I dashed down the stairs, but a sense of dread made me stop halfway down the staircase, making Adele crash onto my back.

  “Ah!? Marisa! What-“

  “Back out! Now!”

  I jumped the stairs back up, carrying Adele in one of my arms. As we headed back out of the passage, the loud sound of footsteps could be heard from down there, rapidly approaching from below.

  What greeted us finally coming out of the entrance were two guys I’ve never seen before but, both of them are extremely muscur, ridiculously so, it looks rather unnatural, they were also rather quick!

  “What!? Get lost!”

  Adele got startled by them and after a quick spell a scythe of bone appeared from thin air, cutting his head off, but despite missing a brain, he could still move like he didn’t need it!

  “What the!?”

  “Be careful Adele!”

  The decapitated guy dashed to Adele and kicked her back, sending her flying, moments afterwards, his head simply reattached by his own, like he was never hurt to begin with!

  It took me a moment to realize but they’re the same type of monsters I’ve fought before in the basement, kind of like Heather’s dad! But now there are two of them!

  “Adele!”

  “I’m fine! I’m an undead remember! I can’t die by physical violence I don’t think!”

  “Be careful though!”

  As I said that, the other guy rushed at me, and I barely managed to dodge it as it slid past me, then I received another punch in the jaw from the previously decapitated one! They’re as fast as I remember! It hurts a lot! My mouth and nose have that metallic characteristic feeling.

  I simply used magic to heal quickly and prepared myself to punch him back to get even but Adele came rushing as well and swung her staff, turning the floor into a pilr that struck one in the chest, making him recoil back.

  “I’ll take care of one of them, that way it’s more fair!”

  “O-ok! Be careful Adele! They can only be killed if they’re dismantled to such a degree that only a puddle remains!”

  The guy tried to punch Adele but she turned into mist and went right through her.

  “How do I do that?”

  Whoa! I see you trying to hit me as well, get lost! I said kicking him with enough force so he hits the wall!

  “Last time I sliced it with a sword into really small chunks!”

  “Slice them? Got it!”

  Adele proceeded to pull her scythe once again, in a singur swing she sliced him in half, while a bunch of wind started to try and slice him into bits, or so was the pn but the wind and scythe couldn’t go through entirely, they’re more akin to cuts than slices, but they’re still pretty severe!

  It seems Adele it’s quite the capable fighter, still I need to finish this quickly to go help her and the people downstairs, let me get rid of the first one to begin with!

  “It’s just you and me big boy! Let’s dance!”

  Good thing they only know how to punch, dodging them has become easier and easier with every blow, I ck a sword so if disintegrating them it’s the only way to deal with them, I started incinerating him, with a spell I burst him into fmes, as hot as I could manage to.

  And He’s a tough cookie! The fire I'm creating it’s hot enough that it’s melting the stone floor to a puddle, but the dude it’s still alive! Despite him literally melting he continues to attack me, even when his flesh and muscles are consumed to a charred and unrecognizable state!

  For now my only choice it’s to continue the attack! His movements slowed down and eventually when his legs gave up from the fire, and he fell to the floor, I used this opportunity to continue my incineration with no quarter! Only his gut screams could be heard, as he burnt to a crisp, the pce got quite hot and smelled terrible, but eventually the muscle man melted.

  As I turn off the fire I was fueling, I see that not even ashes remained of him, just an unrecognizable puddle of floor and, probably his remains...

  One less! I turned around to see how Adele it’s doing, all things considered she’s doing ok, she took a couple of blows and her movements are sluggish, but the other guy it’s now limbless, and struggling in the floor, Adele it’s cutting him as fast as she can, but their regeneration it’s no joke!

  “Let me help you!”

  “Marisa!”

  I then proceeded to burn him as well, this one got aggressive as well when he was set on fmes, the torso literally jumped up and tried to attack us, to no avail.

  Dammit they’re so slow to burn! I don’t have time to lose in this! Just burn already!

  The smell of charred flesh it’s horrible, I really regret burning them. Maybe I should’ve found another solution, but it’s not like I can just obliterate them on the spot, or maybe I can? either way he ceased to exist after a little while!

  “It’s done! Let’s go!”

  “Y-yeah!”

  Adele followed behind me, I thought she would’ve been more resistant being undead but she seems to be struggling after that fight, by that I mean her movements are slower, she still has that poker face on her.

  I'm almost there! Cmon! Wait just a moment! I can’t help but worry about the constant screaming I keep hearing from there, it’s surprisingly really deep! I know we’re zooming but it still feels like an eternity!

  It took a few seconds but I finally arrived at the basement! where a grim scene was the first thing I gazed upon reaching.

  There were the kids, locked in cages, screaming frantically, the adults chained together separately, Lassie was there as well.

  And finally, the bastard of Ecir, surrounded by a pile of corpses, holding a girl in one arm and what seemed to be a catalyst and a knife on the other, the girl had her throat sliced open, and her blood was pouring on the floor, he seem to be trying to do something but!

  I dashed at that bastard at top speed, giving him a dropkick that sent him flying. While I grabbed the bleeding child and pced my hand on her neck, I felt her weak struggle for a second and I tried to use healing magic to help her, but even after her wound closed, she wasn’t moving anymore!

  I realized it when I entered and sensed everyone in the room but, she’s dead already...

  I id her down on the floor gently and closed her eyes.

  Then I turned around to look at that monster dressed like a priest.

  “*cough* so even god’s soldiers couldn’t stop you, what a shame...”

  “You bastard! What did you do!?”

  “As my pn was cut short, but I know god will forgive me for I carried out his will in justice!”

  Wha!? He was gonna stab himself the moment he spouted such nonsense, but I managed to jump him beforehand, spping the knife away from his hand!

  “Oh no! You’re not getting away with this that easily!”

  He looked at me with a face of anger, it seems he wasn’t trying to commit suicide, he has the eyes of someone who’s pn just got thwarted!

  “Heretic demon, what do you pn to do with me!?”

  “Heretic me!? I!”

  I kicked his legs, with enough force to crack his bones in half, he simply fell down face first screaming in pain.

  “Monster! God's judgment will fall upon demons like you!”

  “Judgment!? If anyone it’s guilty of something here it’s you!”

  “Of course, I’ll go to heaven for my righteous actions, can you say the same?”

  “Righteous? Justice!? YOU STUPID IDIOT!!”

  I grabbed him by his clothes, tossed him at the wall, and then grabbed his head to point it at the massacre he just made! Truth be told, I find myself unable to contain my anger! I want to kill him right now, he deserves nothing more than such a fate but!

  “What part! What part of this is justice!! HOW CAN YOU CALL THIS JUSTICE!!?”

  “The loss of children it’s always tragic, but the lord will welcome them with open arms I’m sure”

  “You don’t understand what you’ve done don’t you...”

  I have no time to deal with you right now, I gritted my teeth as it’s the same as talking to a wall, for now I broke his arms as well, tore his clothes and shoved them in his mouth, then I tied them around his head, let’s not leave him alone so he can off himself, he’s way old but the rest of his life will be filled with never ending suffering, I swear on my name!

  Adele simply stood at the entrance, horrified by the sight, is she frozen by shock?

  “Adele, check the other rooms please, I’ll take care of things here!”

  She didn’t respond, I understand the situation but!

  “ADELE!”

  “R-right!”

  “Thanks...”

  And now she went looking around the other closed rooms that connect to this central basement. I want to believe she’s gonna be ok on her own, hopefully...

  For now I freed the adults first, Lassie was with them, as well as the different orphanage staff and other people that I don’t know who they are.

  “I know it’s a lot to ask you guys, but I’m gonna free the kids, can you guys help me calm everyone down”

  It’s the reason why I rescued the adults first, even if it seems like an insensible move, I need every capable hand I can to get this under control.

  “Of course!”

  They responded in unison, I’m gd they’re somewhat composed even if I know they’re on their breaking point. I then started opening the cages of the kids, they all rushed out, pushing, crying and screaming.

  “Everyone calm down!”

  Well, they’re kids... I can’t bme them for being scared, more so given the circumstances...

  They all went to their respective caretaker, some of them went into the pile of corpses, but fortunately we managed to get them away. They don’t deserve this, nor should they keep looking at such a grim visage...

  For now we all told them to go upstairs, they mustn't keep watching this! This abominable show...

  Lassie it’s also taking her kids as well, perhaps because I know her better than the rest but, I could see her doing her best to not break down, probably thinking of the kids, I’m sure everyone is on the same boat.

  As for me, I remained here, I have to help Adele and check the other rooms, I know this but... I couldn’t help but look at the dead kids in the pile.

  ...

  He’s the kid I spanked the other day... I didn’t even bother to learn your name little guy, I’m so awful, you deserved better than this!

  I feel the taste of blood in my mouth, my own from where I’m grinding my teeth together, as I feel my eyes starting to water as well...

  I-

  “Marisa!”

  Eh? I looked around to the voice calling my name, only to see Celestial dashing through the stairs. It was a bit surreal seeing Celestial actually panting, although it sted only a second or so.

  “Celestial...”

  “Marisa! Are you ok!?”

  “Yes I’m fine but...”

  “Oh my! Such an awful scene...”

  “I was too te! I-“

  Celestial came by and held me in a hug...

  “I know dear, I know this pain extremely well, but don’t focus on the things you couldn’t do, but rather the things you can still do, you couldn’t save everyone, but you saved everyone you could”

  Right... Celestial it’s right, I have to keep going, if I stop moving now I won’t be able to continue.

  “You’re right... let’s keep searching in case someone is still trapped”

  I said before cpping my face gently to try and focus the best I could, I entered a room and inside it there were a bunch of more kids, they all seemed like they were 5 years old at max, they were inside individual big tubes, it’s kinda awful seeing this but...

  “They’re... not alive?”

  “They were at some point probably, I’m guessing that even if their souls left their bodies, they kept them ‘alive’...”

  Celestial responded to my question, her face showing disgust at the sight, more so than the previous room...

  “Why would they do that...”

  “It looks to me they were trying to keep the body functional for some reason”

  “What’s their pn!? Why would they do this?”

  “Beats me, I really can’t think of a reason, maybe as a vessel but for what? Would it not be more cost efficient to use living people than waste resources like this?”

  I looked around the room and sure enough, I found a journal amongst a bunch of papers, maybe this will give us some answers...

  ...

  ...

  “Ok, so they weren’t alive, they died at birth it seems”

  “Right, ok, that expins the surplus body but...”

  “What is it Celestial?”

  “The magic used to both restore the bodies and keep them alive, it’s based a lot on the magic your mom developed to keep you sealed to begin with...”

  “Really? Is that bad?”

  “Not precisely, your mom did publish everything for prosperity's sake, I’m just wondering how it ended up in their hands, and also, how did they put it into motion? They must have a very skilled wizard on their side”

  “Is it that hard?”

  “For modern era standards, yes”

  “Right, what do we do with them?”

  “Let’s dispose of them ter, for now let’s continue investigating”

  “Right!”

  We went to the next room, which honestly I didn’t want to enter, since the smell coming from it it’s so pungent, I almost felt like throwing up before entering. Generally the pce it’s quite unpleasant to begin with, how come it didn’t hit me beforehand?

  For now we entered and what greeted us was another nightmarish scene.

  Women, a ton of naked women, all of them chained to the room, and some of them look pregnant, they all simply remained looking at nothing, like the life of their eyes went away a long time ago, but they’re still alive...

  No wonder the room smelled this bad, there’s no toilet or anything, the floor it’s covered in many unpleasant stains of bodily functions...

  “W-who are you!?”

  Looks like not everyone lost it, quite a few reacted to our arrival, but quite a few remained motionless.

  “I’m Marisa, we’re here to save you girls!”

  I then proceeded to break the chain to let them be free.

  “Can you girls walk?”

  “W-we’ll manage!”

  Some of them got up, others helped other girls get up, and they all started walking out.

  “The exit it’s upstairs, just go, try not to look around too much...”

  “O-ok!”

  God bless some of them are still sane, I’ll ask about the details ter.

  For now, I helped a pregnant woman get up and carried her to the entrance of the stairs, fortunately the adults and kids are still in the chapel and nothing seems to be attacking anymore. I asked their help as well, and afterwards me and Celestial went back to investigate.

  Next up, another room, this time with men instead, they’re not pregnant obviously, but the amount it’s quite lob-sided, there was a tenth of the men locked up as there were women, if that.

  Fortunately they weren’t as broken as them, so they all mostly managed to go outside on their own accord.

  Next room, a bunch of books and journals, this is important information but it’s not the priority.

  There’s only one room left, and it’s where Adele entered. I'm worried that she hasn’t come out, I didn’t even think of that!

  I rushed inside with Celestial behind me, only to find Adele fighting another one of those brainless muscur guys that we fought earlier! Alongside a bunch of skeletons as well, trying to get the monster’s attention.

  “Adele!”

  “Marisa!”

  Adele it’s just dodging the guy, I was gonna burn him but Adele yelled at me to stop.

  “DON’T!”

  “What!? Why!?”

  “Don’t you recognize him!?”

  “Eh!?”

  I looked at the guy and didn’t understand what she meant, I mean, it’s another rando like the other two guys right?

  “I don’t, who-“

  I cut my sentence midway and dodged one of his mindless punches.

  “The piggy lord...”

  Celestial it’s the one who spoke, I looked at him once again, and yeah, I guess I can see it, it’s just weird since he’s not covered in fat, and absolutely ripped, I guess that’s how he would look if he worked out, he doesn’t smell greasy gross either, maybe I should start remembering more faces and don’t rely on my smell to tell them apart...

  “I see”

  “I didn’t want to hurt him since he’s important I think, but I couldn’t just leave him alone so he could hurt other people, so I had to stall him here!”

  “Right! Wise choice Adele, but even still... is there anything we can do?”

  “I don’t know! I don’t even know what those are!”

  Celestial did a spell, and chains of ice appeared restraining the piggy. It's quite amazing that he’s still struggling and trying to break free, I never tried restraining them like that, but it would’ve made the fights easier now that I think about it.

  “This...”

  “Do you know anything about them Celestial?”

  “Yes, I haven’t seen one since the war long time ago, they were enhanced humans created by the other humans to fight against the demon king, or so was the pn, there was only one of them, and the process of creating them it’s so vile that no one in their right minds would use them”

  “How are they made?”

  “You need to essentially condense the mana and life force of countless people, that is sacrifice them to fulfill the spell and insert it in someone else, back then, 2000 people were used to create the one soldier, and it was basically uncontrolble”

  “2000!! This is the fourth one I’ve seen so far!”

  “Fourth! Ok, I think I get what this pce is then”

  “What?”

  “Think about it, the orphanage, the pregnant woman, the pile of corpses, they were farming humans to sacrifice them for this”

  “That bastard priest!”

  “It is quite unsavory, I’m shocked that the church it’s doing things like this, for what purpose even?”

  So the church is working on them? Is it from here where Gwendal got the other one from the basement? Are they reted somehow?

  “I have no clue, what do we do with lord Gwendal?”

  “There’s nothing to do, we’ll have to take him back and lock him up for now”

  “Shouldn’t we put him out of his misery? Is there any way to put him back to normal to begin with?”

  “Sadly no, not that we can do, the life sacrifice it’s made to rebound all that energy to an altered and unnatural body, the only way would be to attach his soul to another recipient, but that’s not something I can do...”

  “Then who can?”

  I asked, Celestial didn’t say anything, Adele is an undead, maybe she knows? I looked at her but she’s not exactly thrilled it seems.

  “D-don’t look at me, I can reanimate corpses but actually bringing people from the dead is impossible! Trust me I tried! Maybe we can undo it somehow, but I’ve never seen anything like this!”

  “Has no one ever done something simir then?”

  “Well it’s not exactly resurrection since he’s not dead, more like a move of body no?”

  Celestial kept thinking out loud only to open her mouth again.

  “The only person capable of freely moving souls around was the demon king Maldi”

  “Seriously, what couldn’t he do!? Wait! Doesn’t that mean that I could technically do it as well!?”

  “That may be so, but do you have any idea where to start with that?”

  “You’re right but... you still need the piggy right?”

  “We need the information about the other two hooded figures, I cannot extract him like this since he’s cursed, the moment I see it he’ll die, if you can somehow move his soul to a new body then the curse would be useless, and then we just pray that memories come with him as well, that would help us immensely”

  “Then let’s do it!”

  “Not so fast, if you screw this up we lose our only lead on the hooded figures, I can’t risk that, I much rather keep him like this and try to circumvent the curse!”

  “He’s a liability! He already broke your chains three times!”

  He did so as we spoke, but Celestial just makes more chains as soon as he gets free.

  “You’re right, even so, it’s less risky if you ask me”

  “Celestial, no one deserves to live like that, not even the piggy”

  Don’t get me wrong, I hate the piggy, but he’s long gone at this point. Even if we keep him like this, it’s no different than a rabid animal, I’d rather put him down...

  “I’m with Marisa on this, we have to do something!”

  “Who are you anyways?”

  “Adele, an adventurer and Marisa’s friend”

  It seems Celestial it’s wary of her since she’s wearing a cloak like the other two guys, but she’s not evil, plus she got the hood down right now so they’re looking face to face to begin with.

  “Adele helped me get here faster and fight too”

  “Right, well, even still, do you even have a body to store his soul, even if you somehow managed to do it?”

  “Oh right! Wait, couldn’t we use the tubed kids from the other room?”

  “That might work, still, I think it’s too risky, they're already dead technically remember!”

  “I-if that’s the case I can at least keep them going physically!”

  “See Adele could help! Plus I have to at least try! And even if it doesn’t work he just dies, besides I doubt the curse it’s something new, you knew of it before right? How many years was that ago? Do you pn on keeping him around for millennia?”

  “If it’s needed”

  “I don’t know what the deal between you and the hooded figures is but, wouldn’t it be easier to get info from the hooded figures directly?”

  “...”

  “I’ll do it, even if you try to stop me!”

  “Fine, at least let me help you then, but if you screw this up we’re gonna stop doing what we’re doing in this country and focus on getting information then!”

  “Why are you so desperate for information? Plus the authority I’ve been getting comes in handy for these sorts of things, if we’re gonna look for info”

  “...let’s just go”

  And so, celestial took the piggy angrily to the other room, the one with the kids being held in stasis or something?

  “Who to pick?”

  “That one”

  Celestial said, pointing at a girl.

  “But she’s a women, I didn’t knew you were into that sort of thing”

  “No silly, she’s the oldest around and the one that looks more likely to work as a proper recipient”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, the rest are still babies or too young, I need him to at least be able to speak”

  Well she’s got a point, with that in mind the options are limited, only a dozen or so are old enough that you’d believe they can talk, plus I don’t know how well they are physically since all of them died at birth, so...

  “Ok, that one then, now, do you have any idea or clue as to how my so-called father used to do this?”

  “Nope, all I know it’s that he would put his hands on people and just yank their souls away, maybe it’s simir?”

  “I guess? for now I’ll try it”

  “Ok, I’ll get the body out of the tube, and keep it alive as long as needed!”

  “I’ll keep the piggy chained down, you focus on what you’re doing Marisa”

  “Of course!”

  Now the piggy is REALLY tied down to the ground by ice chains, all the while Adele pulled out the little girl's body and is using magic to keep her standing in pce, it’s a bit creepy...

  I guess it’s my turn, I’m nervous, but for now I pced my hand on the pig lord's chest, and closed my eyes...

  ...

  ...

  Now what?

  I literally have no idea what to do? I’m just feeling around with my presence, something akin to my mana I suppose?

  Hmm...

  ...

  I’m stuck, I really have no clue...

  ‘Heyo!’

  ‘Oh! Other me!’

  It’s Marisa, the actual Marisa, or the other me I guess, it’s been a while.

  ‘You seem stuck’

  ‘Yeah a bit, you know what’s happening right?’

  ‘Yep, that’s why I came! Maybe if you can talk with me, you could do the same with piggy’

  ‘That doesn’t make sense but worse is nothing’

  ‘Let’s look around, see if we find him’

  ‘I mean sure, but we’re on an empty void’

  ‘It’s better than sitting around’

  And so, me and other me wandered about this void, surprisingly it didn’t take long before we found the piggy, he’s just ying on the floor like the zy bum he’s always been, he’s also fat again for some reason.

  “Hey!”

  “What the!? M-Marisa!!”

  “Yep”

  “Ah! Why are there two of you!? I must be in hell! Dammit!!”

  Two of us? Did he see us as just two of the same person and not old me? I find that weird but no time to question that right now.

  “Calm down! Now isn’t the time for this”

  Oh wow, other me just spped him across the face without any remorse.

  “Let’s go”

  “W-where?”

  “To a new body!”

  “What are you talking about!?”

  “Wait me, let me expin”

  She’s rather intense or maybe she’s just as pissed off as I am but cks as much self control, I can tell since we’re the same person, I’m not so sure but for now I expined in a very summarized manner what happened to piggy.

  ...

  ...

  “So I died?”

  “Not exactly however, there’s nothing to do about your body it seems, but we have another one where we can shove your soul in I hope, that way you don’t have to die”

  “I refuse”

  “Eh!?”

  “What’s the point! You’re just gonna lock me again, or kill me again after I tell you what you want to know! I’d rather just die already!”

  “I didn’t knew you were this prideful, still, I think it’s the best choice to take my offer you know”

  “Why?”

  “Do you believe in the afterlife?”

  “I mean, my soul exists, so I guess there is an afterlife”

  “Then what is afterlife, something like heaven or hell?”

  “I guess”

  “Think about the things you’ve done, do you really think you’ll go to heaven if it even exists?”

  “That’s...”

  “You’ll go to hell, to suffer for eternity! Even if those aren’t real, what’s the next option, do you simply cease to exist? Nothingness for eternity? That sounds as awful as torment if you ask me”

  “Ugh...”

  “Then let’s be optimal and say none of those are real, what’s next? Reincarnation?”

  “Maybe!”

  “And how is that any different than what I’m offering? You’ll even get a bonus of keeping your memories, I think? I hope! or would you rather take your chances”

  “Ugh.... I hate you so much!”

  “So come”

  “I! ...fine, but I’ll do it in the condition that you leave me alone!”

  “I can’t do that”

  “What!?”

  “Do you still not get it stupid? You don’t have much of a choice in your new body, I can just break my promise, you wouldn’t be able to oppose me, so I’d rather tell you straight up”

  “What’s your fixation with me!? Why must you torment me even after death!”

  He’s... really not taking it nicely but I understand, still the truth is he's very much a problem.

  “Personally nothing, but your crimes are too grave to let you go freely like that”

  “What crimes!?”

  “Don’t py dumb you know what you did!”

  Truth be told, both me and I are extremely angry right now, it’s taking all of our self control just to calm ourselves and have as normal of a conversation with him as we can.

  “I’ll make you work the rest of your new life to atone for your crimes! It’s not optional!”

  “T-then!”

  “Then you’ll go to hell? Use this second opportunity to atone you stupid idiot! It’s not optional!”

  I then dragged him by his hair. The idea of touching the piggy it’s repulsive. I dislike him so much that even his soul makes me icky, but this is a necessity.

  ...

  ...

  “Whoa!?”

  I opened my eyes, only to see a bright light on my hand, Celestial and Adele are both looking as dumbfounded as me!

  “N-now what!?”

  “I don’t know!”

  “Uh... errm...”

  Ah fuck it! I just shoved the light into the girl's body, no care or reason, just plonked it right into her.

  And then her body started twitching.

  “Are you doing that Adele?”

  “N-not really, she seems to be moving on her own”

  “Can you stop controlling her for a second?”

  After falling to the ground, her head started to move around, and then she slowly opened her eyes...

  “Did it work?”

  “I think it did”

  “Can you hear us piggy?”

  “Eh?... ah! Marisa you demon! How dare you drag me like that! And... Why does my voice sound so weird?”

  She then looked at herself, and just screamed at the top of her lungs.

  “What the fuck did you do to me!!?”

  “Yep, that’s the piggy alright”

  “Phew, good thing it worked”

  “Put me back in my body!!”

  “I can’t, that body it’s not usable now”

  The piggy’s body went limp, I’m guessing he died probably, at least I have a more efficient way of killing the brute monsters next time I find one. His muscles actually receded but piggy’s body didn’t go back to his old fat self even as a corpse.

  “My body...”

  ...

  Now I feel kinda bad, she’s crying, if the piggy was crying I wouldn’t feel as bad but right now it looks extremely awful.

  “Ok then, enough with the waterworks, the curse of your body it’s gone, now tell me everything you know about the two hooded guys”

  “Yikes, Celestial, chill for now, let’s just, take her with us to the pace, plus we’ve been neglecting the other kids a lot too!”

  And just like that, we left the church attic, not before carrying the asshole priest by the neck on my way outside...

  Joanne_carper