Monsters and Angels

by Erik Weir

  Victor turned and waved his hands, “Go back!”

  Astor gave the Spellswords a hard stare as she walked with no fear. The Slinger moved in a straight line to Victor and the Spellswords. The man and woman close to Victor backpedaled, energy snaking from their hands to form swords and shields. Lily stepped up to one side of Victor as Astor stepped to his other side. The Slingers made a line with the dragon women, forming up shoulder to shoulder. Behind them, the rest stood; eyes on the invading force.

  “You were supposed to make a discreet exit,” Victor smiled.

  Astor stared at the Spellsword while she spoke to Victor, “The town is already surrounded. Shyryth and Vonn were not going to leave your side and we knew this was our fight too.”

  Aldus leered. “Astor Korr, you are a wanted woman just like the rest of your pathetic coalition. I’m pleased to see your surrender.”

  Astor tipped her hat just enough for the rim to cover her eyes. “We will not surrender tonight or any other night. We peacefully ask you to leave.”

  Aldus’s leer turned into an amused smile. “You are in no position to negotiate. The town is surrounded, you have crossed the border and entered the West illegally. This calls for your arrest and imprisonment.”

  Victor waved his hands toward the Spellsword, “This could get ugly and there are innocent people on the street. Can we at least have the townsfolk enter their homes or leave the area?”

  Aldus kept his gaze on Astor, “This will end peacefully when Astor, with her brothers and sisters in iron, take off their weapons and place them on the ground. That is the only option you have. Any other choice and justice will be delivered swiftly and without mercy.”

  “You will take our weapons from our cold, dead hands,” Valen shouted from the line of Slingers.

  Victor looked to the crowd of townsfolk to the side. Alice stared at Victor with fearful eyes and the Blade’s heart beat a little faster.

  “We have to get the townsfolk out of here before everyone starts fighting,” Victor said in a hushed tone.

  “There’s nowhere to go,” Lily said as she tightened her grip on her staff.

  Victor looked around at the situation. Casters and Spellswords readied themselves behind Aldus. From side alleys, patches of Casters appeared. The night air took on a deadly vibration as both sides gave no indication of backing down. Victor eyed Alice, knowing he had to protect her and so many others when the fuse was lit. Fingers flexed as he readied to call upon a sword. Senses dialed to eleven, the Blade turned to take in anything he could use to his advantage.

  Aldus took one step forward with a smug smile, “Tonight will go down in history as the first battle to reclaim all of Eddor from Slinger scum like you.”

  Astor lifted her head just enough for her gaze to connect with the Spellsword leader, “Tonight will be the night we show the Authority no one can claim our free souls.”

  Aldus nodded. “So be it. Arrest th…,” The Spell Sword trailed off when a voice boomed through the town.

  “Marvelous! Simply marvelous!” the voice echoed off walls and vibrated along bodies.

  Heads and bodies turned to the East end of the main street. Slingers parted to the sides slightly as Victor, Lily, Astor, and Aldus gazed down the street to a lone figure walking toward them.

  Vonn turned her head, black eyes growing wider as fear clawed at her heart. “No.”

  Victor, Lily, and Astor held their ground as Aldus stared with annoyed contempt. The lone figure made their way along with a relaxed demeanor before a street lantern illuminated his shadowy face.

  “It’s so interesting to watch petty disputes unfold,” the man in a black trench coat smiled wide as he stopped by the street lantern.

  A chill flowed over every warm body as many turned their attention on the man. Victor’s eyes narrowed, drinking in the large forehead, triangular shaped face and wide eyes. Long, jet-black hair flowed from a widow’s peak and cascaded down over shoulders. The maddening gaze twitched as wide eyes surveyed the groups gathered, the air growing cooler by the second.

  Vonn and Yimer backed away, a cloud of fear filling their demeanors. Victor spotted them as they backed up and seeing the expression in their eyes, he looked to the man with a knowing gaze. Lily moved to Victor’s side, staff at the ready.

  “As interesting as it is, I have questions for Vala’s Blade and will have to ask everyone to schedule this petty dispute another time,” the stranger said with a toothy leer.

  Aldus was not impressed, “Arrest them all! Justice for the Authority!”

  The mages and Spellswords advanced one step when the strange man sighed and closed his eyes. Incantations fell from ready lips as mana swords and shields appeared in certain hands. The mood turned jagged until the stranger took a breath and whistled.

  The very air burst from the strange sharp sound, blasting anyone standing and sending them to the ground. Glass shattered from windows, spells fizzled and bodies were thrown. Victor jumped on Lily just as the shockwave hit them and sent them flying to the ground. Astor hit the muddy street as did everyone else. Townsfolk were thrown into walls or knocked to the street. Slingers drew their guns just as they were scattered. Aldus was knocked onto his back, senses reeling from the blow. The only ones still standing were the stranger and the four dragon women, their serpent eyes leveled on the stranger.

  “Do I have your attention now,” the man said with smile as he stood his ground.

  Shock and awe colored every person as they slowly stood back up. Victor turned his head toward the stranger as he helped Lily back to her feet. The succubus’s eyes widened as she and Victor stared at the man in black, a wry grin on his face. Townsfolk huddled together to the side as Spellswords and mages redirected their gazes to the lone man who nearly floored an entire town.

  The man’s gaze cut through the crowd, eyes on Victor as he spoke, “You are a difficult Champion to track. You move from one realm to the next like a ghost.”

  Victor readied himself as he kept his hard gaze. A shadowy voice from his heart spoke up, its voice growing louder with each word.

  We have to run! I can sense him from here and we cannot win this fight!

  The stranger’s eyes took on an amused gleam. “The shadow in your heart has been helping you. Its presence aids in your protection. This is good to know.”

  Victor moved from Lily, walking down the middle of the parted crowd and standing at the edge with a clear view of the stranger in black.

  “What’s this all about?” Victor said with a hard edge.

  The man continued to grin as the street behind him grew darker, blotting out all but the small light illuminating his body.

  “This is a learning experience. When I first saw you, my thirst for knowledge could not be contained. Some would say I am transfixed…maybe obsessed, but the truth of the matter, I simply need to know everything about you,” the stranger chuckled.

  Victor called up his stats and moved it to the corner of his vision.

  Victor Hobbs

  Acolytes Unlocked- 24/77

  Divine Orbs- 0

  Powers to Unlock-0

  Spheres of Influence

  Str (Gaia)- 7

  Con (Nano)- 7

  Int (Abyss)- 3

  Will (Holy)- 3

  Wis (Mind)- 7

  Cha (Shadow)- 3

  Swords

  Iron Sword

  Elemental Sword

  Gun Blade

  Sphere Abilities/Powers

  Mind

  Speak/Read/Write Languages

  Transmutation

  Unseen Hand

  Enchant Weapon

  Gaia

  Increased Strength/Speed

  Animal Tongues

  Jump

  Animal Shapeshift

  War Form

  Summon Monster

  Nano

  Heightened Senses Upgrade

  Shadow

  Holy

  Abyss

  Impulse Control Touch
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br />   Victor, I know you have this insane love for doing the right thing, but right now is not the time. Can’t you feel it? His power is coming off in waves. He can kill everyone!

  Victor felt something as he stood. Prickling energy touched his skin as if the entire area was about to explode. Glancing to everyone around him; friends, lovers and enemies surrounded the Blade. The whole town was a powder keg, ready for anything to light the match. Confusion touched his mind, but it quickly fell away like a dying leaf in autumn. Heat pumped throughout his body as a fierce need to protect surged into every cell. Glancing to the townsfolk, Alice the shopkeeper met Victor’s gaze with pure, distilled fear.

  The stranger bowed his head, “I am being rude. Social etiquette dictates I introduce myself. My name is Draygon, pleased to meet you.”

  Draygon looked up as he bowed slightly, eyes holding a glowing intensity.

  “Do not say your name! It will create a connection,” Vonn shouted from the side.

  Victor remained silent. Draygon’s smile faded as annoyance crawled into his features.

  “I simply want to learn about you. Tell me your name and I will leave you all to your petty squabbles.”

  Victor’s eyes became thin slits as he sized up the mystical stranger. “Leave or we will make you leave.”

  Draygon’s smile returned as eyes trembled with madness. “You do not understand how this works. You tell me what I want to know and I leave without harming anyone. I would hate to extract the information from your skull, it tends to get a bit messy.”

  Draygon’s face twisted into deep sadness when Victor remained silent. “Baaldir, Hexnia and Luhorr tried to fight me and they failed. What makes you think you can stop me from destroying every soul here?”

  Victor’s ears perked up upon hearing Baaldir’s name. The god of the hunt was powerful on his own and the other two names most likely belonged to other gods in the pantheon. If Draygon fought them and they lost, what chance did he have against such a monster?

  “From your expression I see the weight of knowledge pressing down on you. Tell me your name and I will leave,” Draygon hissed sweetly.

  Victor gave Draygon a grim look, “No.”

  The man in black kept a sad smile. “Then you leave me no choice,” Draygon said as he lifted his hand and stretched out his fingers.

  The entire force behind Victor readied themselves. The Blade watched as Draygon’s eyes closed and his oddly long fingers twitched. The night air grew heavier with each passing moment. Energy caressed exposed skin among the crowd. The town’s folks let out scared noises and huddled together tightly. A chill sank into spines as Lily shuddered and tried to shake it off. Shyryth and Astor let their hands touch the handles to their rune covered guns, eyes sharp. A silence cascaded over the entire area as Draygon’s head twitched and opened his eyes.

  There was a gasp from the town’s folk as reality shifted into crystal shards. A woman vanished from the huddled group and appeared right before Draygon, eyes wide in disbelief. Shadows leapt up and formed a sword in Draygon’s hand as he looked to Victor.

  The Blade took an involuntary step forward as Alice yelped, the black sword up and held inches from her neck.

  “You are one of Vala’s chosen. Call to him…say his name,” Draygon whispered darkly.

  Tears filled Alice’s eyes as her lip trembled.

  Victor looked to Alice, “Alice…I will protect you.”

  The words slid over the woman with a sense of comforting warmth. Fear bled away as she nodded, lips sealing shut.

  Draygon sighed. “If you will not say it…I will take it.”

  The strange man lifted his other hand and pressed it to the back of Alice’s head. Dark power glowed before Alice’s eyes rolled into her head and she screamed. Draygon’s eyes fluttered as dark tendrils stripped at her mind, gathering points of light to form knowledge. With a dark chuckle, the words began to form when a fist slammed into his face with the force of a hurricane. Draygon was lifted up and blasted backwards, limbs and body flailing as he spun out of control. The muddy road blurred underneath him before he crashed, tumbled, bounced and crashed again. Body rolling and bouncing, after a hundred feet, he hit the ground and slid to a halt on his back.

  Victor stood by Alice, fist out and energy arcing along his limbs. Power seethed under Victor’s skin as he spent five points of Strength to create a greater effect. A timer counted down in the corner of his vision, giving him a little over ten minutes before the power drained from his body. Turning to the stunned Alice, Victor took her hand and began walking her back to the crowd. Lily, Shyryth, and Mildra rushed to the stunned woman.

  “No matter what happens, protect her…protect everyone,” Victor commanded.

  The Blade turned around and watched as Draygon slowly stood back up, a wide leer across his face.

  “I think I only managed to make him mad,” Victor said as he lifted his fists, energy arcing along his body.

  Draygon began to laugh as he stood up to his full height. The maddening laughter sent shivers down spines of everyone who heard it. The darkness behind Draygon began to grow like a black cloud. It touched the edges of town, inky tendrils moving across damaged walls and broken windows.

  “Victor, what an appropriate name for Vala’s Champion, now that I have it, it opens many doors, but those doors lead to new questions,” Draygon chuckled.

  “Leave before I punch you again,” Victor growled loudly.

  Draygon laughed. “I must rescind the previous agreement because this is much too fun. Higher beings send a sliver of their power to their Champions but Vala is not following the natural order of things. She is sending more than a sliver. She has increased your luck as well. The shadow around your heart is adding protection verses beings such as myself. You have become a perfect storm of power if you use it correctly.”

  Draygon took a step forward and then another. “But I have questions that must be answered. I have seen how the gods have searched out and not killed the many vessels containing pieces of Vala across the realms. Why is that? Why not end her crusade by forever destroying a piece of her spirit? I must understand why and to do so, I must kill one of several who carry a piece of your dead goddess, in the name of research.”

  Victor checked the timer in the corner of his vision. He had less than nine minutes before his greater strength and speed drained away.

  Draygon continued to step forward when the darkness behind him began to move. Eyes stared at the pairs of white eyes appearing from the darkness. Misshapen mouths opened as black supernatural bodies writhed like ghostly worms. Crisscross markings appeared around the unblinking white eyes as they moved as one behind Draygon. It seemed like the entire edge of town behind the powerful stranger moved like some cosmic monster from the abyss.

  “Shadows,” Astor said as she hardened her heart.

  “A thousand shadows to be precise,” Draygon seethed. “Let’s see what happens when I kill one of Vala’s chosen vessels.”

  “Lily…Astor…Defend the townsfolk,” Victor said before his body burst forward in a blur.

  This is a bad idea!

  Draygon opened his arms wide as Victor barreled toward him, “Let’s learn…together!”

  The world fell into moments before the entire town exploded into action. Victor appeared before Draygon, fists cocked. The strange man smiled as a storm of fists lashed out like machine gun fire. Arms up, he blocked Victor’s strikes, arms moving in a blur to keep up. The assault rampaged on before Victor lifted his heel and brought it down on the man’s leg. Draygon’s leg twisted out and snapped back into place instantly.

  Vala’s Blade didn’t slow down as he unleashed another flurry of attacks, slowly driving Draygon back, but not landing a body blow. The very air vibrated from the strikes and parries as Draygon kept the Blade from landing a solid hit. Victor whipped his leg around, but Draygon lifted his knee, blocking each strike with his shin.

  We need to move faster!

  Victor spen
t another Strength point, increasing his strength and his speed moving slightly faster. It was enough for Draygon to miscalculate a parry, Victor’s fist hitting his cheek and sending him flying backwards. Shadows caught Draygon as they rushed past in a swarm toward the main force in town. Depositing him to the ground, the flood of shadows rushed around the Blade and Draygon as they howled for the living energy of the town.

  Astor stared down the flood of shadows coming toward them. Slinger hands were on their guns, ready for the signal. Smiles formed as they watched the inky black horde rushing like a tidal wave toward them. Battle crazed insanity took root and fingers itched to pull triggers.

  “Defend with extreme prejudice,” Astor spit before her hands snapped from her sides, pistol in each hand and pulling back on triggers.

  A glowing point blasted out from each gun, crossing the distance in the blink of an eye. Each one struck a shadow in the center of their heads as they screeched and burned away from the mystical bullets.

  “Kill them all,” Zeb shouted before pulling his guns and firing.

  Slingers drew their guns and opened fire. Glowing bullets closed the distance to the incoming horde, blasting shadows to shards as more flowed past their fallen brethren. Many laughed as hammers cocked back and slammed into chambered bullets. Energy stabbed out as condensed mana-fueled power struck shadows. Wild screeches filled the night. Townsfolk dashed for the Spellswords and Casters while three dragon women launched into the air, their bodies growing bigger and scales erupting from smooth skin.

  Lily turned to Spellsword Leader Aldus who already had a mana sword and shield up. “Protect them at all costs!”

  Aldus simply nodded as town’s people rushed to them. Skye and Kira backed off as did Vonn and Yimer. Bullets streaked across the air, shattering and burning shadows to shards of darkness. The flood grew in intensity as they surged against the Slinger’s firepower. Shyryth stood by Astor’s side, guns out and firing, each strike true. The chaos was held at bay, but only for moments as Slinger guns clicked empty and several began to reload.