The pool of water surrounding Svet's legs pulsed, a fast and large ripple emerging from his robes and to the ends of the pond. The white koi continued its slow circle. It's tiny fins swished at its side like a dancer and it weaved through each steady pulse.

Achingly slow, the muscles on Svet’s body twitched. It tested each fleshy strand, much like when the demon, Breri, possessed him. Except, this entity was gentler. Familiar. Perhaps, even something innate. 

Another loud rumble erupted and the family estate exploded into splintered wood and shingles. Dust puffed into the air while the debris scattered in the air. Mitsuki screamed and the exorcists shielded her with their bodies. Such comfort was short-lived because, even when they regained their balance, another thud fell through the atmospheres like a chill. And out from the wreckage, a head with a hundred floating eyes stared at the tiny humans in the garden. 

The eyes themselves were beautiful and angelic, reflecting the innocent nature of the souls. But the rest of it was grotesque and mutilated, its pale limbs stretched in gut-wrenching degrees. It stood over the estate an additional two stories, its arms dangling off the sides of the roof. Its head was raw and covered in blood and puss, its eyes hallow underneath its bandages. It’s body, as well, was just as riddled with wounds. 

“Yuuuuummyyyyy,” a chorus of voices sang, hanging and tilting its head. “Giiiiiimmmmeeee!” 

It reached its long and skinny fingers toward Svet. It's eyes softened like it was reaching for a pretty doll.

The stunned silence that followed was interrupted by Kane’s loud and even shout. “Barriers! Now!”

The exorcists rushed between the spirit and Svet after gathering their wits. Each one reached into their robes and pulled out a cylindrical, golden rod. They smashed the pointed end of the rod into the grass, piercing the sacred ground. Out sprouted the entirety of the rod from the base, sliding up and standing as high as a flagpole, revealing intricate symbols along the metal. The ground glowed and runes sprouted from the top of the rods, floating in the air and meeting each other. 

An electrical hiss cracked in the air and the spirit recoiled after a flash of light melted the skin off its finger 

The spirit laughed, black blood coughing from its jagged smile. “Preeeettyyyy!”

The same hand reared back and threw its fist down again. The exorcists recoiled but remained rooted in place, even when bits of the spirits flesh splattered in the air. It's raw, torn bits pulsed on the ground and quivered. 

“Get my wife out!” Kane snarled, reaching into his robes for his talismans.

“Kane, no-! I can't leave him!”

Kain ignored Mitsuki’s pleas and rushed toward the presence that destroyed his beloved home. He could hear his wife’s shouts of despair dwindling as she was dragged away, and he knew with growing intensity that Mitsuki was going to give him an earful when this was all over. 

All of that didn't seem to matter though, when he had two threats coming from both angles.

“Svet, can you hear me?” Kane shouted over the laughter.

The man whispered a quick prayer and threw the talismans toward the spirit like darts. They landed flat over the surface of the spirit’s bloodied body and the ink burned, the creature screaming out in agony.

“Svet?!” 

There was no reply. For a moment, Kane thought he might have to turn around and face the terror that lived within his son. Instead, what came out startled him more than the chilling spirit before him.

“What a terrible will, to gather such an amalgamation of innocent children and taint them with the needs of the flesh. It's disturbing,” Svet said in a cold voice. 

Kane finally looked over his shoulder. “Svet?” 

Instead of finding his son’s normally meek conviction, his eyes widened and he thought someone else was wearing Svet’s skin. The muscles on the teen’s face were slack and lifeless. The only life that remained was the bright, ethereal glow in his eyes.

The spirit giggled while it beat against the runes. Blood, muscle, and bone cracked and squished against the invisible wall.

Svet’s mismatched eyes wandered from the water at his feet to grass, as if walking was an inconvenience. “I should show mercy. Perhaps, obliterating it off this plane. I cannot fathom what torture these poor children have endured inside an abomination such as that.”

Kane blinked and Svet was gone, leaving only the talismans and veil suspended in the air. The items meant to contain Svet’s power fell to the pond with a splash and floated to the surface. The older man drew a shaky breath and whipped his head toward the house. His son was standing there.

“Svet-“

“Ravished. Distorted. These poor children have no chance of rehabilitation,” Svet concluded, his long hair flowing in strands like floating spiderwebs. “Yes. This would be mercy.”

The spirit screamed in glee at the tasty human before it. No longer was it interested in the pretty lights. “YYYUUUUUMMMYYYYY!!!”

It reached its long fingers at the teen, except an invisible force pushed it back. Svet’s hair swept to the side from the force and the spirit opened its mouth in a shocked ‘oh’, as if it was struck.

Svet narrowed his eyes, the glowing orbs of his irises turning into slits under his hooded gaze. “Yes, children. You hunger.”  

He raised his hand in a come hither manner, his robes bellowing. The golden coins along his clothes shimmered in the sunlight, glowing hot with energy.

“I will sate it. Permanently, within my vessel. Only then shall you know peace.”

Svet disappeared again. Only the gruesome creature could react fast enough when the heel of Svet’s boot crushed itself into its face. A harsh crack of bones, an explosion of force that was inhuman and petrifying- Kane and the exorcists could only watch with wide eyes at the blur of motion that crashed against the spirit. 

Kane was the first to snap out of his stupor. “Prepare the runes!”

“Yes, sir!” the exorcists shouted.

Bleeding from its jaw, the spirit screamed and quickly snatched Svet by the ankle. It waved Svet around, flailing him around like a doll before slamming him into ground.

Five of the exorcists gathered into a circle, including the woman with silver eyes. Kane addressed her with a nod. “Nila! Find him!”

“Right!” the woman, Nila, answered, clasping her hands together.

Nila’s eyes closed and her brow furrowed in concentration. Sweat had formed on her brow, slowly trickling down her cheek underneath her mask.

While the exorcists chanted in unison, Svet was lifted off the ground by the leg. Dirt fell from his robes and hair but his eyes opened and they were just as bright and ferocious as before.

“Nila! Quickly!” Kane grasped more talismans from his pocket and shot them toward the spirit’s wrist. The paper slapped onto the bandaged creature's face and it wailed, opening its palm and letting Svet go. 

“HUUUURRRTTTTS!” 

Midair, Svet waved his arm and a series of similar eyes appeared at his sides. The shattered windows of the house reflected many more, but the ones at his disposal blinked open one by one, spinning around him like a belt.

“I-I can’t! T-Too many voices!” Nila said through gnashed teeth.

One of the eyes beside Svet expanded, the white pupil dilating to the size of a fist. The hilt of a dagger oozed from the bright depths of its gaze, and Svet grasped it with his eyes fixed on the bleeding and tortured spirit.

No longer was the spirit capable of answering the call of the heavens. Svet knew this. And it was his duty to bring peace to its weary soul.

Baring the sharp edge of his blade, Svet landed on the balcony overlooking the garden. His knees bent and his back hunched low as if he were a cat on the prowl, landing gracefully on his feet. Only the glow of his eyes made it through the deep shade cast by his hair.

“Ignore the screams!” Kane shouted to Nila, casting off his gloves. “Search for the meekest voice!”

With a grunt, Kane murmured something under his breath and searing symbols appeared on the back of his hands. The same symbols appeared under Svet’s feet, followed by hands that emerged from the tiled floor. The glowing rings of Svet’s eyes darted toward the many limbs before he dodged out of the way. He narrowly avoided the clawed nails. 

“… Fools,” Svet sighed, glancing briefly down at the humans below.

The brief moment of attention the exorcists earned from Svet was cut short when a screeching “GIIIIIIMMMMMEEEEEEE!” bellowed from the spirit.

Svet steeled himself, holding his dagger out  before jumping up and running across the shingled roof. His boots hit the surface with loud cracks, and many of Kane’s hands emerged from behind him. They reached and snared at his clothes, taking bits and pieces of him while he ran. All Svet could really focus on was the many voices screaming for him. Begging for sweet freedom. And he intended on giving them the euphoric release of death.

A single hand shot out and managed to slice through his side, clawing open his robes. Svet flinched at the pain but kept moving, tutting under his breath. 

“Your efforts are in vain,” Svet whispered, sounding almost annoyed by the disturbance.

He shielded himself from every reaching hand by batting them away or slicing through them. In a blink, Svet was beside the spirit with whispers of his father’s ability, the runes flickering.

In the garden, Kane could only hiss out in pain while he summoned more and more claw to keep his son at bay. It didn't seem to matter after each swipe of Svet’s dagger. His blade sliced through each one and Kane recoiled in pain, his own hands opening up and bleeding in small paper-cut sized wounds. 

Kane glanced over at Nila, wincing and summoning more hands. “Nila!” 

Nila crashed onto her knees. She groaned out in pain and held her head, and her body trembled from the chill that rushed over her body. Even someone as skilled as she was, the sheer amount of spirits surrounding Svet was too much. The voices had overlapped and surrounded Svet.  She couldn't hear his voice. And she couldn't get him out. Couldn't find him.

“… I’m sorry,” Nila whispered in a feeble voice. “He’s amongst the spirits. He’s…” 

“MIIIIIIINNNEEEE!”