Deathsong

Chapter 4: Slaughter

Everywhere, angels died.

The screams and sounds of steel cutting through flesh was a symphony that horrifically complemented the ocean of angel blood that steadily grew on the sea cave's isle. Everywhere Deisara looked were masks of agony as demons- sinister ones that almost looked human- wielded weapons that looked as if they were forged from darkness. She saw the remaining Captains get overwhelmed one by one.

Biveli, she saw shriek as her head of black curls detached from her body. Lacloushe had his wings covering him in a futile attempt to survive. Once his indigo wings were shredded and the color of a red dawn, the demon who took him didn't pierce his heart.

No, he simply cleaved him in half, and then ripped it out.

Etniel. Noel. They soon followed suit.

Then Heidas. The child-like Heidas was the worse. One of the strongest had her pinned by a dozen lower demons. After uttering a few words of casual hatred, he had her clothes ripped away and her body torn apart and eaten. Her agonized childish voice echoes off the rocks. They continued far too long.

Raja was the last one left and closer to Deisara than the rest were. She watched Raja glow green and expertly deflect all the blows that came toward her. It took her a moment to figure out that she was using her power. Prescience.

And the reason that Raja was so melancholy after her vision was that she saw heaven dying horribly.

And she could do nothing about it.

Still lost by the utter chaos of their failed mission, Raja grabbed the paralyzed Deisara and flung her into the small-mouthed cave. As Deisara got up off the cold rock, she saw she had done the same with the others and was now fighting all the attacking demons off.

And looked back to see crimson eyes staring back at her. Heitaro, now no longer needing his disguise, unfurled a pair of wings that shone in gold and gave a fanged grin.

"Well, well, my past teammates. How lovely it is to finally have a moment for myself!" He laughed. "Surely you want an explanation, yes?"

She heard Alamir and Tessela snarl at his purr of a voice, soaked in arrogance.

Deisara coiled her body into a tense knot as Heitaro walked closer, staring into her eyes with ones of bright red.

"You see," he began, gesturing to the others. "Deisara was the only one who could see me for who I was. And she very nearly blew my cover but didn't have enough faith in her instincts to believe what she thought was real. That I was a demon amongst angels. She knew from the start- from when you all were charmed when I introduced myself- but foolishly said nothing. Though I'm glad she didn't. Though her instincts are too accurate. We cant have that." Then he laughs and draws a sword.

The look of the sword made Deisara tremble in fear. The gold hilt reflected so hauntingly the flames that swirled around the steel blade. Heitaro placed the tip at the hollow of her throat, barely hovering over her skin, and she felt as if she had been struck with molten lava. She didn't have time to think to react before he swiftly raised it above his head and made a swing straight for her neck.

Suddenly, the demon was splayed spread-eagle across the opposite wall. Deisara looked up to see Alamir standing in front of her, swords drawn, and all but growling.

"If I didn't let an incubus kill her, a piece of shit scum like you has no chance in the universe of touching her."

Deisara watched as Heitaro plunged out of the darkness, straight at Alamir, and Alamir deflects his attack with a grace she had never seen in him before. Though that was short lived. Feeling confident, Alamir went for his own attack and met Heitaro's sword head on, making his own dual swords shatter.

Taking advantage of his newly-created opening, Heitaro sliced the flaming sword deeply down Alamir's chest, making him stumble backward, falling into the cavern's corner.

Deisara, frozen in fear, watched him again come close to her. In a strike of blazing speed, Tessela launched herself in front of Deisara to protect her.

Heitaro effortlessly sent her to the ceiling with a blast of energy, making her fall to the ground in a large thud, unconscious.

He didn't get to take a single step before Mari was in her way.

Heitaro laughed, obviously amused and waved his hand over her dismissively. "How can a mere mage kill a warrior?"

Mari's smile was slow and sweet and reminded Deisara of a fox about to catch her prey. At the same time, her amethyst wings began to pulse with light. The action just amused Heitaro more. "Oh, so you finally woke up then, Luci?"

Mari's sudden snarl made her jump in her skin. The angel was always so calm and nice. This side of her was everything but that. "Don't be a fool. I am not her, nor her I and neither are you as such, Heitaro. I and the angel's fracture have a common enemy. History repeats itself, no?"

In response to Mari's claim, Heitaro lost his arrogant smile and spread his wings. Glistening gold, Deisara watched as the edges became kissed in black and became veined with the dark shade. Though this didn't frighten the girl standing in front of her. Instead, light emitted from her chest and her war garbs were replaced by the silver armor of a goddess. She held a sword, the hilt carved to resemble a crescent moon, and her own wings became kissed and veined in pure white.

And then two angels possessed by archangels entered a fight to the death.

Steel on steel. Dark with light. As the two angels fought, Deisara watched and found herself comparing it to a deadly dance. The music of the clash of swords, the steady burst of breath and the occasional note of a cry. The tempo was set high as they parried and struck at each other in a flurry of motion.

As Deisara watched in morbid fascination, Mari couldn't find it in herself to blame her.

Heitaro had once been her king, and she his queen. They had danced before, but never one that ended in death. Of the other at least. As she fought and stared at his face, contorted in anger, she remembered pieces of the past that had been locked far away. Of where she came from. Who she was.

Who she loved.

In a second of hesitancy, Heitaro plunged the blazing blade through her armor and heart and flung her body to the side. She saw him look down at her in a morbid mask of love.

And she remembered the days that had been locked away by the blond demon as the light faded from her eyes.

The days when Heitaro had ruled supreme.

Editorial Credit: Alveonancy