As Above So Below

Chapter 7

                Destruction, death, grieving and mourning of the millions of losses from both sides were all that was left in the world it seemed. The demons were plentiful in amount, yes, and both were of equal power, yet not of equal strategy. Yosaflame was the demon in charge of strategy, and the demons had the upper hand for thousands of years. It was stressful on both sides, but Kcalb turned this stress into a feeling that made him laugh and feel as if he were succeeding and progressing forward. Etihw had Wodahs and Grora on her side, which were the two in command and dressed for combat; Grora with her crossbow and Wodahs with any weapon he was given. They were dressed in white, as were the rest of the angels, which differentiated them from the armored, sometimes freely dressed demons. Etihw found it humorous that they had the freedom of dress, and felt, way back in her heart, that ‘the old’ Kcalb was still there.

Ater and Arbus were first in line from time to time, and took out billions of angels with a single blow. Although clumsy, they were the most skilled in combat. Yosaflame would send out warriors of fire, which sent everything near into ablaze. Lost used techniques of poison or toxics that could pollute the air and, whenever inhaled, would burst one’s lungs; however, this was only effective to angels. Cranber would go first out in combat and rip her enemies to shreds; eating their brains as she traveled. Everything felt as if it were going so well for Kcalb that he commanded they call him ‘Lord Kcalb’, which he cherished immensely.

“Yosaflame, what’s the next strategy?”

Kcalb would ask, as he sat upon his midnight black throne; the moon coming in from the windows brightening the room just enough to see him through his camouflaged apparel. Every time, Yosaflame would respond matter-of-factly; providing a diagram and further explanation behind his theories.

“Lost will send out the toxic gas, while Cranber stuns them with her glares, as we have come to figure out can paralyze victims even from afar. I will blow a mass of fire in all directions, and Ater and Arbus will aim for inside the palace. When they reach, if that comes to pass, they will give Etihw a gift, any gift, and when she picks it up, it will send of a magical vibe that will knock out her guards and kill her by inserting a venom through a prick that can penetrate from anywhere within the item.”

A devilish smile would crawl upon Kcalb’s lips, and he would give a chuckle; praising Yosaflame for his hard work, and going out with the plan. However, this plan did not work for years to come; Ater and Arbus could never get to the palace, until one day, Kcalb left his throne and went to see everything for himself.  He arose from the ground while black fires and hazes spread in the air like smoke, and he appeared through a swarm of crows.

 Cranber stunned all the angels, as according to the plan, and Lost spread the toxic sealed from within a special container. The angels would die instantly from the contact, as blood would shoot from their mouths like water balloons, and Yosaflame sent his wave of green fire among them; frying them all to a black crisp. The demon lord smiled widely, and followed by shadow behind Ater and Arbus who were finally successful in entering the castle in cat form.

The palace was just as he remembered it; wide open whiteness as far as the eye could see. There had been more additional staircases, which must have been there just to tick the enemy off in case one was to trespass. The two girls ran up what felt like a never ending staircase with Kcalb simply lingering behind them. Upon reaching the end, they saw two large doors. That must have been it! Both of them pushed the door open lightly, carrying the little present, and walked on over to Etihw. Wodahs and Grora were standing on either side of the wide white throne, and Etihw stood up.

“What brings you here?”

Either she forgot who they were, chose not to point them out, or was planning an attack. Ater nudged over the gift, and Wodahs went to pick it up, but the two pulled it back. The head angel stood up straight once again, and this time Grora went to pick it up, but Ater wouldn’t let her. Etihw stopped and glared down at the two cats before speaking up.

“This must be a work of Kcalb’s. Wodahs, I understand this is your brother, and if you wish, you may stand away while I exterminate these two.”

Ater and Arbus hissed in unison, running over to Etihw while shoving the gift against her foot, only having the magic take out the guards and not kill the queen. The room was embedded in silence, and Etihw walked right in front of the faintly, faintly visible shadow upon the floor.

“Kcalb, I know you’re there. Get up.”

From hearing her request, he emerged from the ground in a straight line; standing upright and glaring straight into her eyes with anger and hatred. Etihw stared back at him coldly. Behind those cold eyes was a feeling of guilt and no hope. There must have been no hope left if Kcalb had just now tried to kill her. Their stares were growing restless, until Ater and Arbus appeared by Kcalb’s sides.

“No one will hurt Lord Kcalb!”

“Lord Kcalb will be hurt by no one!”

The sisters said, defending their ‘fatherly friend’. Etihw brought her head down, and Kcalb watched as she looked back up at him; pale in the face.

“You tried to kill me. You knocked out my guards and planned to kill me. Victory won’t come to you so easily, Kcalb; that’s what you must learn. You’re… a threat now, Kcalb. For that, I will banish you for your actions, and you will not talk back to me.”

Kcalb’s rage boiled up inside him as he wanted to lash out at her, but the magic straining him kept him from doing so. The four were instantly teleported outside to a distant mountain which was perfect for looking down upon the field of battle.

“Look what you have started, Kcalb. You will not get away with this.”

Ater and Arbus were pushed far away, flying through the air at least thirty feet away from the two leaders. Etihw continued to stare into him, and she lifted a hand up in the air slowly, as it radiated with a bright energy.

“For a millennia, you will stay locked up within the Earth’s deepest core, and you will have no escape. No one to rescue you, no one to talk to; no one and no thing. This, I proclaim, in the name of the angels.”

The entire world seemed to shake, and even the ones on the battlefield seized their quarreling to behold a horrific sight. A fissure opened below his feet as he was hovered above it, and he begged, pleaded to be let go.

“Etihw! Seize this at once! You will pay for this!!”

With a final shout, he plummeted down into the open fissure, and the ground closed around him. Etihw bent down and put down what looked like a seed, and it immediately bloomed into a black rose. Its thorns were unusually sharp, and the black seemed to be dripping from the petals like poison. Ater and Arbus looked at the sight with terror, and watched as Etihw walked away with no emotion; eventually fading away like an apparition. The two girls ran over to the flower, the place where Kcalb laid hundreds of miles below the Earth, calling his name. They sat there and mourned; holding each other and sobbing. Yosaflame, Lost, Cranber, and the rest of the demons were standing in silence, holding a brief moment of mourning. The angels simply stared in horror as to what had happened, but merely cheered after seconds. Outraged, the demons continued their attacks, and they did not seize.

Dark…

Cold…

It’s very dark, and it’s dreadfully cold.

I cannot move; the Earth will not let me.

I cannot see; there is nothing here which wants notice by me.

I cannot feel; for the Earth has nothing left for me to feel anything.

Etihw…

Eti…. hw….

When we meet again….

There will be nothing left.

I will destroy it.