Death's Stigma (NanoWriMo14)

Chapter 10

"Selena, cover me for God's sake." Ryan yelled. There was a blast of rifle fire and Grim opened his eyes. Ever inch of him was filled with searing pain. Ryan was bent over him while Elizabeth and Selena fired at a group of demons running at them. He could feel water running under him and realized they were in a drainage pipe.

"How long?" He croaked.

"Three days." He managed to sit up.

"Hey, you need to lay down."

"Ryan it's my soul that was damaged the rest of me is just sore. Help me up." She took his hand and pulled him to his feet. Katie ran down the pipe towards them.

"The path ahead is clear, let's go. Good to see you up Grim." She started to transform.

"No. I can't fight like this and my soul is to tattered to use my rifle. You guys go on and I'll catch up."

"Grim..." Elizabeth said.

"No, I'll only slow you guys down. Get out of here, I'll find you guys later."

"Grim's right, we need to get innocents out of the city. Grim, take care of yourself." Ryan said putting an arm on his shoulder. "Let's go."

"Go." He nodded to Katie and she followed the others with tears in her eyes. He didn't tell the others that his soul was almost whole again.

"At least I can't get more of you hurt."

"You can't fool me Grim." Katie said. She had turned around. "I know you're fine and you can't just abandon me. I am your partner we are meant to live or die together. I will be your tool of destruction. Now let's go make these fuckers pay." She transformed and this time he held out his hand.

"Then let's get to work."

He marched out of the drain and onto the bank of the river flowing through the city. Fires burned everywhere and people were running from demons. He jumped up to the street above and scanned around him. He blurred towards his apartment building and ran up the side of it. He flipped onto the roof and sliced open his hand. He splattered the blood on the summoning circle.

"Fulcrim!"

"Right here boss." He said climbing from the portal.

"What's the situation?"

"Skyra has six lieutenants not including Myst. They are locking down the city and prepping it for her to enter your world. She also has Death captured."

"What!"

"She attacked him while he was trying to close the gate and he got pushed into this world. We both know Death doesn't have much power here. She has her top lieutenant and body guard watching him at all times somewhere in the city. Also she has some kind of secret weapon on the way."

"Good job." Grim used one foot to scrape out part of the circle. "Try not to get killed and when this is over I'll talk to Lord Death."

"Thanks Grim." Fulcrim climbed down the stairs and dissapeared.

"We got to find the boss." Katie said.

"Yeah I know. We need to find somewhere to hole up. It takes weeks before they can create any portal sturdy enough to bring Skyra through. Till then, we need a hiding place." He said. There was a roar of an engine and helicopter desended from the clouds.

"The military is here." Katie said.

"Yeah and they're  going to get themselves killed."

Almost on que a raven monster ripped through the cockpit and it exploded. Grim could see soliders in the streets firing at masses of demons. They were being pushed back by the tide of claws and fire. He leaned over the edge and toppled over. He flipped through the air and shattered the street under him. Scythe extended out in one hand he turned his head.

"I'll handle this." He blurred forewards into the swarm. He darted across heads and backs, slicing demons apart. He jumped and slammed his feet into a giant like demon. It toppled and he removed it's head with one blow. A pack of hell hounds merged and let out a torrent of flame. Grim jumped over it and landed on the demon's back. He grabbed his pistols and flipped them into chain scythes. He lashed them around around the creatures tusks and drew his scythe again. Digging the pointed end into it's head he yanked it around.

The soldiers had dropped their weapons in shock. Grim was perched on its head charging it through the horde. He held the chains in one hand and used his scythe to defend himself. A massive worm creature burrowed from underground and into the hell hound. Grim flipped off and threw the chain scythes at the creature. He looped the chains in his hands and pulled. He ripped to bloody ribbons down it's side as it tunneled back down. It burrowed back under him and he rolled out of the way. He blurred and sliced the worm in half. It flopped on the surface and before it could retreat he buried the scythe in its head like a pick axe. He ripped it out and turned to the soldiers.

"Vulture 2 to Command, we have a situation." He nodded and said. "A guy dropped from the sky and just slaughtered a group of these things with a scythe." The must have told him to capture Grim because the guys face turned white.

"What in God's name are you?" One soldier  said.

"Nothing that he's proud of." Grim said. He stepped forewards towards the commander. The crowd parted and the commander took a step back. "Tell your bosses I'll come to them willingly." He switched over to his head. "Katie transform back. I can't keep this up much longer and we could use your gun."

"These poor bastards are gonna be scarred for life." She turned into dust and reformed next to him. They pulled their rifles off their back. The soldiers freaked and raced to back away from them. A serpent demon reared it's head to grab a group of the frightened soldiers. Katie opened fire and ripped apart it's head with a barrage of energy.

"I recommend we leave before more show up." She said.

A few of them had crossed their fingers into crosses while others prayed. The commander cleared his throat.

"Vulture 2, full retreat." Grim looked to Katie.

"Cover the rear, I got front."

"Got it." She fell to the back of the troops as they made their way out of the city. The soldiers were twitchy and fired at every sound. Grim got out his phone and dialed Elizabeth's number. She picked up on the first ring.

"Grim, you alright!"

"Yeah I'm fine. I need to ask you something."

"Whatever you need."

"Get out of the city. Take Selena somewhere she can grieve and get out of her. The military needs help with dealing with these things."

"What about you?"

"Only one of us needs to blacken their soul to finish this."

"Grim, you aren't the only one here."

"No but I'm the only soldier here. You, Ryan, Selena, even Katie you have things to live for. You still have some people in this world that love, so go, this war can only be won by giving up everything and everyone."

"Grim..."

"Just go, help the army keep their men alive and evacuate innocents. Only a monster can kill Skyra and I'm going to give her one."

"Good luck Grim, goodbye." He hung up and the commander looked at him.

"A monster?"

"We all need to make sacrifices." Grim said clutching the black stone in his pocket.

"You're what seventeen, eighteen years old."

"Eighteen."

"What are you doing here?"

"My job."

The commander said nothing as they aproached the area the military had taken over. Grim and Katie walked into the command tent and were greeted with the barrel of rifles.

"Whoa guys, friendly. I'm a friendly." Grim said putting up his hands.

"Stand down men. You must be the guy that saved my men, thank you. I am General Wheeler."

"Well General Wheeler you better prepare for one hell of a debrief."

11,670 words down, getting closer.