by Andrew Gille
Machenrauch stood on the front lines cleaving Michael’s warriors, directing those with Azurian Crystals where to collect the incapacitated. He drove on into the grinder, slicing Michael’s troops and spilling their angelic blood in the street.
On the opposing side, Michael also led his troops hard into battle. He cleaved his golden armored foes and left them laying in the street behind him. Without the magic of Azurian Crystals, however, they merely rose, minutes later and continued fighting.
Michael, gleaming in his silver armor, spraying the blood of the rebels into the streets, had become a formidable force. Far beyond the skills of a regular soldier, he seemed indestructible. Still, in his mind, he doubted his place here. His soldiers were being defeated by the power of Machenrauch and their superior technology. As he realized that he was the only loyalist soldier advancing and all others had disappeared or were falling back, he realized that Azura was a loss. He would need to call for a retreat.
As he was about to sound the signal to fall back, the warring combatants parted for one moment and then it was that their eyes met. The shouts of battle subsided into a quiet hush as Michael and Machenrauch stood across from each other.
“You will face me alone Michael!” Machenrauch growled.
Michael saw his one chance at victory. He lifted his sword and advanced toward the rebel angel, if he could defeat Machenrauch, it would demoralize the rebel troops, and his soldiers could regroup and force the leaderless rebels out of the city. He would have a group of angels keep Machenrauch drained and take him prisoner so that he could not recover.
He had little time to contemplate however as Machenrauch advanced on him, sword drawn.
Their soldiers ceased fighting and watched as they circled each other in combat. Michael was the first to strike, his sword met Machenrauch’s weapon with a furious clang. Michael furiously attempted to land his blade on the lowly angel, but each swing was countered with the steel of Machenrauch’s sword.
Michael was a skilled swordsman, and he fought furiously, Machenrauch parried each blow and circled to Michael’s side and threw a kick to his knee which dropped Michael to the ground. Machenrauch lifted his sword above his head and slammed it into the ground as Michael rolled out of the way, avoiding the blade by mere inches. Picking himself up, Michael regrouped and launched another attack at the lowly angel. Three rapid strikes were redirected by Machenrauch’s sword, but the fourth sliced across his arm right beneath his pauldron, causing a shallow wound, blood dripped down his arm. He winced in pain glaring at Michael in disbelief. The wound had closed just as he again drew his sword back to strike.
Michael deflected a slashing strike by Machenrauch and bashed his sword against Machenrauch’s breastplate. A massive gash appeared in the golden armor, and the hit sent Machenrauch reeling backward. Machenrauch rolled to his right and knelt with his sword in front of him. Michael seized the opportunity to bring his sword down on the head of the rebel angel who eschewed a helmet. Machenrauch slipped the strike, and the blade came down on his pauldron. Machenrauch swatted the sword away, which had stuck into the golden plate of his shoulder armor. He swung from the bottom up and connected with Michael’s side. Blood sprayed out just below his ribs, and he made a guttural sound as the pain radiated through his body.
Michael struck the sword and swung his weapon around his head doing a 360-degree spin to try to slice off Machenrauch’s head. However, the exhausting finishing maneuver was met with steel, and more blood sprayed as his body was jolted by Machenrauch’s parry. Machenrauch counter struck, spinning as well and connected, burying his blade halfway through the archangel’s neck. Michael dropped to the ground blood pouring out of his wounds.
“Retreat, retreat!” He gasped in a pained whisper. Two angels attempted to recover his body, and they were met by Machenrauch’s minions as he stood victorious over the bleeding angel. Michael’s wing had unfurled as he was struck and it crumpled beneath him. He lay upon it, and wispy white feathers floated out in the river of blood that poured from his neck and floated through the air as he choked out blood.
He attempted to rise, Machenrauch brought his foot down on the silver breastplate. Smashing him back to the ground. He had no strength to counter the rebel angel, and he lay watching the aftermath of the duel. Some of his angels spread their wings and took off into the sky, of these several were brought back to earth by Machenrauch’s archers. Some attempted to cast Conveyance and were cut down before they could get their words out. Others made a vain attempt to rescue Michael. They were cut down by Machenrauch’s minions and lay bleeding on the ground. The lucky ones appeared to have flown far enough to launch Conveyance. Michael could see the fiery streaks in the skyrocketing out into the atmosphere. He prayed that Os would help them regroup their defenses and save heaven. Michael heard Machenrauch say the words he had dreaded, now he would learn how they were able to trap angels within the Azurian Crystals and keep them there. It had remained a mystery.
“Crystal!” Machenrauch demanded of a minion.
A golden clad soldier approached and began reciting a cantrip as he held an empty Azurian Crystal. Machenrauch grabbed the crystal and slapped the soldier.
“I’ll do it myself!” He shouted.
Machenrauch began reciting a verse in an ancient angelic language. Michael listened to the words, he could see a vignette of whiteness around his vision, fading now, he felt his life force being drained slowly as a wispy and smoky red light was pulled into the crystal. It didn’t hurt at all. He lie awaiting and suddenly became anxious and terrified. It was then that he realized that Os had chosen him because he was the only angel who could lead heaven’s armies. It was his purpose. It was the reason he existed. He attempted to resist the crystal’s pull on his remaining strength, but it was for naught, he could not fight as his energy continued to be pulled into the gem.
Just as his vision was about to fade away, he saw something. The crystal fell toward him, blood sprayed on him, but it was not his blood, he could no longer hear anything more than hushed muffled tones, but through the white haze and deadened sound he heard Machenrauch screaming and saw blood spraying from his now detached left forearm. The Azurian Crystal hit the ground and shattered, Michael’s small amount of life force returned to him. Machenrauch’s right hand and forearm landed on the shards. Michael’s vision instantly cleared, he regained enough strength to see and hear but still could not move. There standing above him was Gabriel, wearing only a gleaming white tunic splashed in Machenrauch’s blood, majestic wings spread, in the chaos, he had flown in and surprised the rebel angel.
Machenrauch picked up his sword with his remaining hand and slashed at Gabriel. Gabriel parried the awkward strikes.
“Well this doesn’t seem fair,” Gabriel chided, “You can’t use your left hand very well, let me switch!”
Gabriel threw his sword in the air and caught it in his left hand, Machenrauch, furiously slashed at the arch-angel. The metallic ring of sword combat echoed through the emptying city center.
“Oh, Machariel,” Gabriel laughed, “Whatever made you like this didn’t give you all of the abilities of a high angel, did it? We’re all ambidextrous, you’re right-handed aren’t you?”
Machenrauch fought more furiously now, enraged by the arch angel’s disrespect. Three strikes were countered by Gabriel. Machenrauch thrust his sword at the unarmored angel’s heart. Gabriel stepped to the side and connected with the rebel angel’s weapon, shattering it, then he spun swinging his sword in an arc and brought it down on Machenrauch’s left arm severing it as well.
Machenrauch screamed, spraying blood from his right stump now, he pointed with his severed right stump at Gabriel who now stood over Michael’s still incapacitated body,
“Those two! Take them down, I want them in crystals now!” Machenrauch shouted at nearly a dozen minions who were witness to the carnage. The golden armored angels rushed, some unfurling their wings to fly at the archangels.
“We seem to have
caused a lot of upset here,” Gabriel remarked to the near lifeless Michael, “I think it is time to depart.”
Gabriel cradled Michael’s body in his arms and unfurled his wings taking to the sky with a dozen of Machariel’s golden armored angels in pursuit. Archers fired a volley of six arrows at the pair as they ascended into the atmosphere. Gabriel held Michael’s body in front of him and the missiles stuck into his breastplate causing him to convulse with every impact.
“Sorry friend, you can’t really get any worse right now,” Gabriel apologized for using Michael’s lifeless body as a shield, as he now climbed high above the city of Azura with the twelve rebel angels in pursuit.
“We’re going to have to do something about them to get out of here,” Gabriel said mostly to himself as he drew his sword and grasped Michael’s body tightly in his right arm.
Thousands of feet above Azura now, Gabriel let go of Michael who began to free fall, lifeless and uncontrollably. Gabriel flew straight at two of the attacking angels, and they too were soon falling back to Kalos lifelessly, cleft at the neck, their heads and bodies falling independently.
Gabriel scooped up Michael and began again to ascend. Arrows reached their apogee just below them as they continued climbing, Gabriel avoided three angels who dove at him and chased three others who attempted to fly away from him to a better position. Gabriel again dropped Michael’s body and caught the three, lopping off one of each of their wings, they fell, spiraling uncontrollably back to Kalos, slamming into the ground, they would remain unresponsive for several hours before their powdered bones reassembled themselves.
Once again scooping Michael up, Gabriel now ascended into a cloud, in the misty opaque light, he could hear the ruffle of wings as the other angels attempted to locate him. Several became disoriented and fell out of the cloud, falling several thousand feet before regaining control. Gabriel ascended out into the clear sky and found one confused rebel angel hovering above the puffy white mist. Illuminated by crepuscular rays from Heaven’s golden sun, Gabriel flew straight at the angel who for too long didn’t notice that the archangel aimed for him.
“Glory to Os!” Gabriel shouted getting the angel’s attention, his golden armor glinted as he turned a near 180 to see Gabriel.
Gabriel came from beneath the angel, using both his speed and divine power to cleave him in two. Gabriel’s sword shattered as it cut through the angel’s flesh and his golden armor. Shining pieces of gold and silver glinted in the sun as it disappeared into the cloud below them.
Gabriel held onto his friend with both arms now, still limp and lifeless, he hung helplessly as the arch-angel continued ascending. Gabriel looked skyward and began chanting in an ancient angelic tongue. Soon the two were enveloped in a shield orb, the wind and noise silenced and red flames started glowing around them, the surface of Kalos became farther and farther away as they ascended beyond the planet’s atmosphere and the entirety of the world’s ringed beauty could now be seen. A glowing white hot trail was left in their wake as Paradisio soon appeared before them. Michael had begun to regain his faculties as they descended into the safety of The City of God.
###
Machenrauch looked at the bones protruding from the stumps of his arms. They were beginning to grow back, but this didn’t lessen the humiliation brought upon him by Gabriel. He had beaten Michael, Michael should have been his prize, he should now possess his life force within the prison of an Azurian Crystal. But it was not to be. The invasion of Azura had been a success, all around him, soldiers in golden armor secured essential points within the industrial city, yet still, he felt defeated. To defeat and achieve complete victory over Os’ chosen warrior would have shown to them that he was undoubtedly The Enrauch, it would have proven something to him.
Now came news from Oziel City, Lucifer was being defeated, and a retreat was being considered. After all of the problems Machenrauch had faced, he did not need this now. What had Lucifer done? How was he being defeated by Selaphiel? Known for writing hymns and leading choirs of angels in music and singing, Selaphiel was no warrior, and yet he stood steadfast against Lucifer and ground him into the diamond-rich dirt of Oziel City with the heel of his sandal whose purpose up to this point had been to tap out a beat.
Machenrauch’s latest battle had left him doubting his strength now, however. As he watched the musculature grow over the new bones in his fingers and hands, he contemplated allowing Lucifer to retreat to the safety of Azura and leaving Oziel City to the loyalists for now. The crystals they needed had been secured, what need did they really have for Oziel Diamonds? He needed them to harden these quickly produced weapons. This was what Oziel diamonds meant to the cause. Had he been wielding a sword made of Ozielian Steel, a rare metal made with Oziel diamonds, only a small amount had ever been produced because it was difficult to work with and until now, there was nothing in Heaven that required it. Lucifer had read that Ozielian Steel had a hardness that was unrivaled by any steel in heaven but which bent and absorbed energy, resisting shattering like his quickly produced steel sword had. Machenrauch coveted the metal now, he needed it.
He ordered a barebones contingent to secure the city and ordered the rest of the army to warp with him to Oziel City.
###
Machenrauch realized something was wrong when Oziel City appeared before him after his journey through warp space. There were no open spaces in which to land, he emerged from his shield orb and spread his wings flying high over the city. His well-trained warriors followed suit.
As Machenrauch’s shield orb faded, he flew into Oziel City he saw chaos and disorder below him. Lucifer’s troops were not disciplined, were not following him and were not using the resources at their disposal. He watched for a moment and held his troops back as Lucifer’s forces were turned back by Selaphiel, the singer, the musician. It was ridiculous. They circled high above the battle and Machenrauch led them to land carefully amongst the caltrops and debris in the city square.
Beset on three sides by silver armored troops, Lucifer himself was trapped and was being cordoned out the one exit the park’s gate afforded as the legions of Selaphiel crushed inward. Angels who attempted to fly were just made easier to see and were downed by accurately thrown spears from the high ground which grounded them as they tried to escape. The crush of angelic warriors gave Selaphiel precisely what he wanted from Lucifer, desperate warriors who were panicking and being funneled right into Selaphiel’s waiting warriors standing atop the corridor that led out of the park. The bodies of speared angels whose life force had been entirely drained piled up and Selaphiel’s warriors used them as both a wall to cut them off and a vantage point from which to hurl more spears at them.
Machenrauch’s troops crept carefully through the city streets until they reached the Temple of Os. There they found the rear flank of the defenders’ army. From two blocks away Machenrauch had his archers let loose a volley of accurate arrow fire upon the rear ranks. Then he led the charge, they tore into the flank of Selaphiel’s warriors, the heavily armored soldiers could not fight on a level field with the more lightly armored troops. They were slow, became exhausted quickly and could not accurately time their weapons. The spear throwers could not see their targets without an uphill vantage point, and although some did hit their mark, many felled their own warriors as even the heavy armor could not withstand the Ozielian Steel spear tips.
Machenarauch then ordered heavy archer fire on the front wall of Selaphiel’s troops. He watched as the iron wall fell, soon he saw the glint of golden armored angels cresting the hill. Even from the disadvantageous position, their commander had put them in, they were now winning with Machenrauch’s help.
Machenrauch entered Oziel City’s Temple of Os. It was there that he found him. Selaphiel, the singer, the musician, mastermind of the Oziel City defense. He had seen his forces crumble and his genius plan unravel, and now he bided his time with the one thing he loved to do. He was playing the lute when Machenrauch entered the chambers in whic
h he was now holed up.
An Ozielian Steel spearhead pierced his skull, and just as quickly an Azurian Crystal absorbed his life force. A minion of Machenrauch took the crystal for transport to Cibolia and Machenrauch walked back through the temple emerging from the entrance as Lucifer struggled up onto the landing from the grassy hill amongst the empty shells of Selaphiel’s heavy armor.
Machenrauch’s eyes met with Lucifer’s, Machenrauch saw only fear and defeat in the leader of their forces. It would be he, The Enrauch, who would need to win this war for the rebel angels.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Michael regroups
In Gabriel’s palace now, he wore fresh clothing, the wounds that had incapacitated him had nearly healed. They walked through an expansive hall flanked with high marble columns. The golden sun shone through the columns casting crepuscular rays onto the alabaster tile on which they walked.
“Gabriel, I fear that Kalos too will fall to Lucifer’s forces like Veritas before it. My martial strategies have failed again. Why does Os put me in this position of failure?” Michael’s gait had no confidence now, he was defeated and dour. With nearly one half of Heaven controlled by Lucifer’s forces, it seemed that nothing he did could stop the tide of the rebellion from arriving at the gates of The City of God now. He’d tried to step up to the challenge and grow into his role as commander of Heaven’s forces and everything he’d done thus far had been met with crushing, blistering defeat.
“He puts you in this place because you are the best angel to lead our forces against Lucifer,” Gabriel answered, unable to make eye contact with Michael since he now stared glumly at the tile they walked upon.
“I don’t understand, I have prayed and prayed for him to replace me, to send another, more powerful, more qualified angel to lead us. Why could he not have chosen you or Raphael or Metatron for this task?”
