6313 words (25 minute read)

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

As the sand and dust cleared, Rose could see dark figures moving around within the tunnels. Devlin’s predatory eyes glared at the nearest tunnel and bit out, “Fuck!”

“What is it?” Rose asked but knew the answer.

“Those tunnels are filled with ghouls and they’re marching this way!”

Rose gulped audibly as she saw the ghouls shambling out of the three tunnels and into the light of the day. The ghouls looked like they were a massive blob of molasses filling their section of the arena. They didn’t advance towards Rose and Devlin yet, but they were grouping together to make an impenetrable wall so that no one could leave and it was growing as more shambled out from the tunnels.

Devlin looked over at Rose and anxiously asked, “Now that we are unshackled, can you use your magic?” Rose held the palms of her hands out and focused on them to create a fireball, but nothing happened. Rose grunted in frustration but Devlin clasped her hand and inquired with concern in his voice, “What about grounding yourself and creating another protective bubble?”

“I don’t know if I can or not.” Rose bit out gloomily, “It’s hard to concentrate with all those ghouls pushing down on us and the whole no weapons to defend ourselves -”

“You work on grounding yourself and I will keep an eye on our guests.”

“I’ll do what I can but no promises.” Rose said as she sat down on the ground to make a better connection to the Earth. Devlin put a hand on her shoulder which made her look up at the vampire. He was smiling, but Rose could see the concern written all over his face. Her heart swelled as she looked into Devlin’s eyes as she felt the love he had for her and she suspected that he could see the same in her eyes as well.

“I love you Rose and I will do everything in my power to keep you safe from harm,” Devlin glance back at the encroaching horde of ghouls and sadly added, “but no guarantees unfortunately.”

Devlin turned to move away, but Rose grasped his hand and squeezed. He looked back at her with a pinned breath and wished like hell that he could use his teleportation right now. Devlin wanted to take her back to his place so that she could be safe from all the nightmares of this world. She was so beautiful, smart, and strong willed that Devlin fell for her the moment he saw her back in Melona and those feelings he had for her only blossomed and grew more as he got to know her.

“I understand completely…and before it’s too late, I wanted to say – I mean, I want you to know that I love you too, Devlin. I never thought I could find someone that I could truly feel like this about. I don’t want you to die and I will do everything in my power to protect you too!”

“But no guarantees?” Devlin smiled as he kept glancing back at the ghouls.

“None whatsoever but fuck if I’m not going to try, damn it!” Rose spat out defiantly.

Devlin leaned down and pressed his lips firmly against her soft lips. She eagerly returned his kiss but then Devlin pushed away from her. He gave Rose a curt nod as he flashed his fangs at her before turning his full attention on the ghouls. Devlin let his claws extend fully as he anxiously awaited for the ghouls to make their first move. He wanted to rush headlong at them but that would leave Rose alone and exposed. That alone was what kept the vampire at bay.

Rose turned her back to Devlin so she wouldn’t become distracted by his closeness but also to put the thought of the ghouls out of her mind as well. She took several deep breaths to help calm and center herself. She noticed that her roots for her grounding slip out of her body easy enough, which was encouraging. Rose worked at guiding them down through the sands several feet before they ran into the gold flooring. Rose smiled as she attempted to use its properties to strengthen her magical connection to the Earth but then she felt something wrap around her roots and ripped them from her body.

Rose yelped as she doubled over in pain. Son of a bitch, what just happened? Rose reached behind her and rubbed her tail bone tentatively and cringed. The magical energy within her body was reverberating and it felt as though her grounding roots had been sling shot back into her body violently. Rose found herself lying in the sand on the verge of tears when she heard Devlin shout in a panic, “Rose! What Wrong?”

“N-Nothing!” Rose grunt in pain as she tried to catch her breath. She pushed herself upright wincing and then heard laughter and the mocking voice of Sorath in her head, “Ah, ah, ah, my little harlot! There will be no magic allowed in the arena. You are officially cut off and have to survive using your physical attributes against my fallen warriors. I’m sure they will make easy work of a powerless sorceress like you. Rest assured, your flesh shall be rendered and torn from your sin-coated body slowly before you know it.

Rose glanced over her shoulder and saw Devlin pacing back and forth, his claws extended and his eyes were almost completely red. He looked vicious and deadly but there was no way he could take out all these ghouls by himself. Rose stood up, her legs felt shaky from what Sorath had done to her but she was determined to stand with the vampire. I may be cut off from my magic, Rose thought stoically, but that doesn’t mean I won’t go down without a fight. The number of ghouls had swelled to a staggering number and now several small groups shambled towards them. Devlin sensed Rose coming and he glared at her as he hissed, “Make your protective bubble now, Rose!”

“I can’t. Sorath has me cut off from everything, even the Earth itself.”

“What will you do now?” Devlin narrowed his red eyes.

“What else is there for me to do? I have no choice. If I have to fight on his terms, so be it. But if I’m to die today, I’m going down swinging!”

“I want you behind me at all times! I can protect you -”

Rose snorted half-heartedly - “Hello! It doesn’t matter where you strategically place me Devlin, we are outnumbered a good hundred to one! Do you really think WE are getting out of this alive? You might but I won’t!”

“Damn it, Rose don’t think like that! Give me a chance to -”

“No Devlin! As much as I love that fact that you’re willing to protect me when I’m practically helpless, the fact of the matter is that unless some miracle happens, I’m as good as dead and you know it too. If I’m to die, I want to be by your side and on my feet, not cowering in a corner for Sorath’s amusement.”

Rose cringed as she heard Duncan scream in pain but didn’t dare look away from Devlin. He was so tightly wound up that he might explode if she touched him. Devlin jerked his head to his left and in a flash, he was slashing away at the nearest throng of ghouls. His supernatural speed took Rose by surprise as he made easy work of the ghouls and it gave her a moment of hope. Devlin rejoined Rose looking like the nocturnal predator with his lips curled back in a snarl and fangs extended. His hands were now drenched in black ichor as he resumed his pacing.

“I can do this! I can protect you Rose!” Devlin snarled but never looking her way.

“I believe you.” Rose replied but still wasn’t quite sold on it. Devlin may have his speed and killer instincts, but there were still too many ghouls and only two of them. Rose bit her bottom lip as her anxiety increased when more ghouls shambled pasted the ones that Devlin had killed. Devlin roared as he moved once more to kill the oncoming threat. He slashed throats with one hand and ripped the heads off with his other hand. Another group of ghouls pushed forward towards Rose, their mouths already chopping and covered in that sickly green ooze.

At that moment, more ghouls swarmed around Devlin. They pawed at him, trying to get a firm grip on any part of the vampire’s body but it seemed that he was able to weave and duck their grasp and take their hands off for good measure. Rose automatically flung her hands forward to throw several fireballs, but nothing happened. She cursed herself as well as Sorath for repressing her magic. What’s the point of being a sorceress if I can’t burn some assholes alive? Rose wanted to run in and help Devlin but there was nothing she could do. Devlin roared in pain as one of the ghouls managed to take a bite out of his back.

Rose couldn’t stop herself from bolting towards Devlin. To hear him in pain like that tore at her heart and made her want to pull him back from the fight and protect him. Rose yelled, “Hey!” as her head got yanked back by her hair and was dragged away from Devlin. Rose lost her footing and fell to the ground but that didn’t deter the ghoul that had a handful of her hair from pulling her back into the waiting throng. Rose desperately dug her heels into the sand to slow the ghoul’s movement or better yet, get away but all she got for her trouble was more pain in her scalp.

Rose frantically hit and yanked on the ghoul’s arm. Maybe I can break its arm, Rose thought in a panic. The ghoul let out a haunting laugh that could only be made by the dead and its words made Rose’s skin crawl.

“Cleanse you…we will…hunger for…your flesh…we will…eat you…slowly…unclean one…”

The ghoul turned and reached down and grabbed Rose roughly under her arm. It yanked Rose up momentarily and then tossed her on the ground face first. Rose spat out the sand that had filled her mouth on impact but then she noticed feet all around her. A lot of feet! Rose panicked as she squirmed and tried to crawls away but was assailed by hands from every direction. They flipped Rose over onto her back and held her down by her arms and legs.

“Make her…cleansing last…Jesus commands…this…”

The ghouls surrounding her all dropped to their knees, the hunger in their ghostly eyes flashed as they drew closer with their mouths quivering. Rose wanted to scream for help, but in her terror-stricken state, she let out was a high pitch squeal and it didn’t last. The ghouls pulled up Rose’s sweater up to her chin. The sickly green ooze dripped along her abdomen before the first of the ghouls leaned down and sunk its disease ridden teeth into Rose’s soft flesh.

Rose screamed in pain as more of her flesh and muscles were gnashed and pulled away in chunks. One of the ghouls held her head up by her hair but didn’t make a move to bite her. Realization hit Rose as one of the ghouls took a chunk from her bicep that they were intending for her to watch as they eat her alive. More bites rained down on her tights as they lifted her legs up in the air and then the ghouls took a bite from her calves. Rose screamed as loud as she could but wasn’t sure anyone could hear her and there was a good chance Devlin was already dead.

From somewhere nearby, Rose heard a terrible growl and a primal scream that would have caused her to freeze in her tracks. Devlin. He was either being ripped apart or the one doing the ripping. Maybe he will get these things off me, Rose hoped as her body began to shake from all the trauma. The ghoul holding her head up leaned down and rasped, “Not done…with you…yet, heathen.” And then it sunk its teeth down in the bend of her neck. Rose panted heavily as more tears streamed down her cheeks.

An explosion of energy boomed all around and the ghouls paused for a moment. Several of the ghouls stood up and were looking away but it didn’t prevent the ones holding her down from biting down on her limbs. Devlin frantically attacked every ghoul he could reach, but which each one he downed, another one jumped in to take its place. Rose was the only thing that was consuming his mind as well as his hunger which was warring to take him over completely. He heard her screams and moans of pain, each time it cut deep into Devlin’s heart with surgical precision.

“Devlin!”

Devlin shredded two more ghouls as he got closer to Rose but it still felt like she was a million miles away. He tired of taking heads off so Devlin started throwing punches and kicking then in the knees. He prayed that Rose would be alive and breathing by the time he got to her and hopefully Rose wasn’t in too rough of shape, but Devlin knew that would be a pipedream. Devlin didn’t care was shape Rose was in as long as she was alive, that was all that mattered.

“Devlin!”

Devlin cast a killing look in the direction from where the voice was coming from. It was Duncan running full speed towards him. The man was carrying his angelic sword as well as a bloody broadsword. Duncan heaved the broadsword, sending it twirling end over end, and it landed in the sand two feet from Devlin. He snatched the broadsword up and let out a furious roar as he sliced his way towards the ghouls that had his Rose surrounded.

“I’M COMING ROSE!” Devlin howled.

The ghouls that were holding her down and gnawing on her limbs each stood up to form a line with several other ghouls to stop the crazed vampire that was approaching them. Each one had blood covering their mouths, a sign that they all took part in hurting Rose. Devlin glared as he swung the broadsword, cleaving heads clean off as he used his supernatural speed to sprint around the ghouls. As the last of the ghouls dropped dead in the sand, Devlin stabbed the broadsword into the sand and gingerly pulled Rose up into his arms.

“Oh Gods!” Rose stammered as she shook uncontrollably in Devlin’s arms, “T-the p-pain – it h-hurts so b-bad!”

“It’s okay Rose, I’m here now and I won’t let them get to you.” Devlin said as he stroked her hair.

“K-kill me!” Rose pleading asked, “I-I can’t take it!”

Devlin held back the tears as he inspected her body. The ghouls took their sweet time at picking where to bite. They didn’t tear her to pieces like they would normally do, which told him that they wanted Rose to suffer. Devlin growled as he was ready to pick up the broadsword once more and behead every single one of the ghouls that kept piling in the arena but he didn’t want to leave Rose in her vulnerable state. Devlin didn’t have the strength to hold back his emotions as he cried while shaking his head, “I failed you Rose. I couldn’t protect you and now you’re paying for my failure.”

“No, I t-told you this – it was g-going to…” Rose babbled incoherently as her eye rolled around as the pain increased, “J-just end my misery!”

Duncan stood next to them and saw how bad Rose was and then he commanded, “Get her and your ass behind me! You take care of her the way you know how and I will deal with these pricks once and for all.”

Devlin gasped – “You want me to attempt to turn her! Right here, right now?”

“Do it for her sake, I’m not losing either of you! I know you love Rose and that’s fine by me!”

“It may not work in her current condition…” Devlin said with sadness, “She may die! This isn’t a guaranteed transformation like in those damn movies!”

“You owe it to her to try!” Duncan snarled as he grabbed Devlin by his arm, “Either way, Rose will be out of her pain and suffering and if it’s by your hand that Rose dies, she will be grateful for that too!”

“I-I love y-you…” Rose croaked out as Duncan placed a hand on her forehead. She appeared to calm down as her body stopped shaking. Duncan glanced at the vampire and coldly said, “Do it before my magic wears off. I’m going to clean house so get behind me, I don’t want either of you caught in the blast.”

Devlin nodded as he lifted Rose up and held her close to his body. He tugged her sweater back down as he walked away from Duncan towards the nearest wall, still crying and uncertain if turning Rose into a vampire would work or not. Rose ran a hand up and down Devlin’s chest as she smeared the black ichor around, making small swirl patterns.

“You should change your clothes, they’re filthy!” Rose giggled, “Or take them off you dirty boy!”

Confused, Devlin asked, “Are you okay, my love?”

“Sure!” Rose squeaked with a grin, “I feel like I’ve been doped up on morphine and dilaudid so it’s all good. Oh your eyes are so red and pretty, I can see myself in them! Can you paint my nails that color?”

“Of course we can,” Devlin said with amusement, “but first I need make you a vampire. Are you okay with that?”

“Oh does that mean I can suck on your blood?” Rose asked with a cackle, “Just don’t leave more scars like on my arms, sweetheart and I’m all for it.”

Devlin sat down with his back against the wall while cradling Rose on his lap. He lifted her up so that she could lean against his chest, her blood that coursed through her body calling to his hunger like a dinner bell. Devlin bit down on his wrist and as his own blood trickled out, he held it to Rose’s lips and purred, “Drink up, my little vampire vixen.”

Rose let out a giggle, still intoxicated by what Duncan had done to her, and bit down on his wrist. He smiled as he leaned in and said, “My turn to bite you sweetheart. Keep drinking until you can’t drink no more.” Rose murmured something unintelligibly back but kept on drinking. Devlin brushed Rose’s hair aside and slowly licked her neck along her carotid artery. Rose shivered as she tilted her head more for Devlin, which made his fangs ache to pierce her soft skin. He opened his mouth and with a small pop, Devlin’s fangs entered Rose’s neck.

Euphoria struck Devlin as he lapped up Rose’s blood. Her blood was the sweetest he had ever tasted and it took all his willpower to hold back his hunger’s demand to drain her dry. His eyes rolled back and he noticed that his member was now fully erect and beginning to get painful in his tight pants. Rose slipped her hand down and touched Devlin’s rock hard shaft and asked with delight, “Is that for me?”

Devlin groaned as he pulled away from her neck – “Yes it is Rose, but not now…unfortunately. Now get back to drinking if you want to live long enough to see and play with it.”

“Awww, you’re no fun.” Rose demurely added with a wicked grin, “I’d rather fuck it than play with it!” Rose giggled as she resumed drinking from Devlin’s wrist. Devlin slipped his fangs back inside Rose and let out a silent pray to any gods or goddesses to help Rose survive the transformation because he didn’t want to lose her.

Duncan stoically stood before the massive horde of ghouls as the shambled towards him and his friends. He gripped the hilt of the angelic sword tightly causing the blade to glow with a purple flame. Duncan could sense that they were communicating with each other and could feel the uncertainly in their collective dead minds somehow.

They are uncertain of what we are and fear us too, Duncan. They have witnessed a mere fraction of our power and now hesitate. Shall we show them more?” The magical energy chuckled.

“You can read their minds?” Duncan muttered quietly. He would have felt shock by this but then again, his world had dramatically change recently to the point that anything was possible now.

More like the energy that binds them and keeps them alive. It is similar to us but ours is natural where theirs was created through summoning. Enough of our energy can break the bonds that keep them living, we proved that weeks ago though you don’t remember that.

Duncan shuddered with the recollection of being eaten alive by the ghouls that had ran him down back in Melona. It was a memory that Duncan would prefer stay buried. Seeing Rose with all those bite marks all over her body didn’t help either as it made the memory of his attack flood his mind. He wanted to use the same kind of energy blast that saved him back near Melona, but he was unsure if he could do it, let alone control it.

“Is it possible to recreate that blast of energy?”

The magical energy chuckled - “Indeed it is and now that we are one, we can use our blade as a conduit for the blast. With focus and together, we can control where it goes. Hold the weapon with both hand and focus on the ghouls and imagine them burning to ash. Our power will manifest itself as we do this and when we are ready, release it on them!

Sorath, still in the guise of Jesus, stood at the edge of the arena just behind the ghouls. He made his way to witness the execution of Duncan as well as the cleansing of his friends. Sorath may have been able to stop the woman from using her Earth magic but Duncan had managed to use his like there were no enchantments or sigils warding. He was shocked when he saw Duncan had armed himself and beheaded his wife, but the sword he wielded was Penemuel’s angelic blade. Impossible! No mortal could wield one of our sacred weapons! How was this possible? Sorath would need to get closer to see if it truly was Penemuel’s sword but for now, he wanted to witness the man fall to his fallen warriors. I could inspect it better when I pry it from his cold, fleshless hands, Sorath mused as he steepled his fingers together.

Duncan grasped the hilt of his angelic sword with both his hands and took several deep breaths. He focused on the massive horde of ghouls with his steely gaze and then he could feel his inner magical energy building up. Duncan imagined that he was dumping a huge vat of gasoline all over the ghouls and before his eyes, he saw each one of them coated with a purple haze. The magical energy gave off a sense of pride as it grew stronger, which meant what Duncan was seeing was real and that he had done it and in turn, gave Duncan more confidence in himself. The blade grew brighter as the purple flames danced with power that begged to be unleashed. Duncan recalled that feeling when it when unchecked throughout his own body. It felt painful and at the time, he wondered if his body would explode but using the sword to control the magical energy, Duncan felt more at peace and clear-headed.

Duncan roared as he thrust his sword forward and release a blast of purple flames that swept through all the ghouls. They moaned and shrieked as they tried to brush off the flaming energy but nothing they did could put it out. One by one, the ghouls disintegrated, leaving behind clouds of blackened ashes covering the sand where they stood. Duncan made sure to send the purple flames through the tunnels and wipe any ghouls that were still lurking within them. Breathing heavily, Duncan lowered his sword as he let a smile of satisfaction and accomplishment wash over him. The on looking crowd fell silent, complete shock washed over Sorath’s followers as they had never witness such raw power in their lives. Several people finally spoke up and asked questions like, “What is he? Is he a man or a God?” another woman pleaded with Jesus as she spoke, “How can he do these things? Are you not our one and only God? Please tell me that this isn’t really happening? How is it that you can’t kill Duncan after all that you have done to him?”

Sorath anger grew with each question from his followers. They sounded more like accusations and as the questions came from his people, doubts were seeping into their minds and as it did he could feel the power he garnered from them weakening. It took a hit when Duncan kill Pamela, but after the massacre of his fallen warriors, Sorath almost doubled over in pain and his head was throbbing from the massive loss of power. Unable to listen to his people any more, Sorath gave Duncan a baleful gaze as he flew towards him like he was shot out of a canon. He slammed into Duncan’s midsection and flew with him in his arm as he tried to gain altitude.

Duncan could now see through Sorath’s guise now that he and his magical energy were working in tandem. He reached out and grabbed Sorath’s tendril wings and started ripping them from his body. Sorath howled in pain as they came crashing back down on the sand below them. Duncan hadn’t pulled all of Sorath’s wings out, but it was enough to keep him taking him up in the sky and having the fallen angel let go of him. Sorath snarled as he punched Duncan in his face repeatedly, “This is all your fault! If you hadn’t meddled in my affairs then none of this would be happening right now! You have no idea of how terrible my wrath will be!”

Duncan blocked one Sorath’s punches and used his hips to roll to buck the fallen angel off of him while throwing a punch into his ribs. His hand stung as it made contact with Sorath’s body armor but it was just enough of a blow to knock him off. Duncan scrambled up and onto his feet and assumed a fighter’s stance, waiting for Sorath to make his move. Sorath rose up slowly as he glared at Duncan but noticed he held something in his hand and was shaking it so he would notice it.

“Are these yours, Jesus?” Duncan mocked as he threw Sorath’s tendril wings at him, “Looks like you’ve been grounded by a human. I’m sure that’s gotta sting that over-inflated ego of yours!”

“It does but it will be soothed by your death!” Sorath reached over his shoulder and unsheathed his crimson sword, “I’m done playing nice. I gave you the chance to repent yours sins and have your body cleansed as well, but you spat in my face at every turn. I’m going to enjoy ripping your heart out and placing your head on a pike so all may see what happens when someone defies us as my disciples and I march across this pitiful world and take what is rightfully ours!”

Duncan yawned as he extended his arm and called his angelic sword to him and said, “If you’re going to kill me with your preaching, then you have succeeded. But if you’re done whining, then by all means make your move, you wanna-be Messiah!”

Sorath narrowed his gaze as he inspected Duncan’s purple flaming sword and felt a cold chill run up his spine.

“No! That’s Penemuel’s sword! How is it that you can wield his weapon, you abomination?”

“What this?” Duncan said cheerfully as he twirled the angelic sword, “He was kind enough to donate it to me so I use it to kill him. I’m thinking about expanding my collection when I claim yours, care to donate now or should just take it from you too?”

“Never!” Sorath roared as his anger got the best of him. He slashed and stabbed at Duncan with blinding speed, but none of his blow got past Duncan’s guard which added to the fallen angel’s anger and frustration as Duncan parried with each move. Duncan could hear his magical energy singing in his mind as it wanted him to stab Sorath and hopefully pierce the armor. He wanted nothing more than to take off the fallen angel’s head but his magical energy was insistent that he stab him first. Who was he to argue with it, after all it was the one keeping him alive because if Duncan didn’t have his magical energy aiding him, Sorath would have already sliced into a thousand little pieces.

Duncan pressed his attack on Sorath and with each clash of their blades, sparks flew and the flames on his sword flared and would blind Sorath. Duncan used all his strength and kicked at Sorath’s knee. The fallen angel cried out in pain as he collapsed down on the ground but managed to parry away Duncan’s attacks. Sorath reached down and grabbed a handful of sand and flung it at Duncan’s face. Duncan staggered back as he rubbed the sand from his eyes. Sorath began glowing slightly as he stood up grimacing as he put all his weigh on his crippled leg. He sneered at Duncan as hobbled towards him, steadying his body for a killing blow as his leg healed itself.

“You fought well for a mortal, but now you must face my final judgment and it is death!”

Duncan got just enough sand out of his eyes to see Sorath with his sword raised above his head. The fallen angel stopped glowing and a malicious grin spread across his perfect visage as he brought his sword down on Duncan. With his magical energy, Duncan threw a hook punch so hard and fast that his fist connect with Sorath’s blade and knocked it out of his hands. The sword flew across the arena and end up buried halfway into the wall. Sorath could only stare at his own sword as it vibrated. The fallen angel snapped out of his daze and tried to go after it but Duncan snatched him by his remaining tendril wings and pulled him back to him.

“This is for all the hell you put this world, my friends, and myself!” Duncan hissed as he pressed the tip of his sword against Sorath’s back.

“My armor is enchanted you fool!” Sorath laughed, “Even though you have an angelic weapon, it will not pierce it!”

“Really? Well then let’s put those enchantments to the test, shall we?” Duncan replied as he focused his magical energy into the angelic sword and thrust it into Sorath’s back. The blade slid through the armor as though it were made of water and gave little resistance. Sorath howled in agony as Duncan hoisted him up in the air, letting his body slide down to the hilt of his sword. The fallen angel looked down at his chest in disbelief. Never in his existence had his armor failed to protect him and now he could feel the blade’s toxic ink magic spreading throughout his body. It felt like molten lava was being inject straight into his veins and Sorath’s perfect skin was blistering and turning black wherever his veins were.

A small burst of energy popped and Sorath’s guise was gone. Beneath Duncan’s feet, the sand sifted away and the gold flooring was brought back into it place as the arena ascended. Before long, Duncan was now back amongst Sorath’s followers and they all stared at Sorath in disbelief with their mouths gaping open. Duncan kept a close eye on the people, just in case any of them got the notion of trying to help the fallen angel but they all looked lost. Their eyes were vacant and void of all malice and the only emotion Duncan could see in them was sadness from utter betrayal, something Duncan knew too well.

“This is the one you worshipped all these years!” Duncan shouted as he shook Sorath like a flag for all to see, “His name is Sorath, the fallen angel, and he has tricked every one of you to do terrible things in his guise as Jesus! He is no Messiah, just a pathetic excuse of an angel!” Duncan gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands and slammed Sorath down on the golden floor and pulled it from his back. Sorath doubled over in a fetal position as the toxic ink burned inside him and the total loss of power that had vacuumed out of his body. Duncan poised himself as he prepared to decapitate the fallen angel when the sound of someone slowly clapping caught his attention. He turned his head in the general direction of the clapping and saw Purah standing meekly next to a being made of pure light. Duncan squinted his eyes as the light dimmed and he could make out the figure of a man that had perfect, unmarred skin and was dressed in black leather from head to toe.

His hair was long flowing and shimmered both silver and white even when he stood still. The source of his light was in his tendril wings which made it clear to Duncan that he was facing yet another angel. The unknown angel strolled towards him with a smile that made Duncan weary and cautious as he said melodiously, “Well done Duncan Morgan, you have won the day! Purah was kind enough to tell me all about you and the troubles happening down here but I see you have everything taken care of at the moment.”

Duncan narrowed his eyes and asked, “And who the hell are you?”

The unknown man chuckled – “Funny choice of words, Duncan. I’ve gone by many names throughout time such as the morning star or the son of Dawn, but you may call me Lucifer.” All humor left his voice as he added, “And I’ve come to collect what is rightfully mine.”

Next Chapter: Chapter Twenty