by R C Knight
“Aria.” His grip tightened on her arms, his knuckles turning white. “Say you go save that woman and child and you get away with it. The demons will know we are here and there will be severe repercussions. Would you doom all of mankind to only save two?” His eyes found hers, boring into her spirit. She sighed with defeat as she lowered her eyes. “Now, if you truly want to help them, then we need to get moving and figure out why we can’t send legions of angels down to Earth. That is how we will be able to help these people.” Ryder stared at her, gauging her face for the truth. “Now, if I let you go do you promise to not go running after them?” She sighed reluctantly as she nodded her head. Ryder lowered her to the ground and released her arms. She sighed with relief as she rubbed her arms where Ryder had held her.
“I know,” she muttered as she looked at the rest of their group. Her heart sank as she saw the looks of defeat and disgust on their faces.
“We’ll make them pay for this, Aria.” Kai’s voice was stern and full of determination. “We’ll put a stop to this once and for all.” Aria nodded, a small smile of triumph on her face.
“Alright then.” She made her way to the front of the group and headed back to the main road. “Let’s find out what else is going on so we can destroy these bastards.” Ryder smiled with relief as they followed her out of the alley.
They came upon a small building at the end of the road. Aria looked in the windows and saw groups of people drinking and laughing. A long bar was at the back of the room, a young man laughed as he poured a drink into a woman’s glass. Women in short skirts and leather bustiers that barely contained their breasts, walked around the room with trays full of drinks.
She looked back at her group. “Alright, Ryder and I are going to stay here. This seems to be where a lot of people gather. Hopefully we’ll be able to learn something. Myra, Kai, and Eliza, I want you to continue scouting the village. Meet us back here when you are done.”
Kai turned to the girls in excitement. “Well ladies,” he said as he held his arms out. “Shall we be off?” Eliza and Myra giggled like little schoolgirls.
“Let’s go!” Eliza giggled as her and Myra linked their arms through Kai’s. Aria watched as the group sauntered off, she turned to Ryder.
“Well.” Ryder opened the door. “Let’s do this.” Aria walked into the building, the smell of tobacco, sex, and liquor filled her nose. Ryder walked in behind her, a look of awe on his face. “There is no shame here,” he whispered as he caught site of an orgy in the corner.
“Aww, are you blushing?” Aria giggled as she elbowed him in the side. “Come on, let’s get a table.” As Aria looked around, she realized the room had gone quiet and everyone was staring at them. She spotted a table by the bar that was somewhat concealed in shadows. “Let’s sit over there.” People began to whisper as they made their way to the table. She could hear them questioning their status, some believed they were demons in disguise. Others thought they were just humans that had made deals with the demons. Everyone, however, appeared to be afraid of them. Aria and Ryder sat down at the table; a waitress nervously came over to take their order.
~~~~
Zane and Keira took their time getting back to the bar. They had enjoyed a few more rounds of fun before deciding they should go back. He was definitely relaxed and ready to leave this village. Zane was wearing the clothes Keira had bought for him, a light colored loose knit shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a dark pair of trousers that he had stuffed into his black boots. His vest was hidden underneath his shirt and his leather jacket completed the look. He had a bag slung over his shoulder with the rest of his stuff. Keira was wearing her jeans and one of Zane’s t-shirts, since her bustier had been ripped apart. It had started to get cold, so she had opted out of wearing her skirt and had thrown on her leather jacket. She also carried a small bag with the rest of her clothes.
Zane could tell something was off when they entered the bar. People were talking quietly and eyeing a table that was hidden in the shadows. He escorted Keira over to their table and pulled out a chair for her to sit down. After she was settled in, he took the seat next to her and looked around at their group. “What’s going on?”
“Some new people in town,” Bishop replied as he stared at the corner. “I’ve never seen anyone look so perfect. Ow!” Mikayla smacked the back of Bishop’s head, making the rest of the group burst out in laughter.
“Never mind that!” Jackson cut in. He stared at Zane and Keira. “Something… Something happened between you two.” He paused, noticing Keira’s blush. “I’m not sure I like this.” He shook his head then grabbed his glass and downed the rest of his beer.
Bishop turned toward Jackson. “We all needed a good release today. It shouldn’t matter who or what they did to find it.” Bishop nodded at Zane with approval. Liam looked between the four of them and took that as his cue to change the subject. He pushed some cups out of the way and pulled out a small map, laying it on the table.
“So, these are the villages closest to us. I’ve secured us some horses with the money you left us. If we get to this village, we can escape the heat for a little bit while we plan our next move.”
“That’s a port village, right?” Zane asked as he examined the map. “If we can secure a boat once we are there then we can go to New York where my ship is docked. From there we’ll sail to Florida.” He paused as he looked at his group, a serious expression on his face. “Shit is about to get really hot here and I’d like to avoid it as much as possible.” Bishop shot Zane a look. Zane threw his hand in the air to stop him from talking. “I know what you are thinking Bishop, but our group isn’t prepared for a fight like this one. We don’t have enough assets to handle what’s coming. That horde we encountered was just the beginning. I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s not going to be good.”
“Fine,” Bishop mumbled as he sat back in his chair.
“Ok.” Liam looked at Zane. “How the hell are we going to smuggle our goods into New York? It’s crawling with demons.”
“We won’t,” Zane replied matter-of-factly. He pointed at a fishing village in Delaware. “A few of us will go into New York and secure my ship. The rest of you will take the loot here and wait for us to pick you up with my ship.”
Liam nodded in approval. “What do you think Bishop?” he asked.
Bishop leaned forward and looked at where Zane was pointing. “It should work,” he responded grudgingly. Bishop gave him a stern look. “You and I need to have a serious talk after we leave.” Zane nodded with understanding.
“If we have the opportunity, we should get a few more barrels of fuel while we are in New York. The village in Florida had less than half its stockpile left when we were last there a few months ago. With winter coming, I’d like to have the generators running and enough fuel for the air boats.” Zane looked at Bishop for approval.
“Fine,” he sighed. “You always have to make things hard, don’t you?” Keira stifled a giggle as a blush formed across her cheeks. Bishop just shook his head while Mikayla and Keira whispered to one another, randomly giggling. Zane just sat there with his arms crossed, he leaned over towards Bishop.
“So much for don’t kiss and tell.” The rest of the group burst out laughing.
~~~~
Aria heard laughter break out from the table she had been watching. “That is definitely him.” She looked over at Ryder, who nodded in agreement.
“What are you planning?”
“Let’s just watch him for now,” she responded. “I want to know what makes him so different.” Even now she could tell he wasn’t like the other humans. She was determined to find out what he was and how he was so strong. Maybe they could use him in the future, when it was time to destroy the demons once and for all. The door to the bar flung open as Kai, Myra and Eliza walked in. Once again, the bar fell quiet as everyone stared in wonder.
~~~~
Fuck! Zane thought as he eyed the new arrivals. Those are some of the angels that were at the battl
efield. He looked around the bar, his eyes falling on the table hidden in the shadows. He narrowed his eyes and concentrated on the couple at the table as the light flickered across their faces. There she was, the lead angel that had demolished that horde like it was nothing. This isn’t good. He looked at his group, they had fallen quiet and were staring at the angels as they made their way to the back table. Zane stood up and grabbed his jacket. “It’s time to go.” He turned and walked towards the door, not waiting for the rest of his group to follow.
Zane burst through the door and walked quickly down the road. The rest of his group came running out of the bar to catch up to him. Liam ran to the front of the group, “This way!” he called as he jogged off towards the hill. Bishop jogged alongside Zane.
“What the hell was that all about?” he asked.
“Nothing,” Zane mumbled as he sped up his jog.
“You aren’t getting rid of me that easily.” Bishop retorted as he matched Zane’s stride. “There’s something going on that you aren’t telling us about.”
Zane stopped and looked Bishop square in the eyes. “You’re right.” A look of triumph came across Bishop’s face. “But it’s not safe to talk about it here.” Zane turned and continued to jog after Liam.
The horses had been secured at the edge of the village. Everyone chose a horse and secured their belongings into the saddle bags. They mounted their horses and turned away from the village. Zane hoped they had left fast enough so the angels wouldn’t be able to follow them.
Chapter Ten
Earth
“Fuck!” Aria shouted as she jumped up from the table. The bar fell silent as everyone stared at her. “Fuck,” she whispered angrily to Ryder as she looked around the bar.
“Everything’s okay,” Ryder announced, making eye contact with all the patrons. “Go back to your business. There’s nothing to see here.” Quiet murmuring filled the bar as the patrons went back to their conversations. Kai, Myra, and Eliza walked up to their table.
“What’s going on?” Kai asked as he watched Aria pace back and forth.
“Our mystery man was here. He just left with that group after you walked in. It’s clear from their conversation that they are leaving the village.”
“We have to follow them.” Aria looked at Ryder with desperation. He nodded in agreement. “Let’s go.” Aria and her team ran outside and to the hotel. They went to their rooms to secure their weapons and satchels. Aria was the first one back in the lobby, Kai followed shortly.
“Go outside and find out where they went.” Kai nodded and ran out the door. The rest of her team came running into the lobby. “Give me your keys.” Aria grabbed the keys and placed them on the front desk. “Come on.” They ran out the door and looked down the road. Kai was at the end of the road, near the edge of the village. Once he saw them, he waved his arms in the air and pointed.
They ran down the road to Kai. “They’re heading east on horses,” he explained to Aria. As they ran up the hill, she spotted the group of horses in the distance.
“Let’s keep our distance for now. I want to see what they’re doing.” Everyone nodded as they stopped running and continued at a fast-paced walk. Aria’s heart was hammering in her chest, the autumn air cooled her body. The group of horses stopped near a small cave. She watched as the four men dismounted and entered the cave.
A loud explosion filled the air, causing the ground to shake. Aria looked back at the village as screams of terror began to fill the night. A hazy red glow illuminated the horizon. “Damn it!” she yelled as she stomped her foot on the ground. “We have to go back.” She looked at her group.
“What about them?” Ryder nodded his head towards the group of horses.
“We’ll have to try and catch up to them later.” She turned and ran down the hill. Excitement for the fight filled her body with adrenaline. This is what she was born for.
Her team stopped at the edge of the village. It looked like the bar had been the center of the explosion, the building was engulfed in flames. Large demons, taller than the old buildings, roared as they roamed the village. They had large blades extending from their arms that looked like they had been surgically attached where their forearms and hands should have been. Black hounds were running around, bearing their long fangs as they chased the humans. They stood four feet high, their red eyes glowing with excitement. Shit, Hell Hounds, Aria thought as she watched the scene in front of her. One of the hounds jumped onto a man and tore his throat out. It raised its head in the air and howled with excitement.
Several Elites and lower ranking demons sulked around the village. A man stood on top of the hotel, yelling at the crowd. “Show yourselves and these people may be spared!” He looked around the village, smiling at the chaos. “Give us the angels and you will be rewarded!”
The man was tall, he wore a black collared button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His breast plate shimmered in the light of the fire, showing some angelic runes. The plate fit him perfectly, like it had been made specifically for him. Who the hell is that? Aria wondered as she committed his face to memory.
“We need to stop this now!” Aria shouted at her team. “Hit them hard and hit them fast!” A smile spread across her face as she pulled out her daggers. Ryder ran into the village as he drew his sword and summoned his shield. Myra and Eliza headed towards one of the buildings so they could get on the roof. Kai pulled out his sword and charged into the battle. This is going to be fun. She ran after Kai and Ryder, destroying the demons that crossed her path.
~~~~
“What was that?” Keira shouted at Zane as the sound of the explosion diminished.
“It looks like the demons found us. They’re getting quick, aren’t they?” Jackson responded as he looked back at the village. Zane watched the fire spread from one building to another, screams echoed throughout the crisp night air, followed by dogs howling.
“Get your stuff loaded. We need to get going,” Zane commanded. Bishop stepped in front of him.
“What the hell are you talking about?” he shouted. “We need to help those people!” He pointed down at the village.
“We can’t fight like this. We don’t have a plan and we don’t know how many demons are down there! This is how we lose people, Bishop!” Zane pushed him out of his way and continued to fill his horse’s saddlebags with their loot. Bishop’s face filled with anger. He walked up to Zane and punched him in the face.
“We lose people every day Zane! These are our people. Every human on this planet is our people!” Zane glared at Bishop as he rubbed his face. “The Zane I used to know would have already charged down there and played the hero.” Bishop continued as he paced back and forth, waving his arms in frustration. “When did you become so scared?” He stopped in front of Zane, pushing his face into Zane’s.
“That’s enough!” Zane pushed Bishop out of his face. “We can’t afford to lose anyone else. Do you really want that on your conscience?” Bishop shook his head, sadness across his face.
“You can’t save everyone, Zane.” Bishop whispered as he walked over to his horse, a look of defeat on his face. He mounted his horse and looked at Zane. “Have it your way.” Zane sighed with relief as the rest of the group mounted their horses. Bishop made eye contact with Mikayla, she smiled and gave a small nod of approval. He jammed his heel into his horse, galloping down the hill and back towards the village.
“Fuck!” Zane shouted as Bishop bolted down the hill. “Jackson, Riley you’re with me. The rest of you head east to the port village. We should meet you there in a week. If not continue to New York and take my ship south.”
Keira looked sadly at Zane. “I want to stay and fight,” she shouted, panic in her voice.
“No Keira. Your explosives take too long to get ready. Time that we don’t have. Now go!”
Keira spurred her horse over towards Zane. She pulled out two blocks of C4 with remote triggers. “Take these,” she handed the C4 over to Zane, a stunned look on his
face.
“Where did you get these?” he asked.
“I’ll tell you when you catch up.” She winked then moved over by Mikayla.
“Liam.” Zane looked at the three of them. “Make sure they stay safe.” Liam nodded, his lips tight and brows furrowed. Zane, Jackson, and Riley turned their horses and charged down the hill towards the burning village.
Bishop was waiting for them by a cluster of trees just outside the village. “I knew you’d follow me,” he commented with a sly smile on his face.
Zane glared at him as he dismounted his horse. “Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that again!” They tied their horses to the trees and ran to the village. As they got closer Zane pulled out the blocks of C4. He threw each one into a bush along the side of the road. “Just in case,” he said softly as he motioned for their small group to continue.
Demons were running amok, screams of terror following in their wake. “Shit! They brought Hell Hounds with them?” Bishop swore under his breath. “And Berserkers.” He pointed towards the demons that towered over the buildings. “We really pissed off someone big.” Bishop commented as his body filled with dread.
“I don’t think this is for us,” Zane replied as he pointed towards the man on the roof.
“Stop playing games you silly little angels!” The man yelled with delight. “I just want to talk.”
“Angels?” Bishop looked over at Zane in shock. Zane just nodded grimly. “So, that’s how you survived.”
The violent sound of thunder ripped through the air as a streak of lightning illuminated the night. The chiming of steel on steel filled the air, adding to the cacophony of screams.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Zane shouted, excitement in his voice. He charged towards the closest group of demons, dispatching them quickly. Bishop and Jackson quickly followed, chasing down demons of their own. Riley ran off down one of the alleys, his daggers in each hand.
Zane tore through the lesser demons easily; a wild look filled his eyes. Every time he swung his sword several demons would fall. The sound of a woman screaming brought him into an alley. An Elite had pinned the woman down, she screamed in pain as the demon thrusted inside of her. He ran down the alley and thrust his sword into the demon’s chest. “You want to feel something up in your ribs?” Zane whispered into the demon’s ear, then ripped the blade upwards in a smooth motion. The Elite disappeared into a wisp of black smoke. Zane held his hand out to the woman and helped her up. “You need to leave as soon as there’s an opening.” The woman nodded as she pulled her torn clothes over her chest and ran off down the alley.