The Riches of Power

Ravaged

POV Pieper

We wasted no time getting out of the building, but we were still in the provided robes rather than our armor and we didn't know where our weapons were. The angels were frenzied running about the sanctuary, some praying on their knees others trying to figure out what they should do. As we raced onto the cobblestone streets I called out "Asmodel!" Her frantic figure spun around, she seemed disoriented. "Where are our weapons!" She took a moment to answer as robed figures ran to her for aid and guidance.

"Your weapons and armor are in the chests by your beds." She called from down the roads and began to answer the bombardment of questions. My mind was racing. This council building was sitting on a hill so you could get an overview of the pasture beyond the wall. Hoards of traipses were storming out of the circumference of the tree barrier at the border of the field. There were only the three original guards and the one that spawned at the beginning of the interrogation that were defending against the onslaught. 

From this point you could also overlook the sanctuary, and unfortunately the building where we were housed was on the opposite corner of where we were, and already the traipses were beginning to climb their way up the walls with painful cries as their milky skin came into contact with the heavenly stones.

"Let's go" Michael said, already racing down the path. We made it in and out of that house as fast as possible we were already in our armor and our weapons were in hand. Angels ran around the sanctuary grounds in search of cover as screeching monsters crawl the streets, rampaging buildings and terrorizing anything in their paths. We had split up a bit, to cover more ground. Riley and Michael were with me and we went over to the women's bathhouse by the eating Pavilion. A Traipse must have jumped from the top of the stone wall that was left standing strong with bits of singed demon blood and skin remnants, and jumped onto the silver metal canopy that had glistened the night before. Because its silver netting now caved in and draped the sides of openings between the tall pillars. The silver also held black patches of traipse blood along with scraps of pink flesh that had been ripped off at the beginning of its assault. My eyes followed the trial of black streaked liquid until they landed on the large behemoth that was crawling up the sides of the bathhouse and its talon like fingers clawed into one of the open windows and screams echoed out of the stone building. As I trot forward the metal spikes of my mace barely grazing the cobblestone undertow. It was Michael that shot first with his long distance cross bow his aim steady as his arrow landed in the spine of the creature that then whaled out a painful cry of agony, losing its clawed grasp and gravity compelled it harshly to the ground. The moribund traipse attempted to get back onto all fours but I rammed him back onto the stone with a spiked blow to its chest, the force of that the magic weapon poured out forced the poor creature down so hard that you could feel the impacted stones crumble, it's ichor splashing up onto my newly cleaned armor freshly showered skin. Riley gave a final blow to its skull with her shotgun proceeding to spill more of its innards into the air. With a few heavy breaths and the adrenaline in my ears I scanned the perimeter. 

In a small alley between a few of the housing buildings closer to the fountained square was another traipse in an engagement with one of the archangels. Micheal shot his crossbow, catching the monster by the throat and pushing it into the wall behind it, even pinned the creature fought to against its new restraint and managed to tear apart the flesh around its throat but before it could fully find freedom the archangel took one long swing, decapitating the creature, and letting its body fall into a few moments of seizure almost like a chicken would after its head being cut neatly off. The angel gafe us a dutiful, but appreciative nod as we head our separate ways.

In the distance I could see Taryn coaxing stranded angels to the nearest shelter. How frustrating it must be for her to find a place in battle where she lacks the strength for any type of combat ability. Before my gaze shifted a traipse had scrambled over the wall and launched itself onto the roof where Taryn stood beside. A handful of whimpering seraphs screamed as the wood of the roof started to cave in a the traipse tried to scrape itself up, but its hind legs and its three toed clawed feet swung dangerously below. Taryn looked up unsure of how to help, as the vicious claw stood in the way of the doorway. The weight of the floorboard roof wouldn't hold much longer. "Riley, Michael!" I urged drawing their attention away from a farther target that Michael just fired at. I nodded towards the crumbling hovel.