Born of Death (Editing)

44. Brothers.

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The final battle is here!

"One need not be a chamber to be haunted."

-Emily Dickerson, The Complete Poems

The air thickened and his muscles bunched underneath his skin anticipating her attack. Fire erupted from her hands, the flames licking her fingers casting a glow of reds and oranges. Cyriac frowned confused momentarily by this new ability. Was she an experiment?

"Sariel and I will flank you." Cyriac nodded at Zophiel's words. "It seems their objective is to slow us down which means we're almost out of time."

"Indeed."

"Move," Cyriac bellowed charging the forward as war cries erupted around him. Energy crawled along his arm, shooting into the palm of his hand and forming a sword. He swung it forward suddenly cutting upward with explosive power. His energy cut through the fire defeating her in one blow. She flew back as if sucked in by a black hole and collided with the ground in front of the cave. He stared unmoved as she struggled to her feet coughing up blood.

"Why does she have everything?! And I nothing?! Why? Why?" she screamed insanity bleeding from her eyes.

"How dare you?" he started out coldly remembering the suffering his beloved suffered at the hands of her family. Fury, it started as a slow burn in his stomach barreling its way toward his esophagus and straight up into his brain. His body shook with repressed rage.

"No. You do not understand," Zophiel said cutting in.

"Me, I, you know nothing!" he seethed.

"I may not, but this creature is crying. This child needs forgiveness," he said solemnly taking a step forward toward Rachel.

Cyriac's raged faltered under the strange exchange between them. She seemed transfixed by the angel, had he been wrong?

"Noooo!" Zophiel bellowed reaching out his hand toward Rachel.

"You've always been weak. Useless," the invader squeak ripping out his arms from Rachel's chest the squelching sounds silencing the battles bursting around them.

"But, his light," she wheezed reaching out a bloody hand toward the angel. "It's so warm."

"No, my child," he wept softly his six wings unfurling, flapping and propelling him to the sky. "All shall fall underneath the guardian and protector of divinity!" he thundered twirling two massive Warhammers in each hand.

Cyriac stared in fascination as all the invaders flew toward him, leaving the cave opening unguarded. He wished Zophiel greatness in battle and pushed forward leaving him behind.

***

The squelching sounds from the abyss bubbled echoing around his skull along with the tumultuous emotions tearing him apart. No longer holding onto a solid form, his essence of darkness descended on the land like a massive plume of smoke purging the world in chaos. He grinned gleefully at the creatures scrambling away from him, seeks other realms from his madness. Such tasty souls!

"I want them all!" he shrieked, moving towards the glowing balls of light. They trembled inside of their physical bodies delighting him and he moved faster his hunger riding him hard.

"Master!"

Thanatos drew to halt. These souls were different. There were links stretching from him to the three. Since when did he, death, form metaphysical links with others. He closed his eyes shut, trying to bring some organization to his jumble thoughts.