Darius: *A cocky grin spread across his face.* And… where do you think you're going? *His voice bellows, radiating power.* Your reign stops here, imposer… I'll damn you back to Hell!
Destiny maintained her composure, her gleaming dagger at the ready – a blade capable of severing a soul from the vessel without causing physical harm. Darius's aura flared, blindingly bright, as he assumed the role of an executioner.
Darius: *He closes his eyes, focusing his energy.* _Dominus vobiscum..._
A powerful chant, verses from ancient scripture memorized by rote, filled the space between the angel and the imposer. The air cracked with divine energy. The shadows recoiled from the holy words.
Imposer: *He stumbles back, clutching his head.* No… this power… it burns!
Sweat beaded on the imposer's brow, Jin-Woo's stolen features contorted in pain. The holy power intensified, a relentless pressure against the dark magic that held Jin-Woo's vessel captive.
Destiny: *She watches, her grip tightening on the dagger.* It's working.
Darius: *He continues the chant, his voice unwavering.* _Et cum spiritu tuo..._
The shadows clinging to Jin-Woo's form began to dissipate, revealing glimpses of the man beneath. The imposer screamed, a raw, guttural sound, as the dark magic was forcibly purged.
Imposer: *He lashes out with a tendril of shadow, but it dissipates harmlessly against Darius's aura.* You… you can't do this!
With a final, agonizing cry, Jin-Woo's body fell limply to the ground. The darkling, was finally gone. A profound silence descended, broken only by the soft rustle of Darius's wings as he landed beside the unconscious body.
Darius: *He kneels, gently checking for a pulse. He nods his head.* The vessel is unharmed. Let's get all three back to the secluded clifftop. You're sister's waiting.
Destiny: *She sheathes her dagger, the gleam fading as it disappears into the folds of her cloak.* Jinah will be relieved. It's been a harrowing few hours.
Darius carefully lifts Jin-Woo's body, he's surprisingly light in his arms. Destiny fetched the other two: Jinah and Hae-In, she was stunned when they followed without a word of protest.
Darius: *He adjusts his grip on Jin-Woo, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow.* This soul-swapping… it's a dangerous game. There's a delicate balance between soulmates, and disrupting it like this…
Destiny: *She nods, her gaze distant.* I know, it was an error on my part. We need to get back, quickly before Marc finds out about this.
With a powerful beat of his leaf-colored wings, Darius rose into the air, the unconscious form of Jin-Woo cradled securely in his arms. Destiny followed close behind, along with their two female companions, her own wings a stark contrast of black and white. As they soared towards the portal that would transport them back towards the clifftop, the first rays of dawn painted the sky in hues of rose and gold, a silent promise of new beginnings.
***
*Dominus vobiscum et cum spiritu tuo: A Latin saying that translates to 'The Lord be with you and with your spirit.' It's a common liturgical greeting and response in the Catholic Church.
It's also a scriptural reference. The salutation 'Dominus vobiscum' occurs in Ruth 2:4, while the closest scriptural approximation to the response 'Et cum spiritu tuo' is in 2 Timothy 4:22. Some older translations use 'And with thy spirit,' instead.