He was a good man, Steve Marlowe. I would never wish my life upon him even in death. People would say otherwise, but I stand to differ.
"For the night is dark and full of terrors."
The armored voice snapped Ezra out of his despair.
"I've sinned," Ezra began. I've broken a sacred vow. I've wronged you."
"That will end now. I'm sorry for your loss. Your father was a good man, but you must stop blaming yourself," Father Nicholas yanked Ezra up. "There's so little to what you can control. Now, if you will pull yourself together, we have miles to cover. Val'mayr won't come to us."
Val'mayr, Ordo Lux Veritas Infernalis Tower, Father Nicholas's home.
"Val'mayr?"
"The OLVI keep. Where you shall become a Custodian of light and darkness." Father Nicholas grunted as he threw Ezra over his shoulder.
"But—"
"But, what?" with a thud, he threw Ezra back on the floor. "You want to return to Willow Creek? To the demons? Do you understand what that means? To die like your father, torn limb to limb and fed upon? Your soul being trapped in Hell by lesser demons? Huh?" His voice rose with every word he spoke. "I don't know what the demons want with you, boy, but whatever they want I oppose. We will find out what they want at Val'mayr."
Ezra, his back was against the tree, but he wished the tree could take him further from Father Nicholas, the man he always revered all his life. It was hard to believe Father Nicholas was a master of dark arts. How? How does it happen and here he says he will join them? The slightest opportunity he gets, he would run away from him. The demons are lurking around, it's not safe being alone, neither does he feel any safer with Father Nicholas.
Ezra's eyes held horror. He didn't recognize the man who stood in front of him. Not the Father Nicholas he knew. This man was a total stranger, a beast in sheep clothing. How could he—how could he rip through a demon with his bare hands, yet unscathed.
Father Nicholas smeared off the the black ichor on his face, adjusting his hair. He pulled Ezra up again to place him back in his shoulder.
"Ezra," he pulled him up by the shirt. "You must take the Vow of Ash and Revelation. Promise me. Promise me." He groaned.
With a shudder, Ezra wimped a nod.
Father Nicholas let him go, and again, in one powerful lift Ezra was on his shoulders.
—
—
Jessica sprawled unconsciously on the floor, bloodied by her father's side. Mr. Lyon, long gone in the after-life was a grotesque sight to behold. His organs were splattered in the room, drowned in his pool of blood. His head, snapped off its neck was smashed by the corner of the room and his limbs torn apart.
Elijah, Ezra's father, same fate befell him, but somehow Meredith Lyon and Jessica had just sustained head injuries that knocked them out.
A horrific scream jolted Jessica back to reality. Her mother's scream, Meredith. Meredith shrieked in horror digging through her husband's remains. "No!" She screamed, bawling her eyes out. She cried. Her heart stopped, her stomach tightened. Her mouth knew nothing but screams and tears gushed endlessly down her cheeks.
"God, No! Why? Help!! Somebody help me!"
A chill ran down Jessica's spine as soon as her eyes caught the scene. Her heart dropped to her gut. The half destroyed room burned hot. Her home was nothing she recognized. Her skin began burning hot. Tears began flowing from her eyes quietly. If she screamed as much as her body and soul screamed, who will comfort her mother?
Jessica gathered herself from the group, wiping the unending tears as she ran to hug her mother like a child.
"My life," Meredith screamed. "How can I live without him."
"It's al—" Jessica stopped before she could finished the sentence. What really is alright? The best to do is let the woman grief. Nothing is alright. The demons tearing her family is not alright.
She sniffed, tightening her jaw. What stupid resolve was she pulling. What's her chance against a demon, let alone a horde of demons. She sniffed again, surrendering in defeat. She dug her face deep into her mother's neck as she let the streams of hot water flow from her eyes. Oh, Ezra. Poor boy has lost both mum and father. However he felt right now.