Of Kings and Demons

by Han, George

  “Disgrace to the Angels,” Barbatos said.

  “Pride precedes a fall, Darius.”

  “Your sermons again.” Barbatos rolled his eyes and said, “You’d underestimated the power of darkness.”

  “Mercy, patience, and guidance are the ways to raise them,” Gwyneth retorted.

  “You have tried. For two thousand years. What’s the score like?” Barbatos sneered.

  Gwyneth answered with a swing of her scepter that released a ball of white energy at Barbatos. However, the dark lord vaporized it with ease of a twist of his hand. Like a phantom, Barbatos reappeared behind Gwyneth.

  The Angel preempted him with a kick that hit Barbatos’s torso.

  “I am impressed,” Barbatos began to say, but a second kick cut him off and hit him on the chest. “Is this the best you could do?”

  “Better than a shameless ploy to kidnap the little girl.”

  “Gwyneth, this is no kidnap.”

  Barbatos responded with wrapped fists and a fighting stance but Gwyneth was silent

  “Another of your grand schemes again?” Gwyneth swallowed hard. “When will you learn … Darius?”

  Barbatos cringed and shut his eyes.

  “Have you forgotten the original purpose of your existence?” Gwyneth continued.

  The Dark Lord raised his hands again. “Enough of your sentimentality. Lets continue our fight.”

  Lord Barbatos smiled and his physique began to mutate, His muscles burgeoned and the eyes burned red; horns began to sprout through his wavy hair.

  “Darius!”

  “Gwyneth!” Barbatos bellowed a reminder. “You should just worry about your friends.”

  “My friends?”

  As Gwyneth pondered, Barbatos had hurled over a ball of red energy. The White Angel raised her scepter tentatively, thinking of her comrades. The brutal power, like a stomp bull, sent her through the window and spiraling in freefall. A spell of darkness enveloped her, but she quickly gained consciousness and spotted a star-like spark of light darting towards her.

  It dropped faster than her and within moments, Gwyneth found herself in the custody and warmth of a furry cushion. Marz! The snow wolf had returned.

  Gwyneth reached the ground safely thanks to Marz’s agility. She hugged her

  loyal companion with brimming elation. She sensed the presence of somebody else and quickly.

  She checked her surroundings. Just yards away, a group of figures standing. Her

  taunt face dissolved into smiles.

  “Maganus!”

  “Gwyneth? Gwyneth!”

  Chapter 39

  Reunion

  When he woke, Marz was greeted by a wry smile. It belonged to the archer who had shot him. Marz howled and tried to stand but found his legs tied. He soon realized there were not just one but dozens of faces staring at him. The owner of the bow leapt onto the trunk of a fallen tree and cast an intimidating look at the white wolf.

  Marz studied him closely.

  Unimpressive in stature, standing at no more than five feet tall, he was a minion. He had a thick beard, huge inquisitive eyes, and a bulbous nose. The wrinkled face told Marz the being must be at least three hundred years of age.

  Marz’s suspicions were confirmed when he spotted the emblem craved on his belt—a leaping unicorn, the family symbol of the ancient dwarves. Marz howled aloud but his sudden motion frightened the dwarf.

  The dwarf turned to run but then stopped. He returned to face Marz, looking at him in expression of disbelief and anger. He sputtered in a loud and crude tone.

  “You can see me! You can actually see me!” the dwarf declared. “You are no ordinary wolf! Oh good gracious.”

  Marz sat quietly as the dwarf stepped near with a ready sword in hand. When the dwarf was only about a yard away, the snow wolf raised its bound feet. The glitter from the lace, tied on his hind leg, blinded the dwarf.

  As the dwarf drew closer to study the lace, he dwarf exclaimed “It cannot be,” He dropped to his knees and took Marz’s leg in his hand.

  “It is Gwyneth?”

  Marz nodded.

  “She gave it to you?”

  Before Marz could respond, branches rustled nearby and someone bellowed. “Duncan, do we shoot?”

  “Hold your arrows!” the dwarf shouted. “Nevin! Come down here!”

  Within seconds, a figure leapt from the heights of the tree with the agility of a squirrel and landed behind the crouching dwarf. The new arrival was a rotund being, half a head shorter than Duncan. He held a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. From their hiding positions, dozens of dwarves emerged and lowered their weaponry.

  Marz sniffed in relief as Duncan knifed the bind ropes loose.

  “Does this look familiar?” Duncan pointed to the lace on Marz’s leg.

  Nevin eyed it intently. His eyes widened and the bow and arrow slipped from his fingers. In quiet humility, he crossed his chest. Marz withdrew his leg and raised himself on all fours. In full height, Marz raised a loud howl that resonated through the forest.

  The dwarves exchanged looks.

  “Inform Lord Alfred. We need to act quickly.”

  Nevin obliged and raised a horn and blew in full power. A deep drone echoed through the woods, a summon to arms, a call to battle in aid of their Angel friends.

  #

  On the ground, Gwyneth had barely found her foothold when Maganus dashed over and gave a bear hug. Jin joined in the embrace; the trio’s reunion generated a swell of positive vibes. The ring of light of Affectus , positive angelic energy rippled across the span of darkness.

  Maganus stepped back and summoned Mathew to his side. The lad bowed, eyes fixed on Gwyneth.

  “It has been a while, Mathew,” she remarked.

  Mathew stared, spellbound by the White Angel’s beauty.

  “ I’m Gwyneth,” she said. “You do not remember me?”

  Mathew’s eyebrows knitted, then faint images of a lady in white, the snow, the smile, and the eyes, shuttered in and out of his mind.

  Gwyneth prompted him. “You were no taller than a stool, my boy.”

  Mathew’s eyes brightened. “This was all predestined? My sister and I?”

  “Nothing ever is predestined, Mathew. I had visited you and your sister when you were much younger. I had to submerge your memories in case it disrupted your free will.”

  “I am really a kingling?”

  Gwyneth smiled. “I am not sure. The mandate covers both you and your sister. Whatever that person might be, please stay alive.”

  “I will, for my sister’s sake.”

  Gwyneth smiled. “She is with Barbatos in the Castle.”

  Mathew’s face froze, and he instinctively reached for his sword.

  “She is the bait. You came for her. Barbatos succeeded.”

  “As I had expected,” Jin murmured. “Then the real plot is just about to unfold.”

  “We must go back for her!” Mathew said.

  “You don’t have to.”Maganus remarked dryly “ Barbatos will bring her to us,”

  Jin and Gwyneth nodded in unison.

  Gwyneth added “He nearly killed me.” She noticed the twitching of Maganus’s beard and asked, “What is wrong, my old friend?”

  “I can’t wait to meet him.” He clenched his hands, the bones crackling with determination. “That traitor.”

  “You will have your chance,” Gwyneth said. “What are we up against?”

  “Familiars, Demons, and everything else they have got on Earth.”

  “It will be our combat,” Jin said.

  Gwyneth grabbed Mathew by his arm. “Be prepared. We will see daylight.”

  “Daylight!” Maganus cried as the rest chorused.

  “Be prepared? I am clueless.” Mathew asked.

  Gwyneth flashed a smile and gave Jin the cue. The Guardian Angel summoned his bow and gently twanged his bow. Instantly, an arrow blazed towards the dark woods. Like a firebird, the arrow illuminated the landscape
and the menance, the Angels had hinted, materialized like a horror drama.

  Mathew and the Guardian Angels saw the size of their threat—an army of familiars that numbered in the thousands was advancing towards them. At the head of the demonic horde was Count Raum, mounted on a menacing Cerberus.

  The spectacle knocked the group into a rambling silence. Their faces were grim except Maganus who expressed his amazement with a whistle. The stomping of the hordes shook the ground. Mathew felt his heart trembled as the ground shook beneath him. He looked at the Angels next to him and clamped his jaws, then he tightened his grip on his sword.

  “How about showing them what we have got,” Gwyneth raised her voice.

  “Good idea,” Jin sad. “Who wants to go first?”

  “We flip a coin?” Maganus said.

  Gwyneth countered. “A coin has only two sides; there are three of us.”

  “Gwyneth, you should rest,” Jin said.

  Gwyneth retorted “Jin, they are coming for us, all of us. They don’t care if I need a break.”

  Jin eyed Maganus, who said. “How about the human method of scissors, paper, and stone?”

  “Brilliant, Always the prank—” Gwyneth remarked.

  A deafening chorus of demonic shrills cut her off, and a cacophony of battle horns and drums blanketed the fields.

  “Better hurry,” Gwyneth said and put a fist forth. Maganus smiled and did the same, followed by Jin.

  “I will be the mediator,” Father Bellator said. “One, two, three …”

  But only Gwyneth and Jin showed their hands. Maganus turned and ran to the frontline. “I am more senior.” He winked “I go first.”

  “Where is your code of honour?” Gwyneth shouted.

  Maganus ignored her, shut his eyes, and focused his energies. He raised his battleaxes to the sky and roared “Triumphus ut miles militis of bonus copiae copie!”

  A gale rose and bolts of energy struck the advancing Familiars. The first column of Demons dropped like punctuated dolls, mowed down. There was momentary chaos but Count Raum was a charismatic commander, calmed his legions and ordered them back into formation.

  “They are advancing again,” Father Bellator said.

  “It is not over, Father,” Maganus said. He clasped his hands and prayed aloud. The chants was barely audible initially but soon grew loud and intense. The Angel of the Woods extended his hands clasped like an arrow and cried, “Triumphus miles militis of Olympus!”

  A bolt of lightning sprang from the steady hands and tore into the advancing army. Familiar spirits—goblins and imps burst into flame, sending the rank and file into panic, and the advance rolled to a halt.

  Mathew stood in awe of the Angel’s impressive show of power and ran over. “Maganus, that—” Then he paused mid-sentence as he caught sight of the Maganus’s haggard face.

  “Good lord.” Mathew asked.

  “How did you know? The Lord was good,” Maganus joked as he staggered towards Jin. “Your turn?”

  J in had barely replied when a heart-wrenching shrill torn through the air rocketing towards them. A dark-winged creature swooped like a crescendo.

  Eberhard!

  The new arrival crash-landed into Maganus and sent the Angel of Woods rolling across the field like a loose ball of iron. The Angel steamrolled the trees as if they were made of paper and disappeared into the darkness with the gargoyle chieftain in hot pursuit.

  “I must face them alone,” Jin declared.

  #

  They made their way unhindered, down the corridor, through the famous Crypt, and headed for the stairs. The great corridors of power, the majestic Capital Building, sat silent, while on the outside, the pandemonium raged on of rattling guns, dying men, and shrilling of winged demons shrills.

  “ Walter, you are fine?”

  The governor had clenched his fist.

  “I just sorry for those men out there, dying.” Walter lowered his head and shook his head. He turned to Eugene and muttered. “I will remember this and those bastards will pay for it.”

  The pair turned a corner but was dismayed to find a few gargoyles at the end of the corridor ripping apart bodies and chewing on the parts.

  “Can I kill them?”

  Glasses shattered and shearing shrills told Walter caution is another form of valour. Patrick grabbed him by the arm “Let’s run. We need to hide.”

  They sprinted down the corridor, across the Crypt through the Halls of Columns, where statues of such eminent Americans as Francis Preston Blair and Edmund Kirby Smith were on display.

  Eugene grabbed Walter by the shoulder and lifted him off the ground, his wings in full majestic white as they flew through the hall. Behind him, gargoyles were on scalding hot pursuit.

  Eugene’s momentum was shaken when a gargoyles torn at his wings with its long talons. The Angel dropped Walter haplessly. In a suave barrel roll, the Angel positioned himself over the gargoyles. With two swift motions, he smashed the Demons into pieces.

  Eugene turned back and looked for Walter but was stumped to find Bruno at one end of the hall, surrounded by his troopers. He had struck an authoritative pose, hands on hips and gleaming with hauteur

  “Angel boy, do you think you are going to walk out alive?” he said and flared his nostrils.

  Eugene landed and studied the siege, the overwhelming presence of the gargoyles. What chances now?

  The Guardian Angel swallowed hard as his eyes alternated between a furious Walter and emboldened Bruno.

  “Walter.”

  “I wish I had a pistol or stick. It sickened me to see these beasts clawing their way up the white walls of Congress.”

  “Calm.”

  “This is the highest lawmaking entity of the land, sacred ground of the noblest of ideas and principles of mankind. They are not fit to be here.”

  Eugene nodded and turned to Bruno.

  “Your presence, all of you, is a stark flout of the rules of engagement set by God. You do not belong on Earth.”

  Bruno laughed. “What can do you about it?”

  Eugene continued. “One gamble, a gamble that your side will lose.”

  “Bah!” Bruno spat. “Hubris before you breath your last!”

  Eugene turned towards Walter “I am sorry. I will never surrender so let’s fight.”

  Then the Guardian Angel turned to Bruno and announced. “You will have to beat me, beast!”

  Eugene stood his ground and unleashed a bolt of energy, which felled a couple of gargoyles. The other gargoyles joined in and Eugene had to fight blow for blow until he crushed the final foe. Eugene caught a glimpse of Bruno, who stood at the far end gloating over the Angel’s futile effort. More squadrons of the gargoyles now joined their lieutenant who was rearing for the final kill. As the prospect of final termination weighed crushingly on his heart, an idea struck him.

  He looked at the ceiling then at Bruno who was now leaping towards him like a ravenous hound, backed like packs of beasts. When they were just a leapt away, Eugene dropped his warhammer and ripped the golden cross from his neck. Clutching the cross to his chest, Eugene begun to chant in earnest. “Guardians of Congress—Custodia of Congressus. Audite meus citatus.” His sonorous voice resonated through the Capitol like an angry stream of water and swept the gargoyles away.

  A lull followed before tremours shook the building. Floor tiles popped like ripe popcorns as the pillars squeaked and wall-mounted lights fell. Eugene held his breath and kept up his prayers.

  Bruno joined them in with one audacious dive. He came to within a yard of Eugene but was immobilized, glued to the spot.

  “Never knew you know trickery,” Bruno grimaced as he tried to break free.

  Eugene ignored the remarks and focused his energy on his final summon for help, his last distress call. Blood was now streaking from the corner of his mouth.

  “I remembered what you did to me,” Bruno said, as his wings flexed. With a roar, the Demon raised his claws, ready to crush the Guardian A
ngel. His talons were just inches away from Eugene’s silvery hair when something grabbed the creature’s arm.

  Bruno was stunned. He swung around to see the statue of John Winthrop, one of the eminent Americans honoured at the Congressional building, alive! Bruno received a disapproving glare before he was thrown to the floor. All around, statues had come to life and joined in to battle the gargoyles.

  Eugene grinned. The guardians of congress had responded to his call for help! Eugene had heard about the Guardians of Congress from senior Angels. They acted as custodians of the venue, asleep but vigilant and ready to help. When the statues were first constructed, they were all blessed with the powers by the Angels, who bestowed on them the powers to guard the sacred venue of the legislative power, Congress.

  Eugene had a showdown with a startled Bruno. His hands were steady and his faith like rock as he smashed the torso of Bruno and crushed the head of the demon like a nutmeg. The dissipation of the Demon’s life was accompanied by a long groan and a whiff of darkness that spiraled into the air.

  It was a long battle and when the hour lapsed, the guardians eliminated the battalion of gargoyles, smashing the last of them to fragments. Eugene dropped his head in relief and slumped to the ground. He turned to Walter, who had had extended his arms. Blood streaked from governor’s temples and his nose was swollen from punches. He had survived, and flashed the winner’s grin despite the ugly wounds.

  The pair embraced. They had survived.

  “Thank you, Angel” Walter grimaced.

  Eugene nodded and remembered an unfinished business. He stood by Walter and turned to face his savior, the traditional Guardians of Congress. In unison, they bowed their thanks. Eugene’s back ached, his limbs were numb and his face wet with blood and sweat. His white eyebrows were stained red and grey. He was spent but he held his bow, a gesture of deep thanks. The statues of great men, who all had rendered exemplary service in their life, had saved his in their afterlife.

  “Thank you Gentlemen, it was a great honour to fight alongside you.”

  They acknowledged in unison and returned to their anointed positions and froze. Eugene patted Walter on the shoulder.

  “Governor, now do what you came here to do.”