Pedro

Chapter 6:Earlier that Morning

Maria was at the local café. The memory of that night still lingers in her mind. Her injured arm is mostly healed now. However, Pedro's touch was still fresh in her memory. She looked at the window, wondering about the strange emotion she felt that day. "Hey there, girl!" A voice interrupted her thoughts as she saw her colleague at the Exorcist Organization. The one who called out to her was a woman in a white bottom-up shirt and a pencil skirt. She stood at six feet in height and had curly blonde hair. Her name is Marlene Trevor. Her other companion is another woman who stood at least 5'11" feet. She had long black hair and had bangs right above her right eye. Her name is Katheryn Walker. She wore a standard dress and a brown leather jacket.

"Hello, Marlene and Katheryn," Maria greeted. "Likewise, Maria," Katheryn replied. The ladies sat down at the table and ordered their food. "It's been so long, you know, since I saw you Maria, how have you been? Got a boyfriend already?" Katheryn elbowed Marlene in her ribs. "Ow! Hey, I'm just asking," Marlene angrily said. Maria only blankly looked at her. "That's a no then. You better get one real soon, you know. Someday, the menopause will start to kick in." Marlene was elbowed in the ribs again...hard. "Ow! What's your problem?!" Marlene cried. Katheryn gave her a glare that made her shut up. Katheryn let out a sigh. "Disregarding all those useless questions aside, how are you, Maria?" Katheryn asked. "I'm fine," Maria replied. "That's it? That can't be all right?" Marlene asked. Maria only looked to the side, seeing as their order finally arrived. "What's the reason for the meeting, Marlene?" Maria asked between bites. Marlene beamed at the question. "I just want to catch up with my favorite friends. It's been what? Three or four years? Time moved so fast with everything that had been happening in this country. We were so young when we all joined and separated years later," Marlene stated. Maria gave a solemn look.

"Yeah," Maria said. The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. "Anyway, I've heard about this new assignment of yours," Katheryn started, noticing the weird atmosphere. "Oh yeah, I heard it was a tough case since it took you a long time to finish it. What's it about anyway?" Marlene asks, beaming with curiosity. Maria took a sip of her coffee and then gave a rare expression on her face. "I-I'm still not finished with it."

Marlene dropped her spoon and Katheryn choked on her drink. "Excuse me, girl. I must be hearing things. Are you telling me that you're still not finished with your mission even now?" Marlene asks. At Maria's slow nod. Marlene suddenly stood up and raised her hands in the air. "Yes! I knew you were not an alien!" Maria yelled. Katheryn elbowed her ribs again. "Ow! Would you quit it? My ribs hurt," Marlene said. "I would if you stopped acting like a child. Now sit down before the staff in here decides to throw us out," Katheryn replied. "Hmmp!" Marlene then sat down with her arms crossed.

Katheryn then turned to Maria. "I'm surprised myself. You are one of the best of us and with a track record of your missions always getting finished in a short amount of time, I thought that you would be finished quickly. Now, I'm a little nervous myself. Is it too dangerous?" Katheryn questioned. "No. It's just..complicated," Maria replied.

Katheryn was a little curious about this. "Why do you say so?" She asked. Maria gained a nervous look for a few moments, but she quickly shut it down. "Can't tell."

"Does it involve a guy?" Marlene asked. Katheryn tried to elbow her again, but Marlene blocked it this time. "Yeah! You think I would see that from a mile away, old hag? I'll have you know I-Ouch!" Marlene touched her head where Katheryn's hand hit her. "When will you ever learn, right? Maria?" Katheryn said, but noticed her face getting a little red. Marlene saw this and gained a mischievous look. "Oh, so it does involve a guy. Tell me the details," Marlene said. Maria suddenly became agitated about this, but suddenly, their phones rang. They saw the notification and quickly exited the café.

They quickly changed to their uniform using magic and took off. "What do you think that is?" Marlene asked. "There is still not enough data given to us, however, the aura from afar is not that of those evil spirits. They feel rawer," Maria replied. They suddenly heard an explosion in the building with small electricity being visible in the smoke.

"That can't be good," Marlene said.

"Quickly, to that direction," Katheryn said as they took off. Another explosion came in the said building. Maria put her hands together. "Nacs eara," She chanted. She closed her eyes and noticed two signatures in the building where the explosion happened minutes ago. "It seems a fight had started," Maria reported. Just as they were closing in, a bolt of lightning came directly at them. They quickly separated to avoid it. They became tense and prepared themselves. Soon, Olivia came out of the shadow. "My apologies but, you will not pass."

She put her hands together and a giant magic circle materialized above her. "Rednuht tolb," Olivia chanted and a stream of thunderbolts came out of the magic circle. Maria, Marlene, and Katheryn quickly dodged the incoming attack.

Marlene took out her scythe and rushed at the enemy. She gave Olivia a series of slashes, but Olivia dodged them all. From behind, Katheryn came out with a machete and tried to get Olivia off guard. Olivia claps her hands together and let out a large portion of electricity around her body. Katheryn and Marlene got electrocuted before each got hit with a spinning kick that sent them both flying away. Maria aimed her Uzi Submachine Gun at Olivia and rained down bullets at her. Olivia clapped her hands together and formed a lightning shield, protecting her from the incoming bullets. Maria clapped her hands and two magic circles materialized on her left and right.

"Ethiw tellub."

Olivia was forced to run around, dodging numerous white bullets going directly at her. The ground and nearby walls were covered in numerous holes from the attack. "White bullets...such a high-level technique only learned from the best. The reputation precedes you Maria Lasan," Olivia thought. Olivia clapped her hands again and summoned a series of lightning strikes at Maria, who dodged quickly. The fight goes on for a few minutes until both opponents reach a standstill.

Maria was sweating and gasping a little, but Olivia seemed fine like before. Marlene and Katheryn joined Maria, both having small bruises from the earlier attack. "Who are you?" Maria demanded. "The name is Olivia. Not a pleasure to meet your acquaintance," Olivia replied.

"Olivia?" Maria thought. "Wait, you're one of them."

"What do you mean, Maria," Marlene asked.

"The Seven Sacraments. A rogue exorcist group. To think we'll meet one of its members this early."

"Wait, you mean THAT group? Darn, it looks like our situation doesn't look good."

Maria tightened her hold on her gun. "Why have you come here?" Maria questioned. "Orders," Olivia said. "Nothing too major, just here to buy you some time." Maria narrowed her eyes. "For what?" she asked. Olivia didn't answer the question, instead, she clapped her hands and summoned numerous thunderbolts in Maria's direction. The three exorcists dodged and rushed to Olivia, who in turn rushed as well. The fight continued with Olivia always gaining the upper hand, Marlene and Katheryn were already knocked out with Maria being the only one left standing in the group. "She is so strong...I can barely keep up with her," Maria thought before she got hit with a lightning attack in her stomach and got kicked in the face. She crashed into a nearby wall, her back aching in pain.

"It seems we miscalculated," Olivia said.

Maria looked on, her eyes tired just by opening them. The last thing she saw was Olivia vanishing in the wind before she lost consciousness.