The Devil’s Cage

The night was like ink, painting the sky as it covered the stars and moon.

Outside the St. Paolo School gate, torches shed light as the doctors were still busy, the heavy crow outfits were making them sweat and pant heavily.

Though none of them would take off the effective protection against the plague, especially when the elderly sister had fallen severely ill, the doctors had reevaluated the severity of the plague.

“We need more potions! And… this street block must be quarantined!”

One of the doctors told the head doctor. His tone was heavy because he knew what they would have to face should the quarantine happen.

People could only come in and not leave, alive or dead!

If the plague couldn’t get effectively controlled and continued to spread… soon the place would turn into a dead zone and in the end, a huge fire would burn everything to crisp, despite having the living in the area.

From a certain aspect, the living were the fire’s target!

Only when all the infected were burned to death could the plague be removed.

“Quarantine?” The doctor who practiced under Sister Moni before muttered softly.

He knew some secrets regarding the quarantine but it was also a fact that the plague was getting harder to control.

Comparing the two outcomes, the lead doctor called out to his colleagues around the area.

“Everyone! We are facing a situation that is much harder and more dangerous than what we expected! We… need to quarantine this street block!” The lead doctor said after a slight pause.

The others kept quiet as a reply.

In fact, when the doctors answered the call of duty and appeared in the infected area, they already prepared themselves for the worst.

A couple of doctors exchanged gazes before turning to the lead doctor, nodding.

“Thank you, everyone. I swear to stand with you all, whether in the kingdom of Dawn or the fall to hell!”

The lead doctor then lit up the flare aside. Shuuu!

The sharp air-breaking sound broke the silent night, everyone saw the red flare that shone under the night sky, the Snake of Phuthuman!

The people who knew the meaning of the flare felt their hearts sink.

Chief Officer John who has been monitoring the area pressed the tip of his hand down and told his aide in a heavy tone, “Seal off at least 5 blocks of streets in the area, including St. Paolo school. Strengthen the security on all street blocks and anyone who crosses the line without permission, shoot on sight!”

“Yes, sir!”

Deputy Chief Officer Leschuder pouted his mouth and replied in a heavy tone as well, his voice wasn’t as sonorous as before. Even after Leschuder gave his affirmative answer, he looked at John with an unyielding look, hoping that his superior might have a change of mind.

“GO! You want more people to die inside? A street block and a city, don’t you know how to choose?”

“I know! But it’s not fair!”

“But this ain’t the f*cking time we talk about fairness!”

Unfortunately, John didn’t change his mind, not only did he not change his mind but he scolded his men as well. His scolding was like a beastly roar that sounded off at the street.

The deputy chief officer and the other officers were frightened.

Yes, it might seem unfair to the people of the street block but if they let it go unchecked, would it be fair to the others around in the city?

The officers started to move out after that.

The chief officer stood at the entrance of the street, staring at the black night sky as he moved his hand over to his chest where he kept the silver wine pot with the holy water from the Church of Dawn.

“I hate to rely on this vague and insubstantial existence, I thought this is a joke before but now I really hope that You’re real! If You really exist, open Your eyes and see! This is the place where You descended with Your miracles before! This is the place where Your believers first gathered! Are You going to abandon them and leave like this?” John muttered to himself.

Actually, not only John, many more self-muttering sounded across the corners of the city, especially the aged elderly.

During their youth where the elderly had gone through the fallen age, they might have adapted themselves in this new age but when during a life and death situation, the marks that were branded in their survival instinct automatically came into effect, let alone the people who gathered in front of the St. Paolo School’s gate.

They were praying and concentrated on the situation.

So when a certain part of the school was burning, everyone saw it clearly.

“Fire! Fire!”

The call sounded off right away and the people were in a rush to extinguish the fire yet they were stopped by the lead doctor.

“Don’t panic everyone! The school security members will deal with that, now what you should do is watch over your families who are infected, don’t increase the burden of the school anymore.”

The reasonable explanations and the doctor’s dignity calmed the people swiftly but some of them hiding in the dark showed a totally opposite reaction.

Each of them dashed out from the shadows, swiftly heading towards the direction of the small chapel.

“We did it!”

Gateli and the Revival Society leader who dashed out from the crowd were delighted from the bottom of their hearts.

Although they knew they would succeed eventually, when success was placed before them, it was hard for them to conceal their excitement.

“Prepare the things, we are going to welcome the arrival of our New God!” The Revival Society leader said.

“Um!”

Gateli nodded and took out a palm-sized box from his pocket and like Gateli, the Revival Society leader also took out a similar box.

Each of them had half of the key item related to the New God’s descent, which was the key factor of their collaboration.

“Don’t forget your promise!” Gateli said.

“I could say the same to you as well, don’t forget what you said before!” The Revival Society leader said.

Then, both of them smiled with a tacit understanding but soon enough, the smiles froze on their faces.

They saw the place that was on fire wasn’t the small chapel but just a couple haystacks.

Kieran who was holding the torch beside the haystacks smiled as if he was the host welcoming his guests to his home, greeting them pleasantly.

“Good evening gentlemen!”

His tone was calm and flat but when Gateli heard the greetings, his face turned almost purplish.

“You…You…”

Gateli wanted to say something but the anger was stuffed in his throat, preventing him from talking properly.

“You are trying to say why am I not fooled by your tricks? Sadly, I am a dubious person. You used my dubious character, misleading me to doubt Sister Moni, but… did you ever think about compared to Sister Moni, you as a stranger to me, is more doubtful?”

“Well, of course, I have to thank you as well, luring all these rats hiding in drains. It really saved me a lot of time, now I can kill them all in one go!”

Kieran’s words with the burning sizzling sounds of the haystacks beside him sounded like slap after slap hitting on Gateli’s face, causing his face to change again and again.

“You garbage!”

The Revival Society leader who was still exchanging smiles with Gateli a moment ago scolded him without the slightest courtesy.

“You!”

Gateli too glared at his collaborator but he couldn’t form any words to refute because facts speak louder than words.

Kieran, on the other hand, landed his gaze on this Revival Society leader. His gaze was different from the calm gaze when he looked at Gateli when Kieran glared at the leader, his eyes had a sense of cold killing intent.

“It’s been a while! What should I call you? Lord leader of the Revival Society? Or St. Paolo School security captain, Reed?”