The Angel

by Blaire Hammond

  ‘Whoa…’ Oscar said, standing and rushing towards the window.

  Caspian followed, eyes wide.

  They watched as dozens of God’s descended from the sky, dropping down into the shadows cast by the Devils.

  ‘Laura did it,’ Caspian said in disbelief. ‘She did it!’

  ‘Yes! Holy crap, we could actually survive this!’ Oscar responded, green eyes brighter that Caspian had seen them in a long while.

  The words hit Caspian, and he knew what he had to do. He couldn’t cower up in the penthouse of a building while the God’s fought for them. He had to help. And from the look on Oscar’s face, he wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

  ‘Come on, we’ve got to go find the others.’

  ~

  The rain grew stronger and with the dimming of the light, Laura could barely see where she was going. She couldn’t leave the safety of the clouds, couldn’t risk the Devils spotting her.

  There was a flash of lightning ahead and Pergo screeched, summersaulting in the air. Laura gripped the large bird’s feathers with all her might so not to be thrown from its back as it righted itself.

  ‘That was quite a trick,’ someone said.

  Laura was breathing heavily, and her chocolate brown hair was matted to her head by the rain. She squinted through the strands, and could have sighed with frustration had she not been so out of breath.

  Terian floated before them in all his Godly glory.

  ‘So, you’ve come to help,’ Laura muttered over the sound of thunder and lightning and rain.

  It was a very different experience, being among the clouds during a storm.

  ‘We all have. The God’s are descending across the world to fight the Devils. I, however, had to make a short stop first.’

  Laura sat up, pushing her hair from her face so she could see properly. Her clothes were wet through and water droplets clung to her face, her eyelashes, and the tip of her nose.

  ‘What is it, then?’ Laura asked, trying not to be too rude but also hoping he’d get the idea that she was in a rush to re-join her friends.

  ‘Ah. As charming as ever. I’ve come to claim my price for that portal.’

  Laura’s stomach dropped. ‘What? Now?!’ She cried.

  Terian nodded, a grin plastered across his lips. ‘Right now.’

  Laura threw up her hands and heard Pergo caw beneath her. He was exhausted. She couldn’t keep pushing him, she had to keep going so he could land and rest.

  ‘I have nothing I can give you,’ Laura responded.

  Terian shook his head once. ‘You do. My price is a request.’

  Laura sighed. Why were the Gods so allusive? ‘A request?’

  ‘Yes. A request. In repayment for the portals, I ask you but one thing.’

  ‘Wait, portals?’ Laura interrupted. ‘You only made one.’

  Before Laura could finish speaking, however, an enormous blue swirl of a portal opened right in front of her.

  ‘You cannot make it to your friends in time on the back of a tired creature,’ Terian told her.

  Laura knew it was the truth.

  ‘Okay, what’s the request?’ Laura questioned.

  ‘My request is that you keep the Westmill sword by your side through this war, no matter what. Do not lose it. Do not remove it. Keep it with you. You do that, and our debts will be settled.’

  Laura eyed him suspiciously, expecting an added bonus, knowing it couldn’t be so simple. But the portal continued to beckon her, and her friends were in trouble. She had to reach them. If there was an underlying meaning, she would have to work it out later.

  She nodded at Terian. ‘Okay. Deal. I won’t take my sword off.’

  Terian watched her a second, then nodded.

  ‘I wish you good luck, Laura Westmill. It has been a pleasure watching your story unfold,’ he said, then disappeared from her view.

  Laura gaped for a moment, knowing he’d gone to join the battle but still shocked to have seen him again. Then, she nudged Pergo onwards.

  ‘Come on, buddy. Let’s find the others.’

  They passed through the portal, the feeling of falling and rising and being thrown all around still foreign to Laura, before they were shot out in the air on the other side.

  Laura peered down at their base as the battle raged below between the God’s and the Devils, the Goblin’s and the Enchanted. She was scared, but she pushed Pergo to take them lower. Then, in the distance, she caught the flash of blue lightning, of midnight black hair, of emerald green eyes.

  Drew. She could see him fighting three Goblin’s at once. She knew it was a battle even he couldn’t win. Encouraging Pergo forward, she freed her sword, the ruby gleaming in its hilt. Her power reared up, and she reached for the air around the Goblins, readying to slice through them with one clean cut. It was time to enter the battle.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Split Second

  Erebus Cain Wizard was many things. A leader. A scientist. A creator. Yes, he was many things, but a coward was not one of them.

  Erebus tossed down the flyer and spun on the Wicked Witch that had brought it to his attention. She flinched at his movement, and he only grew more frustrated by it. How dare his own followers fear him? How dare they tell such falsities?

  ‘Where. Did. You. Get. This?’ Erebus asked through controlled bursts of anger.

  ‘I- I- it w- w- was on the gr- ground in the bunker,’ the Witch told him. ‘I- I thought you should see it.’

  Erebus clenched and unclenched his fists, feeling the pounding of his heart increase as he forced back the desire to lash out. He didn’t want to prove the flyer to be correct.

  ‘Who made it?’ Erebus pressed as calmly as he could.

  The Witch shook her head.

  Before she could open her mouth to answer, though, someone burst through the door. A young Wicked soldier.

  ‘Sir!’ He shouted, panic having taken over his face.

  ‘What is it?’ Erebus barked.

  ‘Sir, the Gods, they’ve left the Heavens. They’re fighting back against the Devils!’

  Erebus’s blood ran cold, draining from his face completely. He hadn’t expected that. He’d assumed they would remain in the Heavens, safe from what was occurring below. He’d assumed they would leave their children to rot as they’d done countless times in the past. He’d assumed too much.

  Perhaps it could work in their advantage. The connection to the Heavens was officially open, without him having to do it through Laura’s power. That was one less thing to concern himself with. The Devils could do as they pleased with the Gods.

  Slowly, the blood began to recirculate as he rationalised the situation. Then he saw the Wicked boy still before him.

  ‘Was there something else?’ Erebus snapped.

  The boy gulped and nodded. ‘Two things. The girl has been seen in Lastrala, fighting at the tip.’

  Erebus raised a brow, glee forming within. At last. A location.

  ‘And the second problem?’ Erebus asked, impatient.

  The boy’s face as ashen, and he seemed to hesitate.

  ‘Spit it out!’ Erebus barked.

  The boy jumped back, but nodded quickly.

  ‘It’s Creshan. He’s out on the battle field with an army of Wicked.’

  Erebus paused, cocking his head to the side in confusion. Creshan was meant to be in the lab still.

  ‘Perhaps he wanted to help?’ The Witch offered as explanation from beside the boy.

  The boy shook his head. ‘No, you don’t understand. He’s fighting with the Enchanted!’

  Erebus saw white. The news hit him like a brick to the face, and he blinked twice, granting himself a moment to allow it to sink in. Then, he let loose a scream that tore from his throat as he slammed his fists into his desk, swiping everything from its surface. Relishing the shattering of glass and smashing of metal as it fell to the floor.

  Erebus straightened, pushing back his hair from his face, and looked across a
t the two Wicked trembling by the door.

  ‘Gather everyone still loyal to me. We join the battle, tonight,’ he growled

  ~

  Something shot towards Grace and she ducked just in time to miss the dagger as it hurtled through the air, sinking into the Goblin’s flesh. The Goblin staggered backwards, and one of the Mariadies appeared, spearing their weapon straight into the Goblin’s heart with an almighty cry.

  The Mariadie pulled back, turning and slamming their spear into the next Goblin, and another, and another.

  Grace didn’t have the chance to watch in awe much longer for another Goblin was already upon her, and she was forced to stumble out of its way as its claws hurtled towards her. She dodged the blow, recalling the last time she’d come in contact with a Goblin and had nearly died thanks to the poison that had infected her skin. She didn’t much like the idea of experiencing that again.

  Retrieving a dagger from her boot, she angled it up, driving her blade into the soft flesh of the Goblin’s stomach. Black goo and blood oozed from its gut, but she pulled her hand back and sliced the dagger up through the Goblin’s neck. It snarled, then burst into flames.

  Grace swivelled, seeing Logan off to the side, two swords in hand as he danced across the battlefield cutting and stabbing and killing the Goblins. Mariadies and Creatures helped the battle too, fending off the Goblins while above in the sky the Devils and the Gods fought against one another.

  Grace couldn’t see what was going on, all she could make out through the pouring rain and pitch black darkness was the constant flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder. The sky was a swirl of black shadows and gold sunshine, mixing together to hide the God’s and Devils. The sounds coming from above were deafening.

  Wiping the water from her face, she turned to find her next enemy. There was a shout, and her eyes shot up. Shock hit her like a punch to the face as Laura and Drew arrived with a number of Enchanted behind them, weapons drawn. Drew was staring at her, checking she was okay, and she couldn’t hide the grin that appeared on her face.

  She’d been worried about her brother, knowing he’d been out at the border when the Devils had appeared. She and Logan had been slowly making their way there to find him. Seeing him brought relief and thankfulness to her heart.

  She sprinted across the grass, meeting them among the fray.

  ‘You did it!’ She gasped at Laura.

  Laura nodded. ‘They didn’t make it easy, but I got through to them in the end. The Emperor kept going on about all this destiny crap. I don’t know that I believe him. I thought we wrote our own destinies.’

  ‘I don’t care either way. You got them to come, and that’s what matters. These Goblins keep emerging from the cracks in the earth though. We’re struggling to hold them back,’ Grace responded.

  ‘The cracks aren’t closing?’ Laura asked, glancing across at the one close by.

  ‘No,’ Drew replied. ‘It must be so the Devils can escape if they need.’

  Laura sucked in a breath and glanced between them both.

  ‘Well, we better get to it,’ she said.

  The lot of them rushed back into the fight, a whole new sense of power and energy radiating from within.

  ~

  Stella reached Gemma’s side, eyes not leaving Creshan’s face, even for an instant.

  ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ She snapped, blade up.

  Creshan raised his hands. ‘We’re on your side.’

  ‘Like hell!’ Gemma spat.

  ‘Hey, I just saved your damn life!’ Creshan retorted.

  Stella pressed her sword to Creshan’s neck.

  ‘I’ll ask again, what do you think you are doing? Just because you helped me in jail doesn’t mean I suddenly trust you.’

  Creshan swallowed, raising his hands higher and dropping his sword to the ground.

  ‘I’m not lying to you. We’re on your side. I have been for a while. I’ve been convincing the Wicked that we’ve been fighting for the wrong side. I managed to gather quite the army, and still there are Wicked passing on the message across the world,’ Stella pressed her sword harder into his neck, not quite believing the words leaving his lips. ‘W- We realise that Erebus isn’t here to help us. This war is for his own personal gain, not ours, and we understand that now. The Wicked only want a better life. That’s all they’ve ever wanted. So I told them that if we chose the right side, and help the Enchanted, then they will see us for who we really are.’

  Stella stared at him, unwavering, unflinching.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Megan asked, appearing beside her.

  Stella nodded towards Creshan. ‘He says the Wicked are on our side now.’

  ‘Most of them,’ Creshan amended.

  Megan’s gold eyes turned on Creshan, watching him intently. Creshan met her gaze, and Stella watched as his eyes glazed over. For a moment, he didn’t move, caught up in Megan’s stare. Then, he blinked rapidly, glancing around at them.

  ‘He tells the truth,’ Megan said, peering at her over her shoulder.

  ‘Are you sure?’ Stella asked before Gemma could jump in to argue.

  Megan nodded. ‘I’m sure.’

  Stella trusted Megan. All the woman had done for Laura – all she’d given up to bring the Casters into the war, she had earned everyone’s respect. So, Stella responded with one single nod, and removed her sword.

  ‘If you’re on our side like you say you are, then help us send these Goblins back to where they came from,’ Stella said. ‘Once this is over, we’ll talk.’

  Creshan agreed and retrieved his sword. Stella turned back to the fight, searching for her husband, who was holding back two Goblins on his own. Adjusting her grip on her weapon, she hurried to help him. She ached, she was tired, but she would not give in. Never.

  ~

  Oscar reached the edge of the city, Caspian hot on his tail. They’d come across a group of Mariadies and had been fighting back against the Goblins with them, pushing them from the cities limits. Still, after killing the lot of them, they could hear more surfacing from the cracks in the earth.

  Oscar could see one looming up ahead, and they charged towards it. If they could stop them before they reached the land, it would help.

  A Goblin surfaced from nowhere, and Caspian knocked an arrow into place and let it free. It slammed straight into the Goblin’s head, sending it falling backwards, straight down into the crack. Oscar let out a laugh and Caspian joined him, reaching for another arrow and putting it into place.

  There was another loud boom from above, and Oscar glanced up at the sky. He couldn’t see anything through the black and gold swirl, and the rain was so heavy that it blinded him to look up into it.

  ‘Do you think the God’s are winning?’ One of the Mariadies asked from behind him.

  Oscar didn’t know, he’d never seen a battle between the two before, never even read about one. He didn’t know their strengths or weaknesses. He didn’t know which was most likely to win.

  ‘I hope so,’ Caspian answered for him.

  Oscar wondered for a moment where Muka and Tahiki were. Were they okay? They were Mariadies, the chances of them being okay were in the nineties. In spite of everything, they weren’t invincible. No one was. He hoped there weren’t many casualties on the Enchanted’s side. He’d seen only one death so far, but even so, it was a good sign that it had only been one.

  Another Goblin showed up at the top of the crack, and Oscar pulled a dagger from his belt and threw it at the Goblin. It hit him square in the chest, and he fell backwards.

  ‘They’re slowing down. Do you think they’re running out of Goblins?’ Caspian asked.

  Oscar nodded. ‘Probably. They were releasing them all across the world. They can’t have that many left.’

  Caspian was about to reply, but they were hit with a deafening sound, high-pitched and constant.

  Oscar slammed his hands over his ears and stumbled back, eyes raising to the sky. Above, through the swirl
of gold and black, something was visible as it fell. Lightning and thunder and rain continued, but Oscar trailed the figure, watching as it plummeted towards the ground.

  As it came closer, he realised what it was. The first Devil had been killed.

  ~

  Drew paused to watch the figure fall from above, hands clasped over his ears to block out the sound. It was a Devil. A Devil had been killed.

  He didn’t have a chance to relish the news, for a Goblin materialised seemingly from nowhere and Drew was forced to submit himself to the screams from above as he removed his hands from his ears and engaged in battle with the Goblin.

  He’d killed it in a matter of seconds, hurrying to move on to the next one. Then the next. They were growing weaker and slower, which meant perhaps the Demons were running out. Fewer and fewer of Goblins were arriving as well, which also meant that, hopefully, they were nearly gone too.

  Drew saw a flash of something, and he glanced across to see Laura using her Caster abilities to take out three Goblins at once. He admired her for a moment as she cut each of them down where they stood. Then yet another Goblin came into view and he raised his sword, fighting back against it.

  He used his lightning on the next one, shooting the decayed creature into the air and leaving it to slam back onto the ground with a thump that was hard enough to snap its neck and kill it.

  There was a flash of red, and Drew spun to see where the source of it was coming from. The moment his eyes came to rest on what, or rather, who it belonged to, however, he pulled up short, his entire body growing cold.

  Erebus had emerged from a portal just behind Laura, and had managed to press a knife to her throat. Fear sliced through him. No. Not again. He could not let Erebus try and take her again. He could not lose her. He’d fought so hard to keep her safe.

  ‘NO!’ Drew shouted, leaping over a fallen log and racing towards them.

  Laura was fighting back, struggling against Erebus’s grip. Drew could see her working up to use her power against him, and for a moment, he thought that she would break free, that she’d be all right.

  Then, someone tackled him.

  Two Wicked landed on top of him, pressing his body hard into the ground, and he lost his sword somewhere in the process. He fought against them, trying to shove them off him, but they were too strong.