The Gaurdians

Chapter 3

I feel the blood dripping off my chin before making its way down my chest. Uriel looks like he's going to puke. Maxis turns away, and Sera actually throws up.

"They struck first."

I wipe off my mouth and then kick the dead one at my feet.

"Who are they, Uriel?"

My voice echoes throughout the dead silence. Uriel walks steps over the broken furniture, then pulls the mask from one of the bodies. The face has similar features to the others, along with the exact same silver eyes.

"More fallen angels...damn."

He drops the mask and leans against the wall, crossing his arms. He pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out a heavy sigh.

"Azazel may not be dead after all."

I feel color rush to my face as the image of his mangled corpse enters my minds eye.

"Yeah, there is absolutely no way he survived that. I ripped him apart! His organs were outside of his body! His heart was shredded into paste! You're telling me he could still be...."

I feel a shudder go through my body, his voice echoes in my head. The hatred that festered inside me for months boils over. I scream and grab the fallen angels body, and my skin smokes as blue flames ignite all over my flesh. I let out another scream as my claws rip through the fallen ones flesh I see his face on its body, I roar as I lift it over my head and rip the body in two.

I feel my mind growing fogged I turn and sprint through the open doorway past my friends I can't be here among these corpses their blood smells too good the scent is making me heady I hate that I want it...

What is happening to me?

I run through the halls desperately, looking for a way out the entire time. My heart is beating harder and faster.

I need to get out.

His face flashes through my mind the pain of his implements across my flesh, my bones snapping, my sanity slipping away, my hope being ripped out of me one piece at a time.

I see a pair of enormous wooden doors and slam my fist into them they open soundlessly revealing the sunlight beyond I run faster until I feel grass under my bare feet the soft feeling of it helps to calm me as if a dam is breaking I fall to my knees the flames burning across my my skin dim a bit but don't go out completely I kneel there and sob.

At first, I hear nothing over the sounds of my own heartbeat. The memories of everything that happened in that place are too raw the pain too much to let it free of its cage in my mind. But I realize now looking at my own mangled hands that I can never escape this thing he's made me into.

I bring my claws to my throat. The sharp edges draw a small bit of blood. I examine it in the sunlight, but what I find only cements the truth I'm now realizing.

"It's black....like his...it's...black..."

Footsteps resound behind me. I don't turn around. Don't get to my feet. I'm terrified that they, too, will be different. Azazel may be dead, but his grip on me has never been gone. I can feel it like a vice around my throat.

"I'll never escape him. Not really...."

I hear Seras voice.

"That's not true Azael you escaped. You're free he can't hurt you anymore."

I jump to my feet and turn to her. I bring my hand up to my face.

"Look at me!"

I scream it as my emotions get the better of me. Her eyes look everywhere, but at me, I look at Maxis, and then Uriel, both of them are doing the same. A pang of hurt alights in my chest.