I woke up to the weight of my thoughts pressing down on me and the useless fragments of last night. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and glanced at the drawer next to me. Inside lay my suit, it was filthy – stained with dust and dried blood. I fumbled through the pockets and felt a wave of relief when my fingers brushed against a crumpled pack of cigarettes.
I then slipped into the worn suit and as I walked out of the room, I took a cigarette from the pack and lit it. I hadn't even gone ten paces before I saw Takeo walking toward me.
I tilted my head at him, blowing smoke. "So you're not dead? Life is truly a series of disappointments."
His face twisted in irritation as he grabbed me by the collar and slammed me against the wall. I instinctively raised my hands in surrender. "Sorry, bad joke. I was just trying to lighten the mood."
Takeo slammed me against the wall again, his anger palpable. "You think this is because of some fucking joke?" He let go of me, pacing back and forth with a frustrated laugh, shoving his hair back from his forehead. He then stopped and jabbed a finger into my chest, punctuating every word. "You knew that psycho was in there. How? And don't give me that load of crap about a dream. We all know that isn't true."
The irritation I'd been suppressed flared up. I slapped his hand away and shoved him back. "You think I'm working with them?"
Takeo stepped back in, his fists clenched but before either of us could throw a punch, Suzuki came sprinting down the hall. She wedged herself between us, her hands flat against my chest as she pushed me back. "Hey! Stop it!" she yelled. "This isn't helping anyone, Kenichi. You need to calm down."
"Why do I have to calm down? He's–" The realization hit me and an awkward laugh escaped my lips as I shook my head. "I can't believe this. You think I'm with them too? I fucking told you and we warned this guy that something was in that hospital but what did he say to us? He gave us a goddamn lecture on fate. And now that fate kicked his ass, I'm the scapegoat?"
"We don't know what to think, Kenichi," Suzuki said and her voice was trembling. "We were almost killed in there and one of us is currently fighting for her life."
"Yeah and I'm the only suitable person to take the blame for it? Got it. Loud and clear."
"That's not what I was trying to say." Suzuki whispered, but I was already turning away.
"Well, it doesn't matter because that's what you think." I said and as I walked through the temple, I felt the weight of eyes on me with whispers trailing in my wake too but I didn't care. I stepped outside and and lit another cigarette, as I headed for a taxi.
"Mr. Yamada?"
I turned at the sound of my name and it was Chairman Hiroto approaching me. "So, you didn't want to miss out on blamimg the Yamada for warning people too?" I asked, leaning against a stone pillar. "I really learnt the hard way about chasing dreams."
"No." The Chairman said calmly. "That's not why I'm here. And for the record... I actually know you aren't working with them."
"Oh? And how sure are you?"
He smiled faintly. "You seem like the type of person who speaks their mind far too loudly and no one would try to make people like you spies."
I smirked. "You know people can pretend, right?"
The Chairman chuckled, stepping closer. He took the cigarette from my mouth and dropped it on the ground, crushing it under his shoe. "Come, let's go for a ride."
"Where are we going?" I asked, following him. He opened the car door and gestured for me to get in. As I settled into the backseat, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread creeping in. "You seriously planning on not telling me where we're going?"
"You'll see when we get there," The Chairman replied with his voice calm.
The car pulled away from the temple and minutes passed in silence. Then the familiarity washed over me, I realized we were heading toward Southport Prison but I kept my concerns to myself. The car came to a stop at the gate and the Chairman opened his door, stepping out.
"What are we doing here?" I asked as I followed suit. And the guards didn't even check our IDs, they just waved us through like they were expecting him.
"You asked how I was sure that you aren't working with them." The Chairman said as we walked inside the prison. "And that's because I knew the man who raised you, Gabriel. He was a good man who just got misunderstood."
"Good man? You know he killed exorcists, right?" I said, as we took a turn that lead to the isolation wing.
"That is what they wanted everyone to believe." The Chairman replied, his voice dropping an octave.
"Who?"
"The church. Gabriel was a member of a nefarious group from Cape Town, disguising themselves as men of God. They claim everything they do is for the greater good though if a member tries to leave… they get hunted down and killed like dogs, along with everyone they know. Gabriel was their strongest member and when he left they couldn't kill him so they framed him instead. They turned the entire Exorcist Association against him but I know the man who killed my wife and it wasn't Gabriel."
My slightly struggled to process his words and I didn't know what to say. "I don't know what to say."
The Chairman chuckled awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood but failed miserably and he turned to the door next to him. "We're here."
We entered and the room looked just as I remembered – a large space set up for private visits, separated by reinforced glass. The security guards lingering in the shadows retreated once we were inside.
We sat down and then Gabriel walked in with that familiar, disarming smile on his face. "I didn't think I'd see you again for another ten years." he said, settling into his chair. "But since you're not alone, I'm assuming this also isn't a reunion. So what's the problem this time?"
"I orchestrated this meeting." the Chairman interjected. "And you might not know–"
"I do know who you are but I'm actually more surprised that you convinced Kenichi to become an exorcist. You must've offered him a lifetime supply of cigarettes." Gabriel laughed at his own joke and I stared at him.
"That's not funny." I said.
He gestured toward the old man. "He thinks otherwise."
I turned to the Chairman and he cleared his throat. "We're here on matters concerning the church. What does it want from this boy?" he said.
Gabriel's expression changed and his chair scraped hard against the floor as he stood. "They've already found you?"
I scratched the back of my neck. "I'm using my last name, so I'm not exactly hiding."
Gabriel stared at me as if I'd just detonated a bomb. "You do what? I thought I made myself clear that you shouldn't even speak of that name! Now look what you've done. You need to get out of here, get a passport and disappear to another country or something."
"What? No! Not until I actually know what's going on." I said, crossing my arms. – Though, I had never seen Gabriel this stressed out. Even when I got arrested in high school for beating up a guy to the brink of death, he smiled and said it would all go away. But this time was different and I desperately needed answers.
Gabriel sighed deeply, dragging a hand through his hair. "You're going to cost me, you know that?"
"Just tell me what I need to know, and I'll be out of your hair for the rest of your life." I said.
Gabriel leaned forward. "Thirty years ago, the church started an operation that was supposed to carry us all to what they called a brand new dawn. And all they needed for this was just one technique that's said to defy the laws of everything – Recreation Technique. According to them, it could only be inherited by your clan and the Church soon found out mother was the only one left, because she was a powerful exorcist they lured her in and abducted her… I abducted her."
His fists curled tightly and tears streamed down his face. "The things I watched them do things to her!? She was forced to bear children and they said if any of them didn't possess the technique, they would grow up to bear more. The church had the thought that eventually they'd get what they wanted but every child she had died after birth. You were the only one who survived but it took a huge toll on your mother, she didn't make it. Your mother seemed to have known that you would survive and she made me promise her that I would take care of you but I failed."
Tears welled in my eyes but I held back, clearing my throat and I stood up. "If you consider what you did for me a failure, then you're more dumb than I thought."
Gabriel looked at me. "You inherited the technique, didn't you? That's all the more reason you need to leave."
I shook my head and clenched my fists. "Well, I'm not leaving! I can't spend the rest of my life hiding from these people and besides... they have to pay for everything they did to my mother."
"Are you sure you want to go to war with them?" the Chairman asked calmly.
"Yeah and you don't have to worry. I'm not dragging your organization into it."
"We were already in it the moment your mother went missing." the Chairman said.
Gabriel sighed again. "If you insist on staying, you'll need the Book of Katsu. It was written by the first bearer of the Recreation Technique and only the inheritor of the technique could open the chest its locked in."
"Where's the book now?" I asked.
"Remember that room in the basement I told you never to enter?" Gabriel looked me in the eye. "I sealed it there with a Keeper's Tomb."
"And what's that?"
The Chairman answered. "It's one of the oldest containment rituals in exorcist history, originally created to seal relics that could destroy the world. The ritual summons a high-tier demon and binds it to a fixed location and that demon becomes the Keeper." He turned to Gabriel. "But the prices casters pay for that containment are severe. What is yours?"
"I used my lifespan. I knew the church would eventually want it and if I die before that, the demon would become even stronger than I am." Gabriel replied.
"So all this time you've been feeding a demon your lifespan just to protect some book?" I asked incredulously.
"It's not just a book! It contains everything you need to know about that technique of yours!" Gabriel surprisingly yelled at me.
"Yeah I still don't get why you would do that just to protect a book but what can I say? It's the least stupid thing you've ever done."
Gabriel chuckled weakly, looking me straight in the eyes. "I'm so sorry for everything, Kenichi."
I waved a dismissive hand as I turned to leave. "Relax, old man. You haven't done anything wrong."
I walked out into the yard and searched my pockets. I took out a cigarette, my hands shaking so much I almost dropped the lighter as I lit it.
The Chairman came out a few minutes later, he looked at me and chuckled. "You really smoke a lot, huh?"
I dropped my cigarette before I even smoked and crushed it under my foot.
The Chairman's phone buzzed and he received the call, indicating he was needed elsewhere. After hanging up, he approached me again. "Unfortunately, I won't be able to accompany you to retrieve the book but you'll be okay, right?"
"Yeah, don't worry." I replied to him. He got into his car and drove off. I caught a cab, instructing the driver to take me to the Pristine Church. The cab pulled into the street in front of the church afrer a few minutes and slowed to a stop.
I was taken aback by the number of cars parked outside. Confused, I leaned forward and asked the driver. "Hey, what day is it again?"
"Sunday, buddy." the driver replied, glancing at me in the rearview mirror with a look of pity.
I hadn't been here in years but Sunday service had always been a big thing here. Maybe they'd finally found someone new to put their faith in.
I climbed out of the car, digging through my pockets until I found my last few crumpled bills. I paid the guy, leaving myself with rands that can only cover one last ride and as I entered the church, all eyes turned toward me with whispers starting immediately.
Then I remembered that I was wearing a dirty suit. I looked like someone who had just crawled out of a fight… which wasn't exactly wrong.
At the front of the church, someone was preaching and I recognized him instantly. It was Peter and back when I was a kid, he was the guy who always volunteered help around the church.
"Kenichi!" he said, walking toward me with an outstretched hand. He attempted to place it on my head, clearly intending to bless me or pray over my lost soul. I grabbed his wrist gently but firmly. "Sorry, man but I'll pass on the prayers. I just need something back there and I'll be out of here."
I let go and pushed past him, heading for the vestry. I moved down the stairs into the basement and there was that door Gabriel told me never to open. I stood before the door a second, walking in there unarmed was never my plan. My eyes scanned around the basement and I checked the priest's storage chests but found nothing but candles and extra hymnals. "Damn you, Peter."
"What are you looking for, Kenichi?" I turned to the voice to find Peter, standing at the foot of the stairs.
"Wait! What are you looking for?" he asked, concern etched on his face.
"Do you have any weapon around here? And please, don't tell me about the Bible." I replied, irritation unintentionally creeping into my voice.
"That's the strongest weapon you'll ever need." Peter said back to me with a hint of defiance in his tone.
I stepped closer, placing my hand on his shoulder. "Look man, what you've done with your life is great but right now I need something to actually kill."
Peter grabbed my hand, removing it from his shoulder. "And what do you hope to achieve by killing another living soul? Do you really want to walk the same steps Gabriel did?"
"What? Man, I don't have time for this." I turned toward the door, gripping the handle with urgency.
"That door cannot be opened." he said. And I felt a strange energy emanating from the door, a pull that also drew on my own energy and suddenly it clicked open. I pushed it wide and stepped inside, only to be met by a long dark passage stretched ahead of me, carved out of black stone.