by BJ Sheldon
His attacker suddenly pierced a katana through his heart, slicing the Hybrid clean through, barely missing me on the other side. He died instantly, immediately falling into a heap at my feet.
I then found myself being attacked from both sides. My reflexes were quick, but I wasn’t sure how much longer I could fight the two off simultaneously. I again unfurled my wings and leapt high into the air. The tall Hybrid tried to jump and grab my foot in an attempt to yank me back down, but I was just out of reach.
I flew to the far end of the circle near where we’d uncovered one of the Fallen’s bones only a few days prior. The pair ran at me, their swords raised and at the ready. I swung my weapon downward, blocking every blow they threw at me and forced them back in the process.
“This is getting ridiculous, boys,” I said, a bit out of breath. “You should just stand still and let me kill you. You’re just delaying the inevitable.”
Neither said a word as they continued to fend off my attack, trying as hard as they could to get their feet under them. They seemed confused, equally frustrated and fascinated by my combat skills. I was perfectly capable of taking on more than one aggressor at a time, but it didn’t appear that either of them could come to grips with that idea. In fact, it seemed to piss them off even more.
“Seriously. I won’t think any less of you if you just give up now. Turn and run. I won’t judge.” I was growing weary scrapping with two enemy Hybrids, whom, let’s face it, were nobodies.
The rivals I really wanted were perched high on the rock formation above us, smugly overlooking the battle.
But Dorian had expressly forbidden me from attacking either one of them without a team of Hybrids to back me up. I was to wait for the signal and join when the time was right.
Tired of the fight, I slid a few yards back as if on ice and put my hand out in front of me, silently telling my aggressors to halt. The move surprised them, stopping them in their tracks. They froze where they stood, exchanging looks of confusion. For a split second, even they couldn’t understand why they’d obediently ceased their attack.
But it was all the time I needed. I spread my wings out wide behind me and began to twirl. Each blow from my wings was hard, and seemed to have the same force as being slapped in the face with a two-by-four. It momentarily disoriented my enemies, sending them stumbling backward. I raised my sword and quickly pierced the tall one through his belly and the other one through his throat.
Both fell to their knees, clutching their respective wounds. I knocked each one over with my foot, one at a time, and then stepped over them as I made my way to the edge of the circle.
Both sides had already suffered significant casualties, but there were plenty left to carry on the charge. I looked around and was glad to see that Lillith and Dorian, as well as Rami and Arna, were still among the survivors. All were skilled warriors and seemed to dispatch one rival after another with ease.
But I was growing impatient. The two I wanted to fight were still out of my reach. I was certain they were both better skilled with a sword than I was, but that didn’t deter me from wanting to go at them.
The feeling that I was being watched was strong. I glanced up. Azazel’s stare never left me as he leaned over and said something to Raja, who in turn lit up with an unpleasant, and slightly askew, smile. The Watcher stood erect again, but his gaze remained steadfast on my person. It caused me to shiver.
It wasn’t his stare that caused such a reaction. He looked at me as if he’d known me my entire life. There was a glint of recognition in his eyes, but that shouldn’t have been surprising, considering I was the only Hybrid on the battlefield with wings. I stuck out, hopelessly visible with nowhere to hide. Keeping me separated from the major fighting wasn’t going to last. It was only a matter of time before they made their move.
And they did.
But it wasn’t the move I’d been expecting.
I heard loud gunshots from where Sean was hiding.
My heart nearly jumped through my chest wall. Had our human allies been discovered?
It wasn’t long before I knew the answer.
I heard shouting coming from the far edge of the battlefield. It grew louder and louder until I was finally able to decipher who was causing all the ruckus.
“Get off of me! Get your hands off of me!”
Sean tried to break free with every step, but his captors held fast to his arms as they dragged him up the rock formation toward their leader.
“Let me go! Let me go!” Sean barked, but his demands were met with stoicism.
I began to panic. How had they discovered him? What were they going to do to him?
If they managed to get him to Azazel and Raja, they’d use him to lure me to them. But even if I gave myself up, I knew they’d kill him anyway.
Dorian and Lillith began to make their move. They rushed at Sean’s captors, each pairing off with one of the assailants. Sean, temporarily free, stood still and acted as though he was in shock, not knowing where to go. If he ran back to where he came from, they’d just find him again. If he ran toward the burial site where the battle was being waged, he’d certainly be killed at the hand of the enemy. And if he headed toward the rock formation, he’d be captured by Azazel.
So, he made his choice, which appeared to be the least of all evils.
He stayed put, dropping to the ground and covering his head with his arms.
But I knew it wouldn’t last long.
My wings carried me in his direction, but thankfully Arna reached him first followed closely by Rami. Together, they fought off three new attackers who’d set their sights on Sean. Dorian and Lillith easily took care of their adversaries and jumped in to assist.
I landed behind Sean. He whipped his head up, fearful of what he’d find. Seeing that it was me, he jumped to his feet and threw his arms around me, holding me tight.
Sean had never hugged me willingly before.
Ever.
I was taken aback, unsure of how to react. But then, as if involuntarily, I raised my arms and hugged him back. My mind drifted to when we first met and how excited he was to meet someone like me. And now, because of me, he’d been placed in danger. It was all my fault.
“I’m sorry,” I said, whispering loudly in his ear. “You never should have come with me.”
Sean pulled away and held me at my shoulders, looking me straight in the eye.
“Where you go, I go,” he said, forcing a reassuring smile to his lips.
I glanced up and immediately felt sick to my stomach. Azazel had my sword and was studying it quite closely. He held it flat in his hands and gazed at its beauty, checking out every curve and edge as if it were the finest jewel ever discovered. The moonlight struck the blade just right, causing a slight gleam to bounce off its reflection. The Watcher gripped the hilt in one hand and gently traced the fuller all the way down the blade. It was almost repulsive the way he caressed it, fondling it with his fingers.
Anger began to burn in my belly as I eyed him clasping my sword. That blade was the only thing that could end the battle and put things right. I needed to get it back.
Reason no longer played a part in my thought process. My thoughts were jumbled, and all I wanted was my sword. My chest rose and fell wildly while my breathing caught up to match. My need to recapture what was mine was winning the argument with the part of my brain that thought better of it.
I felt the tingle that told me danger was coming and turned in time to see a dark-haired Hybrid, dressed all in black leather, coming straight at me. My sword blocked his, his blade sliding down mine, sending tiny sparks flying from the edge as it made the most godawful sound. The back of my free hand met his cheek squarely, hitting him as hard as I could. I heard the bone in his face break, causing the soldier to scream out in pain.
It was distraction enough for me to raise my sword and plunge it through his heart. His face held shock, and as he took his final breath his facial expression didn’t change. His lifeless body
fell to his knees with my sword still keeping him upright. I placed a foot on his chest and pushed him away while pulling the sword out. The Hybrid fell back, limp and lifeless.
My sights were suddenly set on getting my sword back. I raced toward the rock formation, but I quickly discovered that Raja was alone. I skidded to a stop and surveyed my surroundings. In all the commotion, I discovered that Azazel had flown off to another spot to survey the carnage. He’d perched himself high above the proceedings on a large cliff-like formation, I assumed as a way to get a better view of his devastation. I frantically considered the alternatives.
Do I go after Raja first? Or should I head straight for Azazel?
These were the questions that raced through my mind. My judgment was clouded.
I needed my sword.
I needed this war to be over.
As my gaze went from Raja to Azazel, I realized Azazel no longer had my sword. Both of his hands hung idle at his sides. Glancing toward Raja, I saw Raja holding my prized possession tightly in his grip with a look of satisfaction plastered on his face.
I couldn’t imagine Azazel giving up something with such power, but I knew he expected Raja to easily remedy the problem that was me. Use my own sword to strike me dead and use my blood to open the Fallen’s burial site.
And Azazel wouldn’t need to lift a finger himself.
Problem solved.
My attention had been diverted from Sean for only a few moments, but it had been long enough. I turned my head in time to see that he was being dragged off in Azazel’s direction, a Hybrid’s dirty hand covering Sean’s mouth, muffling his screams for help. But he somehow managed to break free just long enough to shout my name before being grabbed again.
“Shit!” I shouted.
How could I have been so stupid as to not keep a proper eye on my best friend? I’d rescued him, only to lose him again.
There was no time to beat myself up. They were dragging Sean toward Azazel, getting closer every second. I knew what would happen to my best friend once he reached the Watcher.
Before I could leap into the air to take flight, Lillith was already on Sean’s abductors, taking them both on in her usual skilled manner. Sean stood, again not sure where to go, and watched Lillith block and blow with her sabre.
It wasn’t long before she’d killed both of the Hybrids, each headless as they lay lifeless on the ground. She grabbed Sean by the elbow and began to drag him away in the opposite direction from where Azazel stood gazing over his battle.
The Watcher studied the scene with curiosity. There was no way anyone could ignore the protective nature that Lillith showed toward Sean, and glancing over at me, Azazel must have been able to see the obvious worry etched in my brow as well.
It was clear by the smile on Azazel’s face that he realized Sean was important to me, and thus, a means to an end. A hand was raised, motioning toward Sean and Lillith, and Raja obliged. He leapt up from his perch and began to fly toward the rapidly escaping pair.
“Lillith! Look out!” I screamed inside my head.
She heard me about the same time she saw Raja heading her way on flamed wings. She pushed Sean aside, sending him tumbling to the ground. He scrambled to his feet and fled back to his original hiding place at the edge of the battlefield. It wasn’t ideal, but at least he was out of sight.
I continued to remain frozen where I stood. A completely helpless feeling washed over me. It seemed that no matter how much ground we gained in the fight, we weren’t any closer to the goal. They’d captured Sean twice. And whenever we killed one of theirs, two of our own would fall. Our numbers were dwindling, and it wouldn’t be long until our side was completely outnumbered.
“Don’t just stand there!” I heard Lillith’s voice bark at me from somewhere in the depths of my mind. “Get over here and help me!”
I snapped out of my temporary trance and flew to her aid. Together, we did our best to weaken and wear Raja out. We didn’t let up and continued to go at him strong and fast. Lillith’s ability with a sword was awe-inspiring. And even though neither of us were a match for someone as skilled as Raja, she was a more than capable ally to have.
Raja swung at me, nearly making contact with my neck. I’d managed to raise my sword, the flat of the blade in the palm of my free hand, and blocked his advance. Using the sword, I pushed him back as hard as I could and thrust my weapon with an immense amount of force.
Lillith and I both advanced, but our enemy was prepared, blocking our every move. We struggled to keep our footing and the upper hand. The clanging and scraping of metal-on-metal was constant and ear-piercing. I thought about the song of the crickets, and their soothing tone and rhythm. I wished I could lie on the grass outside my trailer back home and stare up at the stars while the peaceful chirps of nearby crickets rung out in the air.
But instead, I was at war with a Watcher bearing wings of fire.
And he was winning.
Chapter 24
Raja laughed heartily as he continued to easily ward off every strike that Lillith and I threw his way. I began to doubt our ability to defeat him. And if we couldn’t kill Raja, we stood no chance of killing Azazel, even if we did manage to retrieve my sword.
And he dared to attack me with my own sword, which made the entire situation even more precarious. I had to get it back before he managed to kill me with it. Lillith and I would need to work together if we were to defeat our mutual enemy. I opened my mind and let her inside my head.
“We can’t beat him,” I said.
“If you’re going to talk like that, you might as well give up now. Let him slice your throat,” Lillith replied sharply.
I ducked just as Raja swung my sword, barely missing the top of my head.
“Careful, you idiot! He hits you with that thing, even a scratch, and you’re as good as dead.”
“You think I don’t know that?” I barked back. “He’s already hit me once. I have no intention of letting him hit me again.”
Lillith arched back, drawing in her stomach just as Raja jabbed the blade at her gut, missing her by an inch or two. She swung her sabre around and down, knocking his sword to the side. Raja came at her again, but she twirled around and threw herself backward. She appeared suspended in midair, lying on her back as the weapon whizzed past her, leaving her unscathed. She threw her hands over her head and pushed herself, flipping forward as her legs kicked up, landing hard on her feet, sword at the ready. She went on the offensive, doing her best to keep Raja off-balance.
But it didn’t seem to matter. For every move that Lillith made, Raja was able to counter it with skilled ease. I came at Raja from the other side, but he was able to defend himself from two assailants at once. It grew evident that we could have had the help of ten more Hybrids, and it wouldn’t have made a bit of difference. He was undefeatable.
Just as I thought our plight would end badly, Dorian arrived. He leapt through the air, as he’d done the day I’d met him, a Chakram in each hand. He flipped over Raja with his arms crossed and sliced in an X-like manner.
And even though Raja was impervious to a beheading, at least with his wings still attached, it did temporarily slow him down. Each side of his neck was cut. The gashes were deep, but not life threatening—not for a Watcher.
Raja was dazed and distracted by his wounds. His hands reached up, and he shoved his fingers inside the lacerations that lay close to his throat. It only angered him more.
Dorian went at Raja with the fury of a hundred wild horses. Lillith and I continued our constant barrage of thrusts and jabs, trying to slow him down even more. But he just kept coming.
In a last, desperate move, I dropped to the ground and swept his legs out from under him, sending him tumbling forward. He struggled to control his descent as he fought to regain his footing.
Lillith dove the tip of her blade hard into the center of Raja’s chest as he fell to the ground. He came to rest on his knees, a look of shock in his eyes as he stared up at the blond
e beauty who’d just impaled him. She swung herself around and, with a single roundhouse kick, drove the sword even deeper into Raja’s chest cavity.
Raja’s hands surrounded the blade penetrating his torso. He stared down disbelievingly at what had just occurred, emotionless and placid.
And then he began to laugh. It started as a quiet chuckle and built to an enormous belly laugh. His gaze shifted upward in Lillith’s direction. The evil stare gave me chills, and I knew Lillith had somehow made things even worse.
But we had to keep the pressure on him and get him to drop my sword. I raised my own blade and prepared to fight while Dorian did the same from the other side. Raja pulled Lillith’s sabre out of his chest with one hand and raised my stolen sword in the other, blocking our attempts with a loud clang. Our swords struck his and bounced off.
Raja’s reflexes were quick. I don’t even remember seeing his arm move. There was a twist of his arm and a downward motion. Before Lillith, or any of us had time to react, her own sabre had been plunged down at an angle into the left side of her neck.
Dorian screamed.
But Lillith smiled.
Her time was coming to a close, and if she was going to die anyway, I knew she’d want it to be on her terms and no one else’s. She’d gone down fighting. And she’d been valiant in her efforts, choosing a hero’s death rather than disappearing into nothing at the end.
Our gazes met briefly. Lillith gave me a look that told me all was okay between us in the end. She gasped for breath, and then uttered, “Kick his ass.”
Her eyes rolled back, and the smile slowly evaporated from her face. Raja pulled the sabre out of her neck, and Lillith fell to the side and collapsed on the bare ground of the Badlands, sending up a small cloud of dust from beneath her body.
Dorian’s fury escalated, his rage directed at Raja. He flew at him twice as fast as before. Dorian sprung and flipped, trying to disorient his enemy.