“If you get hurt,” she said in a worried voice as she strapped on his greaves and breastplate, “you hurry right back. I’ll be with Raphael and Kassidy ready to heal you.”
Alan nodded as he locked his helmet in place and took up his shield and spear. A sick longing filled him, an excitement for battle and blood. Danielle’s vexed expression and the level of worry in her eyes brought him back from his thoughts of the fight to come. “Hey,” Alan said lifting Danielle’s chin with his finger. “I’m going to be fine. We are all going to be fine.”
Danielle nodded, clearing her throat at the same time. No words came to her but the worry on her face was clear. “I’ll see you soon,” Alan said. He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.
Danielle trembled as his lips met her soft skin. Before any more words could be exchanged, Esther’s voice could be heard thundering through the air. “Positions!”
Alan gave Danielle one last wink before heading to the front of the army. The armor he wore was comfortable, not too heavy and it afforded him all the movement he could want. Two long slits on the back of his armor made sure his wings would not rend the armor when he called on them.
Alan took his place in the long line of angel warriors that stood on the beach. Together they face the embankment. Archers hovered in the air above them. Esther walked back and forth across the frontline readying her troops. She was a goddess. Silver armor glimmering in the sunlight. Her sword was drawn as she shouted and pointed at the mass of approaching enemy. “They come now expecting us to fold. They knock on our door and tell us we should bargain one of our own because now as supernaturals we have all lost or immortality.”
Esther paused, her chest heaving as she roared into the still air. “Well, I say I have seen our Creator and I am ready to spend an eternity with him if it is my time to die.”
Shouts from her warriors greeted her words. Alan found himself sharing their excitement. Whether it was his continued evolution into the Horseman of War or a sense of peace, Alan found himself unwilling to shy away from the thought of death.
“If it is our time to go,” Esther beat her breast with her free hand, “then it is our time to go. But let them remember forever this day, the day they thought we would fold. Let them remember forever the day the Light beat back the darkness!”
Another roar from her men and women split the air as every soldier under Esther’s command stomped their feet and bashed their weapons on their shields.
So much adrenaline pumped through Alan’s veins, it was hard for him to stand still. His hands trembled with the promise of war. The enemy was approaching quickly. What seemed before like hundreds of enemies before was now multiplied by fear. Thousands of warriors raced across the green sloping hills towards the beach. They were still too far away to make out faces yet Alan could suppose Trubic would be somewhere in the rear of the crowd.
“Archers,” Esther yelled taking her place next to Alan on the frontline, “fire!”
Whistling permeated the air above Alan as the archers let loose with a volley of arrows. Tiny wooden shafts darted through the sky overhead to land amongst the enemy rank. Unearthly screams came from the enemy, some yelling their war cries, others from a shaft that found its mark.
Once given the command, the archers did not stop. They filled the sky with arrows. Their movements were so fast, it was hard to see where one arrow was released and another strung on the bow. Alan found himself admiring their poise and efficiency as they let loose.
His attention was soon turned to the wave of enemies as the ground began to shake. Alan knew from experience this would be no ordinary fight. Every supernatural being was gifted with a unique ability. This battle would be fought not only with tangible weapons but also with fire, ice, electricity, energy; the list went on forever.
Alan gripped his shield tighter as the enemy continued to rush forward. They were fifty yards away. One after another fell from arrows but as soon as an enemy stumbled, another demon would take its spot. Forty yards: Alan could see their uniforms. Dark green armor gave way to a black cloak behind them. Thirty yards: they held every kind of weapon imaginable from scimitars to their bare hands. Twenty yards: they were both male and female and some indiscernible. Each demon chose his or her own appearance. Most decided to err on the side of vanity, picking faces that could be a movie star’s. Others decided to have their appearance match what was on the inside; twisted monsters, the stuff of nightmares. Ten yards: there was no time to think, this was it.
Alan braced himself along the shield wall and weathered the initial impact from the horde. Screaming his own battle cry that sounded more beast than man, Alan gave himself over to the boiling turmoil of rage within. He caught the first attacker in the face with a plunge of his spear. The next demon was a gangly looking monkey creature that tried to jump over his shield. The monster swiped at Alan as it sailed over their lines.
Alan was beyond thought as instinct took over and he reacted. Shield still holding the wall on his left hand, Alan turned and swung out with his spear in a wide arc behind him. The tip of the spear cut a long line across the creature’s throat and it fell gurgling as it grasped its neck.
“Now!” The shout came from Esther. Every member of the shield-wall broke formation and charged forward. Likewise, the angelic archers above swooped down to join their comrades on the ground.
Alan found himself beside Esther, cleaving their way through the enemy ranks. Blood cascaded through the air as metal met flesh. Seeing Esther in action was inspiring. The woman moved with the grace of a swan but struck with the power of a lion. She weaved in and out of her enemies’ attacks like a fluid stream of water. Alan had to remind himself to concentrate at the demons coming at him instead of watching the experienced warrior in action.
Sweat poured down his forehead and into his eyes. A feeling of purpose and belonging wrapped itself around Alan as he swung and dodged. Alan marched farther and farther into the enemy ranks searching for Trubic and Sodom. If he could find them and kill them, then maybe the rest of the army would flee.
Gasping with exertion, Alan struck an oversized demon so hard his spear broke on the monster’s iron hide. The toothy demon grinned, “Sorry, Horseman. This won’t be so easy.” As the monster charged towards him, Alan caught a glimpse of Trubic in the background. Trubic had seen Alan and was eagerly waiting to witness his defeat. Beside him, Sodom stood with a stern gaze.
“Back, back,” Esther could be heard from somewhere behind Alan. “We are over extended. Protect the camp!”
Alan heard the order but with an iron beast bearing down on him and Trubic and Sodom within his reach, retreat didn’t seem like an option.
---
Instead of obeying orders, Alan ran in the opposite direction. Rushing forward he threw his shield up in front of him and launched himself from the ground. The move seemed natural, almost as if he had performed the act a hundred times before. Kicking out with both feet, Alan smashed his side of the shield just as the iron beast struck the opposite side.
Tremors ran up and down Alan’s legs and through his spine. The charging iron demon was blown backward and disappeared in a pile of arms and legs as he collided with a group of his own soldiers. Alan didn’t waste any time. Recovering form his move, he ran towards Trubic.
Seeing Alan conquer his foe sent Trubic cowering behind his uncle. Sodom stood tall in front of Alan refusing to give an inch. “Concede defeat, Horseman,” Sodom said opening his arms wide around him. “You are surrounded.”
Alan wiped blood from a corner of his mouth as if it were an afterthought. He didn’t even know he had been struck in the battle. One look and Alan knew Sodom was telling the truth. Disobeying Esther’s command to retreat back to the camp had placed Alan alone. The enemy hedged him in on every side. Alan knew he should be panicking, but a peace confirming everything was going to be fine settled over him.
Alan removed the hot helmet from his brow and placed it on the sand in front of him. “I’ll g
ive you a chance to pull back your army now and surrender. If you don’t, I will kill you all.”
Sodom’s eyebrows rose. “I understand you are the Horseman of War, but let’s not get carried away now.” With a motion to his men, Sodom added, “Whoever brings me his head will be richly rewarded.”
They converged on Alan like an avalanche. From every side, the enemy rushed him. Alan’s blue wings shot out on either side of his back with the ease of a practiced motion. The two heavenly appendages wrapped themselves around him in the blink of an eye and even faster, shot open sending a concussive blast in a circle around him.
Demons staggered under the force, most flew back against the violent blow. None of them recovered in time to face the War that raged to meet them. Alan was a blur of motion. Something else entirely took possession of him as he struck with his; fists, feet, elbows and knees. His wings, sparking with energy, even came into play thrashing enemies whenever his fists or feet could not. When his wing came into contact with a demon, the energy would disperse and send that assailant reeling or careening backward.
Alan undertook blows to his head and abdomen in return. One demon even got lucky and lashed out with a whip-like tail that sliced Alan skin just above his right eye. Despite their best efforts, the demon horde could not stop Alan. In seconds, the Fallen in the group around him were either dead or dying on the beach. Filled with war fury, Alan made his way to Sodom and lifted the man up with one hand. “You should have surrendered. Now, let’s see what’s on the other side for you, demon.”
Sodom lifted both hands in surrender, “Easy. If I were you, I would be concerned about your fellow Horseman right about now.”
Alan wanted to deny the fact that Sodom had any information of use. More than likely he was bluffing but could Alan take that chance?
The hesitancy in Alan’s eyes was all Sodom needed to know his plan was working. “I,” Sodom said doing his best to look like he was in control despite being lifted in the air by his collar, “am a strategist just like your friend Michael. I wanted you to overextend your reach. I lured you out here. If you go back now, you just might be able to stop my men securing your Horseman friend.”
As much as Alan hated the idea, it made sense. Somewhere deep inside he knew Sodom was telling the truth. Why didn’t he listen to Esther’s cry to retreat when he had the chance? Alan bottled his rage and drew Sodom in close. The demon was only inches away. Alan could smell his stale breath even past the metallic scent of blood in the air. “This isn’t over.”
“No,” Sodom said as Alan let him fall to the floor and raced back to the camp. “It isn’t.”
---
Alan called on his gift of supernatural speed and navigated the battle scene back to the camp. Screams of the dying on both sides and the fighting that still took place in a dozen sections of the reconfigured shield-wall rang through the air. Icy patches of ground, along with sections of the battlefield on fire smoldering with acid and a dozen other elements were becoming a normal sight in a fight. When armies of supernatural beings each granted with unique powers collided, there was no telling what one would find in the aftermath.
Alan felt his stomach twist as flames rose to the sky just ahead. Esther had pulled her forces back around the encampment to protect Kassidy just not fast enough. Groups of Sodom’s demons had managed to maneuver around Esther’s advancing army and penetrate the encampment. Alan bolted over the wall of shields and careened through the maze of tents.
Shouts and the clamor of fighting permeated the air all around him. The air was choked with fire as the ashy smell of smoke drove itself into Alan’s mouth. His eyes watered as the smoke forced him to blink through tear-filled eyes. When Alan finally made it to the tent were he had left Kassidy, his heart sank.
Sodom’s men had reached the tent. Alan took in the events unfolding before him in a quick second before he plunged himself into the battle. There were so many figures struggling in the sand below, it was difficult to make out familiar faces. Esther was holding her ground under an onslaught of demons. A fearful Kassidy cowered behind her. Although the leader of the angelic army fought bravely, it was clear that it was only a matter of time before she was overwhelmed.
Alan was about to head to her aid when he noticed Danielle. She was standing next to a dazed Raphael. Danielle was ducking in quick motions with a sword in her hand. Though she held the weapon like a spatula, there was no denying the fight in her eyes.
Alan focused on the demon toying with Danielle. He was a talk figure with lanky arms and legs. Alan didn’t wait to assess the demon’s ability. With his wings folded behind him, Alan plummeted from his position in the sky. The demon saw him coming at the last second. His eyes wide with wonder.
Alan hit him so hard, it took the air from his own lungs. The two struck the sand with such an impact, it left a small crater in the ground. Alan recovered first tearing the head off his foe to make sure he was finished. The demon’s body slumped motionless. “Danielle,” he screamed as he looked to her for a sign of her well-being.
Danielle was too strong to cry, still her glasses fogged as she ran to him and wrapped her arms around him. “Alan, I knew if I could just hold him off, you’d come.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
Alan accepted her embrace and returned one of his own. His eyes looked over her shoulder and took in Raphael. The Archangel’s eyes were glossed over. He had sunk to his knees, his arms splayed out on either side. His expression was one of wonder and fear, of horror and haunted memories.
Alan broke himself free from Danielle’s embrace. “Get up!” he shouted at the Archangel as he stalked forward. Men and women, even Danielle, were all fighting for their survival across the battlefield. But here, the leader of the Archangels was on his knees refusing to take up arms. “Danielle could have died because of you.” Alan shouted as he grabbed Raphael by the shoulders. “Get up and fight. Do what you were trained to do; what the oaths you took require you to do.”
When Alan lifted Raphael to his feet, the man didn’t resist. He was like putty in Alan’s hands, as if he had lost all strength or will to resist. Alan was preparing another tirade of words he hoped would bring the Archangel to his senses. Another look into Raphael’s shocked eyes was enough to tell him no amount of yelling he did would push Raphael to enter the fight.
Alan felt a hand on his shoulder, it was Danielle, “Alan, let him go. Kassidy and Esther need you.” As if to add weight to her words, a girl’s scream split the sky. Alan turned to look, Raphael still in his hands.
Esther had finally fallen, beaten back by the horde of demons. Kassidy was in the hands of the demon Alan had met earlier that day. The same demon with dreadlocks who had accompanied Trubic and Sodom to the conversation before the fight.
As much as he wanted to slap sense into Raphael, he couldn’t—others needed him. Alan stared into Raphael’s unblinking eyes one last time. He shook the Archangel to punctuate each one of his words. “You see her? Do you see her? You failed Uriel and she is dead. There is nothing you can do about that. But you can save Kassidy; she needs you. She needs you right now.”
“Alan,” Danielle pulled gently on his shoulder again.
Alan looked at the Archangel one last time in disgust before releasing his hold. Without another word, Alan raced across the sand scooping up a sword as he did. The demons were retreating back to the frontline were there was no doubt a plan to break through the shield wall and escape with Kassidy as captive.
Kassidy was unconscious or worse, slung over the demon’s shoulder who had led the charge into the camp. An entourage of black-cloaked demons ran with him. Alan raced across the terrain kicking up shovels of sand behind him. Granted with both the ability to fly and run at an astonishing pace, Alan chose to run now. With any luck he could sneak up behind them and take them by surprise.
His luck wouldn’t hold. The dreadlocked demon glanced behind him with a smile. His eyes caught Alan as if he were almost happ
y to see him. Alan was still too far away to hear the words exchanged but the demon leader handed Kassidy’s limp frame to one of his soldiers. The soldier took the added weight with a nod and he and the rest of the Fallen angels continued to run in retreat. Only the dreadlocked demon stayed to meet Alan. “I was hoping you would come. It is not every century I am able to test my metal against the Horseman of War.”
Alan skidded to a halt in front of the man as his eyes continued to track the retreat of Kassidy’s captors. “I don’t have time for this,” Alan muttered as he ran. He lifted off the ground and began to fly over his would be opponent.
Rolf reached behind his back and whipped his arm forward sending an object whirling towards Alan faster than Alan’s eyes could track. Alan was pulled down in a net so thick each strand was like a rope. The net weighed him down until he lost all ability to fly. Every time he flapped his wings, he became even more tangled in the weighted structure. “I should introduce myself if we are going to do this properly,” the demon said as he walked towards Alan. “I am Rolf and in all fairness you should know my abilities since I already know yours. That would put us on an even playing field, yes?”
Alan gritted his teeth. Sand had made its way into his mouth when he struck the ground and crackled between his molars as he gathered strength.
“You see,” Rolf continued as he walked around Alan’s trapped frame. “I have the ability to summon creatures of the supernatural kind. Paired with this, I’m not too shabby with a net, as you can see.”
Alan gripped two sections of the net holding him to the ground and bent his strength to their undoing. With a grunt, he tore the thick ropes apart and stood shaking himself from his entrapment. “I wish this was the time, Rolf,” Alan said “but it will have to wait until another day.”
Alan Price and the Statue of Zeus (The Nephilim Chronicles Book 3) Page 9
