As promised. remember it's unedited. i finished this about two minutes ago and haven't even reread so excuse the mistakes. I hope you enjoy it xx

Chapter 28

I hastily made a tourniquet out of some bloodied and muddied rags from the floor. I tried not to think of the possible infection this man was going to get and instead tied the material tightly around his leg, ignoring when he winced and yelp under my ministrations. I never said I was a nurse so it eased a bit of my guilt though it still made me flinch to hear his pain and misery. Though if I let myself hear it I would have heard much more suffering and pain around me than just the man whose leg was in my hands.

“How’s that?” I questioned patting his leg but instantly cringing when I saw his face contort with pain out of the corner of my eye. It was weird because I was only just noting the hue of his skin; it was decidedly blue while his hair was a beautiful aqua green that fell around his face in calm mellow waves. I got the impression that this man was more like the sea than merely his looks.

“That’s fine,” he replied, his voice coming out several octaves than it should.

Sheepishly getting to my feet, I held out my hand to him. He had been kind enough to do some weird earth people mumbo jumbo and move Marianna’s body to somewhere safe so I felt a helping hand was the least I could do. He grasped it tightly and pulled himself off the ground nearly tugging me onto the floor in the process as I was so surprised by the sheer amount of weight tugging on my arm. Heck I teetered for a moment before I managed to somehow balance us out and get him up on his feet.

Glancing around, I was sickened by the engagements on every side of me. Blood was splattering out in the air in every direction only to be picked up by the strong winds that were bearing down on us so that it became a read mist, coating everything it touched in the blood of the dead. I gagged and turned away, wanting nothing more than to run and hide from the monstrosity behind me.

 So many of them wanted no part in the blood shed but were merely controlled by the puppet masters. And quite frankly I wanted nothing more than to destroy these kids for hurting so many people. To hurt them for making mums, daughters, fathers and sons fight people who actually had full control of their body and mind. I shook my head back and forth as my hands balled into fists and began to tremble with the anger now flooding my veins. To think how much the survivors are going to be scarred but this.

“Come on,” a voice urged me and I jumped startled at the presence of the blue man. I had totally forgotten he was there but it brought me back to the situation at hand.

“What’s your name?” I questioned as he edged away from the battle and towards the monsters behind this entire thing. It was weird that I hadn’t gotten his name before but it only felt right to ask considering he already knew my name.

“Ian,” he informed me with a small smile. My mouth dropped open. I was not expecting his name to be so- ordinary. Guessing my thoughts he chuckled. “My name is longer but everyone calls me Ian, they have done for the past seven thousand years, you know those nicknames that just sort of stick.” I nodded my head and then quickly ducked when I heard the whoosh of a sword.

Glancing up I saw Ian withdraw his blade from a middle aged man whose blade fell short of Ian’s blue skin but probably would have skewered me if I hadn’t ducked. The man smiled at Ian in gratitude as his hands were finally able to release the sword a moment before his eyes rolled back into his head and he fell to the ground. I stared at the body in front of me and poked him in the arm. I didn’t know whether to feel relieved or saddened that another person was dead. I could only hope that his death wouldn’t have been for nothing.

Standing up once more we continued to edge closer to the henge. I noticed out of the corner of my eyes several of my winged allies doing the same, cutting down people who attacked them first but never making the move to engage the puppets. It was probably part of their angel code but I was grateful that they weren’t just mercilessly cutting a path through the crowd like some blood hungry wolves. If they did I don’t think I could ever look at angels in the same light. Not that I would anyways with the whole situation with Gabriel. Heck I had kind of always thought angels were a-sexual up until that revelation.

We were less than twenty metres away from the henge now but I could see quite clearly why there was no blood shed occurring here. Standing around the base of the stone doorway were faces I had seen before, demons and angels ready for battle at the hands of the puppet master. Lifting my gaze I noted that the silhouettes were all looking in our direction now and I could almost imagine their lips lifting into a smile but none of their countenance showing amusement. I could imagine the way that their cold eyes sparkled malevolently before they activated the Book and set the legions of warriors out to attack.

Almost like I had ordained it with my very thoughts, every single head snapped in our direction. The faces of those before us looked on in misery as their hands moved to their hilts and, with a flourish of those practised in the art of death, they pulled out their blades. I gasped and took a hesitant step back but Ian’s reassuring hand on my shoulder prevented me from completely running away with my tail between my legs.

Before I knew it, I was surrounded by Gabriel, Lucius, Zeke and several Archangels who looked ready for war. It chilled me to see that they were looking at their friends, their brothers and sisters as if they were nothing but an enemy to cut down. I suppose it probably makes their jobs easier that way.

A stillness swept over everything, as if just for a second time had stopped. My eyes drew over everything, from the taunting silhouettes orchestrating everything to the fierce faced warriors around me spattered in blood. It truly was a deadly beautiful sight but it was one I could have lived without seeing.

As the stillness broke, both sides leapt into action. I stood there stock still for a moment in amazement at the fluidity of each side that was fighting earnestly against the other. This was quickly interrupted when someone called my name and I turned around just in time to dodge a heavy piece of wood that was being brandished by a girl of barely fifteen. I felt sick to my stomach as I noted the petrified look upon her face as her body adjusted itself and heaved the wood back onto her shoulder before coiling up ready to strike once more. My gut told me what I had to do but there was nothing that would ease the guilt that I was sure would plague me until my death whenever that may be.

“I’m sorry,” I whimpered as she shifted her weight to manoeuvre the heavy piece of wood towards me while I dodged out of the way using my greater agility to dip in after the swing and thrust my blade into her heart. As I pulled the blade free I had the painful task of looking into her terrified eyes before she collapsed at my feet. “Oh god,” my words were choked out as tears flowed freely down my face. My heart already pained at the thought that I had killed someone’s daughter just like that, no hesitation on my part. Her terrified stare had burned itself onto the back of my eyes and if I survived this battle there would be no doubt that her face would haunt my dreams for the rest of my life.

I turned back to the puppeteers with renewed vengeance on my mind. They would die, even if it cost me my life in return. These children just messed with the wrong woman. Quickly I noted that most of the opposition between me and the teens behind all of this death had been eliminated or had disappeared altogether, only a few lingered around the foot of the puppeteers’ base. Grasping my weapon within my hand I strode forward, determination in every precise swish of my blade, my mind focused on only destroying them so my mind didn’t linger long enough to consider those we were cutting down. I now understood the reasons for people being blood thirsty because right then I was one of them. My entire being wanted nothing more than to make these callous children feel the pain they were inflicting on the people below them, the ones they were watching die like it was some Sunday afternoon special on TV.

Somehow I had managed to clear a path to the henge but now I was at a loss. How the hell could I get from the ground to where they were standing, twenty odd feet above my head? For any human the feat was impossible which begs the question, how the hell did they get up there in the first place?

As our group reformed at the enemies feet we all stood back to back, them looking for danger while I kept my gaze to those above my head who were probably looking down at us right now. I didn’t want to be caught unawares so I tried to peer up at them but with the sun starting to set behind their head I realised that hours had gone by since the fighting started. To me it seemed like only minutes but the glimpse of sun as it peeked through the reddened clouds showed just how much time had passed since we arrived here to meet with the enemy.

I shot a glance at those around me and then nodded upwards, hoping that they would come up with some suggestions. What I didn’t expect was a dozen or so sets of wings to sprout out around me, the white untainted by the blood covering the rest of their bodies. It was a sight to behold and I could kind of see the way that Lucius wing would have looked once upon a time though seeing him besides his brothers with his ebony and scarlet wings I wouldn’t envy the others their white ones. His ones were magnificent.

Still, I didn’t fully understand the implications of them having their wings out before arms wrapped around my waist and with several beats of their wings we were lifted from the earth. I grasped tightly onto the arms around my waist, my nails digging into the poor persons flesh as we steadily rose higher and higher with each whoosh of their wings. All too soon were perched on a henge but not the same one as the evil teens, instead we were on the next one over leaving a considerable gap between us. It was then I noted that they had all but left me on their own as they launched towards the teens and tried to cause them some serious harm. 

One of them quickly lost balance and was hanging on the ledge. For a moment my heart ached before it was one of the younger assailants and her eyes were wide and frightened as she frantically looked for someone to help her. When one of the people on our side took pity on her and offered her a hand however, her lips curled in disgust and she shook her head back and forth letting her pride get in the way.

“I would rather die than take the hand of a winged pig,” the young voice snarled, taking the angel aback so that he was not able to react fast enough when she released the edge and free fell towards the ground. I looked away but I still heard the thud as her dainty body hit the floor.

From the fact that the humans and earth people were still engaged in combat down below, it was safe to say that the girl didn’t have the Book of Eve. She was the person I thought least likely to have it but I kind of hoped she had because it would have ended this before it really began.  Glancing across to the other slab of stone where there was frantic sword fights occurring; I tried to find whatever the elusive Book of Eve was. It would have helped if I actually knew what the thing looked like. I’m guessing it was pocket sized and didn’t have neon signs telling everyone where it was because I still couldn’t see anything that could possibly be the book.

I stepped closer to the edge and squinted, ducking and bobbing as I watched the fights trying to examine every inch of the opponents to see if they were hiding anywhere. All too soon though, I was overwhelmed with watching the sword fight happening between Gabriel and the heartless guy who was obviously the leader of the other side. It was mostly a blur of movement on both sides as they were both evenly matched in the art of the sword, the clang of the metal striking against metal the only clue that they actually came close to hitting each other.

I inched at step further forward and let out a gasp as my foot slipped. My arms frantically windmilled through the air and my heart pounded loudly in my chest as I tried to regain my balance. Another second and both feet were firmly on the stone but it was too late, the damage had been done. I glanced up in time to the blade of the sword pierce through the white wings on Gabriel’s back. He cried out in pain, his back arching as he wobbled on his feet. Cold eyes turned his head in my direction, smiling in glee at me before he jerked his sword free. The movement unbalanced Gabriel who teetered on the edge a moment before plummeting off the side.

I gasped and rushed forwards but quickly remembered my own precarious position. All I could do was watch as he fell, my throat becoming raw as I called out his name, begging for him to be okay.  I marvelled as he opened his wings on the way down and even though it obviously pained him, he used them to glide down to the floor. His landing was less than graceful however, his feet tripping over themselves so that he rolled headfirst into the bloodied mud, his body and wings quickly becoming awash with dirt and blood.

I breathed a sigh of relief when he pushed himself to his feet but he was soon back in battle as the human legions continued to advance towards us, more people appearing on the horizon as each person was cut down. Something made me think that it was ceaseless, that they could keep coming until the Book was deactivated or destroyed which meant that all of this was pretty much pointless unless we could locate the book.

Turning my attention back to heartless, I noted he was glaring down at Gabriel, annoyed that he had been bested by a wounded man. I however was transfixed at the thing hanging around his neck. It looked like a stone but there were intricate carvings that looked like a tangle of lines from the distance between us. I was sure there was probably some meaning behind it if I could get close enough to him.

Cold eyes obviously didn’t like the fact that Gabriel had bested him because he took a few steps back before doing a run and jump off of the stone structure. I gasped and watched his dissent, secretly hoping that he would perish like his teammate but it was just too much to hope for. Halfway down, he struck out his sword and impaled it into the rock, using the friction to slow the momentum of him hurtling to the earth. The sound was almost as bad as nails on a chalkboard and it certainly drew everyone’s attention to him, which if his smirk was anything to go by, was just what he wanted.

Soon everyone was on the ground again fighting while I was left on my stone pedestal to overlook everything. I was one step away from huffing and pouting when there was a beat of wings behind me and Zeke landed deftly on the rock with barely any sound. Giving him a shaky smile, I peered through the mass of bodies until I saw cold eyes. Pointing him out to Zeke as he engaged with Gabriel I nodded my head.

“I need to get to him, he has the book- I think- he has some weird stone thing around his neck. It would explain why Gabriel can’t seem to get close enough to him to cause him any real damage.” I waited until Zeke nodded his head before lowering my arm. For a moment I was entranced by all that was happening below but all too soon arms were wrapping around me and I was once again forced into impromptu flight.

We set down about ten metres away from Gabriel and blue eyes. Luckily blue eyes had his back to us so we were able to edge closer to them without his notice. The big question was how we were going to get the stone from around his neck when he obviously knew how to defend himself. I inched closer and closer still and when his back was turned on me, I did the only think a crazy girl who is useless with a sword can actually do. Taking of running, I launched myself up onto his back, wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck in a chokehold.

Stumbling around a bit, cold eyes never ceased in his battle with Gabriel but he kept doing lunges and sudden jerky movements to try and get me off of his back. I wrapped one arm even tighter around his neck, my fingers digging into the exposed skin drawing blood while my other hand reached down the front of his tunic looking for the stone. A gulp escaped me when I realised it was tucked back in his shirt and I would have to put my hand down there to retrieve it.

Squinting my eyes closed, my hand delved blindly for the stone and I almost had it in my grasp when an elbow dug into my ribs, winding me. A gasp escaped my lips and I blinked a few times trying to orientate myself before I continued with my search. The elbows started coming more frequently as my treasure hunt continued but I managed to dodge most of them, only getting clipped a couple of times. Finally I got hold of the stone and with a sharp tug I broke the chain from around his next.

“yes,” I hissed in triumph and the body beneath me stilled for a moment as he realised that I now possessed the necklace. Before I could think about jumping off of his back, my arm erupted in pain as he bit down on my arm that was holding the stone. A cry of pain escaped my lips but I refused to let go, whimpering as I tensed my muscles and tightened my grip on the stone. Copying his example I bit into his, hard enough to draw blood through his t-shirt and with a yelp his jaw slackened slightly around my arm.

Not giving it a seconds thought, I pushed away from his body, falling to the floor with a thud. Gabriel nodded at me and continued to parry the jabs of the sword while I crawled backwards before being dragged out of harm’s way by Donalbain who had appeared out of nowhere.

Glancing around I noted that all of the humans had paused and were now staring at themselves with a mixture of relief and fear. It was probably because they were standing atop of the dead and were spattered with blood.

“Did you get the book?” Donalbain questioned as he examined my arm but kept one eye on Gabriel and cold eyes. I pulled out the stone and stared at it. It looked so ordinary that the tingling sensation I got from it touching my bare skin told me all I needed to know.

“yeah, this is it. So, how do I destroy it?” I glanced up at Donalbain but he merely shrugged not having any more answers than I did.

“You’ve got to want it with all your heart,” whispered through my mind and I knew in an instant that it was him. “be warned, the consequences could be deadly.”

I gulped at the inconspicuous looking stone and then at the massacre it had caused. Giving a frantic look at the wide eyed people standing around us, I felt my shoulders droop at the thought of more casualties but felt it deep within my soul. This had to be done.

Closing my eyes and clutching the stone, I willed with everything within me for the cause of all this to self-destruct, to become nothing more than dust on the wind. I knew it was working when my hand started to heat up and blinding light escaped the gaps within my fingers. My eyes opened and I noted everyone had stopped to stare, well except for Gabriel and the idiot behind it all. My eyes however fell on a woman clutching a child who looked no more than five. I knew without a doubt that they would die if they remained here.

My eyes fell of the henge. It was protected, maybe just maybe it could protect them if they got inside.

Meeting the woman’s gaze, I tried to covey the urgency of the situation we were in. “Run, please. Run and get inside the stones.” My voice was scratchy and became kind of screechy as I urged them to save themselves. At first she looked uncertain but as her eyes swept over me she gave me a sorrowful smile and nodded her head and took off with a run. Several others followed after hearing my words and people started to follow them because they felt like they had to. It was the whole sheep effect.

I concentrated on the stone and its destruction but I knew there would be another minute or so before the big event happened. A hand tapped on my shoulder breaking my staring contest with my hands. Looking over my shoulder I met Ezekiel’s gaze.

“Come on, leave the stone here and get inside the henge. We can save you too.” He tired pulling me but my feet were rooted to the ground. I shook my head sadly at him, feeling bad that I couldn’t satisfy the hopeful expression on his face.

“I can’t,” I choked out, tears streaming down my feet.

“Yes you can.” He informed me while nodding to someone behind me. I saw two angels grasp an unconscious Lucius under the arms and drag his quickly across the distance between the battle field and the protection of the henge. A smile crept on my lips. At least he was safe. The thought didn’t linger however as I focused on Ezekiel  and told him the words that frightened me to core.

“I can’t go, I must stay. I feel it to my heart. If I let go, the book will not be destroyed for only a human can destroy it. My will is what is charging it up so to speak, take me away and it returns to standby, like I’ve taken out the batteries.”  I glanced at him and then at Gabriel. “Please get yourselves away, i-it’s the only way. Please save yourselves, for me.” I pleaded the last words, not at all ashamed that it came out as a whimper.

Gabriel who had finally bested cold eyes met Zeke’s gaze with a questioning look. Zeke must have lied pretty much as Gabe smiled and ran off towards the henge after scooping an injured person into his arms. I was grateful that he would be safe, but still I needed Zeke to go.

“Please Ezekiel, listen to me. I need you to be safe. I need you to watch out for Danny, do you hear me?” I asked getting more panicked as the warmth between my hands became white hot making me hiss in pain but find myself physically unable to move anything below my shoulders.

“I hear you, but I am not going anywhere.” Before I could mount another protest, he stepped close to me and wrapped his wings around the pain of us in a cocoon of feathers. “How long?” He questioned but I never got to reply.

 My mind briefly flittered to the dream I’d had all that time ago of me and him hugging in the middle of destruction before the energy within my hands exploded outwards. I didn’t look I just endured, my eyes squinting closed as I buried my head into Zeke’s shoulder to try and ignore the pain. But it became too intense. My veins felt like they were boiling setting me alight from the inside. It was complete agony.

With a yelp I bit on my lip until I drew blood and mumbled what could only be my dying words into his shoulder. “Thanks Zeke, you’re the best friend a girl could have.” I wasn’t even sure if he heard my words because a moment later the pair of us were thrown apart and crack echoed across the field before a great wave of energy burst forth from the stone and swept through me ripping my very soul from my very body.

The last thing I saw before I was consumed with darkness was the luminous pink bubble around the henge that repelled all of the dangerous energy from the stone. The shocked onlookers stared out into the destruction and I briefly met a familiar pair of eyes. Time stood still for that moment as I saw the agony within his gaze that mirrored my own. A sad smile made it was onto my lips before wave after wave of unadulterated pain swept through me and I was welcomed into the blissful arms of blackness. I willingly walked grateful for the reprieve from pain, my last thoughts lingering on my son and the hope that he would grow up proud of me. I love you Danny.