China

by Scott M. Baker

  A soul vampire pounced onto the teenager nearest her, knocking him off his feet and pinning him to the ground. The young man managed to roll over and punch the demon several times in what should have been its face, each blow having no effect. It screeched in defiance and regurgitated its acid vomit onto the teenager’s head. His features melted, the vomitus dissolving the skin and eyes and eating its way through the skull. He screamed maniacally, the fear and pain having torn away his sanity, until the acid burned away his tongue and vocal cords.

  To Mei’s right, a ravager raced past a middle-aged woman, swinging a taloned claw across her left leg and severing the limb below the knee. She toppled forward, her cry of agony becoming muted as she collapsed face-first onto the ground. The first ravager circled around in front of the humans and double backed, launching into a flying leap and taking down the young woman to Mei’s left. A second ravager pounced onto the crippled middle-aged woman and slashed open her back.

  Something approached Mei from behind. A soul vampire lunged, landing on and pushing her over. Mei’s back slammed into the dirt, knocking the wind out of her. She barely felt the demon climb onto her chest or pin down her shoulders. The only indication Mei had of her imminent death was when she smelled the acid rising in the demon’s throat.

  Min noticed the Seamstress pointing out his horsemen to the decimators. It suddenly dawned on him what was about to happen. Before he could warn his men, the twin demons morphed into a blur. One reappeared over the horseman to Min’s left. He heard a momentary cry, and two seconds later the blur moved on. The horse and rider continued charging, sliced asunder but held together by perpetual motion, like a hideous puzzle. After a moment, the two beings fell apart, collapsing to the dirt and somersaulting into a pile of organs and tissue. Behind him, Min heard similar cries.

  “Split up,” he yelled. “It’s your only chance.”

  The bolt on Sasha’s AK-47 locked in the open position. The Seamstress drew closer, her gait slow and menacing. Thankfully, the decimators had gone after other prey.

  Vicky ran over to one of the dead Sataners and pulled aside his coat. He had a machete tied to his right leg.

  “What are you doing?” asked Ian.

  “Trying to find weapons.” Vicky pulled the machete from its scabbard and tossed it in front of Jeanette. She frisked the body and, upon finding nothing of value, moved on to the next. Discovering a four-inch knife, Vicky removed the weapon and held it above her head. “Any takers?”

  Ian stepped over. “Are you sure you don’t want it?”

  “Hand to hand combat is not my thing.” Vicky passed the knife to Ian and picked up the spare Type 63.

  Ian stepped alongside Antoine, who held his Type 63 in such a manner to use the stock as a weapon.

  Jeanette picked up the machete. She twirled it in her hand, getting a feel for the blade. Once familiar with it, she lowered her hands to her sides. “Let’s do this. That bitch is mine.”

  “Correction.” Sasha moved up beside Jeanette, the saber raised in front of her. Lucifer and Lilith stood on either side, already morphed into their demonic forms. “The bitch is ours.”

  As long as they kept enough distance between themselves and the Golem, Jason knew his people were in little danger. He worried about Father Belsario, however. The cleric and his two Purgatoriati stayed close to the demons, taunting and distracting them to give the others a clear shot. When one spun around and swiped at Matthew, Sook-kyoung raised her AK-47 and emptied her magazine into the back of its head. It howled and collapsed to its knees. Matthew rushed forward and drove his broadsword into the demon’s face between its eyes. The Golem hovered for a moment and toppled forward. Matthew barely got out of the way in time.

  One Golem attempted to keep an eye on all the humans; there were too many. Movement to the right caught its attention. It reached out as a rider-less horse rushed past. The Golem caught the animal by its neck, lifting it off the ground. The horse bucked so hard it shattered its own spine, going limp in the Golem’s hand. As Gabriel rushed toward it, the Golem flung the horse at him. The carcass slammed into his chest, throwing him back fifteen feet. His ribs fractured and several organs ruptured. Gabriel lay dazed and confused, unaware the demon moved toward him until it picked him up by his legs. The Golem wrapped its other hand around Gabriel’s torso and pulled. He screamed as an unbearable pain washed over him. A moment later, Gabriel’s body tore along his waist. His internal organs spilled out from under his cloak, piling up at the Golem’s feet. The demon tossed the legs toward Jason and Sook-kyoung, covering them in blood. The torso he flung at Father Belsario, forcing him to duck.

  Rather than press their attack, the surviving Golem fell back and joined the other demon guarding the portal, forming a semi-circle fifty feet in diameter in front of the portal, blocking anyone from getting close.

  Jason and the others moved in to clear a path.

  Satan was less than two hundred feet from the opening.

  Ustagov had traveled a quarter of a mile from the battlefield when he steered his horse around and headed back, approaching the portal from behind.

  When Bai approached to thirty feet, Sasha twisted her saber at an angle, ready to strike. “I wouldn’t come any closer.”

  “You have more spirit than the rest of these humans.” Bai flashed a sardonic smile, which changed to confusion. She stopped and twisted her head, contemplating Sasha. “You’re not like Mei and her flock. You’re different.”

  Lucifer growled and lowered his body, ready to pounce.

  “Nor are these earthly animals.” Bai studied the werehounds. “I recognize them as belonging to the Dark Lord’s realm. Psychopomps.”

  Lilith barked.

  “It figures such vermin would hang around with someone such as you.”

  “W-what do you mean?” Sasha stammered.

  “It should be obvious, even for you.” Bai circled the group, her gait slow and sensuous, like a runway model. “You’re not human, nor are you otherworldly like me. You must be one of those pathetic mercenaries recruited from Purgatory to fight your Father’s battle for him. Not evil enough to be banished to Hell, yet not good enough to meet His expectations and be granted access to Heaven.”

  “Stop it,” Sasha ordered.

  “How does it feel to be rejected by everyone?”

  “I said stop it.”

  Bai’s expression became evil. “Even Jason.”

  “That’s enough!” yelled Sasha.

  “You’re right.” Bai raised her right hand and held it palm out toward the group. “Now it’s time to die.”

  “They’re not falling for it anymore,” said Haneef as he attempted to get a good shot at any of the three remaining Golem.

  “Keep trying,” ordered Jason. “We have to keep them distracted for a few more minutes.”

  The surviving Golem had learned from the destruction of the others; an ability for which Jason had not given them credit. He had been trying to lure them away from the portal by singling one out for attack, hoping the others would come to its defense. It had worked at first until the last three realized they had left the portal exposed and fell back to defend it. Now, rather than fight the humans, they protected themselves against the attacks. Every time someone fired at a Golem, it would shield its head and chest by covering the vital spots with its arms.

  Father Belsario ran up to the Golem on the far right and rammed his broadsword into the demon’s left leg, twisting the blade. It cried out and swung at the cleric. Father Belsario anticipated the move and dodged the blow. When the Golem exposed its chest and head, the others opened fire. It tried to block the bullets, but its movements were too slow. They pumped over fifty rounds into the demon before it bellowed and fell over, missing Father Belsario by a few feet. The cleric ran toward the gate. The Golem in the middle, having observed the human approaching from the side, shifted its position to the left and blocked his path.

  Jason checked his AK-47. The magazine was empty. “That
’s it for me. How are you guys fixed?”

  “Just a few rounds left,” said Haneef.

  Sook-kyoung switched out the empty magazine. “Last one. When this is done, we’re screwed.”

  “In more ways than one,” Matthew retorted.

  Satan had reached the portal and bent over to cross through into their realm.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Lucifer lunged at Bai, momentarily distracting her. She swung her right hand at the werehound. Ice-blue light washed over the werehound, freezing him in place.

  Sasha surged forward. Raising the saber above her head, she brought down the blade on Bai’s outstretched arm, severing it below the elbow. The stream of light ended. Lucifer retreated several paces, whining and shaking his head as he recovered. Sasha took five steps back, her saber level and ready to be driven through the Bai’s head.

  “Had enough?”

  Bai laughed. “My child, I’ve only begun.”

  She stretched her right arm to the side. The amputated limb vibrated for a moment before levitating off the dirt and reconnecting with the stump. The bone, muscles, and skin melded together. Bai raised her hand and flexed the fingers into a fist.

  Jeanette charged. Bai held out her right hand and enveloped the woman in an aura of white light. “Can you hear me, little one?”

  “Yes.”

  “Let’s make this interesting.” A smirk pierced Bai’s lips. “Kill the others.”

  Sasha sneered. “That’s not going to—”

  Jeanette sidestepped toward Sasha and swung the machete at her neck. The blade would have sliced Sasha’s throat if she had not leaned back at the last second. Before Sasha could regain her footing, Jeanette swung again. Sasha dove to the left, her arm above her head so that she rolled into an upright position behind Jeanette and turned to face the latter’s back.

  “We can’t fight each—”

  Jeanette spun around, swinging the machete in a wide arc. Sasha leaned back again, but this time Jeanette lowered the weapon. The blade sliced across Sasha’s chest, leaving a gash across her lower abdomen below the breastplate one foot long and two inches deep. Blood flowed from the wound. When Sasha glanced down to check how badly hurt she was, Jeanette cleaved the machete toward her head. Sasha raised the saber above her, the blade stopping the blow. Sasha twisted to the right, deflecting Jeanette’s attack and exposing the woman’s right flank. She slammed the hilt of her saber against Jeanette’s skull, stunning her and opening a gash along her right temple. Stepping back ten feet, Sasha unfastened her cloak and allowed it to slide off her shoulders.

  “Jeanette,” she pleaded. “Don’t do this.”

  Jeanette staggered, trying to regain her composure.

  “She can’t hear you,” said Bai. “She’s under my thrall, and she’ll continue to fight until one of you is dead. I’m sure Jason will appreciate the irony.”

  “When I’m through with Jeanette, I’m going to take you apart piece by piece, you bitch.”

  “You’re too late.” Bai stretched out her arms, exposing the numerous sutured sections, and laughed. “I like you. You have spirit. Let’s see how you can handle this.”

  Bai closed her eyes and telepathically called the decimators.

  Min waited for the inevitable. Most of his men had already been slaughtered by the decimators and nothing he could do would prevent further losses. One moment his horsemen were riding beside him, and the next they were piles of human and animal detritus across the field.

  Suddenly, the demons abandoned the massacre and raced toward the Seamstress. Min had no idea why but was not about to question his good luck. Bringing his horse to a stop, he surveyed the situation. Only four of his horsemen remained, including himself. Maybe he might survive this after all.

  When Min focused his attention on the gate, his heart sank.

  Ustagov was only five hundred feet from the rear of the portal. He unslung from his shoulder the saddle bag containing the anti-matter device and clutched it in his right hand. The doctor had no idea how the battle progressed because the backside was nothing more than a shimmering dark mass, much like the reverse side of a mirror. However, he could tell by the ungodly sound emanating from the battlefield things were not going well.

  Mei closed her eyes and waited for the soul vampire that pinned her to the ground to spew its acid vomit across her face. When she felt fluid splash against her cheek she screamed. It did not burn, nor did it flow over her as she had expected. Instead, it felt like a dripping sensation. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Mei opened her eyes.

  An arrow protruded from the soul vampire’s head, entering the back of the skull and exiting through the forehead. The dripping she felt came from the bloody wound. The demon still lived, though its life faded rapidly. Mei placed her hands on its chest, shoving it to one side, and scrambled to her feet. Before she could stand, a hand clutched the collar of her shirt and pulled her upright. Qiang placed his face only inches from hers.

  “You’re not going anywhere.”

  The rest of Mei’s people had been slaughtered, torn apart by the very demons Bai had sworn would protect them. The Unbelievers now waded through the killing field, finishing off the last of the ravagers and soul vampires.

  “Why did you spare me?”

  “I didn’t,” he spat. “You’re going to pay for what you did and for all the people you murdered.”

  A wail echoed across the landscape. Qiang shivered at the sound. Not Mei. She welcomed it. It was the sound of salvation.

  Ian snuck up behind Jeanette and wrapped his arms around her, pinning her arms. Jeanette struggled, still too stunned to fight back.

  “I’ve got this,” he said to Sasha, and motioned his head toward Bai. “You take care of her.”

  Sasha nodded and moved in on Bai’s right, her saber raised and ready for battle. Antoine and Vicky approached from the other side, each brandishing an automatic rifle to use the stock as a ram.

  Sasha attacked first, rushing forward and slicing the saber in a downward stroke. Bai crouched and pivoted. The blade missed her head by inches. As she came out of her pivot, Bai swung her left leg, catching Sasha behind the knees and knocking her legs out from under her. Sasha crashed to the ground, momentarily stunned. Bai stepped over, raised her right leg, and prepared to stomp her foe’s head.

  Antoine jumped Bai from behind, placing his arm around her neck and pulling her away from Sasha. Bai attempted to break free, unable to due to the Moroccan’s strength and her being off balance. Reaching behind her, Bai clutched at him, hoping to claw his eyes. Vicky raced around the front and grabbed Bai’s arm. Bai lashed out with her other hand. Taloned fingers slashed across Vicky’s face, leaving three gashes down her left temple and cheek. Vicky released her grip and fell back. She wiped her hand across the wound. Blood covered her palm.

  Jeanette regained her senses; suddenly aware someone pinned her arms from behind. She leaned her head forward and brought it back as fast and hard as possible, slamming the back of her skull into Ian’s face. He swore as a front tooth fell out and his nose shattered. The bolt of pain caused him to momentarily loosen his grip, which provided the opportunity Jeanette needed. She leaned forward and to the left and slammed her right elbow into Ian’s abdomen, knocking the air out of his lungs. His grip loosened. Shoving backward, Jeanette knocked Ian to the ground, spun around, and raised the machete above her head, the blade pointed at his ribcage.

  Lucifer tackled Jeanette from the side, knocking her over. She struggled to get back to her feet, but the werehound pinned her, his front paws pressed against her shoulders. Desperate to break free, she hacked at his back with the machete. The blade clicked harmlessly against his scales. Lucifer lowered his head, placed his open jaws over Jeanette’s throat, and slowly closed his mouth, applying an increasing amount of pressure. Jeanette continued to struggle until she felt his canines piercing her skin and the fangs pressing against her arteries. She went limp, allowing the machete to fall out of he
r hand. Lucifer lessened the pressure while keeping his jaws covering Jeanette’s throat.

  At that moment, the decimators attacked.

  The first landed on Lucifer’s back. Its taloned claws sliced frantically at its victim, but the scales on the werehound’s back saved him from sustaining any wounds. The decimator remained in place and continued slashing ineffectively, its determination making it vulnerable. As Sasha climbed to her feet, she spotted the blurred image on Lucifer’s back. Raising the saber above her head, she rushed the werehound.

  “Forgive me, boy.”

  Sasha brought the blade down on top of the blur.

  Lucifer yelped, more from fright than pain.

  The decimator howled. The blur focused into a sharper image. Sasha had practically cleaved the demon in half, the blade imbedded in its back from its right shoulder down to its lower left abdomen. The mortally-wounded creature crawled off Lucifer and dragged itself toward Bai. Sasha moved up behind the demon and used her foot to pin it to the ground. Grabbing the handle of her saber, she twisted it back and forth until the weapon broke free, then brought the blade down on its neck. The decimator emitted a half-howl before its head rolled across the dirt.

  The second decimator attacked Antoine, latching onto his back. He screamed as the talons ripped through flesh and slashed away tissue. Lilith had observed the demon approaching and moved closer. The moment it landed on Antoine, she plunged the stinger into the center of the blur and pumped paralyzing fluid. The accelerated movement stopped, revealing the demon attached to the Moroccan. It hung there for a moment before sliding off. Although the attack had lasted only a second, the damage was fatal. Antoine’s left arm had been severed at the shoulder and remained wrapped around Bai’s neck; his right arm dangled by his side, held in place by a few tendons. His face and half the skin on his back had been sliced away. The internal organs were exposed through a deep gash in his rear abdomen. Antoine stumbled back from Bai. He opened the gaping hole that used to be his mouth but was in too much pain and shock to speak. A gasp escaped from his throat, followed by a mouthful of frothy blood. Antoine dropped face first onto the ground, a pool of blood forming beneath him and soaking into the soil.