The Known/Unknown Quantity

Chapter 152:The Last Blow of the Year

Chapter 152: The Last Blow of the Year

Down, down Despair fell, past the clouds and tree branches, plummeting to the earth. She hit the ground with a terrible thud, crashing through brambles and smashing twigs along the way. But as Crowley alighted beside her, he noted she had not been broken.

                "Just my luck," he growled, waiting.

                In a few breaths the thing shifted, and rose, slavering at the edges of her mouth and gurgling. Her head lolled to his direction and she growled.

                "We're going to end you!!"

                "Tired of my interference?" he asked merrily. She swiped at him, but missed, and lurched awkwardly about.

                Crowley bounced around, watching her. "See, here's what I think." She swiped again, and he dodged. "See, you haven't worked out this new body yet. You're fine as the great big angry cloud, but can't do much with that, can you? Except carry things. And it must take so very much out of you, changing forms like that." Another swipe. And another. She screamed.

"You have sight once more! We'll get into your head!"

"Your physical form is too weak, too uncontrollable as it stands," the demon persisted. "Oh yes, your other powers are amazing, but they're not working so spectacularly either, now that's you've fizzled out. I mean, look around."

The hunched, gurgling creature straighten a little, then felt about its body.

"You've dropped all your totems when you exploded," he bore his fangs. "Miles away by now, do you think?" She lunged at him, and he smacked her with the broad side of the sword, laughing.

Bouncing away, she grabbed her head and hissed," This changes nothing! It is written!"

"Painted."

"It is painted! You will succumb to us and the angel will fall!"

Crowley's face scrunched up, and he shook his head. "Yeah, but not today. You've overspent yourself. I'll have to kill you again."

"We tire of you, Daddy! We weary of this back and forth!"

"Ell, yes, so do I. But the dance commences. So, we go on." He swung the sword, and she managed to dodge him, and catch his legs as he fell with the blow. Quickly he rolled over, but not before she was right on top of him.

"You stupid snake!" Her needle teeth snapped at his long neck, and he braced his other arm against her, struggling to push her back. "That sword is useless to you! It has burnt out!"

Crowley focused on his stocky watch, and answered through gritted teeth. "Has it?"

"It only works once a day!" She snapped again, and noticed he was counting down to something.

"Oh, you're roit there." Now he gleefully smiled at her. "But guess what?"

She starred at him.

"It's properly midnight now."

The sword erupted in blue flame at her shoulder and he rose it and plunged it into her back. Acrid smoke billowed out, and the rank of corpses on the funeral pyre. She arched back and screeched so loud Crowley fought the instinct to cover his ears. Then he kicked her off and stood over her, watching her wallow in the brambles, weaking trying to pull the sword from her body.

After a while, she stopped rolling, and melted into a gory mess, much like something stuck in your garbage disposal.

Crowley didn't move for quite a long time. He stood, glaring down at her. Then he kicked the mess, looked at the bottom of his shoe, and wiped it on a clump of grass. Then he took the sword, watched the flames spark out, then reverently wiped the blade on more grass. When he was sure it was thoroughly clean, he hefted on his shoulder and grimly said to the mess: