Immolation Ex: The Knower (COMPLETED)

Chapter X

Michael stepped out onto the railing of God's Chariot, his wings unfurling. The ethereal craft tilted down and to the left as Orphiel did as he was commanded. The fiery horses whinnied as Grigori streaked past them, too slow to keep up but still inflicting damage, the golden beings' claws making small cuts in the horses celestial skins. Like a golden sea, they came in waves, claws out, slashing and cutting at the Chariot and the horses over and over.

"This was the plan," thought Orphiel. He shouted to Michael, "You need to get this right, brother, we won't get another chance! The Grigori are taking shots at the horses. We have to get out of here and soon!"

Michael acknowledged with a nod and said, "Almost there, turn a bit more to the left...just a bit more..." He jumped.

"Michael!" Orphiel was not expecting what his brother had done and neither did the Grigori. They became confused, momentarily trying to decide which target to go after. Orphiel did not, he kept going knowing better than to ever doubt Michael. He was the one being in Heaven everyone could count on since God left.

Michael smashed a Grigori in the face, vaporizing the creature, as it reached out with its hands to seize the Chay Nephesh. With his other massive hand he gently grabbed the spirit orb of the little girl and pulled her to him as the rope he tied to the chariot did its job, yanking them both violently behind the chariot.

"Hold on, okay!" Michael said cradling the sweet little orb. "Everything will be alright, I have you."

"I'm scared...do you know where my daddy is?" The little girl asked. "We were in our house when a tornado came through. He was protecting me and had put me in a bathtub and was covering me...and..and..."

"I don't know, child, but we will look for him. Right now we have to get you someplace safe." Michael felt the rope loosen. "Oh no, no, no!" Orphiel was swinging the chariot around to claim the Archangel and the orb. He must not have calculated that this would leave them both floating with essentially no protection. Michael looked up to see a cloud of Grigori descending on them both. It was too late for him to do anything else, so he wrapped his wings and himself around the orb and called out to God, "Father, help us!"

Then nothing. Nothing happened.

Michael peeked from beneath the edge of a glowing wing to see his sister standing above him. Haniel, sword and shield in hand, was laying waste to the menacing golden threat. "Thank you, sister," he said.

The words never reached Haniel's ears as Orphiel in his roaring chariot grabbed Michael by the arm and yanked him and the Chay Nephesh into the chariot.

"Haniel!" Michael shouted, reaching out with his hand to grab his sister, but it was not to be.

Haniel flashed Michael a smile as she disappeared into a sea of golden Grigori.

Michael fell back into the chariot hugging the orb of the frightened child, his angelic heart aching.

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Dustyn felt his being compress as the Grigori's hands squeezed then stopped. The fingers were still clutching him but no longer pressing in. Dustyn looked back to catch a glimpse of the large hole in the head of the faux angel where its face used to be. The creature's beauty makeover courtesy of one Azazel, Heaven's Weapons Designer smiling rather wickedly at his accomplishment. The Grigori dissolved into a sparkling cloud.

"Man, that was close!" Dustyn wasted no time, sprinting in a streak toward Heaven's door. He could see God's Chariot coming in rather quickly, too quickly. The former teacher knew that once that thing went through the door, it was going to close . Giving it everything he had, Dustyn screamed in through the doorway and rolled across the shiny marble floor of First Heaven just as the gate shut behind him, sealing Heaven off once again from Holok.