A Deadly Encounter

Damian kicked open the door as the wind pushed out and snuffed out some nearby candles. "Augustus Bronson," he yelled out into the room as many heads turned their direction. There were several people in the room with brown robes on and two people standing on an alter high above the people. "You will hand over the girl now!" But out of the whispers in the crowd, a deep guttural laughter came from one of the two people at the alter.

"Oh ho ho! It seems the misguided shepherd has come to reclaim his lost lamb." The voice sounded familiar to Aiden but he was unsure as to why. That is when the man had removed his hood and showed his face. Aiden squinted his eyes a bit and then widen them. It was the Bishop of the church in the town, Vincent Bronson.

"You," Damian said with his teeth clenched tight, "you were behind this from the beginning!" Vincent just continued to belly laugh as he turned and gestured toward someone on the alter.

"Well seems like you are too late, our young Paladin here is performing the ritual as we speak." He continued to laugh at the two Slayers in his presence. Aiden stabbed the ground holding himself up as he system was giving him a warning.

[Powerful Aura of Holy power]

[Unable to summon magic at all while the aura is in effect. All power is reduced by 75%]

Aiden felt extremely weak and powerless under the aura of Vincent's power. He was honestly get fed up with how weak he felt while inside the auras. He needed to find a way to still be strong enough to endure the aura's effect. He put the two handed sword away to put less strain on his body. He did notice that his system still worked even under the aura's effect.

All the while, Damian seemed to be completely fine while inside the aura. He wondered why that was but while they were talking Aiden decided to place a point into his stamina. As well as consuming two of the Ice Ghoul souls in his inventory. As he crushed held the souls in his hand he watched as they dispersed and flowed into his brand.

[1,500 souls obtained]

He then popped the Lich's Soul to gain even more souls and even a new spell. As he did he felt a fire burn in his body. He could feel it's warmth grow and move to his right hand.

[2,500 souls obtained]

[Fireball Spell acquired!]

[Fire is born from the anger and hatred of one's soul. Tempered by the calm and relaxed mind of the caster. Hurl this flaming sphere that is created in your hand to deliver an explosive result. SP cost: 15]

He immediately leveled once again in his Stamina to increase his Item Capacity and his max stamina. He didn't need HP at the moment and he needed to break through the aura restriction. He recalled the "??? Rage" skill thinking that could work, but the HP cost wasn't the best. If he had a way to counter its effects than maybe but it wouldn't work for the time being.

Aiden had to sit this one out while Damian dealt with Vincent. The two stared at one another for a brief moment before Damian ran forward through the crowd of people. All of them all turned and went to try and hold him down. But they couldn't touch him as he gracefully danced and weaved through the ground. He got to the staircase at the base of the risen alter, running up it to find Vincent standing there with no weapon on him.

"Move aside or you will taste my flames of retribution..." Damian said in a cold tone. But Vincent just smiled at him as he laughed.

"Your flames of retribution? Oh you are holding onto a false ideology and a frail faith of the mortal soul." He gestured towards the crowd. "You think all these people here are not just as important than this one insignificant girl?" Damian frowned as the blade seemed to glow red hot. To which Vincent noticed, "You kill me, you start a war between the Slayers and the Church."

Damian scoffed spitting at Vincent's feet, "Killing you won't start a war that had already started with the church killing innocent..." But again Vincent interrupted by laughing.

"No human that uses the souls of demons and Soul Magic are considered human anymore than being considered demons themselves." He gestured to Mia who was unconscious while Augustus hovered over her. "We can sense the powerful demon she has buried inside her soul. She is a witch who harbors evil within her, to which we of the cloth must cleanse her soul. To send her to the heavens where she may be judged by our mighty and merciful lords."

"Merciful?" Damian said, appalled by the word, "Was it merciful to send thousands to their deaths just because they knew the Slayers that protected them from danger or to kill the families of Slayers away from their homes? Is it truly merciful and just to murder countless individuals by the single request from the heavens?" His grip tightened on his blade, "No, it isn't, and you will be part of the payment due to the families who lost their wives, husbands, sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers. You and your son will pay the price of blood that coats your hands that pray to unjust gods!"

Then an explosion of white energy came from Vincent pushing Damian and Augustus away from him, "Enough!" He shouted as he then pulled out a book and a staff from within his robes. "I will not stand by and have you insult our protective gods that give us the strength to kill those that worship demons." He began to chant as a golden bubble began to form over Vincent. Damian stood up and advanced towards the mad bishop.

As Damian sent out two more flaming blade attacks Vincent raised his book as the bubble around him increased its energy towards the blade attacks. The two energy blades collided with the bubble then dispersed as Damian ran forward and leapt into the air. Sending more of the twin beams out, Aiden watched as they continued to duke it out.

While noticing Augustus standing up from being knocked away and to the ground. Aiden moved slowly forward as he began to feel his body able move again. The people around the alter began to chant in a slow an methodical hum. He pushed forward, trudging along as he dragged his feet against the cavern's hard floor. Scrapping his boots as he made his way to Augustus pushing bystanders aside. His chain sword drawn glaring at Augustus who didn't have that armor on his arm anymore as it looked to be bandaged.

[Ritual has begun, 5 minutes before it is complete]

Aiden saw the timer count down as he ended up just underneath the alter. "Augustus, I believe I owe you a dagger in the chest." When Augustus looked down to see who was calling at him and saw the man he thought dead.

"Impossible! You should... you should be dead!" Aiden tapped his chest with his sword and smiled.

"Guess you missed," he said as Augustus came down the alter slowly. While Vincent and Damian were still fighting one another behind the alter. The sound of Damian's sword bouncing against Vincent's barrier echoed throughout the chamber.

"I saw you die for sure, but if you are still here then I guess I will have to kill you a second time." Aiden brought up his blade and found it difficult to hold in one hand.

[The aura around Augustus is stronger than before since he killed you. Kill him and you will be granted 1.2x more souls for your efforts.]

Aiden didn't care for the message as he brushed it aside, "I have had enough of looking at your face... I hope you're ready to be buried down here with the rest of the dead." Aiden activated his weapons poison property and lashed out at Augustus. He charged forward, though felt slow doing so as Augustus was able to easily dodge it.

[SP: 63/120]

Aiden didn't know if he could hit Augustus like he was. The aura made him weaker and he didn't have a way for him to find his conduit for his holy magic unless he forced him to use it. Aiden would attempt to strike him with the sword not in chain form to keep that hidden. Augustus clenched his fist and struck Aiden's Frost Armor breaking it with his powerful strike causing both of them to be sent backwards.

[Frost Armor broken! No longer resistant to Fire and Frost damage.]

[-45 HP]

[Backlash to target receives half the damage as cold damage.]

Aiden saw Augustus clench his fist as he saw shattered shards of ice in the guy's hand. Augustus reached into his shirt and pulled out a vial with what looked to be golden dust. As he did so, his hand began to immediately repair itself as the dust flowed faintly. Aiden now knew what his divine focus was, not just allowing him to heal, Aiden through out his sword. Missing again but on the follow up swing he used the chain-mode to extend his reach and cut Augustus on the arm with a deep gash.

"Ugh, you filthy urchin! You dare strike me with a weapon? I will cut off your head and mount it on a pike!" Aiden just smiled as he was struck again by Augustus' fist knocking him to the ground. Aiden spat out blood before his body was fine again. He felt the pain of each blow to him but the effect on his body would heal through it or shut down that area for temporary time.

[-60 HP]

Aiden just laughed at Augustus as he stabbed the sword into the ground to brace himself. "You really are going to regret hurting me. For you see, I can't die... I'll just come back... again and again. To make sure you die by my hands," Aiden grabbed hold Augustus' arm and threw him to the ground as he was going to punch Aiden again. With Augustus on the ground now and Aiden holding him in place he used his sword to cut small gashes on his body. While Augustus tried to free himself, he was finding it harder to move and react.

Aiden started to chuckle and his eyes met Augustus', "You are experiencing the venom of a demon that devours men whole. Cows, horses, anything that walks on legs it eats." Augustus could feel like he was getting sick. His insides felt like they were melting yet not, as he started to howl in pain. Aiden then drew the blade across Augustus' neck and ended his screams.

[Killed your first human]

[Killed your first Paladin]

[Mortal Soul acquired, 2,500 x 1.2 = 3,000]

[Rewarded for killing what killed you for your first time, Skill: "Eye for an Eye"]

[Eye for an Eye (Passive): Rank F]

[When you deal the killing blow on the creature that managed to kill you. Receiving a bonus to the amount of souls you acquire from said enemy. Current bonus: x1.2]

"Noooooo!" Is all the room echoed with as Vincent had watched the light fade from his son, into the demonic urchin as his soul left his body. To which He turned at looked at Mia who was almost ready to be sacrificed. "You will pay as I draw down the one who will take this girl's soul and grant more power than you can possibly imagine!" As he blasted Damian back with a powerful burst of holy energy. Slamming him against the wall as Vincent grabbed his book and held it in his left hand and began the summoning.