SleepWalker

Chapter 15

The Devil drew a blood red sword with a jagged edge. The two blades met and sparks flew as the blade of heaven met it's infernal enemy.

Darcy danced with the Devil, hacking and slashing at each other with furious energy. She had never received any training, had never held a sword before in her life, but now it came to her naturally. The blade was a part of her soul. She controlled it just as she would control an arm or leg.

Even then, Mortmalus had centuries of knowledge and training. The fight was even, but barely.

They ducked and turned and slashed for what seemed like an eternity. Darcy knew she should have been dead. But no matter how much the demon pressed her, she fought back relentlessly. She could not, would not, give up. She was a Keeper and this was her mandate.

As she fought, Darcy thought of her parents. All the years they had lived unable to show her any love or affection. But despite everything, she was thankful for it. The years had hardened her, had taught her to live for herself.

Until the ritual that had opened her eyes and her soul, she had only known the pain but now....

Now she knew how the taunts she faced in school had given her the strength to face the world. They had turned into an armor that no weapon could pierce.

But at the moment, that armor didn't protect her from the demonblade. The cold steel cut deep into her side, drawing blood. A warrior of heaven she might have been, but she still bled like any human.

"Ready to give up, cupcake?" The Devil said with a grin.

"Oh you wish," Darcy replied hitting him across the head with the flat of her blade.

The ground around them steamed from the heat released by the fury of their battle. The soul-blade and the demon-sword burned with the eternal fires of heaven and hell.

Mortmalus feigned a thrust and slashed at her legs. Darcy fell to the ground with a scream. Her legs felt as if they were on fire. But she didn't stay down, instead she sprang to a side and drew her blade close.

The sun was almost down and she was growing tired. She watched her enemy warily. He stood with his sword held high, the mocking grin on his face. He seemed to read her every move, always a step ahead. But Darcy could see that the Devil was tired. Maybe....

She faked a slash at his face and stabbed down. He anticipated her move and intercepted, which was just what she wanted. While he was bent over and unbalanced, she kicked with all her might and sent him sprawling. She leveled her blade at his chest and stood triumphantly.

"Any last words?" she asked.

"Just one," he replied. "Look behind you."

"I'm not that dumb," she snapped.

"But you are dumb," he said. "And I'll prove it."

The Devil began to change his skin lightening, his hair growing longer. When he was done, Darcy was shocked.

"That's right," The Devil that wore Morph's face said. "I absorbed his essence. Kill me and you kill Morpheus."

He's lying, she told herself. He must be.

But in her soul, she knew he was not. This time, the Devil wasn't lying.

"Save your precious boyfriend," He said with a grin. "Or save the world. Which will it be?"

She knew what a heroine in a book would do. A heroine would find a way to save both. But she was no hero. And she knew what to do.

"I'm sorry," she whispered and drove her blade deep in his chest. Black ichor bubbled from the wound. She dropped to her knees.

"By my mandate as the Keeper," she said, repeating the words of the spell Michael had taught her. "By my heavenly duty, I charge you of crimes against the universal order and the Throne of Heaven. The days of your reign have been numbered and brought to an end. You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting."

Thunder sounded and a bolt of white fire erupted from the sky, blowing a hole in the roof and striking the demon where he lay. Mortmalus screamed in pain and shook violently as his body burnt with the fire of heaven.

Darcy knelt where she was, long after his body had turned to ash and the ash scattered by a powerful wind. She knelt there as if in prayer, as the tears began to flow.

It's been a while, I know. I've missed you all. School is killing me and I don't know when I can update again but I promise the story isn't over yet ;)