* * *
When I returned from my battle with Beelzebub I found Dirael, Haniel and his brothers leading the assault on the succubae throng with several thousand Cherubim and Thrones. The succubae, leaderless, attempted to mentally seduce the forces against them but the song of the Virtues had steeled the minds of our angelic warriors and they would not succumb again. They cut through the succubae, dividing them, and dispatching them with ease. They were soon routed.
Furmiel and Shoel reorganized the defensive shield above the city in anticipation of the next fallen wave. The dome was much smaller, the ranks thin. Still, we held.
I took my place at the forward wall beside Haniel and Shoel. I said little. My prana levels were low, despite Avenel’s final gift, and I trickled in what I could from my surroundings.
An hour passed but the fallen wave did not come. It did not take long to figure out why. I sensed the reason as soon as he appeared.
Mephistopheles.
He approached slowly in a dark chariot pulled by a team of black horses. I felt his mindless fury, his humiliation at the defeat by my hands. He would not suffer the fallen to destroy us while I lived. He would do it himself.
A row of chariots were lined up to either side of him, each pulled by a pair of horse-like demons, large and grotesque. They were easily five hundred strong.
“I see my brothers and sisters have come out at last,” said Haniel. “I was beginning to wonder when they would show. I suppose we should be flattered they’ve decided to throw fallen Seraphim against us. We must truly be an annoyance.”
Five hundred fallen Seraphim.
I swallowed. I knew how strong three Seraphim could be. I did not wish to ponder five hundred.
“They are no longer Seraphim,” I muttered. “Mephistopheles gave them a new name. He told it to me once.”
“Oh? And what is that?”
“Devils. He called them devils.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
The row of devils glowed a soft red. Orange flames curled around their chariot wheels and licked the hooves of the beasts. They lined up beside Mephistopheles, cutting across the darkened sky like an open gash. In contrast, Mephistopheles’ aura was a deep purple, the color of controlled fury.
They advanced.
I exhaled slowly and drew my sword. Five hundred devils. Considering there were only twelve hundred Seraphim in existence, nearly half were arrayed against us. A fraction of their number could easily decimate our entire army.
I turned to Haniel. “Any last thoughts?”
“Just one.” Haniel pursed his lips as if he had all the time in the world to consider. “I recall you mentioning that a fallen feels pain in a higher sphere. Is that not so?”
I frowned. This was not a question I expected in the face of annihilation. “It is. The pain is excruciating, I’ve experienced it firsthand. It can be so great as to paralyze, perhaps even kill.” I threw him a sidelong glance. “Why?”
“I was thinking it has been a long while since our Seraphim brothers and sisters saw our dear departed home. Perhaps it is time for a visit.”
“We’ve tried to open portals to the higher planes. Lucifer has blocked them all.”
“Not all. He can’t prevent Seraphim from returning to the Holy City. No one can. And unless I’m mistaken, devils are still Seraphim, only clothed in black.”
I smiled. The fifteenth sphere, the Holy City, was home to the Seraphim. If sent there they would surely be incapacitated. “Do you have the strength to open a portal wide enough? I certainly don’t, even if I could.”
“Leave that to us. It’s no effort to open a portal back home for our order. It will take a little time to create one large enough for devil, chariot, and beast, however.” He paused and threw me a sidelong glance. “I suppose that’s where you come in. A distraction would buy us some time. We’ll try and be quick about it.”
I grimaced. “Right. Let me see what I can do.” I sheathed my sword and moved forward, raising my hands in a disarming fashion as I closed in on Mephistopheles.
He held up a fist and slowed to a stop. When I neared, the devils on each flank advanced until I was encircled.
“Hello brother,” I said, my hands still raised.
“Surprised to see me, Sariel?” His glare held a nearly unhinged rage.
“Truth be told, I am. I had expected you to be a little worse off.”
“The prana leeched from a thousand fallen can work wonders.”
“Not so wonderful for those who died while you sucked them dry, I imagine.”
“Their lives served a higher purpose. So, what brings you to me so willingly?”
“I’d like to discuss the terms of my surrender.”
“Surrender? Interesting. I do believe you led our dear sister into a similar ruse. She told us she was bringing you to Lucifer on your knees. Apparently, she was mistaken because here you are and she is comatose and near dead.”
“It was no ruse, brother. She attacked me while on the way to bend knee to Lucifer. I had no choice but to retaliate.”
“It seems you’re out of choices here as well.”
“It does appear that way.”
“Any final words, Sariel?”
I glanced about me at the wall of devils then back to my brother. He held murder in his eyes. How had it come to this? Never in my worst nightmare had I pictured myself in such an insane predicament. The absurdity of the moment was not lost on me.
I began to laugh.
Mephistopheles snarled. I laughed even harder, throwing my head back. The pent up anger, frustration, and despair I felt these many months bubbled out in uncaring mirth. It was the laughter of the delirious, of one who crossed the line into madness. It felt good. Tears came to my eyes.
Laughter joined in with mine. It was Mephistopheles. His face softened and resembled the brother I had known and loved.
“Look at us, brother,” I said, smiling. “A fine pair we make. We’re surrounded by a lunacy of our own making. Look how far we’ve descended from our perch. Does it not astound you?”
“Indeed it does,” he chuckled. “But I’ve grown accustomed to it and find that it fits me like a comfortable cloak. However, I cannot enjoy it nearly as much so long as you live. You are like a thorn against my skin.”
“Then I suppose this is farewell. If it means anything at all, I truly am sorry about our dear sister.”
“Beelzebub lacked experience in combat. Coming at you like a brawler using fisticuffs.” He shook his head in distaste. “No imagination, to be sure. She also completely underestimated you. I have no such illusions.”
“Hence your reinforcements?” I gestured to the devils about me.
“This is a family matter. Let’s keep it in the family, shall we?”
Strong hands grabbed my wrists and wrenched them backwards as a knee pressed soundly into my back. I grunted from the pain and tried to pull free. It was impossible. The strength of the one holding me was far greater than mine at the moment.
“Hello, Sariel,” said Asmodeus into my ear.
* * *
“Hold him still.” Mephistopheles rose from his chariot and drew his sword. “I think he should feel what Beelzebub felt, don’t you Asmodeus? It’s only fitting.”
I tried to pull free but Asmodeus’ iron grip only tightened. I lashed out wildly with my right leg but hit nothing. “Azazel, don’t do this!”
“I gave my word to hold you down, Sariel. You know I never speak falsely.”
Mephistopheles drew back his sword to strike at my neck.
The grip holding me abruptly let go. I ducked at the last moment. The sword swept harmlessly over my head. Swiftly, I moved away.
“I said hold him!” snapped Mephistopheles.
“And I have.” Asmodeus faced me, his eyes darkened, his hair unkempt. He appeared as a ghost of his former self. “I am sorry, Sariel. I never wanted this. I thought this was for the greater good.”
“Then help me, Azazel!”
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He shook his head. “No. I am with Lucifer now, for good or ill. I gave my word.”
“Asmodeus, you traitor!” snarled Mephistopheles.
“I am no traitor but neither will I aid you in this slaughter. I will stand aside in this matter. Goodbye Sariel.” He moved away.
I faced Mephistopheles. “I suppose this is between you and me now.” I drew my sword.
“No. It’s between you and us. Kill him!”
The devils closed in. I gathered my strength. And shot upwards. I sharply banked and sped towards Haniel. The devils gave chase.
“Haniel!” I shouted. “I hope you’re ready. They’re right behind me!”
Haniel and his two brothers raced towards me. They flew in a tight triangular formation.
Pass beneath us as soon as we reach you but under no circumstances go between us, pulsed Haniel.
I dashed towards them, the devils no more than twenty feet behind. A blast of energy took me in the back and I veered but did not change course. Another blast took me in the shoulder.
Haniel and his brothers, Jehoel and Zaphiel, sped towards me. As I drew closer, the three Seraphim moved further apart but still maintained their triangular formation. Haniel flew at the top, his two brothers in the lower corners. A shimmering portal appeared between them as if they held a large net.
I ducked under them. The Seraphim burst forward at greater speed towards the group of devils behind me.
The net swallowed the first devil and his chariot. The fallen Seraphim screamed an ear shattering cry before it was abruptly cut short as he tumbled into the portal. The net continued on, swallowing another with a faint popping sound. A devil threw up his hands and disappeared. Haniel and his brothers drove forward, their portal swallowing more and more in rapid succession. Devils tried to veer off to no avail. A flurry of popping sounds filled the air as a score of devils were sucked into the portal and sent home.
The devils further back in the group peeled off to avoid the oncoming Seraphim but Haniel and his brothers were more nimble, maneuvering the portal adroitly. They dodged, dipped and spun, catching both chariot and devil into the portal net as if they were scooping butterflies.
The devils scattered from the trio, racing away madly in all directions. Many abandoned their chariots and bolted. The chariots, unmanned, simply drifted. The devils swarmed wildly like a cloud of startled bees.
The Seraphim, in that moment, were a marvel like I had never seen. They flew, spun, and twirled with an effortless grace that can only be attained with perfect precision and poise. Their movements resembled a dance, choreographed perfectly, three symmetrically flowing parts of the same entity. Where they moved, devils vanished. I beheld them in wonder.
A cheer rose up from the angelic armies floating above the fortress. The sound of their voices carried across the sky.
All but ignored, I drove into the beleaguered devils. With a stroke of my sword I slew one and then another. I continued, hacking and slashing, with little grace but harsh effectiveness.
Black lightning fractured the sky. I floated several hundred feet above and watched Mephistopheles take another aim at Haniel and his brothers. They deflected and dodged the black bolts, continuing their crusade.
Mephistopheles snapped the reins of his chariot and charged. Instead of banking away, the Seraphim opened their net wide to swallow him up.
“Haniel, no!” I shouted.
Mephistopheles pointed his hand at the oncoming portal and shouted a command. The portal, nebulous and shimmering, hardened like glass. Mephistopheles reared back his arm and launched a javelin at it. The portal shattered, large jagged pieces of glass shards plummeting to the ground.
The three Seraphim drew their weapons and bore down on Mephistopheles. Jehoel reached him first and, with a sharp cry, clove his sword at Mephistopheles skull as he flew above him. The fallen Archangel ducked and whirled, another javelin in his hand. He threw it with deadly accuracy. It caught Jehoel in the chest and drove through him, ripping through his wing. The Seraph spun in the air and vanished.
“No!” cried Haniel. He flew at Mephistopheles in a rage and swung his sword.
But instead of attacking him, he lopped the heads from the beasts pulling Mephistopheles’ chariot. They dropped like a stone. The weight of its fall caused the fallen Archangel’s chariot to upend.
At that moment, Zaphiel thrust his spear at Mephistopheles from behind. Spinning, the fallen Archangel snatched it and pulled. Zaphiel, unbalanced, was yanked forward. Mephistopheles viciously ripped his sword through the Seraph, cleaving him nearly in half before he vanished.
Haniel roared in anger and swung madly with sword. Mephistopheles, his wings spread and hovering, swayed aside and easily parried. The Seraph struck again and again in a shower of sparks, his movements blinding, each time closing in on Mephistopheles. The fallen Archangel’s defense grew hurried and desperate as he parried and blocked. Haniel pressed forward coolly, his swordplay skillful, and he sliced Mephistopheles across the chest. The fallen Archangel cried out and reeled backwards.
Desperate, Mephistopheles raised his hand and called forth lightning from the sky. Haniel flicked it away with a swat of his hand then leveled his sword at Mephistopheles. A gout of holy fire burst forth and enveloped the fallen Archangel.
Crying out in pain, Mephistopheles raised his hands and extinguished the flame. Just then, Haniel drove forward with a killing blow. Mephistopheles lunged to the side but not fast enough. The blade pierced his shoulder and stuck. Mephistopheles howled in pain and twisted, ripping the lodged blade out of Haniel’s hand. With a savage swing of his blade, Mephistopheles took off Haniel’s head. The Seraph vanished.
I bellowed in fury and smashed into Mephistopheles from above, driving him all the way to the hard ground below. The earth exploded beneath us. He lay below me in a rocky crater, disoriented, Haniel’s sword still stuck through his shoulder. I raised my hand to call forth a pillar of flame from the heavens. Brother or no, he would burn to ashes for what he had done.
Two devils slammed into me. I spun away and tumbled. More devils assaulted me, grappling me, pinning me down.
I swung wildly, smashing bones, elbowing chins, bellowing my rage. But these were not demons that could be dislodged so easily. Devils were near equal to me in physical strength. At least a dozen were piled on top of me.
With a mighty roar, I surged upward, breaking free for the briefest moment. A powerful blow to my chin sent me skimming and tumbling along the ground. Blood drenched my mouth.
I lay on my back and raised my head, the movement painful, and saw a large shard of glass the size of my leg jutting from the ground. Its edges and corners were razor sharp. I quickly glanced around. More glass splinters lay in the immediate vicinity. But it wasn’t glass, it was Haniel’s shattered portal back to the fifteenth sphere.
I grinned a bloody smile. The devils surged and leapt at me once more, piling on top of me, holding me down and immobilizing me. More threw themselves on the pile. I sensed Mephistopheles limping my way, mad with hatred.
Buried beneath the devils’ weight, I didn’t struggle against them. Not this time. I wanted to stay as low to the ground as possible.
I willed the portal fragments to rise around me. There were hundreds, some large, some small, and all very sharp. I couldn’t see them, but I sensed the fragments obeying my will. I unleashed them. The shards and splinters tore into the mountain of devils amassed above me.
Ripping flesh and howls of agony filled the air. Bodies slackened and slid off. I shrugged off the dead weight as I rose.
Dozens of lifeless bodies spread out in a circle. Sizzling holes appeared in all of them. The wounds did not bleed and were cleanly bored through as if with an auger. Severed limbs, heads, and unrecognizable body parts lay neatly cut. I stared in surprise at the grisly sight. I hadn’t expected the portal fragments to still work. Apparently it did, even in glass form. I wondered how the Seraphim in the Holy City would react when pieces
of flesh landed in their midst. Probably not well.
Battle cries filled the sky. In the air, Cherubim and Thrones, ten thousand strong, charged the remainder of the devils at least two hundred in number.
The angels advanced in a disciplined line, loosing arrows and javelins across the distance. Streams of fire hundreds of feet long burst forth from the devils and burned the missiles to dust.
The two forces collided. As they did so, the devils unleashed another torrent of red-hot flame. It incinerated the charging angels and they flared as if they were made of straw. Screams rent the sky. The engulfing flames spread in a flash, roaring through the contingent of Cherubim and Thrones in a great whoosh. Their angelic arms and armor fell like so much ash from the sky.
The devils regrouped and smashed through the remnants of the burning angelic forces. They scattered them effortlessly. Their charge continued, the devils flowing into a wedge formation like a flock of birds and smashed into our dome.
The sound of the impact rattled the night. The dome rippled. Thousands of locked shields burst apart.
Within seconds, it was breached.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
I launched myself towards the fortress, my movements slow, sluggish. I could only watch in mute horror.
A massive tear opened up in our dome formation, a gaping wound that bled light from some of Haniel’s glowing orbs from within. The disciplined Guardian class recovered quickly and maneuvered to close the breach, regrouping and locking shields. Soon, it appeared as if the dome was whole.
But I knew better. The damage was already done. Within the dome, I could feel the devils spreading quickly like a deadly poison.
The dome’s perimeter began to fracture in great random lines as ranks of locked shields broke apart. Cracks appeared slowly at first, then in greater number before widening into fissures. The muffled clash of fierce battle drifted to my ears.
Abruptly, sections at the top of the dome imploded like sinkholes. Other sections fell away until our defensive dome, which had so valiantly repelled wave after wave, appeared like a helmet battered and split.
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