The Complete Archangel Wars Series: A Shared Universe Series (The Archangel Wars)

by Jonathan Yanez

  Likewise, the mintoaurs were having the same problem dispatching the unit of robot-like soldiers. “Their legs,” Cratos shouted, “go for their legs.”

  Even as he said this, Ardat knew the strategy would only serve as well as her own. They needed a permanent solution. Dispatching the rest of her weapons floating in the air at a single soldier, who turned into a human pincushion, Ardat focused on gripping a handful of enemy soldiers. With a great push, she sent them flying backward. Their armor was so heavy they didn’t travel as far as she would have liked, and once again, it was only a temporary solution; they would be back.

  As Ardat lifted soldier after soldier into the air to send them hurtling through the sky, her eyes tracked Tracy’s and Sodom’s movements. Sodom was in the middle of a crowd of minotaurs, absorbing their blows with delight and striking out with fire blasts that came from his hands.

  Tracy was holding her own as her unicorn slammed into soldiers, taking their heads clean off. Tracy fought valiantly to fend off any others who would have an open strike at her steed’s exposed neck.

  Then Sodom made his move. With a blast of fire, he consumed the mintoaurs holding him at bay and stalked toward Tracy.

  Ardat lifted two large soldiers from the battleground and prepared to throw them at Sodom. She never got the chance. It felt like a tree trunk had been used as a baseball bat and she was the ball. Flying through the air, a blinding light crossed her vision.

  Landing amongst the debris of war, Ardat felt as if she had every ounce of air knocked from her lungs. Gasping for breath, she struggled to her feet, retracing the trajectory from her impromptu flight. She took in the sight with awe.

  A dragon stood towering above the battlefield. With long swipes of its tail, the ebony beast swatted minotaurs like rag dolls.

  “A dragon,” Ardat said out loud to no one in particular. “But how?”

  The answer to her question came in the form of a tall dreadlocked figure stalking toward her. A grin on his lips taunted her as he stepped over broken bodies and twisted pieces of weapons and armor. “You didn’t think it was going to be easy, now did you?”

  Ardat was struggling to come up with a plan, any kind of plan that would leave her alive as the summoner and his dragon closed the distance. Before an idea could take shape, she heard her name being screamed.

  “Ardat! Ardat! I could use some help here!”

  Ardat looked to Tracy, who was hedged in by a group of zombified guards. Sodom was reaching up to her, the unicorn bashing its head and hoofs against Sodom valiantly but unable to pierce through his armor.

  “It’s over,” Ardat thought to herself as the dragon reared back on its hind legs, preparing to pounce. She could feel the heat from its maw as streams of acrid smoke drifted into the air.

  Then the unexpected happened. The Shaman appeared out of thin air, took Ardat’s hand gently in his own as if they were going for a stroll, and together they disappeared.

  ---

  Gabriel’s and Raphael’s fighting styles couldn’t be more different if they were trying to do the exact opposite from one another. Gabriel used his twin swords made of fire like a tornado of pain and death. Swirling both weapons, he cut down anyone who stood in his way and even those who ran. Gabriel made use of his weapons as projectiles as well. If an enemy was out of his reach, he would throw the sword, dispatching his opponent. Within seconds, another sword would sprout from his hand, replacing his arsenal.

  Raphael, on the other hand, led the Angelic Army slowly, gaining ground as he struck with his trident in a clear, refined form. He ignored any enemy who thought better of his attack and fled.

  Danielle kept close to both Angelica and Gideon. She would fight if she had to, but her main purpose now was to make sure Gabriel didn’t step out of line. The trio was following in the wake of Gabriel’s destruction, so coming across any living enemies wasn’t an issue.

  Despite the overwhelming odds, Danielle was surprised to see the Angelic Army advancing under the lead of Gabriel and Raphael. Kassidy, atop her gryphon, would swoop in and out of the fight, accompanied by Esther and her command of flying angels.

  Watching the battle unfold in front of her amazed Danielle. The skirmish was fought with traditional weaponry just as much as powers and abilities. Yellow electricity flashed here, sinkholes were manipulated, while soldiers on both sides granted with the gift to transform into animals ran across the battlefield.

  One enemy, who looked like he could control the earth itself, blocked an attack by Gabriel by constructing an earthen wall in front of him and hindering Gabriel’s flames. The Fallen Archangel sneered as he shot flames forward from both his hands in a steady stream, then manipulated the flow of the fire so it split into two channels, which curved around the earth barrier then met again, burning the demon.

  Somewhere in the back of Danielle’s mind, she knew it was just a matter of time. Things were going too well for the Angelic Force. No real opposition had presented itself and foot-by-foot, they were marching deeper into Sodom’s camp.

  “There,” Angelica said, shading her eyes against the sun, “I see a cloud of dust and—and I can hear hooves.”

  “Cavalry?” Gideon asked as his helmet fell lopsided across his eyes and he struggled to right it again.

  “Shield wall,” Raphael ordered, falling into a perfect line with his men.

  Danielle, Gideon, and Angelica hurried to obey. Gabriel looked at them with a roll of his eyes as he made no move to shelter himself alongside the protective barrier.

  “Gabriel?” Raphael asked, inviting him into the safety the wall of shields provided with an open hand.

  “If I wanted to hide then I’d still be chained in that dungeon. I’m here to prove my worth to the cause, remember? I can’t do that cowering behind a makeshift fence of steel, now can I?”

  Raphael shrugged as if he had expected the response and turned to address the oncoming force.

  Danielle’s heart raced with anticipation. The cloud of dust was growing heavier by the second. Soon shouts and war cries could be heard amongst the cacophony of galloping hooves.

  She could see Raphael tense and even Gabriel rolled his shoulders, preparing for the encounter. To all of their surprise, not darkly clad enemy soldiers atop horses but centaurs appeared, racing through Sodom’s forces, killing any who stood in their path.

  Danielle’s breath caught in her throat. She had never seen a centaur before. The creatures were amazing, deadly, and beautiful at the same time. As they came closer, the centaur in lead raised an arm and the entire unit slowed to a halt. Someone who had been riding behind the centaur jumped off. It was Alan.

  Danielle couldn’t stop herself. For days she had been denying the possibility that Alan was dead. Now seeing her friend for the first time since his capture, and alive, she broke rank and ran to him.

  Alan’s familiar boyish grin broke over his beaten face as they embraced. “Uhhhgggg, take it easy on me, Turner. I can barely stand.”

  “Oh, oh right,” Danielle said, awkwardly stepping back and feeling her face flush. At once, she was aware of exactly how many eyes were on her. Before the moment could grow any more uncomfortable, Alan broke the silence.

  “It’s good to see you up and fighting,” he said to Raphael, who followed Danielle’s lead and broke ranks.

  Alan noticed Gabriel for the first time. His eyes widened as he looked to Raphael and Danielle for an answer.

  “He’s with us,” Raphael said, clasping Alan’s hand in his own. “We’ve come to an agreement.”

  “My Lord!?” Triana said, jumping from behind her centaur and running to exchange words with Gabriel.

  “You should have left him to rot,” Kyle said, approaching the group with two strangers in tow.

  Danielle took a step back. The last time she had heard, Kyle was fighting alongside Gabriel against Michael and his forces.

  “It seems Gabriel isn’t the only one who’s had a change of heart,” Alan said, calming Danielle
’s fears. “I’d also like to introduce you to Lavos, the king of the centaurs.”

  The lead centaur Alan had been riding stepped forward and extended a hand to Raphael. “Yes, Alan Price, Poseidon and I know each other well from the Greek wars between his own kind and the Fallen.”

  “Indeed,” Raphael said with a warm smile. “It’s good to see you, my friend.”

  “Well, isn’t this wonderful,” Gabriel said, joining the group. He looked as if any further pleasantries would make him physically ill. “The Horseman of War is alive, the Horseman of Death wants to be a hero, and the centaurs are on our side. Now that you’re all done hugging and kissing each other, there is a war to win.”

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Alan said with a cold stare in Gabriel’s direction. He turned to Danielle with a sigh. “Think you have enough in you to restore Kyle and me back to fighting mode?”

  Danielle dropped both her sword and shield, which felt as if they had grown a hundred pounds each since she accepted them from Angelica. “I know I can. Who’s first?”

  Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Three

  The feeling was like every ounce of strength being sapped from your body. Even Tracy’s will to fight seemed to seep out of her pores. What had happened? How did everything fall apart so quickly? One moment Ardat was fighting beside her, the next a giant dragon had appeared out of thin air and Ardat had vanished.

  Tracy was powerless against the grinning Sodom, who had pulled her from her horse and was leaching the force of the Horsewoman from her. In vain, her unicorn bashed its head against Sodom but his defenses held. Not only were tiny yellow comets running around his body, forming a protective barrier, but two navy-blue electric wings had sprouted from his massive back and were hampering any weapons from striking his person.

  Tracy’s heart was slowing; any will to fight back was gone. Her only ability to resist now was through the stare she skewered him with.

  Through her peripheral vision, she could see the minotaurs struggle with the group of undying soldiers. Some even ran to her aid, striking Sodom with clubs and axes, but to no avail.

  If this was going to be her last breath, she wasn’t going to go quietly. “You’re going to lose,” she grunted to a grinning Sodom. “You’re going to lose.”

  Sodom shook his head ever so gently. “No, my dear, it is you and yours that will not live to see tomorrow. Once your abilities are mine and I hold the power of the Four Horsemen in one body, I will bring about the Apocalypse. Then my master will rise, and a new dawn will welcome a future where demons rule both men and angels.”

  “Spare me,” Tracy said as she was released from Sodom’s grip and fell to the hard ground. In that moment, she wished she could have thought of something more heroic to say, but all she could think of was how far she had come from Mocha Frappuccinos and designer handbags.

  Unconsciousness came for her like sleep after an exhausting day of shopping. The last thing she remembered was her unicorn taking a protective stance in front of her and Sodom’s cackling voice as she drifted into oblivion.

  ---

  There was a crackling like lightning and a sound like thunder. Steam and smoke rose from her skin as though she had just been struck by lightning.

  “Here you are, my dear,” the Shaman said. Averting his eyes from her nakedness, he motioned with open arms to a room of woman’s clothing. “It’s an imperfect means of transportation between the realms but at the moment, it will have to do.”

  Ardat’s mind retraced the events that had occurred as she stood stark naked in the middle of a dark retail clothing store. I was fighting the undying soldiers—alongside Tracy … when … the dragon then … Tracy!

  “What have you done?” Ardat asked the Shaman with a mixture of surprise and scorn. “Send me back. Tracy needs me.”

  The Shaman kept his eyes averted. “You need to dress and follow me. Any hope we have of defeating Sodom lies with our actions now.”

  Ardat was practically shaking with anger as she thought of Tracy fighting Sodom alone. Reluctantly, she grabbed a pair of jeans and a tank top from a rack of clothing. She would dress, but if the Shaman thought she would follow him blindly yet again, he had another thing coming. “I can’t help but notice you managed to keep your clothes intact,” she said, buttoning her jeans.

  “Yes, well, perks of the job,” he mumbled.

  “So I’m guessing you found a way to take us to the human plane. Impressive, but I’m done having my chain jerked. First, defeating Sodom was the only way to unite the planes and find Michael. Then you want me to train some kid and protect her, now you bring me here, and what? You think I’m going to go run another errand for you? Well, I’m done playing your game. If you did manage to bring us to the human plane, then I’m going to find Michael and be done with this whole thing.”

  Ardat took a heavy breath as she adjusted her top and flung her long dark hair behind her. It felt good to vent and tell the Shaman exactly what she was thinking.

  To her surprise, the Shaman was nodding along with her words. While she spoke, he walked down an aisle of shoes and picked out a pair of the ugliest wool boots she had ever seen.

  “Are you decent?” he asked with his back still toward her.

  “What?”

  “I mean are you clothed. When I answer your outburst, I would like to look you in the face so you know I am not lying,” the Shaman said in a calm, even tone.

  “Yes, I’m dressed,” Ardat said.

  The Shaman turned and walked toward her, handing her the boots.

  Ardat didn’t take them and instead looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “If you think I’m wearing those, you’re crazy. Answers, now.”

  The Shaman screwed up his face and examined the boots. “I think they’re fine. What’s wrong with these?”

  The look on Ardat’s face was enough to make him drop the boots and clear his throat. “Everything I have told you and everything you have done has led us to this point. It has been for a reason and because of your actions, the Light still has a chance. I have brought you to the human realm to bring Michael back. With Sodom harnessing the power of The Four, I’m afraid our Horsemen and women are in for a desperate struggle. With Sodom’s forces, Rolf, and his undying soldiers, the battle may be all but lost. That is why we are here. Right now, Raphael and Gabriel are fighting on the same side but even their combined power may not be enough. They need their brother.”

  Ardat was listening with her arms folded across her chest. She didn’t want to believe what the Shaman was saying was true, but in a confusing kind of way it all made sense.

  “So you want me to find Michael and take him back so the forces of Light can win?”

  “No, my dear,” the Shaman said, taking the boots back to the shoe rack and studying the remaining options. “Even if you bring Michael back, there is no guarantee of a ‘win.’ No one truly wins at a war; a side just loses less.”

  The Shaman picked up a pair of pink sandals and lifted them for Ardat to see.

  Ardat rolled her eyes and shook her head before saying. “And what’s keeping me from finding Michael and taking him away? In fact, what if I refuse to take him back with you. I don’t owe you anything. I don’t owe the Light. What if I just walk out the front door right now and find Michael on my own?”

  If she thought her words would faze the Shaman, she was wrong. Instead of looking at her, he continued his examination of the women’s footwear. “You are correct in saying you do not owe me anything. However, I don’t think you will walk out that door.”

  “Oh, really? And why not?”

  “Because,” the Shaman pursed his lips and selected another pair of shoes, this time hiding them behind his back and returning to Ardat, “deep down, you are still that same woman Michael fell in love with before the world was created. As much as you deny the fact, there is still more good in you than you would like to admit. You’re not a bad person, Ardat. You’ve just done the wrong things for the right reasons.”


  For a brief moment, Ardat was speechless. She wanted to tell the Shaman how wrong he was. She wanted to scream in his face to leave her alone and let her follow the path she had already chosen, but there was a kindness in his eyes she couldn’t deny. He was offering her redemption, a chance to continue righting her wrongs, a chance for a future with Michael.

  “But I guess we’ll see what path you choose,” the Shaman said with a smile. “Free will is the beauty of both human and supernatural beings alike.” He brought his arms from his back, revealing a pair of Tiffany-blue running shoes. “Michael’s right outside the side doors. He’s lost all memory of who he is, but something tells me you’re the right person to bring him back.”

  ---

  Ardat walked through the dimly lit retail store to the side exit the Shaman had shown her wearing her new shoes. Her mind was reeling with the coming joy at seeing Michael and the weight of the decision she still had to make.

  “The electric storm when we arrived will have shorted out the alarm,” the Shaman’s voice drifted toward her.

  She nodded without turning as her hands touched the cold metal of the release bar that would open the door. With a deep breath, she walked outside.

  It was dark, the air was crisp, and the moon shone down between the building roofs. She was in an alley and as far as alleys went, this one seemed typical of its kind.

  There were dumpsters lining the walls with trash overflowing and forming piles on the ground. The scene smelled of urine and moldy food. Ardat wrinkled her nose. To her left, the passage ended into a sidewalk then street. To her right, it continued until it was lost in shadows. Ardat turned to her right.

  Fear, not for her safety but for the decision she would make, tugged at her mind. Her eyes caught movement up ahead and to her left. In between two large dumpsters was an alcove leading to what looked like an abandoned building. The space was covered in the gloom that accompanied the night, but Ardat could make out the form of two people sitting side by side.