General Perkins stood and outstretched a hand towards her. “I doubt I’ll change my mind. Don’t worry though, I’m gonna do my best to send as many of those monsters back to where they came from.”
Joan shook the general’s hand. “Good luck.”
“Same to you, may God be with you.”
Joan paused, smiled. “I’m surprised, general.”
“He is with me, don’t understand why, since I’m so distant from Him.” Perkins gave Joan a lazy two-fingered salute and strolled down the stairs towards the action. The War Center became crowded within minutes. Soldiers, sleepy and nervous, poured through the front door in droves.
Joan exhaled. She walked further up the stairs and called out her angels to ready the troops for battle.
By the time Joan reached the hangar located on the airport’s far end, soldiers packed the front doors in an effort to get a peek at the Guardians and their armor. Military Police arrived, erected wooden barricades, and moved the crowd back to allow the food trucks to pull up along the immense hangar doors.
The Guardians, still dressed in their gray battle fatigues, filed outside the hangar small door to grab their breakfast.
Cooks handed the Guardians sturdy plastic plates piled high with steak, eggs, and potatoes. The Guardians vanished into another smaller door built into the hangar front door.
Joan entered the hangar, a soldier prepared to stand to announce her arrival, but she ordered all the soldiers to finish their breakfast. She milled through the soldiers, shaking hands, and taking some group selfies.
She worked her way to the stage located in the hangar. Daisy Lane, Maria, Owen, Juggernaut, and Okura waited for her on stage next to a huge purple curtain. The Guardians inhaled their breakfast and gathered before the curtain, eager to view the hidden surprise.
Joan approached her angels, waved them together in a circle. “The Black Army should be here by first light. Temeculus is using his Hell born powers to speed things up a bit.”
Juggernaut smiled. “He’ll be wasted by the time he gets here.”
“Yes, but no less dangerous. Once the troops are finished eating, help them get into their armor. They will be nervous getting dressed. The dress rehearsals went well. Now the reckoning is upon them, they will need our help.”
Daisy Lane swept her teammates with green eyes. “We’ve gotten this far angels. I’m nervous and I’m not going to lie to you. Yet I understand the job before us. We can lead, fight, and push those bastards back.”
Maria lifted her chin. “Well said, Daisy Lane.” She out stretched her hand. Daisy clasped her friend’s forearm and Maria clasped hers. The angels exchanged the warrior grasp with each other. By the time they finished, the soldiers behind them stood silent.
Joan turned around to face the troops. “Guardians.”
“Rodger That.” They shouted in unison, their voices shook the hangar.
“Attention.” Their boots made one flawless stamp. “Maria, do the honors.”
Maria pulled on a huge golden rope. The heavy curtain fell away and vanished from sight to reveal the Guardians silver armor hung on countless racks.
Joan changed into her armor, the angels behind her changed into theirs. “Fall out by company and receive your armor.” The troops gathered in several lines. They moved forward as the angels handed out their armor.
The troops, men and women, dressed where they stood, and helped each other. They tightened straps, set greaves, adjusted helmets and checked scabbards fitted with their swords.
Once dressed, the Guardians gathered in one large formation. The ten thousand Guardians stood steady. Their silver armor gleamed off the overhead fluorescent lights above, their faces serene and minds ready.
Joan appraised them. “Fearless,” she said and drew her gladius. “Guardians, battle formations.”
The Guardians performed an about face. The large hangar doors slid open exposing the morning darkness. The troops outside cheered.
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The sun came upon Colorado bright and strong, rising from the east to pour golden light over Denver. The city gleamed. A powerful beacon filled with hope for all humanity.
Joan stood on the highest mountain located near Denver. Snow drifted in gentle powder around her. She wore her full armor. Its gold glinted from the fresh sun. Her eyes scanned the western horizon for the Black Army. Her arms covered in golden armor hung loose at her sides. Her huge wings relaxed upon her back.
Joan raised her left hand. A golden staff and pennant appeared in her grasp. The white flag, bordered in gold, snapped and furled in the frigid breeze. Stitched upon the pennant sat a gold hilted sword with a silver blade sewn from silk. The sword bisected angel wings sewn from white silk.
Joan raised the staff and drove the pointed base into the rock beneath her feet. She lifted her head, the pennant snapped against the cold snow dusted wind atop the mountain. Her white horsehair plume danced from the wintry air.
The angel wanted to be the first to spot the Black Army emerge from the west. She scanned both sky and earth for their first sign. She would not allow impatience to outstrip her, but the wait since she readied the troops in the morning darkness tried her.
“Joan.”
Joan turned on her heels and drew her silver blade from its sheath. All this occurred before the familiar voice finished her name.
“Satan.” The name fell from her lips like rough stone.
Lucifer sat perched on a rock. He crossed his legs. One swung to some unheard tune. His black eyes glittered like glass marbles. He stared at her. A black robe hung over his emaciated body. His dead, pale face, contorted in a grimace. Two small red horns pushed up from his forehead. “Joan.”
His eyes flicked up to the pennant ten feet above, furling against the frosty wind.
Joan’s chest tightened. Her mind scrambled at her options until a distant voice, God’s gentle voice, told her to calm down. “You. Why are you here?”
Lucifer chuckled. The noise resembled a mischievous child caught in a wrongful act. His eyes remained wide open. The obsidian orbs fell over her beautiful armor. “Front row seat, Joan. You’re well dressed for the occasion.”
Joan regarded him like a dangerous animal. She held her sword at his throat. “Here to play your games, Lucifer?”
“Joan, my powers are not strong towards other angelic creatures when I’m not in Hell, not until the back door opens. To humans I’m a pestilence to be feared.”
“Why are you here?”
The devil’s eyes narrowed as he formed his thoughts. “I’m here to offer you a proposition.”
Joan lowered her blade. Its honed edge flashed from the sun rising higher into the sky behind the devil. She used her angelic powers to shade her eyes from the glare.
“I don’t want any offers from you. But, you can tell that army…” She pointed her sword’s dangerous tip west. “To disband and go home. All those of earth will be forgiven, and Temeculus and his spawns can return to Hell until Judgment Day.”
Lucifer chuckled. “Come now, Joan of Arcadia, Joan the Gladiator of Rome, Joan the Greek, Joan the defender of Heaven and earth, Joan the housewife who once lived in Georgia, who lost her family and faith not so long ago, etcetera and etcetera…”
“Stop.” Joan took a step forward lifting her gladius. Sweat trickled down her brown face, the white horsehair plume upon her helmet trembled.
“Fearsome,” he said. “God did you wrong, Joan. So much anger He’s caused you. He fears me, He fears what I can do if I’m released upon the earth.”
Joan held her blade steady. She wanted to drive her sword into his thin chest.
Lucifer leaned forward. “Joan, imagine, one life with no more pain, no more loss.” He lifted a thin frail hand, palms up.
Joan’s eyes widened with furry, a deep heat burned in her lower belly, the sword blade shook in her hand. “My family did not die for nothing.”
Lucifer lifted his other hand and held them both out to plead with h
er. “Come to me, Joan. Your place is set in Heaven. You will live amongst my angels, the ones God and Michael tossed from those pearly gates.” He lifted his hands higher, his face, once hard, softened. His eyes lost their empty stone blackness and became as gentle as a puppy’s.
Joan blinked, his voice echoed in her mind, so soft and fat with comfort. Darkness lurked behind the voice and burned with a hate more powerful than a billion suns. Her mouth gaped open. She detached herself from the world, from her family months long dead. She placed herself upon the mountain, upon her present now. “Get behind me, Satan! Or I will strike you down where you squat.”
Satan bolted from his seat and howled like a tortured wolf. “You will regret your words.” He stood his ground and eyed the sword Joan held. “I’ll see you in Hell. I’ll crucify you and all those who dwell in Heaven. I will throw orgies amongst your dead and broken bodies.”
Lucifer vanished in a yellow puff. The phlegmy smoke curled and reeked with rotten eggs. Sulfur. Once he fled the mountain, a horn blared from behind her.
Joan spun around.
She beheld the sky in the west clotted with black and red clouds. In the distance upon the ground, the human forces in their vehicles raced towards the mountains along Route I-70. The black clouds crept forward, keeping pace with the mortals beneath them.
Joan smiled. “About time. We need to get this done.” She stretched her wings upon her back, leaped from the rock, and took flight towards Denver.
60
Joan flew into Denver. The entire city teemed with frantic activity. Soldiers rushed to the heavy barricade piled high with sandbags and concrete Jersey Barriers. Tanks rolled forward from Mile High Stadium. Air Force jets began to taxi down the Denver International Airport runway.
She banked hard to approach the airport. Below her stood the ten thousand troops adorned in bright armor. The cavalry soldiers waited next to their mounts along side the infantry and archers.
Joan drew her sword and landed before the Guardians. She gave a mighty shout. The Guardians drew their swords, thrust their bright blades into the air, and delivered a shout behind hers. Her heart thrummed at the scene.
In the crisp morning sky, gold flashed against the blue. The light grew larger. A white warhorse gilded in gold armor snorted and galloped towards Joan and alighted before her. She slipped her left foot into the golden stirrup, and swung a brown muscled thigh over the saddle. Joan mounted Basil and trotted her before the troops arrayed in silver armor.
“Hello, Basil,” Joan said to her mare. Basil’s ears flicked, her large armored head nodded in acknowledgement.
Joan pulled on the golden reins and walked Basil to face the formation. “May God be with you all,” she shouted. A powerful cheer roared and echoed off the buildings and shook the airport terminal windows.
Joan spurred her warhorse, urging her into a trot before the army. Sunlight spun off breastplates, greaves, helmets, and silver tipped spears.
“Today we fight a battle for the entire universe. Yes, I’m asking a lot from you, but I want you to give of yourselves. We will all give of ourselves on the battlefield today. Remember those we defend. From the child living on the shores of Maine, to the old man in the green mountains of Ireland, and the family in the Philippines sitting before their televisions. We fight for them on this day.”
She trotted Basil down the line, giving the army time to absorb her weighty words. “So set aside your fears. If you die in battle, glory will await you in Heaven. When they die, suffering in Hell will be their fortune for all eternity.”
Joan moved Basil about. The mare snorted and nodded her beautiful head to confirm the words spoken by the angel. “Rely on your faith in God, and in your weapons and training, and you will not go wrong, you will never go wrong. Send them to Hell. Send them all to their deaths.”
The Guardians sent up another cheer. A few windows within the terminal cracked. Their voices reached Denver like thunder and rolled against skyscrapers and the Rockies.
Joan turned to her angels. “Follow me and wait for my orders to attack.”
Daisy Lane nodded along with the others.
Joan lifted her sword, the cheers redoubled. She waved her sword above her head, its blade flashed like quicksilver from the sun. “Cavalry, mount up and follow me.”
Joan charged Basil ahead at a full gallop. The mare raced down a clear runway and into the air. Joan’s two thousand cavalry followed her up into the sky.
Maria drew her blade, the first to lead the infantry forward. They jogged ahead, following the runway, and took to the air as if they ran up a short hill.
The army moved off the ground upon a thick white cloud formed underneath their feet. Their armor rattled in perfect rhythm, the horse’s hooves rolled deep like thunder. Gold and white pennants snapped, horns blew, cheers resounded across the scene filled with energy and hope.
Maria flapped her wings. Her heart pumped hard in her chest, she never been in battle. She always protected one particular client. Now she found herself in her first major fight. Her brown eyes trailed the path Joan made with her cavalry. In the distant west, a dark cloud loomed over the Rocky Mountains and grew larger.
Juggernaut lifted a golden horn to his lips and blew. He drew his sword, deployed his powerful wings upon his back, and led his formation upwards. The soldiers followed close at a full run to keep up with Maria’s company who ran at their front.
God gave the human army a sweet cloud to run upon, and ran they did. The Guardians cleared the airport in tight disciplined formations. Their armor gleamed like silver pieces underneath the late morning sun.
They continued upwards and upwards, two thousand feet, until the cloud became flat as ground. The army ran and never tired. God blessed the Guardians with the strength needed to fight the Black Army. He granted them the power to stand before the evil from Hell.
Joan held her sword high as the cavalry raced behind her. “Come on, stay with me.”
Her voice carried back to the cavalry as they charged towards the massive black cloud. The dark mass passed the mountain range, remained steady along Route I-70, following the enemy ground troops below who rode in their vehicles.
Within the thick clouds, she spotted her enemies from a distance. Temeculus tried to keep up with the mortal soldiers below, in hopes to provide them some protection from the jets above. Yet his Hell born sycophants seemed too eager to plunge into the fight. They broke their formations and turned into a mob instead.
In Heaven, the archangel Michael stood before God’s throne adorned in his golden armor. He rested his hand on his sword hilt. Everyone in Heaven stopped their activities and stared below at the two armies headed towards each other.
God leaned forward in his throne made from precious metals never seen upon the earth. Heaven’s entire host stood transfixed as the armies charged ahead. Thunder rolled as the warhorses rode the clouds beneath them. The roll resounded to Heaven’s ancient walls and made them tremble.
61
From a distance Joan sighted the undead Roman soldiers who sold their souls to Hell. She pointed her sword and gave a war cry. The cavalry raced above Denver, headed for the open land to meet the enemy.
Joan and her cavalry cleared the Denver city limits as the Black Army moved over the jagged Rocky Mountains and traveled along green flatland dotted with small towns. Joan’s cavalry picked up their pace. Hooves pounded against the clouds. Throaty shouts hit the air.
The Guardian cavalry ate up the distance at a full run. Faces contorted, swords and spears lifted above silver helmets. Pennants snapped in the cool Colorado morning, horns blared. They crashed into the enemy with an explosive rattle.
Metal crunched and battle calls and screams resounded over the clouds. The cavalry led by Joan drove into General Temeculus’s troops like a spear point into flesh. The collision hurtled riders from their horses.
To Joan, time slowed for a moment as she faced her first kill. The Roman soldier drew his sword to strike.
The angel leaned to her right, her left hand gripping the saddle horn. Her blade rippled silver light from its edge as she stared into the black holes where eyes once sat. With one smooth motion her sword struck against a rotted neck, decapitating the soldier’s gruesome head. Time returned to normal. The severed head tumbled from the body and towards the earth below.
Joan hacked and slashed her way into the undead Romans. Gore splattered her golden armor in clumps as she cut down the enemy who fell into her path.
Spears lunged up to dismount the angel from Basil’s powerful body. She killed them for their meager efforts and sent their worthless souls back to Hell.
The cavalry fought the way Joan and the angels trained them to fight. Many leaped from their warhorses to engage the enemy upon the flat clouds underneath their feet. They struck down the horrors from Hell, sent their dead bodies to drop amongst their human counterparts like horrific missiles.
To the uninitiated, the scene appeared chaotic. For those in the battle, the fight fell to speed and target engagement amongst the constant screams and blood spray. Some Guardians though, fell to the enemy blades.
Joan fought hard upon Basil until the enemy made a space for her. This frustrated the angel who leaped from her warhorse and hurtled herself into the black armor amassed around her. She cut down two more, and spun to face her infantry waiting a quarter mile from the fight.
“Daisy, attack.” Joan’s powerful voice boomed over the battle din.
Daisy Lane led her company into the fight. She smiled in bated pride when Joan charged ahead, sword raised above her white horsehair plume. Her cavalry took on an inverted V formation and plunged into the undisciplined black armor like a silver tipped spear.
Daisy gave a shout as her troops neared the enemy. She lifted her sword as strong battle cries from the Guardians filled her ears. Her troops plowed into the foe. Silver blades tore into putrid flesh.
Angels of War (Angels of War Trilogy Book 1) Page 25