The Guardian Demon (The Guardians of Nine Heavens #3)

Chapter 14: Diving into the Past

After the lectures finished, Johanne returned home. However, unlike in the morning when her heart was bouncing with excitement as she hurried towards her first day of lectures in the Demonology Institute, now she returned with a gloomy face. Lily, who stayed home while Linda and Alex were out for work, could easily notice the young girl's uneasiness.

"Johanne? What's wrong with you? Why such a long face?"

Johanne did not reply, but only sighed. She dropped her bag on the floor and walked in the dining room, which led to the kitchen where now Lily was preparing dinner. There, she took a seat at the table and looked down.

"Auntie..." she murmured in a low, sorrowful tone.

"Yes?" Lily walked out of the kitchen, brought the dishes and placed them before the girl. She took a seat too, in front of Johanne, and looked at her - what was wrong with her? Clearly, something bad had happened out there in the Institute.

"Auntie, are there truly only three primal guardians in the world?" Johanne asked in the same gloomy tone, her eyes still staring at the table.

Lily's eyes widened in fright as if goose-bumps had run down her spine. She managed to calm herself and asked:

"W... Why such a question in all of a sudden?"

Johanne sighed and retold her everything that had happened to her in the Institute: how the lecturer explained that there were actually four forces, thus four guardians, and even two anti-guardians they'd learn about in upper classes, and then, how he scolded the whole class and especially her. She also added the facts of what had happened to her in the library. She didn't want to hide anything from her aunt, because she felt that that white demon bringing up such weird visions to her was not good news (at least if she considered Balthazar's words, according to which these visions should be the remembrances of her past lives she had long forgotten). Hearing such bizarre stories, Lily's expressions changed from confused to stupefied and finally to alarmed. When Johanne finished her story, Lily sprang up and quickly grabbed her Skull Bracelet.

"We need to call Incubus as fast as possible, and all the others!"

"Eh? W... Why? What's wrong?" Johanne got even more worried - she had never seen her aunt so frightened before.

"I'll explain later. But now we need both of your uncles and cousins here!" 

Lily closed her eyes as if sending a telepathic message to someone. Then she reopened them, grabbed Johanne's hand, and took her to her bedroom.

Soon, all of the called entities - Incubus, Mei, Yuehong, Lucy, and even Samael - assembled in the room around Lily and the confused Johanne.

"Why is everyone here?" Johanne still couldn't understand, "Is it truly so alarming?" 

She trembled in worry - ugh, if only she had never gone to that damn Institute, nothing of this would've happened!

"Calm down, dear. It is fine." Lucy tried to reassure her, caressing her on the head. "We just need to make new arrangements now, for what we've feared has drawn near."

"Huh? F... Feared?" Johanne blinked, shivering even more. "What did you fear?"

"Okay, let's not overwhelm the child with too much information!" Yuehong cut in with a smile. "I shall explain, dear," he turned to the fearful girl, "You see, what you've said is truly real - there exists the fourth force in this world, the force of Perfection, and its guardian is indeed Tsukishiro of Eternal Silence. He was born an eternity ago, just like all the three of us - Michael, Samael, and I. However, due to the fact that he governs upon an abstract force, we do not really consider him an ally. He can rather be called our enemy, since his sole purpose is to disrupt the harmony of this world by his vile spells and bewitch the beings, leading them to strive for absolute perfection and meet their doom on the way, as there can never be achieved such a thing as 'absolute perfection'. It is indeed as that young boy has told you - if absolute perfection ever existed, nothing else would be needed. None of us would exist. But now, when all of us have taken our rightful places in this world, there is nowhere the room left for such an abstract entity as Tsukishiro. He is made of light energy that makes him look like a white demon, but his core is blackened and unkind. It symbolizes the beauty of absolute perfection one seeks to achieve, but the vile motive that lies behind it. Tsukishiro never fights for a good cause, unlike us. That is the main reason why he is called a demon."

Johanne gasped - so that fiend indeed existed!

"But... But what does it have to do with me?!" 

Tears gathered in her eyes - why had those visions struck her when she saw that picture? Why had that malicious voice whispered in her ear like an echo of a painful past? All of this didn't really tie in!

She heard Incubus' heavy sigh:

"Unfortunately, it has more to do with you than anyone else, Johanne. Actually, it has to do with not just you, but me as well."

"Eh?" Johanne blinked in confusion - what did he mean?

Incubus glanced at Samael and Lily as if asking for permission. When he received their nods, he bitterly smiled and turned back to Johanne:

"I guess, it is time for you to regain your past memories?"

"Huh?" 

Johanne gasped - so, this matter was indeed connected with her past lives?! It made her a bit scared, but nevertheless, she obeyed and lay on her bed.

"Don't worry. I'll try my best not to make it too painful." Incubus caressed her on the head. "All of the pain and joy, and other senses you've experienced, you'll undergo yet once again. Keep in mind, however, that it is all just memories, and you'll manage to ease the pain a little."

"Was... my past so painful?" Johanne got worried.

At this, Incubus only gave her a bitter smile and put his fingers to her forehead, making her vision go blurred. Soon, she dived into a deep slumber, revisiting the memories of her past life, just like her aunts had done years ago, before her.