Kenny let out a low groan as he lifted his head, which was still throbbing in pain inside and out. His face was swollen, especially around his eyes which would have mattered more if he wasn't sitting in a completely pitch black room.

He was sat on the cold hard ground, his arms either side of him as the ground itself rose up and entombed his hands in earthen shackles to keep him in place. He struggled against them, pulling and twisting in a desperate attempt to free himself, but they were tight around his hands.

As soon as he started to breath, he immediately regretted it. A truly repulsive stench filled the room, as if they were positioned underneath the toilets. The heretics probably used this same space to hold the corpses of their victims, with him being next. No doubt after they had drained him of blood, to steal his blessing from his Divine Greatness.

Thinking of the Lightbringer, Kenny hung his head in shame. He had completely and utterly failed his gracious god, the one that had given him these wondrous, miraculous abilities and now he was going to lose them to demon worshippers.

How could he have failed such a simple mission? All he had to do was torture the electric woman to get information, as well as to rile up the demon in charge, then dispose of her body. He was even planning to have his own special fun with her, but somehow they failed.

It was all because of that stupid boyfriend of hers, and the child-like demon that was really in charge.

"Is someone out there?"

Kenny tilted his head, turning his ear towards the voice that called out from the dark. It was a weak voice, strained. But one he recognised. It was another member of his team. Ignis, the fire user. He was one of the people who took a new name when they gained their blessing.

"Ignis! Can you get free?"

"My hands are bound in stone... but I think I can melt them free."

There was silence for a few moments before a soft, orange glow illuminated the room from behind him as two dark shadows danced on the walls. Kenny tried to twist himself around to look at his companion, but his bindings were stopping him.

The most he could get is a slight hint of a figure out of the corner of his eye.

"What's the plan once we get out of here?"

Kenny faced forwards and grit his teeth, thinking for a moment/

"We stick with the original plan. Even if we failed, we can still link up with Paladin Phobus. He should have been able to get the other agents the money we took from the heretic. The plan can still work if they can bribe enough of the higher ups, or hire the right types of people.

These heretics will be greedy, filled with sin. They will hardly take much convincing. "

"Our rendezvous point might be breached. I've heard screams coming through the walls, while you were asleep. They've been interrogating the others. God only knows what information they got out of them.

We should contact Paladin Phobus, change the location of the meet up. Argh, but they took my communicator."

Kenny growled in annoyance at his companions words before tilting his head. He wriggled his body, feeling the contents of his pockets against his arm before he finally felt what he was looking for, his own communicator. The foolish heretics couldn't even figure out that's what this was.

They were probably looking for a phone type device, instead of a watch. His love of old spy films really was paying off.

"I still have mine. If you can free my hands, we can ruin any information they gain and ensure the success of the missions."

"On it. I just got my hands free."

The light shifted, footsteps echoing through the room as Ignis approached from behind before Kenny could feel the vibrations through the stone as his companion punched it to rubble. As soon as his hands were free, Kenny immediately leapt to his feet and tore the watch from his pocket.

He slapped it onto his wrist and activated it, typing on a hovering screen and quickly sending a message to Paladin Phobus.

[Divine Providence. Rendezvous leaked. Request new location.]

Just to ensure that the devices couldn't be stolen and used by others, they set up a codeword. Divine Providence. Any such message containing that, would ensure it came from their own people and not a heretic who simply stole a communicator.

A response quickly came back, confirming the request as well as sending him a location for the new meet up.

Kenny quickly put the device away and gestured for Ignis to follow him as he snuck over to the door. He pressed his ear against it, listening for a few seconds before cracking it open.

The door immediately swung open, further and faster than he expected, as it cracked into his forehead and sent him tumbling backwards.

"That was easier than expected."

A woman strolled into the room, her resting face giving her a deep set scowl with cold, soul piercing eyes. Lightning crackled around her blackened fingers, which twiddled idly as she played with the lightning.

Kenny shot to his feet, backing up towards Ignis. When his back bumped into his companion, he almost retched in disgust as that lingering smell of rot and decay flooded into his nose once again. When he finally looked at his companion, his stomach churned and he stumbled back in shock.

Standing in front of him now was indeed Ignis, but his body was covered in garish wounds. Claw marks that tore his flesh open, guts hanging from his stomach. His eyes were clouded over, staring into the air blankly.

A demonic symbol floated in the air next to him, casting the light that was supposed to have been created by his companions abilities. What stood before him was not a man, but a walking and still rotting corpse.

The corpses mouth opened, and Ignis' voice poured out of it with strain.

"What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost? I have to thank you for giving us your companions locations, they will be joining you soon. How do you like my new puppet, by the way?

It's amazing how your voice changes with a different persons vocal cords. I doubt your superiors will be as gullible as you. But even if this method doesn't work... we have other ways of extracting information."

The corpse smiled at him, a cold and half hearted smile that offered absolutely no joy or warmth to it in the slightest. Kenny quickly raised his hand, but with a blur of silver his arm was severed just above his watch.

Clutching the stump, which was spurting blood, Kenny let out a shrill scream. The demonic symbol quickly floated over, searing the stump closed so that he couldn't even bleed to death, as the corpse of his companion kept talking.

"Before I used to worry about killing people. But I have killed 3 people in the last week and I feel nothing, and with this silly war looming over my head, I suspect I will only add to that tally exponentially.

I would have never considered these tactics before, I couldn't have imagined doing anything like what I am doing now.

But you and your people. You deserve it. I used to think that this was what would make me a monster. But now I see, that I'm just ridding the world of the monsters. Thank you for helping me understand that, and for helping me rid the world of even more of them.

Astra dear, If you would."

The corpse stood to the side, making way for the lightning woman Kenny had fantasised about torturing and playing with only hours before. With every step she took towards him, he backed off. It wasn't long until his back was hitting against the wall, and she was growing ever closer.

She regarded him coldly as she reached out a hand towards him, clamping her hand over his eyes and slamming his head against the wall once again. Her index finger and thumb were pressed against either of his temples as she spoke softly.

"Tell me, what do you know of the brain? Me, I know a lot. Especially now. Your brain produces only 20 watts of electricity. That's barely enough to power a lightbulb. Yet with that tiny amount, it does so much.

All those electrical signals, every single watt, I can feel it pumping out your brain and coursing through your body. Every twitch of your fingers, every beat of your heart. Every thought. I can feel it, the energy moving through you. If I cut you, your brain would receive little signals from your nerves to tell you you're in pain.

So I wonder... What would happen if I skipped the middle man, and simply pumped my own energy into that little part of your brain that receives that signal of pain? What happens if instead of a little lightbulb, I lit you up like a Christmas tree?"

With a clench of her fingers, electricity shot through Astra's blackened digits and shot into the assassins brain. Under her deft control, every single joule coursed through his brain and straight into his Thalamus, as an ear splitting and hellish scream tore from the assassins lips.