Why did you do it?
Exorcists have been trained since childhood. A centuries-old program of training the strongest representatives of mankind, aimed at creating methods to fight against representatives of the supernatural, which were originally stronger than humans. In addition, this very program improved with each year of progress of human science. That is, modern training involves not only magical methods for hardening the body, but also various drugs created to improve metabolism.
Therefore, even if the two young exorcists were hit on the head, they would wake up soon. They were trained in a variety of resistance methods.
Irina managed to overcome the aching pain at the point of the blow and finally opened her eyes. Zenovia was sitting next to her, bound as she was. Only her awakened mind remembered what had happened in the quickest way possible.
«Izaya! - Irina could see their sort of friend who was packing his things, and from the looks of it was going somewhere. - Isaiah, what's going on?!
Their friend ignored her screams a second time just as much. He didn't look in their direction, didn't even squeak, as if they weren't here.
«He betrayed us," Zenovia tried to sound firm, but her shaky voice betrayed her mistress. It was clear that Zenovia was as shocked as Irina.
«Isaiah! What the hell has gotten into you?! - Irina kept trying to get through to her friend.
She hoped he was just being controlled, but in that case, why would he leave them alive! Most likely a conscious decision by the exorcist, but why did he do it?
If he didn't want to get rid of them as witnesses, then they must have meant something to him! There must be a way to get through to him!
«We know you! - Irina almost cleared her throat with resentment. - You're not like that! Let's figure this out together! We'll help you!
Each heartfelt plea with a drop of entreaty struck at the very heart of their friend. With each of Irina's phrases, Izaya was losing more and more control over his robotic, almost meditative, movements.
«You... - He finally raised his voice. They stopped trying to shout at each other in surprise. - You can't help me...
«Izaya... - Zenovia bit her lip in frustration. It was always painful to be betrayed, especially when that friend showed every sign of remorse. - Please, for Christ's sake, tell us what's wrong.
Izaya stopped his mindless packing. The act of betrayal had hit him as hard as the girls. Everything was falling out of his hands, and he couldn't get his thoughts together.
«Project Holy Sword... - Izaya sighed and met them with a deliberately indifferent gaze. - I was the sole survivor of that hellish program...
A depressing pause formed between them. The same inhumane program in which many children had died. All so that the Church could have more wielders of holy swords.
«The Templar Order has accepted me... - Izaya grasped his red cross, thus showing a sign of respect. - I can't say I'm that fond of this place... Ironic as it may seem, their set up is more like some kind of satanic sect... Zombification. Inhuman training... But, you know, Izaya paid attention to them. - I'm still grateful to them, because it's because of them that I was able to get the strength to carry out my revenge....
«You... - Irina struggled to cope with the flood of revelations. What she needed to do now was to keep Isaiah from leaving. - You want to kill Valper Galileo...?
«Right. - Nodded at that, Izaya nodded.
«In what way? - Zenovia inserted a question. - Why did you tie us up? Are you trying to act as bait?
«Heh," Izaya grinned bitterly. - Of course not. Didn't it also become clear to you that we alone wouldn't be enough? We were nowhere near as strong as we originally thought...'' - He shook his head and finally gave his answer. - I've been contacted by Kokabiel for some time now. All he needs is your Excalibur, which is needed for the Valper ritual, and then... - Izaya gripped his cross tighter. - Valper Galileo will no longer be needed... Cockabiel will give him to me.
They couldn't immediately find something to say to something like that.
«You... - Irina narrowed her eyebrows in bewilderment. - It's an obvious trap! You probably have no guarantee that he'll keep his word! It's just nonsense!
«True," he calmly accepted her accusations. - But for the sake of a small chance... - Izaya hunched in his seat, sending up mental prayers. - For the sake of that small ray of hope....
«Izaiah," Zenovia said cautiously. - Have you not studied the postulates of the Church? Remember the Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesians: "Be troubled, but do not sin; do not sit down to eternal wrath...".
Izaya finally snapped out of his gloomy morass, but only to raise an eyebrow in the most ironic way possible.
«How I'm so sick of this hypocrisy, ha ha.... - Izaya laughed a bitter laugh. - Irina, have you ever wondered why you can use Excalibur? I see that you just chased such thoughts away.... - He noticed the way she looked away. - Just God's Providence! It's an incredible coincidence that the daughter of a holy sword wielder has also adopted this trait, even though there was no continuity before!
Pictures came to mind of Irina as a child with a blue crystal plunged inside her.
«Yes... - Izaiah nodded. - That was the result of our torment. It's easier to just quote something from the Bible than to follow it! They don't care how those results were obtained! - He shouted angrily at them. - My torment... The torment of my friends...
Izaya tried with all his might to suppress his inner sobs. He didn't shed a tear, but his eyes were suspiciously moist.
«Why didn't you kill us? - Zenovia finally cut in.
«Why? - He asked again, and finally smiled in an almost familiar way. Sunny, but with a touch of awkwardness. - Isn't it obvious? Because you're my friends... - Izaya met Irina's gaze. - Even you, Irina. I don't blame you for something you didn't decide anything about....
A pang of relief settled in her chest, but she didn't give up trying to stop their friend.
«Izaia, I'm sure we can still get justice! Let's just return the Escalibur to the Church, and then Zenovia and I," the blue-haired girl nodded, "will help you! You don't have to betray the Church!
«Alas," the bitter expression returned. - I'm going to betray someone anyway.....
«What do you mean? - Zenovia frowned.
«This operation was to be the starting point for peace talks between the Biblical Factions. Yes, I'm serious... - Izaya only nodded at their shocked faces. - ''But the Templar Order wants to prevent this with all their might...''
He finally stood up and slung all six Excalibur over his shoulder.
«What do you mean by "interfere"...?
«After the success of the operation, I had to.... - Izaya met them with a serious look. - To kill you...
His statement didn't make sense. The Templar Order ordered them killed?!
«But why?!
«To frame the demons. - Izaya took a deep breath. - Once we'd gotten the rest of the swords, I was supposed to kill you. And my Order would make it look like the demons did it. So much for the end of potential peace... Which is why betrayal was my only possible outcome. The choice is who to betray.
He shook his head and gave them one last wave.
«It has been interesting with you, my hopefully still dear friends..... Farewell.
Irina stifled her bitter tears with all her might and tried to pull out a small piece of stylized paper. It was the only piece of demon summoning paper she had left from when she'd come to this town.
Ichika's appeal.
*****
«Well," Azazel finally finished shamanizing the new cocktail. - Of course, it wasn't perfect with Cockabiel, but at least it was something.... - The Fallen One, with a hint of solemnity, placed a glass filled with a multicolored glowing liquid in front of him. - This is my specialty cocktail, boy! I make it only on holidays! Cheers! To peace! - Azazel clinked the same glass with him and drained it in a gulp. - Ooh! As always, it's excellent! You should try it, boy, and I'm telling you in advance, I'm keeping the recipe a closely guarded secret!
Emeric wanted to drink the drink in one gulp, but with a weary sigh he changed his mind. He simply set the glass back down.
«What are you doing? - The fallen man raised an eyebrow.
«Azazel," Emeric scratched his cheek. - Don't you think it all happened too easily?
«Sometimes that happens, kid," Azazel shook his head. - Not all cases have to end epic and big.... I'll tell you what, most cases don't. It just came to its logical end....
«What about Cockabiel and Valper Galileo? - Emeric couldn't let something like this go. - After all, they hadn't even shown up since the beginning of this case!
«Their problem," Azazel shrugged. - Maybe they found out I was in town and hid, and you were too quick to steal the holy swords. They just didn't have time to react, and later realized it was useless. Enjoy your youth, kid! Don't think about problems, your head is already full of them!
Emeric could only shake his head at the carelessness of the leader of the fallen angels. He couldn't understand how the man couldn't put two and two together.....
Or maybe he really is getting too caught up in the moment...?
Emeric thought back to his last week, rolling the magical liquid around the walls of the glass. Cockabiel had only added to his headaches. The situation with Cleria was still on his mind....
«And then there's Cleria. - It came out of him almost unconsciously.
«Cleria? - Azazel asked, and then, as if he remembered something. - Ah! Right. The former caretaker of the city. The one that Zekram shortened because he was too curious...?
Emeric suppressed the urge to startle. As the leader of one of the factions, Azazel should have known better, his profession required it. And the swagger of his tongue right now indicated that there was more to this than love between the demoness and the exorcist. Somehow, more information had to be gleaned while he was in a good mood. Aldis should have warned Azazel about being too curious.
«That's right," Emeric nodded at Azazel's guess. - I just can't understand how Zemkram dared to kill her over such a trifle... - Carelessly, he twirled the glass in his hand without taking a drink. I need a sober mind right now.
«A trifle?! - Azazel raised his eyebrows. - I don't know, boy, your Royal Figures aren't the last trifle.....
«A royal figure! - Emeric stood up from the table, unable to hold back his reaction. - That's a myth!
«Almost," he shrugged. - According to my information, Beelzebub made a few, and some of them fell into the hands of Zekram Bael.... - Azazel furrowed his brow as he realized he'd said too much. - Can we pretend I didn't say that...? - Hopefully, he asked.
«Aha!" nodded Emeric sarcastically, who couldn't sit still with excitement. - I'd forgotten all about it!
The King's Figure. An old tale about a certain additional figure of the king that can strengthen its bearer dozens or hundreds of times.
How does getting the Figures of Evil happen? Simple. A high-class demon symbolically gives allegiance to Hell, and then touches a large figure of the king, a kind of decorative element that stands in a special room. This is how the king is bound to his figures.
But this tale suggests that there is a piece in nature that dives directly into the king. It gives an amplification unseen to other pieces, much more than the same queen. And the name of this mythical object is the King's Figure.....
«It can't be that simple," Emeric said, staring at Azazel awkwardly. - There must be some special conditions, or Hell would have brought the rest of the world to its knees a long time ago....
«Hmm," Azazel sighed tiredly when he realized he wasn't going to let up without an answer. - Actually, the conditions were close to ideal. The Lords of Hell simply didn't want to have an army of demons who had increased in strength and could go mad with power. In addition, such figures can not be riveted in batches, and such a move would be a declaration of war. In other words, it's very likely that the dramatic increase in power of multiple demons would not remain a secret, and then everyone else would unite against Hell. Believe me, we would do anything to prevent such a dramatic increase.... - Azazel grasped his chin thoughtfully. - And as for specific conditions to the host, there has to be a certain threshold of power. The higher class demons would simply die, bursting with a new influx of power, and the medium-high ones wouldn't be able to use the Royal Figure. There must be a certain level, no more and no less.....
A picture appeared in my mind. The very church where Cleria and Masaomi had last confessed their love to each other....
... I'm sorry, Masaomi," the female figure snuggled up to the male figure and began to cry. - I'm sorry I'm such a mediocrity! Nothing happened because of my weakness!.....
...The box that Masaomi stroked longingly....
That's what was in that box! It was a Royal Figure! That was why he originally felt as if it was the box that was important!
Cleria Belial wasn't just looking for information, but by all accounts was able to steal one of the Royal Figures. But she couldn't use it because she was too weak!
She wasn't killed for Dickhauser's edification! She had really crossed the Great King! A foolish girl, she probably thought that with the great power and support of her famous brother, she would be able to arrange her love life! But it didn't work out because she couldn't use that very figure!
Now the picture is complete! This is what the Fallen were originally looking for in the Church! They were looking for the Royal Figure, and apparently they found it! It's not clear why or how, but it doesn't matter now.
After all, no one had his vision ability, and the Great King didn't tell anyone that he had lost one of the figures. That means that no one knows about the presence of the Royal Figure but him!
«Cockabiel has the King's Figure! - Emeric urgently turned to Azazel.
«What?
«I say he's got the figure! Cleria kidnapped her, but Zekram didn't tell anyone because it would discredit him! Cockabiel somehow found out about her, and then he stole her! He wasn't looking for information about the Excalibur, he was looking for the King's Figure! It ain't fucking over yet! Cockabiel is plotting some kind of gambit! An intrigue that stretches back through Hell and the Church!
«Boy," Azazel said, surprised to hear his revelations. - How did you know that?!
«It doesn't matter," Emeric shook his head. - I need to inform Aldis! I'm going! Stay alert!
Emeric turned around in one motion and headed for the exit of the house to get to school. But...
An incredibly strong magical barrier appeared above the house at the fastest pace possible. One that would completely cut off any form of communication and teleportation. And such a barrier could only be created by a true master of his craft. And if we take into account the fact that the barrier reeked of a familiar aura, then....
Emeric slowly turned around to Azazel, who no longer had his usual 'buddy' expression on his face. Only a mocking sneer.
«Azazel," Emeric's voice was beginning to sound arctic cold. - Would you care to explain... Why did you lock us in here?
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