Stray

The afternoon sun was warm and dazzling.

Virgil retracted his hand. He wasn’t wearing a mask and his plain and hearty smile disappeared without a trace in that moment. The tall man lowered his head and looked coldly at what was struggling on the ground…

It was the demon warlock they ran into when they first entered the church. He had basically lost his human appearance and was closer to a large ball of tar. The deformation was so severe that only his human-like head was retained, while other parts were completely distorted into dark and viscous oil.

At this moment, he was dying, and his shrill screams were bound in a small space covered by a mute array.

“Exorcist!” he roared. His moist body was melting and oozing out blood that had a fishy smell. “How dare you… How can you use a corrosion spell! You filthy traitor!”

“Because it’s very easy to use,” Virgil’s tone was mixed with a sneer. “It’s also suitable for torture.”

“So you’re…!”

“Yes, but I’m not the same garbage as you who prey on children, ‘Pied Piper*’. Even human hunters know that hunting cubs is an unwise choice.”

*Based off the legend describing a Piper dressed in multicolored (“pied”) clothing, who was a rat catcher hire by the town to lure away rats with his magic pipe. When the citizens refused to pay for this service, he retaliates by using his instrument’s magical power to lure away their children.