CH3: Kegare II

Exorcist.

Can be best define as a person who is believed to be able to cast out the devil or other demons. To most people an exorcist can be seen as a priest, nun, monk, or even a healer, but you know what I think it truly means?

A pain in my ass is what I think it is.

As far back as I can remember my father always use to tell me tales of spirits and mystical beings that can’t be explain by normal means, hidden in everyday society. When I was twelve, I said the one thing that only completely backfired my upcoming teen years.

“Dad, please don’t go telling that stuff in public. It’s embarrassing and frankly, just plain weird” I said to him, but he only smiled which even I knew that was an ominous smile.

I don’t know how he did it, but my father would randomly pop out of nowhere and force me to wear some trinket. Saying it will keep demons away so I can pass my classes or keep my spirits up. No matter what grade I was in, my father would find a way to embarrass me at school and in public, of course my sister was no different as she just fueled into the dilemma of being dad’s sidekick.

Even my own mother who was considered the normal one in my family wasn’t bothered by any of this. Actually, now that I think about it, my mother would find it funny seeing my dad do the silly things he did. Even till this day I ask her what sees in him, but she would response with the same statement every time.

“That’s just part of his charm sweetie.”

To me, that didn’t answer my question, at which I remain confused for years as to why my mother would marry a man who in the modern era claim to be an exorcist. Because in my dictionary, being an exorcist is the same as being jobless. I swear, I felt the only reason why my family survived this long is because of my mother’s job.

One of the reasons why I tried to be so non-existed in high school, if people forgot about me then so would the embarrassing moments as well.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case this time, because now, I’m heading to my dad’s supposed office room were-I can’t believe I’m saying this- asking for help because in the first time in my life something unexplainable has happen to my complacent lifestyle, and when something unexplainable happens I turn to the one person I wish I didn’t have to see.

My Father.

1

Alexia and I stood in front of my father’s work office, at this point I could only imagine what he was doing behind that door. Even with that shuddering thought I went and grab the door handle, ready to open.

“W-Wait” said Alexia when she grab my arm.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Shouldn’t we knock first?”

“Not really, remember what my sister said when we came to the house? My Dad was already expecting us. Right now he’s probably sitting in his chair waiting any minute for us to come out this door.” I explained.

Alexia gave it some thought, I guess even though she was in a tight dilemma she still wanted to retain her composure and be polite to my father. Yet I couldn’t care less because of his unique personality. When Alexia let go of my arm I soon open the door, that was when all the memories starting flooding in.

This place hasn’t change one bit…

It was like walking into a museum, my father had artifacts and portraits that he collected over the years from different countries. Of course in the back there’s was a huge library of old books containing different languages, languages that are probably not even used in the modern world-lost in history.

And there he was.

There, my father, Jerald Lockluster, sat at his desk with a magnifying glass, apparently he was studying some kind of amulet, knowing him, he was probably trying to deceiver the language engraved on it.

“Having fun there Dad?” I said with a sarcastic tone.

“Hm?” My father look up with his magnifying glass to realize we were standing in front of him.
Then in swift motion he jump over his desk only to land in front of us while taking a weird pose.

“Ah, if it isn’t my son. To what do I owe the pleasure?” he said in a clever tone voice.

“I can see you’re still as weird as ever, but you know why I’m here Dad. Alyssa told me you were expecting us.”

“Is that so? Such a shame, I had already plan out a way to make myself look cool by predicting every word you would speak, but your sister had to go in ruined it,” my father said sighing, he then turned his gaze back at me.

“So what is it that you need help with?” He asked.

“Well not me but her actually” I said as my Dad turned his attention to Alexia.

“Hmmm…” my father stared at Alexia with intense focus which somewhat bother me because usually he does that to be perverted so I took immediate action.

Poke!

It was then I poke my father in both his eye sockets.

“Dad, I rather you didn’t stare at my friend with lustful eyes please,” I said annoyed.

“R-Right of course my son. So my dear, what seems to be the problem?” He asked.

“W-Well you see…” Alexia seemed nervous to speak, rather heisted to answer. Of course I expected this by tapping her on the shoulder.

“It’s okay Alexia, my dad may be weird but you can trust him,” I said to her in a sincere voice.
The shaking in Alexia body began to ease. She shook her head in agreement with me and without hesitation she removed her hat.

“Ohhh, now I see the problem,” my father rub his chin as he gazed at Alexia catlike ears twitching.

During this moment I expected my father to give us the reason as to why Alexia has catlike features. But I have to remember this is my father were talking about here and his sense of reason can be rather unpredictable.

“Okay Ms. Bell can you do me a favor?” My father asked.

Wait, how did Dad know Alexia last name? I never told him? I shouldn’t have let my thoughts go astray since for a brief second I lost my attention on Alexia-

That’s when it happened.

“Um, yes sir what is it?” She said perplexed.

“Turn your head to the left please.”

“Uh, okay? Like this?” She said still confused.

“Perfect.”

Whack.

The sound my father arm tap against Alexia neck which caused her to instantly pass out.
“Alright let’s see what we have here.” It only made matters worse when in sudden motion my father place Alexia on the floor which led him to pulling off her shirt.

You can kind of expect what I did after that, right?

Pow!

Yeah, that’s right, I punch my father straight into his face which caused him to fly straight towards his bookcase.

“Gya!” I may have hit him, but I knew that was the fakest scream my Dad could have made.

“W-What the hell are you doing?!” I said in anger, which was hard to tell if I was truly angered or blushing of the perverted action that was about to be taken place in front of me.

“I-I see you been keeping up with your martial arts Elias,” my father said getting up from the bookcase.

“Well yeah I still train after work and-don’t change the subject! Why we’re you trying to grope Alexia!” I was angered, but this didn’t seem to faze my father when he walk back towards us.

“Son, look at Alexia chest.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Just look,” his voice was stern this time.

I was hesitant, it was rare to see my father serious with his glaring eyes. Knowing full well he was serious I look over at Alexia chest, that’s when my eyes widen.

“W-What is that?” I said in fear.

Located near Alexia upper chest region, a symbol in the shape of a star was pulsing, followed by burning red dots near the tip of the stars shape.

“That my son is what we call the mark of a Kegare.” My father said, fixing Alexia shirt. Clearly the punch I delivered to his face didn’t faze him as well.

“Kegare? Is that some of type of Demon?” I ask, my father rub his chin in thought.

“Hmmmm…sort of.”

“Sort of? What do you mean?” I said worried.

“I mean your half right. You see Elias, Kegare are the embodiment of sin in a sense, which was first discovered in the Japanese culture. They only take form inside the heart of a human if that said human has a bottle up source of sin within them,” he explained.

“But if that’s true Dad, why does Alexia look like this? When I first met her, she was nothing but a helpless street cat. Now she looks like some weird demi-human.”

As I explained, my father returned to his desk with his fingers interlock together, of course he return to his slightly care free tone.

“As far as I can tell by Alexia transformation she was only half cured by you,” even though his tone was carefree, I could tell he was telling the truth.

“Me, how? I’m not an exorcist?” I said confused, my father then smiled.

“You don’t need to be an exorcist to help someone Elias.”

“Dad, please stop trying to act cool and please tell me how I was able to half cure Alexia” I said with a deadpan expression at which my father only sighed by my response.

“What I’m saying is you don’t need any exorcist power or knowledge to cure Alexia,” he then continued in his suppose all-knowing voice.

“To help cure someone of there Kegare, they need to realize what sin they carry within themselves. You may have not notice it but I can tell before Alexia met you she must have had a pretty rough life which in turn caused the Kegare to manifest. When Alexia met you, she must have been so comfortable with your voice, actions, and overall nature, which as a result cause Alexia to subconsciously reveal her own sin. Of course at this point you know what happen next.”
My father explained so much in such a short amount of time that it was hard to take in-I could only say ask him one thing at this point.

“Dad, how do you know all this from us just coming into your office?”

I had to ask because I was so shock by my father knowledge. Here I thought my father was some goofy man that took his hobby way too serious, but for him to know this much in such a short amount of time really surprise me. To the point it feared me because I think I was starting to respect him as man and father.

Scary.

After I ask him, his face became serious yet again, this time he got up from his desk with his arms cross and walk over to me. I guess to prove how serious he was? Who knows, but I did know it was important.

“Let’s just say son that something unusual been hiding in our city. Something I never expected to rear its ugly head in such a peaceful society and it’s connected to Alexia mark.” He said pointing at her chest.

I wanted to ask what he meant by the connections but I was already overloaded by the sheer fantasy he was explaining to me. It was then my father revealed the truth, a truth that I honestly didn’t want to hear because I knew my life was never going to be complacent again.

Oh, no. What did I get myself into?