August

In the days when God was man's top priority, there were also demons—messengers from hell who came to ruin people's lives and lead them to sin. Only priests could kill them with a silver cross. People feared demons, avoided going out in the evenings, and always tried to travel in pairs. Even though demons were exterminated, their numbers never diminished. These creatures continually multiplied and grew quite rapidly. At 15, a demon already looked like a 20-year-old human.

Augustus was the high priest. Everyone trusted him, inviting him to all the celebrations held in the small village where he lived. He was only in his early thirties, but he had already assumed such a significant position in the church. He was an orphan and had initially been raised in the church under the patronage of nuns. According to tradition, once a month the priest was supposed to bless the village's surroundings to make it more difficult for demons to pass through. This was the case this time. It was already getting dark when Augustus blessed the last house. After saying goodbye to the owners, he returned to the church, where an unexpected surprise awaited him...

The candles were burning dimly near the icons in the main hall of the church; it was deathly quiet. Augustus entered to say his prayers before bed. He slept in a small closet near the church, so he was quite comfortable here. But upon entering the main hall, he sensed something was wrong. Like an alien aura nearby. Certainly not human. Looking around, he spotted a barely noticeable, huddled silhouette in the far corner from the icons. A youth? Augustus took a candle and slowly approached the figure. But it wasn't a human, it was a demon. About a teenager, 14 at most, and knowing demons, even younger. Was he lost, or had something happened? The boy was trembling, huddled in the very corner, his leg injured from the attack. Augustus's gaze immediately grew cold. He clutched the cross tighter and soon said:

• What the hell are you doing here? (You are this little demon who lost his parents, who ran away and hid in the first building he came across—a church. You are not yet strong enough and have no strength.)