by Lynn Landes
Jake throws a quick wave of understanding and directs Makaio and Loe away from the ship, killing demons as they go. She sees a wall of flying death headed for the ship and yells to Malach over the noise, “Can you draw some of them away so I can get to Jake and the others?”
Malach looks back at her after kicking a large night crawler demon in the face with a resounding crack of bone. It strikes the deck with a wet thud.
“Yes, go! Go!” With that, he extends his mighty wings and launches towards the sky in a blast of air and debris from his passage. Malach leaps straight into the night sky shifting into his dragon form, spewing out a stream of flame he burns any in his path.
Roaring he taunts the flying horde to pull them away from Elina and the ship. Most of the creatures give chase trying to bring the beautiful dragon down using the sheer force of numbers to drive Malach into the water.
He twists and turns on his tail shooting skyward with a great beat of his enormous wings breaking the bodies of any creature within reach of his taloned feet. He swings his tail like a whip cutting some of the demons in half. Punching through the mass of darkness, Malach climbs further on his wings readying for another assault.
Elina worries about Malach for a second until she sees him hammer through the demonic cloud of creatures attacking him and gain altitude. For a moment she stands awestruck at the pure power that the dragon possesses. The beauty of the sheer ferocity he displays when fighting is like nothing she has ever seen. Taking the few seconds that he bought her, she ports to Jake to help with the fight on the pier.
Elina arrives in the middle of Jakes group, just in time to duck as a creature with a monstrous mouth of foul rotten teeth and claws leaps at her. With a yell she sidesteps and plunges her sword into its back watching as it flashes to cinders.
Jake looks over his shoulder, “Good to see you in one piece.” He slashes at another of the toothed creatures watching it fall, staining the wood of the pier with its blood. “I never thought I would be glad to see that dragon again. Damn, he is big. I am glad he is on our side.”
Makaio grunts with effort and a demon goes up in a flash. “At this point I would take any help we can find!” Another swing of his club and the dog faced demon in front of him falls with most of its head missing.
Elina hears a war cry from behind her and turns to watch Loe grab a clawed arm of a night crawler demon. With a great heave he rips it from the shoulder of the beast and taking the still moving dismembered hand, he drives it up into the screaming mouth, spearing the creatures head with its own taloned hand. As it falls over still gurgling he turns looking at Elina, his eyes aglow with the righteous fire burning inside of his soul. He nods at her and pushes into the foe once more.
Elina makes her own path into the fray. Keeping her back to Jake she starts killing anything in front of her. She has no second thought, no remorse. It is as if her humanity has been stripped from her. With no hesitation, she kills with every stroke of her sword, barely registering what she hits before turning to strike again. Carefully, she keeps her powers quiet, waiting for the moment that she will need them. When she feels the tremor in the slick wood under her feet, she slows her deadly ballet and glances over at Jake, Makaio and Loe. They all have a dumbstruck look on their grime covered faces, wondering why the demons are backing off.
“Oh shit, this isn’t good is it?” Jake asks.
Elina looks up the pier towards the city and sees the hell spawn in front of her start to separate and fall to the rough wooden planks, shivering in anticipation. “Malach, where is that heavenly army you promised me? We could use a little help right about now,” Elina calls.
With a roar he answers her call, “Wait for it!” he snaps pushing back, through the foes attacking him. He flies at speed back towards the pier hugging the wave tops.
The Mocker steps past the line of his servants groveling on the ground without even a glance. He stops in front of Elina and her group on the pier. The Fallen Archangel is huge, he easily stands at eight feet tall in his spotless armor. It glints in the light thrown off by multiple fires around them. In his contempt of the Keeper his sword still rests in its scabbard as though he has nothing to fear.
“We meet at last, Elina.” He cocks his head to the side smirking, “You have been a thorn in my side, yet I must admit, I expected more from the mighty Keeper. You look more like a mighty mouse to me!” Chuckling at his own joke he continues staring directly into Elina’s eyes.
“Now I see where your dead sons get their brains. They misjudged me and paid the price.” Elina snaps, looking at the monster disguised in fine armor in front of her. Stepping closer to the Mocker, her eyes flash with her power, “You forget demon, I have the power of all Heaven within me and its warriors shall bring you to justice once again.”
The Mocker starts to laugh drawing his sword once more. “I was hoping you would not make it easy, you have something I want, give it to me and I may let you live…”
An explosion rocks the pier behind the Mocker and he is struck by a mighty blow from the dragon’s tail. The impact connects with the armored chest in a resounding boom, lifting the mocker from his feet and sending him rocketing towards the ship next to the pier. With a crash of splintering wood he flies into the massive mast of the vessel completely severing it from the ship. The weight of his massive armored body takes him beyond the deck and into the water with a colossal splash!
Elina watches as the huge mast falls towards the dock landing on scattering demons. She smiles inwardly as the creatures are pounded into the ground. The horde left behind begin to gather themselves to start the second wave of attacks on the Keeper and the Dragon. Their largest demons start pushing and driving the smaller creatures toward the circle of warriors. She feels Malach walk up behind her and ready himself for battle.
“No more dragon then?” averting her eyes from the threats that are lining up around them she looks at Malach in his archangel form. He is stunning in his dragon scale armor and magnificent blue wings. Though covered with blood and gore from the battle his armor shines with the brilliance of heaven. Even the demons are forced to look away as if it pains them to look upon the light of a pure soul.
“No, my place is at your side. We will face these abominations together.” With that he draws his sword and prepares for battle again.
In the distance a deep, ominous sound of a horn echoes across the night and sends chills down the spines of the gathered keepers. The demons make a charge at them before the horn dies away, replaced with a roar of bloodlust as they run flying at them.
Elina yells out, “Stick with the plan we have to escape when possible. Until then kill as many as you can!” She begins to pool her power, preparing for the ensuing chaos when a bright flash catches her attention.
A shooting star shimmers across the night sky, followed by more. Within seconds it seems that the sky itself is falling, as if all the stars of heaven are raining down upon the black army. The demons skid to a halt in confusion and look around in fear. The flyers take to the air, scattering in hopes of finding shelter.
Elina can hear the Mockers voice raging as his servants pull him from the water. They watch from the deck of the burning ship. His perfectly polished armor is now caved in at his chest and most of the brightest diamonds have been knocked off from the impact of his passage. The eyes of a madman stare back from his bleeding, mud-covered face with a darkness that chills her soul.
‘Here we go,’ she thinks.
The meteors impact behind the group showering them with dirt and rock. Out of the dust cloud Uriel strides towards Elina and Malach stopping he bows to the Keeper. His pure white armor matches his wings with hints of gold mixed in.
“Greetings Keeper, we have come for the Betrayer.”
Malach grins and watches as two more follow. Gabriel warrior angel, covered completely in silver armor wears a molded face mask which reveals his eyes. Jake stares in awe at his wings, which whip around like molten snakes made completely of
electricity. Simeon the mighty celestial soldier lands to the right of Malach, wearing his golden chain mail over his coffee colored skin. In his mighty fist, he holds a golden crossbow and wears a belt laden with weapons. He snaps his mighty wings open and the polished blades of his feathers reflect the fire and more falling stars as the army of angels join the fight.
“Brothers, what took you so long?” Malach asks as they move into a protective circle. The Mocker smiles when they come. He is prepared for just this possibility. With a clap of his hands the ship deck explodes with demons. Night crawlers, with bony blades for hands and a lust for blood. They leap and run on all fours heading straight for the humans. The fallen angels attack in a fluid dance of warriors trained together for a millennium.
Chaos explodes around Elina and she stays close to the Keepers fighting off arachnid like demons. Their grotesque multi-legged bodies are attached to a human face with multiple eyes and mouths. An eerie screech emanates from their distorted mouths, working and slathering for the fresh blood they smell.
Jakes draws first blood with a pistol full of shells to the chest of the closest creature. Another one climbs over its dead back before he even has time to reload. Grabbing his combat knife he hacks at its legs. Drawing on his power the blade of the knife ignites with holy energy. His next slice opens up the monster’s belly and it falls on top of the first burning from the inside.
Gabriel lunges to meet the night crawlers coming down the pier. His wings snap and crack as he hits the line of demons. Their claws ring on his armor as they fight to tear him apart. The archangel stands in the middle of a maelstrom of screeches and swinging limbs. With a great heave he opens his wings to their full spread and drops their electrified expanse down on top of the mass surrounding him. The hungry screeches of the demons turn to screams of agony as they are vaporized from the pure energy of his wings enveloping them. A loud flash-bang sounds signifies the end of all the creatures gathered around him. Gabriel shakes his massive wings out and pulls them tightly close to his back before looking for more targets.
Uriel has fought his way towards the ship where the architect of so much death stands perched, watching the battle below. He has left a trail of demon bodies behind him as he cuts a path to his quarry. Being this close to the Mocker causes the Sword of Justice to vibrate in Uriel’s hands.
He steals a quick glance up from the advancing creatures to see his prize still on the ship. With a great swing of the beautiful sword he clears a path through the sons of night in front of him. The bodies fall to the blood soaked pier as he runs through their brethren. Uriel runs down the length of the ship shooting glittering golden feathers from his wings into the wooden side of the vessel. They sink deep into the hard wood with a loud thunk, as each one hits like a throwing dagger.
As he runs to the end of the great ship he launches himself into the air continuing around the other side, firing gilded feathers as he flies past.
A great push from his wings has Uriel sweeping up over the railing of the uppermost decks taking the heads of those within reach of his sword’s thirsty edge. All the while you can hear the sound of his feathers sinking into the wood amongst the demons.
The Mocker watches the battle with maddening glee, savoring the anarchy he has created. He sees the Archangels fighting and destroying many of his children and followers.
Hearing a scream from the sky, he looks up in time to see an angel attacked from all sides and pulled down with a crash as the demon flyers feast upon his flesh. Scanning he takes in battles all across the sky. His spawn are being beaten back with flashes of holy fire.
Entranced, he watches the beautiful dance as some of the battling angels seem to embrace. Their wings are intertwined as though lovers reunited. Only this embrace is the one of hatred and death, where the only outcome is the destruction of one or the other.
He pulls his eyes from the battle being fought in the sky to return his gaze to where Elina is on the pier. She is fighting with the human and his friends. He sees no angels around to help defend her. His mouth waters at the thought of her powerful blood. He can almost taste the metallic life force flowing through her body. ‘Mine,’ he thinks and he leaps from the ship’s deck to the pier and powers through fighting towards her.
He plows through any who dare to block his prey. Angels and demon are tossed like rag dolls, drawing the attention of the Lua fighting to protect her. Makaio and Loe join together, chanting they block the first blow from the powerful enemy.
The Mocker is blown back with a crash of holy energy as his sword contacts the energized war clubs of the combined keeper’s powers.
Elina feels the explosion behind her and knows the Mocker is upon them. She continues to fight off the three night crawlers in front of her with Jake. She is conserving her energy, knowing that when she finally moves through time her power must be at full strength.
Jake leaps to one side of the creatures creating a charge of energy in his hand. He sends it into the side of one of the night crawlers blasting it to smoking pieces.
The demons fall onto the pieces of their brother like children falling on candy. He turns just as the Mocker is blown backwards away from the group.
“Malach!” he screams looking for him. Over the black bodies of the demons before him, he sees Malach engulfed by a tide of the dog faced demons. They are attempting to pull him down. Malach can barely swing his sword because of the creatures swarming him. Seeing no help from that direction, Jake yells to Makaio and Lao, “Close ranks with Elina. Get ready for the Mockers next attack!”
Uriel lands on the crowded deck of the ship seeking his target. He wants him alive so that the evil can face its punishment. The endless mass of gnashing teeth and claws falls upon him, seeking blood to quench their eternal anguish.
Mixed among the demons are fallen angels whose thirst for revenge and blood are even greater than the sorry creatures around them. Uriel fights his way towards the back of the ship with great swings of the Sword of Justice plowing through the bodies in front of him.
As he nears the upper deck a bright flash of intense blue light and an explosion, he can feel through the deck beneath his feet has him stopping for a moment. The very deck rattles, with barrels and boxes jumping from the concussion.
The demons around him fall to the deck in pain tearing at their smoking skin. He looks over the side of the ship to find the source of the holy blast only to see the Mocker flying across the pier with his armor a smoking ruin, and crashes into a building, plowing a large hole into the wall. With a surprised glance, his eyes connect with Makaio and he nods in approval.
With the enemy now located he snaps his wings open and launches into the night sky. He finds Gabriel with his mind and sends him a message.
“End this now.”
To everyone else he sends a warning to fall back from the ship and pier. From his position in the sky, he watches the battle and waits for the Mocker to show himself again.
Gabriel flies towards the ship his wings crackling and flashing with power. He lands on the deck amongst the enemy. As his feet touch the deck, he releases a huge surge of power into the gilded feathers studded all across the area around him.
With a flash he is back in the air, “It is done. Pull back! Pull back!”
Like plasma discharging, a popping sizzling sound is heard as the electrical current leaps seeking a target. It arcs from golden feather to golden feather until it reaches its final destination; the belly of the ship. The explosion is heard for miles as the ship is blown to bits and the resulting wave blows those standing close, across the earth.
Elina is thrown into the fish market. Her body explodes through the wooden walls, splintering it into fragments. She wakes to excruciating pain in her left leg. Biting down to keep from screaming she looks down and stares in horror at the piece of timber pinning her to the ground.
She tries to move, but whimpers when the pain washes over her and blackness threatens. She lifts her head searching for Malach in
the rubble strewn about her from the blast.
“Malach! Help me, I’m..,” a noise catches her attention and that’s when she hears it the grunting of an animal. The Nightwalker demon leads the group of five Fallen straight towards Elina.
The scent of her powerful blood calls to all the demons and fallen angels. They push away the debris and one holds back the Nightwalker.
“Quickly, brothers! We can each take a piece and he will not stand a chance against us!” One of the angels says lustily licking his lips when he looks at Elina. Surprise filters through her mind, they want to be free of him.
The shot echoes through the night like a cannon going off and Elina ducks, covering her face. The fallen angel drops to his knees, clutching his chest and the scent of his blood sets the Nightwalker off. He leaps at the angel and buries his shark like teeth deep into the angel’s throat, ripping a jagged tear of flesh out.
The other four angels turn on Jake thinking they can take him. Jake stands ready with his pistol and knife. “Who’s next you bastards?”
Two of the angels look at each other and then lunge at Jake. He sidesteps a wild swing from one of them and places two shots into the head of the other. With a quick twist, he steps behind the recovering angel and drives his now enhanced combat knife into the center of his back. The angel looks down to see a fiery blue blade protruding from his bleeding chest before he falls onto his face, dead.
While the two angels attack Jake, the other two move back towards Elina. “Grab her! We can kill her later and drain her dry!”
A rush of air from a huge pair of wings bats at them and the sound of a heavy thud draw their attention.
Simeon lands and grabs the angels, one in each hand. Lifting them from the ground, he snaps their necks before they realize he is there. Dropping the lifeless bodies, Simeon takes his crossbow and fires a bolt into the back of the Nightcrawlers head.
