Shade considered the proposal. He didn’t trust Backlash, but he knew he couldn’t rely on ice to save him again. He had no idea how to summon or control it. Backlash’s sorcery might be useful.
“Two conditions. You hand all of your weapons over to me and I bind your hands.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“You can cast spells without weapons and with your hands tied… you know… to a limited degree. Those are my terms until I trust you. I don’t know what you’re trying to prove here, but I won’t let my pride endanger Nissa, so I’ll let you go with me. Cross me and I’ll kill you.”
“I came here to make a friend, not an enemy, so we’ll play by your rules.”
Backlash unlatched the weapons from his belt and handed them over to Shade before holding his wrists together. Shade tied his wrists together and then whistled for Cerberus to follow them.
CHAPTER 16
The nephilim gathered to feast and hear the results of the hunt. When everyone had a full plate, Lucia stepped up on a tree stump and called for everyone’s attention.
“I know you all want to get back to eating, so I’ll make this quick. We have six new minor nephilim. Coming in first during the hunt with a score of 103, including 31 berserkers, Shade and Nissa!”
Everyone cheered and clapped. Lucia scanned the crowd and didn’t see either of them.
“Shade? Nissa?”
Reaper grinned.
“I say we don’t let them become minor nephilim if they don’t even bother showing up to the hunt feast. That’s so disrespectful.”
A few nephilim nodded their agreement. Lucia quickly moved on.
“In second place, with a score of 23, including a berserker, Backlash and Fade!”
There was another round of applause as Fade made his way up to Lucia and shook her hand. She scanned the crowd for Backlash and didn’t see him.
“Where’s Backlash?”
Fade shrugged. Lucia looked over at Reaper and he started moving through the crowd, looking for his brother. Lucia moved on.
“In third place, with a score of 20, including a berserker, Ares and Enyo!”
Ares and Enyo made their way through the crowd and shook hands with Lucia. They then stepped back to stand next to Fade.
“King Leech is waiting for you in the nephilim council hall to give you your first assignments. Report there immediately. Everyone else return to having a good time.”
Fade, Ares, and Enyo made their way to the nephilim council hall. Lucia moved through the crowd until she saw Reaper.
“Did you find your brother?”
Reaper looked furious.
“He isn’t here. What a little bitch. Not only did he lose the bet for me, he didn’t even bother to show up to the hunt feast!”
“It bothers me that Shade and Nissa are missing, too. Should we go looking for them?”
Reaper shook his head.
“We can’t. Leech will be expecting us. We’re supposed to take the new minor nephilim out on their first mission. Remember?”
“We can put that off…”
“Why should we? Those three actually bothered to show up. Screw Shade, Nissa, and Backlash. They’re probably all out there being stupid together. Let’s focus on the three that did what they were supposed to.”
“You’re right. The last time we tracked them down they were fine and I’m tired of Shade’s ‘I don’t need help’ attitude. Let’s head to the nephilim council hall.”
When Lucia and Reaper arrived at the nephilim council hall, Fade ran out to meet them. He was so excited that he tripped and went down hard. Reaper laughed and Lucia tried hard not to. Fade got to his feet and then approached them at a reasonable speed, his enthusiasm somewhat dulled by his fall.
“We have our first mission. Our trackers have found a small angel scouting party. King Leech said there’s probably five or six. You guys are going to show us how to track them down and kill them.”
Ares and Enyo walked up behind Fade, holding hands. When Ares saw Lucia, he pulled his hand back to his side and stared. Enyo frowned. Reaper didn’t look impressed by any of them.
“I already know Fade is useless. What can you two do?”
Ares continued to stare. Enyo rolled her eyes and decided to speak for both of them.
“We’re great with blades and we were able to steal power from the berserker we killed during the hunt. We can turn a rage state on or off without the chemicals the berserkers use.”
Fade looked over at Enyo.
“That’s not possible! We killed a berserker and weren’t able to draw anything from him!”
“Maybe we’re just better than you.”
Fade frowned and Reaper laughed. Lucia held out her hand.
“One of you should have been given a map. Our scouts should have narrowed down the area of the angel scouting party. Who has it?”
Fade and Enyo looked at Ares. He continued to stare at Lucia. Enyo slapped him in the back of his head.
“Ow! Oh. Right. I have the map.”
Ares spread the map out on the ground. Lucia glanced at it.
“Alright. Here’s how we’re going to do this. The three of you form a plan. Reaper and I will help you track down the angels and then it’s all up to you to kill them. We’ll only jump in if you’re about to fail. Any questions?”
Fade raised his hand.
“You don’t need to raise your hand. Just ask your question.”
“Who’s in charge? I mean… I came in ahead of them in the hunt so I think the obvious choice is…”
Enyo cut him off.
“We’ll vote on it later. We don’t need to bother them with silly things like that. Come on. Let’s get out of here and start planning.”
Enyo took Ares by the arm and started dragging him away. Fade looked up at his brother.
“We won’t let King Leech down! I’ll come up with a great plan and lead us on to victory!”
Fade turned and ran off after Ares and Enyo. Reaper rolled his eyes.
“That kid is such a moron. We’ll be bailing them out this time tomorrow.”
CHAPTER 17
Steam saw a bright light and then heard the clash of metal on metal. He felt two hands pulling him away from Raphael’s sword. His vision was blurry and for several seconds, he wasn’t sure that he was still alive. After a few minutes of being dragged, he felt himself lifted into the air. The pain was too much and he drifted into unconsciousness.
When Steam awoke, he was sitting around a campfire with Bumalin, Razorburn, Coconut, and Monkey. Coconut handed him a bowl of water. He propped himself up, grabbed it, and drained it quickly.
“What happened?”
Bumalin took the bowl from him.
“Apparently Raphael kicked the shit out of Coconut, Monkey, and Razorburn. I’m not sure how you lasted as long as you did. Raphael was about to kill you when…”
Bumalin paused as if he wasn’t sure exactly what happened.
“…I think Shadow intervened. Whatever it was, it was a powerful creature. The glowing short blade looked familiar. I woke up from that Leech memory and dragged you away from the fight. I didn’t stick around long enough to confirm that it was Shadow. You’re absolute shit at removing memories, by the way. I was done watching it in minutes. The rest of the time was just me trying to get the hell out of the memory.”
“Well no one really knows how you do what you do. I tried my best.”
“Yeah. I’m sure you did. Your best sucks ass.”
“Thanks, Bumalin. How sure are you that it was Shadow?”
“That’s my best guess. That’s where my mind went when I saw what was going on. Whatever it was backed Raphael deeper into the jungle pretty quickly. So I guess my answer is that I’m not very sure what it was.”
Razorburn threw an angel corpse into the air and clapped his hands on it when it fell. Angel guts flew everywhere. Bumalin looked angry.
“I told you to stop doing that!”
“But
I still don’t understand. I’m an expert crusher. Why couldn’t I crush the tiny angel?”
“We’ve been over this. That was an Archangel. You can’t crush them.”
“Why not? I still don’t understand.”
“Patrol the area. At least that way if you’re going to keep crushing angel corpses, you won’t get their guts all over us.”
Razorburn got to his feet and started patrolling the area. They continued to occasionally hear loud crunching noises. Steam was still thinking about the possibility that Shadow had saved him, but he remembered that he needed to find out if his mission was a success.
“So did Leech’s memory convince you? Are you going to go with me to Necropolis?”
“Can you guarantee my safety and the safety of my employees?”
“We haven’t fallen to angels or demons so far… and believe me… they’ve tried to take us down. I can’t guarantee your safety, but you’ll all be safer in Necropolis than you are here. If Raphael attacked Necropolis, Leech could repel him.”
Bumalin stroked his chin and thought Steam’s words over before answering.
“All things considered, I think we would be safer in Necropolis for a while. I’m also interested to see the results of Leech’s memory. So I guess my answer is yes. We’ll go with you.”
Monkey shook his head.
“We have a condition.”
Bumalin threw a rock at Monkey.
“You don’t make conditions! I’m in charge here!”
“It’s a good condition, boss. Trust me.”
Steam chuckled.
“He wants to see another magic trick.”
Monkey looked shocked, as if Steam had read his mind.
“That’s… uh… that’s not what I was going to say.”
“My mistake. What was your condition?”
Monkey was silent for a while.
“I want to see two magic tricks!”
“I’ll show you one.”
“Ok! Condition accepted.”
Bumalin threw another rock at Monkey and Coconut slapped Monkey on the back of the head.
“That’s not a condition, Steam. However, I wouldn’t mind seeing a magic trick if you have one.”
Steam pointed his staff at Monkey and Monkey disappeared. Bumalin started laughing.
“That is amazing. I’ve been trying to make Monkey disappear for years.”
Coconut looked worried.
“Is he really gone?”
A voice spoke from where Monkey had been sitting.
“I’m right here guys!”
Coconut fell backwards off of the log he was sitting on and Bumalin looked disappointed. Steam felt someone rustling through his backpack. He turned and swung his staff.
“Ow!”
Steam waved his staff again and Monkey appeared on the ground, rubbing his cheek.
“I make you invisible and the first thing you do is try to steal from me?”
“It wasn’t me.”
“I know it was you.”
“Prove it.”
Monkey grinned. Bumalin stood and started pacing.
“Give us a few minutes, guys. I need to talk to Steam alone. Go patrol with Razorburn.”
Coconut and Monkey picked up their guns and walked away slowly, hoping to hear a little of what Bumalin wanted to say. Bumalin waited until they were out of earshot.
“They’re idiots. All of them. I’m their protector, though, and I won’t watch any of them be harmed. You think we’ll be safer in Necropolis?”
“I’m sure of it.”
“Even with Muan in the area attacking your outpost with berserkers?”
Steam tried to keep the surprise from registering on his face. Bumalin grinned.
“How in the hell did you know about that?”
“I’m the master of secrets and memories. I hear things. I have spies. I’ve also heard that Shadow’s son took down a berserker scouting party on his own. I’m told he used ice. Does he really have that power now?”
“I haven’t heard anything about that. I left during the hunt, so it’s possible. Shade hasn’t been able to use magic at all up until now, so I would be doubtful…”
“Maybe my source is bad on that one. I’ll make a note to double check his work from now on. Do you guys have a plan to deal with the rest of the berserkers in the area?”
“Leech generally has a plan for everything. All of you will be fine.”
“I actually do have an additional condition. You were there when Shadow killed Abaddon and took in his soul, right?”
“I was there.”
“I want to see it.”
CHAPTER 18
Shade led Backlash and Cerberus to Nissa’s place. He needed to find an item with a strong enough smell for Cerberus to use in tracking her down. When he found Nissa’s dirty laundry, he picked up a shirt and let Cerberus sniff it. Cerberus didn’t move.
“Come on, buddy. We need to find Nissa. She might be in trouble.”
As if in response, Cerberus’s stomach made an audible rumbling noise.
“Damn it. He’s hungry. He won’t start tracking until he eats. That means all three heads.”
Shade turned to Backlash.
“Go hunt some food and bring it back. I’m going to go sharpen our weapons… well… I guess they’re all mine for now.”
“Fine. Let’s make this simple. If I come back with food for your dog, you untie me and I get to come with you as a free nephilim. Deal?”
“I won’t give you your weapons back. I still don’t trust you.”
“I didn’t ask for my weapons back yet.”
“Then I guess we have a deal.”
Backlash nodded.
“I’ll be back shortly.”
Backlash jogged outside. When he was far enough away from Nissa’s house, he set fire to his bonds and stretched his wrists and arms.
“I don’t know why he thought tying me up was a good idea. I can barely cast spells like that. It would have been insane for him to expect me to fight like that.”
Backlash briefly considered running back to check on Fade. Forging a friendship with Shade could be done at some later time when everything had settled down a little. His thoughts were interrupted when a creature tackled him from behind and pinned him to the ground.
“Don’t speak, demon. I’m taking you in to the angels.”
“Get off of me.”
“I am one of the angel’s hunting lions. I can’t bind your hands, so I’ll have to remove your arms. Do not call out for help or I will be forced to kill you.”
Whatever was on his back, pinning him to the ground, Backlash realized it was insane. When the lion closed its mouth on his shoulder, Backlash reached backwards and grabbed at its neck. The lion latched down and Backlash cried out, but he shot fire from his hand and the lion released its grip. Backlash scrambled to his feet and turned to face the lion. He saw the char marks on the lion’s neck and shoulder. It was rolling around in the dirt.
“This would have been much simpler if you had simply allowed me to remove your arms. Now I will have to kill you.”
The lion lunged. Backlash cast a spell his father had learned from the demons. Hands broke through the ground and latched on to the lion’s legs. Backlash quickly ran towards it as it struggled to free itself. When he reached it, he carefully grabbed its head and twisted it until he heard its neck break. The lion slumped to the ground. Backlash could feel his shoulder throbbing.
“Stupid fucking lion. My shoulder really hurts now.”
Backlash hoisted the lion’s corpse over his other shoulder and carried it back to Nissa’s house. He threw the lion’s corpse on the porch and called for Cerberus. The dog sprinted out of the house and all three heads started munching on the lion corpse. Shade walked outside as well.
“An angel’s hunting lion. Not bad for a guy with his…”
Shade realized Backlash’s hands were no longer bound and he was bleeding from deep bite marks on his shoul
der.
“I was going to say a guy with his hands tied, but it looks like you’ve already decided to free yourself. There’s water inside in a barrel next to her bed. Clean your shoulder up and try to heal it. We need to get going.”
Backlash entered the house and did the best he could to heal his shoulder. After cleaning it and bandaging it as best he could, he headed back outside. Shade tossed something at him.
“It’s the lion’s pelt. I skinned it. Throw it over your shoulder. It’ll provide a little extra protection while your shoulder heals.”
Cerberus walked up to Backlash and licked his hand with one of his heads.
“I think I should add a cool title to my name. What do you think of ‘Backlash the lion slayer?’”
“I think I prefer ‘Backlash the dog food finder.’ I’m more than happy to call you that from now on if you want.”
“Never mind. I don’t think I want a title just yet.”
“You sure?”
“Yup. I need to do something that you can’t make fun of and then I’ll take a title.”
“You don’t need a title.”
“Your sister has a title. Your dad has a title.”
“Proving my point. They’re vain idiots… and Leech isn’t my dad.”
“Didn’t mean to strike a nerve.”
“You didn’t. I’m fine. We just need to focus on finding Nissa.”
“Are you guys… um… dating?”
“What? No!”
“Cool. So you don’t mind if I take a shot at her? She’s crazy hot. I understand why you like hanging around her.”
“You know every time you speak I think about killing you.”
“So that’s a maybe on me dating Nissa?”
“That’s a stop wasting time and go fuck yourself.”
“I don’t think I can do both those things. Isn’t fucking myself a waste of time by definition?”
Shade grinned.
“Clever. No. You can’t date Nissa.”
“Fine. I won’t then.”
“Good. Because you can’t.”
“Good. Because I don’t want to.”
Shade was growing tired of Backlash and once again questioned whether he should bring him along. He let Cerberus sniff Nissa’s dirty shirt again and then ran off after him into the woods. Backlash shook his head and followed.
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