Callisto heard some footsteps approaching; when he looked back, he saw Linley, who was almost unrecognizable. She didn't look like her anymore, but like a demon who had just come out from the underworld.
"Stalin, run!" Callisto shouted. He grabbed Stalin's hand and ran as fast as they could until they couldn't see Linley anymore.
"I think we have already lost her," Stalin said, but before she could react, Linley appeared right in front of her and grabbed her throat. Linley's long and sharp fingernails wounded her neck, and blood spurted out.
Stalin could almost lose consciousness from the excruciating pain coming from her throat. Her feet were high above the ground as Linley raised her up with one hand. She couldn't even think how she became this strong, but one thing was sure: this woman wasn't the Linley she used to know.
"Let my girlfriend down!" Callisto shouted and lunged towards the goddess with a huge stick in his hand. He lashed her from the back, making her let go of Stalin and fall to the ground.
Despite the goddess' strength, Linley's body couldn't carry on. Her eyes flashed with rage as she watched Stalin and Callisto run away for their lives. They didn't stop until they had escaped from her.
"I hope we're safe here," Callisto said as they entered the church. He thought that perhaps demons were afraid to enter there. "I thought goddesses were beautiful and kind. But this woman we're escaping from is very different."
"She's cruel. We have to find a way to end this. We can't just always run away from her," Stalin replied. "We have to fight back and use any means possible to defeat her."
A man in his mid-30s wearing a long, close-fitting, black robe came out from the confessional room when he saw two individuals entering the cathedral, although they didn't have a mass this time. As he walked towards them, he noticed that they looked worried and scared.
"Is there anything I can help with?" The priest asked curiously, looking at them.
"There's a demon chasing after us, brother. Please help us—she's strong and powerful," Callisto replied, feeling guilty about involving other people with their problems.
The priest wasn't surprised hearing the young man since he had already faced several demons before, starting when he joined an exorcist squad. But it was already long since then, and he thought that those demons already chose to leave due to the extinction of their race.
"How strong is she?" The priest asked.
Before Callisto could answer, Linley appeared right at the entrance of the church. Her lips curved into a demonic smile. Her once white skin had turned gray, and her face was full of wrinkles. She slowly walked on the aisle with dark roots of trees around her.
Estrella remembered that moment when her beloved man was being married to another woman. It still caused her pain every time she remembered them. She felt like there was something biting her heart, and that enraged her even more.
"That's her, brother, please help us!" Stalin exclaimed, seeing Estrella walk towards them.
The goddess was unaffected by her surroundings. All she could think of was revenge, and she wouldn't stop as long as those people who hurt her died. The church was jumbled by her power as the paintings, pews, wood, dust, and dry leaves scattered and floated around.
"Stay behind me!" The priest took a sacred scroll from the shelves where magical books were placed. He read the passage, and a blinding light came out from the scrolls as the letters carved on it floated in the air like musical notes. It was a divine spell against demons.
Callisto and Stalin were both amazed by what they were seeing, as if they were just watching a fantasy movie, and they were in the most exciting part. The climax was where the hero fought against the villain.
Estrella realized she was weaker than the priest when he easily drove her back using those floating words. She tried to fight him, but her roots couldn't even scratch his face. She was so enraged as blood streamed down her nose and eventually decided to leave before the man could kill her.
"Thank you so much for saving us, brother!" Callisto and Stalin bowed down their heads, showing so much adoration and respect to the bald priest who looked like a monk with beads around his neck.
"I see you both are being chased by that demon. She's strong, and I know she'd come back again once she regains her strength. You have to learn how to fight before she comes back, for I might not be able to protect you again," the priest said.
"Please teach us, brother!" Callisto said, lowering his head even more. "Make us your apprentice. We want to learn how to fight her."
"I used scroll magic, and it's not easy for ordinary humans like you to learn it. It'll take time, but if you're determined enough, I know you'll learn it," the priest said. "Anyway, just call me Matthew. I am a monk."
"Thank you so much again for saving us, Brother Matthew!" Stalin exclaimed.
"If you really want to learn how to fight demons, come with me. I'll introduce you to the squad." Matthew went behind the altar and opened a hidden door.
Callisto and Stalin followed the priest. After entering the door, they found themselves walking on a narrow path covered in dry leaves and sweet-smelling cherry blossoms. The flowers were blooming, butterflies were flying, and birds were singing their wonderful song.
"This is such a peaceful place!" Stalin exclaimed, turning around several times, stretching her arms. "I've never been in this kind of place before."
"Elysian. It's a paradise away from the mortal world. Only chosen individuals can enter here, and you're both chosen by the god of light," Matthew said.
"Is this where we are going to train ourselves to fight those demons?" Callisto inquired.
"As for what I have said, I'll introduce you to the squad. You have to prepare for the test that will tell if you're both qualified to become like us," Matthew explained.
"What are you exactly?" Callisto asked; curiosity gnawed at him because he thought Matthew was just an ordinary priest, but it seemed like he was more than that.
"I'm a guardian, and guardians are made to fight those demons. We were exactly trained to fight them because humans are nothing compared to them; that's why we train hard," Matthew replied.
"Guardians?" Stalin asked, gently touching her chin. She began wondering if she was just dreaming because this happening didn't seem to be real.
After a few moments of walking, Callisto couldn't believe his eyes, seeing a golden castle ahead. They were now walking on a concrete passage leading to the entrance of the castle. It was like a dream, and he didn't want to wake up.
Matthew led Stalin and Callisto inside the castle. There was a huge ballroom with some people dancing around like princes and princesses. A golden chandelier was shining above, lighting up the whole room.
"So where are the members of your guild, brother?" Callisto asked, eager to meet the other guardians Matthew was talking about.
"Just wait here for a while. I'll ask for their permission first," Matthew replied before entering the large door leading to the other hall.
"Are you sure about this?" Stalin asked, looking directly at Callisto's eyes.
"Matthew has saved us from that cruel goddess. It will be rude if we just leave him like this," Callisto replied.
"That's not what I mean. I'm asking if you're already sure with your decision to become one of them," Stalin said. "Isn't it difficult to become a guardian?"
"I don't know. But there's something within me telling me that I have to learn how to fight demons. I want to be able to protect you just in case they attack us. I'm willing to pay the price for it," Callisto said.
After a few moments, Matthew came back with another bald priest. They looked super similar, and Callisto couldn't recognize which one of them was Matthew.
"I didn't expect that you'll have a twin," Callisto remarked as he found it difficult to identify which one of them was Matthew because they were completely the same, even the way they would act.
"I'm sorry for the confusion," Matthew apologized. "By the way, this is my brother. He is Liam."
Liam showed them a welcoming smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, future guardians. Please get inside." Liam led them inside the grand hall where there were other people taking the test and being trained by expert guardians.
"You have to master at least one skill in order to become a guardian, and if you fail to do that, you can still be part of the exorcist squad. Please always remember the reason why you're here in the first place so that you won't lose the motivation to train," Matthew explained.