Chapter 1: Two Exorcists
Exorcist… The ones chosen by the gods, they exist to hunt those covered in darkness…
In front of the abandoned church
A female officer, Officer Moore Hesse standing in front of the church doors and just a few feet away from Moore, is her partner Charles trembling in fear.
"Moore!" Charles calls. "A-are we really going in there?" He stammers. Moore turns her head to see her partner.
"The citizens have made a lot of complaints about this church." Moore answers. "About people disappearing and such."
"I know, it's cursed, isn't it?" He is shaking even more and Moore made a face at Charles from what her partner just said.
"Charles… are those words of a cop!?" Moore asks. Then she put on her helmet while stuffing her hair into it. "It's probably just some rumors some idiot started. Let's check it out and see for ourselves. This church is not cursed!"
Charles then stands beside Moore after hearing her statement.
"A-all right…" Charles says and they open the doors of the abandoned church.
Inside the abandoned church
The interior of the church was already a wreck and really abandoned.
"Wow, it's pretty messed up." Moore points out. "I wonder if any travelers really stayed here?"
"GYA—!" Moore jumps a bit back from Charles' scream.
"What is it!?" Moore asks.
"O-on my leg…" Charles replies and Moore looks down to his legs and between them is a fat cat.
"It's only a cat." Moore says and she kneels down. The cat goes toward her and she pets it.
"What?" Charles asks. Suddenly there is a shrieking sound.
"What's that sound?" Moore asks and she turns around to see a colony of bats. "UWA!"
"WAAA!" Charles shrieks.
Moore then sees a hand out from the colony of bats. She tries to avoid it, but was caught. After the colony had went away, the only one left is Charles.
"A-are you okay, Moore?" He asks, but there was no answer. "Moore!?"
He looks around and sees Moore disappeared.
In one of the rooms of the church
Moore is thrown into a chair, still holding the cat.
"Gotcha!" Someone says. "I won't let you go this time." It is a boy's voice.
"Way to go, Allen! Now we can save him." Another says, this time is a girl's voice.
The colony flies away and Moore starts to cough from suffocation.
"Eh? A human?" The boy says as he let go of Moore.
"Why is a human here?" The girl asks.
Moore suddenly handcuffs the boy's wrist.
"Damn you!" Moore says while holding her head.
"It's a cop too!" the two mysterious people thought.
"Who are you!?" Moore asks and looks up.
The two people holding their hands slightly up.
"I'm s-sorry! I was too into it and didn't notice you!" The boy apologizes.
"We were just trying to grab the cat." The girl adds.
"We're… um… travelers…" The boy stammers as the light from the moon shines through the window and Moore sees a boy with short white hair gray eyes and has a scar on the left side of his face. The boy wears a green cap that covers most of his hair, a brown coat, and a black glove that covers his left hand. Next to the boy, a girl that has long dark blue hair that reaches to her lower back and brown eyes. She wears the similar coat as the boy but shorter, a metal chain bracelet with a small bow-like shape hanging on her right wrist, black pants, and black boots. Then Moore decides to tie them up to the broken window.
"Hmm… we weren't aware that there were such bad rumors about this place." The girl states.
"We came to this town this morning, but while we were walking over here, this cat ate a valuable item of ours, and we were just looking for it." The boy explains, but Moore looks at them with disbelief. "It's true!" The boy says in panic. "It's an item we got from our master, and we can't afford to lose it!"
"Master? Then, where is he?" Moore asks.
"Well… umm… He's missing somewhere in India…" The boy stammers. Again, Moore looks at them with disbelief.
"They're just kids…" Moore thought as the boy starts to blame the cat. "What a weird kid."
"Well, I'm going to round up your companions," Moore said. "So just wait here."
"GYA—!" Someone screams. Then they start to hear "DO" repeatedly.
"W… what?" Moore stammers and runs out.
"Um…" The boy says.
"You two stay here!" Moore orders and she looks around and sees nothing.
"It's coming from downstairs!" Moore thought and she runs down the stairs.
"Who's there!?" Moore asks and when she reaches the bottom of the stairs, she turns around and sees something horrifying. She sees her partner, Charles tied up to a column with a large bullet hole through his body. Also the column is covered in bullet holes and on Charles' face, stars appears. "Cha… Charles!" Moore stammers.
Charles starts to repeat "SU" and he stops speaking and more stars appear on his face until it was covered in stars. His face became black and shatters. Only his clothes remain. Moore's eyes widen in shock.
"This is…" Moore stutters as she walks toward Charles' clothes away. "This can't be… the rumors are true…" Smoke starts to appear behind her and she clutches her collar.
"Ugh." She grunts. Wh…at? I can't…" she kneels on one knee.
There was a figure behind her and the figure pulls Moore back and the figure covers Moore's nose and mouth.
"Be careful." Moore looks up and saw two people she had tied earlier. The boy was the one covering Moore's mouth. "The gas coming from the corpse is poisonous." The boy adds.
"He got killed by the Akuma." The girl adds.
"Ah..." Moore utters and she faints.
"Officer!?" The two calls.
"Devil?" She thought.
At the police station
Moore opens her eyes and sat up quickly.
"Moore! You're conscious again!" Says an officer.
The officer grabs Moore's arm.
"Eh? Where am I?" Moore asks, still half awake.
"The station! And just in time! Come with me!" The officer answers and pulls Moore.
Moore grabs her glasses and puts them on.
"What?" Moore asks.
The officer led Moore to a room and he knocks on the door.
"Detective, Officer Moore is conscious again." The officer says.
"Come in." The detective answers and the two go in.
In the interrogation room
The detective is smoking a cigarette and Moore remembers about what happened to Charles.
"By the way, Charles…" Moore says but didn't finish.
"We know." The officer states. "We're interrogating the suspect right now." He adds.
"What!?"Moore looks at who was in front of the detective, it was the two from the church. Their hands were tied, but between the boy's arms was the cat.
"The boy's name is Allen Walker. The girl is Alice Lakefield." The detective says. "Both unknown address, underage and from an unknown country." The detective reads from a paper. He then slams his hand into the table which gives Allen and Alice quite the scare. "The both of you did it, didn't you!?"
"WE TOLD YOU, WE DIDN'T!" The two shouts.
"Why are you so suspicious of us!?" Alice asks. "We just carried the unconscious officer here!"
"IT'S WEIRD THAT YOU TWO WERE IN THE CHURCH IN THE FIRST PLACE!" The detective points out and he then pulls Allen's left hand. "And besides, look at you hand! It's red, it must be blood!"
"Umm, no, this hand is really..." Allen says but didn't get to finish.
The officer pulls off Allen's glove and on Allen's hand is a quite venous and red, with an embedded cross on it. Everyone's (except for Alice) eyes widen.
"What..." The detective let go. "What the hell is this…?" Allen sighs. "URGH!" The detective grunts. "What the hell are you trying to pull!?" The detective points at Allen. "Doesn't hurt burning a cross into your hand!? You damn psychopath! You're supposed to take good care of that body that your parents gave you!"
"Uh… um!" Moore says and walks behind Alice and Allen's chair. "These two were with me when the incident occurred."
"What!?"
"Detective, there seems to be a large bullet hole where the incident happened." The officer whispers in the detective's ear. "However, these two only had a cat with them and the girl has a bracelet. At this time, we haven't found any weapons in the church that are capable of such thing."
The detective slams both hands on the table.
"WHY DID YOU BECAME UNCONSCIOUS!? OFFICER MOORE HESSE!" The detective shouts angrily.
"I-I'm very sorry." Moore apologizes.
"Be more courageous! You were in the scene and didn't see the culprit!"
"I know the culprit." Allen says as raising his hand and everyone looks at him.
"Hey Allen…" Alice whispers, but Allen just smiles at her.
"I couldn't see it, but I know 'what it is'." Allen states. "Let me help you in this investigation. Its nickname is 'Akuma'. I see them often. They get experience by killing, and evolve as it kills. And it won't stop killing. If we don't stop soon, it'll get out of control." Allen smiles and Moore looks at him with disbelief. Alice shows her bracelet and Allen held his left arm which had the cross embedded on it. "This cross is an Anti-Akuma Weapon." Allen explains. "Do you know what 'exorcist are? They're members of an Anti-Akuma group that consists of holy priests."
At the gate of the abandoned church
People are talking with each other after the incident with Officer Charles.
"I heard an officer died recently." First person says.
"Yeah, I hear it was bad." Second person says.
"I guess the rumors were true after all." Third person says.
"That church is possessed. Bad things even happened to Father Mark."
"Oh, what do you mean?"
"I shouldn't say this in public, but two years ago, an incident involving a priest and his priestess wife occurred at this church."
In Moore's house; In Father Mark's room
Father Mark is sitting in his wheelchair beside the window. He takes a breath and when he exhales, smoke comes out from his mouth. The Millennium stands beside Father Mark and the Earl clasps his hands together.
"Hehehe. Everyone is frightened. My precious Akuma," the Earl says happily. "Kill more and more and evolve even more."
"Nii-san?" It was Moore's voice. "I'm home, Mark nii-san!" How are you feeling?" Moore asks.
The Earl disappears in the shadows and Moore opens the door.
"Welcome back, Moore." Father Mark replies. "You're home early today." Moore smiles.
"Oh, you still haven't eaten!?" Moore asks and she walks over to pick up the tray. "Nii-san, you haven't eaten anything lately. You know you have to start eating."
"My stomach is full." Father Mark says. "I'm sorry." Moore set the tray down and looks at Father Mark. "But, I'm sure I'll want to eat again soon."
Moore kneels in front of him.
"All right, don't give up, nii-san! I'm sure our nee-san in heaven is wishing for that as well." Moore says cheerfully.
Then there is a crash sound. Moore and Father Mark look towards the door and hear Allen's voice.
"WAAAH! Hey, I said not to make a big commotion!" Allen screams.
"AH!" Alice shouts.
"Is someone there...?" Father Mark asks.
"Um, nii-san?" Moore stands up and leaves the room.
Outside of Father Mark's room, Moore sees both Allen and Alice lying on the floor and Allen is holding the cat in his arm.
"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU TWO DOING!? I TOLD THE BOTH OF YOU NOT TO LEAVE THE ROOM!?" Moore screams.
"Um, yeah…" Allen and Alice answer.
"YOU TWO WERE GONNA GO TO THE CHURCH AGAIN, WEREN'T YOU!?"
"Just for a little while!" Allen and Alice start to walk away, but Moore catches them by the collar.
"NO!"
"Haaa…" The three says while thinking of what the detective said earlier.
~Earlier~
The detective crosses his arms and looks at Allen and Alice.
"Exorcist? What the hell's that?" The detective asks. Then he shoos them away. "All right, you two can go now! I'm going back to the scene. Officer Moore, you can go back to your house and watch over them!"
~Present~
In the study
Moore sits down on the chair and sighs. "Doesn't that mean I'm supposed to stay here until the investigation is over...?"
Moore then looks at Allen and Alice standing in front of the window looking out at the church.
"The church is right in front of me, too... I wonder if the detectives are all right in there." Allen thought and sighs.
"Allen, Alice." Moore calls. "Do you two really think the culprit is an Akuma?"
"Yeah," Allen answers and both Allen and Alice turn around to see Moore.
"Why?" Alice asks.
"Don't you know an 'akuma' is just an imaginary creature that was created by our ancestor, who feared disease and pain. It's only a word, or an imaginary thing. They don't exist in reality. I don't believe in curses or akuma you're talking about." Moore explains. "I hate them."
"Umm… the Akuma I'm talking about isn't the akuma you're talking about." Allen denies and Alice nods her head agreeing with Allen.
"What?" Moore asks.
"Akuma is the name of a weapon. It's a weapon made by the devil that targets human beings. That… is an Akuma." Allen explains.
"Normally it takes on the form of a human being, so it's hard to tell, but…" Alice is cut off by the door open and it is Father Mark.
"Ugh… Uhh…" Father Mark moans.
" Mark nii-san!?" Moore calls and kneels in front of him. "What's wrong?" She asks.
Allen's left eye then turns into a black and red ringed eye. Through his left eye, he can see a soul that is trapped and chained in Father Mark.
"Akuma!" Allen thought.
"My…" Father Mark says. "My stomach… is starving…" He stammers. "Let me kill!"
"What?" Moore asks and Father Mark appearance changes into a large, round creature with multiple gun barrels. "Nii-san...?" He finishes changing. "What the hell is this…?"
Allen and Alice then run toward Moore and the Akuma shoot its viral laced bullets. Both of them made in time and there is a bullet shooting towards them. Allen caught with his left hand. The three of them are shooting backward and crash in to the church.
In the church
"Err… are you okay Moore-san?" Allen asks.
"Yeah…" Moore replies. "Where are we?" She asks looking around.
"At the church. We got blown away." Allen answers.
Moore sees in Allen's hand is the bullet. She slowly reaches toward it.
"Impossible… you stopped a bullet." Moore says.
"Don't touch it, Moore-san." Moore stops and sees Alice.
"Alice…" Moore calls quietly.
"It's a bullet made with Akuma's blood." Alice adds.
"This bullet contains a poisonous virus." Allen says opening is arms. "The Akuma changes its physical aspects into a gun, and fires a bullet at us." In Allen's arms is the cat, but the cat is hit by the bullet. "If you get hit by the bullet, the virus immediately infects you and..." The cat's fur starts to have multiple stars and then it shatters.
"You shatter." Alice adds.
"Damn it…" Allen said. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you."
"What happened to Mark nii-san…?" Moore asks and Allen takes off his coat and places it over the cat's shattered pieces.
"Moore-san," Alice calls. "The Akuma takes over a body and infiltrates our world. That wasn't Mark. That was an Akuma that killed Mark and took over his corpse."
"My brother… was killed?!" Moore says in shock.
Allen then stands up and pulls both Moore and Alice behind a column.
"Here it comes." Allen says and the Akuma appears.
"You! What the hell are you guys doing here!?" It is the detective.
"DETECTIVE!?" Allen calls surprised.
"SHIT! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?" The detective shouts. "SHOOT IT!" He commands. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT IT SEEMS DANGEROUS!" The officers start to shoot at the Akuma and their guns wouldn't work against the Akuma.
"YOU CAN'T IT WITH GUNS! RUN AWAY NOW!" Allen shouts.
The officers stop shooting and the Akuma looks at them. The detective's group shudders in fear.
"Stop it…" Moore says while walking out from hiding, but Allen pulls her back. The Akuma shoot its bullets again and it hit the detective's group. They all shatter.
"Detective… everyone…" Moore calls and starts to tear up. "YOU BEAST! WHY DID YOU KILL EVERYONE!? WHY!?" Moore screams angrily.
"It's useless trying to talk to it, Moore-san." Allen tells Moore. "It's not doing this because it wants to. It's programmed to act as a weapon so it can evolve."
"THAT'S JUST A KILLING MACHINE!" Moore screams while pointing at the Akuma.
"No." Allen denies. "An Akuma is a living weapon that has a soul implemented in it. That soul is then controlled by the Creator."
"A person who has no faith in life, who hates their looks, and who hates to face reality…" Alice adds.
"It is frustration of the soul that becomes the source of energy that drives an Akuma to evolve." Allen says and looks at the Akuma. He sees a soul chained down by the Akuma. "Even in that Akuma, a soul has been implemented, 'the girl' probably someone that has a special bond with Mark…" Moore's eyes widen.
"An Akuma is born with the ingredients of 'machine', 'soul', and 'despair'." Alice explains. "All human beings have a dark side to our hearts. That dark side gives birth to 'despair', which in turn makes the Creator appear and give birth to an Akuma."
"Mark was probably in so much despair that the Creator has his eyes on him." Allen tells Moore.
"Despair…"Moore mumbles.
~Moore's memories; two years ago~
At the church
"You had a fight with Moore?" Mark asks the nun, Claire, Moore's sister. She turns to look at him. She was crying and then she turns to face to organ.
"I'm opposed to her being a police officer." Claire answers. "But she wants to catch the criminals that murdered our father and mother." She adds. "God is teasing us. I threw out my anger, and prayed everyday so she could be happy. I never expected Moore to choose this path." Claire states.
"Claire," Mark calls. "Believe in God." Mark said and behind him is Moore hiding from Claire's view. "Moore didn't become a cop to avenge your father and mother. It's so we could all live together happily and protected." Claire turns around and looks at Mark surprised. "You and God helped her grow up. Believe in her." Mark smiles and Moore silently shed tears. "Moore's feelings and the protection of God. God wouldn't betray those who put faith in him." Claire smiles.
"… You're right. I believe that!" Claire says and then the large cross that hung on the ceiling falls and kills Claire.
Moore fell unconscious after the cross killed Claire had come to when hearing Mark screaming for Claire's name. With all the dust around, she could see Claire's hand reaching up from the cross.
"CLAIRE!" Mark screams. "WHY GOD!? WHY!? CLAIRE! CLAIRE! CLAIRE!" Mark cries while screaming.
~Present~
"Are you saying… THAT 'THING' IS MY SISTER CLAIRE!?" Akuma Claire looks at Moore and Moore falls to her knees. Allen walks in front of Moore and held out his left arm.
"The Cross that lives within me…" Allen says and his left arm glows. "It's time to unleash your power to destroy darkness."
His left arm turns into a monstrous adamantine claw with a supernatural glow at his scapula-joint, his Anti-Akuma Weapon, Cross.
"Pitiful Akuma, let your soul be saved!" He adds and he goes closer to the Akuma. "I'm sorry… I'll make it comfortable soon. Rest in peace, Mrs. Claire."
Allen slices the Akuma, freeing Claire's soul. Claire smiles as she goes back to heaven.
"Thank you…" Claire says as the remaining Dark Matter shatters. Moore cries as she looks at Allen.
Afterward, Moore, Alice, and Allen are sitting by the column. Moore tucks her legs and hugs them. Alice falls asleep on Allen's shoulder.
"I wonder if they were able to go to God... both Claire nee-san and Mark nii-san." Moore says.
"They are, I'm sure of it." Allen replies. "'The Millennium Earl'… that is the Creator's name. He is putting a scenario into action, in which all of mankind will come to an end, bringing an end to that scenario is what an 'Exorcist' does."
