Making the Church Competent Through the Power of Faith!(Gacha): Chapter 14

Father Anderson pulled up the collar of his coat as the chilly wind brushed against his face. “The Lord’s light will keep me warm.”

He was fiddling with his phone; trying to poke at it, especially with gloves on, was becoming rather difficult.

He had to brush away some fallen snow that was quickly melting and making the screen wet.

With a low growl, he pulled his glove off with his teeth because it was just smearing the water across the screen before trying to poke at it with his finger.

“But not even the Lord can help me with this damn device!” He let out a sigh, wiping it on his jacket and putting it back in his pocket.

He said a quick prayer under his breath in apology.

“Go to Russia," he said. Have a wee look at a few villages," he said. Anderson grumbled as a house behind him collapsed. “Next time, he can swagger into this hellscape himself.”

Anderson sat on a half-broken house beam as half a village around him was collapsed, the other half was in the midst of burning and falling apart.

Out of frustration, he pulled his phone out again. “Now, how in the bloody hell do I…ah, there.” He finally managed to find what he was looking for. “Would you look at that?” He said with a grin, holding his phone up to the side. "Ain't that just the most interesting thing?”

To the side, there was a Vampire, pressed into the ground, a Black Key was pushed through each of his hands and feet with another in his chest.

“Back in my day, we didn’t have any of these fancy gadgets, but I’m starting to like it when the blasted thing works. Did you know you can play games on these little contraptions? I accidentally pulled up some flashing, loud moving game on my plane ride over here; it scared the devil out of me. But by God, it made the plane ride go quickly.”

It was a novel experience for him.

He wasn’t one for seeking out entertainment. But there were lulls in his work where he did nothing but sit there in silence between assignments.

Finding out he could just…play a game on the little device in his hand was an eye-opening experience.

“Oh, and the best part. I can go on the internet. Did you know how popular that got since my day? I remember those big old clunky computers that the eggheads used to use. They said it was the future; guess they were right.” Anderson barked out a laugh. “Now, I won’t miss my morning prayers or my Sunday mass. It’s all recorded and put on the internet!”

Anderson shook his head with a strangely serene look on his face.

“I tell you what, it really is the future. You know that people just put videos of themselves doing the most mundane things up there for folks to watch? Watched a full dozen of these videos of people just fishin! Most relaxing plane ride I’ve ever been on.”

Father Anderson finally got up from his seat.

“But even if this place is different, it’s still the same.” He walked over to the vampire pinned down. “The Lord still calls on me to work, and I will serve until my last breath. Until every damnable creature like you is sent to hell.”

Despite being pinned, the vampire laughed. “You can’t kill me.”

In response, Father Anderson took out one of his bayonets and pushed it into his heart.

What he said wasn’t wrong; it just annoyed him.

Well, he did feel like he could kill the vampire with his new weapons, the Black Keys.

But the scattered body parts around the street told a story of how the vampire was not being put down in the normal ways.

It made him acknowledge Lucian’s words even more.

Back home, vampires could be killed by simply cutting off their head or an array of other methods. 

Bar very specific outliers.

Here though, Father Anderson found himself feeling somewhat unprepared for his usual duties. This vampire was in no way on the same level as Alucard, yet it seemed to possess the same level of regeneration. Or it was enough that the difference wasn’t even worth mentioning in a practical matter.

The Cardinal did explain some things to him, that this wasn’t normal for vampires, and that his usual methods would have worked on most vampires around the world.

Something about their ‘weaknesses’ being removed, but the cardinal didn’t explain it more.

Father Anderson knew there was more to it, but he didn’t ask.

Instead, he focused more on his duty, on how to perform his work properly with knowledge that his usual methods may be found wanting.

The vampire still felt pain, so that made him feel slightly better.

He pressed against the hilt of one of the Black Keys he used. The fact that the vampire was pinned, unmoving, and at his mercy also spoke volumes about the power of his newest weapon.

They were, admittedly, much better than his Blessed Bayonets.

He wasn’t too prideful to recognize that fact.

It’s not that he was overly attached to his weapon of choice either. It came about more as a necessity in post-war supplies than anything.

They had boxes and boxes of Bayonets left over from the war that were going to waste. Bullets, guns, and those sorts of things were still being used and still had uses for many years after the fact.

But Bayonets?

Who was putting a bayonet on their rifle to charge across the battlefield after the war ended?

What wasn’t melted down for recasting had instead been piled up and left to rot in storage. So why not make use of the many leftover scraps?

He was pleasantly surprised that there was a weapon, an upgrade, to his normal weapon. It was practically the same in application, enough that he only had to get used to the new eight and the feeling of throwing them.

The only downside was that they lacked the same ability to be wielded in close range. They were, almost entirely, ranged weapons, despite their clunky design.

His bayonets, however, could be grabbed and used as a knife or sword fill-in.

Even with the vampire cursing him and his trusty weapons being found obsolete, he still carried a smile as he looked down at the creature. “This old dog can still learn some new tricks.”

He was given new weapons against the creatures in the night.

And it wasn’t just blades.

Sacraments, Lucian called them.

Miracles of the Church.

Black Keys were one type of Sacrament. There were many more that Father Anderson had yet to learn, and the thought almost made him excited.

There was one in particular that he was taught, and it was time to put it into practice. Out of the missions he had completed the past few days, this was the only vampire he found that was a worthy test subject.

Father Anderson grabbed his other glove, pulling it off as he clutched his wrist, using his nails to draw blood. “For those who feed upon the blood of the living, thy life is not bound by the physical world. A spirit whose blood and flesh have been stolen, whose life is a facsimile and mockery of the Lord’s work, I hereby send you to your throne."

The Vampire laughed again. “You can’t kill me, you can’t do anything to me. I’ll break free, and I’ll rip out your throat.”

Powered by the caster’s faith.

It was the single Miracle taught freely within the Church, the sole Mystery that which the Church found permissible at all levels.

“I will kill. I will let it live. I will harm and I will heal. None will escape me. None will escape my sight."

A faint light shimmered around him.

“Be Crushed.”

A glowing symbol appeared underneath the vampire.

The Black Keys were acting almost as a magic circle, resonating with the mystery, the casting of the church's prayer.

“I welcome those who have grown old and those who have lost.”

“Devote yourself to me, learn from me, and obey me.”

“Rest. Do not forget song, do not forget prayer, and do not forget me.”

The Vampire’s eyes widened because he finally felt something wrong, he felt something wrap around him, pull at him, his regeneration – no his blood itself felt warm, like it was bubbling, heating up under his skin.

The vampire opened his mouth, and no words came out; rather, a faint golden light spilled forth.

“I am light and relieve you of all your burdens.”

Father Anderson clutched his hand as he continued casting; the strain of the prayer came as a surprise, but even so, the weight of it was welcome. It was an indication that it was working.

“Do not pretend. Retribution for forgiveness, betrayal for trust, despair for hope, darkness for light, dark death for the living.”

The vampire's whole body spasmed, parts of its skin ripped and tore, and the blood inside acted like it was trying to escape, to spill out of its own body, but the shining symbol underneath forced it all back down.

“Relief is in my hands. I will add oil to your sins and leave a mark.”

“Eternal Life is given through death.”

“Ask for forgiveness here. I, the incarnation, will swear.”

The light reached its apex; the vampire was wrapped completely, consumed before the light coalesced into a pillar that sung upwards.

“Kyrie Eleison.”

It was bright; Father Anderson, unconscious, shielded his eyes as the chanting ended and the pillar of light shot upwards.

What remained was a corpse, every drop of blood seared away, leaving a husk that slowly began to dissipate and drift away in the wind.

The pieces of its body likewise suffered the same fate.

“Amen.” He whispered as no traces remained of the vampire.

For he had been sent to meet the Lord and face his judgment.

It was a tad tiring for him.

It wasn’t a physical toll it took but a spiritual one. However, just as well, Father Anderson had never felt so proud of himself as he did in this moment.

He slayed a vampire not by steel and blood but by words delivered and thereby judged by the Lord.

It was proof, proof of his faith.

His only regret now was that he couldn’t share this with his comrades from back home.

It was a new world for him. A new world full of new monsters and new challenges. So, why not be a new him as well? There would always be a need for a sharp blade and a strong arm, but in this life, he wanted to try and be something more as well.

A goal he set for himself.

The most powerful weapon against the heretics and monsters were the lord’s words, and he would make sure they were heard.

The atmosphere shifted as he heard his phone start ringing and buzzing.

He felt a twinge of annoyance but reached into his pocket and took his phone out again, finding the flashing button on screen to answer. “Hello?”

“Father Anderson.”

“Sister Quarta.” He responded politely. “To what do I owe the pleasure of a phone call?”

“I was simply checking up on you before I step onto a plane myself for South America. How fares your mission, Father?”

Father Anderson looked down at the spot where a corpse used to be, and then at where the village used to stand. “Completed.”

“I see.”

“Do you need assistance, Sister?”

“No, I was calling for another reason, truthfully. Do you remember how I said I was looking into the ones responsible for the matter with Asia?”

Anderson’s eyes narrowed. “I do recall, Sister. Did you perhaps find the ones responsible for consorting with Devils?”

“I do believe I have, Father. I am currently unable to go myself, but I was wondering if you would like to have a word with them in my stead?”

"Aye," Anderson answered without hesitation. “I’ll go have a wee talk with the sheep who lost their way.”

“Good, I’ll send you the information then. Goodbye, Father, and good hunting.” The phone call ended.

Anderson stared at his device for several moments until it made more noises.

There were messages on it, telling him various things.

But he just scratched his head in confusion. “How in the blood hell do I access this?”

@***@

Asia was huffing as she ran; each step was like climbing a mountain. She had long passed her limit and was still forcibly pushing herself forward.

The images of their mission still held firmly in her mind.

She saw firsthand what their job meant, the dead they couldn’t say, that she couldn’t save.

It was different.

She never had to see that side of things before now. Back when she was a ‘holy maiden' in her small church in the countryside, people would come from far and wide to get her healing. Yet, she never saw the worst of it, the bloodied and beaten, the crying and the corpses.

It was always smiles, thanks, and praises heaped onto her.

Asia thought it would be the same thing here, maybe a little scarier, but healing was still healing, wasn’t it?

Her reality came crashing down rather quickly.

She knew she had to get better, to be better, and she didn’t want to be useless. She knew that they were keeping her behind them as they dealt with the worst of it, but she resolved herself to at least be a dependable teammate.

And to do that, she needed to get stronger.

It was an easy thing to say, but she didn’t really understand it. She heard everyone talking about it, getting stronger, but for her, it was still a fanciful word that she could only vaguely grasp at.

So, she did what she had been taught. 

She was told that she needed to exercise more, to make her body stronger first. Running was the first thing, and she had been doing all the exercises that Father Anderson taught her every day since.

He said she had to push herself every time, and she did just that.

Just as she was about to collapse, a hand reached out and steadied her.

“Father Lorio.” Asia looked up to him and smiled happily even as the fatigue hit her.

“Come, child.” He gently led her to the ground as he saw her legs tremble. “I bring water; take a break.”

“Thank you, Father Lorio!” Asia happily accepted it.

She knew that it was important to drink plenty of water, so she wasn’t going to reject it.

She let out a content sigh as she let her body cool down after the intense workout.

The field behind the old church was empty; it was an old sports field that didn’t get much activity these days.

“Are we going to heal more sick, Father?” Asia looked up to him expectantly. “I think I’ve been getting better. I didn’t use to heal this much before, so it’s been a new experience to heal so many at a time.”

“Peace, child. For now, let us speak.” He gave a warm smile as he put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Let my old bones rest; your youth is too much for me to handle.”

“Do you need some healing, Father?" She asked in concern.

He shook his head. “I’m afraid even your blessing can’t fix the weathering of time. The Lord will soon call me to his kingdom; I have the feeling.”

“Father…”

He chuckled. “Fear not, child. I still have a few years left in me. The Lord can take me at my time, but he will have to work for it.” The elderly father gave a few light punches in the air, making Asia laugh despite the morbid topic.

“Have I told you how I met your cardinal?" He changed the topic.

“Cardinal Graves?” Asia shook her head. “I…don’t know much about him, except that he’s a kind man.”

The Father gave a small smile at that. “I was aware that a cardinal took up residence near my church. I did not expect to see him sitting in the back of my nave long before then. I’ve met a lot of Cardinals in my long years, and most of them…well, let's just say that they like to be recognized and seen.”

Asia nodded, not quite sure what he meant by that, but she would remember it.

“Your Cardinal, I didn’t even know it was him at first. But I recognized that he was…let's say different. Our type. He sat in the very back; he made no noise; he did not introduce himself. He silently participated in every sermon; he prayed together with my flock every evening that we gathered. I waited, thinking he wished to make an impression, to earn my respect so that he could seek me out. I have some old…friends, despite my own humble life.”

“What did he want?” Asia asked curiously.

“That’s the thing, nothing. He did not ask me for any favors, he did not seek me out, he simply…came to attend mass and worship with everyone else. At this point, I am fairly sure he doesn’t even know about any connections I might have. That was over a year ago. I was too confused and interested not to seek him out myself then.

“What happened then?”

“I asked him to stay behind after a sermon one Sunday evening. And do you know what he said to me? He said, ‘I apologize, Father, but I have matters to attend to,’ and he just turned and left.” The priest let out a bark of laughter. “I suppose that’s when our friendship started. We would speak of random things, never of importance. Eventually, it came to be known that we both walked on the darker side of the world, I in my youth and he now. He was surprised that I wasn’t a simple priest.”

Asia understood what he meant by that.

The ‘darker side of the 'world'—she had experienced that now too.

The priest saw her head droop and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Alas, I wasn’t cut out for the job of an exorcist. But I spent some years doing my duty, as I thought it was. And the first time he asks me for a favor, do you know what it was?”

“What?” She tilted her head, enjoying hearing the priest talk about this story.

“He asked me to keep an eye on a young lady and see that she’s able to practice using her blessing upon my flock.” The priest smiled. 

Asia smiled. “He’s a good person.”

“He is.” The Father nodded. “So, I agreed without hesitation. It was a small matter, something not even worth a favor. Yet, when this young lady came to me some days ago, I watched her run herself ragged. I saw her force herself to near collapse every evening from exhaustion, both physically and mentally, then do the same in the afternoon. And I saw her continue to push herself each day with a determined look in her eyes.”

The priest reached his hand out and lightly tapped Asia’s shoulder.

It wasn’t a simple tap; she felt her shoulder go numb before realizing that an ache she didn’t know she had was now gone.

“I was a battlefield medic in the war.”

“The War?” Her eyes widened because she realized what he was talking about.

“I am very old.” He chuckled. “The benefits of our line of work, if you survive into your twilight years, you can hold onto your youth for a bit longer and live a few more years. I joined the war effort, young and naive. We didn’t even start out on the right side! But I was young and stupid. I wasn’t a man of faith back then, but after the war was over, I sought comfort and solace in the Lord’s embrace.”

That lingered long as Asia digested what he just said.

She could understand it, to an extent.

She could sympathize with her meagre experience and know it must have been much more horrific than her own experiences.

“After the War, I still felt a calling. I became an exorcist. I didn’t have any fancy sacred gear, as they’re called, nor was I particularly talented. But I was a fair hand at doing the same old thing. I could fix up my companions in a pinch, keep them fighting if needed, and do my best to keep them from dying in the field.”

The old priest was staring up at the sky as he spoke; the nostalgia had made him reminisce as he stared off into nothing.

It was only after a few moments that he refocused back on what he was talking about.

“I wasn’t going to say anything, but after seeing the drive in you, I decided that I couldn’t help myself. If you would be willing, I would teach you everything I know.”

“Wha–”

He held a finger up. “Allow me to explain some things before you speak. First, I have observed your Sacred Gear and how you heal others. You are being wasteful. When you heal someone, you seem to inject the power of your Sacred Gear throughout their body, yes?”

Asia nodded.

The priest nodded too as if to say ‘as expected.' “That’s because you don’t know what you’re doing. You have to overexert yourself to use your blessing to find the damage within a person’s body. And if there is an illness or a previous injury somewhere else, the power of your Sacred Gear will tend to that even if there is a life-threatening injury you’re trying to focus on.”

The priest grabbed a stick from the ground and he used it to draw the vague silhouette of a person in the dirt. 

“The first lesson I learned as a medic: identify the life-threatening injury first. And do you know how we do that?”

“How?” Asia was not extremely interested in the ‘lesson’ he was giving.

“By learning the human body.” He pointed at specific parts. “Brain. Heart. Lungs. Those three parts are the most delicate. And the three are easiest to cause life-threatening injuries. An injury within those can kill someone in seconds. That precious time that you would waste by trying to flood them with your healing."

Asia wasn’t stupid.

She would admit that she wasn’t the best student either. She went to school, she passed her classes, and she studied and did her best. Even if she knew the basics of the human body, the obvious stuff, she never looked into the details.

She was not someone who excelled in a classroom.

“S-should I learn medical knowledge then?” She asked hesitantly.

He grinned. “To an extent. I think the benefit of becoming a doctor by spending years studying would be wasted. However, I think that if you learned enough, it would significantly improve your healing capabilities. But that is merely one piece of the puzzle.”

“You would be willing to teach me everything?” She looked at him.

He reached over and put a gentle hand on her head. “I know the path you walk will lead to dangers. I can see it in the way you push yourself; your eyes have seen pain. I cannot tell you not to walk battlefields as I have; therefore, I will pass my knowledge and experience down to you.”

“Thank you, Father Lorio!”

“Together, I believe we will be able to turn you into a formidable healer.” The priest said firmly. “First, you will learn the body properly. And I will teach you the easiest ways for your companions to hurt themselves in battle. Then, you will be able to chastise them for not taking care of themselves while they are at your mercy.”

Asia giggled and took his hand as they both stood up.

She was going to be the best healer she could be.

Though she still didn’t know how a hammer factored into things, since Cardinal Lucian told her, then she would focus on that too.

She needed to find a big hammer to practice with first.

@***@

A/N

Wanted to do a couple POVs from the side to show what others are doing: Asia getting some training on her end, Anderson doing his own ‘training’ while on missions.