The Brimstone Chronicles - The Book of Eternity (Book 3)

CHAPTER 16 - The Reckoning

Steel clashed against steel and blasts of energy flashed lights of different colors everywhere in the Royal Court of Tartarus. Arianne knew they would not last much longer, though she held her own and Nexus was doing fairly well against Tartarus himself, the others were beginning to look weary and Lucifer's generals did not have a single scratch. Not Good. Just when she was about to call for a retreat, a familiar tingle went along her left forearm and Acantha appeared through his signature portal, "No sense waiting around for you to call for back up apparently."

Arianne dodged another one of Asmoday's slashes from his human sized axe, "Actually I was thinking of retreating the group. Our chances are going from slim to dead."

"Not anymore!" Like ghost, only far more tangible, six Dh'Arch Angels phased through the ceiling and hovered above the fight. The one who spoke was Ráebella, "You can relax now, Leliel, we got your message."

Arianne took a quick glance over to Leliel and saw her smile at the Dh'Arch Angel who had spoken, "I was only waiting for you guys so I could get serious!" She delivered two quick blows to Bael's ribcage and dropped low to trip him when he doubled over. Just as quickly, Leliel sprung back up drew her long-sword, "Consider my membership in our family withdrawn." With one swift slash, Leliel beheaded the angry general.

Figures, Arianne thought, beheading kills everything.

The Dh'Arch Angels swooped down, the wind whistling in their black wings as they landed beheading a general each with their descent. Only Beleth, Asmoday, and Vine remained. Not intending to be upstaged by the angles, Arianne focused on her opponent. His moves were fast and his defense appeared to be impenetrable. Asmoday also appeared to not be tired, whereas Arianne was beginning to sweat. If I drag this out any longer I'll lose to this slug, think Arianne... But no matter what she tried, Arianne just could not get through Asmoday's armor, and all her attacks to his head were blocked. Heat rushed passed her and Arianne saw that Dennis was hurling balls of fire and lightning at Beleth. That's It! I've got magik! Ugh, I could slap myself for forgetting that.

"Give up little girl, I won't fall as easily as my brothers." Asmoday laughed drew back his axe, sending a wave of dark energy into its blade as he raised it into a diagonal attack.

"I'm nobody's little girl." Arianne stopped moving as the Axe came down. Instead of cutting into her, the Axe ran into a blood red energy that had suddenly appeared around Arianne in the last second.

Asmoday's face held a shock that lasted only a few moments, "So you're part demon. All the more reason to have you for dinner." He withdrew his axe again, a manic grin ripping across his face. Until he froze, his grin replaced by terror.

"Demons are the least of your worries Asmodeus." Arianne's eyes turned a dark shade of red, like drying blood. Two horns grew from the sides of her head up to an inch and a half each, and when she spoke, her voice sounded like three different women.

Arianne allowed herself to be filled with the dark power she inherited from her mother, and then directed every ounce of it towards Asmoday. His eyes turned the same color of Arianne's, just before they solidified into charcoal and his entire body combusted.

"Holy crap," said Shift, "are you like a Ghost Rider or something?" He fell into silence however, as Arianne turned towards him.

"Do I look like a child's fantasy to you?"

∞

The Arch Mage panted as the Dark Prince breathed heavily over twenty feet away, both hovering in the air, bleeding profusely. Alexander could tell that Lucifer was almost out of strength, while he himself drew strength from his surroundings and the entire universe. But still, this fight was taking its toll on him, as the chaotic mixtures of dark and light from Lucifer's attacks were somehow penetrating his defenses. "I have to settle this, and fast" Alexander thought to himself, "He's much slower now, so it's almost time..."