"Research on it. Go to the Scotland Yard if possible. I'm counting on you, Ryuu." Hakuren pressed the enter key on his laptop. He sent an email to Ryuuji, instructing him to investigate the bloody massacre in Ashford-Kent estate further.
The SPR was silent in the base, Ayako and Bou-san sometimes bicker over small things.
Hakuren stood up and went to the kitchen, he looked in the cupboard for any tea and he found one. He starts heating the water, tapping his foot while waiting. He became alert when the room temperature dropped. Hakuren smirked, sensing the ghost hovering behind him, he glared at wall before emitting a warm rays of light from his body.
The ghosts behind him shrieked before fleeing.
He continue making tea for everyone, whistling to the base as if nothing happened.
"Here, for stress reliever." He place the tray on the center table and grabbed a cup before going back to his laptop. He heard the members gasped upon tasting the tea he made, even the young boss clad in back beside him paused.
"Is there something wrong with my tea?" He asked innocently.
"No... It's just that... It reminded us of Mai." Bou-san mumbled.
"Who? That one member of yours that you left in Japan?" He asked accusingly. The words 'to die' hangs on the air, but he was itching to say it.
They mumbled a silent 'yeah'
"Yomozuki-san, what was that earlier?" Lin asked curiously. "The thing that you did in the kitchen that drove the spirits away."
"Oh that? I learned that eight years ago." He stated. "It's called Purification Light, and ghosts that has ill intentions can't get near to it."
"Amazing! Where did you learn that?" Bou-san exclaimed, curious.
"In Mt. Miyanoura in Yakushima, where the last descendant of Abe no Senmei peacefully resided." He smirked seeing Naru's shocked expression. "That's right Oliver, it's the same place where Gene did his research before passing away. I was training there for a year before he came."
Everyone gasped in shock.
"Although not powerful as mine, Eugene can do it a too. He trained for half a year. He once told me that he can't wait to boast it to his brother when he come home. But unfortunately, he passed away before he can show it off to you."
"I see, no wonder why he refused to go home earlier and extended his stay in Japan." He spat. "He's really an idiot."
Ryuuji slammed his hand on the officer's table. "Is that really true?!" He exclaimed. He went to the New Scotland Yard to look further in the case that Hakuren asked him to investigate. Kannon was waiting for him in the hotel, it seems that their leader asked her to be on standby and wait for his call.
"Yes sir, we covered it up the since the Ashford family wanted it to be kept a secret, to kept their name clean."
"But that's insane! You destroyed their name in your own cover up story!"
The officer stared at him seriously. "What is more insane than people knowing that they hired a psychopath killer who escaped from the asylum as a maid?"
Ryuuji clicked his tongue before snatching the files from the officer's desk.
"Hey –"
"Shut up." Ryuuji growled. "Forget that I took the files. When we meet next time, you will only remember the conversation that we had and I peacefully left your office."
The officer nodded before going back reading his files. Ryuuji leaped outside and pick up Kannon in their hotel before joining their leader together with SPR in their case.
"Are you alright?" The green-haired miko asked him worriedly, they are on their way to Pluckrey Village when she noticed his complexion. "You are pale."
Ryuuji tried to chuckle. "I'm fine."
"Pull over." She ordered.
"What? Why?" He asked confusedly but he pull over nevertheless.
"I will drive, take a nap. You just used kotodama, didn't you?" She eyed him suspiciously. Ryuuji cringed, knowing that he can't lie to her, he sighed.
"Sorry." He mumbled, moving to the passenger seat while Kannon took the driver's seat.
She rolled her eyes. "Jerk."
Ryuuji giggled before closing his eyes.
Elegy's searched for Mai brought her to England, a country where they worship Baphomet as some kind of a deity dating back to centuries ago. There are at least ten people who has the Sigil of Baphomet tattooed on them, but eight were men and the two were just children. They are not the one she's looking for, she morphed into a hawk when she sensed Baphomet's aura in the village not far from where she was searching.
The Demon of Lust and Desire frowned in her animal morphed form before speeding her flight, but a crow, out of nowhere, stopped in front of her. Elegy was shocked and morphed into her human female form, her long curly blond hair dropped beautifully on her tight black dress, her scarlet eyes glared at the crow, who slowly morphed into a scarlet-haired man.
"Abaddon."
"Elegy." The Demon of Destruction summon his sword – a Zweihänder. "By Lord Baphomet's order, go back to Infernus."
"No way! I finally found her! There's no way I will turn back now!" She exclaimed. "I sensed Lord Baphomet's energy. He's here in this world even after his Sabbath just for that girl! I won't let that happen!" She screamed and summon her own weapon - a black sword, she morphed into his human male form. "You are not the only one who knows how to fight with weapons, Abaddon."
The demon scoffed, seeing Elegy charged at him head on. "Naive!" With just one swing of his sword, Elegy was thrown away, slashing his chest.
He coughed black blood. "I felt pain... why?"
"Did you forget who I am?" He glared at him. "I am the demon who participates the war throughout the history, charging me head on is the most stupid thing to do."
"That doesn't explain the pain."
"King Asmoday blessed my sword" He informed. "This sword has the ability to kill fellow demons." He raised his sword and ready to strike another blow. Elegy widened his eyes and morphed into his female form. She yelped in pain when the demon before him didn't hold back and make another slash.
She was panting, trying to defend herself. He is indeed the Demon of Destruction. She gritted her teeth. "Even if I'm in my female form, you still hit me?!"
"It doesn't matter. I am only following Lord Baphomet's orders." He said. "Go back Elegy, or you will really die, killing you will be a disobedience towards my Lord's order."
"I am not yet done, Abaddon." She threatened. "I will not stop until I find her." Elegy, physically battered from the battle she had, morphed into a hawk and went back to Infernus.
Abaddon withdraw his sword before following Elegy back.
Baphomet's legions were busy preparing his den, while he's away. Today is his Sabbath Day that the Templar designated for him. He received lots of offering, and this time, he's going to share it with Mai.
He morphed into a goat and disappear to the human world.
Mai was reading a file case that her future boss gave for her first job in Ryuuji's living room when suddenly there's a gust of wind passed by and disarranged her files. Her eyes widened when she saw Baphoment smiling down at her.
"What are you doing here? And in that form?" She asked, referring to his humanoid form.
He reached his hand out. "Come with me."
"Where?"
"To my place."
"You could've call me without appearing in my world."
"I know." He helped Mai stand from the floor where she was sitting. "But I want to pick you up personally."
Mai gripped his hand. "Fine. Demons won't take no as answer anyway." She huffed. Baphomet stiffened when he felt Elegy's energy approaching them from afar, but he relaxed when he felt Abaddon, and from the looks of it, it seems that the two were engaged in a fight.
"Are you alright?" Mai asked when he suddenly stopped moving.
I'm leaving it you, Abaddon. "Of course." Baphomet grinned at her before covering her with his cloak. When Mai blinked she's already in his place.
"Whoa!" Mai gasped seeing the place it was flooded with foods and drinks. "What's the occasion? Is it your birthday?" She asked innocently.
"It my Sabbath Day and these are the offerings from my worshippers from all over your world." He informed her. "Come, and join me."
Mai widened her eyes in shock. "Are... you sure? But these all for you!"
"You expected me to consume all of these? I'm not Beelzebub."
"Pfft!" Mai snorted. "If that's the case then I will gladly accept your offer."
The table mostly filled with fruits that she never saw before. Baphomet poured wine in a golden chalice for her. Mai sniffed the drink before tasting it.
"It's good! What kind of wine is this?"
"It's made from virgins' blood."
Mai immediately spit it and throw the chalice at him. "Eww! What the hell you made me drink!"
Baphomet burst out laughing, his laughter was echoing in the room.
"I'm just kidding! Hahahah! If you could just see your face earlier! Hahahah!"
Mai slapped his arm repeatedly, blushing in embarrassment.
"You always made fun of me! You demon! Am I that entertaining to you?!"
The demon apologized between his laughter when he saw her scowling at him. Mai crossed her arms, turning her back at him, pouting. The demon still controlling himself not to laugh.
"I'm just kidding, really. It's just a normal red wine." He took some grapes and handed it to her. "Here, I want you to try this. This one of the sweetest variety." Mai glared at him, before gobbling the fruit on his hand.
"Mm! True! It's sweet!" Mai moaned.
Baphomet blinked, surprised at Mai's sudden action. He stared at her, who starts gorging on the fruits at the moment, before smiling softly.
"Mai." He called.
The girl looked at him. "Hm?" She choked seeing with such enamoured expression while looking at her. "Wh-wh-what is it?!" She stuttered.
He reached out and touched her hair. "Even though you are her descendant, you are totally different."
"What are you talking about?"
"I want you to know my connection to your ancestor."
Mai's jaw dropped. "M-M-M-My what?"
"It happened before Christ was born." He started. "I was never a demon who ruled Infernus to begin with."
"What are you then?"
"I am a grim reaper." He starts peeling an orange. "Your ancestor's name that I met was Maya. She is gifted, she can see us and other entities. But during that time, having such abilities will lead to your death, they will thought that's a work of a devil."
"She's a psychic, that's the term, like me?"
Baphomet snorted. "She's a quite person though."
"You mean I'm loud?!" She exclaimed loudly, she immediately clamped her mouth with her hands.
"As a grim reaper, we were given a list of which soul we needed to extract, and I was given the task on Maya." He continued, staring at a space, recalling the memories that he buried deep within his mind. "Before we will perform the extraction of the soul, we needed to live with them, and decide if they are really worthy of death. And at time, I stayed with her for more than six months. She was sick, according to her record, she will die on a natural cause of illness. I –"
"– Fell in love with her?" Mai's eyes were sparkling with tears.
"Love? I don't know, but one thing is for sure, she's especial to me and I don't want her to die at such young age." He reached a hand and prompted to open her mouth, Mai's face puckered at the sour taste of the fruit, she didn't comment about it and continue listening to his story. "And so I break one of the taboo in this world, my powers reigns over life and death and in between, - I changed her time and cause of death. But it's an irreverent act. When the underworld knew about, I was forsaken by the King. They took my scythe and list from me, and I was locked up in Duzakh."
"What happen to her? Since I am here, it means she lived a long life enough to marry and have children, right?"
"Yeah. But there's something that I didn't put into account, I told her my real name." He can see Mai deadpanned look that clearly says 'that's all?' "We, creatures in the underworld, must keep our real name to ourselves and to our King. Human knowing our real name is like being stripped naked, having your freedom stolen and being enslaved." Baphomet stared at her and said.
"She betrayed me."
"Wha-! Why?!"
"It was few years after I changed her life, she got married and have a family of her own. When her neighbours noticed that she's no longer the sickly girl that they once knew and suddenly become healthy, they thought it was weird. They immediately jumped into a conclusion that she studied witchcraft. That was the first ever witch hunt that the historians didn't knew. They torture her to death, until she spill that a grim reaper helped her, they were persistent and asked for my name, and that's when Maya spill it out." Baphomet sighed. "I understand her, she just given birth to her child, she can't afford to lose her life then, that's why I spared her and her child from my culling." Mai widened her eyes. "Being free from being locked up in Duzakh, the one hundred seventy people in that village, I slaughter them all, not sparing anyone - children, elders, men, women, they all died in my hands."
Mai covered her mouth as she gasped in horror, slightly backing away from him. Baphomet red eyes glimmered with hurt when he saw Mai's reaction, but he couldn't blame her.
"I-I-I'm sorry... It just... I didn't expected that." She stuttered, bowing in apology.
"After that incident, her life was filled with nightmares from what happen, guilt and self-loathing, she left her child to one of the houses she saw, before taking her own life." The demon smiled sadly. "It's my fault for changing her life, if I only let her die like what the books said, then she should've died peacefully."
"But if it really happened then I wouldn't be here, right?"
An awkward silence reign between them before Baphoment smiled. "That's true."
"Is that the reason why you decided to revive me? You saw her in me?" Mai asked.
"What? No!" The demon exclaimed. "I already revived you before I knew that she's your ancestor. I felt a sense of familiarity in your aura, so I asked my legions to trace your linage, and it brought me to her."
"Do you... hate her?"
The demon stared at her for a while before asking her back. "What about you, Mai? Do you hate him? That guy whom you love. That guy who decided to left you alone which led to your death?"
Mai shook her head. "No. I didn't hate him. I am not angry either, what I felt was pure sadness." She whispered.
"Then... you have my answer." He reached her head caressed her face.
Mai closed her eyes and leaned on his touch. "Thank you... Lord Baphomet."
The demon widened his scarlet eyes, suddenly remembering his past. Maya will always do that gesture to him whenever he touched her face, and she always softly whispered a word of thanks.
"Thank you, Viduus."
Baphomet took a deep breath, calming himself before returning her to her world.
"Maya... she is really your descendant."