by J Moon
With his chest heaving, he leaned against the wall. He needed to know what he was dealing with so he took a quick look around the corner. The League were readying an attack with tight military precision. Various squads formed up in their battle order- first grunts took cover with assault rifles, then strikers were already moving in with Katana blades aimed, and the enforcers hung back. Getting out of the tunnel and to The Ark will be a hell of a battle.
Gabe looked over at Nia. She still had the battle rifle in her hands.
“Give me that.”
He checked the ammo. Once he saw there was only half a clip, he groaned.
“Gabe what do you need us to do?” Langston asked in despair.
“We will make it, but to do that we need to be tight. I’m going to punch a hole through their battle line. Each time I do... you all need to find a place to cover. We need to keep a steady rhythm. From when I fire to when we move.” He cocked the rifle, then glanced over. “Got it?”
“Got it,” Nia parroted.
Leaning against the wall, the archangel paused for a moment. Under the cover of the wall, he measured inches and angles, as he thought of a strategy. First, he’ll target the strikers. They will be on them in any moment. After taking them out he will push. Gabe knew he could easily dodge the energy bolts from the enforcers so he would eliminate the grunts next and smite the enforcers last. Excellent he thought to himself.
The archangel’s train to be tougher than any soldier, spy, or mercenary. Gabriel had an entire millennium of battle experience. It was the archangel’s nature as supreme warriors to control all battlefields. Gabe had to do this now more than ever, especially since he had lives to protect and a mission to fulfill.
With a grunt he rolled out of cover, and unleashed the barrel onto the three strikers charging at him. As the bullets flew, they fell like dominoes.
“Go!” Gabe brought his shield up.
Together the humans shuffled behind the archangel as he raised his shield. Gunfire and screams echoed in the shadows as Gabe’s shield was pummeled by bullets and bolts of dark energy. They made it a few inches and Gabe could hear the crackling of his shield. Luckily there was another cover spot to his left.
“To cover!” he commanded.
Amidst screaming and gunshots, the group dove to the left, and just as Josephine hopped over to the cover, Gabriel’s shield broke to pieces like shattered glass. Again he raised the assault rifle and unleashed. He managed to successfully take out two grunts on the right. Steam hissed from the weapon. It was overheated. No bueno he thought to himself. Gabe pulled out his eagle eye hand gun and rolled into cover.
Gabe winced as he felt a searing pain on his right shoulder. He looked down and saw plumes of smoke. One of the enforcers got him with a shot on his right shoulder.
“Oh dear God,” Josephine cried as she touched the archangel’s scorched shoulder, with steam still wafting from the wound.
“Don’t worry I’ll heal,” Gabe stammered.
Langston shook his head. “Gabe, we have to stop this madness. Surely we won’t be able to make it.”
“Yes we will. Have a little faith.” Nia spoke. In that moment she was inspired to do something either very clever or stupid. “We just need a distraction. To give Gabe the opportunity to take them all out.”
Nia looked over and saw another nook to the right. Without a second thought, she darted across and gunshots followed behind her. Both Josephine and Langston screamed loudly.
“Nia are you alright?” Langston asked from cover.
“Fine!” She shouted back.
“You crazy girl… what are you doing?” Gabe roared from around the cover of the wall.
“I’m going to give you the perfect opportunity. Don’t miss, archangel.” She called back.
From the nook she raised her hands. “Don’t shoot!” she cried out to the League collective.
And she came out of the cover with her hands raised. “We give up. I’m turning myself over to the League.” Nia said as she walked forward.
Josephine leaned around the corner. “Has she gone mad?”
Gabe grinned. “No, she is being clever.” He leaned around the corner and commanded the smartwatch to help. “Assess.”
“Three armed grunts and two half charged enforcers remained. SMITE matrix estimates a forty-five second clearance with aid of sharp shooting matrix and remaining clip.”
Gabe turned to Langston and Josephine. “I’m going to get us out of here. Don’t move until they are all dead.”
“Well good luck and Godspeed,” Langston stammered.
With the sharp shooter matrix activated, Gabe’s sight was acutely focused and his accuracy to complete a headshot was enhanced. “Nia duck!” he shouted.
Nia hit the floor and soon after bullets flew above her. From behind the cover the archangel shot the grunt crouched in the left cover then he aimed, and sent a bullet through the skull of the enforcer who already had a charged energy bolt. Bullets came his away, to the floor he rolled, and a split second he popped back up. His eyes narrowed towards the head of the other enforcer, a bullet was sent through it. Bullets came at him, he sidestepped and took out the remaining grunts. The archangel looked down at the bodies keeled over at his feet.
“Danger cleared.” The SMITE matrix declared.
Gabe looked over his shoulder, “Everybody all right?”
Langston and Josephine peeked around the corner and nodded. Nia patted herself for gunshot wounds. Finding none, she gave a thumbs up.
“Let’s roll.” The archangel commanded.
All together they walked to the end of the tunnel and found stairs. It was their way out.
They climbed the stairs and moonlight slapped their faces. Out to the left they could see the clearing leading to The Ark. One by one they climbed out to a biting wind that stung their cheeks.
“It’s brick out here,” Nia said as she rubbed her hands. She surveyed the lot and saw the black Cadillac shrouded by trees and was overcome with joy. “There is The Ark!” Nia shouted.
“Thank God, let’s get out of here,” Josephine declared.
Together they ran to the car, crossing the lot, and heading back into the woods.
Before any of them could clear the woods, white light crackled. Something shimmered its way to them. The archangel gripped Nia’s arm tight, “Get in!”
Materializing out of a crack of light came five League grunts led by Legion.
Gabe pushed Nia back. “You damn cyborgs are hard to shake huh?" He looked down to the tail of The Ark. “They’ve been tracking us this whole time.”
Nia grabbed the tracer from under the car and smashed it.
“The archangel Gabriel, will hand over Nia Carter or face annihilation.”
Gabe called sweet Lucy back to his fist. “Let them go and I won’t turn you all into scrap metal.”
Legion withdrew a blade that burned blue. “The League has prepared to deal with the threat of an archangel.”
Gabe tensed up. “Pure Hellfire. Well don’t threaten me with a good time.”
Only weapons made of Hellfire could kill an archangel. Even with his usual banter, the archangel became concerned.
A twisted smile went across Legion’s face, “Give up, Gabe.”
Gabe curled his lips, “Never.”
Suddenly the archangel was blasted from his right by an enforcer revealing itself from the cloak of a large oak tree. Quickly the grunts were upon them and held them all.
“Pick him up,” Legion commanded.
The demon smiled maliciously. “Such magnificent creatures everyone believes the archangels to be. Nothing but trained dogs.” Legion gripped Gabe by the throat and pierced the skin between his ear and neck, to which the archangel responded with a loud grunt. “Behold!” he shouted as Gabe’s wings of light sprouted and flapped.
“Get your filthy hands off me demon.” Gabe shouted as his wings propelled him up.
“Hold him down!” Legion ordered as he
pointed.
The grunts intensified their grip on the archangel and brought him back to his knees. Josephine shouted across from him.
Legion looked over. “Shut her up or rip out her throat.”
“Get your hands off of her!” Gabe barked as a hand covered Josephine's mouth.
Legion gave a stern look to the cyborgs holding the archangel. “Hold him down I say.” He circled the archangel, delighting in the terror he was spreading amongst the humans. It was delicious to the demon. Fear was the source of their power as faith was the archangel’s.
“We are not so different, archangel. Still after so many years you are trying to prove yourself to the other archangels of SMITE, just like we collection of demons want to be known as a worthy devil amongst the Sons of Chaos.”
“Blasphemy demon, I am of light and love. You’re nothing but a bunch of bottom dwelling soul suckers.” Gabe spit hard on the ground. “I curse your name and condemn you back to hell in the name of all that is holy.”
“You will watch your mouth,” Legion bellowed. “For after tomorrow night, not you nor the angels of SMITE, nor the other devils will question my power.”
Legion walked behind the archangel. He gripped at his right flapping wing. Terror swept across everyone’s face as they watched the archangel helpless in the hands of the demon. It seemed to Nia that the woods grew darker, colder. Legion’s face twisted into the creepiest of sneers. Everyone waited what would happen next, yet they all knew it would be absolutely terrible.
Legion breathed out through gritted teeth. “After tonight I will be your God, archangel. You will bow to me and beg for mercy.”
“No .. .no!” Nia screamed.
Gabe looked at her, tears in his eyes. “Close your eyes, Nia. Don’t look.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, then came a bone shattering crack as the demon sliced off the archangel’s wing. Yet it happened so quickly but so agonizingly slow in Nia’s mind that she almost blacked out as the blade connected with flesh, tore cartilage, and ripped off Gabriel's wing.
Light sparked as the wing ripped from the archangel’s side. Silver poured out. A grunt was holding Josephine, and she became uncontrollable in her frantic screams, then she dug her heel into the grunt’s foot and it set her free. She clawed at the Grunt holding Nia, and together they pulled it off of her.
Nia grabbed a gun from their captors and shot the opposing grunt with it. Distracted, the grunts released Gabe, and he retrieved Lucy. In one swift motion, Gabe slashed Legion. But the demon dug its blade into Gabe’s side. Legion fell into a heap.
Gabe collapsed.
“We have to get him into the car!” Langston shouted.
He and Nia dragged Gabe and stuffed the archangel into the back with Josephine. Nia hopped into the driver's seat as Langston rode shotgun.
“Nia, activate the cloaking device,” Gabe murmured after regaining consciousness.
“Throw me the key!” Nia shouted.
Langston fumbled through his pockets. He felt it small and cool at the bottom of his pocket. He pulled it out and tossed it at her.
She started The Ark and floored the gas. “Where is it?” she asked.
“That button there,” Gabe pointed.
The cloaking device trigger was a red button on the dashboard. She pressed the button, and they disappeared into the night.
“Now they won’t be able to follow us. We’re good.” Gabe said before passing out again. They drove off under the cover of moonlight, leaving danger behind but fearing what was to come next.
Chapter Fifteen
Zora was pacing the floor for the millionth time that night, when she heard the tea kettle hiss around the corner. She dashed to the kitchen, grabbed the handle of the kettle, turned off the stove, and poured herself some chamomile tea. She added two cubes of sugar, and a spoonful of honey. Clinks rolled off the kitchen walls as she stirred her cup and tapped the spoon.
Over on her left she spotted her pack of cigarettes sitting on the edge of the counter. She wanted a long pull more than a cup of tea. She opened the pack and saw only three stood lonely in the empty carton. Good thing she’d made the tea she thought to herself. She had to calm her nerves somehow.
All night she had been waiting for Langston. She even got dressed and walked to the Savoy, looking for him. Her friend Vera said she saw him leave with a strange man and two women. Zora was completely beside herself. She wouldn’t know what to do if Langston had gone missing like the others.
“Ooh, I could just kill him,” she groaned. She had warned Langston not to go out, but he didn’t listen. They have been tracking these strange disappearances for a while. If he had found a lead, Zora thought surely he would tell her first. It was around midnight when Zora heard loud bangs at the door. Without hesitation she rushed over to answer the door. Zora was pissed when she swung it wide open. “Langston, where the hell have you been?”
“Not now, Zora. It’s the archangel. We have to save him.” He struggled with Nia to drag Gabriel inside.
Zora stood in shock by the door as they rushed past her, “What happened?”
While doing his best to help carry Gabe, Langston said “It was a demon or an evil machine. Honestly I don’t know, but that thing ripped off one of Gabe’s wings”
“Put him on the couch!” Zora ordered and pointed them around to the living room.
Gabe flickered his eyes open, “Zora, my dear…. still gorgeous as ever.”
Zora smiled painfully. “My dear angel, what happened to you? How can we help you?” She glared over to Langston, “We can’t take him to a hospital, Langston. What do we do?”
Gabe nodded in a very nonchalant matter. “I’ll be fine just stop the silver from leaking.”
Zora looked over her shoulder to Langston. “Quick go get towels and sheets out of the linen closet.”
Langston nodded, and disappeared around the corner. Zora looked down, and noticed the liquid escaping from the archangel’s wounds. It wasn’t red. It glistened like mercury
Josephine kneeled beside the couch, “Dear Heavens your blood is silver.”
“Not blood... its essence. It’s fine. I will heal.” But the pain on Gabe’s face said otherwise.
“Will you?” asked Nia, and she couldn’t tell if the archangel was telling the truth at all.
“Yes. Stop the essence from draining and I’ll be fine.”
Zora gave him a sideways appraising glance as she called for Langston to hurry with the towels.
Langston came running around the corner. “Here,” he said as he handed a pile of towels off to Zora.
Zora dressed his wound as best as she could then sewed him up. Nia was caressing the archangel’s head when he finally said. “I need to rest now. We will be safe here tonight, Nia. Don’t you worry.” He rolled his eyes over to Zora and smiled. “We can trust these two.”
After washing her hands, Zora lit a cigarette. All of this stress was making her nerves go from bad to worst. She looked around, “I’m sorry. In all the confusion, I haven’t properly introduced myself. Good lord where is my head at? My name is Zora Hurston.”
Nia took her in slowly. Zora had buttery brown skin, round owl like eyes that brimmed with wisdom, and an kind smile. At first she thought to herself how strange upon just meeting Zora, she felt kin to her. She reminded Nia of family, and her spirit wanted to call her auntie.
Nia wiped her sweaty palms, “Nia... Nia Carter. I’m a friend of Gabe’s, and a big fan of your work. I love it all!”
Zora smiled earnestly, “Thank you, dear.” She looked over to Josephine. “And you?”
“Call me Josephine, sugar.” She said as she pushed aside Zora’s hand, and kissed her cheeks.
Zora frowned. “Okay that’s one way to say hello.” She took a pull from her cigarette and blew out. “Now there is plenty of space in my room, and on the floor. Both of you are welcomed to stay the night.” She turned to Langston. “Langston, go get quilts and pillows for our company.�
�
Langston rolled his eyes, “Okay, mom.”
She playfully smacked him on his side, “Go ahead, boy. Get!”
Zora took another long pull from the cigarette, and placed a hand on her hip as she exhaled. “Don’t know about y'all but I can definitely use a good night’s sleep after all this excitement.”
“And that’s for real,” Nia added.
Josephine snatched her earrings off, and kicked her heels across the room. “Me too. My dogs are barking after running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I’m supposed to be staying with my friend but I’m not going back out there after all this. I’ll just have to see her in the morning.”
Zora nodded. “All right. I’ll keep watch over him during the night. Let’s all get some sleep and pray he is doing better by the morning.”
That night Nia couldn’t rest without thinking about her Pop or Gabe. She watched Josephine sleep like an angel beside her on the floor pallet made of blankets and sheets. Josephine had fell asleep as soon as her face hit the pillow.
Exhaustion had washed over Nia’s body after the adrenaline of the adventure had worn off. Yet somehow her mind was restless. She wasn’t the only one who had a hard time sleeping. From across the hall, she could hear Langston reading and praying for most of the night. Strangely it was the soft murmurs of his prayers for the archangel’s healing that she was able to close her eyes and drift off to sleep.
Chapter Sixteen
Nia awoke sharply in the early morning, her thoughts focused on the archangel. Although her body was physically tired, her mind would not let her rest knowing that the archangel could slip away to death in the middle of the night. That fear is what brought her out of her sleep and made her get up.
Slowly she crept out of Zora’s bedroom to find the archangel propped up in the corner of the couch, eyes closed and chanting.
She clung to the wall as she watched him in awe. Even deeply wounded and in pain, the archangel was breathtakingly gorgeous. To Nia he was something off of a magazine cover or better yet one of her mom’s old romance novels. There he sat shirtless with his tight muscular body looking like a well sculpted Greek statue.