Long times ago while the capital was burning, a woman watched what used to be her son surrounded by the flames. She let her last feeling for her child burning away, then she starred at this hellish scenery for long minutes before leaving. Turning her back to the pyre which have consumed her life, she said words that she couldn't be able tell to that man anymore : "Once upon the time, a tribe who had no purpose. They were the weakest clan in this world, they had to fear everything. The gods gifted every other living thing with might, swiftness and countless other attributes until nothing else remained for this tribe. They were unable to stand as they were hunted, eaten, and dieing. That was their fate, until a kind god stood for them and stole a shard of the might of his kin, and gave it to the doomed tribe. That was a gift of Civilizations and Sciences, Cultures and Wars. So they could live on this mundane realm and live their Illusion of Grandeur." Yes, she had made a hasty retelling of the story of Prometheus. "But all of this gift were meaningless execpt for the contemptation our vanity. After all, we humans will die, rot, and be forgotten in the mist of the ages. Remember, son, you are mortal too. We are nothing and we will die one day."

The reason that pushed Prometheus to steal the fire of Olympus was the appearance of humans. They looked like beings capable of shattering worlds, turning ageless empires into dust, outliving legends. Yet they were pathetic, even against what seemed natural for them. That was pity that pushed him to give them a chance. And his demise is another story.

*...*

The pair of exorcists took a room in a not so cheap hotel in Kuoh Town, waiting for the arrival of the members of a third party organization. They called themselves "Heirs of Prometheus", but they seem to be more prone to blackmail each of the every other faction, proving that they didn't inherit anything.

These two girls were exorcist, representant of their respective Churches. The tallest of them, Xenovia Quarta, bore a serious face, and short blue hair with a green mesh, and representative of the Catholic Church, while her partner, Shidou Irina, at the time, let down, her long light brown hair, was sent by the Protestants Churches. The serious young woman was sitting on the sofa since several hours. And each of the times, her partner woke up to ask her to take a break and sleep, she has responded : " Not now, they will be here soon.
- You already said that, several times! Now, go to bed!
- But someone has to assure our safety. Imagine if someone attack us while we are sleeping."

To demonstrate how they were not well defended here, she pointed the pajama that her teammate was wearing, then her own combat suit. She was the only one here to be ready for a fight. Then she pointed at her right, at a pile of brief cases which were not supposed to be here, then at someone who was not supposed to be here too.

" Your are right. Both of you."

They turned their face to a blond young girl sitting next to Xenovia. Alarmed, the exorcist drew their weapon, or at least tried.

" Who are you? Identifies yourself!"

Only Irina actually managed to seize her Excalibur, Xenovia was bothered by the fact that the room was tight and her sword was quite large. But that was not the moment to show a hint of fear or surprise. An unknown force was invading the territory of the Christian duo.

" Calm yourself, you two. I'm a little hungry.
- Are you an ogre? Are you saying you want to eat us?" she said that with a defiant tone, her sword still packed in the shroud but pointed at the invader.

" Do I look like an ogre?" Irina looked at her, a look she gave back. Of course not. She was human. The catholic exorcist let the word "no" escape her mouth. That satisfied her so she turned her face toward the other girl, wielding a katana.

" And you?", the intruder addressed herself to Irina Shidou, without looking at the sandwich she was unpacking. The "no" that her partner spoke was a little confused.
" So, you can go to sleep. I have already taken my night.
- But... Who are you?"

The girl did not see that she intruded the privacy of two church officials, or through the eyes of a sane person, two friends trying to got some sleep in a hotel room. Not yet. She had to have her lacking of proper manner pointed out by a japanese girl.

" Oh. I forgot. My name is Alexia Henderson, I am a scout sent by Heirs of Prometheus, HoP for short. But now, if you allow me to eat my sandwich. We will speak about that tomorrow. You have to sleep and I am hungry."

The exorcist agreed with a confused nod that they both needed some sleep. Their sleep was short, especially Xenovia's, as she has been disturbed by the early light hearted laugh of the two other girls, plus she slept with her sword. That leads her to sigh, announcing a bothersome day. They would have tonegotiate with the devil this afternoon.

" Irina, what are you talking about, this early in the morning?
- About Ise-san. And...
- Your childhood friend turned devil?"

Xenovia said that with a harsh tone, before being hit by a cereal box in the forehead.

" Second time. What is this?
- Cereal?
- Nope. Look inside.
- Cereal? This is a joke?
- Nope, and yes. I have exchanged the content of these two box. Miss Shidou wanted to eat that one kind, and when I handed her this one box she was disappointed. But the content was something she knows.
- What are you trying to say?
- Just let it slide. Don't care of it. This guy is now a devil, but he still the same, isn't it?"

She is an arrogant know-it-all, trying to use the same logic behind the Holy Sword, such as her Durandal? If the core is safe, a Holy Sword can be reforged, the vessel change but not the core.

" And now, what is your mission? Whatever your organization is planning, don't interfere with ours.
- This will not be possible.
- What?"

The still white clad exorcist rise an eyebrow. A newcomer, seemly an heretic, has proven to be an annoyance to her mission.

" First, we have been sent by two different organizations to investigate a land managed by the Devils, this is a little fishy. Second, do you really think that two exorcist can be a menace to one of the leaders of Grigori?
- How do you know about our mission?
- Ear dropping.
- You are not that trustworthy.
- If you said that, boss. Pass me the cereal, by the way."

That girl was annoying. And she never knew that a cereal box could hurt this much.

" And Henderson-san, what is your mission then?
- Can we speak about this, later? Like, this afternoon. Let's talk about this with the devils. That will be faster. And I want to enjoy my breakfast."

" Is she serious?
- I think she is."

" One, last thing.
- Yes?
- Can I change myself? An armor is not an appropriate way to dress nowadays."

She didn't need to look carefully on the girl, to see that she was wearing a high-tech looking armor. And when she looked on herself, she slept with her cloak and combat suit. Not appropriate? Irina putted her hand on her shoulder.

" Xenovia. Stop to worry. She had plenty time to steal our Excaliburs, or kill us. And don't. Can we trust Henderson-san a little?
- But she is not... Christian.
- You called me heretic twice yesterday. Somedays, more than that. And you are my friend neitherless. This is not the point."

They spent, after that argument, a quiet breakfast. The outsider took a short shower before leaving, with one of the large briefcase she was carrying. Then they had time to investigate themselves.

Their clothes were not the most appropriate thing around, this pair of girls gathered too much attention. But wasn't it the goal of it? By using attractive young people as exorcist they could become noticeable by the supernatural treat of their Church, such as devils or right now fallen angels.

" Irina, someone is following us."

She nodded in agreement. But her look added something that can say : " A devil?", the response was an immediate head shake. Partners agreed to lead the potential treat in an alley. Irina morphed Excalibur Mimic into a wire connecting two gutters, at knee height.

That was a dead end, but she was confident, they will overcome this treat, whatever it was, a devil, a heretic, or a fallen angel alike. Or a giant man, freezing his surrounding as his walked in, without even noticing the trap.

The target was a three meter tall man his size didn't stop to increase yet. The trenchcoat the giant weared was already in shred.

" An ice Giant?"

She gave a hateful glance at the abomination, then it replied : " Do I look like a swordfish to you, kids?"

She had to eliminate this monster quickly.

That thing breathed out a cone made of chilling air. The cloud of ice was slashed away with a wave of Excalibur Destruction. The monster frowned a little before giving a large smile with a mouth full of perfect and immaculate teeth. It seemed to understand what that sword was.

" Irina! Restrain his movements!"

That seemed to be smarter than the average blood favored shaved ice, as it turned to her teammate to punch her. Or rather, crush her under its fist. They coordinated their movement perfectly, Xenovia blocked its fist with her sword, opening an escape route for Irina. The twin-tailed exorcist then morphed Excalibur Mimic into whip, allowing her to grape a gutter above her, then tracking herself to the roof.

The wielder of Durandal, even if she was wielding Excalibur Destruction at the time, feeling the tension on her body, rolled over the giant hand and using the momentum given by it, htited its right arm. The arm was now falling appart, and her with it.

She also thanked her friend when she saw the approaching second hand of the giant being repelled by a whip.

" You are dead now, abomination."

She gave it a smile, nowhere near perfect as the giant smile but still nice, while a whip went right to the giant throat. It was her turn to help, she jumped straight to a gigantic hand trying to grab Excalibur Mimic, and, as excepted, destroyed it with Excalibur Destruction. Now she could just watch Irina strengthening her holy sword with her own holy elements, the whip grinding the giant neck, and itself being beheaded.

"Good job Irina. Let's dispose of the corpse."

Xenovia, an exorcist look at the neck, it didn't bleed, the blood froze as in came into contact with the air. They were exorcist. Their job is to protect their Churches, and bring the Will of God.


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