"Oi, Kusaka!" Atemu said. "Don't get destracted! And, Leah, stop arguing with Johan!" A few students - Kusaka, Leah, Kiri, and Johan - were exercising with the Leaper, while other students watched, giggling and snickering. Leah was shouting at Johan to move it and that he wouldn't survive this. Kusaka was too busy getting scared to death by the Leaper. Seriously, this was very hard work. Making sure the students were paying attention, making sure none of them fell asleep during class, trying to get them - girls, especially - to listen to instructions. Everything was pretty hard here at True Cross. Atemu sighed and looked over towards the Leaper-chased students. Kiri tripped and the Leaper pounced. Mr. Tsubaki, the P.E. teacher didn't have enough time to turn the wheel which pulled the chain on the Leaper's neck. It was Tsubaki's gym, and he was kind enough to let the students train in here. Atemu sighed and slid down just in time. He kicked the Leaper in the face and pulled Kiri to her feet. Tsubaki turned the wheel, pulling the Leaper back. "Kiri, next time," Atemu said, "try not to do that again, if you don't want to be killed." Kiri was blushing, looking at her rescuer with dreamy heart-eyes. "You're single, right?~" she asked. Atemu held back a frustrated growl. "Yes, now stop asking," he said. "You aren't going to get me, either." Kiri sighed and she, Kusaka, Leah, and Johan headed back up. "We'll take a short break for now," Atemu told his students, following the four up.
Suddenly, a female Exorcist named Max walked in. "Atemu, you have an Exorcism mission Mephisto is assigning you," she said. "He'd like to see you right away." "Alright, but who's going to watch my class?" Atemu asked. "I will until you get back," Max said. "Arigato, I'm grateful," Atemu said, running off. Once at Mephisto's office, his half-nephew chuckled. "Wow, you're fast," Mephisto said. "So, what's the mission?" Atemu asked, not tired at all. "You have to to an Exorcism at Kurakage Village," Mephisto said. "You're home village." Atemu gew up in that village, with his sister, Yuri, and his father, Ernst. Everyone there will be excited to see him again. "I can take Rin with me, right?" Atemu said. "My apologies, no," Mephisto said. "The village just needs one Exorcist. But, no matter the number, it will take ten months to a year to complete." "Tell me you're joking," Atemu said in disbelief. "A year to just do one Exorcism?" "Not just one," Mephisto said. "Hundreds. People are being possessed, demons are roaming around, killing people. It confuses me that they want only you to go by yourself." "It makes sense to me," Atemu said. "They trust me. Besides... remember the Exorcist who attacked my village when I was younger? They're all still afraid of other Exorcists. Anyways, see ya." Atemu headed out of the office and went outside, into the forest. There, he got his horse - Phantom.
There was no shed for Phantom to stay in, so Atemu let him wander around, but not too far. And he listens to his master, too. Atemu hopped onto his horse's back and rode down the pathway through the forest.
Atem made it to Kurakage Village in about an hour. He jumped off his horse and a few little kids ran over. "Ate'!" one of them - a little boy named Kenji - said happily. "Hey, guys," Atemu said. Then the elder of the village, Kisaragi, walked over. For a woman in her fifties, he looked as if she were in her late twenties. She had crystal blue eyes. She wore a beautiful red and white kimono, along with pale skin and long black hair in one single braid that covered part of her face. "It's nice to finally see you again," Kisaragi said with a small smile. "Thank you for coming to help us." "Of course, why wouldn't I help?" Atemu said. "So, what's been going on?" "Every night," Kisaragi said, "demons would come out and attack everyone. The villagers would become possessed. We've already lost too many..." "I promise, I'll do everything I can to help," Atemu said with a smile. Kisaragi returned the smile. She looked down to the kids. "You guys can go play now," Kisaragi said sweetly. "Yes, Kisaragi," Kenji said as he and the other kids ran off and began to play a little game of tag. Kisaragi looked back at Atemu. "Firstly, I'd like to show you the sacred shrine." Atemu nodded, becoming more serious and the village elder led him over there.
"The Shadow Shrine is seemingly where all of the demons are kept. I didn't call for True Cross Order's help, because it was just one demon. But, it possessed many children. I tried to stop this myself, but there were nearly hundreds of them. I got possessed, which is the reason why I lost my right eye. More than half of the villagers were killed, or had to be executed because of the possession. There was nothing I could do." They made it there. Atemu instantly felt demon presence. "Kisaragi, get back to the village and tell everyone to evacuate," he said. Before Kisaragi could respond, Atemu picked her up and jumped out of the way from an oncoming demon wolf. It was larger than a dire (a wolf that is pretty much half the size of a 6' tall man) and it had black fur. Atemu set the village elder back on her feet. "Go," he repeated. More demons appeared. About several dozen, but not all of the ten hundred hundred. "This village should have evacuated once a single demon appeared." Atemu unsheathed his katana. "If it was powerful enough to possess children, then we're in serious trouble now that we've got hundreds to kill."
~True Cross Academy - Next Year~
Yukio stormed into Mephisto's office. "You said Atemu would've been back by now!" he yelled. It was next year in May, and Atemu hasn't returned. All of the students at True Cross were either to worried to eat or sleep or crying all day. It was mainly the females who were crying. "Atemu's pronounced dead," Mephisto sighed. "W-wait, what?!" Yukio said in shock. "He's dead," Mephisto repeated. "I sent Exorcists out searching for him last month. Not a trace of him. Just a large amount of blood in front of the Shadow Shrine." "He can't be dead!" Yukio snapped. "Atemu's one of the strongest Exorcists!" "It surprises me as much as it surprises you," Mephisto said. "What's done is done. It can't be helped." "You shouldn't have sent him on that mission by himself!" Yukio yelled. "Wasn't there a report for over one hundred demons in that area?! A single Exorcist wouldn't be able to hold that many off!" "I'm finished with this discussion," Mephisto said.
"If you've given up on him," Yukio hissed, "I'll search for him myself! I'll prove that he's not dead!" He stormed out of the room and quickly ran to Kurakage Village. It took twice as long as it took Atemu to get there. Yukio headed over to the Shadow Shrine and gasped. There was blood everywhere! He looked down and saw a blood trail leading into the forest. Yukio followed it, but it stopped next to a tree. "Atemu!" Yukio called over and over again, just hoping that his uncle was going to be alright. And alive! He searched and searched the forest for hours.
