Liturgy

by Eyes of Shinigami

Sanzo is a modern day Catholic priest, ordered by his superior to investigate a very rare and unlikely occurrence. Along with his assistant, the two of them find that there is more to this investigation than meets the eye. A modern turn on the Homura arc

1. Pretium peccati mors est

TITLE: Liturgy

AUTHOR: Eyes of Shinigami

TIMELINE: AU

PAIRINGS: 39, 58, KxY, and DokuxOC

RATING: M due to content

WARNINGS: Violence, angst, disturbing imagery, OC, shonen-ai/yaoi, and religious references that will be twisted to suit the needs of the author, at least to a point. If any of these things offend you, please press the back button now. Don't say I didn't warn you.

SUMMARY: Sanzo is a modern day Catholic priest, ordered by his superior to investigate a very rare and unlikely occurrence. Along with his assistant, the two of them find that there is more to this investigation than meets the eye. A modern turn on the Homura arc with some different twists. Again, you have been warned.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Saiyuki, and I do not own the movie Stigmata, which provided the inspiration and the details for this story. Any similarities are intentional, and if they aren't, please forgive them. Credit goes to Cyh Scaevola, who is beta-ing this for me as well as providing the Latin translations for the chapter names, and Sonsyrea, who is also beta-ing this. You guys the greatest!

--Prologue: Pretium peccati mors est.--

The world is awash in blood and disease. It is a foul existence, a perpetual muck that is staining the formerly pristine surface of a perfect universe. The world was not created to become dirty and disused, like the disgusting little creatures that inhabit this cesspool of a planet.

Humans are a failed experiment, on the whole. They gave up their right to live on this planet when they fell from grace and turned this Paradise into a Hell. Once beautiful and complete beings, now they only live to slaughter and conquer one another. How can a single race claim to be superior to members of the very same race? Funny they claim to be better than the animals they hunt and destroy, when in truth they have become something far, far worse.

Demons wearing human skins walk amongst the population, sowing seeds of dissention and fueling the darkness looming in the very souls of Man. They must be punished, and this world must be cleansed of its collected filth. There will be One who will lead this cleansing, to usher forth a new era of purity and redemption. He will wipe this world clean with His hands and His blood.

He will save us all.

(Translation: The price of sin is death)