Exorcists And Exorcism

After finishing the roll call, Eline set her tablet aside and turned her attention to the class, as she addressed her students.

"As I mentioned earlier, I will be your main teacher—your homeroom teacher, if you prefer. This year, I am in charge of all first-year students within the Elite Domain. If you have any questions or encounter any issues, you may come to me for assistance. However, remember this: you are here because you are Elite—future elite Exorcists, potentially. If you possess even the slightest ambition, you should be able to overcome any obstacles you face during your time in Ocryphia. Ultimately, everything depends on you. Of course, if you have any immediate concerns regarding our classes or other urgent matters, I'm here for those as well. Does anyone have any questions about what I've just said?"

The room remained still, no hands raised. The students were silent, composed—each of them aware of their own purpose. Most of them either came from powerful families or were good gifted. Joining Ocryphia wasn't something they stumbled into blindly; they knew what lay ahead from the moment they set foot in this prestigious institution.

"Good," Eline said, satisfied with their silence. "Before we move on, let's cover some essentials." She tapped the sleek, transparent desk in front of her—a surface that acted as both a keyboard and a high-tech computer.

With a few more taps, the large screen behind her flickered to life, displaying two distinct images side by side.

"I'm sure many of you are familiar with what I'm about to say, but I want to ensure that everyone, regardless of which 'world' you hail from, understands the basics. On the left, we have the World of Arcadia." She gestured to the map on the screen. "This is where we are right now—specifically, in Aurion, one of its countries. Most of you should know this already. On the right side, however, is a map that may not be as familiar to those of you born here in Arcadia. This is New Earth."

A murmur rippled through the room, subtle but noticeable. Ivan's eyes shifted between the two maps. The first, Arcadia, was rich with unfamiliar contours, brimming with places he had yet to explore but he knew most of them having even visited them. It was given to him being one of the Executives of Gevurah. 

The second, New Earth, bore a great resemblance to the Earth he had once known, though it held subtle differences.

Eline continued. "The distinction between the two is simple: New Earth is a 'peaceful' world. Ninety-five percent of its population has no knowledge of Arcadia's existence. To them, Arcadia is nothing more than a myth—demons, Exorcists, all mere stories to frighten children. They live unaware of the forces we confront here."

Ivan, listening, felt a surge of familiarity. The concept of two worlds, parallel yet distinct, was not new to him. 

New Earth, in particular, felt like home. Though it wasn't exactly the Earth Yvan came from, it resembled it closely enough that Ivan couldn't help but compare. The familiar landscapes, the culture, even the name of his homeland—Ruthenia, a mirror of Russia—reminded him of the life he had nearly forgotten.

His thoughts began to drift, memories of his small village in Ruthenia creeping into his mind. Ivan was born there seventeen years ago and he had lived for five years until…that incident that destroyed his peaceful life. 

"Our responsibility as Exorcists is to eliminate Demonic Entities, whether in Arcadia or, when necessary, in New Earth," Eline began. "While demonic activity is rare on New Earth, the few occurrences that do happen can be extremely dangerous. But make no mistake—the most dangerous demons reside here, in Arcadia. Our duty is to protect the innocent from these threats."

Ivan listened, but the words barely registered. The topic of exorcism, demons, and protecting people from supernatural dangers had no significance to him. He couldn't care less about the noble mission of the Exorcists or their so-called sacred duty. In fact, unlike his classmates—who had clearly been trained and raised with this knowledge—he was an outsider. Most of these students had grown up learning about exorcisms and demonology, but Ivan? He knew none of it.

Not that it mattered to him. He didn't need to know how to perform an exorcism to defeat a demon. His strength alone was enough to kill any demonic entity without resorting to the Exorcism Spells or Phantasmas.

Moreover, Ivan despised Exorcists.

For him, Exorcists weren't heroes; they were hypocrites, hiding behind their so-called righteous cause. How many times had Exorcists used their sacred mission as an excuse to torture and murder people like him? Just because they worshiped a Fallen Goddess, it had been seen as a sign of possession—a justification for brutality. His people had suffered under the hands of Exorcists for too long.

In truth, Ivan hated Exorcists more than the demons themselves. But that didn't mean he had any fondness for demons either. His relationship with them was strained, but no more trustworthy than the Exorcists who hunted them.

Ivan wasn't at Ocryphia to become an Exorcist. He had one main goal: the Relic of Seraphiel. That relic could change everything. If he could obtain it, it might accelerate the spread of Seraphiel's Faith, bringing his vision for the world closer to reality. More importantly, it would offer him protection against the legendary weapons that could actually kill him, like the Holy Sword Excalibur. 

Perhaps it was overly cautious, but Ivan knew his companions were meant to die. Their deaths were unacceptable, something he would never accept.

"It is crucial that all of you understand this. With the right drive, time, and commitment, you will succeed in your training." Eline continued as glanced at the students. "Now, let's begin. Beyond being your homeroom teacher, I will also be leading your Demonology course this year. We will delve deeply into the theoretical aspects so you can fully comprehend the dangers you'll face in the field."

With a swipe of her hand over the transparent keyboard, Eline brought up another screen. This time, a diagram appeared, detailing various levels of possession.

"There are Seven Stages of Possession, from Stage 0 to Stage 7. Can anyone explain Stage 0 to me?" She asked, her eyes scanning the lecture hall.

It was a question every student should have been able to answer on the first day. Most of them already had extensive knowledge of exorcisms, given their backgrounds. But for Ivan, the concept was as foreign as anything else in this world. He had no idea about the stages of possession, and, truthfully, he didn't care to know.

"Professor."

The first to raise her hand was Theresa, her cheerful energy standing in contrast to the bored expression of her neighbor, Travis. Eline acknowledged her with a nod, and Theresa eagerly began to speak.

"Stage 0 is commonly referred to as Identification. It's the initial stage where a Demonic Entity identifies and targets its victim," she explained.

"Correct," Eline replied. "And what symptoms or signs can indicate that someone has entered Stage 0?"

Theresa smiled. "Luck. Excessive, sudden luck is one of the most common signs. Demonic Entities use this tactic to make their victim feel at ease, to lower their guard."

"Exactly," Eline agreed returning the smile. "Lowering your guard is key. Even for demons, possession is difficult, but they thrive on opportunities you create by letting your defenses down. A sudden stroke of luck? It could be anything—winning the lottery, stumbling upon a forgotten fortune, or even finding money on the street. Or for teenagers like you, meeting the love of your life out of nowhere. Too many coincidences? That's a red flag. Demons will try everything to make you vulnerable, even for just a moment. Always keep that in mind."

"But Professor," a hand raised from the back, "what if it really is just luck? I mean, sometimes things just go our way, don't they?"

Eline gave a small smile, nodding. "It could be genuine luck, yes. But as Exorcists-in-training, you'll have to learn to recognize when things seem too good to be true. It's your duty to remain vigilant, both for your own sake and for those around you. After all, demonic influence doesn't only target you—it can affect those closest to you as well."

Her words carried a deeper message. 

Beyond physical strength, Eline was trying to impart that mental resilience was just as vital—perhaps even more so. A strong body might help in a fight, but if your mind wasn't fortified, you could still be vulnerable. Demons thrived on psychological weaknesses, exploiting moments of doubt or insecurity to worm their way in.

For some in the room, this lesson hit home, but for others—like Ivan and Aaron—it was largely irrelevant.

Aaron, for instance, was a rare combination of physical strength and intellectual brilliance. He excelled not only in combat but in the art of exorcism itself, a prodigy with few worries when it came to protecting himself or his loved ones from possession.

Ivan, on the other hand, was an entirely different story. His resilience was practically unshakable, and it went far beyond mere mental strength. Having grown up in the Cathedral alongside Ludmila, Mikhail, Dimitri, and Kamila, Ivan's mind had been tempered in ways that most could never understand. No demon, no matter how cunning or powerful, would dare attempt to possess him—or anyone in his circle, for that matter. They had all been raised in an environment where mental fortitude was ingrained into them, molded over years of rigorous training.

But Ivan's case was even more extraordinary. His body didn't just resist demons—it housed one. Yet, unlike the unfortunate souls who fell victim to possession, Ivan had not been overpowered by the entity within him. 

He had done something that the world of exorcism considered impossible: 

He had forced the Devil to submit to his will, bending it to serve him rather than the other way around.