The Forgotten Sin (Purifiers Book 1) (28 page)

           
"Yes Master."

           
"Free him from his chains." Samael ordered stepping back.

Without hesitation Lord Baddesley whipped out a long black key from the pocket of his suit
and released the chains from Kazuki’s wrists. Iliana quickly rushed to him.

           
"Kazuki!..."

She rested a hand gently on his arm but he turned away from her. His badly ripped, torn and
bloody back faced Iliana as he turned round. A pinch of pain struck Iliana at the sight of it
and also at the shunned reaction he gave her. Samael however chuckled as he watched the
awkward atmosphere between them.

           
"Not exactly what I had in mind. Well then... Baddesley... kill them both!" He
growled firmly.

Kazuki prepared himself to face Lord Baddesley, however Lord Baddesley hesitated as his
eyes fell on Iliana’s.

           
"What is wrong with you Baddesley?... Did you not hear my orders?" Samael
questioned turning round to him.

His face looked utterly confused, pained and desperate but he hastily shook it off then
picked up the handle of the whip.

           
"I thought you had gone to sleep!" Samael sarcastically remarked.

           
"Forgive my idleness Master!"

Iliana felt for the presence of water however did not have the time to concentrate. Lord
Baddesley welted the end of the whip towards her but Kazuki grabbed her arm and pulled
her away from it. They both hid behind one of the fire pits. Kazuki moaned from the pain
that seared down his back.

           
"Kazuki!..." Iliana gasped as he cowered.

           
"I am fine!" He quickly snapped.

           
Taken back from his frosty response Iliana threw him deathly glare which he
promptly ignored. Another cracking sound from the whip was heard. Suddenly the fire pit
they were standing behind flew towards them. Iliana and Kazuki leapt out of the way just in
time as the fire pit fell to the floor, the white hot charcoals scattered everywhere. Kazuki
collapsed as they attempted to get up, he was clearly in agony. Iliana stood by him trying to
help his body of steel up to his feet, but Lord Baddesley lashed the end of whip again.
Kazuki pushed Iliana aside and amazingly grabbed the end of the whip with his bare hand.
He wrapped it round his arm and with an almighty strength he pulled it hard. Lord
Baddesley stumbled as the handle of the whip was snatched from his grip. Kazuki threw the
whip to one side then fell to his hands and knees breathing heavily with beads of sweat
rolling down his olive skin.

         Lord Baddesley however was not finished. He seized a spear from one the demons
gathered round Father Benjamin, Jung and Caitlyn and dashed towards Kazuki like a flash
of light. Kazuki wearily raised his head, when Iliana appeared in front of him with her arms
open out beside her. She glared at Lord Baddesley running towards with conviction across
his face. Iliana heard Father Benjamin, Jung and Caitlyn’s muffled cries from the other end
of the room. She took a deep breath then lowered her arms, her glare turned into a soft and
content gaze. Lord Baddesley stared straight into her forgiving eyes and just as the sharp
point was centimetres from her stomach, he suddenly stopped and dropped the spear. Then
he threw his head back and screamed as he stumbled backwards, cradling his head in his
hands. Iliana watched him helplessly as he screamed as if he was mentally tortured. Samael
rolled his eyes at the sight of Lord Baddesley’s actions.

           
"Here we go again!" He said in a bored tone with a hint of sarcasm.

           
"Lord Baddesley?" Iliana eventually called out after watching him for a few
moments.

Lord Baddesley’s screams then stopped, he slowly lowered his head until he was gazing
vacantly into Iliana’s eyes. He dropped his arms beside him.

           
"Wagtail!" He whispered in a shaken voice.

Tears appeared at the corners of his beady eyes as he repeated it over and over again.

           
"Wagtail?" Iliana muttered hearing that word from somewhere before.

Then as if a lightbulb turned on her head, she remembered that name.

           
"Lucy Baddesley."

With sound of her name, Lord Baddesley fell to his knees and sobbed. Samael appeared
with his arms behind him, glaring down at Lord Baddesley in front of him expressionlessly.

           
"Baddesley!... Baddesley!... How many times have we been through this?... I thought
you wanted to forget the past." He hissed pacing behind him. "Yet you always bring them
back and end up torturing yourself with it!"

           
"T-there is something else m-missing." Lord Baddesley stammered, his eyes still
fixed on Iliana’s. "Something... I cannot remember."

           
"You said you did not want to remember that particular part of your memory... You
even begged
me to rid it from your mind!"

           
"What are you talking about?" Iliana asked tearing her gazed from Lord Baddesley
to Samael. "You erased his memories?"

           
"Not erased... clouded the truth... He did something in his past which brought him to
me. He sold his soul!... He is mine until he faces and accepts the truth of his sins. My own
little Miracle."

           
"Lord Baddesley... you have to face the truth, no matter how painful it is!" Iliana
pleaded. "You cannot be bounded like this... You are stronger than you think!"

Lord Baddesley blinked, a flicker of hope flashed in his eyes.

           
"My Wagtail once said the same thing!"

He took a deep breath before turning round on his knees and looked up at Samael who
raised an eyebrow at his sudden change of heart. Samael glanced to Iliana, she could feel
his glare penetrating into her eyes like spits of fire.

He waved a hand over Lord Baddesley’s face. Instantly his body began to shake, his head
rolled back as he gasped out loudly. When his body was still he lowered his head and stared
into the palms of his hands. Samael smiled malevolently.

           
"Now... do you remember?... Remember when the man you called... ‘Father’ told
you that you were not his real son... but the son of a dying poor man... Your ‘Father’s’ wife
died from giving birth to a lifeless baby and so he took you in at the tender age of three
weeks. In the height of anger you wrapped your hands round his neck and strangled him to
death in his own room. After then you summoned me."

Iliana could only watch the helpless Lord Baddesley staring at his trembling hands as
Samael continued whilst pacing behind him.

           
"After you returned from Beach Cove you asked me if I could Cloud your memories
of your sin... And also forget about the friend you broke up with... and I willingly did for a
small price. Then you met that woman
and fell in love with her. Even though she was not a
Purifier she somehow managed to Purify your Tainted soul and immediately you
remembered your forgotten sin. Then you decided to tell her of your sins the night of the
dinner party that you and her... and your son was supposed to attend."

           
"No!... Do not continue... please!" Lord Baddesley begged.

           
"She hated you for keeping such a dark secret... and you ended up going to the
dinner alone. When you came back your mansion was in flames... your precious wife was
burnt alive... and your son was unconscious. You then came back to me... and I gave you
the opportunity to revenge your lover’s killers which you gladly accepted with both hands...
And you thrived from the pleasure of tearing apart those men’s body and spirit in their
cells. Your soul is damned with the blood you have spilt!" Samael stated showing no
remorse. "Some say your sins could be forgiven in time... but unfortunately, that is a luxury
that you will never have!"

Lord Baddesley faced Samael, his eyes weary and frightened.

           
"What do you mean?"

Samael smiled as he narrowed his eyes.

           
"As I said... my plans have changed."

In one swift movement Samael picked up the black spear that Lord Baddesley had dropped
then plunged the sharp point into Lord Baddesley’s stomach so hard it protruded out his
back.

           
"NO!..." Iliana screamed, wanting to rush to Lord Baddesley.

But Iliana felt a sudden stabbing pain inside her which prevented her from moving. It was a
strange indescribable feeling that struck her heart and soul, as if something was ripped out
of her. A feeling she felt when she first met Lord Baddesley but more intense. The same
feeling when she dreams the same dark dream but more painful and real. The shrill screams
rang in her ears and her body felt cold. Samael saw Iliana’s reaction and one side of his lips
lifted into a malignant smirk as he pulled out the spear.

           
"I knew it was you!" He hissed when he stood up, dismissing the blooded spear to
the floor.

Breathing heavily Iliana looked up at him utterly confused. But her gaze was sidetracked
when Lord Baddesley began to fall backwards. Iliana launched forwards to catch him in her
arms.

*** Chapter 12 ***

           
"Lord Baddesley!" Iliana gasped, trying to hold him up.

For a small man he was heavier than he looked.

           
"You cannot save him!" Samael stated, stepping back yet fixed his glare on Iliana.

           
Ignoring him Iliana laid a hand over his chest. She could feel his heart, it was frail
but still beating. Iliana took a deep breath, concentrating hard on the fluidity of the blood
flowing from his heart. As a soft blue light emitted round Iliana’s hand Lord Baddesley
drew in a deep breath. His eyes were fully open. Within moments the light faded and Lord
Baddesley breathed out as he closed his eyes.

           
"Well... how about that!... You use their own blood to Purify their soul!" Samael
said sounding impressed. "Who taught you that?"

Iliana laid Lord Baddesley down carefully onto the floor, his chest raising and falling
slowly but regularly. She stood up and met Samael’s glare.

           
"Are you going to fight me?" Samael asked, amused at Iliana’s firm look.

           
"You have left me no choice!" Iliana responded feeling her hands tingle from the
presence of water nearby.

           
"You have always had spirit." Samael said with a smile. "However... tonight is not
our night. We cannot be premature with matters such this."

           
"What do you mean?"

           
"Uh-uh... that would be telling!" Samael chuckled, waving his long index finger side
to side.

           
"Then why are you building an army?... Who are you fighting against?" Iliana
questioned.

           
"So many questions... yet so little time to answer them. However... I will say this...
this world that you live in is right in the middle of a dangerous game that has been played
for many years. And I hope this time... you will play your role well."

           
Rows of demons appeared in front of Samael, growling like hungry bears. Then a
beautiful heavenly voice filled the tense room, a song which was so uplifting Iliana
instantly felt calm. Gun shots soon followed after, then a clatter of fallen metal and Iliana’s
name was called out. Father Benjamin ran towards Iliana with Jung and Caitlyn not far
behind him. The demons that had once surrounded them were gone, with only clutter of
black spears in their wake.

           
"Father Benjamin, Jung, Caitlyn... how did you all?..."

           
"I am a special agent... you think I cannot escape from being tied up for so long?"
Jung replied holding both guns out in front him.

           
Caitlyn carried on singing whilst she tended to Kazuki, her bow glowing in her hand.
All the demons shuddered at the sound covering their ears as they huddled over. Black
smoke emerged out from the possessed humans forming many more demons in their place.
Father Benjamin stood next to Iliana shooting angered glares at Samael who seemed
unmoved of Caitlyn’s song.

           
"You used me!" Father Benjamin cried out in disgust.

Samael laughed as he combed his hair back with his fingers.

           
"And I should really thank you Benji... I thought you would be in my way of my
previous plans... but instead you found the Miracle of water and brought her straight to me.
I am surprised though... how an intelligent priest such as yourself did not realise a demon
was in your midst for all these years."