《Nephilim: Beyond Good and Evil》Chapter 9: Requiem For A Dream (2)
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While the Kiyomizus planned out their ambush, the members of the Church of Purification were questioning Shiori's actions. None of them were pleased that he had abandoned his post to deal with a personal issue and were letting him have it.
"Thanks to your choices we ended up losing, Shiori! Two of our members are injured! What do you have to say to defend your actions!?" Shou asked.
"Nothing I say will change the results. I let my personal feelings get involved with the outcome of the mission." Shiori put it simply.
"Do you harbor feelings toward your demon family?" A robed member asked.
"Are you working with them?" Another asked.
"Are you conspiring against the church!?" One shouted.
"No, I wouldn't do such a thing. My loyalties rest here."
"You and I both know that isn't true." Abner said as he entered the room with a bitter expression one he has never shown to them before.
"Abner..." Shiori grew a bit worried about how he would react to the situation.
"After everything I've done for you! I gave you and your sister a home. No, I gave you a family!"
"Believe me, I'll forever be grateful for what you've done for me, Abner."
"You should never bite the hand that feeds you, Shiori. I was willing to look the other way despite your foul heritage, but now I'm starting to think that I was wrong about a lot of things concerning you."
"What?"
"From today on you will obey Shou's orders."
Shou tilted his head to look over at Shiori before his gaze returned to the angelic one. "Thank you, sir. You won't regret this."
"I don't regret leaving Shiori in charge, I regret not cleansing his family myself. That'll change."
"What are you getting at, Abner?"
"I'm taking matters into my own hands. Does that bother you?"
"Yes it does. Have you thought about the emotional trauma Honoka and I would have faced if we somehow succeeded? You can't force us to do something like that."
"You won't have to worry about it anymore. I'm dealing with them myself."
Abner signaled for Shou to follow him as he left Shiori alone in the room. The door slammed shut once everyone had exited.
Meanwhile.
The Kiyomizus were walking silently down a street which was lit by street lights. The sun was preparing to set and the night's embrace was preparing to fold around Japan. Everyone was silent and it was starting to influence Terios' anxiety. He was just a personified body of nerves and soon he couldn't follow along with his family anymore.
Ryo noticed from the corner of his eyes and turned around to notice his son shaking with hesitation. He hated seeing his son have to go through something like this and understood where he was coming from. His hand reached out to pat his son gently on his shoulder.
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"If you aren't up to the task then you're free to go home son." Ryo said gently.
Akemi and Uubji turned around once they heard Ryo talking to his son and watched quietly.
"Dad... this isn't just your fight. This is... my fight too!" Terios shouted.
I have to see what I'm up against. I have to know if it's really possible to defeat an Angel.
"Are we still on this? Tch. We all know how this is going to play out. Terios is going to freeze up and he's going to end up running like the little bitch that he is." Akemi said.
"That's enough, Akemi! We don't have time for pettiness here!" Ryo scolded.
"Yeah, fine, whatever."
I'm going to prove Akemi wrong. I'm not going to run no matter what goes down. That's a promise.
"I need to be able to do this. I might have to do it again alone." Terios said.
"You aren't ever alone, nephew." Uubji replied.
"Right. I'm sorry I slowed us down."
"You didn't, it's good you stopped us. If you were feeling nervous it would have lowered our morale. Then you could have choked on the battlefield and we don't need that happening."
"He's right." Ryo said.
"It wouldn't matter with me along. Kukuku." Akemi said.
With their resolve clear they continued on their route to the Church which wasn't too far now. It'd only be a matter of time before they came face to fist with the members.
Elsewhere.
Inside the nursery room located on the upper floor of the church, Miki and Setsuko were undergoing healing treatment by practitioners of magic. They were taught the basic levels of healing by Abner himself. Although, they were severely limited on what they could do.
Miki whined as her knee was engulfed with a soothing yellow light. The glow radiated her body and filled her with pleasure, numbing any source of pain. On the other bed was Setsuko who's injury was less severe than her friend.
"This shouldn't take long, but you'll still have to take it easy." Said a young robed woman.
"I understand..." Setsuko said.
Setsuko held a deep level of respect towards Abner. He was there for her during her hour of need. When she was just nine years old she was hit by a careless driver and the accident had rendered her legs useless.
She had lost the basic ability to move on her own and became dependent on a wheelchair. Setsuko was never able to adjust to the feeling of not being able to feel her legs and it sent her spiraling into a great depression.
The only person she could count on was her faith that someday she'd walk again, even if it felt like the odds were stacked against her. When she was feeling at her all time low she came across a man known as Abner.
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He had a mysterious aura about him one that felt you with a sudden bliss. Even at a time like this she could help but reveal a smile when looking at him. He saw that she was in need and helped her immediately.
Feeling shocked that somehow her legs were able to move again she pledged her faith to him and aided him in the creation of said church.
Shou could be seen walking along the halls of the church as he tightened the defenses around the church. Abner had warned him of a possible follow up attack due to the failed attempt on exterminating the Kiyomizus.
Robed members were scattered all around the building lying in wait for anyone to approach them. Shou then guarded the front gate in person, keeping his hand near his sword at all times.
Shiori splashed some water against his face while looking at himself in the mirror. Details of what he discussed with Uubji was on his mind and with security being tightened around the building that only meant one thing.
Abner was expecting for his family to come tonight. If that happened then there would be no way for them to win. Not only were they outnumbered, but they were outmatched by the church's angel. Even if they somehow defeated all of the members defeating Abner was impossible.
The plan would be ruined and Shiori could never be happy. He had to make a choice here and now. Prove that his loyalty remains with the church, or show that he would always be a Kiyomizu at heart. Time was ticking and he didn't have much time to decide.
Meanwhile.
Just outside the large church, Uubji was crouched behind a bush, using his nose to pinpoint just how many people they'd be dealing with. Although, it wasn't accurate he estimated it.
"I smell about... 60 people total." Uubji whispered.
"Hmm, they were expecting us." Ryo said.
"Dad can you even enter a church? You are a Vampire after all." Terios mentioned.
"Son, don't believe everything you see in movies. Vampires aren't like that in real life."
"Here's the plan, we go in there and wreck everything. No objections? Good." Akemi said as he walked out from behind the bush, heading towards the entrance.
"He's crazy! He's going to get himself killed!" Terios shouted.
"Well, he'd be a good decoy. We can create our own entrance from the side." Ryo admitted.
Akemi kept his hands in his pockets as he approached the entrance, but was cut off by Shou who guarded the gate.
"We were expecting you, Demon. We were almost begging that you would come." Shou announced.
"Is that so...?" Akemi said, lifting his head up towards the roof to notice a few members standing with crosses in their hand.
"I'll offer you one last chance to surrender your life. This way you won't have to suffer much."
"Tch. Haven't you learned your lesson from before? You shouldn't have provoked us. I'm afraid today your church will be losing its cherished mascot!"
Shou remained stoic as he slowly unsheathed his blade which illuminated with a faint glow before he struck it high in the air, signaling to the others to unleash their full assault. When they noticed it the members who were occupying the roof held their crosses out before channeling a bright yellow colored energy.
Akemi remained still, but kept his eyes on the ones above him and Shou who didn't move after raising his blade. Soon they synchronized their beams of lights and all of them found its way towards the silver hair male, crashing all at once. A loud explosion surrounded the area and dust kicked up everywhere.
"This is our chance, let's move." Uubji said before he sprinted off.
Terios and Ryo took off after him, running straight ahead so that they could sneak past the side of the church. The defenses were lacking here now that all of their firing power was being focused on Akemi. Still, a few of them were left here and were taken by surprise by the three.
Ryo kept running and held out his hand as a warm orange flame formed within his palm before being sent out as a large fireball which rammed into the poor man. He was knocked down from the blast and they used that time to stand by the side of the church.
"Alright, time to make our own entrance." Ryo said as he began to form a larger ball of fire than the previous one which grew hotter by the second. The air around them even started to warm up from the well manipulated flames. A loud boom was heard as he slammed the ball into the side of the building, forming a hole that was able to fit all three of them.
Once entering the room and passing through the debris and suit that seeped out they looked around the hall. Now that they were in which direction should they follow? North or South?
"Dad... I feel something..." Terios mentioned.
"Huh?"
"I can something holy. I can't say for sure, but, it's just like before. I know where Abner is follow me." He said before leading them through the halls.
When they passed by a few members inside the church Uubji would make quick work of them. His physical combat skills were proficient and he was experienced enough to knock them out before they could even utter out a scream.
Terios, Uubji and Ryo left a trail of unconscious bodies before coming across twin doors with golden knobs. Coming from this room Terios could feel such a divine aura that he knew that behind this door was the person they were searching for; Abner.
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