La Vista was enjoying the prime of its nightlife while the streetlights and the bar signs illuminated the streets for the people to enjoy their near-fatal consumption of alcohol. Nothing made a demon’s night more enjoyable than a night of pleasurable sinning.

Atop the skyline watched Zare, his coat swayed along the wind as he relished the sight of La Vista’s “beauty”. His hands were relaxed and he sighed as if he woke up from a wonderful nap.

“This is what Earth has to offer?” He exhaled happily.

His hands raised in front of him and he focused on the streets below. His concentration was unbreakable as the ground below him began to shake with terrifying tremors.

The air was filled with the sounds of screaming and cars crashing into each other. Zare loved every minute of it. He didn’t care who the victim of the destruction was as long as there was a victim to be claimed. The young demon focused even harder onto the streets to cause chasms to litter the streets. People fell into the voids and were consumed by whatever was escaping from the darkness.

“The darkness will soon be here and nothing will get in my way!” Zare announced to the citizens of La Vista.

Screeching began to echo below the streets as the chasms grew larger by the second. Nobody could prepare themselves for the danger, not even the police. Everyone was helpless and the creatures loved it that way. The air was soon filled with the agony and torture that made people go insane and beg for death. They were helpless against this unexpected feeling of evil. People were quickly attacked and ripped apart by the fierce ferocity of the foul creatures. Zare simply stood by and watched his work come alive as their screams filled his ears with a euphoric tone.

This was the beginning of the end and the Exorcists were nowhere in sight to prevent it. Zare pinned his sights over the mountain where his arch-nemesis was still a sitting duck, ripe for a surprise attack. Nothing made him happier than killing the person who trapped him inside that disgusting, wrecked barn.

~ ~ ~

The chapel was silent and unaware of the dangers that were seeping into the city below the mountains. The snow fell violently and fast, something of a normality except for the tension inside. The thick feeling swallowed the atmosphere whole and allowed nothing to break free of its grasp.

The young Exorcists stood in the middle of the bickering Elders and Kayden, who was far from happy having to see them another time. His opinions about faith and standing for their oath has changed over the time of his exile and he knew he wasn’t coming back to open arms, but with a settlement of blood.

“Tell me why you waited until this coup got into the mortal plane!” Kayden said with a hint of annoyance.

“We followed it at the source, but nothing seemed certain that it came from Zare.” The Third said calmly with a cigarette in her mouth.

“How can we be sure that it’s him?” The First asked while he rubbed his beard.

“It’s not just Zare that should cause you to worry,” Amy said to the Elders, “Valac has been mentioned by name from one of his followers.”

“Valac?” The Second Elder’s eyes widened, something unusual from his most used expression of someone calm.

“Zare is a power hungry bastard,” Kayden looked at the monitor, “But Valac is just as conniving and while Lucy is comfortable on his throne, watching over the desolate land of Hell, he’s not going to give a second glance to his men.”

“Don’t you find it strange” Amy asked.

“I find everything strange, but I’m intrigued by what you have to say.” Kayden winked at Amy.

“Okay?” Amy looked away from Kayden and onto the screen, “When we fought that beast, he mentioned that his king was Valac, not Lucifer.”

“Do you think they successfully overthrew him?” Kearney walked up behind the pair.

“I don’t know,” Kayden said, “It seems pretty ballsy to actually call someone else ‘king’ while the other one is still on his throne.”

“What do you think we should do?” Kearney turned to Amy, who seemed to be calculating a plan throughout the entire conversation.

“We need to go back out there.” Amy said, looking to Kayden.

“You will need to bring more back up,” The Fourth looked at Kayden as well, “Keep him in check.”

“Thanks for that, ‘Dad’!” Kayden scoffed sarcastically.

“No,” Amy refused, “Kearney is all the help I need.”

Kayden cleared his throat.

“Also Kayden.” Amy rolled his eyes.

“Why do you want to go back to that place?” The Third Elder asked with smoke exiting her mouth with each word.

“Something tells me that something big is going to happen,” Amy looked to her Elders, “But it won’t happen here.”

“I agree,” The Fourth Elder surprising accepted the plan, “We won’t find any answers to defeating this damned thing with no course of action.”

“Looks like you three will have to venture past La Vista,” The Second Elder returned to his calm demeanor, “We need to locate where these monsters are managing to pull all that energy from.”

“Looks like we’re raiding the armory lady and gentleman.” Kayden happily pulled out his pistols.

“Do not make us regret this, Yamada!” The Fourth Elder looked at Kayden angrily.

“Trust me,” Kayden looked back, “Or don’t, I really can care less. It’s not about all of you or me, it’s about the millions of innocent people who will die if we don’t stop them.”

Amy looked at Kayden with her eyes widened. She saw the real Kayden, not the stories or rumors about him rising from the pits of hell to end the world. This was someone willing to pay whatever price was necessary for the sake of mankind, no matter how big. Was she lied to the whole time? What other truths did they bend for their benefits?

“What are we waiting for?” Kearney followed Kayden out to the armory to prepare themselves for the next step into combating the coming evil.