† Phase VIII †

 

It was inside this monastery hidden deep beneath the mountains of Germany. It was a holy monastery that houses the monks of the Old Catholic religion. Since the event of Tribulation, it had been a safe ground for Germans and was guarded by two Goetian Knights and some Opus Dei's soldier priests. But then after the first month passed, no news was received from its location.

 

 It seems quiet from outside, peaceful rather, for no sound is heard either inside or in its surroundings. Or is it just that?

 

Two young men wearing brown priest robes and hoods came back from their long meeting with some representatives of Opus Dei's higher ups. They entered the large wooden gates of the seemingly medieval styled monastery being framed by strong and heavily fortified rocky walls and earth. They were confused and questions began appearing from their minds. The protection barrier is still intact... but it was empty. The courtyard was silent and no signs of life are felt. The winds were cold, perhaps colder than how it usually was. The two young men continued walking and walking along the stone floors until they arrived at the door entrance of the monastery. It was surrounded by a dark aura...

 

The two mustered their courage hoping for the divine protection and the power of their conjured demons to help them overcome their fear and doubts. They both muttered a Latin prayer and entered the door towards a hallway leading to a dome-shaped hall. With only a torch to aid their sight and to battle darkness, they entered and ventured the hallway until they reached a dome-shaped hall.

 

A view gave shock to their wary minds. It was a brutal view of the entire survivors and monks lying lifeless to the floor, mutilated, skinned or worse burned to crisps and pool of blood covered the floor. Above were more bodies hanged either upright or upside down, headless at most. A stinking scent filled the hall.

 

The two men walked back stunned and shocked by obviously the view lent before them. Their eyes then gazed towards the darkest area of the hall...

 

Two pairs of yellow angry eyes were seen blinking like stars in the night. Appealing but at the same time terrifying... "Blessed Heavens of the almighty one, help us... Identify yourself, Demon!!!" One of them demanded. The blinking eyes went to the center, lit by the lifeless exterior light, as the pool of blood releases ripple sounds indicating its peaceful state being disrupted. Then exposing itself to the two visitors is a demon of pure green scaly body; a pair of long arms exceeding its knee length; a serpentine tail and most evident of all, its demonic aura.

 

"Demon... You'll pay for this!!! Give me strength!! Shax, Marquis of hell!!!" One of them yelled summoning a bronze spear with an etched eagle along the handle. "Gremory, Duke of Hell!!!" The other called summoning a giant mace with a head having four different faces on its four sides. After calling their conjured demons, the two Goetian Knight assumed their stances and charged towards the demon yelling their battle cries.

 

The Demon grinned showing its sharp teeth and fangs and muttered some unrecognizable words then darted towards the charging knights and eventually the lights from the falling torches were dissipated by the pool of crimson fluids...

 

† Ω †

 

Taeyeon and Jessica were venturing the streets of Seoul in search of some potential shelter for them to stay the night. It was already nearing dusk and the already dark sky is darkening more. The ashes continue to fall as mild rain pours and winds come in breeze filled with cheerless chill. Taeyeon was hugging herself as they walk the side of the streets wary of unwanted beings that might come out of the dark.

 

"There!!" Jessica pointed at an open creaking door of a small ramen canteen. "Do you think they have food in there?" Taeyeon asked. Jessica shrugged for she, herself, has no idea. "Let's go check it first." Jessica said as they walked briskly towards the door. "I'll go in first." She followed as Taeyeon leaned back at the wall behind the swaying door. Jessica entered cautiously and not before long urged Taeyeon to follow.

 

Once entering the canteen, they went straight to the kitchen to see if there are foods available or anything edible for them. They are feeling the stress of hunger and not being use to such harsher environment isn't helping them either. Luckily, they came across a small stock cabinet containing some ready to cook ramens and some unexpired sandwiches. "We can munch on some sandwiches for now. I'm afraid it'll be hard to cook the ramen. We can't start a fire or we'll be able to call unwanted attentions." Jessica said. Taeyeon frowned, "I wanted to eat ramen again... oh well..." She said.

 

Jessica and Taeyeon partitioned the sandwiches and ate some for themselves. Jessica was scanning the surroundings when she suddenly squealed excitedly, surprising Taeyeon, as she immediately crawled to a small counter table and took out a jar of peanut butter. Jessica smiled childishly as she approached Taeyeon and showed her companion what she found. The two smiled and opened the jar and have their sandwiches spread with peanut butter.

 

They were in the midst of eating when they suddenly heard an engine from something like a vehicle passing by their location. Taeyeon looked at Jessica. "Let's check it out!!! We might get some help!!!" She said. Jessica agreed and they hastily went to follow the weakening sound.

 

"We're quite near... But I still don't sense any life forms..." Sooyoung said. "I do..." Seunghyun butted in turning his head behind the jeep. Taeyang looked at his companion and uttered them to halt. "Are you sure about that?" Soon Kyung asked as he readies his rifle. "I'm quite sure." Seunghyun jumped off the jeep followed by Taeyang and the young guy.

 

Sooyoung and Soon Kyung got out also and approach them when Sooyoung stopped all of the sudden and her amulet necklace glow a bright angry red silencing her.

 

Seunghyun and Taeyang felt a strange sensation and quickly turned to Sooyoung. The girl looked back at them her eyes wide and a bit stunned. "Two of our brothers have died." She said with her voice trembling. "Eligor is fuming with rage... Two contracts had been severed." Sooyoung continued as she starts uttering a prayer that would somehow pacify the raging demon slave. "Let me see." Taeyang approached Sooyoung as he watches the amulet fuming with red light.

 

"Can I touch it?" He asked. Sooyoung eyed him, she was somehow hesitant but then Taeyang assured her with a smile and he touched her amulet and closed his eyes.

 

A sight emerged in Taeyang's mind and as he closes his eyes, he appeared on a dark dome hall and saw a scene. He watched how two men suffered fighting a demon with overwhelming malice and hatred. The aura was sadistic and the smell of blood is evident. The demon charged its claws impaling one of the men before he quickly took hold of the other. Then he was surprised as the demon turned to him with a grin as he removes his hand from the other one and mutilated the head of the last living one. Taeyang staggered as he let go of the amulet. "W-what happened!?" Sooyoung caught him as Hyuk Sung assisted immediately. "Another monarch appeared. Its malice is vicious and sadistic. I can sense unending hatred surrounding it." Taeyang turned to Seunghyun who approached them with a concentrating look.

 

"Looks like the fourth one has descended as well. As of now we have four demon princes lurking freely among this world's surfaces." Seunghyun said his left eye changing its color to fiery amber. "So four of the most powerful demons are here? Who among the demon princes?" Sooyoung asked.

 

Seunghyun looked at her as then to their surprise... they were all taken virtually to a place surrounded by nothing but water and storm. They were under the ocean full of emptiness except for a figure that seems to surround them. "The sixth prince of hell. The sea monster of envy: Leviathan... He surfaced half a month ago..." Seunghyun said as from the light that passes through the ocean showed them the creature. A creature bearing a serpent-like lower body covered by tentacles, a human upper body with four limbs and its head bearing a large mouth with three rows of teeth resembling that of a shark's and its fearsome yellow eyes. It was striding the ocean freely.

 

A moment later they were back to their truthful location. Taeyang was solemn and quiet, Sooyoung was confused but managed to maintain her composure whilst the other two were shocked that it made them silenced for a time. "He is just one of the princes ruling the realm of suffering." Seunghyun continued.

 

"Who're the other princes?" Sooyoung asked as she turned to him. "The others..." Seunghyun paused. "The demon prince of Lust... he is the third prince... Asmodeus the bat-demon or as the Transylvanian fables call him: Count Dracula, he surfaced yesterday; The one who started this demise in our world, the youngest and the most knowledgeable of all the princes, the demon prince of discovery, Belphegor." Seunghyun said. "So Belphegor started all of this!?" Sooyoung asked. Taeyang nodded. "And the latest one... The demon that you felt just now, the fourth prince and the most brutal of them all... The Snake demon: Adrammelech or most known to Catholics as Satan" Seunghyun answered.

 

"So four of the princes had already descended?" Hyuk Sung asked. The three were reluctant and were in sudden doubt for what seemed to be their greatest challenge just got harder. "Apparently... There is a fifth demon prince that descended way earlier than them." Taeyang said.

 

Seunghyun, Sooyoung, Hyuk Sung and Soon Kyung looked at him. "We already met him Hyung. Well I did... but that was before you found me." Taeyang said. Seunghyun nodded. "He was as of now the least harmful of the demon princes. The greedy and cunning demon prince... The Jackal Demon: Mammon." Seunghyun said.

 

"But I didn’t feel his presence like the others." Sooyoung said. "He had made a truce and signed the contract of restriction to be able to reside here in our world." Taeyang said. "He cannot use his power and his influence against us."

 

Silence engulfed the group as if they are waiting for something to happen. Then a calling voice emerged from behind them. Taeyang turned behind and saw two slender young women running towards them waving as if relieved to see help. "They are the survivors, I believe." Seunghyun said as the two men walked towards them with smiles which suddenly turned to surprise.

 

"Faster!!!" Soon Kyung yelled as behind Taeyeon and Jessica emerged three hellhounds and four Sei'rims running towards them in a fierce pace. Taeyang rushed towards them as he held out his right palm and accumulated red fuming pressure. "Duck!!!" Taeyang cried as the two looked behind them and were surprised by the demons running after them. Jessica heard Taeyang and threw herself to Taeyeon dragging the smaller girl to the ground.

 

Taeyang's eyes glow a bright yellow light as he fired an intense amount of heated pressure that dissolved two hellhounds and a Sei'rim to ashes. Seunghyun appeared rushing besides Taeyang as he held out his arm exposing a long metal chain cuffed in both his hands. His right eye turned pale blue as his left turned bright red. Sooyoung rushed as well holding her amulet. "By the abiding pact, I summon you to my aid, Eligor!! Great Duke of Hell with sixty legions under your banner!!!" She yelled as from the ground emerged the evocating seal of Solomon and from it surfaced a light that turned into a gigantic sword which she held.

 

"Look!! A Goetian Knight!!!" Taeyeon yelled as they were surprised by the bunch. "Are you alright?" Soon Kyung and Hyuk Sung approached them and assisted them in standing up. The two girls nodded and thanked them.

 

Seunghyun threw his chains catching a Sei'rim by its neck and pulled it powerfully towards him. He twisted the chains tormenting the demon and beheaded it with such an inhuman force. Sooyoung dashed in front of Taeyeon, Jessica and the two guys and sliced the lunging Hellhound into two. "Take care of them!!" Sooyoung said as she charges towards the other Sei'rim and decapitate it in one move. The two guys armed their rifles.

 

Taeyang evaded a beheading slash, his eyes still glowing in white, and rushed to the demon launching a left punch in the abdomen followed by the gushing heat pressure from his right palm which punctured a clean hole in the demon's chest. It cried in pain before it was dissolved to ashes.

 

Taeyang sighed as Seunghyun approaches him. "We need to get out of here fast." He said. "The night approaches and danger will be more evident from then on." He said.

 

"Thank you for helping us." Jessica said. "Wow... are you guys magicians also?" Taeyeon followed her eyes twinkling in awe. Sooyoung eyed her. "I am a Solomon Knight and a member of Opus Dei." She said then turned to Taeyang and Seunghyun who approaches them. "We aren't magicians, mi'lady." Taeyang said with a smile. "You guys are members of the witches' organization are you not?" Seunghyun asked.

 

"How'd you know!?" Taeyeon asked back. Taeyang smiled as he points at the strange vial with Latin writings located on the girl's utility belt and the insignia of the witches' association. "Why are you here by the way?" Sooyoung asked.

 

"We are here to meet with a member of The Order. I know it's absurd but yeah that's the mission given to us." Jessica chuckled as she scratches her head in embarrassment. "I don't think it's ridiculous as you say." Taeyang said as he looks at Seunghyun. "I am the one who actually called your organization. You're officer, Kim Jae Joong, is actually a friend of mine." He said. Jessica eyed Seunghyun same as with Taeyeon, surprised and silenced.

 

"Ok... explanations should be continued on the way. We need to get back to the sanctuary immediately, the night is falling rapidly." Sooyoung said as she calls Hyuk Sung and Soon Kyung to ride the jeep same as with the others. "Are there other survivors?" Taeyang asked. Taeyeon shook her head, "None... we were the only passengers." She said. "Oh... well, what are we waiting for then? We should head to the sanctuary now." Taeyang said.

 

Taeyeon and Jessica smiled. "Thanks again." Jessica said as they both went to the jeep. "They said that there aren't any other survivors aside from them." Taeyang said. "Ok... then back to the sanctuary it is." Sooyoung said as she maneuvered the jeep and went their way to the Sanctuary.

 

Meanwhile...

 

At the remains of the once small jet plane, fires burn on some parts with brittle crisps as it swallows the woods and melts the metals. A group of chunks started to crumble and tremble as with a powerful force emerged the demon of shadows unscathed.

 

"I know your smell witch... I will hunt you down!!!" It cursed with a grin as then something called its attention.

 

"You got lucky living unharmed from that troublesome fall." A young man emerged from the dark corner somewhere within the vicinity of the plane crash site. His eyes are radiating in purple as an insignia in a form of an appearing and re-healing wound ventured around his face. His smirk is smugly and contains something akin to arrogance and wickedness.

 

The demon was startled and started trembling. He knew of the presence of this traitor, the one demon that left his kingdom for his insatiability for power and wealth. "Y-you're majesty... Prince Mammon..." He stuttered as he kneeled before the presence of the second prince of Hell: Mammon.

 

"I don’t like the sound of that name when I'm in my human form, worm." The guy said. "When I am in this form, people know of me as Seungri." He said. "My apologies." The demon said.

 

"Doesn't matter~" He hymned. "I'm gonna melt you with my flames anyway." He said surprising the demon.

 

"No, Sire!! Please!!" The demon cried for piety as before his eyes emerged glittering golden flames rushing to eat him and burn him to ashes.

 

Then a demonic cry emerged among the wilderness of the ruined city of Seoul.

 

The guy grinned as he turns towards the gray sky. "Is it time for me to enter the stage then?" He said.

 

[~†-----TBC----+~] † Ω † [~+-----TBC----†~]