Don't move. ” I told him. “ You have been injured quite hard and I don't know if I will be able to fix you. ”

His whole face was written in confusion but as if in that moment everything crashed into him he looked down and saw the huge holes in his stomach. As he saw it his mouth only opened and closed with no words coming out. When he finally found the right words he finally asked the right question.

“ How am I alive, and why do I not feel pain? ” Asked John.

“ Well, both are due to me. You see I made a deal with your uncle to protect you on this operation but I kinda got sidetracked and this was the result. ” Apologetically I said that.

“ Before you ask more, remember the empowering feeling you had before? ” When he nodded, I continued. “ Good, try to focus more on it and think about healing yourself. There should be a way for that, probably. ”

Noticing my serious voice he did as asked and I observed his insides as he did. Due to him being much weaker I could only passive observe. If I tried to directly do it, it would probably interfere with him and my lack of knowledge around this didn't help either.

As he concentrated I noticed his Angel Soul started to ebb and flow and soon his tentacles started to stretch here and there. As if familiarizing himself and in no hurry he calmly went at it.

Once he had enough control, its radiance increased and the same radiance started to spread into his whole body. Slowly from the head it spread down the neck. Soon it came upon the first injuries it came into active contact with my Auril and went no more. As if a wall had appeared to it, it just stopped there. Noticing that it could not go on, its radiance increased and I removed my Auril in that part as it pushed.

Once it pushed it out of it the glow started to vanish into the injured part. ` Looks like, since our powers are not compatible I can't influence it. Unless I want to break it of course. ` When the glow stopped diminishing it went on again. Like that injury after injury it kept going but when it came to the spine and the other heavily injured organs it met its match as it was in those parts that my blood was nested and worked. With my blood in the way it had no way to heal anything.

Noticing that fact I taped on John's face to wake him from his trance. As he came out of another gasp came from him and it took him a second to realize anything. Once his eyes rested upon me I spoke.

“ Tell me John, how did it feel and what about the healing? ” I asked.

“ I.. ” taking a few more seconds to find the words he continued. “ At first it was just a distant feeling but as I worked on it, it was easier to recognize and soon it followed my orders. Once it did I flexed my awareness to the body and soon saw the first injuries but at the same time I felt like there was a barrier stopping me. When I pushed harder it vanished and the weak parts of my body started to grow stronger but soon again I came upon one and this one I could not remove it. ”

“ Good ” I said to him. “ What you felt was my own power and it's the only thing still keeping you working. This time I want you to do the same but instead of pushing at my power I want you to follow it and let it guide you to where it's needed. I want you to focus your power on singular parts instead of the whole. Is that understood? ”

Once again he nodded and focused inside himself. This time he was much faster and soon with a bit of attention snapping I had his attention and I had it focus on the parts that needed work first. Leading him from minor injuries to bigger once and soon it was time for the organs. Since some of them were wrapped with my Auril constructs I had to poke holes for him to enter and work at the organs as best as he could. Like that time passed and he healed, but since I had demanded his attention at some parts of his body I used that chance to observe the healed parts and there I noticed the difference in healing.

In his case when I observed I saw no difference from normal organs but what I also noticed was that however the healing worked, it was not based on biology like mine. ` Sigh, the power compatibility is making it really hard to observe how it's done, and if I try it would probably stop it from doing it in the first place. Never mind I will figure it out one day. `

Still in trance John worked his ass off. Slowly I had removed my body's cells as his power healed him. Though it was much slower when it came time for the spine. It took 10 times more time for a fraction of the spine to recover. Like that time passed and hours went by. Soon the sunrise came, of course as we were inside the housing complex we only saw barely the slivers of it and it was then that we saw the first army man come. He was very cautious, and when he finally saw the demon there he froze, but another look he saw it had been bound by something that looked like a rope in an unnatural position. Finding his courage to check everything in person he came over.

Quite unsure of the situation he looked at his leader but seeing his chest slowly rise he finely let a sin of relief come out. Immediately he came to us but I placed my index finger on my lips for a sign of silence. Thankfully he got the message. I was still over John's body as I slowly guided his healing, but soon it would be over.

` It's quite faster than my own, but I am lucky it's one of those categories where I don't want to experiment just to compare it. Still it probably can't fix what is not there unlike me, where I would probably be able to grow new organs, at least in theory. `

Like that another hour passed and John opened his eyes and I removed myself from him. Still dazed, he looked at himself and the place where the Demon had pierced into him and almost sent him into oblivion.

As he did that his fellow soldier finally lost his patience and spoke. “ Sir, I may not know how you healed yourself but I think that can be left for later. What do we do with that? ” As he said he pointed at the lizard like Demon, who he had tried to ignore as best as possible. If not for my presence he probably would have tried his best to kill it.

John finally focused and looked at the demon. Without taking his gaze away he asked the man an important question. “ How many are dead? ”

“ Sir. ” With a hesitant face he finally said it. “ Seven died, 15 have injuries of various degrees but they should be able to return to active duty. ”

“ Damn. ” Cursed John. Still not taking his eyes away from the Demon with tiny scales all over its body and face. Due to all the explosions there was little clothing left on him. Looking at him a bit more he went for his knife. Concentrating again a bit and its golden white edge appeared.

With it he stabbed at its stomach, chest, arms, legs but the moment he wanted to go for the neck I interfered. “ John, stop it. ”

He did and I looked at the Demon and spoke to it. “ Heal yourself, I still have use for you. I am not ready for you to kick the crap yet. ” When I saw nothing indicating healing I placed a hand on its shoulder and through it I projected Fear to it. Bathing it in full powered Fear for a few seconds so it knew I meant business I ordered again. “ Heal yourself, now! ”

Seeing the black glow on it I shifted my attention back to John. His rage having left to some degree I spoke. “ John, let me ask you something. Now that you have been involved in this side of the World without your permission and the fact that your men have been used like this, do you want to keep your Power or get rid of it. ”

He looked at me a bit confused but soon clarity returned and his hatred turned on me. The knife still gilded with the golden white edge focused on me. “ Back away, you heathen. You dare disrespect the Power given to me by God! ”

Raising my left eyebrow at a suspicion I activate my SoP and with it to disrupt the connection that formed inside him but noticing a confusion on John's face I knew that was not enough. Enhancing my body 2 times my body's perception of Time slowed and I moved against him. My speed must have surprised him but he still reacted in time due to the improvement the Angel Soul gave him. The stab that he had meant to actualize turned into a slash to the right side.

Still, having increased perception and processing speed was a cheat like no other. I stopped a few cm away from the knife. When it passed I grabbed Johns right hand with my left and my right went for his neck. Once there I grabbed hard and pushed my Auril inside him. At the same time I pushed his physical body to the side between me and the soldier still with a gun, but just in case I spoke to him.

“ Don't worry I wont hurt him. ” I said while using my Auril to suppress the influence of the Angel Soul. Once I had it wrapped with my Auril I slowly let go of John of John's neck so he could breathe again but I still held onto his right hand as it still held the knife.

“ John, calm down. I need you to be calm for what I am about to do. ” Still I waited for him to find his focus.

Once he did he asked me the right important question. “ Are you thinking of removing that thing from me? ”

I nodded but it was in that moment that the Demon grunted. Remembering him I removed my SoP and addressed it again. “ Demon, you can heal yourself again. ” That said I turned my attention to John again. “ Yes, I will remove it so stay still. ”

He nodded but again the Demon grunted as if demanding my attention. Focusing again at him I noticed it wanted to say something. My intrigue peaked at what it wanted to say but I still ignored it for now. Just as I was about to do it a thought popped to me. ` The kill switch should still be there if I remove the Soul as I don't think it matters what kind of Soul it is. Hmm? `

Rethinking the process for a second I changed the procedure a bit. Placing my right hand on my chest I touched a tiny ping pong sized silver ball there. I had it made 2 days ago after my first Demon seed experiments. It was a container to house the Demon Soul I had in my possession. When I had made it another thought had popped to me that at some point I would have to remove Demon seeds from people so alongside it I placed some normal Souls by getting rid of some bad guys along the way. ` Not like they needed it anyway. `

Taking out one of them I resumed the process. Shoving the normal Soul inside John I slowly started to remove the Angel version out. As I did I shoved the normal one in its place, and at the same time I tuned it to John's Life Essence so there would be no problems.

Done with that I took the Angel Soul out and observed it. It looked and behaved the same as the Demon version, aside from the color being golden white. Seeing nothing new I stored it beside the Demon one and looked back at everybody. John had a relieved face, his soldier a confused one but the Demon had terror in his eyes and maybe a bit of hope, just maybe.

Ignoring him I focused on John again. “ How are you? ”

“ Empty? I guess. ” He replied. “ It feels like a well opened up in me that I never knew was there. ”

“ Hmm, well sorry about that. ” With a sincere voice I apologized. “ But you know that old saying “ Better be the King of Hell than a dog of Heaven.” I think it went like that. ”

“ Either way, I have fulfilled my deal with your uncle. ” I declared. “ What happens after this moment has nothing to do with me. ”

John nodded but asked. “ How should I call you? ”

“ Call? ” Shaking my head at that idea I told him my opinion. “ There is no point in you knowing that and it's better if you don't know anything. Since the Heavens faction will be looking into you as I removed the Angel Soul from you. ” The moment I reminded him his face paled.

` Still, my part here is done and I have a Demon to interrogate. `

Making my way to him I extend the rope from him and grab it. “ Change back into human shape and walk, I won't drag your heavy body. ” Having no choice but to follow my order he was back in human form. Nodding I said my goodbyes at John all while ignoring his little little sidekick who still looked at me with a confused face.

Pulling on the rope I eased the bindings enough for the Demon to be able to walk and made my way outside.