Tales of a Dead God

Chapter Fifteen: The Eternal Dance of Fire

No one moved outside. They all waited for any sign of movement inside the building but nothing happened. Noah glanced over to Gabriel but he had his vision dead set on the window. Gabriel readied another arrow and aimed for the window again. Then he heard a soft whisper.

You're aiming for the little boy's heart bowman. Gabriel lowered his bow and everyone's attention was on him.

"Gabriel what the hell are you doing," Noah loudly exclaimed, "Shoot the arrow."

"Shut up." Gabriel directed Noah without looking over. "She has him in my aim." Noah horridly glanced over at the broken window. What was she planning with Theo?

What do you want with the boy? Gabriel thought. Hopefully, she was listening to his thoughts more than his words. A few seconds meant before she answered.

The voice that answered was no longer the soft whisper of a young girl but a hoarse broken chorus of the dead. HIS SOUL!

"NO," Gabriel yelled and attempted to ram the door down. He was met by an invisible force holding the door closed. "You fucking witch."

Ciro pushed past Gabriel laying his hands on the door. He whispered a few words before bright blinding light was shining through the small gaps between his fingers and the door. The door gave out as a scream erupted from the inside. Everyone rushed in to find an unconscious Theo laying at the feet of the deer witch who was holding her left arm and now had horrific burns.

"YOU BASTARD," The witch spat towards Ciro. She then launched for him with long claws aiming for his throat.

Ciro readied himself for the hit but she stumbled back as an arrow sunk into her left shoulder. The hit barely fazed the witch as she sprang up ready for another attack. An unruly growl came from her as she bared her teeth. Gabriel let another arrow fly. With reflexes as quick as lightning, the witch caught it this time. It clanked to the ground and snapped as she walked right over it.

Gabriel backed up figuring out his next move. "Ciro, you better have a plan!"

"I do," Ciro called back. He knew the only way to kill a witch was to burn her. "Don't get in my way." Gabriel cursed him under his breath as he tried to find a way out. As the witch stalked closer, Gabriel saw a fireball from the corner of his eyes fly toward them. He dove in time and the witch was hit on the side of the face. She let out a blood-curdling screech.

"That was your plan!"

Ciro ran over pulling Gabriel away from the preoccupied demon spawn. "It worked didn't it?" Gabriel rolled his eyes. He knocked another arrow just in time. The witch was ready for another round. Half her face melted away. Her eyes filled with rage as she growled at them. "I fucking hate this place."

~~~*~~~

Noah had flattened himself against one of the walls trying to find the best path to Theo. With everything hanging within line of view and a crazed witch running around, he didn't know where to go. That was until he saw Gabriel appear from the abyss of the room.

"He's laying in the center of the room. If you can get to him and just drag him this way, I'll give you cover," Gabriel explained. Noah couldn't see his face but he could hear the tiredness and fear in Gabriel's voice. Not once before had he ever heard Gabriel so fearful.

Noah gave a quick nod and headed in with Gabriel close behind. He bent down to see if he could get a better view of where Theo was laying. Through the semi-darkness, Noah saw the silhouetted body of his brother and started moving faster. He heard Gabriel shoot a few arrows overhead and strange growls from different places in the building. He finally reached Theo who was completely unresponsive. Noah laid his head on Theo's chest and heard the sweet sound of a pumping heart even though it was weak.