Rebirth: Fallen Angel's Ascension

'That isn't right, surely it's not.'

Lucian repeatedly spoke to himself as he read through the ridiculous words before him. He tried to find ways to interpret the words so they made sense, but he kept finding it absurd. What did it mean that he had been noticed by a demon, and even more terrifying, that he was being tracked? For what reason?

'Could this have something to do with the demonic core?'

As Lucian was deep in thought, he felt a shove on his shoulder that made him jolt in panic before seeing the face of the scarred priest, who looked more furious than scared.

"What the hell are you doing, trying to get us killed?"

Lucian looked at the man, then glanced back at the rune he was now certain only he could see.

"No… I… uh…"

The man gripped Lucian's shoulder tightly, his eyes narrowing as he pulled the boy closer.

"Listen, this is not the time to falter. A mistake from any one of us could mark the doom of all. I need you to get it together. Do you understand me?"

Lucian locked gazes with the man as he nodded his head promptly.

"Yes, I understand," he gave a simple response, deciding against telling them what he had seen.

The scarred man sighed, releasing the boy's shoulder and turned around, dashing back to the rest of the priests as Lucian followed closely behind.

He was still haunted by the words he had read, even though he was uncertain of what they entailed. Although it seemed a straightforward statement, Lucian could not bring himself to believe he was currently being tracked personally by a demon; that was too terrifying a thought.

As for sharing such information with the men, that would only make him a liability to them rather than an asset. The moment they believed he put their lives in danger rather than protecting it, they would immediately cut him off from their plan, and that would lead to him being stuck in this city.

Making his decision, Lucian followed the men silently, doing his best to dismiss the message he saw on the rune. After all, there was nothing he could do about it. If a demon did indeed show up, he would simply fight it and hope he survived.

He had no other choice than that.

The group of five moved through the streets of the Rise. The sound of calamity like gongs of war rang through the city of black and red, screams that pleaded for mercy and death crept so far across the Rise they sometimes reached their ears, and the roar of blasters used by the NPF sounded like a resilient drum of a defiant will to survive.

It was clear that they fought back against the hellgate, and although they could only hear the chaos and not see it, to them, it was still clear they would lose. If there was a military force that could resist demons, the NPF was laughably far from being one.

Finally, they reached a skyscraper mirroring each and every one around them. The scarred man walked over to the dark sealed door of the building and pulled out a card.

He swiped the card near the door. In response, two green lights blinked, and the door slid open with a mechanical hiss. The men hurried inside.

The lobby loomed like a cavernous void, a black hole pierced by a single, blinding column of neon light. The light cut down from the skyscraper's zenith, slicing through the darkness like a celestial sword. Its harsh, unforgiving white cast long, distorted shadows and illuminated particles of dust that drifted in eerie, slow motion.

The walls were slick, dark mirrors, reflecting the stark, angular geometry of the space. There was no warmth here—no softness—just an oppressive cold that seemed to seep into the bones.

A low hum from unseen machinery permeated the silence, a constant, mechanical whisper. Sleek, black desks floated like dark islands in the vast, inky sea of the lobby.

In its bleak minimalism, human life felt fragile—an accidental intrusion into something sterile and soulless. Yet even in its lifelessness, it was a luxury far beyond what any of them had ever known.

The thought of people living in such comfort while they were condemned to crumbling buildings and cold streets angered them. But it didn't matter. Soon, they would escape it all.

They moved quickly through the empty lobby, past displays of luxury vehicles, and into a nearby elevator. The scarred priest punched in a code on the panel, and the elevator began to descend. It traveled deep underground before finally stopping and opening.

There, under the stark glare of light, sat their key to escape.

It was a vehicle—a hulking, intimidating war machine, its sleek, obsidian shell marred by the scars of countless battles. A menacing fusion of steel and shadow, it exuded an aura of cold, calculated lethality.

Twin plasma cannons, embedded within its armored hull, pulsed with an ominous blue glow, ready to unleash a torrent of destructive energy. The Behemoth was a symbol of power, a relentless force that crushed everything in its path.

And most importantly, it was their only way out.

"Get in," the scarred priest commanded.

At that moment, another rune flashed before Lucian's eyes.

[The demon imp is in close vicinity.]

The notification was terror-inducing, but Lucian knew better than to panic.

The best course of action was to get out of the city as soon as possible and not wait to find out if what the rune said was factual.

He watched as the priests gathered around the vehicle, a military-grade armored beast. With something like this, they could power their way out of the city, even if they encountered light resistance from the border patrol or a demon, or at the least they hoped so.

The scarred priest pulled out the card he had used to access the building and placed it at the vehicle's door.

In response, it came to life with a low mechanical hum. Following the engine's start, what had seemed like a wall at the far end of the room slowly began to split open with a hiss.

"I'll do the driving while you handle the weapon," the scarred priest pointed to the larger of the men, who had a significantly more muscular build.

"Eiyad would be better at that," the muscular man objected, referring to the quieter, younger priest with blond hair shaved into a low cut.

As the priests debated while waiting for the wall to split open, Lucian's worry intensified with each flashing message from the rune.

He hoped whatever was chasing him couldn't get down here. Demons shouldn't be able to use elevators, and even if they could, it took a special code to access their current location. But deep down, Lucian knew that wasn't enough.

If it were, the people in the bunkers below the buildings would all survive, and from the stories, he was certain they wouldn't.

The wall finally split fully open, revealing a road lit by multiple red lights. However, just as their way out was revealed, a loud, consistent clang echoed from above, each impact sounding closer and closer.

"Everyone in the vehicle, now!" the scarred man barked, hitting the side of the door, causing it to slide open.

Lucian was the first to jump into the vehicle, and just as he did, he heard a loud bang from above. A new rune flashed a message before him, different from the previous one.

[A demon imp is present]

Lucian's heart dropped as he glanced at the rune. He then shifted his gaze to the dark roof above them, and with each second they had not moved, fear engulfed his entire being. After all, he was now certain a demon was coming.

As the last priest began to clamber into the vehicle, a deafening crash echoed through the chamber. Lucian looked up, his heart pounding in his chest. The roof above them buckled, then shattered, raining debris and revealing a small, grotesque figure—a demon imp.

The demon's diminutive form barely reached a human torso. Its skin, or at least what looked like it was a sickly shade of green, and its glaring gaze burned with an unnatural crimson light.

Its face was twisted into a permanent sneer, and its sharp, pointed teeth gleamed in the dim light. The imp's hands were clawed, and its feet were cloven moving with an unnatural grace, quick and fluid.

It was smaller than they expected, but its presence radiated malice so thick their chest tightened up.

The muscular priest, last to board the vehicle, hesitated for a moment, eyes wide with disbelief and perhaps intrigue—he had seen a demon for the first time. In that split second, the imp lunged, claws flashing.

Blood sprayed as the demon ripped into him, a savage, brutal attack that left no chance for defense; the priest cried in agony as he wrapped his hands around the wrist of the demon.

"Go, Leave now" His exclaims turning to gurgles as the imp's claws ripped into his neck.

The priest's muffled scream was cut short as the door slammed shut, sealing them inside.

"Drive!" Lucian shouted, his voice barely audible over the roar of the engine.

The scarred man needed no further prompting, flooring the accelerator as the vehicle surged forward; when facing such beasts, greif for fallen comrades were made secondary. The imp, finished with its prey, turned its glowing eyes toward them and gave chase.

"Get on the weapon!" the scarred man barked. Eiyad scrambled to the turret control within the safety of the vehicle, his hands shaking but determined. He aimed and fired, the plasma cannons lighting up the tunnel with each shot leaking a strong smell of ozone.

The imp dodged and weaved, but a few blasts landed, slowing it down.

This went on continuously for minutes on end, the shots of the cannon finding their mark on the imp every once in a while, slowing down the demon only for it to quickly catch up again.

"We're almost out!" the scarred man yelled, the vehicle rocketing up the incline toward the exit. Lucian glanced back, watching as the imp persisted, its eyes locked on them with a feral intensity.

The vehicle burst out of the underground tunnel into the open air outside the city. For a moment, relief washed over them—until the ground shook with a thunderous impact.

Another demon, larger and more terrifying, appeared from the shadows. With one powerful punch, it sent their vehicle tumbling through the air.

Lucian's world spun in a chaotic blur of metal and screams. The vehicle crashed down, rolling several times before coming to a halt.

Pain shot through his body, but he forced himself to move, to look at his surroundings. The larger demon approached, and each step held a promise—death, doom…eternal damnation.

"What a joke…" Lucian muttered through a bloodied mouth and gripped tightly to the blade he was given.