Of Angels and Demons (Book 1)

Chapter 23

She can't hear anything. The room was dead quiet. Not the humming of birds nor the buzzing of flies made it to her ears. She tried many different sleeping positions, but the bed itself wasn't comfortable enough. She wondered when was the last time that bed had been used. Moreover, when was the last time the barracks was even inhabited and how long will it last for it to reach the category of "uninhabitable".

Suddenly, the door was opened and Miranda immediately looked upon it. Finally, her boredom had been vanquished. A couple of guards stood by the entrance as the sun cast a shadow beneath them.

"Miss," one of the guards said. "The the carrier's ready."

Miranda immediately got out of bed and went straight towards the now-open door. The guards escorted her to her transport which was an enclosed gondola lifted by a blimp. Miranda got in and grabbed on to one of the straps.

Just as the gondola ramp was about to close, another angel came rushing in. She stood beside Miranda grabbing on to one of the straps for safety as the blimp took off.

The seraphim looked at Miranda, observing her from top to bottom. "Where are your wings?"

"I'm half human," Miranda answered her. That explains it. Her human gene is dominant over her angelic one.

"I'm Jemima." She gave Miranda her idle right hand. "St.Elstin."

"Miranda." She shook her hand.

"Are you a volunteer?" Jemima asked.

Then it struck her. Was she going home or was she just trying to find Cainan? Either which, she might get both at the same time. After all, the blimp she's on is headed to Earth. And with any luck, she might even find Cainan amongst the chaos that would take place. Then it struck her again, she was created to help her world and people by putting angels and demons to extinction, but now, she was going to help the opposite cause by laying destruction over her world.

"Yes, I am a volunteer. You?"

"Yes, I am too," Jemima said. "I've had some combat training, but I'm not part of the military."

The two exchanged questions and time went quickly for them. Then out of the blue, the ramp started to open, revealing the thin, white, cotton clouds.

"That's our cue to jump," Jemima said.

Jump? Miranda thought that the seraphim had lost her mind. She had no wings. How was she supposed to survive such a fall? "Jemima wait!"

Too late. Jemima jumped out of the gondola and spread out her black wings, diving down to the heed of battle.

Miranda was left to fend for herself. She had no wings, and jumping down would be suicide, despite having demonic abilities.

Miranda took a deep breath and sighed. A plan formed in her head the moment the air exited her lungs. She charged forward and jumped out of the gondola. When she's just a few feet below it, she fired her grappling hook towards the body of the gondola and lowered herself down, penetrating the thin clouds. She was free falling until the wire reached its full length and she was only a few feet above ground. She disengaged the hook and she landed on her feet. The wire retracted back into the bracer.

As much as she hated it, she had to blend in. If she starts attacking random angels and demons, then she'll only put a massive target behind her back.

Miranda drew her sword and killed her first demon. Then another demon came swooping down on her. With precise timing, she thrust her sword through its chest and pulled the blade off the dead body.

She was in complete chaos. Demons and seraphims fighting and dying everywhere. Carcasses of both races were lying here and there. Their blood staining one another and the ground. For a second there, Miranda forgot the reason why she was even there. It was only after killing another demon did she remembered - she was trying to find Cainan. Yet he was nowhere in sight. Could he have died? Well if he has really died, then it will be one less seraphim for her to kill.

The seraphim forces were advancing. The odds were in their favour. The demon bodies that littered the Earth had increased. They were winning.

Miranda looked to the sky. A winged demon carrying a sword was under the onslaught of angels. She continued to observe. Not one was able to touch him, yet alone injure him. The angels stayed on the ground as they watched their comrades face down that powerful demon. After the demon defeated its final opponent, it raised its left arm to the sky, casting demon fire and threw it down towards the earth, searing the seraphim below with increasing radius.

"Miranda!"

Miranda turned back. It was Cainan. He quickly jerked and grabbed her hand, running to avoid the burn site.

She looked back. The pool of green fire that had scorched the angels was expanding its radius.

The demon threw another fireball in another direction. More deaths followed. Cainan tried another direction, but wherever he went, there were only more of his kind missing their lives.

"Retreat!" Cainan heard the commander said.

The angels quickly flew up and back into the carriers that had brought them there.

"Miranda, let's go!" Cainan said when he was in the air.

"I can't fly!" Miranda replied, coming to the realization that not having wings sucked. All that's left for her to do was flee the battle and hope that the demon doesn't find her.

"Miranda!" Cainan exclaimed. He landed back down and chased after her but she was just to fast and he lost her in a matter of seconds. He eventually stopped and looked around him. He saw the devastation of war - dead bodies of his comrades and enemies lay scattered all over.

"Looks like I might have missed one."

Cainan looked to his back. The demon responsible for the genocide was standing right behind him. He quickly readied his fighting stance.

"My name is Xanathun. But everyone calls me, Xanun. And my name will be the last one you'll ever hear."

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Oh man! Things are getting intense! Xanun vs Cainan. Who will win? Find out in the next chapter.

As usual, I love reading your comments and feedback. So please don't forget to leave them along with that little star which indicates that you love this story. I love you all. 😘

-Zyrofern