by Leo Romero
As I exhaled, my angel wings spread out behind me in elegant undulations. White feathered wings of splendor. Pure grace and power. I stared down at my palms; they glowed effervescent with uber-intense light magic.
I was a badass. An angel. A divine being of light.
I let out a sigh of content, the power of good engulfing me, caressing me with its warm touch. Nothing could harm me, I was everything and everything was me. And I was ready to do battle with the darkness.
I rolled my head down to meet Ramirez’s upturned face. “You need any help, buddy?” he asked me.
I shook my head. “I got this,” I answered, my baritone voice reverberating around the room.
Jerome gazed upon me in awe, a joyful grin on his face as he stared up at me. “Go, Gabriel,” he said with a proud nod and tear in his eye. “Go and kick his Prince of Hell ass!”
I grabbed hold of Excalibur’s hilt and pulled him from his scabbard. The blade glinted brilliantly in tune with my halo. “Amen!”
Chapter 19
Usually when you got your wings back, you were supposed to head straight to Heaven. To do otherwise was a no no. There were so many reasons why winged angels couldn’t hang around on Earth, it wasn’t worth getting into. But one of the main ones was the Big Kahuna’s insistence that Heaven not meddle in Earth’s affairs directly unless it was totally unavoidable. The Big K wanted his creation to grow by his and herself, and that meant for them to face adversity and overcome it alone. That way they’d grow up to be men and women and not spoiled brats who weren’t independent and able to stand on their own two feet. At least that was the idea.
This was a situation that would call in the Archangels for sure as no amount of human intervention could stop Beelzebub and Samuel at this point. I had to make sure I didn’t fail. Earth and maybe even Heaven was in my hands right now. No pressure then.
I flew up to the rooftops and scanned Chicago from up above like I was Batman ready to descend into Gotham and take out the Penguin during the final stages of his master plan for domination. The air was cold against my skin, but I wasn’t shivering. My heightened sight allowed me to take in much more of the city. I had to work out where Aurora was. I didn’t believe Samuel when he said Beelzebub had already taken Aurora. That guy was full of crap. But, I had to find her before Beezle-brain did.
I focused hard on the cityscape sprawling out ahead of me. Where are you? Where are you, kiddo?
“Gabe?”
The voice flared in my mind like a response to my pleas.
“Aurora!” I answered. “Where are you?”
“Gabe, you gotta help me. They got me. They got me, Gabe!”
Anger burned in my heart, but it was a different type of anger. Angels didn’t experience anger like humans. It was a burn, an incessant need to put something right. And it wasn’t even anger. No, it was love, but a hurt love, a pained love. And love had to conquer, and I had to see to it.
“Beelzebub and that angel guy from the Guild,” she told me and that loving burn intensified. “They’ve got me locked in the Armor of Agony.”
My back straightened and my wings splayed.
“It hurts so much, Gabe. Please come and find me!”
“Where are you, kiddo?” I asked, swinging my head left and right, feeling like the blind leading the blind. “Tell me where you are!”
“They said they needed to conduct the ritual at the most corrupt part of the city. Somewhere up high to harness the power of the sky. Argh! Please come quick, Gabe!”
My mind began to race, forming equations and solving puzzles at a super-fast rate. Then, it hit me. The most corrupt part of the city, up high to harness power from the sky. Yeah, only one place fit the bill. Dark Suits Tower. Right under their frickin’ noses. Typically mocking of Hell.
I leaped off the rooftop and shot up into the night sky as high as I could go, hoping to become as small as possible so no one loitering on the streets spotted me. They’d most likely mistake me for Superman, but hey, I didn’t wanna freak anyone out. My powerful wings shot me through the sky like a bullet, the intense wind whistling past me, Chicago rushing by in a dark haze. My focus was on that building, that needle sticking out of the haystack. I didn’t have much time. If they already had her in the armor, it meant her essence was already being cannibalized.
I made it near the Loop and a dark cloud hung over it, and when I say dark, I mean dark like the bottom of a coal mine. Lightning split that cloud in regular intervals, making it look like one of those plasma balls from the 80s. They were harnessing power from the sky all right. It meant Hell was on its way. I pumped my wings as hard as I could, cutting through the air like a torpedo. The roof of the Dark Suits’ HQ came into view and my eyes widened. They were there. Three figures. A human inferno, a guy with angel wings, and a figure on their knees dressed in that demonic armor. Aurora. She was getting weaker. Every now and then, a bolt of lightning from that cloud struck her and she juddered for a few seconds. My heart panged. That shit must hurt. Beezle-brain stood ahead of her, fiery arms crossed over his chest as he glared down at her. Samuel stood behind her, hands on hips, his lips pulled back, his teeth clamped together in a sick grin.
I growled as I zoomed down toward that rooftop. That angry love burned in my chest. I was compelled to make things right, a sense of righteousness overcoming me like a crashing waterfall. I couldn’t let these assholes win, couldn’t let them get away with what they were planning. Not in my name or the name of Heaven.
I focused in on the rooftop. I had a chance to make a frontal attack. I had to decide whether to go straight for Beezle-brain, take out Samuel, or grab hold of Aurora and sweep her away.
As I decided, I watched Samuel throw his head back and laugh, just as Aurora slumped even further toward the ground as more strength left her. He stepped up to her and kicked her away, sending her crashing down onto the rooftop face-first. More righteous indignation tore through me and my mind was immediately made up. I gritted my teeth and propelled myself straight for his back. He was bent over, scolding Aurora while she was literally dying. A disgrace to the wings he wore.
I made it to within arms-length of him and I heard him sneer, “You like that?” to her. I thrust out both my fists and with a roar, collided with him as hard as I could. I swept the asshole off his feet and he flew across the rooftop in my grip. He didn’t know what hit him. I came down on the rooftop hard, his side slamming into the concrete. He groaned in pain as I made sure to land on top of him. I pinned him down, the element of surprise still with me. His head whirled, his solid-white eyes gazing somewhere beyond me. I pulled back my fist. “In the name of the Father,” I said, sending him a punch to the cheekbone, snapping his head to the side. “And of the Son,” I added, swinging my other fist across, getting him in the nose with a satisfying crunch. “And the Holy—”
“Darkness!” came Beelzebub’s growl as he caught my latest punch in his fiery palm. There was a flash and a pop, small cinders erupting from my fist clasped in his palm. The impact jolted me and I flew back. I flapped my wings on instinct and they caught me mid-air. I hovered over them all, shaking the burn from my fist. Beelzebub stood and watched me, a skeletal inferno, fiery wings spreading from his back. Two blood-red eyes glared at me from inside that enflamed skull. He was a fully charged demon walking the earth. He needed to be sent back to where he came from. Next to him, Samuel was rising back to his feet, rubbing his now red face.
I backed up and then landed on the rooftop, putting distance between us. We stood off for a couple of seconds, all wary of the opposing force. I puffed up my bare chest, the muscles rippling along my arms, flexing, veins bulging.
“So, you got your wings, huh, Stone, you asshole?” sneered Samuel.
“And you stole yours,” I retorted. “Asshole.”
Another bolt of lightning shot down from that swampy cloud above us, striking Aurora.
“Argh!” she screamed in my mind. “Please help me, Gabe! Please...”
I will, kiddo.
“It’s too late, Stone!” Samuel declared with haughty pride. “She’s too far gone. The hordes of darkness are coming.” He raised his hands up to the sky, a sick grin on his face. “Oh, what a glorious night!”
Another bolt of lightning hit Aurora and her screams tore through my mind.
“Do something, Gabe!” she begged.
I whipped Excalibur out with a shwing! and immediately focused light magic in my palm. It burned brilliantly, hotter and brighter than my normal light magic. I slid it down the edge of Excalibur’s blade. A hum, like crystal being flicked hard, rang out all around us. Excalibur’s blade glowed like a star, effervescent light pulsing off her like a galaxy of diamonds. Power thrummed up my wrist and arm like an electrical charge.
“By the Gods themselves!” Art shouted out. “I am divine!”
“Let’s go to work, Art,” I said.
“Banish the evildoers, Demonslayer!”
Beelzebub outstretched his arm and a lance of fire sprouted from his hand. He gripped the fiery hilt of his sword of flame.
Samuel had already pulled out his chained mace and imbued it with his light magic. “Kill him!” he ordered Beelzebub. The demon didn’t need a second invitation. He leaped into the air and flew toward me, his wings outstretched.
I grabbed a quick steely breath and launched myself into the air, both me and Art roaring in unison. Wind rushed past me as I whipped back my blinding blade, my focus fixed on that human torch heading my way. My heart was lead, my nerves calm. I watched Beelzebub pull back his blade, flecks of fire fizzling out on the air. I swung Excalibur. The blade sung like a harp. Beelzebub thrust his fire sword toward me as we clashed on the air. The blades clanged with a humming dong! like the strike of a bell. A brilliant flash of fire and light erupted from the blades, knocking us both back. My wings flapped, catching me on the air. I was shook up, but unharmed. Beelzebub hit the roof, leaving a scorch mark as he slid back. He stared out into the night in stunned bewilderment. He must’ve thought he was stronger than me or something. Well, newsflash, jackass. I’m a bad mofo!
I remained hovering on the air above him. I glared down at him with pity and angry-love in my eyes. I curled my fingers in. “Bring it on!”
Beelzebub’s fiery features contorted. A hot growl of rage erupted from his chest, a small stream of fire bolting from his mouth. He leaped to his feet and propelled himself toward me head-first. His movement was like lightning. Before I could steady myself, he crashed into my midriff. Searing pain exploded in my chest as I was forced back on the air. I gritted my teeth and fought back, flapping my wings as furiously as I could. I brought us to a halt on the air. I pushed him off me and immediately swung Excalibur. He hummed through the air. Beelzebub managed to get his fire blade up in time to block the blow, but the force pushed him away to the side. I swung Excalibur once more. Beelzebub deftly swooped down on the air, dodging the attack. He zoomed in toward me, swinging his fire blade. The edge sliced across my upper arm with a hot sizzle. Searing agony rocketed through my mind, the aroma of charred flesh rising in the air. Beelzebub seized the initiative. He threw out a kick, his scorching sole connecting with my midriff. I was sent back, this time unable to use my wings in time to catch myself. I hit the rooftop with an aching thud, pain raking all over my torso. I lifted up my groggy head, small wisps of smoke rising from the footprint branded into my chest. Beyond, a human-shaped inferno was storming my way. I managed to leap to my feet and whip out Bam Bam. I got my finger on the trigger in the nick of time. An aqua slug spurted from her muzzle, right into the onrushing ball of flames. The magic-laced water splattered Beelzebub right in the face. There was a hot sizzle and a groan of pain. The impact sent Beelzebub reeling. He hit the rooftop and rolled across it, that sizzle continuing unabated. The magic in the water was doing its thing, working on him like acid and not dissipating like normal water would.
I caught my breath and grabbed hold of Excalibur. I imbued the blade with more light magic and marched right over to Beelzebub as he frantically patted his now half-flamed head, trying in desperation to get the magic water off.
I stood over him, my chest heaving. He writhed on the ground, releasing hellish groans of agony, that harsh sizzling ongoing. I grabbed a quick breath. “With all that is divine and holy,” I began, raising the tip of Excalibur’s vibrating blade high above his chest. “Through justice and virtue for evermore.” I went to bring the blade down into his foul heart.
A roar to my left stopped me in my tracks. I had enough time to roll my head that way when a glowing spiked ball smacked into my cheekbone, sending me staggering across the rooftop, the world spinning like a carousel. I tripped and fell, slamming into the ground with an ug!
By the time I’d shaken off my stars and was about to get to my feet, that spiked ball came hurtling through the air like a meteor. It thundered into my forehead, causing a temporary blackness to overcome me. The world vanished in a fugue of intense pain. My senses zoned in and out, my head ringing like a bell. I swung my arms lazily across the air, my body and mind trying to latch onto something. That last blow was like a headbutt from a crazed bull. The blackness began to dissipate and the world came back into view. Above me, that black cloud was growing bigger. It lit up blue as forks of lighting streaked down from it.
Then, Samuel came into view. He glared down at me, that spiked ball arcing to and fro ahead of him. He brought it back behind his head and smashed it down with everything he had. I had time to throw my hands across my face before the spiked ball hit me in the chest. My ribs cracked, blood spurted up into the air. The breath was stolen from me. I flailed in a pained heap, my chest burning and aching with each breath I pulled.
Samuel had hit me with the sucker punch and I was KO.
As I pulled in desperate, ragged breaths, his evil buddy came into view. Half his face was a steaming ball of rocky coal where the magic water still fizzled atop it, the other half a ball of flame. But his eyes still burned with hate and blood.
“Take his wings,” Beelzebub snarled.
A sick smile spread up Samuel’s face. “Oh, Beelzebub, you are wicked!” he said in glee. He hit me over the head one more time with his spiked ball and it all went black again. When I came to I was being rolled onto my front. I tried my best to fight back, but my wounds had stolen my strength. I was at their mercy.
Through my bleary vision, I watched Samuel pick up Excalibur. He went to stand upright, but Excalibur stayed on the ground, as heavy as a house. He tried again, straining, the veins in his neck popping. No joy. He couldn’t pick her up, he’d lost all his divinity. He growled in frustration. “Give me that!” he barked at Beelzebub, pointing at his fire sword. Beelzebub handed it to him. Samuel grabbed the fiery hilt. There was a sizzle, but no groan of pain from Samuel. Instead, he grinned in delight at being able to handle hellfire. His soul really was damned.
He staggered over to me, a lusty leer on his face. He stood astride me and grabbed hold of my limp wing, holding it in place. I tried to shake him off, but my limbs were too weak against Samuel’s brute strength.
“By all that is dark and wicked,” Samuel said in a devilish tone as he swung back that fire blade.
“With hate and chaos for evermore,” Samuel continued.
I sucked in a big breath, preparing myself for what was about to come.
“I’ll cut off your wings!” he sneered and swiped the fire blade across my wings where they attached to my back. Hellish pain juddered through my body and mind.
“With my evil sword!” Samuel snarled, pulling away with my wings.
I screamed against the intense burn, the scorching agony that was violating my body and mind. Samuel slung my wings away, wiping his hand on his thigh afterward.
I collapsed onto the rooftop, my mind severed in pieces, pain and dejection swarming over me like noxious gas. I was broken. Disheveled. Defeated. My chest heaved, my mind swooned on the brink of insanity. I saw a dark pit of agony open up before
me. I stood on the precipice, teetering over the edge. One push was all I needed. I clenched my teeth and willed myself not to fall.
“Can you feel it, Stone?” Samuel’s voice punctured my mind.
I came back to the rooftop where my leaden body was sprawled in defeat. Samuel was pinning me down, his nasty breath hot on my ear.
“The glorious darkness? Feel it caressing your skin?” Samuel shivered as if fighting back a rash of gooseflesh. “Millennia of blissful darkness and emptiness will fill this world. And will be His. All His.”
“You’re...sick!” I managed to spit out between the pain and the pressure of him pinning me down.
“You’re the sick one, Stone!” he growled. “The sick lapdog who does exactly what he’s told.”
Another wave of pain rocketed through me and my eyes zoned out again.
“Look, Stone! It’s happening!” Samuel then erupted in an excited tone. He grabbed up my head and spun it toward Aurora. Through bleary eyes, I gazed at her. She was sprawled on the rooftop. I didn’t know if she was even alive any more. Beneath her, some kind of portal had opened up, a large area in the shape of a pentagon. The cloud above her was sending multiple bolts of lightning down into that dark portal, electrifying it. And then I saw them. Twisted and gnarled claws grabbing hold of the portal’s edge. My eyes widened in terror. A demonic head, covered in small horns, its eyes burning with fury and delight in equal measure popped up from the portal. They were on their way.
“Ha ha!” Samuel giggled, and it wouldn’t have surprised me if the weasel actually jizzed himself right there and then. “Come on through, brothers and sisters,” he shouted. “Welcome to Earth.” The excitement and joy in his voice made me want to throw up. Beyond him, staring down at me with pure contempt was Beelzebub, arms crossed nonchalantly over his chest. There was a contemptuous smile sitting on his face that could only be made in Hell itself.