Samael laughed.
“No, my child. You get that from both of us.”
The next morning, Lilith sat down with Samael, Hypnos, and Thanatos to plan their attack on Uriel and his angels. Samael took the lead.
“What we have to do is capture or kill Uriel. They’ll scatter in fear if we can pull that off. Nothing short of that will get them to stop. Any thoughts?”
Lilith looked at her half-brothers.
“Question. How far-reaching are their powers?”
Thanatos was holding something under his cloak and looking at it from time to time. He would grin when he saw it. Lilith assumed it was a mirror. Hypnos answered her question.
“We have to come into contact with them. Our powers only work through touch. They multiply after contact, though. If Thanatos touches someone long enough, he can kill them and I can put angels and demons into comas.”
“That’s too bad. Leech’s powers were long range and more amplified than that.”
Thanatos took this as a personal insult.
“Trust me, Lilith, we’re more powerful than Leech ever was.”
“That’s hard to believe considering the fact that Leech took out an entire nephilim army and severely injured Azazel on his own.”
“I would have killed Azazel.”
“Then why haven’t you? You’ve had plenty of opportunities!”
Lucia started to cry when she heard her mother raise her voice. Hypnos started rocking her in his arms.
“Enough, guys. You’re upsetting my niece.”
Thanatos looked like he wanted to continue but Samael looked at him and shook his head.
“We will not insult the memory of one of the most powerful demons to ever walk the Earth. Leech was every bit the fighter that his grandfather was.”
Lilith was immediately distracted by the tangent.
“You knew Baal?”
“Fairly well. Fought him plenty of times. He even gave me something to remember him by.”
Samael removed his gauntlet and revealed a long scar across his palm.
“Did you give him something to remember you by?”
Samael grinned.
“Of course. Long scar across his lower back. We’re scar buddies.”
Lilith giggled. Thanatos looked like he wanted to get back on the subject of who was more powerful. Hypnos spoke before he had the opportunity.
“My powers are growing. Anything in my general vicinity tends to be more tired and I can put this little angel to sleep without touching her.”
Hypnos tickled Lucia and she giggled. She grabbed his hand and it started to turn red. He pulled his hand back before she could fully set it on fire. Hypnos grinned sheepishly. Samael took control of the discussion back.
“I do think we have a way to win this without too much effort. I still have an angel’s ring of distraction. Lilith can wear it and I think she’s powerful to make the entire army look at her. Once all eyes are on her, Hynos and Thanatos can put everyone to sleep or down for good. I’ll take on Uriel while the three of you deal with the army. Join me when you’re finished and the four of us will take on Uriel.”
Samael reached into his pocket and produced an angel’s ring of distraction. He handed it to Lilith.
“I’m distracting enough as I am.”
Samael laughed.
“Then this will just amplify your natural abilities. Trust me, it’ll help. I don’t think you’ve distracted an entire army before… and angels are harder to distract than demons.”
“I won’t need it.”
“Then wear it to humor me. I’m not doing this unless I know you’ll have everything you need to be safe.”
Lilith sighed and put on the ring of distraction.
CHAPTER 33
Raven approached Jess with her weapons secured on her belt and her hands in the air.
“I have an army with me, but I promise I just want to talk.”
“Well that’s… unnerving.”
“We couldn’t think of another way to do this. You see… Gangrene and I know that Aim has been stalking him and it’s at the point where Aim is trying to kill him now.”
Jess grabbed her scythe. Raven didn’t draw her weapon.
“He’s still deciding what he wants to do. The problem is that Aim is going to try to kill him anyways. So I’d like you to come with me and talk your brother out of what he’s trying to do. There’s still the possibility that this can end peacefully.”
Jess grabbed her scythe, spun Raven around to face Gangrene’s army, and held her scythe’s blade to Raven’s throat.
“Back off. All of you.”
Raven nodded.
“Do it.”
Gangrene’s army marched back several paces and waited.
“So this is how you want to play this? Gangrene will kill your brother if you hurt me… and then he’ll come for you.”
“Gangrene can’t kill me and he can’t kill Murmur.”
“Maybe not, but he’s comfortable playing a waiting game. Shadow could kill you both. Leech could kill you both once Lilith brings him back. Guess who they would side with if you kill me?”
“You know I don’t want to do this, Raven, but Gangrene isn’t leaving us a choice. If he leaves with his scythe and his army, Nightmare and Astaroth will slaughter our armies and then all three of us. It’s self-preservation. That’s all. We just can’t let him leave.”
“He wasn’t planning on leaving until he caught Aim following him.”
“Let’s just go to Gangrene and Aim and work this whole thing out. My army is coming with us.”
Jess hit her scythe against the ground and her demon army started to crawl out of the sand. Jess waved her scythe and Raven’s hands were bound. She placed the scythe’s blade on the small of Raven’s black and nudged her forward.
“Take us back to Gangrene. We’ll sort this out.”
Aim had attempted to shoot Gangrene three times. Gangrene had blocked the shots with his scythe. He still had the feeling that Aim wasn’t really trying to kill him yet. Aim was still afraid and he had good reason to be.
The truth was that Gangrene and Raven were leaning towards respecting Lilith’s wishes and staying in Hell until they discovered that Aim was following them. Gangrene couldn’t let something like that pass. It was too disrespectful to his position and his army would think he was a coward if he didn’t respond appropriately.
Gangrene had waited long enough. He either needed to kill Aim or take him prisoner. He was worried that Jess might have killed Raven. Gangrene started advancing towards Aim. Aim shot the ground immediately in front of Gangrene.
“Don’t come any closer.”
Gangrene froze for a moment and then took a few more steps. Aim took another shot at the ground in front of Gangrene.
“I’m warning you, Gangrene. Don’t do anything stupid. I will kill you.”
Gangrene took another step and Aim shot him in the foot. Gangrene closed the distance between them and grabbed both of his hands. Aim’s hands started to sizzle and melt. He cried out and dropped his gun. Gangrene spun around and placed his scythe’s blade on Aim’s neck. All of Aim’s snipers trained their weapons on Gangrene.
“What did you do to my hands?”
“Melted them a little. It’s going to be difficult to shoot anyone for a while.”
“What the fuck, Gangrene?”
“You shot me in the foot. I couldn’t give you anymore leash. It’s time we go see your sister and see if we can still resolve this without me slitting your throat.”
“It would be the last time you ever saw your girlfriend.”
Gangrene looked down the sandy hill and saw Jess walking behind Raven. Raven hands were bound behind her back. Gangrene saw his army next to Jess’s army.
“So do we trade and then battle this out? If I can’t get Raven back, I will cut his throat right now and then take his gun. This won’t end well for you, Jess.”
“I don’t want to kill her. We ju
st couldn’t let you leave.”
“I wasn’t planning on leaving until I caught this dumbass following me. Now there’s no way I can trust you. You, Aim, and Murmur can kiss my ass!”
Gangrene’s army cheered approvingly.
“Nightmare and Astaroth have to be watching this. Whoever wins this fight will still lose. They’ll move in to finish off the weakened victor.”
“So what do you propose?”
“We trade and then I’ll leave with Aim. Our armies will go with us. We won’t keep a tail on you anymore. If you want to go to Earth, we won’t stop you… but no bloodshed right now. Do we have a deal?”
“The next time I see this asshole following me, I will disintegrate his hands for good. As it is, he’s not going to be able to shoot his gun for a couple of weeks. You know what else?”
Gangrene stepped forward and picked up White Death.
“I’m keeping this. It’s an annoyance tax for having to deal with the two of you.”
“That’s not part of our deal.”
“I didn’t agree to a deal yet. The two of you tried to have me killed and then you kidnapped Raven when she came to talk things over with you. You’re lucky I’m not giving you your brother back in three pieces. Those are my terms. If you don’t agree, I’ll put the two of you down, put your armies down, and then flee to Earth. Once I find Shadow and Leech, I’ll be back to take our Murmur. So do we walk away from this or do we end this hear and now?”
“I’ll make the trade. Keep the gun.”
Aim turned to face Gangrene.
“I don’t agree to this. That’s my gun.”
“I didn’t ask for your permission, broken sniper. I was negotiating with your sister. Now get the fuck out of my sight before I change my mind.”
Gangrene shoved Aim. Aim tripped and fell backwards down the hill, rolling the last few feet. Gangrene’s army laughed and cheered. Jess nudged Raven with her scythe and Raven started walking forward. When she came to Aim, she helped him to his feet and Aim returned to his sister. Gangrene kept White Death trained on Jess and Aim until they were out of sight.
Raven kissed Gangrene on the cheek.
“One of your demons wanted to kill them. Did I make a mistake?”
“Nope. You made the right call. I’d trade a bullet in the foot for a legendary weapon any day. We came out way ahead on this.”
CHAPTER 34
Once they had been painted with the customary markings of the berserkers, Shadow and Sarah began the training process. Adrenaline started each of them off against one of his berserkers. If they won, he made them face off against another and then another. Sarah made it through about five before she collapsed. Shadow showed no signs of tiring.
“This is when it counts. When you don’t have anything left to give. I’ll be your next opponent.”
Adrenaline was tossed a long stick from one of his berserkers. Sarah used the stick she had been given to slowly climb back to her feet. Adrenaline immediately tripped her. Shadow cloned himself and made the clone continue fighting his opponent. He came over to Sarah’s fight to watch. He didn’t want to interfere but knew he was going to if they hurt her beyond what he could stand to watch. Adrenaline circled her as she struggled back to her feet.
“Your opponents will not be as forgiving as I am. They will not go easy on you because you’ve defeated five in a row. So after each opponent, you need to get angrier.”
Adrenaline struck again. Sarah tried to raise her stick to blow the incoming blow but she was too slow. Adrenaline struck her hard across the face. She didn’t fall, but she stumbled and fell to one knee.
“There’s a rage inside all creatures that can help you when you have nothing left to give. It’s as powerful as any power ring or drugs we can give you. Ignite that fire and we will show you how to enhance it.”
Adrenaline struck again, but Sarah blocked the blow with her stick. She began circling in the opposite direction of Adrenaline. He smiled at her.
“Good. You’re angry. Now… do you have enough in you to put me down?”
Adrenaline struck quickly at Sarah’s left knee and then kicked her legs out from under her. She fell. Shadow stepped forward to intervene but Adrenaline placed his stick in Shadow’s path.
“You need to go back to your own fight.”
“No I don’t. My clone is doing just fine.”
“Sarah will get this and I can’t have you here. She needs to learn this on her own. By attempting to intervene, you’re denying her the power we can grant.”
Sarah got back to her feet.
“It’s fine, Shadow. I want to learn. Go back to your fight.”
Shadow nodded and fused with his clone. He continued fighting. Adrenaline leaned over Sarah again.
“When you’re actually out there fighting, you’re not always going to have Shadow to run in and save you. There will come a time when it’s all up to you. Either you win the fight or you die. He’s going to be up against challenges that will test the limits of his strength.”
“I can do this.”
Adrenaline decided to change tactics and get meaner.
“No, I don’t think you can. It was a mistake to think that an angel can learn how to fight like a demon. You don’t have it in you.”
Sarah swung with her stick and Adrenaline stepped out of the way. She struggled to keep her footing and not fall down again.
“Pathetic. I guess the ‘moral superiority’ is all the angels have because you sure as fuck can’t fight.”
Sarah struck at Adrenaline’s face, but he deflected the blow easily.
“Do you even know how to be mad? Are you forgiving me as I’m saying this shit? Wow. If that’s all Heaven can produce, the Archangels are more of a joke than I realized.”
Sarah attacked and swung several times. Adrenaline blocked each incoming attack and tripped her again. Sarah went down hard.
“Does it bother you that Shadow pities you? That he runs in to fight your battles? That he doesn’t think you can take care of yourself? Is that all you are? A pathetic creature that exists because of the pity of the strong?”
“Shut up.”
“Oh… did I finally strike a nerve? It’s about fucking time. Stop forgiving me and fight!”
Sarah struck and Adrenaline countered the hit. He struck her hard in the legs. Instead of going down, Sarah used the momentum to complete a backflip and came at him again. She struck hard with her stick at his jaw. He wasn’t expecting it and Sarah drew blood. She smiled.
“Is that angry enough for you?”
Sarah saw Adrenaline’s eyes go red. He hit her twice in the abdomen with his stick and then delivered a roundhouse kick to the right side of her face. Sarah had to struggle to stay conscious. Adrenaline extended a hand and helped her back to her feet.
“That’s all it should take to set you off. One strike. One connection. It should anger you to no end. Every time your enemy hits you, it’s a personal insult that should make you stronger. If it helps, keep repeating the words in your head that set you off until you don’t need them anymore.”
“So are we done for the day?”
“You’re still standing. I’ll throw you back into the rotation. Here’s a chance to apply what I just taught you. Find your limits and then ignore them.”
Adrenaline put Sarah’s stick back in her hand. He walked towards his tent and tapped one of the berserkers on the way. The berserker took Adrenaline’s stick and went to fight Sarah. Sarah had the berserker down before Adrenaline reached his tent.
Adrenaline gave orders to have two at a time face off against Shadow. Then three. Then four. Ultimately, Adrenaline realized that Shadow may not have limits. He didn’t want Shadow to realize this. It would boost his ego and get in the way of developing fury. Once four failed, Adrenaline sent in five berserkers at a time.
CHAPTER 35
“Uriel, it’s time for you to go home. I’ll give you a chance to walk away before I kill you and slaughter your army.”
Uriel laughed.
“Do you think the threats of an outcast are going to scare me off? We knew you were coming. My army should be finishing off your mixed-blood children and wiping your stain off this Earth as we speak.”
“You had your chance. I’ll make sure to explain that to anyone who comes to investigate your death.”
Samael started by casting a spell that set a blinding light around his sword. Uriel laughed.
“You can’t blind an Archangel with light.”
Uriel felt a stabbing pain in his lower left shoulder blade. He turned and swung his sword. There was nothing there.
“I wasn’t going for a blinding light. I was going for a distraction. You angels are so limited in your thinking process.”
Uriel removed the dagger from his shoulder and saw that Samael had retrieved his sword. He had left it in the ground and attacked from another angle while Uriel was looking at the sword.
“Looks like I drew first blood. Not bad for an outcast, right?”
Uriel attacked and Samael blocked the attack with his blade. Uriel followed it up with a head-butt. Samael stumbled back several paces before he regained his footing. He could feel blood streaming down from his nose. Uriel charged again, but Samael was ready this time. He cast a tornado that sent Uriel hurling back into the air. He then pulled his bow from his back and shot an arrow at the airborne Archangel. It connected with Uriel’s shin.
When Uriel landed, he broke the arrow. He pointed his sword at Samael and lightning shot out of the point. It hit Samael square in the chest and he flew backwards through the air. Uriel moved in for the kill, but Hypnos, Thanatos, and Lilith arrived. Uriel turned and ran.
“Coward!”
Lilith and Thanatos stayed with Samael while Hypnos ran after Uriel. Uriel slowed his pace and turned on Hypnos. Hypnos pulled a dagger from his belt.
“Looks like he beat you up pretty bad. Here’s a parting gift from the nephilim.”
Hypnos threw the dagger. Uriel spun and the dagger barely grazed his cheek. He was ready to counter attack when he felt his strength start to leave him. He was suddenly very tired. Hypnos grinned at the Archangel as he turned and ran. When he made it back, Hypnos looked at his brother.
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