Nathaniel took on a couple more that emerged from the veils of smoke, freezing their legs and feet in place with his spells. Then, with a swift motion there was a crack and the ice shattered, sending the now legless demons to the ground. As they writhed, Nathaniel methodically walked over to each one, stabbing them in the chest with a warded dagger. The faint yellow glow indicated success, fading along with the red from their eyes once they died.
Howls came from behind a burning truck and a small pack of possessed werewolves advanced, getting precariously close to Joey before they were noticed in the haze.
“Duck,” said Sean coolly as he pointed his rifle in that direction.
Joey didn't hesitate seeing the business end of Sean’s weapon, hitting the ground hard as a grenade went soaring toward the onrushing pack, the explosion overwhelming them.
Sean smiled as Joey shot back up. While the werewolves burned, Joey began patting his sides in an attempt to get the soot off, but he just made a bigger mess, wiping his face in frustration.
“Thank you, Sean,” he said.
“You have something on your face,” Sean said, licking his thumb and swiping away some of the dark char.
“Um…” Joey didn’t know what to think, especially when Sean smirked – so smugly confident – and ended their exchange with a wink.
I dunno if that was hot, or if the guy is one of the cockiest douchebags around, Joey thought before spinning around at another sudden noise.
“What now?” he asked as a jolt rocked the air. Ty, Adrienne, and Gage appeared in the middle of it to join in the battle. “Ah geez! Always scaring the shit out of me!”
“My bad, but are y’all okay?” Gage asked, seeing the freshly dead bodies strewn around them.
“All good and accounted for,” Gabriel reported.
A slow clap echoed over them.
“All praise the mighty Gage Crosse, for he has blessed us with his presence!” Dajjal’s voice descended like shade from the top of the monument. “Even bearing the four gifts I so desperately wanted from him, too.”
Four? He doesn't know… Gage thought. The confirmation that Dajjal had no idea that they had the scythe was music to his ears; they had a chance.
“What if I tell you it’s the thought that counts,” Gage said, sticking up his middle finger. “Because this happened to be my gift for ya.” He raised the other hand. “Oops, seems like I have two!”
“You might have jokes now,” Dajjal said ominously and there was an immense rumble like thunder, so powerful that it shook the ground.
Out from under the arch and around the sides of the junction, a horde of demons and other dark creatures charged the seven Journeymen, Dajjal cackling madly above the raucous noise.
“BUT YOU WILL RETURN WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY MINE!”
THE ODYSSEY AND her sister ships tore through the sky, engines at full strength.
The giant was ahead, skin shifting and roiling in the orange firelight as if those it had consumed were trying to escape.
The Homer and Iliad took point, magical bolts of energy lashing out from their turrets to fill the smoky skies with a dazzling light show. The blasts struck the titanic being with such power that chunks of its body were sent flying off. The effect was significant, but short lived. The many bodies that were struggling for a way to get out moments before were being bent against their will into painful shapes, pulling the wounds closed with hands, teeth, and legs – anything that could grip the lacerations and seal them.
Another salvo was unleashed from the ships, all manner of magical discharges assaulting the monster at the knees. They buckled under the onslaught and gave way, the giant cratering the streets when it collapsed.
As the ships whirled overhead, the monster cried, their crews lobbing fire runes that exploded on impact. Adversely, clouds of smoke and steam rose to shroud the thing from view, yet the Homer assuredly moved in for another strike. A burning arm launched itself from the curtain of smoke and the ship dodged, but not before a fist dented her port side.
Losing stability she careened toward the ground, unable to level herself.
She would have been lost had the Iliad not glided in at the last possible moment with its tractor beam active, stabilizing the crashing vessel while pulling her away to a safe distance.
More firepower was unleashed, this time from the Odyssey. With her hull peeled back, a barrage of enchanted missiles was sent streaming at the creature. The strikes were successful and caused the creature to reel in pain, some of the captive bodies within it freed. Seeing the souls escaping, it went into a roaring rage and all buildings around it crumbled to dust.
The Fullers watched on from the forecastle, partly wishing they could have gone with Gage.
“I feel useless up here!” Kyle decried, knowing that his brother felt exactly the same.
Even the dragon shifters were itching to see battle, too, as the ships themselves had been doing all the work.
There was an odd gleam in Seth’s eyes and for a brief moment, he looked as if he had gone insane.
“Om,” he called out. “This is Seth. I have an idea but it's a little unconventional. Well, a lot in fact, but this entire situation is so fucked up that it might be crazy enough to work.”
MEANWHILE, THE JOURNEYMEN on the streets fought to stay alive in the center the advancing Noctis horde. Everyone with firearms was shooting furiously, killing demons with their enhanced bullets while Nathaniel managed to take out swaths of creatures at a time with his spell work. Ty helped as well, chucking canisters of gases he had formulated that were toxic to the Noctis allies.
“Gage, I don’t know how long we can keep this up,” Nathaniel said, already starting to show a few signs of tiring out, but still determined enough to strike demons down left and right. “We have to figure a way to get you up there, or him down here.”
“Leave that to me,” Gage said calmly.
“Always,” Nathaniel acknowledged, returning his full attention to his duties.
“DAJJAL!” Gage shouted over his own weapons fire. “Ya fuckin’ COWARD! Why don’t ya come get your damn treasures yourself? Scared of what I might do to ya with them?”
Dajjal peered down from the top of the monument. Wrath had been building up in him, yet he knew that all he needed to do is stay up top and allow his forces to wipe that miserable human off the –
“ARE YA FUCKIN’ DEAF TOO?” Gage’s voice came in like nails on a chalkboard. “Some leader ya turned out to be, letting all these lessers do greater work than ya ever could.”
That was all it took for Dajjal to snap. He yelled, dismounting Abigor and leaping to the street below, landed with such force that a shockwave sent chunks of pavement into the air.
“I'm here now, Crosse,” Dajjal sneered. “Are you prepared to suff –”
“Quit your droning, DJ,” Gage replied, crimson overpowering the green of his own eyes. “You've got somethin’ of MINE that I’m expecting ya to hand over.”
The amulet surged with power, sparking as hellfire emerged and Gage, no longer in control of himself, rushed Dajjal without hesitation, much to the dismay of the others who quickly ran after him.
“Gage… no!” Adrienne called, wishing she could reach him and slap him out of this.
“G! What are you doing?” Joey shouted with his heart beating madly. “You can’t take him down by yourself!”
Unhearing, Gage lashed out with hellfire, quickly met by Dajjal’s, and there was a stunning spectacle of light and heat that surrounded them. Within the dazzling ball of fire, Gage landed a punch across Dajjal’s conceited face, nearly dislodging the Crown. The demon struck back, swiping across Gage’s chest trying to yank the Ire and Shackles free. Both men failed, red eyes staring at each other with burning malice.
The Operatives raced forward, blazing bullets and spells to clear a path toward Gage, but regardless of how many creatures fell more swarmed them, eventually blocking any further advance.
Unsheathing their dagge
rs, they switched over to hand to hand, Nathaniel casting shielding spells as best he could to keep them at bay. The team was managing, but only just, to stay alive.
Adrienne looked across the sea of demons and saw Gage between the gaps. He was on his knees, Dajjal coming down with a fist to strike him. After being hit, Gage fell back and Adrienne’s tear filled eyes met those of pure evil. Dajjal smiled at her proudly as he disappeared behind the horde, the gap shrinking until the view was closed off.
There was a bright flash and a loud boom, followed by a low rumble that came over the horde and Journeymen. It made all their insides feel like jelly and sent them to the ground nauseous.
“Oh God,” Joey said, wide-eyed and trying not to vomit, though he failed. “What i-is this?”
“Crippling spell?” Sean mumbled, wincing and wheezing. “Anyone know a counter?”
“M-me,” whispered Nathaniel through a grimace. He started to cast one, but was overcome by a painful lurch in his gut. The sigil that appeared around his hand flickered, then faded away.
“D-don't think t-that's it,” Ty stuttered, “the R-ring… of Dispel is still in effect. T-this has to be s-something else.”
“Ultrasonic w-weapon maybe?” Gabriel stammered through quick and methodical breaths. “S-saw them w-while in the Navy…”
The effect cranked up, the team’s eardrums ringing as their eyeballs shook in their sockets. Like a great shadow, darkness fell over them, and they all collapsed, demon and human alike.
TWO DRAGONS SOARED, their dark forms shimmering by the moon above and flames below. Devoid of feathers and rife with scales, their sinewy wings cut gracefully through the air while their thick necks and bellies gurgled with flammable liquids.
“You think this plan of the bear’s will work?” John grunted. “It sounds ludicrous, even for them.”
Abel roared, though it sounded like a laugh.
“Even if it doesn't, at least we have an opportunity to please the Alpha,” Abel growled. “He did request us come after all, to have some of his crew step up to the challenge and shine as we truly are.”
John agreed, looking ahead to their destination – the Eiffel Tower – which still gleamed like a ray of hope amongst the darkness.
Down they descended, the tower’s latticed iron supports rushing past until the dragons halted just above the first floor visitor’s level.
“Did you see anyone as we came down?” asked Abel, flapping his wings to keep himself steady.
“No, all was clear by my reckoning.”
“Okay,” Abel roared, getting into position, “I'll take the south support; you the north.”
John took off and flew to the opposite side, gulping the air to stoke his fire.
“Remember to be conservative with your breaths!” Abel howled. “This is a lot of metal to melt!”
With his brother in position, Abel opened his mouth and there was a spark, followed by an inferno that raged against the wrought iron, heating it to over three thousand degrees. It grew red hot and beyond, then started to deform, melting away in part. The same was happening opposite him, John breathing long and hard to force the metal to do his bidding.
The supports creaked loudly and were severed, and the dragons switched to the Eastern and Western ones, waiting for the fleet to get a little closer.
When that time came and the hum of the ship’s engines could be heard, the dragons blasted the last two supports with their fire. The glowing tower leaned and swayed under its own weight, its billions of lights flickering before dying for the last time. The Eiffel tower, having stood strong for 127 years, was about to fall.
“Om, now!” Seth yelled over the comm, seeing the tower toppling.
The entire thing fell to the side with a deafening cry of metal as the three airships glided into position, the Odyssey taking point in the middle with the Homer on her port side, Iliad to starboard. At once all activated their magnetic beams, ensnaring the tower with a mighty groan.
“Come on…” Seth urged, the tower still falling. “Come on… Om! Redirect some of the engine power to the beams.”
The Odyssey complied and just shy of the tower smashing into the ground, all of the ships managed a firm grip.
“Yes!” Seth shouted, thumping his fist against the window sill. “Fuck yes!”
Immediately the fleet veered starboard, Seth’s view spinning to the north before settling back east. Ahead of them the grotesquery loomed, forever eating.
“I hope I'm right about this,” Seth murmured as they bore closer to the creature.
The giant was unaware of their approach, that is until each of the flanking ships fired several blasts across its hulking side. The surprise attack was powerful enough to sever its right arm and an army of shriveled hands attempted to keep it attached. However, the weight was too great and the mass of flesh fell to the city streets hundreds of feet below. When it hit, the arm burst into thousands of bodies – those of the victims – full of motion at first, then silent as they finally passed on to their eternal resting place.
The giant shrieked, turning its eyeless face in the fleet’s direction. It knew they were coming and it raised its remaining arm threateningly.
“Om!” Seth shouted. “Let’s send this thing back where it came from!”
“Roger that,” he replied. “Homer, Iliad, engines at full and FIRE!”
The fleet let loose a mighty barrage – beams streaking across the sky and clouds, missiles scattering high. The creature was hit… and distracted.
“NOW!” Seth screamed. “Release the tower now!”
The Homer banked one way, the Iliad the other, while the Odyssey rose so quickly she was nearly flying vertically. Seth was knocked off balance and tumbling back, he struck the walls – now the floor – as the ship continued to climb.
The tower sped forward like a battering ram, its thrust not only driven by inertia, but the hope of the Order. The creature moved to knock it away but the airships fired at its arm, causing it to miss. The tower plunged into its chest with a squelch and a scream. As it continued through the body, the curved shape of the structure widened the wound, freeing countless souls of their torment until it burst out the other side. Crashing into the city streets, its job was complete.
The monster trembled as the source of its power escaped, then collapsed as the Homer and Iliad fired their version of the Omega weapon. The powerful beams of cobalt energy seared the sky, incinerating the enfeebled beast.
Whirling port, the Odyssey took off toward the Arc de Triomphe while the grotesque colossus died in its wake with a horrific shriek; a massive pillar of crimson light iridescent with souls erupted from inside, soaring high into the stratosphere to pierce Heaven itself.
ADRIENNE’S VISION SLOWLY returned, the all too familiar darkness fading into blurry colors then clarity as she regained consciousness. The floor was hard, covered in part by a decorative but dusty carpet. It dawned on her that she was in the Odyssey’s forecastle, the still unconscious bodies of five others around her.
Were we saved? she asked herself, wondering what transpired after everyone had blacked out.
From what she could see, they had been rescued in the nick of time, though two of the guys were bleeding from wounds that had temporarily been treated. Seth was seated nearby, noting that Adrienne was now awake.
“Ady? My God Adrienne, are you okay?” he asked, rushing over to her side. He fell to his knees and looked her over.
“Yeah,” she answered groggily. “I’ve got a bit of a headache. Ty and Nate on the other hand look like they’ve gone through some shit. I don’t remember anything after we blacked out. Do you know what happened to us?”
“I’ll explain all that later,” Seth answered gravely, unable to look her in the eyes. “Ady, where is Gage?”
“What?” she said restlessly, feeling her emotions swelling as she looked around, recounting the number of bodies in the room. “He’s… he’s not here is he? Why didn’t you save him?”
/> “He wasn’t there to trace, Adrienne!” Seth said loudly, rising to his feet then storming over to the window. Below, the beautiful city was in flames.
She gasped, suddenly remembering what she last saw: Dajjal’s burning eyes, searing in memory.
“He has him, doesn’t he?”
“Yes,” Joey interrupted, having listened to their conversation. Sitting up, he rubbed his head which was thumping badly. “Not only that, Dajjal now has his hands on all of the Solomon Six. Whether we like it or not, the apocalypse is here.”
“UGH…” GAGE GROANED as he came to, his stomach and face pressed against a cold floor. “Where the hell am I?”
He couldn’t see a thing as he attempted to look around, his entire body aching. It was pitch black everywhere, his only company the stuffy air and an indomitable smell of sulfur. Soon joining him from the darkness was something familiar; the voice of a demon that he wanted to see dead more than anything in the world.
“What an appropriate choice of words,” Dajjal muttered, cold and pitiless as the night.
“Where have ya brought me?” Gage demanded to know.
“Tsk, tsk, Mr. Crosse,” Dajjal chastised. “I wouldn't want to spoil the fun, not that you're going to be leaving here to tell anything to your annoying little friends. Let's just say you aren't at Bennett Peak – certain forces have managed to leave the place a mess.”
“A real shame,” Gage said sarcastically, reveling in that place’s destruction.
Dajjal’s tone shifted from callous to merry, a door creaking ominously. Light spilled into the room – was it daylight? – and a shadow was cast across Gage's face, full of bruises and cuts.
“You have no idea how long I have waited for this moment; the start of the final movement of my great symphony. Admittedly, I was worried for a moment, but no longer.”
Gage wasn’t really listening, flicking his eyes around to take in what he could, while he was able.
Then Hell Followed (Journeyman Book 5) Page 20