Bones cracked and splintered as she butchered her way into a black sea made of armor. The battle raged around her with fury. Bodies fell from her attack. Her hate for Satan, and her eagerness to avenge those who died by their evil hands fueled her rage.
Daisy fought her way into the thick battle until she reached Joan. With an armored covered hand slathered in gore, she touched her leader on the shoulder. “Joan.” She pointed with her heavy sword. “General Temeculus.”
Joan turned. The general sat atop his gruesome chariot powered by two warhorses armored in black. He remained a good distance from the frontline. The Screamers, dressed in heavy black armor, surrounded him.
“Shall we take him?”
The general recognized Joan from amongst the turbulent battle. “No. He’s too well protected, and we need to keep an eye on what’s going on below us.”
Daisy Lane swung her broad sword, sliced an enemy in half and lopped off its head. She resumed her conversation with Joan. “They’re not stopping.”
Joan scanned the battlefield around her. Both sides remained locked in fierce combat. “Get Okura and unleash the archers. Maria should be on the left flank any moment now, and order Juggernaut to fill the center behind me. Make sure he shifts right after his initial attack. Keep Owen in reserve. We will close in on them like a pincer. We need to crush them here where I stand.”
Daisy Lane took off into the maelstrom. Joan gazed at Temeculus who pointed in several directions. She ignored his actions and concentrated on her own strategy. The enemy took her human army for granted and hurtled uncontrolled into the Guardians. She intended to stop them fast, and break their black spirits.
62
Daisy Lane found Okura and his archers not far from the battle. The Samurai’s black eyes remained calm, and returned her gaze with the same aplomb. “Okura, unleash your archers.”
Daisy Lane galloped her warhorse to Juggernaut’s formation. She turned back to assess the battle. Maria led her company into the enemy’s left flank like Joan expected. She turned to Juggernaut. “I need you to fill in the center and shift to our right. We’re going to pincer them.”
Juggernaut nodded. “We’re ready.”
Daisy Lane winked and turned her warhorse, and headed to Owen. “Owen, attack once the archers fire.”
Owen lifted his battleax. “We’re ready, Daisy.” Owen’s golden eyes flashed as he gazed at the gore-covered angel. He snapped the silver reins secured on his two steeds. They pulled his chariot before the cavalry formation. “Ready yourselves and stay with me.”
Daisy sawed on the reins and sent her muscled warhorse to the center a few yard behind Joan’s cavalry. Pennant bearers surrounded by Guardians stood calm near the fight. She rode up to them.
The angel swept her eyes over the hectic field. “Raise the archer flag.” The pennant bearer lifted her gold and silver flag into the air with a golden arrow stitched against a white silk background. She waved the pennant for Okura to launch his arrows.
Okura drew his sword and spread his powerful wings from behind him. He lifted his katana into the tense air. The archers loaded their bows with silver tipped arrows and drew back the bowstrings. Okura’s eyes narrowed as the battle raged on before him. A dark and sinister light slithered across his heart like a black snake.
“Fire.”
Arrows by the thousands shot into the sky. Their tips glinted like daytime fireflies. The missiles whistled upwards and over the fighting armies and arched downwards with their arrowheads aimed towards the bodies covered in black armor.
The first salvo plowed into the undead Roman soldiers and thousands fell to their deaths. Their skulls punctured and cracked open by the silver arrowheads like rotten fruit. Their dead bodies fell like black flies from the sky.
Daisy cursed under her breath. The enemy surged forward in an attempt to escape the arrow storm, this caused them to press upon Joan’s cavalry and thin out her line. Okura shot too far behind the enemy battle line. Maria’s company adjusted themselves to the sudden shift and her line began to weaken. The pincer would dissolve if they failed to correct Okura’s mistake.
Daisy wanted to enter the fight, yet she controlled herself. “Cavalry pennant, up.”
Once she gave the order, the Guardian soldier lifted the cavalry pennant and waved from left to right. She pointed to Maria’s thin line, and from a distance, Owen acknowledged the orders.
Owen removed both golden axes from his waistband. He drove his warhorses into the air with his cavalry close behind him. The angel turned back to his cavalry and lifted his weapons above his head.
“Attack.”
Owen leaped from his chariot with wings spread out behind him. He plunged into the left flank to assist Maria who adjusted her strung out line due to Okura’s terrible shot. Owen’s cavalry troops dismounted and doubled the line and forced the enemy back into the pincer. Another salvo hit the air. Arrows whistled overhead and landed far behind the Black Army lines.
63
Daisy fumed. The second arrow storm missed its mark. The arrows failed to strike the Black Army’s fat middle. She surmised Okura wanted to act on his own, and his action did not turn the battle in their favor. The enemy troops pushed ahead to avoid the silver missiles. The plan, before falling apart, intended to force the enemy back and allow the pincer to close.
“Infantry pennant, up,” Daisy ordered. The soldier lifted the infantry pennant and waved the beautiful flag overhead. She pointed to Juggernaut, and at the center where Joan fought.
Juggernaut lifted his sword and led his infantry forward as the Black Army tried to adjust against Owen’s cavalry charge. Two thousand bodies covered in bright armor moved into battle and met the enemy head on in the center to tighten up Joan’s initial attack.
Juggernaut waded into the fight like a swimmer advancing through rough waters. The battle cries rose to a higher level than when Joan first attacked. He hacked and slammed his angelic body into the enemy. He whirled around to cut others down who tried to attack him from the rear or side. He found himself lost in the mad fury as his steel cut into flesh. His enemies seemed to fall upon his massive sword by the hundreds.
Daisy Lane rode to her position on the right flank and dismounted her warhorse. Juggernaut shifted his battalion to the right to link up with Daisy Lane’s infantry. They started to form the pincer maneuver. She cursed under her breath at Okura. She would deal with him later, on a more violent and intimate level despite Joan’s wish to rehabilitate him.
Daisy Lane became absorbed in the battle and neglected to sense Lord Wrath emerge from the sky above her with a sword in one hand and a rusty spear in the other.
Wrath plunged the rusted iron tipped spear through her shoulder. Pain like fire spread through her chest. The angel lost her breath. She seized the spear shaft with one hand, raised her sword, and blocked Wrath’s downward sword blow meant for her head.
Daisy stumbled back and tried to remove the spear from her shoulder. Wrath held the weapon in a firm grip. She made every effort to block his attacks with her blade. A few Guardians charged up to the big demon, driving their swords against his bone-armored body in futile attempts to save her.
Daisy opened her mouth. “Joan.”
Joan turned and allowed the headless body she destroyed to fall. Her eyes fell upon Lord Wrath who held a death grip upon the spear lodged in Daisy Lane’s shoulder. She flew over and drove her blade into Wrath’s armor. Wrath leaped back and retrieved his spear from Daisy.
Daisy Lane grunted and fell to one knee. The pain ebbed away from her wound, tears sprung from her green eyes. Lord Wrath floated above the battle. His steed found a place near the master. Daisy coughed and took thick air into her lungs. The hole in her shoulder healed.
Joan swept her keen eyes over the battlefield as the Guardians continued to fight. Both armies intermingled amongst each other. Black Army soldiers fell to their deaths in larger numbers as the pincer closed in on them. She raised her hand, a spear appeared
in her grasp, and she flung the golden weapon towards Wrath.
Wrath’s steed charged into the spear. The weapon sank deep into its flank. The beast rose on its muscular hind legs, gave a cry before plummeting in death through the clouds.
General Temeculus stood stone still upon his chariot. He witnessed the fight between Lord Wrath and Daisy Lane play out. Surprise caught him when Joan took down his herald’s infamous mount. The distractive battle gave him enough time to unleash his alternate plan.
He nodded at Black Angel. She mounted her horrid warhorse and drew her sword. She led the charge towards Denver with five hundred Black Army cavalry behind her. She gathered enough enemy cavalry to drive fear into the human souls below and destroy them.
64
General Black and President Wallace gazed at the skies in horror. Lightning flashed in jagged bolts as white and dark clouds collided. Like moths sent to their doom, the bodies fell from the sky. A few at first, and soon they fell by the hundreds and thousands.
President Wallace stood near a bunker close to the frontlines. He narrowed his eyes against the flash and glare above him. His stomach lurched as silver glints fell from the clouds. He pressed his lips together and struggled against ripping his eyes away from the Guardians who tumbled to their deaths. However, far more Black Army soldiers poured from the sky.
The first explosion ripped through the city and echoed off the tall buildings. Flames and black smoke rolled from a bunker far to President Wallace’s left. Gunfire erupted in staccato bursts. Tanks joined in, sending high explosive rounds towards the enemy.
General Black leaned over to Wallace. “Sir, I don’t expect the human portion of the Black Army to be much of a threat, although their numbers are large, our force is comprised of professionals.” He pointed to the sky. “Our jets will pound the enemy forces coming through the mountain pass.”
President Wallace inhaled the cordite and acrid smoke. The scent stung his nostrils and caused his nose to water. His upper thighs trembled. More explosions rolled in the distance. He fought to keep his head together once the shooting started. His troops fired from their entrenched positions, shouts and calls hit the air, and bullets whirred and snapped by his head.
President Wallace took a step forward. General Black’s firm hand stopped him short. “Let me fight, Gerald.”
The general shook his head. “Sorry, sir, the troops can handle the battle from where they’re at.”
Wallace frowned as another explosion ripped the air. F-22 jets thundered overhead, more blasts resounded in the mountains. Above them swords clashed and screams reached his ears. The human enemy remained beyond visual range, but their gunfire grew as they exited the mountains. He readied his rifle and waited.
Joan faced down Lord Wrath after his dead steed tumbled to the earth. She steadied her sword as Daisy Lane recovered from his attack. Joan bought time for the angel to catch her breath and climb back into the fight.
Daisy Lane regained her composure and stood, her eyes locked on the enemy above. “He’s mine, Joan.”
Joan turned to her. “Then kill him, angel, and don’t lose your head.” With her words spoken, Joan plowed into the violence.
Daisy held her heavy sword in both hands. Wrath glanced at Joan. “Don’t worry about her. You’re all mines you sonovabitch.”
Wrath bolted towards the angel. His sword lifted above his head, his horrible maw opened wide. He let out a war cry, crashed his body into Daisy Lane’s and knocked her away.
Daisy recovered from the blow. She found a firm grip on her sword hilt. Wrath attacked again. He drove his sword down with all his might. Daisy blocked the blow with her sword. He thrust his spear forward. She dodged his lunge and struck his spear with her blade edge. She swung for his head, hoping to lop the ugly thing off. Wrath ducked and lunged, frustrating the angel’s attacks. Daisy leaped back and drove forward again.
Wrath delivered several impotent blows. Each strike missed the angel’s neck by several inches. The two continued their dangerous dance. Neither became tired. They fought hard against each other as others continued to fight their enemies around them.
Daisy crashed her blade against Wrath’s sword. Sparks flew. She kicked him in the chest. He stumbled away from her, threw his spear. Its rusty iron tip plunged deep into her upper thigh at an awkward angle. Pain flared and burned deep in her leg, numbed the hardened muscle and brought her down to one knee. Her armor rattled but she held firm to her sword. She grimaced in an effort to fight back the pain.
Wrath gloated over her. He floated forward and slapped aside Guardians attempting to stop him from his work. He stared at the angel, her white teeth clinched. Her eyes flashed a brilliant green as he approached her. “Woman, when I fought you before, I failed to deal with you like I’m going to deal with you now.”
Daisy Lane struggled not to scream from the pain. His spear cracked her thighbone, the halves ground together. Wrath lifted his sword with one hand, seized his spear ironwood shaft with the other and twisted the shaft. More pain exploded in her thigh. She cried out, bitter vomit burned her throat. Black pain sank its claws into her mind.
Through the haze, Wrath’s sword came down towards her head. She opened her mouth to scream. His blade kissed the skin on her neck.
Wrath’s blow cut half way through Daisy’s neck before Maria sliced off his arm. Daisy’s body flopped to the cloud’s surface with Wrath’s blade stuck halfway into her neck. Blood spurted in red shocks from the wound.
Maria stared Wrath in his hollow eyes. He still held the spear and tried to retrieve the weapon from Daisy’s leg with his one good arm. Maria cut off his arm with spear in hand followed by his head. Wrath’s headless body stumbled backwards and dropped through the clouds.
Maria turned and fell to her knees at Daisy Lane’s side and removed the blade from her neck. More blood gushed and splattered both their armor with bright crimson. “Heal yourself for God’s sake,” she said.
Daisy opened her mouth frothed in pink bloody bubbles. “Daisy, look at me and heal yourself, your head is still intact,” Maria said.
Daisy’s eyes glassed over, her hand seized Maria’s forearm as Maria eased off her friend’s helmet and tossed the decorative headpiece aside.
Daisy Lane tried to heal, the blood loss made her focus impossible. Battle calls and the clash and clang of metal against metal pounded into her ears. Maria’s voice reached her, but through a tunnel, as if Maria moved further and further away from her. Daisy’s eyesight became fuzzy, Maria’s face, streaked with blood and grime, dimmed and blurred out.
Maria held Daisy’s hand until her chest heaved. Her eyes lay still, her gaze lost in the universe beyond as all her blood drained from her neck. Maria leaned over Daisy Lane’s prone body and cried.
Daisy’s hand slipped from Maria’s grip, her body dropped towards the earth, vanishing from sight.
65
Okura loosed more arrows into the Black Army. He studied Temeculus as the battle din rose around him. He produced a dark smile once the general sent Black Angel with her cavalry racing to Denver.
The battle did not salve his broken spirit. His rage continued to burn against God and Joan for his dead family. Yes, he volunteered eons ago to fight. Those days sat lost in history.
Young and brash, he lived for the fight. Now older, he enjoyed the comfort his family gave him. He no longer considered mortals pets like God and Joan. She lost her family and never showed any emotion or anger for their deaths.
He remembered what he told Daisy Lane a few days ago. Make a decision in seven breaths. He stared at the impassive Temeculus across the chaotic battlefield. Okura made his decision and ordered his captain to take charge. He slipped away from the fight.
The other angels gave the enemy their complete attention and did not catch him leave his post and fly towards Denver to do his underhanded work.
Okura moved like a meteor. He headed for the Denver Bank and Trust company near the city center. High concrete wall
s surrounded the bank, with soldiers posted around the outside. He came through the glass skylight and landed in the lobby. Inside the bank lobby stood thirty Special Forces soldiers who recognized the angel covered in gore.
“Sir,” a soldier said. “I’m sorry, Joan gave us strict orders. No one is to enter the safe except for her or Daisy Lane.”
Okura frowned. “Are you going to stop me?”
The soldier blinked, his gaze wavered from the majestic being before him. “No. Nevertheless, I will inform Joan.”
Okura drew his katana. The sword gleamed from the sunlight filtering through the bank windows. He thought twice, replaced the silver steel, and struck the soldier with a closed fist, knocking him out. The other soldiers began firing at Okura. The angel decided not to kill them. He moved fast and knocked each soldier unconscious. Once finished, he stood in the silent lobby with the closed safe before him.
Okura approached the thick metal door. He stepped through steel eight feet thick and entered the well-lit room. Once inside, he realized no money filled the vault, but his priceless jewel sat in a corner with a book in hand.
Lucia closed the book. Perturbed, she stared up at Okura. “Where’s Joan?”
The angel stood over the Key, fists balled. His once white armor smeared in blood steamed from the overhead lights. He outstretched his left hand. “Come with me, Lucia. You’re needed at the back gate of Hell.”
Lucia blinked, her face darkened. “Not unless Joan or Daisy is taking me.”
Disappointed, Okura lowered his hand. The angel took two steps forward, backhanded the girl into unconsciousness, lifted her up and threw her over his muscled shoulder. He took flight through the roof and headed towards Hell’s back gate.
Angels of War (Angels of War Trilogy Book 1) Page 26
