Reapers

Chapter Forty: Wings

David heard his own labored breaths as he stood atop the abandoned factory once again, the three Reapers spread out across the building, scythes in hand.  Once in his ancient life he had faced the exact Reapers as enemies on the field of battle, as those who threatened and schemed to destroy everything he held dear.

Now they seemed like the only hope he had to protecting those he cared about, and the mortal world he had learned to accept as his own, against the Angel before them that now threatened all of that.

Carol tucked a strand of her blond, blood splattered, hair behind her ear.  "Why?  Why do you fight beside him, Reapers?  Come now, surely you..."

"Enough of this." Valcon snapped, "You are the cause of the destruction of our home, Angel.  We will not stand for it."

"You damaged our Observatory, laid chaos to those of Reaper kin." Damien added.

"And threatened our children." Elvira said firmly, "A deed I will not allow to be excused without punishment."

Carol chuckled, "Your children?  They are but tools, your forged weapons for this exact moment.  Tell me it was not planned, that it was purely fate that the three of you were to conceive children within but mere months of each other.  That they were to be about the age of the young, reincarnated Lady Damaris when they coincidently met."

David saw Elvira's jaw line tighten at such accusations.  "It were truly fate." She said sternly, "We knew nothing of the reincarnations of the Lords and Ladies.  We could not have planned as such."

“But yet, you could have.” Carol smiled.  “Oh, to think I was thought of as a bad mother when such creatures as yourself, Elvira, walk this Earth, bring children into this world as to be used and discarded as weapons for a coming war.”

David tightened his grip on his blade, Leto, as he saw Elvira step forward almost hastily.  He did not take the Reapers for ones of emotion and protective instincts toward their half-bloodied children, but he could find no other explanation for the reaction Elvira displayed toward Carol’s harsh words.

David looked between Valcon and Damien then to Elvira, who seemed to itch at the idea of standing still and taking the insults the Angel threw towards them.  David saw no other choice though.  Carol guarded the Divine Sword as to deny them the possibility to remove the blade and end the wrath of destruction of the mortal people and their world.  Thus they stood eagerly trying to cross her defense, attempting to rush past her, but Carol remained strong, dodging whatever attacks came her way.  He imagined that it was to be expected of an Angel as old as creation that stood against him and the three, only recently freed, Reapers.

David met with Valcon, nodded, then dashed away into position.  Valcon’s thick-skinned snakes slithered across the roof, they hissed toward Carol drawing her attention.  She turned slightly, enough for Elvira and David to charge on the same mark.  Elvira stopped midway, large vines wrapped around the Angel’s body.  David didn’t halt, he ran toward Carol putting his blade to her neck drawing blood the first moment he had.

Carol looked from the snakes to David, “Oh dear husband…”

“The sword, how do we stop it?!” David demanded

Carol laughed, “You think you can threaten me with that small blade of your people?  I am an Angel!  We have our own ways of resurfacing, my love.  Ways beyond simple reincarnation.  So, now think, how do you kill such a creature that can not be truly killed with a weapon such as that?”

“A Reaper’s scythe.” Damien suggested making his way forward.

David frowned, “I don’t believe such will affect her in the necessary way we require.  Your scythes will depart the souls of mortals, but an Angel’s soul is trickier; it requires a greater wear before reaping.”