by R C Knight
Zane stopped as the air began to whip around him, a small tornado ripping through the horde. A guttural battle cry filled the air. He looked over at the entrance to the Colosseum. Kai and Riley had arrived, Nikolai stood next to them, his face raised towards the heavens as he let out his battle cry. Their group ran forward, decimating the demons in front of them.
“It’s about time!” Ryder shouted towards the group. Kai smiled over at them, as he released another attack.
“We decided to take our time,” Kai shouted as he ran his sword through a half-breed. “After all, you guys usually don’t need our help.” He chuckled as they fought their way towards them.
Zane couldn’t help but laugh as he continued to fight, finding himself side-by-side with Ryder, who had just finished off the two Elites. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as the horde began to thin, the end in sight. A bright light surrounded them, temporarily blinding everyone in the Colosseum.
“What the fuck!” Zane shouted as he shielded his eyes.
“The spire!” Ryder shouted; his eyes widened as he looked towards the spire.
Aria. Panic coursed through Zane’s veins as Raphael’s warning played through his mind. “I need to go. Can you manage?” He took a step towards the spire, his body acting on instinct. Ryder grabbed his shoulder, stopping him.
“She is mine,” he growled. “I will go.”
“No,” Zane demanded as he shrugged Ryder’s hand from his shoulder. “I’m faster.” With that he vanished, reappearing at the entrance of the Colosseum. He’s always rescuing her. Ryder sighed as he stared at the black flames burning on the sand where Zane had just been.
“Push forward!” Ryder yelled, lifting his sword in the air.
Chapter Fifty-One
Earth
Darkness surrounded them, the red light of the moon shining down on the bloodshed in the Colosseum. Blasts of holy light shattered the night air as arrows rained down on the city. The Red Horseman’s delight grew as despair permeated the air around him, his children’s cries of pain echoed around him as they were decimated before him. He stood from his throne and picked up his great sword with his skeletal hands, the flames around him grew and wrapped around the black steel. Bloodlust filled his eyes as he jumped into the arena, his red robes fluttering around him. A massive quake shook the Colosseum as he landed, his blade buried into the sand as he rested his hand on the ground. The fighting stopped; heavy breathing permeated the air as everyone looked over at him.
“This ends now,” the Red Horseman growled as he eyed the rebels in front of him. The demons and half-breeds that were still alive waited silently for their orders, enjoying the brief respite from the battle. “This is what it means to wage war. Death all around us! It is a joy to behold.” His deep voice echoed through the Colosseum. “But now… it must end. I will exterminate you all.”
Ryder sighed as he examined the arena, Cain and Abel had knelt to the ground, exhaustion taking over. He glanced over at Kai, who nodded at him, ready for a fight. Ryder and Kai stepped forward, their blades at the ready. “You have tormented this land for too long.” Ryder spoke, his voice echoing around them. “Your end has come.”
“Little angels,” he growled as he stood at his full height, towering over them. “You have cowered away for seven hundred years. It is foolish of you to believe you can change anything now.” He pulled his black blade from the earth; his flames grew with his rage. Ryder inhaled deeply as he focused his holy light into his left bracer, a bright shield illuminated in front of him. He raised his sword and squared his stance as he nodded at Kai.
Kai smiled as he tightened his grip on his two-handed sword, his knuckles turning white. “Let’s do this,” he muttered as he leapt to the side while Ryder charged.
The Red Horseman chuckled darkly as he brought his sword down. Ryder blocked it with his shield, his body straining under its weight. Kai attacked from the side, his blade sliced through the red cloak and nicked the Red Horseman’s side. The Red Horseman pushed Ryder back as he retaliated, swinging his blade at Kai.
Spikes shot up from the earth, surrounding the Red Horseman. Kai swung his blade; he extended its reach with his air magick. Smiling as confusion filled the Red Horseman’s face as a deep cut appeared across his chest, despite the sword never touching him. Ryder threw up more spikes, trapping him. The Red Horseman growled with rage as he swung his sword around him, destroying the spikes.
Ryder and Kai continued their assault, alternating between their magick and the steel of their blades. They continued to advance on the Red Horseman, backing him into the wall. “My children,” the Red Horseman shouted, “attack!”
The demons and half-breeds that remained let out blood-curdling screams as they resumed their battle, surrounding those that were left. Ryder growled with frustration as he threw up some more spikes, trapping the Red Horseman against the wall. Kai flung himself through the air, his blade at the ready. His lips curled into a smile as he plunged his blade through the Red Horseman’s chest.
The Red Horseman’s eyes widened as golden light surrounded by black flames sprang to life in the distance. He looked down at Kai, ignoring the blade sticking through his chest. “You are strong,” he muttered as Kai balanced on top of one of the spikes. Kai pulled out his sword and prepared for another attack, aiming for the chest. “However, this will not be my end.” The Red Horseman smiled; his skeletal face illuminated by his flames. In the blink of an eye he vanished into a red mist and dissipated.
“Are you fucking kidding me!” Kai shouted with frustration. He jumped off the spike, landing next to Ryder. The demons continued their assault, oblivious to the disappearance of their God. Kai shouted with rage, releasing a torment of air magick. Demons and half-breeds were thrown around the Colosseum, their bodies ripped apart. He let his rage overwhelm him, his magick searching for and destroying any demons that remained. He fell forward, landing on his knees as he buried his sword into the sand, resting his hands on the hilt. His breath came in heavy pants as he calmed his mind.
“Holy shit,” Ryder muttered as he scanned the arena. Almost every demon and half-breed has been ripped apart by his air magick. The few that had survived were being finished off by the rest of their group. He walked over to Kai and rested his hand on his shoulder. “We’ll get him next time.” He sighed as the red mist dissipated from the land. The white light of the moon shone brightly down on them.
Ryder smiled as relief washed through the Colosseum. “Alright,” he shouted; his voice hoarse. “Let’s head back to the ships.” Mutterings of agreement filled the air as the survivors made their way through the arena, helping the injured as they went. “Now.” Ryder grabbed Kai’s arm and helped him stand up. “Let’s go check on Aria.”
“Alright,” Kai sighed wearily as he pulled his sword from the ground. “But I get to kill that fucker the next time we meet,” he muttered; his dark blue eyes filled with anger.
“Fine by me.” Ryder sighed as worry for Aria filled his mind.
~~~~
Aria could feel the power coursing through her body. Every inch felt like it was on fire, like her body was being burned from the inside out. Screams of pain echoed around her, chilling her to the bone. Who’s screaming? she wondered as her body crumpled beneath her. The screams intensified around her as her throat began to ache. Oh… it’s me. She realized as she curled into a ball, wrapping herself protectively around the Holy Grail.
You need to let go. A voice whispered in the back of her mind. “I can’t,” she groaned as her fists tightened around the chalice. She fought against her muscles; her mind begging her to let go of the cursed object. It’s going to kill you. The voice shouted. Just let go of it! The urgency of the voice led her to open her eyes. She was assaulted by a bright, golden light swirling around her.
“I’m trying,” she cried; her voice filled with pain. Why can’t I let go? She wondered as another round of fire surged through her body. She screamed in pain; her body trembled as her s
creams echoed around her. Swirling through the air with the golden light.
“Aria!” Zane’s voice filled the air around her, bringing a sense of calm to her mind. “Aria! Where are you?”
“I don’t know,” she whimpered as she tried to let go of the chalice. Panic began to fill her mind, her heart pounded in her chest. Tears streamed down her face as her body convulsed, another surge of fire coursing through her veins. It felt as if her very existence was being burned away. She squeezed her eyes shut, closing herself off from the golden light surrounding her. Another scream escaped her lips as she willed the pain to end.
Zane squinted his eyes as he made his way through the swirling, golden light. Aria’s screams of pain echoed around him as he slowly moved forward. His eyes landed on her small form, crumpled on the ground ahead of him. Silver light, shaped like wings, wrapped around her body. He ran forward and knelt next to her, his eyes searching her body for injuries. What the hell is wrong? he wondered, her clothing was soaked in blood, but he was unable to see any wounds. Her body began to convulse, that’s when he saw it, the golden chalice clasped tightly in her hands. He leaned forward, bringing his mouth next to her ear. “Aria,” he spoke softly, his lips brushing against her skin. “You need to let go.”
“I can’t,” she whimpered as her head turned towards his voice. She slowly opened her eyes; the pain diminished their brightness. “You can’t be here,” she shouted frantically. “It’ll kill you. Go away.” She curled tightly around the golden chalice as she turned her head away from him.
“And it’s killing you,” he responded as he grabbed her shoulder. A jolt of fire flowed through him as his arms began to tremble.
“No,” she shouted as he forced her to uncurl her body, revealing the chalice that she desperately clung to. He grabbed it and yanked it from her hands. She watched in horror as his body began to shake. He threw his head back and shouted out in pain. Black flames erupted from his back and poured to the ground.
This is your true power. A voice echoed through his mind. This is your birthright. His body trembled as more black flames coursed from his back to the ground. This is why the angels fear you. Why God himself, fears you. The voice was calm, even though Zane felt as if his body were being torn apart into a million pieces. A shout of agony left his lips. The time is drawing near.
Aria couldn’t believe her eyes, the black flames sprouting from Zane’s back looked almost like wings. His screams of pain echoed around them. She groaned as she forced herself up from the ground, her body stiff from the pain. She hobbled towards him and placed her hands back onto the Holy Grail. Power surged through her again, setting her muscles on fire. The black flames that had been pouring from Zane’s back disappeared as quickly as they had come. He lowered his head, his blue-hazel eyes shining brightly as they locked onto her face.
The golden light diminished around them, followed by an eerie silence. They dropped the Holy Grail, its once golden exterior now dull and gray. Aria gasped as she examined their surroundings. A pile of ash sat where the spire had stood, she watched as a gust of wind blew some of it away. The earth around them had been charred, all the plants burned. She stood silently, her eyes locking onto the fires in the city below. Her mind began to reel, the dancing flames making her feel as if her essence was on fire again.
“Where’s Bishop?” Zane’s voice broke through her fog as he gently grabbed her shoulder. “Aria… where is he?”
She stared past him as she spoke, her voice trembled. “I don’t know… we were at the top of the spire and…” Her eyes narrowed as she rubbed her forehead. “And Lilith was there. She had Raphael chained –”
“You saw Raphael?” His voice was filled with disbelief as he looked around them, searching. She nodded silently as she looked over at the diminishing pile of ashes.
“She had him chained to a table and his body…” her voice quivered as her eyes began to water. “His body was covered in cuts and scars. There was blood everywhere…”
“It’s alright,” he reassured her as a soft sob escaped her lips. “What happened next? How did you get that chalice?”
“Holy Grail,” she responded softly as she glanced at the used-up chalice.
“What?”
“That was the Holy Grail,” she sighed. “Myra brought it, she thought it would cure me. Bring my powers back to their full strength.”
“Myra was here too?” His voice filled with despair as he continued to search the emptiness surrounding them. “But where are they?”
“She’s dead.” Aria wrapped her arms around her chest. “Lilith… Lilith killed her.” Her eyes lingered on the small pile of ashes, watching as the wind picked them up and carried them away. “It’s all gone.” She looked up at him, her eyes filled with regret. “They were still there when I grabbed it… the power… it destroyed everything.” She paused; her voice quivered as her body began to tremble. “There’s nothing left. There’s no way they could’ve survived –”
Zane pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around her. “Shh… it’s alright.” He stared over her shoulder, watching the breeze carry away the last of the ashes. “It’s going to be okay.” A sigh of relief escaped his lips as the red mist dissipated, the moon returning to its normal white glow.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Earth
Ryder sprinted up the winding path, his breathing heavy, his heart pounded in his chest. She better be okay. He thought as he forced his body to move faster. I need to reach her. Kai followed closely behind him, his eyes scanning their surroundings as they ran.
A sigh of relief escaped his lips as they arrived at the top of the hill, Aria sat silently on the ground. Zane stood next to her, his body tense as he scanned the area, his sword resting on his shoulder. A sad smile crossed her face as she met his eyes. “Aria,” he sighed as she stood up and ran into his arms, burying her face into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. “I was so worried,” he muttered as he kissed the top of her head.
“I’m okay,” she sighed as she relaxed into his body.
Kai sighed wearily as he made his way over to Zane. “You okay?” he asked, his knowing eyes examined his face.
“Yea,” Zane muttered as he watched Ryder run his hands up and down Aria’s back. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t have to lie to me.” Kai sighed as he stared at the empty space in front of them. “But for now, I’ll pretend I believe you.”
“Thanks.” Zane sighed as he rubbed a hand over his chest.
“Now… Where the hell is the spire? I could’ve swore I was able to see it from the ship.”
“You’re looking at it.” He motioned at the blank space in front of them. “She burned it to the ground.”
“Of course, she did.” Kai chuckled as he glanced back at Ryder and Aria. “Is she alright? And where’s Bishop? I thought he stayed with Aria?”
“I don’t know,” he responded as he turned, making his way to the path back down the hill. “She was the only one left when I arrived.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway… we should get going. There’s nothing else here for us.”
“Alright,” Kai muttered, his eyes lingering on the darkness in front of him. The light of the moon glittered off a silver blade. He walked forward and knelt, his hand wiping the ash off the blade. A sigh escaped his lips as he picked up Aria’s dagger, its blade caked in blood. I can’t wait to hear what happened here, he thought wearily as he turned to leave. He approached Ryder and Aria. “You two ready to go?”
“Yes,” Aria sighed as she pulled away from Ryder and looked up at him. He handed her the dagger; her eyes began to water as she grabbed it from him.
“You’re going to need this.”
“Thank you,” she muttered as she slid it into the sheath strapped to her thigh. She turned, staring at the city below. “Let’s go.” Ryder placed his hand on her lower back as they followed Zane down the path. “So…” She smiled at the two of them. “You defeated the Red Horseman?”
“Uh… not exactly,” Ryder muttered; his voice heavy with exhaustion.
“Then what happened? The red mist is gone… I thought that meant he was dead?”
“No,” Kai chimed in. “He fled. Just POOF.” He waved his hands through the air. “Turned into mist and ran away.”
“Fucking pussy,” Zane muttered from in front of them.
“We’ll get him next time,” Ryder continued with confidence. “We know how he fights now; we’ll be better prepared.”
“Damn right we will.” Kai smiled as they continued down the hill. Silence surrounded them as they reached the bottom of the hill and entered the city. The bodies of the half-breed demons were scattered through the streets. “This way to the beach.” Kai pointed to the left of them. They turned, following the worn path down to the beach.
“Zane!” Keira’s voice was filled with relief as she ran forward, her red hair streaming behind her. He forced a smile on his face as he wrapped his arms around her.
“Good work with that assault,” he muttered, his body begging for a break. “Can we get to the ship? I’m exhausted.”
“Of course.” She smiled up at him as she grabbed his hand and led him back towards The Persephone. Dominick waited for them by the gangway, a dark smile on his face.
“You free us from hate.” His voice was hoarse from overuse. “Come back anytime. You always be Awá.”
“Thanks,” Zane muttered as Dominick reached forward to shake his hand. Zane grimaced as his eyes landed on the mutilated hand, regret filling his mind as he remembered slicing those fingers off. He sighed wearily as he reached forward and shook his hand. “So… what are you going to do now?”