Chapter 16

Everyone silently prepared for the battle ahead.

Weapons were sharpened and cleaned. Sean loaded his clips with ammunition and cleaned his gun.

Sitting cross-legged at the edge of the campsite, I meditated and allowed myself to feel an inner calm before the storm. I’d need a clear head to fight, and the fight was inevitable. It wasn’t something I could run away from like I had for most of my life. The fear that had been bubbling deep down inside me tried to come to the surface, but I couldn’t allow it to control my actions. I had to face what frightened me for the sake of every mortal soul on Earth and for Sean.

The sun began to set, and we made our way to the Fallen’s burial site. Sam and Sean were armed and semi-capable of defending themselves against supernatural beings, but we still wanted them out of harm’s way. After conferring, Dorian and I decided it would be best to have Sam and Sean hide out of sight until it was absolutely necessary for them to get involved. So, they both hunkered down in the brush and waited with the rest of us for Raja and his warriors to arrive.

Dorian, Lillith, and I stood with our backs to one another and kept our eyes peeled on the outer perimeter.

No one spoke.

No one made a noise.

We all stayed vigilant, waiting for the battle to begin.

An hour passed.

Then two.

It neared the midnight hour when I spotted a fiery light in the sky headed in our direction. I knew immediately that Raja was on his way, his wings glowing against the darkness of the sky.

He landed on the ledge above us, sword in hand, prepared to fight. His face was fierce, but his lips were curved upward as if he was looking forward to the looming conflict.

I watched a portal open up just a few yards away from Lillith. The void swirled as if a hole had been punctured in the Badlands itself. We waited, anticipating a deluge of Hybrids. One eventually emerged from the portal dressed in the usual leather get-up, and then one right after the other came until we were surrounded by seven Hybrids all dressed in black. Each held a sword at their side, prepared to defend their leader and their beliefs.

But so were we.

“It seems you are outnumbered,” Raja called out from above. “Where are your mortal friends? Too cowardly to take on my soldiers?”

“We didn’t want any distractions,” I said defiantly. “They’ve already proven they’re nothing but a liability. So, you’re stuck with us.”

“But I like our odds,” said Lillith, pointing her sabre at the Hybrid standing directly in front of her.

“Well then. We all know why we’ve gathered here at this late hour. I’ve come for the spear,” said Raja as he spread out his fiery wings.

He was an intimidating sight, and my heart began to beat a little faster. But I couldn’t allow him to see fear, so I took a long, deep breath and did my best to calm my nerves.

“Where is it?” he demanded.

“You know, we looked everywhere and just couldn’t find it,” I replied. “Actually, I’m lying. We didn’t look. And frankly, I’m a little offended that you’d think we’d stoop low enough to help you find a weapon that could destroy mankind. So instead, we decided to allow the spear to stay hidden and to tell you to go to Hell.”

Raja showed amusement at my outburst, his expression lightening. He scratched the side of his face and laughed quietly, seemingly in deep thought.

“You’re funny, Skyy. I wonder if your counterparts there truly share in your conviction.” Raja directed his gaze at the siblings who stood at my back. “This is your last chance to join our side. We raise the Fallen and take this place for our own. Exterminate the filth that has ravaged this world—destroyed it, actually—and live out a life of peace and dominance with your own kind. The mortals no longer deserve the life they were given here after taking this place for granted. So, the offer stands. Fight with us.”

I turned my head toward Dorian and watched the muscles on the back of his neck twitch. He held the pieces of his Chakram in each hand, his fingers gripping the handles tightly in anticipation.

“You know, Raja. I hear what you’re saying. But I think I speak for my sister when I say…not a chance. We know which side we fight for and why we fight. The mortals aren’t perfect and you are correct. They’ve taken this world for granted, slowly destroying it. But not all of them are a waste to the human race. And regardless of what they’ve done or what you and your kind think you deserve, it doesn’t justify the fact that genocide is wrong in any form. So, we’re going to decline your kind offer and defend this world. Besides, truth be told, I don’t really like you.” Dorian glanced over at his sister. “How ’bout you?”

“Nope. Can’t stand him,” Lillith replied calmly. “Skyy? You?”

“I find him arrogant, conceited, and frankly he smells a bit like rotten eggs,” I said with sarcasm dripping from my voice.

“Guess it’s unanimous then,” said Dorian, directing his attention back toward our fiery-winged opponent. “We hate your guts.”

Raja dropped his head mockingly. “I’m sorry to hear that. I really am.” The fire from his wings licked the air, creating an eerie glow around him. Finally, he lifted his head and addressed his warriors. “Kill them.”

It was seven against three. The odds weren’t in our favor, but we weren’t going down without a fight.

Immediately, there were two Hybrids coming at me, swords raised for the kill. I sprang into action, leaping high into the air at the last possible moment, and unfurled my wings. My pursuers missed me completely, skidding to a stop where I’d once stood. They remained there for a second, assessing the situation, and then leapt up in an attempt to drag me back down.

But I quickly tucked my wings back behind me, and with one swift movement, I swung my sword and dropped down to the earth below. The stunned Hybrids fell back to the ground without their heads.

I joined Lillith to fight off the three attackers who’d come at her all at once. She was an experienced fighter, but three against one weren’t great odds, even for someone as skilled as she was.

A Hybrid with long, straight blonde hair decided to face off with me. I could see a bit of fear when her eyes glanced over at the bodies I’d just decapitated. My feathers ruffled out in anticipation.

My foe managed to gather her courage and lunged at me. I countered and blocked her trajectory, shoving her backward with the force of my sword. I pushed ahead and quickly put my enemy at the defensive. Her balance off kilter, she struggled to get her feet back under her. I was unrelenting as I swung my sword hard and fast. She continued to defend herself rigorously, blocking everything I could muster.

Lillith’s fight was in my direct line of sight as she continued to fend off her opponents with the strength of ten men. She was incredible to watch. Confident and skilled, she wielded her sabre as if it were a mere extension of her arm. No matter how hard or fast the enemy before her advanced, she was just as quick to halt their blows and strike back twice as hard. They both came at her with swords raised. Lillith held up her sabre, resting the blade flat in her free hand. Both swords came down, aimed at her head and were stopped cold with a clang of steel, the sabre blocking their trajectories. She kicked forward with one leg, sending the warrior on her left flying backward. He landed hard on the ground and struggled to get up after having the air knocked out of him. That gave her enough time to use the force of her blade to shove her closest opponent back a bit, and with speed that only she could muster, she plunged her sabre into his chest as he tried to attack. His expression was filled with disbelief as he dropped to his knees.

Lillith fell from view, and I was pulled back to my own fight by my adversary. She came back at me, angry that I seemed to be able to defend myself so easily. I stayed in control, not allowing fear or anxiety to seep into my subconscious. She grew desperate and began to lash out in anger, wielding her sword quickly and chaotically, but I managed to stay one step ahead of her, blocking everything she threw at me.

She tripped and fell to the ground. I could have ended her there, but for some reason I decided to give her time to stand. Something in the back of my mind told me it was a stupid idea, but I found I was enjoying the fight way too much to end it quite yet. There was also a part of me that wanted to win through skill and not out of sheer luck. An effort to test my ability in preparation of the war to come. But my foe used my hesitation to her advantage, grabbing a handful of dirt. She tossed it at my eyes, blinding me for a moment. I instantly felt the tip of her sword pierce my gut, slicing me all the way through as it exited out my back. She ripped the sword out of me and stood back with a confident air, waiting for me to fall.

The dust cleared from my vision, and I glanced down. Blood flowed from the wound. The pain was excruciating. It always fascinated me as to how human I could be at times. My blood flowed like theirs. My bones broke like theirs.

But mortals didn’t heal the way I could, or as quickly.

I lifted up my tank top and watched the hole above my belly button quickly close up. A scar remained where the gaping wound once bled, and I looked up to once against face my aggressor. She stood there, shock etched into her brow as she tried to grasp what she’d just seen.

I could hear Dorian behind me fighting off his own opponents. I’d seen them attacking him earlier. One was about his height and a formidable opponent. But the other was close to seven feet tall with shoulders the size of boulders. He wasn’t uncoordinated like most people his size. Instead, he was quick and strong. Dorian grunted and fought with all his strength to keep them both at bay.

Suddenly, someone sneezed.

I recognized the sound.

Sean was allergic to dust, and we were kicking up enough to keep him sneezing for days. The smaller of the two warriors who’d been fighting Dorian backed away from the battle and looked curiously toward the area of brush nearby. Then, the warrior leaned in and squinted, creeping closer to the edge of the site. He held out his sword, ready to destroy whoever might be hiding there. As quick as one could blink, a knife flew from the darkness and landed right between the Hybrid’s eyes. He fell back, his death immediate.

“Bless you,” I heard Sam say.

“Thanks,” said Sean.

My girl jolted forward, once more aiming her sword for my abdomen. I reeled sideways, using my sword to knock her off balance. I lost my footing and began to stumble back, fighting to stay upright. She raised her sword, ready to bring it down on me.

A gunshot went off.

My aggressor fell and landed beside me. A pool of blood gathered from the back of her head, and her lifeless eyes stared at me.

I looked up and saw Sean standing out in the open near the edge of the site. He gave me a thumbs up and then ducked back down behind the cover of the brush.

Relieved, I rushed to help Dorian fight off the enormous Hybrid who had Dorian on the run. We double-teamed the giant, doing what we could to slow him down. But he was strong.

Too strong.

He pressed us back with every swing he took. His giant hands gripped the hilt of his broadsword as he attempted to aim for my head. I ducked forward just in time, but he managed to graze one of my wings.

I screamed out in pain. The feeling in my wings was far more sensitive than any other part of my body. I fell to my knees in agony.

The large warrior’s patience had begun to wear thin. He grunted loudly and swung as hard as he could. Dorian bowed back, the giant sword nearly hitting his face. The broadsword came down, aimed at Dorian’s neck. His Chakram came together, creating a V and stopping the sword short of slicing him in two.

I tried to get up and help him, but my wings were taking longer than normal to heal, the pain making it impossible for me to move.

Dorian’s strength was beginning to wane. He wouldn’t be able to hold off the large Hybrid for much longer.

A knife suddenly flew from the brush, landing straight into the temple of Dorian’s aggressor. The giant remained upright, blinking wildly as he seemingly tried to make sense of what had just happened. His hand reached up and grasped the handle of the knife and pulled it out slowly, dropping it to the dirt below. His eyes narrowed. Blood poured from the wound in his head, rushing down his face. Suddenly, his expression glazed over and he fell, dead, and landed directly on top of Dorian, pinning him beneath his enemy’s massive body.

That only left Lillith’s assailant and Raja.

Dorian wriggled his way out from under the dead Hybrid and struggled a bit to stand as he caught his breath.

While Lillith continued to play cat and mouse with her Hybrid attacker, Raja jumped down and landed between the brush at the edge of the site and me. A malevolent smile spread across his face as he turned his back to us and slowly walked toward the brush.

He was going after Sam and Sean.

I lurched forward to attack, but Dorian grabbed my arm and held me back. Then, in a swift motion, he ran and leapt high into the air, trying to bring his Chakram down on Raja. But the fiery angel seemed to sense the attack and swung his sword over his shoulder, stopping Dorian’s blades from slicing into him. Raja turned and faced his aggressor, the sound of their blades reverberating loudly with each blow.

My wing had begun to heal, and the pain subsided. I leapt to my feet and positioned myself between the two of them and my mortal friends. If Raja wanted to get to them, he’d have to go through me.

I glanced over at Lillith’s progress just in time to see her sever the head of her victim. Without pausing, she jumped into action and joined her brother in his fight against Raja.

Twice as strong as any Hybrid and three times as fast, Raja seemed unstoppable. It seemed to take every ounce of the siblings’ stamina to keep up, and they were still losing. I couldn’t stand by any longer and do nothing, so I rushed in to help them. But Raja continued to beat us back at every opportunity.

Lillith was knocked backward as Raja’s sword sliced into her arm. She shrieked and gripped the wound in an attempt to hold back the bleeding. I dropped my sword, rushed to her side, tore off a strip of material from the bottom of my tank top, and used it as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

Once her wound was wrapped, I stood to help Dorian face off against Raja. Suddenly, I felt something strike me on the side of the head. I must have blacked out, although it felt like only a second or two, because the next thing I remembered was Lillith calling my name as I forced my eyes open. Everything was blurry from the blow, and I shook my head in an attempt to focus. I reached for my sword, but it was gone. Panic struck, I began to crawl around in a desperate search to locate it.

“Skyy!” I heard Dorian scream. My head whipped back just in time to see Dorian thrown into a large rock. He crumpled to the ground in a heap and was instantly out cold.

I found Lillith’s sabre and scrambled up off the dirt, preparing to stand my ground. But Raja’s reflexes were faster than mine as he spun around. With sword in hand, he grazed my chest, blood quickly spilling from the wound.

My breathing instantly became labored. I grasped for my neck and fell to the ground, struggling for every breath. Everything around me began to spin.

Raja stopped a few feet in front of me, his eyes dancing with vile joy.

In his hand, he held my sword.

He lifted it up and inspected it carefully.

“Hidden in plain sight. I should’ve known. It was your mother’s specialty. Thank you, Skyy. Your contribution to the cause will be noted.”

Raja winked and spread his wings outward. He jumped, caught the air current and flew away with my sword.