Sentinels of Creation

by Robert W. Ross

  “What was that?” asked Meghan dryly.

  “That,” replied Kellan as he regained his feet, “was my victory dab.”

  “Your what?”

  “My dab. I dab now. Juliet showed me.”

  “Kellan, you are an Idiot—” Meghan’s insult stuck in her throat and her eyes widened as she looked over Kellan’s shoulder.

  “Oh no,” he said, “don't tell me. I don’t want to look.”

  “Get down!”

  Kellan fell flat to the floor and felt the air whoosh overhead, where his neck had been a moment before. The young Sentinel rolled onto his back in time to see the last two legs and bulbous backside of the demon emerge from the still glowing hole in the tunnel floor.

  Meghan was already on another downward arc with both katanas angling for the demon’s head when one of the legs slashed upward and struck her full in the chest. The blow imparted enough force to reverse her forward momentum and send her careening into the tunnel ceiling. Her head struck the stone hard and Kellan saw her face lose expression as she struggled to maintain consciousness. He rolled left just as an armored pincer struck the ground, then channeled a gravity bubble around Meghan. As his bubble closed around the dazed Nephilim, Kellan sent a mild gust of wind toward her as well. He hoped it was enough, but didn’t see as he scrambled to his feet, just barely escaping another pincer which sought to impale him. Kellan sucked in air while reaching to his side. His hand came back wet and dark with blood.

  When did that happen, he thought as his fingers traced the wound and felt his manifested armor knit itself back together. Yeah, that’s not too bad. At least that’s probably not what’s going to kill me. Kellan clucked at his own dark humor and continued to stumble backwards while keeping his eyes locked with that of the demon. Meghan lay panting on the far end of the tunnel and struggled to her feet only to collapse again. The demon turned to her, and Kellan drained the last of his power to send a series of lightning bolts directly into its chitinous posterior.

  He raised his hand against the flash and when he lowered it, the demon had turned back from Meghan, with large open wounds dripping a red puss like substance. Well, you got its attention Kellan thought to himself as Meghan regained her feet, then dodged an errant bone projectile. Congratulations, she’ll get to die after you.

  Sparks erupted from the creatures carapace as Meghan’s Glocks barked out their report. At least a dozen rounds peppered the creatures head and upper torso as it raised it’s arms to provide better protection from the assault.

  The slide flew back on both weapons. She dropped one into a holster while smoothly lifting something from her belt. “Last clip,” shouted Meghan. Kellan could feel her eyes on him but didn’t look away from the demon. “Kellan,” she yelled again, “we need to get the hell out of here or we’re dead. That thing is just too much for us. It seems to have been hardened against you, specifically.”

  Kellan smiled grimly and turned to the Nephilim, “No, we won’t be running.” He pointed at the demon’s still raised arm. “Meghan, did you see that?”

  “See what? Busy trying not to die here.”

  “Look under its left arm, on the inside of the wrist. There’s a glowing symbol there. Try to get to it. I think it might just save our collective asses.”

  “I hope you’re right, book-boy, because getting that close is going to be really hairy.”

  “No shit, but we’ve been getting the crap kicked out of us so far and I’m outta juice.”

  “You got enough left to charge my Glock once more?”

  Kellan did a quick internal check. A tiny trickle had returned to his internal riverbed. He felt exhausted and knew his reserves would not replenish themselves quickly. “Yeah, but just barely. I need to save a bit in case I’m right.” He reached out with a hand and a thin tendril of green power arced toward Meghan. She held out her pistol and it greedily drank up the power then glowed as she lowered it at the demon. She emptied the clip and the Order infused bullets tore into the creature. It raised both arms and brought them together to protect its head from the barrage. As it did so, the glowing rune became clear to the young Sentinel.

  That’s absolutely an imprint made from the Seal of Solomon. He said to himself, then added, when the hell did Maurius get that? No idea, but the important thing is that Mr. Crabs here is being compelled. Well, here goes nothing.

  Kellan launched himself at the demon as his Sentinel’s sword manifested from green mist, then shrank to the size of a small dagger. He landed hard in-between the front legs and felt his face smash against the boney chest of the creature. The Sentinel looked up as the demon’s eyes met his. There was no recognition there, just empty blackness. Kellan blocked as the creature tried to impale him with a spike on its left forearm. He caught it and brought his dagger down on the glowing rune. The Chaotic infused flesh parted for his dagger and he cut the rune cleanly from the demon’s arm. Immediately it froze in place, then shook its head, eyes focusing on the Sentinel.

  “Hi?” said Kellan.

  The demon blinked several times but took no aggressive action and Kellan’s attention was drawn upward. Meghan had just executed a magnificently tight flip in midair and was arcing toward the creature’s neck with her two katanas crossed for a killing blow.

  The creature followed Kellan’s gaze. It looked back over its shoulder, and fear registered. However, rather than defend against the oncoming blow, the demon simply bowed forward in resignation.

  “Oh, I’m probably going to regret this,” mumbled Kellan as he drained the last of his power and shot a column of air directly at Meghan. She was tossed end over end toward the back wall before her shadow-wings were able to stabilize her. The Nephilim hung there and stared at Kellan in momentary disbelief before the anger rose.

  Yep, I am definitely going to regret this, thought Kellan as he turned and stared defiantly at the demon who seemed to still be coming to grips with not having been decapitated.

  “Well?” said Kellan matter of factly, “You have about three-seconds to explain yourself before I freeze you solid and shatter you to pieces.” You know you can’t do that, right, Kellan thought to himself. Yes, I know I can’t do that, but he doesn’t know it. Ok, shutting up now, but hey, have you noticed that we mostly talk to ourselves when under stress? Kellan ground his teeth and just hoped it made him look more serious to the demon who now bent forward in an act of supplication.

  “Sentinel of Order, destruction would be preferable to the existence I now endure. I welcome the darkness of oblivion.”

  “Don’t be so dramatic,” growled Meghan as she floated down beside Kellan.

  The Sentinel glanced at her and rolled his eyes, then turned back to the demon. “You are free of the rune’s compulsion. Who are you and who placed you under their control.”

  “I am not free, Sentinel of Order. You cannot simply cut away such a rune.” It held up its arm and they saw the faint amber lines of the rune begin to reform over bloody flesh. “Behold, even now it reconstitutes itself. In minutes I will no longer be myself. Do not tarry. Strike me down while I am free to let you do so.”

  “Excellent suggestion,” said Meghan as she walked up to the unresisting demon and placed her Glock to its head.

  Kellan held up a hand. “Hang on a sec, Meghan.”

  “The fuck I will,” she yelled and he saw her finger tense.

  Kellan felt his power returning and used a trickle to amplify his voice as he bellowed, “I said stand down, you Nephilim devil-bitch!”

  She paused and cocked her head at him. “Ok, so you’re serious. I see that. Fine, but if we end up dead, I’m not talking to you.”

  Kellan gave her a half-hearted node of acceptance and turned back to the demon. He asked again, “Who are you and who placed the seal?”

  “You are as big a fool as I’ve heard tell, Kellan Thorne.”

  “Yeah, yeah, just answer the question.”

  The demon shook its massive head but said, “I am Vassago of th
e first fall and it was your opposite who placed the compulsion on me. He had an iron imprint from the original seal. I almost resisted it, but in the end, I failed. That my efforts shattered the imprint provides cold comfort. The compulsion twisted me into the being you see before you and my mind was lost to Maurius.”

  “Twisted?” asked Meghan still holding her pistol against the demon’s head. “What did you look like before?”

  “Different,” Vassago said softly, “but it matters not. What has been done cannot be undone.”

  “Hmmm,” said Kellan, thinking.

  “Oh no,” yelled Meghan as she jumped off the thick crab leg on which she’d been perched and moved to Kellan’s side. “No, you don’t. I know that ‘hmmm,’ that’s the sound you make when you are thinking about doing something that you should not be doing.”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” said Kellan with a smile.

  Meghan relaxed, “Good, so can I kill him now?” Her voice rose in pitch and she added, “ You can go home and watch The Crown.”

  “No, Meg, I meant you are right that I’m going to do something stupid, but the prospect of a peaceful Netflix night is sorely tempting.” He turned to Vassago and the demon skittered back a few paces as Kellan drew deeply from his replenished river of power. His eyes burst to life and thick cords of energy rippled around him.

  “What are you doing, Sentinel of Order?” he asked.

  “I’m gonna crack you open and have a look, Vassago. I know what should and shouldn’t be in a Prince of Chaos.”

  “To what end?”

  “I’m going burn the living shit out of anything I don’t think should be there. I bet it’s going to hurt like a son-of-a-bitch, and it might even kill you, so you have that going for ya, which is nice.”

  “You would not know where to begin, I am of the First Fall, human. I am more complex than you could possibly—”

  Kellan interrupted with a wave of his hands, “More complex than Asmodeus?”

  Vassago’s eyes snapped up, locking with Kellan’s and something appeared which was not there moments before: hesitation. “No, not more complex, Sentinel of Order. We were the same.”

  “Uh huh, and everything he was, I took into myself. I know what makes an Archdemon tick.”

  “You would burn me to fuel creation? You are worse than Maurius!” yelled the demon. “At least he does not dress up his intentions with false words.”

  “Oh shut the hell up,” yelled Kellan, “I have no intention of absorbing your chaotic mojo. There’s already way too much violet,” he pointed to his own eyes, “in here for my liking. Don’t look surprised, Vassago, this particular talking ape understands the ramifications of fusing Chaos with Order. No thanks.”

  The demon looked thoughtful then said, “My High Prince says you are an honorable man. He says you are a man with whom one can do business. He never lies. I will allow this thing you suggest.”

  “Wait, wait, wait,” said Meghan stepping between the two and glaring at Kellan. “Is he talking about Lucifer? Did you just get a testimonial from Satan himself. Kellan, over the entire span of your weird little nerd-life, I’ve heard some crazy shit directed at or about you, but, really? Lucifer?” She shook her head but stepped to the side, mumbling, “We’re gonna die. I know it.”

  “C’mon Meghan, think positively!”

  “Fine, I’m positive we’re going to die. Happy?”

  “Very. Ok, Mr. Crabs, here we go!”

  Kellan concentrated and fixed his intent firmly in his mind. All the Ordered energy he had summoned coalesced around his right arm and hand, runes glowing so brightly that they appeared almost white. He slammed his hand in the middle of Vassago’s chest and willed his power into the demon. There was a bright spark of violet and Kellan was thrown backwards into the tunnel wall where he hit with a whoosh as the air left him. He slid down the wall and fell to his knees. Meghan growled something unintelligible and leaped back onto the demon while retrieving her holstered Glock.

  “Wait!” called Kellan as he staggered to his feet. “Wait, my fault. Just…wait.” He walked over and lifted Vassago’s arm to inspect the reconstituting seal. It was almost complete. Kellan breathed deeply and bent over with his hands resting on knees. “Man, I sure have been doubling over a lot these past couple days.” He took one last deep breath and straightened. “Ok, that was stupid of me. I cannot force Ordered power into you, Vassago unless I know your one True name.”

  “No, I will not—”

  Kellan raised a hand, “Not asking for it because I don’t need it. You can allow me to channel Ordered power into you. I needed Asmodeus’ one True name because, well, because he was trying to kill me. I’m trying to help you, so just let the power in.” Vassago stared at Kellan, clearly uncertain. “Dude, we really don’t have much time here. I’ve literally stopped the she-devil here from killing you half a dozen times, your boss has a crush on me, what more do you need?”

  Vassago gave a last shake of his head, but said, “Come! I will not resist.”

  Kellan stood and repeated the process. This time, as his hand struck, he felt the Ordered power flow from him and hit the same resistance, but the barrier slowly bent and parted. The Sentinel and demon both threw their heads back, eyes sparking red, then green, with momentary flashes of violet.

  The Sentinel felt himself stepping into his inner world, but no, he corrected himself, this was not his world. All around him was a barren rocky landscape and in its center spread a large, deep, lake of roiling crimson power. It was not as large or deep as his own flowing river, which, Kellan absently thought, was probably a good thing. Bands of the red energy leaped from the lake and spun then fell back. He focused on the power but sensed no raw intelligence in it as he had with Nurisha before she became the personification of his own power.

  Ok, thought Kellan, Now what? Well, look for something that doesn’t fit. How the hell should I know what doesn’t fit. Because of Asmodeus, idiot. Dude, we were lying to Vassago about that. Oh. Now stop, this me vs me debate is going to break something in our head. I’m just going to scour the whole landscape for anything that seems a little off and hope for the best.

  Kellan pictured his power forming a massive wave of emerald energy that would wash across the landscape carrying with it anything but what should naturally remain. As he formed the thought, intuition flared in his mind. He could utterly destroy this demon by simply releasing his power without such guidance. He could cleanse it clean of Chaos and the shell would simply crumple.

  Or, you could take it

  “Who said that?” Kellan yelled as he spun around to find a duplicate of himself standing there. “Oh, you did?”

  Yes.

  “And who, exactly, are you” asked Kellan. “I don’t see pointy ears so you’re not my Vulcan-self.”

  I’m you, of course.

  “Oh no, you’re not me. You’re evil me. You are the Vadar-Luke me from the tree, me.”

  I’m practical you.

  “Practical is what evil people say when they suggest doing something evil. I’m not listening to you.” Kellan turned away from his mirror self and, again, formed the image of the emerald wave in his mind.

  Just take a little of it, whispered his darker reflection.

  “No, dude. Now stop talking. I’m trying to concentrate here.”

  You’ll regret it, evil Kellan said in a sing song voice.

  “Not listening,” replied Kellan with the same intonation. He closed his eyes to focus his intent then released the fullness of his power within the Archdemon.

  Kellan felt himself ripped from the inner world and hurled backward through the air. Meghan caught him and gently set Kellan on the ground. He looked into her concerned eyes and shook his head in confusion. As his mind cleared he asked, “Did it work?”

  Meghan turned him to face the demon and said, “It did something.” Vassago’s entire body shimmered with cracks radiating all over it through which green light spilled. “I think he’s going to
explode into crab bits,” she added.

  “Damn, I thought it would—”

  “Wait, look,” said Meghan, “holy crap, Kellan.”

  The green cracks widened across four of the legs and the bulbous protuberance in the rear. The five large appendages each pulled free and puffed away into black fetid smoke. The open wounds then dimmed as the green light faded to be replaced scant seconds later with an intense, red, aura. In less than a minute, it was finished and Vassago stared down at the two of them.

  Large black leather wings lay folded tightly against his back. He crouched, rose again, then flexed each of his remaining two legs. Were it not for the bony protrusions, his restored legs and feet would have appeared largely human. Vassago felt along his back where the bulbous area had been and Kellan saw an almost mortal look of relief pass across his face as his eyes widened in wonder.

  “I…I am restored. I would not have believed it possible, but I am restored.”

  Kellan grinned, “I never had a moment’s doubt.”

  “Now, you just watch, this bastard demon is going to try and kill us,” said Meghan darkly.

  “I will do no such thing, daughter of Lucifer.”

  “Heh, daughter of Lucifer,” chuckled Kellan.

  She jabbed him and glared at Vassago, “It’s great-great grand daughter.”

  The demon waved his hand dismissively, “That distinction is a thing of humans. You are daughter to my High Prince and you,” he pointed to Kellan, “restored me to myself. I am in your debt and will never raise a hand against you or yours.”

  “Well that’s very nice to—” began Kellan but Vassago continued

  “I so swear it!” Power flooded out from the Archdemon warping the air as it buffeted Kellan and Meghan. Before either of them could respond, a portal opened, Vassago stepped through and it closed behind him.

  “Huh,” said Kellan as he stared at the open space before them, “I guess he’s not one for conversation. With minions like that, it’s no wonder Lucifer likes to chat with me.” Meghan just stared at the young Sentinel, shaking her head. “What?” asked Kellan innocently.