Immolation Ex: The Knower (COMPLETED)

Chapter IX

Holok's voice boomed across the golden expanse of his domain, a dark twisted sound indicating his pleasure as one more life experience became his. "Aaahhhh...." His massive rumbling body of energy glistened and grew by millimeters in response to another tortured soul burned away by his touch. "More!" he called to his Grigori slaves. "I need more! Ummmmm!"

The spirit of an elderly man whose years extended well beyond a century was presented to Holok. "Yessss!" the golden cloud sang. "Wonderfullll..."

"Please lord, I don't know what I have done wrong, I did everything you asked. I lived...." The spirit screamed in agony as his years burned away into flickering ashes. The culmination of the man's experiences, of who he was, his family, his knowledge, his hopes and dreams, his loves, all gone in mere moments, simply for nothing more than the momentary pleasure of one very sick angel.

The blank, faintly glowing orb was then quickly ushered off by a Grigori. The golden creature was now to return the soul to Earth and inject it into a newborn's body, generating a new lifetime of experiences destined to one day burn for Holok's selfish desires.

"Mooorre! I need more!" The soul of a six year old girl was quickly ushered before Holok forcing a bellowing laugh from the former Archangel. "Yes, I shall burn you away, although you are no more than a mere snack to me, child!" Holok reached out to take the child's short experience from her. Nothing happened. "What? What is this?" The golden cloud realized this spirit was something different, frightfully different.

"Leave me alone you awful thing. Daddy!" the girl's spirit screamed, the voice small and weak at first, but with each syllable increasing exponentially, it eventually rattled even Heaven itself.

Holok released the child's spirit and for the first time in millennia, the evil ethereal beast grew afraid. "Kill it!" Holok commanded to his Grigori thugs.

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"Did you hear that?" Michael said as he crouched down, unsure of where the cry came from.

Gabriel could tell it was the soul of a small child, because he could feel it. This was his gift and one of his roles in Heaven, to care for the newly passed children and it saddened him to admit his services had not been needed in quite some time. "It's a little girl, brother, and she is powerful, practically angelic."

Chamuel flashed into the Council chambers. "Brothers and Sisters, the Chay Nephesh has returned."

Every Archangel in the Council of Archangels chamber fell silent.

"The soul of Adam," the words repeated around the room.

"I must go, I have to get her," Michael exclaimed.

"Wait Michael!" Orphiel, Commander of God's Chariot spoke up. "This is too important a mission for only one Archangel and much is at stake. Holok probably has no idea of who she is."

"But, he will still try to kill her. Enough talk, let's go, Orphiel!"

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The low sound of horns blasted across space as Heaven's doors opened once more. God's chariot exploded from the white tear. Four fiery brilliant horses thumped into space, flames flaring in blasts from their nostrils and hooves.

Grigori poured from Holok's cloud like swarms of bees and were even streaking up from the planet below.

"It looks like Holok was anticipating this."

"I agree Brother Orphiel. Do you see her?"

"Over there in the distance, near the dark side of the moon!" Orphiel shouted as he noticed something. It appeared to be a tiny streaking meteorite with five larger gold orbs in pursuit behind it. "Right there!"

"Can we make it?"

"Do we have a choice?" Orphiel asked.

Michael no longer in the form of an orb, appeared in full Archangel regalia, sword drawn and held at the ready. Orphiel snapped at the reigns of the massive fiery beasts under his control. They snorted and dipped their heads pouring out every bit of energy they had available, gaining as much speed as they could as they streaked across the emptiness of space toward the Chay Nephesh.

"Here they come!" Orphiel shouted over the booming hooves tearing through the darkness.

Twenty Grigori arched down from overhead in an attempt to surprise Michael, the battle-worn Archangel. The first five to reach him were dispatched in a brilliant flash of spirit dust. Then five more. Then six. One of the golden angelic actors grabbed at the reigns attached to the lead horses and were instantly incinerated by the fiery breath of the beasts. The other Grigori redirected their attention to Michael and Orphiel.

Orphiel was mauled by three Grigori angels. He grabbed one of the golden beings by the face and smashed it on the side of the chariot while still maintaining control of the heavy celestial vehicle. The other two creatures bit and tore at his arms and face in attempt to wrestle the reigns from his hand. Suddenly they flashed into nothingness as an arrow of pure energy passed through them. Orphiel turned to see Azazel standing in the doorway to Heaven with his newly created bow.

Michael dodged and slashed as more and more Grigori rained down on the chariot. "Where are they coming from?"

"Look, there she is!" Orphiel pointed ahead of the horses and then noticed a massive wave of golden spirits forming in the distance. "We have more trouble on the way, brother!"

"I know, Brother Orphiel!" Michael shouted. "Forget about them, bank hard left and down. It looks like she is cutting across back toward us. When we get close I am going to reach out and grab her." Michael tied a golden rope around his waist and secured the other end to the chariot's railing. "Here we go!"

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Dustyn and the others spilled out of Heaven's doorway passing Azazel busily dispatching Grigori with his energy bow. The former King David and his team decided that since the door to Heaven was open for the moment and the Grigori were occupied with Michael and Orphiel they could use the opportunity to round up as many human souls as they could. Dustyn happily noticed that a great number of angels and Archangels followed him into space to do the same.

"All of you, listen! That is not Heaven!" shouted Carter. "Over here!" He bolted toward a group of scattering souls putting himself in between them and Holok. "No, not this way that's not Heaven! Go toward the light!" Carter felt cheesy.

Danny and Angel streaked like comets through the crowds of spirits no longer streaming in any organized path toward Holok's fat golden ass. They shouted at the orbs to run for the white opening into Heaven. "Run! That's not Heaven, that's evil!" they yelled.

"Uh oh! Looks like Jabba the lush knows what we are up to." Dustyn noted several squadrons of Grigori had begun peeling off from the battle with the chariot and were now heading their way. "Incoming!" Dustyn yelled at the strange assortment of heavenly creatures making up the spiritual rescue squad. "12 o'clock!"

Dustyn quickly dipped, then flew right to avoid a golden fist. "Dammit, that was close." However, he realized he wasn't in the clear when he felt one of the golden beast's fingers grab him. "Oh no! This is it..." he thought.