Raven

Chapter Nine

Raven was methodically making progress on slaying the demons that stood guard over the brigadier, her only parent she had ever since she was found. He was a strict old bugger, but a very loving and understanding soul. His only son was killed during the original Apocalypse wars. It was a pleasure for him to take Raven in and be her primary parent. She owed her whole existence to him, she was not about to fail him now.
She was struggling with the knots in the rope, when she decided to cut it off. Raven lifted the Brigadier into the air just in time. They watched as the charges of rhe bomb went of one by one. A plume of smoke filled the air and could be seen for miles across London. Then the Earth shook as the ground gave way and the Rift began to collapse, sealing it up. Demons began to run, some sucked into the Rift as it collapsed. Others tried to hide amongst the buildings, bit the other cadets and soldiers were already on them, finishing them off as they found the spawn.
There was more smoke and an extreme heat surged up and out of the cracks along with a stench of brimstone. Huge rocks could be heard falling and settling all along the Rift. It took days for the whole crack to close up completely.
During the weeks that followed, the soldiers along with Raven and Slade patrolled the city and the surrounding areas, scouting for any stray demons still oit there. Any that were caught, got slayed on the spot. After a month or so there was no more reports of demon activity in the England area. The town council continued further by sending builders out to the Rift. They filled on the uneven ground and built a memorial wall on the spot, showing the names of every single person that died since the Rift cracked open. And also giving thanks to those who fought so bravely in bringing the monsters down and closing the crack up for good.

Some time had gone by and Raven was on her way to the gym when she passed Slade in the corridor. The compound had been restored and new personnel appointed. Things was running smoothly again. The new recruits got in yesterday and classes started in another week.
"How have you been slayer of demons?" Slade chuckled. Oh sometimes the man could make her blood bubble with his silly jokes. "Doing good, I was just heading for the gym, care to join me?" they turned in the gyms direction and walk next to each other.
Things didn't go all awkward between them since the cave incident, but it wasn't moonshine and roses between them either. "Slade?, about what happened.... I... it... Well you see......" Suddendly Slade turned in mid stride, grabbed her by the shoulders and backed her against the wall. "Sweetheart nothing has changed, you are still one hot dark angel and I plan to stick around and make this alot more interesting" he bent down and kissed her passionately, lost to the world except in each others arms. At that moment the comms system went off "GENERAL SLADE, LIEUTENANT RAVEN, PLEASE REPORT TO THE BRIGADIERS OFFICE ASAP!" Slade sighed as he placed his head against Ravens. "Hold that tought, it seems duty calls again". Raven gave a slight laugh. The moved in  the opposite direction from where they were headed. Never a dull moment in the compound, it seems.

Upon entering the office, the Brigadier looked up and smilled, "Ah, my darling daughter, how have you been, you should come to dinner sometime this week, your . Old man is in need of some poker company." he hugged Raven with the tenderness of a real father. "Dad, of course, we should set up a date and I'll be happy to pop around" she endulged him. "Come, come sit down, I am afraid, it is not all fair in love and war, might have closed the London rift, bit as you know all over the globe ther are numerous cracks and it seems, old Mephistopheles has found his way to terrorize other communities, now that you two have closed this gateway for them" the Brigadier filled them both in on a situation that was getting out of control in Spain. "It seems you two and a team of converts are heading out to Barcelona, you will basically do what you have done here, from there you will head out to Japan and close the gateway in Tokyo as well. Return home for debriefing, and freshen up on supplies and head out to the America's there are nine gayeways in the north of which one is in Alaska, then there are three more in the Amazon jungle. " Slade and Raven studied the reports that came in, the increase in demon activity had increased since the London gate was closed." We will gear up sir, when do we leave? " Slade asked while studying some of the maps." "Tonight, I am afraid, we have no time to loose, the quicker these gates are closed, the sooner the human world will be safe from these demon princes and their shenanigans."

There was no rest for the wicked and even less for a demon slayer. Raven had already packed her personal equipment and clothes for this long trip. She headed to the weapons rooms to check that everything they needed was being loaded to go on the plane.
Slade was going over the plans for this operation with the team of soldiers that was heading out with them. Explaining how they will go to work, and how to set the charges as to not let any gaps stay open, also some of the new soldiers needed briefing on our status and what we are, we didn't need shocked comrades in the field.

Night fell, and all the equipment was on the plain. During the dark of night, Raven and Slade boarded a military plane along with fifteen special forces military soldiers, equiped with enough bombs to close down the Europe and Asian demon gateways.

The plane took off at exactly 9h00 hours that evening. Slade slipped his hand in Ravens as the plane took off, squeezing it tight, he leaned over and whisperer in her ear "Are you ready, my dear, for the biggest war ever waged against demon kind?" Raven turnes slightly in her seat and gave Slade the most stunning smile he had ever seen, "Ready as Hell, baby!........ Ready as Hell!"

In less than an hour, the plane would touch down at Barcelona military base, Raven didn't know what awaited them, but the future of humankind depended on this mission, and it seemed her new relationship with Slade also did.