Four

Zane and Lena had just emerged victorious in battle and stopped at a nearby corner store for quick refreshments.

"That was disappointingly easy don't you think?" Lena said before downing half of her Coke in one go.

"Sometimes easy is best." Zane followed Lena out of the store, bags in hand.

"Guess I was just hoping for a little more. I've been training all my life to be an exorcist."

"Let's be glad none of the really scary ones popped up."

"Really scary ones?"

Zane realizing he almost slipped up started backpedaling. "I mean they must only get more monstrous from here right?"

"Maybe not. The Devil himself is said to have been the most beautiful of God's angels."

He thought back to the Devil. Then to Mikalia how herself was undeniably beautiful. Yet, by her own admission, she is the daughter of the devil. And he was supposed to marry her. How can such a thing be fated?

"Well. We should be getting back so we can report to Pop." Zane shook the thoughts away.

"Oh alright. Just wish I could play a little longer. It's hard pretending to be the perfect daughter around dad."

"Maybe you can play with us for a little while girlie."

Lena looked over Zane's shoulder in the direction of the voice speaking. Suddenly they were surrounded by lesser fiends lead by a normal human.

Zane sucked his teeth. "No matter how you look at it. This is looking increasingly bad."

"We can handle it" Lena took a boxing stance.

Zane ejected the pellet-filled magazine of his guns. They were still practically full. He closed his eyes,  inhaled then exhaled opening his eyes again now readied. "God please don't let us die here tonight."

"Ha, he can't help you, it's already too late for you kid." The man's skin began to burn and rip as he grew larger.

In a matter of seconds, he had completely morphed into something as far from human as possible. It was as if someone skinned the hulk and gave him an underbite and fangs.

The transformation took Lena by surprise. Sweat started to form over her brows and she could feel her nerve start to shake. She had never seen something like this before and her training hadn't fully prepared her to witness it.

But there was no time to regain composure the little ones were already on them.

Zane created distance from them and used his guns to pin them down and stop their advance. Lena, in turn, picked them off one by one with her destructive punches. Before long there were less than a handful of the husklike fiends.

Lena took a few seconds to catch her breath, having finished the last of the small fry. "We make a pretty good team."

"Let's quickly finish him."

Lena readied herself. "Let's."

She closed the distance in a few strides, coming right under the group's leader, and threw a stiff uppercut. But he wasn't there anymore.

Zane crossed his arms across his chest just as the demon swatted him through the air into a nearby car, denting it with his body.

"Zane!" Lena had already launched herself into the air and was coming down with a heavy fist.

The demon moved back avoiding it. Lena attack hit only the asphalt leaving a huge pothole in the street.

She immediately put up her guard bracing herself against a kick that pushed her back several feet. But she recovered and went back on offense with hard punches that were either blocked or slipped out right.

She hopped back and regrouped while he taunted her. "The forces of God grow weaker with each new iteration. Pathetic."

She sucked her teeth. "Bastard."

She stepped back into striking distance and lead with a feint. He saw through it and surprised her with an intercepting attack.

She adjusted as fast as she could and leaped behind him then spun on her heel delivering an attack that contained her full force.

He did the same, connecting fist for fist. Lena yelled out in pain and she stumbled a few paces back with her right arm going limp and dripping blood.

She grabbed ahold of it with the other arm dropping to her knees. "Dammit!" She cursed through clenched teeth.

He kicked her across the street several times before he stood toeing over her.

"Doesn't look like you can go on little exorcist." He gloated. He grabbed her by the face lifting her off the ground.

While holding her up with one hand, he rips at her cassock revealing her button down and leggings.

He licked his lips and began to pop the buttons one by one until none were left. Now Lena was left exposed and defenseless.

"W-w-why..." Lena began.

He laughed. "...Is this happening? Oh, how I've missed this part of breaking humans. Once the boss frees Mastema I'll be able to enjoy this a lot more. Not even God could stop us."

"W-why...." Lena continued. "Haven't you finished yet?

Confusion hit him in the face. Then he looked over to the car only to notice Zane has disappeared. He searched for him spotting him on the opposite from where he was left, bending down pouring something on the ground

Wasting no time Zane flicked the lighter in his hand and touched the earth with it. The flames traced a circle enclosing Lena and the beast inside.

"What?" The demon grunted.

"Holy oil plus fire equals devil trap." Zane answered now making a Molotov with the emptied soda bottle he had just purchased.

"Damn you, humans." He snarled back.

"Bet it makes a pretty good fire bomb too." Zane lit the cloth sticking out of the bottle.

Lena seizing her opportunity, quickly swinging back to create momentum and kneed her assailant in the gut. Not having his guard up cost him.

He doubled over and Lena jumped back just as the Molotov exploded on the impact of the Hell's agent.

He screamed out in pain shattering the windows of a few of the closer cars. Slowly and off balance, he continued forward still burning.

Lena reached into the pocket of her own cassock and pulled out the holy oil she carried and, with Zane's assistance, made another bomb with her unfinished coke bottle.

"If this is it I'll be taking you with me!" He lunged but only hit the walls of the devil's trap.

Zane lit the cloth and Lena tossed it with her good arm. The blaze intensified. His squirmed around trying to put out the fire.

Zane and Lena watched as he dropped to his knees with his mouth opened. The flames began to dissipate leaving the charred remains that crumbled to ash soon after.

The two stood there for a moment breathing heavily and bloodied. Lena clutched her right arm and winced.

"I think it broken." She tried to grin through her pain.

"Let's get back. We are in no condition for another ambush."

Lena nodded. "Help a girl out?"

She leaned her body against his then wrapped her left arm around his neck as they made their way back towards the church.

"Are you okay like this?"

"Yeah. Just starting to lose feeling on my right side."

Zane lifts her up and began to carry her in his arms. "How's this?"

"You don't have to carry me, Zane."

"Its the least I can do. You were pretty amazing you know?"

Lena nestled closer. "Thanks. I doubt I'd have had the confidence to continue if you weren't there."

"Don't sell yourself short. The Lena I know is second to none."

Lena looked up and stared at Zane while he looked ahead in front of them. The Moonlight shining on his chocolate skin gave it a highlight that made him look otherworldly. She buried her head in his chest.

"Thank you."

***

"I see." Lena's dad said while tending to their wounds.

Lena had already been put into a splint and they both had downed a homemade pain elixir to deal with the bruising.

"Who is Mastema. Father?" Lena asked.

"Right now you should focus on recovering." He responded.

"It sounded bad. Real bad." Zane added. "He said not even God could challenge them."

"Boasting. Nothing more."

"Leon. The elders are here with instructions from the Vatican."

Lena's dad nodded. Then smiled at the two of them. "For now take it easy until you heal enjoy normal school life for a bit. And I'm sorry you both got hurt because of me."

With Leon gone Lena dropped the act. "We are being kept in the dark about something big."

Zane agreed. "Yeah. But there's really nothing we can do in your condition."

She adjusts her sling. "I won't let this go."

"Of course you won't." He stood up. "But you can't do much with just one arm. Especially with our abilities lacking as much as they are."

Lena's face saddened. "Our ineptitude was completely exposed today. We aren't nearly as strong as I thought."

"Right. We have to get stronger if we are to do anything. It's time I really take training seriously."

Lena stood. "Good to finally hear. You ready to head home?"

"Yeah. I'm pretty exhausted."