I Will Protect Everyone

Everyone was panicking. They still haven't heard from Tina and Liu who were arrested. The police let go of of the others after interviewing them one by one. After the interrogation at the station, they were deported back.

"This is crazy!" Kagura growled. "How could they do this? And there's an online forum against Exorcists too."

"Who posted the article though?" Morris asked.

Kagura snatched the phone she bought in London and brought up her screenshots from the article. "Her name is Andrea. A reporter that was filming the Summit since the first day."

She showed the phone that also had the saved videos, "Look at these videos. It's clearly tampered. It's overdramatic."

"Liam did try to kill Dante though," Morris pointed out. "That was the highlight of the article."

"No it wasn't," Kagura shook her head and quoted from the article, "One student could badly injured to a point of almost dying, yet another could still beat that said student. These children should not even be fighting yet here they are, killing each other."

"So?" Rodney asked.

Kagura sighed, "They're using the Summit as a means to trample on the Union's name."

"But the Summit had been around for ages," Devin said. "It can't be possible that people would believe that, right?"

"They brought up the Alastair and Windsor Projects," Kagura said that made everyone else gasp.

"They what?" Rodney roared. "How did they even know about that?!"

Devin turned to Rodney who was panicking. He asked Rodney what was wrong and the answer shocked them, "The Velascos are one of the sponsors of the Alastair Project. B-But after what happened to Mary, we stopped. We did not participate with the Windsors."

"But our family did," Morris sighed. "My grandfather keeps on being a mutt to those royals. My father moved us to spare us from the horrible acts of the Windsors but my grandfather keeps on siding with them. He's mad for power."

"Calm down everyone," Sofia said and used her Sanctity. "Let us not panic. This wasn't the first time the Union had faced such backlash. It's not like they'd boycott the Union over this, right? It seems preposterous if that happens."

"Yeah," Morris breathed out. "Thank you."

Sofia blushed, hiding her face with her hands.

"What I'm feeling is making my heart race," Yuri pointed out. "Sofia?"

"I'm sorry," Sofia stopped her ability and turned around. "Sofia, calm down. You're not like this. Why are you like this?"

Their laughter was short-lived.

Four helicopters landed on the shores. Several armed men got out and went inside the school. Their arms were big and looked powerful. It wasn't just an ordinary weapon.

They walked towards the window and watched the scenes in the shores. Devin wasn't allowed to move so he stayed on his bed.

"The Cleanser," Morris said.

Adonis looked at him, "Cleanser?"

"A weapon that can kill Stained Souls like how Exorcists do it," Kagura finished.

Rodney gasped, "Wasn't those unstable? A lot of Cleansers exploded even at their tests."

"We can assume that those are only prototypes," Morris said. "The school's been infiltrated. I assume they came here to guard us, not letting us have our classes until–"

The door opened, cutting Morris off, and their classmates walked in.

"What in the hell is happening?!" Melissa cried.

"Why are they carrying guns?"

"Are they going to kill us?"

"I don't want to die yet!"

…

Kagura cleared her throat to talk but everyone kept yelling. She tried again, but no one was listening to her. Everyone kept asking questions.

"Shut up!" Margaux yelled that silenced their peers.

"Thanks," Kagura whispered.

"No problem," Margaux whispered back.

"Everyone, listen up. Those are soldiers who are going to watch over us. They're trying to make sure that we don't get to get on with our classes," Kagura explained. "Let's just hang on for now until this is all settled."

The class silently agreed. They didn't have any other choice anyway.

As expected, the soldiers went for them and only left Xia with Devin. He was still unable to move but it wasn't as worse as the last time he used his hidden skill, Divine Possession.

"How are you feeling?" Xia asked, sitting on the end of the bed.

"You mean physically, mentally, or emotionally?" Devin retorted that made her chuckle.

"Touché. I never knew you had a sharp mouth," Xi said.

"Me either," Devin sighed and looked at the window. "I don't like where anything is going."

"Nobody does."

Devin looked at the doctor who had a worried expression. "What's wrong."

"Well, it was the first day of my reconciliation with Stephanie and then that happened," Xia clicked her tongue in disappointment. "I can't believe I waited for years and then for it to be ruined by some reporter. It's so frustrating."

Her eyes widened, realizing that she was ranting to her patient. "I'm sorry. I think I talked too much."

"It's okay," Devin said. "I'm just as frustrated as you."

"Speaking of you, you used that same ability yet you did not almost die like the last time," Xia clapped her hands. "Impressive."

"I did not remember anything actually," Devin said. "One moment I was so angry, the next thing I knew, I was standing over Liam, pointing my sword at him. Then I fainted."

"Seems like an ungodly power," Xia honestly said. "I have never seen anything like it. And believe me, I have seen a lot. Yours is… peculiar. An ability to use up great power and then pay the toll for it afterwards. It's terrifying yet so fascinating."

"You sound just like Martin right now," Devin said with a gulp that made Xia snort.

"I do, don't I?" she chuckled. "Perhaps it's because we're somehow related."

Devin was wide eyed. "So, you know about Mel?"

"How did you know about him?" Xia asked.

Devin's eyes widened. "He really did have a lover. He told us that Mel was the first victim of the Windsor Project."

"Martin had mentioned about the experiments?" Xia said wide eyed. Devin nodded that caused her to continue. "You must only tell your closest friends about what I'm about to tell you."

She paused and closed all the curtains. Looking around for a device that might be recording them, Xia crawled under the beds. Checked all the corners and walls.

When everything was clear, she went to Devin's side. "Let me tell you what actually happened…"

A few years ago, before the birth of the first Alastair experiment, Mary Alastair befriended a royalty, Melvin Mountbatten. He was fascinated by the experiments that was put on her.

He tried to persuade his secret lover, Martin von Schweitzer, to implant an amount of Stained Soul cells in his body. Martin had already collected Stained Souls from the purgatory and his greatest experiment, Leonardo was on Echelon 3 from Echelon 1 using only his blood.

Melvin, who was desperate to undergo the experiment, told his parents about what Martin can do. The latter was furious. He was able to confidently put on his own cells to the Stained Souls for he can get another when one should fail. But if Melvin's experiment fails, Martin can never get another Melvin.

Melvin was tenacious. His father had forced Martin to perform the experiment in his lover or else he could never see him again. Their love was only known to Melvin's parents. And if Martin does not obey, the royal family would out him, banish him, and make sure he will never find happiness ever.

Forced to do the others' bidding, Martin started experimenting on his lover. Using cells from a preserved Echelon 5, he started implanting one by one to Melvin.

The results weren't great, so they decided to double the dose. The Exorcist cells would instantly purify the Stained Soul cells, making it impossible for them to succeed.

That was until Harry Windsor came and took over the project. He used tenfold the amount of the prescribed cells and used it on Melvin. 

A few days later, the experiment succeeded. Melvin had the Stained Soul cells reproducing inside his body, his Exorcist cells reproducing harmoniously with it.

He was fond of the then pregnant Mary Alastair. They would talk and often went out with Martin. Until one day, Melvin started puking a dark substance.

Martin sent him to his lab and saw that the Stained Soul cells were taking over his lover's body. Not long had passed and Melvin died, in the arms of his lover.

"That was sick," Devin let out.

Xia nodded, opening the curtains. "And now they're continuing the project. The contestants for the Summit that was from Europe… all of them are part of the Windsor Project."

"How did you know all about this?" Devin asked.

"Because I have friends inside their laboratory. Connections. People that has debt with our family," she said. "Please, just do one thing."

"Anything."

"Apart from not using that ability again, please protect my sister. The war is about to reach its peak. And I don't think I can be with her all the time."

Devin looked at the doctor and nodded, "I will protect her. I will protect everyone."