And Also With You ~The Tooth And Claw Books #3

Chapter Eighteen: A split second attack

We met Michael in the courtyard shortly after that, and then we moved to the meeting room. When they proposed a toast to the fallen I didn't object, in fact I took the glass with the rest of them. The bitter smell of communion wine radiated from the glass and assaulted my nose, but I paid it no mind, after all the dead deserved honor.

"To those who have died, may they live in a peace that few get to experience." Michael said and I went to raise my glass.

A split second after he had finished talking however, the room lit up with a bright yellow wave of light, so bright it blinded me for a moment. Once my vision returned I saw it, most of those who had been in the room were frozen seconds before taking a drink, their bodies glowing with a bright yellow light. I took a quick look around, myself, Akio, Kordia all unfrozen good, so too was Yuguchi,  Jasmine, Celestia, Michael, Raphael and Lucifer. None of those surprised me, we were all Divine Level, or in the case of Jasmine and Yuguchi playing host to Divine Level cores. What surprised me however was one of the Demons was unfrozen.  Another Demon, the light covering his body seemed to shiver a little, as if the Demon might break free but he didn't

"What the fuck!" The Demon growled drawing both of his Tainted-Blades instantly activating their spells. "You dare attack us Angel!"  

Although he couldn't sense the kind of Magic that had done this, every kind of Magic had its own light. Save those of a Demons Ancestral-Magic, which changed from person to person, and a Levitation-Spell, each and every kind of spells color was determined by the kind of Magic powering it, yellow meant that it was Sanctified in origin, and the fact that everyone was currently frozen in place, combined with a pigeon frozen mid flight just outside the window, could mean only one thing. This was a Chronomancy spell, an Arch-Level one given that only Divine Level users were unfrozen.

"Easy Calum," Irina stepping around from where she stood next to him, to stand between and Michael. "I know you don't trust the Custodies Veritas, and after what we went through I don't blame me. But trust me, this wasn't us."

"Nor was it any of my men I assure you. Well not by my orders anyway." Lucifer spoke.

I took a look at one of the Demons, and saw the rune of Valimus Hades begin to glow and start to break the spell. "

"Valimus no!" Excelsior snapped, panic in her voice. "I can sense that your host is only Arch-Level, if you break this spell the Soul Convergence will be irreversible."

"Very well, I don't like it, but I trust you old friend." The Shard spoke, although I could hear in his tone that he didn't like it.

As he did, I sensed it through Changxi, murderous intent aimed at Lucifer, and I don't mean from the Demon. Had I been human, I wouldn't have had time to trace said intent and act, I would have been too slow, but my Vampire speed changed that. It wasn't just our bodies that worked more quickly, our minds worked a lot quicker as well. They had to so that you could process your surroundings, otherwise being able to go that fast would be pointless. I didn't pause to ask permission, there wasn't time, I simply ran as fast as I could, slamming Lucifer hard enough backwards that I probably broke ribs, better broken ribs than dead, as he chair fell I raised my arm, my Custodian's Shield activating. The Heavenly-Blade struck it, lighting the room up with a bright flash, and throwing the attacker backwards.

"Damn you!" Pandora growled looking at me and kicking me hard to the floor. "That would have been perfect! Thanks to you, the opportunity provided by my mother is wasted!" 

"Pandora, what the hell!?" Lucifer called out standing and drawing his blade. "You would betray me?"

"Of course I would, you chocolate eclair spined, cannoli willed, just as pleasant as fruit-cake sniveling barbaric fool of a goddamn excuse for an Angel!" She growled taking a step towards the window.