Ethereal - Part Two

Chapter 35 - Portal to Hell

I dusted off the dirt from the explosion off my clothing as I stood up from the ground, the ringing in my ears a feint whine bringing me comfort from the death of the demons.

Ryelen was near to me, standing with his back facing me. Then he turned, removing his favourite sword from it’s keep. “We need to keep moving, Destry and Kazier need us”. I nodded my head and followed him up another set of stairs.

When we reached, Destry was flat on the ground, fighting off six demons that were attacking her. Within an instant, Ryelen left my side and flew to Destry. He kicked one beast that was on top of her, while striking at the others with both of his weapons.

I went to aide Kazier; he was ruthlessly fighting seven creatures and seemed to be badly injured. The demons had probably attacked his wounds from the previous fight at the cabin. I stabbed the wing of one of Sathanas’ and the beast squealed in agony. Another demon came my way when he noticed that I had injured his friend. 

He dug his claws into my flesh and I tried shaking him off but he stubbornly would not budge. Then Kazier perceived the irritating creature and sliced at its back, the demon immediately let go and flew into Kazier’s face to retaliate.

I abandoned the fight against the demons that were before me and was about to help him, but then Adaeon and Torrin appeared and flanked Kazier’s side, allowing me to give attention to the demons nearest to me.

I turned to look at them and they welcomed me with a menacing snarl. I flapped my wings and flew straight into two of them, knocking them sideways. One was at my heels so I bent down and grabbed him in my hands, using all of my wrath, choking the life out of him.

“Azriel, behind you!” I heard Torrin as I turned around just in time to slay through two of them that were coming my way. But that was not the end of them. More were coming our way and that could only mean one thing. A portal to Hell was certainly close. Possibly in this same building.

But how were we to search for one with the constant attack from these creatures? I looked towards Ryelen as he and Destry fought off the beasts with their backs against each other, while I began skewering two demons of Asmodeus with the same weapon.

I had to use my foot to lodge them off the sword and then I yelled out to Ryelen. “Another grenade?”, to which he nodded his head and then yelled to the rest of them to take cover.

I grabbed two screeching demons of Sathanas for cover and ducked at the side of some operational device for mass production these mortals might make use of. Closing my eyes, I raised the beasts above me for protection. The creatures squealing was soon swallowed by the sound of the grenade.

I pried my eyes open, coughing slightly at the taste of debris and dust in the already thickly stale air. I grunted in disgust as I could feel the blood of the filthy creatures roll down my neck. I looked up at the carcasses in my hands that had mostly blown away, so I threw whatever was left to the side and then moved out of my position.

Adaeon was on the ground looking heavily injured, out of the corner of my eye I noted Torrin making way to him. I walked towards where I had last seen Ryelen and Destry, stepping on the neck of one beast who was slowly crawling towards me, breathing his last.

“Az, you good?” I heard Kazier’s voice behind me and I turned to look at my fellow fallen brother. “I am, but Adaeon does not appear to be in good condition”. Kazier frowned at me and then walked away, searching for Adaeon.

“With this many demons…”. “There has to be a portal around” I said, completing the words that Ryelen was about to utter. He nodded his head at me and then started walking towards Adaeon, Torrin and Kazier. Destry and I following at a distance.

“Kazier, Torrin, I want both of you to travel with Adaeon back to the Gatrim woods. In the meantime, the rest of us will search for the portal”. Kazier nodded his head and then stood up from crouching besides Adaeon. “Fine. We will join as soon as we have left him in Clarren’s care”.