Chapter 5

Jay was running down the dimly lit streets, Ellie clutched tightly in his arms. The wolf-faced creature was relentless, its claws scraping the pavement as it pursued them. Jay turned corner after corner, his breath ragged and chest burning, but no matter how many sharp turns he took, the creature stayed right on his heels.

"Coward! The hell are you running for?" the voice in his head sneered.

"You must be joking, right?" Jay panted. "Did you see that thing? It has teeth that could break my skull and claws sharp enough to slice me in half. What do you expect me to do?"

"Wimp. Running will get you nowhere. To get rid of it, you need to face it head-on. Dumb ass!"

Jay risked a glance over his shoulder. The creature's glowing red eyes locked onto his, its mouth drooling with hunger.

"Nope. Like hell I'm fighting that thing," Jay muttered, his voice trembling.

The creature's growl deepened as it surged forward. In one swift motion, it lunged and gripped Jay's ankle with its massive clawed hand. With terrifying strength, it swung him into the air and hurled him against a brick wall. Jay's body crumpled to the ground, pain radiating through every inch of him. He gasped for air, his vision blurry. Ellie tumbled out of his arms, landing a few feet away.

"Ellie, run!" Jay shouted hoarsely. His voice was desperate, but Ellie stayed rooted in place, her eyes wide with fear.

"No! I won't leave you!" she cried.

Jay gritted his teeth. "You have to. I can't move. Just go!"

He hoped the creature would focus on him, the wounded prey. But to his horror, it turned its attention to Ellie. Its glowing eyes narrowed as it stalked toward her, growling low in its throat.

"What are you going to do now?" the voice in his head taunted. "The creature's going to get to her soon."

"I… I have to get to her somehow," Jay groaned, trying to push himself up. His ankle throbbed with excruciating pain, refusing to bear his weight.

"How? With that twisted ankle?" the voice mocked. "Look. I can help you out."

"How?" Jay demanded, desperation lacing his words.

"You can use my powers. With my strength, we can defeat that thing and save the girl."

Jay hesitated. The voice sounded demonic, and a gnawing feeling in his gut warned him not to trust it. But Ellie—she was helpless, trembling as the creature loomed closer. He couldn't let her die. He wouldn't.

"So, what do you say?" the voice pressed. "Deny my offer and let the girl die, or accept my power and save her. Better hurry. Time's ticking."

Jay's mind raced. He knew there would be consequences. Whatever this voice was, it wasn't offering help out of kindness. But Ellie's life was on the line, and he couldn't stand by and watch her be torn apart.

"Alright! Lend me your power!" Jay shouted.

The voice chuckled darkly, its tone dripping with satisfaction. "Good choice."

A searing pain shot through Jay's body as if molten lava was coursing through his veins. His vision blurred, and his screams echoed through the empty streets. His fingernails lengthened into claws, his teeth sharpened, and a red aura began to radiate from his body. His hair and eyes turned a glowing crimson. Horns sprouted from his forehead, curling menacingly. Ellie's eyes widened in horror. She had seen this transformation before—when Jay was possessed by the twin figures.

The creature turned its attention back to Jay, sensing the sudden surge of power. It growled, its hackles rising, but Jay was no longer afraid. He bared his newly-formed fangs and growled back, the sound feral and primal.

"Let's see who the real predator is," Jay snarled, his voice now laced with the same demonic tone as the voice in his head. He launched himself at the creature, claws slashing through the air.

Jay's attacks were wild, his claws missing by mere centimeters as the creature dodged. The wolf-faced beast countered, swiping its claws across Jay's face. Three deep gashes opened on his cheek, blood dripping down his skin. The pain only fueled Jay's rage. He let out a guttural roar, his eyes burning brighter.

The creature lunged again, but this time Jay caught its arm mid-swing. His claws pierced deep into the creature's flesh, black tar-like blood oozing from the wounds. The creature howled in agony, thrashing to break free, but Jay's grip was unyielding. With his other hand, he drove his claws into its torso, tearing through its dark form. The creature let out a final, ear-splitting scream as its body began to dissolve into black mist.

Jay lifted the creature over his head and hurled it against a brick wall. Before it could recover, he charged, slashing and ripping into it with relentless fury. The black mist thickened, swirling around the creature before it disappeared entirely, leaving only silence.

Ellie stood frozen, her hands trembling. The boy she had trusted, her bright and shining protector, now stood before her as a terrifying demon. His chest heaved, his claws dripping with the creature's tar-like blood. He turned to her, his crimson eyes locking onto hers.

Blood from the wolf creature dripped from his claws, and his chest heaved with each breath. Ellie's heart pounded in her chest as she took a step back.

"Jay! Please stop! It's me, Ellie!" she cried, her voice trembling. "You have to come back!"

Jay's expression didn't change. He kept walking toward her, his steps slow and deliberate, his face twisted into a predatory grin. Ellie's mind raced. She didn't know if her words were reaching him, but she kept trying.

"Please, Jay! Snap out of it!" she pleaded, tears streaming down her face. But he didn't stop.

Just as Jay raised a clawed hand, a spear landed in front of him, piercing the ground with a sharp clang. The spearhead stood upright, glowing faintly. Before Jay could react, the spear floated off the ground and swung at him. Jay parried it with his claws, sparks flying from the impact. He jumped back, hissing.

Chiaki appeared, stepping between Jay and Ellie. She held her hand out, and the spear returned to her grip. Her eyes narrowed as she studied Jay.

"Well, hello, mamacita," Jay said, his voice dripping with mockery. His grin widened. "Look at those big boobs and juicy thighs. Oh, how I wish to touch them."

"Sorry to disappoint," Chiaki replied sarcastically, her voice calm but firm. "But these are for eyes only. My man has the exclusive rights."

"Poo, you're no fun."

Chiaki's expression hardened. "Tell me, how are you still in this boy's body? I thought I exorcised you."

"It was easy, really," the demon-controlled Jay said with a smirk. "I knew you'd try to exorcise me as soon as I possessed him. So, when you threw that holy water, I left a piece of myself in that teddy bear the girl's holding."

Ellie clutched her teddy bear tighter, her eyes wide with realization.

"And once you left to check on your sweet daughter," the demon continued, "I jumped back into the boy's body. From there, it was only a matter of time before I reached his heart."

Chiaki's eyes widened in alarm. "Don't tell me you're at his heart."

"Oh, I am," the demon replied, his grin widening. "And you know what that means. The only way to get rid of me now is to destroy his heart. Killing him in the process."

Chiaki's grip tightened on her spear. She knew he was right. Her sensei had warned her about this—the heart was the most vital organ, and once an evil spirit claimed it, the host could no longer be saved.

Her mind raced. Jay reminded her of herself—lonely and misunderstood. She saw a glimmer of hope in him, a potential for redemption. But now, that hope was slipping away. Tears welled in her eyes as she raised her spear.

"I'm sorry, kiddo," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I wish it didn't have to be this way."

Jay lunged at her, but Chiaki was faster. She threw two white orbs at his feet. They burst on impact, releasing a spray of holy water. Jay hissed in pain, jumping back, but Chiaki didn't let up. She transformed her spear into a massive hammer and swung it with all her strength, slamming Jay into a brick wall. As he slumped to the ground, she shifted her weapon into twin blades and hurled them at him. One blade pierced his chest, and the other pinned his arm.

Jay groaned, his body limp and motionless. Chiaki approached cautiously, her spear reforming in her hand. She pointed it at his heart, her hands shaking.

"I'm sorry," she said again, tears streaming down her face. "I wish you could've joined my team."

She imagined a different future—a future where Jay was free, smiling, and surrounded by friends. And her being his exorcist sensei. Teaching him all the things her sensei taught her. But that future was gone. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for what she had to do.