Nicolas... Is it sick to wish that I never met you? I wouldn't be so afraid of thunder if I never met you. I wouldn't have to deal with demons if it weren't for you. I'd be simple and normal... Hell, I might even be happy. You took that all away from me. I don't think I can forgive you for that.

But on the other hand, I am so grateful to have had you in my life. The old me was naive. Stupid. Ignorant. You taught me a lot, you know. You taught me that some people just don't have any good in them and that the monsters under the bed really do exist. Because of you I'm stronger. Because of you, I grew up.

And that's why I am going to avenge your death, Nick. Are you proud of me now?

Prologue

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

"We have a real treat for you tonight."

"What a special occasion this is!"

"For tonight is the final round of M4's bi-annual tournament. And may I say that our first slayer's going to blow your minds. Our return champion of the ring and esteemed monster slayer has returned to defend her crown against what very well might be the most terrifying species of demon we have yet to capture. Here she is, folks, the one, the only, The Blue Thorn!"

"We have just located an illegal underground ring of recreational demon-fighting gladiators! We will be infiltrating the stadium tonight. All of the staff will be present to retrieve as many of those poor hostages as possible. Take this chance to catch up on your studies at home, if you will."

The announcer's voice booms throughout the stadium before the heavy steel gates swing slowly open, moaning a deep, metallic moan. The audience cheers and I make my way into the gravel arena to see what monster awaits me there. It's an enormous leech demon. Its teeth spiraled into its mouth like a cave of yellow, pointed rocks and it let out this hideous scream when it sees me approach it. The announcer counts down from three, and then the chain holding back the beast is dropped.

This thing slams its massive head down, narrowly missing me. My eyes dart around in search for any prizes that they hid amongst the terrain. A lance or a sword would do nicely, but knowing them they wouldn't give me anything they knew I could wield. Even a serrated knife could work. Anything with a blade. While I'm distracted, my opponent swings its tail end and throws me across the dirt.

Well, that doesn't feel good.

There isn't anything around here. No weapons at all. As I pick myself off the ground, I see the demon sprinting towards me (as much as a leech can sprint), and even if I made a dash to the side I wouldn't be able to avoid getting slashed up by its teeth. For a brief moment I consider jumping right into its mouth and prying a tooth out to use against it. Yunno, slit its throat from the inside and shit. But upon closer inspection I see that even the inside of its mouth is lined with tooth after razor-sharp tooth. As it comes within arm's reach, I slam my open hand onto the upper jaw to try to swing it shut and jump over it, but it once again tosses me aside.

What the fuck. Every single battle leading up to this point has had some sort of prize waiting to be used in combat. Where the hell is my prize?

That's when I see it. Those motherfuckers had it attached to the demon, lodged into a holster strapped to the tail. This time it's a crossbow. A crossbow won't do shit to a demon with this kind of anatomy. This time they might actually be trying to kill me.

Cheering is pounding in my ears. It hurts, like every other time, but I can hear them all willing me to win. They know I can. I know I can. Well, I could if they didn't give me a fucking crossbow. But still, if I'm going to go out, I might as well give them a show. Let them think that I actually had a chance.

I lunge for the bow and pulled it by arrow track. It came out, arrows spilling out of the holster and onto the ground. If I can lead the leech away from the arrows without it breaking them, maybe I could use this thing. It probably has a weak spot. Probably. So I run as fast as I can on what I can now tell to be a bruised ankle and it gives chase. I have literally never been happier to see such a horrifying monster charge full speed after me with intent to kill. Once I reach the far wall, I climb the bricks until I'm just higher than its body. It slams into the wall and looks up at me. As I stare downward into its open maw, I see an abyss of teeth just waiting for me to fall in. A few less than before, as they were scattered on the ground from the impact, but not any less scary. I push off the bricks as hard as I can and just barely make it past slam dunking myself into its gut. I land on my feet with an admittedly clumsy stance, letting out a strained grunt of pain and run back along the trail of awful-looking slime. If I can keep up this pace for ten more seconds I could easily grab those arrows.

And I do make it with startling ease, scooping up the arrows and trying to load one as I am still in motion. I can hear it roar over the crowd, hungry for me. Once I fumble an arrow into place I whirl around and shoot blindly at the leech. The arrow connects, piercing through the roof of the monster's mouth. It hisses at me but continues in its pursuit. I jump out of the way, moving to my knees to aim again. As it's pointed in front of me I notice something remarkable about these arrows. These are solid steel. Maybe I could use this. I draw it out from the arrow track and run at my opponent. People scream in anger at what probably looked like a hopeless suicide, but I ignored their spitting and growling. I charge, wanting sinking my arrow into the creature's neck. Maybe I could sever the spinal cord! Do leeches have spinal cords? I don't think so. Maybe this demon does?

It rears its head in one final screech and I use this chance to climb onto its ugly, slimy body and plunge the arrow into the back of its neck. Then I begin to saw it in and out of its body until I can feel it cut through something just a bit harder than flesh. It stops struggling and falls limp to the ground. The motion throws me forward, but this time I land with a slight stagger. Oh, thank god that worked.

"Record timing! The Blue Thorn astounds once again and beats the all time record for fastest kill! Amazing!"

Thunderous praise roars through the stadium. Relief flows over me. I'm done.

I wave with a grin at the audience, bow and make my way back into the black room. Mister Andrews is there with his wild smile, waiting for me. "Nothing short of incredible, kid. It was no mistake to hire you. No mistake at all. We're making hundreds of thousands of dollars this time 'round. Statistically speaking that's nine hundred and seventy-nine dollars and fourteen point five cents per spectator per match! Plus an extra nine THOUSAND per sponsor! I tell you, you're the best of the best."

I don't even bother to look at that weird old man. I just hold out my hand and try as hard as I can to ask for my money without sounding as disgusted in him as I always have been. He nods, explaining that he can take a hint and hands me my share of the cash. I get such a small cut out of the total earnings, but it's a lot more than enough to get me by. Sixty thousand dollars. I could live off this for months. And last time I checked my previous earnings have added up to a little less than four hundred thousand.

If I can stay alive for the next M4 tournament I will be able to buy all the equipment I need to continue my pursuit. Then Nick can rest in peace and I can go home. I can be just a regular girl again and put this whole exorcist thing behind me. The fighting, the secrets, the scar. Sure I'd still have Boogie and Seer around, but even with demonic companions I could live a relatively normal life.

I long for the days where this mistake can be erased. I yearn for it. I crave it.

My trance is ripped away from me as three heavy knocks attack the door to the black room. Mister Andrews startles and shouts "What the fuck," in probably the angriest voice I have ever heard come from the man. He stomps his way to the door and opens the viewing slot.

"Good evening, my good sir," a loud and strangely cheerful voice trills through the door. "By order of the Vatican, I have come to retrieve all your contestants. Which, by the way—"

Mister Andrews slams the slot shut and makes his way over to me. "C'mon kid we gotta hide ya. Get in the hatch, hurry!" He grabs my arm and leads me over to the hatch, a small steel door hidden in the corner of the room. Before we could get half way across a huge puff of smoke billows in front of us and out of it emerges Mephisto Pheles.

Oh god, not him.

"Unacceptable behavior from a businessman," the clown says with a sharp glare. Mister Andrews flees the room in what he must know is a futile escape. Then the demon's eyes flick to me and a pointed grin spreads from ear to ear on his creepy, pale face. "Well! I never would've thought we'd find the infamous Friend of Astaroth in such a place!"

My eyes narrowed at the name. What once used to be the nickname of a little girl who didn't know any better was now the name of a criminal. "I have a name, Mephisto. A real one."

"Ahh, yes. And yet you are quite proud of the name given to you by your captors, Miss Dakota?" he sneers, one eyebrow raised.

"It's part of my job to go by my stage name," I growl back. "And I chose the name myself."

Twirling his umbrella behind him, he motions for me to follow. "I see. A creative spin on your birth name. But which of the many names that you go by is your true, chosen one?" I tell him to stop being a creep and refuse his invitation. When the words leave my mouth his smile turns down ever so slightly. "Miss Dakota, we are here to free you from your kidnappers. Kidnappers that forced you to fight in life or death battles against demons. Whether or not you have Stockholm Syndrome is irrelevant, if you don't come with us now you will be charged as an accomplice of this operation."

"Are you serious? I NEED this!" I shout. "This is my only talent! My only way of getting by!" I'm gesturing... something. I don't know what the hell my hands are doing, but I hope they convey how absolutely furious the thought of someone kicking me out of my means of survival makes me.

With a slow bow, Mephisto says, "With all due respect I believe you've made more than enough of a living for a fifteen year old."

His words cause tears to prick at my eyes. I'm so close to avenging Nick. I am so close.

"I can tell you're finding it hard to reach a decision, so I am prepared to offer you a deal. It would be an extraordinary honor to have the talented Friend of Astaroth enrolled in my own academy. You will be provided with room and board, a high school education and the opportunity to attend cram school, where you can finish your training as an exorcist!" Now he's the one making wild gestures. "You need only pay for food and weaponry, along with any entertainment you may wish to purchase. However, I am extremely busy on this mission so I will give you exactly five seconds to decide."

"Forty-thousand dollars! I can earn that in the next tournament! That's all I need before I can quit forever!" I try to bargain, although I know it's in vain.

The grin returns to him. "Well," he says darkly. "You may also want to find a job."