The attack was sudden and swift. My counterparts held their ground while Azazel’s Hybrids rushed forward, weapons raised. The shouts of those attacking were surpassed only by the sound of the clashing metal being used to cut down their enemy. I wanted to throw my hands over my ears and block out the cries of the dying that had begun to fall at the hand of their attackers.
But the battle had only just begun, and I knew death and destruction would continue until one of the sides was able to claim victory. I scanned my surroundings, searching for my friends. Lillith was battling two rather large followers of Azazel single-handedly. She was doing quite well, and doing so with a large grin on her face as if she was enjoying every single second. She dispatched one of her attackers with a single thrust to his abdomen. Then, pulling her sword out in one swift movement, she blocked an incoming blow from another foe.
My gaze moved right just in time to see Dorian, holding his Chakram, flip over the head of his opponent, cleanly slicing off his head. Dorian, too, seemed a little too exultant for someone who’d just killed someone. But then, I guessed, his entire life had led up to that moment, and in a way he must feel happy to fulfill his destiny.
I was relieved to see Sam and Sean had listened and stayed out of sight. Their safety was a priority for me. Over the years, I’d grown to distrust, and even despise, most humans. But I’d grown fond of those two guys. They were willing to participate in a supernatural war to protect the human race. They could have run, knowing there wasn’t much they could contribute to the effort. But they had decided to do what little they could in order to assist me and my small band of strong-willed Hybrids.
The battle continued around me. I stayed in the center of the circle, semi-protected against Raja’s cronies. I desperately wanted to join my counterparts, but I needed to be patient and wait for the right time. I couldn’t take the risk of being injured before I was able to reach Raja and retrieve my sword. So, I stayed put until it was time, even though I was itching to get into the fight.
My eyes went from one individual battle to the next. It was easy to see which side people were on. Raja and his cronies were dressed in their usual black leather getups. I smiled again, wondering if it was their way of telling the good guys from the bad guys. But then, they thought they were the good guys, so who knew?
There were various types of weapons being used. Short swords, broadswords, sabres, and katanas. There were dual Sais as well as spears, and there was even a horseman’s pick being used by a rather bulky Hybrid with remarkably large forearms.
It was only a matter of time before someone managed to break through the line to get to me. They couldn’t raise their precious Fallen without my blood, so I was to remain where I stood, guarded and protected against Raja and his army for the time being. My cohorts simply wanted to keep me safe, but I knew that wasn’t feasible. They would reach me eventually. Then, I wouldn’t have a choice. I’d need to break away and fight. After all, at that moment they only had the sword, and that wasn’t enough to raise the Fallen. They needed me, too.
So, I waited, watching the others as they continued to battle their adversaries. Even with all of the hostility and blood that surrounded me, I mustered up my courage and stood tall, ready to take on anyone that came at me.
I didn’t need to wait long.
Oddly enough, three blonde women who looked to be identical triplets punched through my protected shield of Hybrids and squared off with me.
“Three against one. That’s hardly fair, don’t you think?” I said with a snide smile.
The one on the right commented, “We don’t see a problem with it.”
“Oh,” I said, trying unsuccessfully to hide a smirk. “I’m sorry. You must have misunderstood. I meant it’s hardly fair to you.”
And with that, I spread my wings and lifted myself into the air, disturbing the dirt beneath their feet. Dust billowed upward and created a kind of smokescreen. The three warriors blindly swung their swords upward. I chuckled to myself thinking they all looked a bit like children swinging at a piñata. I continued to flap my wings, keeping myself invisible to them until they began to cough as the dust filled their lungs. Then, with one quick swing of the sword, I summarily separated all three of their heads from their bodies.
I tucked in my wings behind me and allowed myself to drop to the ground. My feet alighted a bit harder than I’d anticipated, causing my knees to buckle as I landed. I remained in the crouched position, hunched over slightly, as another adversary managed to get through my protective line.
He was taller than the triplets had been, but as far as Hybrids went, he wasn’t nearly as built as the others. He was thin and lean, with nearly no muscle visible to the naked eye. However, that fact didn’t seem to diminish his fighting skills. He came at me full speed, letting out a primal scream, his broadsword being held up firmly with both hands.
I waited until he was almost upon me before standing upright to defend myself. There was no reason to exert any more energy than was absolutely necessary. After all, I had bigger fish to fry later.
Raja and Azazel.
The clanging of our swords ripped into the night air. He continued to come at me hard and heavy, not letting up for an instant. The lanky Hybrid was stronger than he looked. He continued to force me back with every blow of his sword. Farther and farther I retreated until I found myself back-to-back with someone. I stepped away and spun around to attack, but stopped short at the sight of one of my Hybrid allies. As we glanced at one another, I saw initial fear in his eyes, but upon recognizing who I was, it quickly dissipated. His relief only lasted for a moment.
His attacker suddenly pierced a katana through his heart, slicing the Hybrid clean through, barely missing me on the other side. He died instantly, immediately falling into a heap at my feet.
I then found myself being attacked from both sides. My reflexes were quick, but I wasn’t sure how much longer I could fight the two off simultaneously. I again unfurled my wings and leapt high into the air. The tall Hybrid tried to jump and grab my foot in an attempt to yank me back down, but I was just out of reach.
I flew to the far end of the circle near where we’d uncovered one of the Fallen’s bones only a few days prior. The pair ran at me, their swords raised and at the ready. I swung my weapon downward, blocking every blow they threw at me and forced them back in the process.
“This is getting ridiculous, boys,” I said, a bit out of breath. “You should just stand still and let me kill you. You’re just delaying the inevitable.”
Neither said a word as they continued to fend off my attack, trying as hard as they could to get their feet under them. They seemed confused, equally frustrated and fascinated by my combat skills. I was perfectly capable of taking on more than one aggressor at a time, but it didn’t appear that either of them could come to grips with that idea. In fact, it seemed to piss them off even more.
“Seriously. I won’t think any less of you if you just give up now. Turn and run. I won’t judge.” I was growing weary scrapping with two enemy Hybrids, whom, let’s face it, were nobodies.
The rivals I really wanted were perched high on the rock formation above us, smugly overlooking the battle.
But Dorian had expressly forbidden me from attacking either one of them without a team of Hybrids to back me up. I was to wait for the signal and join when the time was right.
Tired of the fight, I slid a few yards back as if on ice and put my hand out in front of me, silently telling my aggressors to halt. The move surprised them, stopping them in their tracks. They froze where they stood, exchanging looks of confusion. For a split second, even they couldn’t understand why they’d obediently ceased their attack.
But it was all the time I needed. I spread my wings out wide behind me and began to twirl. Each blow from my wings was hard, and seemed to have the same force as being slapped in the face with a two-by-four. It momentarily disoriented my enemies, sending them stumbling backward. I raised my sword and quickly pierced the tall one through his belly and the other one through his throat.
Both fell to their knees, clutching their respective wounds. I knocked each one over with my foot, one at a time, and then stepped over them as I made my way to the edge of the circle.
Both sides had already suffered significant casualties, but there were plenty left to carry on the charge. I looked around and was glad to see that Lillith and Dorian, as well as Rami and Arna, were still among the survivors. All were skilled warriors and seemed to dispatch one rival after another with ease.
But I was growing impatient. The two I wanted to fight were still out of my reach. I was certain they were both better skilled with a sword than I was, but that didn’t deter me from wanting to go at them.
The feeling that I was being watched was strong. I glanced up. Azazel’s stare never left me as he leaned over and said something to Raja, who in turn lit up with an unpleasant, and slightly askew, smile. The Watcher stood erect again, but his gaze remained steadfast on my person. It caused me to shiver.
It wasn’t his stare that caused such a reaction. He looked at me as if he’d known me my entire life. There was a glint of recognition in his eyes, but that shouldn’t have been surprising, considering I was the only Hybrid on the battlefield with wings. I stuck out, hopelessly visible with nowhere to hide. Keeping me separated from the major fighting wasn’t going to last. It was only a matter of time before they made their move.
And they did.
But it wasn’t the move I’d been expecting.
I heard loud gunshots from where Sean was hiding.
My heart nearly jumped through my chest wall. Had our human allies been discovered?
It wasn’t long before I knew the answer.
I heard shouting coming from the far edge of the battlefield. It grew louder and louder until I was finally able to decipher who was causing all the ruckus.
“Get off of me! Get your hands off of me!”
Sean tried to break free with every step, but his captors held fast to his arms as they dragged him up the rock formation toward their leader.
“Let me go! Let me go!” Sean barked, but his demands were met with stoicism.
I began to panic. How had they discovered him? What were they going to do to him?
If they managed to get him to Azazel and Raja, they’d use him to lure me to them. But even if I gave myself up, I knew they’d kill him anyway.
Dorian and Lillith began to make their move. They rushed at Sean’s captors, each pairing off with one of the assailants. Sean, temporarily free, stood still and acted as though he was in shock, not knowing where to go. If he ran back to where he came from, they’d just find him again. If he ran toward the burial site where the battle was being waged, he’d certainly be killed at the hand of the enemy. And if he headed toward the rock formation, he’d be captured by Azazel.
So, he made his choice, which appeared to be the least of all evils.
He stayed put, dropping to the ground and covering his head with his arms.
But I knew it wouldn’t last long.
My wings carried me in his direction, but thankfully Arna reached him first followed closely by Rami. Together, they fought off three new attackers who’d set their sights on Sean. Dorian and Lillith easily took care of their adversaries and jumped in to assist.
I landed behind Sean. He whipped his head up, fearful of what he’d find. Seeing that it was me, he jumped to his feet and threw his arms around me, holding me tight.
Sean had never hugged me willingly before.
Ever.
I was taken aback, unsure of how to react. But then, as if involuntarily, I raised my arms and hugged him back. My mind drifted to when we first met and how excited he was to meet someone like me. And now, because of me, he’d been placed in danger. It was all my fault.
“I’m sorry,” I said, whispering loudly in his ear. “You never should have come with me.”
Sean pulled away and held me at my shoulders, looking me straight in the eye.
“Where you go, I go,” he said, forcing a reassuring smile to his lips.
I glanced up and immediately felt sick to my stomach. Azazel had my sword and was studying it quite closely. He held it flat in his hands and gazed at its beauty, checking out every curve and edge as if it were the finest jewel ever discovered. The moonlight struck the blade just right, causing a slight gleam to bounce off its reflection. The Watcher gripped the hilt in one hand and gently traced the fuller all the way down the blade. It was almost repulsive the way he caressed it, fondling it with his fingers.
Anger began to burn in my belly as I eyed him clasping my sword. That blade was the only thing that could end the battle and put things right. I needed to get it back.
Reason no longer played a part in my thought process. My thoughts were jumbled, and all I wanted was my sword. My chest rose and fell wildly while my breathing caught up to match. My need to recapture what was mine was winning the argument with the part of my brain that thought better of it.
I felt the tingle that told me danger was coming and turned in time to see a dark-haired Hybrid, dressed all in black leather, coming straight at me. My sword blocked his, his blade sliding down mine, sending tiny sparks flying from the edge as it made the most godawful sound. The back of my free hand met his cheek squarely, hitting him as hard as I could. I heard the bone in his face break, causing the soldier to scream out in pain.
It was distraction enough for me to raise my sword and plunge it through his heart. His face held shock, and as he took his final breath his facial expression didn’t change. His lifeless body fell to his knees with my sword still keeping him upright. I placed a foot on his chest and pushed him away while pulling the sword out. The Hybrid fell back, limp and lifeless.
My sights were suddenly set on getting my sword back. I raced toward the rock formation, but I quickly discovered that Raja was alone. I skidded to a stop and surveyed my surroundings. In all the commotion, I discovered that Azazel had flown off to another spot to survey the carnage. He’d perched himself high above the proceedings on a large cliff-like formation, I assumed as a way to get a better view of his devastation. I frantically considered the alternatives.
Do I go after Raja first? Or should I head straight for Azazel?
These were the questions that raced through my mind. My judgment was clouded.
I needed my sword.
I needed this war to be over.
As my gaze went from Raja to Azazel, I realized Azazel no longer had my sword. Both of his hands hung idle at his sides. Glancing toward Raja, I saw Raja holding my prized possession tightly in his grip with a look of satisfaction plastered on his face.
I couldn’t imagine Azazel giving up something with such power, but I knew he expected Raja to easily remedy the problem that was me. Use my own sword to strike me dead and use my blood to open the Fallen’s burial site.
And Azazel wouldn’t need to lift a finger himself.
Problem solved.
My attention had been diverted from Sean for only a few moments, but it had been long enough. I turned my head in time to see that he was being dragged off in Azazel’s direction, a Hybrid’s dirty hand covering Sean’s mouth, muffling his screams for help. But he somehow managed to break free just long enough to shout my name before being grabbed again.
“Shit!” I shouted.
How could I have been so stupid as to not keep a proper eye on my best friend? I’d rescued him, only to lose him again.
There was no time to beat myself up. They were dragging Sean toward Azazel, getting closer every second. I knew what would happen to my best friend once he reached the Watcher.
Before I could leap into the air to take flight, Lillith was already on Sean’s abductors, taking them both on in her usual skilled manner. Sean stood, again not sure where to go, and watched Lillith block and blow with her sabre.
It wasn’t long before she’d killed both of the Hybrids, each headless as they lay lifeless on the ground. She grabbed Sean by the elbow and began to drag him away in the opposite direction from where Azazel stood gazing over his battle.
The Watcher studied the scene with curiosity. There was no way anyone could ignore the protective nature that Lillith showed toward Sean, and glancing over at me, Azazel must have been able to see the obvious worry etched in my brow as well.
It was clear by the smile on Azazel’s face that he realized Sean was important to me, and thus, a means to an end. A hand was raised, motioning toward Sean and Lillith, and Raja obliged. He leapt up from his perch and began to fly toward the rapidly escaping pair.
“Lillith! Look out!” I screamed inside my head.
She heard me about the same time she saw Raja heading her way on flamed wings. She pushed Sean aside, sending him tumbling to the ground. He scrambled to his feet and fled back to his original hiding place at the edge of the battlefield. It wasn’t ideal, but at least he was out of sight.
I continued to remain frozen where I stood. A completely helpless feeling washed over me. It seemed that no matter how much ground we gained in the fight, we weren’t any closer to the goal. They’d captured Sean twice. And whenever we killed one of theirs, two of our own would fall. Our numbers were dwindling, and it wouldn’t be long until our side was completely outnumbered.
“Don’t just stand there!” I heard Lillith’s voice bark at me from somewhere in the depths of my mind. “Get over here and help me!”
I snapped out of my temporary trance and flew to her aid. Together, we did our best to weaken and wear Raja out. We didn’t let up and continued to go at him strong and fast. Lillith’s ability with a sword was awe-inspiring. And even though neither of us were a match for someone as skilled as Raja, she was a more than capable ally to have.
Raja swung at me, nearly making contact with my neck. I’d managed to raise my sword, the flat of the blade in the palm of my free hand, and blocked his advance. Using the sword, I pushed him back as hard as I could and thrust my weapon with an immense amount of force.
Lillith and I both advanced, but our enemy was prepared, blocking our every move. We struggled to keep our footing and the upper hand. The clanging and scraping of metal-on-metal was constant and ear-piercing. I thought about the song of the crickets, and their soothing tone and rhythm. I wished I could lie on the grass outside my trailer back home and stare up at the stars while the peaceful chirps of nearby crickets rung out in the air.
But instead, I was at war with a Watcher bearing wings of fire.
And he was winning.