Eliana entered the room with a steaming cup of tea, the scent of chamomile filling the air. The dim light from the bedside lamp illuminated José, who lay on the bed, his gaze lost on the ceiling. His furrowed brows and the sigh that escaped his lips revealed his restlessness.
—Love, is something wrong? —Eliana asked gently, approaching him.
José blinked slowly, as if returning from a distant place.
—Just a strange dream, darling —he replied in a low voice.
Eliana placed her cup on the nightstand and sat beside him, taking his hand tenderly.
—What was it about? —asked Eliana with curiosity.
José took a moment to answer. His chest rose with a deep breath before he spoke.
—I dreamed about my mother. She told me I had to eliminate the Satanists, but… she always taught me to do good. —José commented thoughtfully.
Eliana caressed his cheek softly, trying to dispel the shadow darkening his expression.
—My love, I know you miss your mother. Dreams can be confusing, and sometimes they reflect what we feel. —She kissed his cheek tenderly, seeking to comfort him.
José looked at her with gratitude and, in a gesture of love, kissed her lips. However, the calm of the moment vanished with the sudden intrusion of César and Liz into the room. Their faces reflected concern, their heavy breaths betraying the urgency.
—What's going on, cousin? —Eliana asked, standing up as she noticed the distress on Liz's face.
Liz swallowed hard before speaking.
—Jesus has sent us on our first mission. We must stop a Satanist. —Liz said worriedly.
Eliana tensed. César nodded firmly, his gaze determined.
—We have to go now —he said seriously.
José stood up, gripping his angelic sword with determination.
—Then let's go. —José spoke with resolve.
From a corner of the room, the shadows seemed to move, twisting as if coming to life. A reddish glow flashed through the darkness, accompanied by a malicious smile. Lucifer, disguised as Jesus, had led them straight into his trap.
The night was dark, and the icy breeze blew through the ruins of an abandoned factory. The moon barely illuminated the rusty remains and the crumbling hallways that echoed with invisible whispers. The scent of dampness and metal filled the air.
God's envoys advanced cautiously, their angelic armor faintly gleaming under the scarce light. Their footsteps echoed over the cracked concrete.
A movement above made them stop in their tracks. From a corroded beam, a silhouette descended with the grace of a predator. Dressed in dark robes, Francisco landed in front of them, a mocking smile curving his lips.
—So, you're God's envoys. Pathetic —he said with disdain, crossing his arms.
José felt the air grow heavier. His eyes widened in disbelief.
—You… you're my mother's nurse —he whispered, stunned.
Francisco let out a cold laugh.
—Ah, look who's here, Mrs. Rosita's son. What a shame she's gone. She was a sweet woman… but now she's gone.
The venom in his tone made José's fists clench tightly. His breathing turned erratic.
—José, calm down. Don't let his provocations get to you —César warned, reading the fury in his friend's eyes.
But it was too late. Rage clouded José's judgment. With a roar, he unsheathed his angelic sword and lunged at Francisco.
The Satanist dodged the attack with inhuman agility, his laughter echoing through the factory.
—Darling, no! —Eliana shouted, sensing the danger in the air.
Liz tried to intervene, but Francisco struck her violently, sending her crashing against a pile of debris.
—Hey, she's a lady! —César exclaimed indignantly before launching himself at the enemy.
The battle intensified. César dodged Francisco's attacks and landed a powerful punch to his stomach, making him stagger.
Eliana, with courage, ran toward Francisco and struck him in the face, knocking him onto the dusty ground.
José approached with firm steps, his gaze burning with fury.
—Tell me, were you the one who let that cult in?
Francisco wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand and smiled maliciously.
—Yes. I let the cult in so they could kill your mother. It was my plan from the beginning.
José felt the world turn red. A venomous whisper caressed his ear.
—What are you waiting for, José? Kill him. He was responsible for your mother's death —Lucifer whispered, invisible to all but present in his mind.
Eliana, sensing the tension, approached desperately.
—My love, don't let the rage consume you. Your mother wouldn't want this —she pleaded, her voice laced with concern.
But the darkness within José grew.
With a swift movement, he pressed his sword against Francisco's neck.
—You can't kill me. It's forbidden in your religion —the Satanist mocked, a spark of doubt in his eyes.
José narrowed his eyes, his voice cold as he responded:
—Since when does a Satanist care about God's laws? —José asked with disdain.
And without hesitation, he slid the sword.
The wet sound of steel slicing through flesh echoed in the factory. Blood gushed, staining his sword and splattering onto the ground.
Lucifer smiled in the darkness, satisfied, and disappeared into the shadows.
Eliana gasped, horrified.
—Love, what have you done? —Eliana asked in horror.
José slowly lowered the sword. His hands trembled.
—He was a threat. We couldn't let him live —he replied, his voice hollow.
César and Liz stared at him in shock.
—But he had a family… —Liz murmured.
—I know you're in pain, but this goes against the law of our God. Jesus chose us for this mission, but not for this… —César said, his throat tight.
José didn't respond. He only stared at his bloodstained sword, feeling an unbearable weight fall upon him.
Without another word, he walked away from the others, his figure fading into the factory's shadows. Sadness and disappointment enveloped him as something darker began to grow inside him.