Angels And Demons | ✓

IX

We waited on the hill of ashes for quite sometime. Some shifted anxiously from foot to foot; others stayed airborne, waiting for the demon's arrival. I stayed on the ground next to Sara and stayed still. I did not say a word, neither did she. I glanced at God who was in the air with Ashe on one side and another general on the other side.

We all felt it, when there was a shimmer in the air; someone was coming through the portal. I tensed and a hush fell over the guardians. Satan was the first one to come through, followed closely by Vlad. I barely paid attention to Satan. I did, however, notice that his face seemed to be permanently set in arrogance and anger. He hadn't been expecting us to be waiting for him but he still did not think we had a chance at victory.

Vlad quickly scanned the guardians until his gaze came to rest on me. For a second I could have sworn I saw pain flash across his face but when I looked again there was only hatred and anger. I glared back before looking past him at the other demons coming through. I couldn't help but count. Once the last demon came out, I came to the conclusion that the numbers were fairly even but they had a few more.

Satan and God flew back behind their respective clans. This was a custom; they could not take part in the fight as they may kill all of us with their power. They would stay behind and watch, no matter what they saw.

Approximately one hundred metres separated us. We stared at each other and no one made a move. I was now in the air, as were all the Guardians and I was listening intently for the command from God to attack. He didn't give it and I briefly wondered why he was taking his time. The waiting was excruciating.

I almost missed it when Satan raised his hand. Vlad - on the front line - in return gave a war cry. I could not miss the beauty that he represented. His beautiful voice rang out over the quiet and his majestic wings angled into a position to charge. I tensed in preparation.

They flew at us with immense speed. I hardly had time to acknowledge the first cries of pain as my first opponent was on me.

He lashed out at me but I parried his attack and in return slid my sword cleanly into his ribs. He screamed in pain and his black wings became covered in blood. He fell down to the earth and I was hit from behind. I turned around to see a demon with an upraised sword about to strike me. I lifted my sword but there was no need. He looked down with a shocked expression at the sword protruding from his belly. The expression on his face was almost comical. He fell down to the earth, revealing Sara who had been behind him.

"Saved your life." she said wryly.

Despite myself, I smiled. "Thank you."

I took the spear off my back and threw it onto a demon charging up behind her. It buried into his shoulder but the demon did not falter.

"Sara!" I called as I pushed her out of the way and barely raised my sword to defend his attack. Sara gripped the spear in his shoulder and twisted it savagely. He cried out in pain and Sara screamed with him. That was when I first noticed who this demon was. He was Shar, the demon of pain. He was able to block of his own pain and transfer it to someone else. Sara was crying out from the pain she had inflicted on him.

Without thinking a second, I raised my sword and decapitated him, saving Sara from the pain. I put my hand to my shoulder, trying to ease the ache he had caused to start there. Sara was panting and her face was screwed up in pain. "Thank y-you." she huffed. I put a hand on her shoulder, trying to help her.

I scanned the battles for Vlad. I could not see him. Maybe someone had already killed him. I found that doubtful, but I could not see him anywhere.

After an hour, my white armor was stained red in places and my wings were splattered with red. I felt sick to be covered in demon's and angel's life blood. I heard a piercing scream. It was the type of scream that curled the blood and sent chills down your spine. I turned to see Aria - a guardian - fall down to the earth. She had a savage cut across one cheek and down her back. I looked to find the demon that had killed her and I froze.