Running, non stop running. Legs burning, the pain shooting throughout his body, but he couldn’t stop, wouldn’t stop. The sounds of fighting growing ever so closer, and they were on the loosing side. Warlocks, Fey, Vampires, and Werewolves were in hot persuit behind him, not attacking but following. Their kind were there too, holding on as long as possible, but foe long, none of them knew.
Soon, him, his unit and the rest broke through the tree line and came to the open field, only to stop. Ahead a mile, was the base, smoke swirling to the sky, the glow of fire spotted throughout. Tempers raged, tempered only by the fact that it would only hinder their fighting. With a yell, they drew their weapons and charged, all one hundred of his group, and one of the last reinforcements to arrive.
There was precious little time to take it all in, crossing the field in mere minutes, patches of green, black and red on the grass getting thicker until it was all you saw. Dead bodies grew in number, along with the ashes of demons and angels nearby. Above, they could slowly make out angels and demons fighting in the smoke, an age old war that brought them all together.
As they crossed the main gate into the open area, fighting was still going on, both sides locked in a death grip. Drusilla, standing atop a wall, directing available forces, both human and those of the under world that joined her.
She looks down and notices the rag tag group, David, Nick, Aphrodite, Chiamaka, Fenrir, Adahy and everyone they could bring. With a voiceterous laugh she pointed them and anyone not fighting looked, smiled and charged.
Those not already changed did so, the rest stood firm in their ground, ready for the fight, the last one they had hoped. Everyone had a stake in this battle, no one had gone without suffering something at this point, and all were ready.
With a loud roar as they engaged, it had begun. Metal smashing against metal, the ripping and tearing of flesh, Every last bit of energy they had were pushed into this moment, nothing would be left whether they won or lost. Pushing hard they kept their line, and slowly, but surely they began to push back.
“Keep pushing!” Nick had yelled over the cacophony, hoping he would be heard.
Soon others joined in beside them, keeping and pushing farther back into the base. Stepping over dead bodies they mustered every last drop of blod and energy they had.
Warlocks using every bit of power they had, keeping them protected against any kind of magic.
Fey summoned every piece of nature they could, keeping people in place, others slamming into the ground with massive roots.
Werewolves attacked with such an animalistic desire, it was hard to tell that they turned into humans.
Vampires using what magic and strength killed with no thought, sucking the life energies of their enemies.
Humans, they did what they did best, perseveir and did everything to push through to get to the inner part of the base with their swords.
Drusilla’s smile slowly wavered, she was loosing, what every demon allies she had left were slowly leaving her to die. The end was coming and she was beginning to realize it. Without her, no one would be left to lead, Soren had joined the other side, and none of the higher demons had talked to her since.
Angels began coming down, providing help where needed, though it was focused on the rear in healing and helping others, this was a mortal affair.
Then, a crackling above the sky sounded loud and hard across the area, a sound all to familiar to both sides, the old gods. Odin, Zeus, Poseiden, Loki and the rest had come from their dimension as promised.
Nick, finally pushing through looked up, and smiled. He did a slight scan of the area to find the Arch Angels Garbielle and David, looking right him smiling as well.
Charging forward the humans entered the base and took down any forces that had remained. Fortunately most were on the outside fighting. They soon heard sounds of the rest of the group slowly filter in, taking out anyone wishing to outflank them. This was a human matter and they were letting Nick and the other humans pushing first, and also because Abigail was there and they all knew Nick and Aphrodite should be the first she sets eyes on.
Abigial, fragile, small, the once orphaned girl Nick and Aphrodite took in as their own, was used as bait by those tempting fate.
Soon, Nightingale came on Sir I’m back on she said with a joyous satisfaction.
Nick missed Nightingale although she had to be the most oddball Artificial Intelligence he had ever had the pleasure of sharing his head with.
Find me Abby he spoke to her wit ha single thought.
After a few seconds, a map of the base came across the Heads Up Display of his battle gear, it was fuzzy but it quickly grew clear as she along with the rest of the human teams AI’s hacked back into the system and retook it.
A sot with a line through corridors popped up, indicating where she was. Tears started to well up, but he held them back. The emotions of the others were felt through the connection, all wanting it to be over. Jeff, Hugh and Pang with their wives had fought this hard and were happy to finally see the result of it, and to bring the last person of the family together.
Together they jogged through the last few corridors, taking a left here and a right there, using their swords to wipe out anyone in their way. The last turn they took brought them into the main chamber of the base, where all the important meetings were held among the council members and elected officials.
In the middle, on Nicks post, the middle and highest position in the entire room was Abigail, slumped over and bound. Around here were a few humans, and Drusilla. Somehow she had managed to run back and gather what forces she could in one last defense.
“You will never win because I am far more powerful than you” she said, with a snarl on her face.
None of them wore battle suits, but what looked like those of base support, each holding a sword that Nick thought they could barely hold let alone handle.
“I will give everyone this one chance to come to our side, those who stay with her will be killed” Nick replied “You, on the other hand Dursilla, will simply die.”
The workers looked around too see who would break and join Nick. Two of them looked at each other, shrugged, dropped their weapons and quickly ran behind the group, obviously rethinking their choices and wanting to live. That only left Drusilla and 6 others. Easy pickings he thought.
Without warning, it began, the workers lifting their weapons and charging as if they had supernatural powers, in which they probably did. Drusilla had managed to gain some demonic powers up to now, but she was no where near as powerful as the weakest demon, though she thought otherwise.
With the clash of blades, it did not take long to dispatch them. Nick always thought it was dumb to do stupid acts like that, though he wished he could understand it.
Watch it, I’m detecting some heavy electrical power surges Nightinggale spoke, and bringing a reading up, he could see it.
Drusilla was using whatever power she had left to bare and was not going down without a fight.
Jeff and his wife charged first, but was knocked down by some invisible force.
Nick took a step back then felt a pressure on his back and heard the angel Delilah whisper to him Do not be afraid child, you will succeed.
He stayed put, resetting his footing. Next Hugh, Pang, and their wives charged, only to be knocked down again.
This time though it was different, he noticed Drusilla wince, and then power levels returning to normal.
Go now child, we are with you
With that, Aphrodite and himself charged, bringing their swords to bear as Drusilla brought hers up to defend.
The fight went on for what seemed like hours of attack and defend, push and retreat, but it was only minutes from what Cortana had said.
With a final thrust through the abdomen, Drusilla screamed then slumped on the blade of Nick.
Seconds later all those who were still fighting came in, the old gods staying outside to defend, while those such as Fenrir, Chiamaka, Adahy, Dracula, and others surrounded them. Then, Arch Angels Michael and Gabrielle came in as per their usual motive, a white hot searing light that left almost as fast as it came. Approaching Abigail they bent over and untied her from the chair, Gabrielle picking her up and Michael guarding the two.
Gabrielle brought her down in front of Nick and Aphrodite as they got out of their battle suits. Jeff, Pang, Hugh and their wives joining right behind them. Nick didn’t know what got into them, though he knew it had to be Drusilla.
Aphrodite and Nick bent over to touch Abby, their little girl as the others stood around and looked. They suddenly felt a presence, they look up and saw Leto there, the Nephilim ancestor of Nick, one of the last of his kind. Michael rose his sword and Leto rose his hands.
“I know your orders are to kill me, but I offer you this instead”
Michael stayed where he was ready to attack, but was listening, mainly because he didn’t smite Leto on the spot.
“I wish to stay and ensure the safety of Nick, and my other offspring, Abigail and Aphrodite. Then I shall go, only returning sparingly to ensure their safety” he said after a time.
Nick and Aphrodite had suspected Abby’s tie to the nephilim, but Aphrodite’s connection was a complete loss to them. How could it be? Why hadn’t they figured it out sooner?
Leto only looked over and winked.
“Well, guess that’s a mystery for later people, for now, lets revive the girl.” Nightingale said over the loud speakers.
It snapped them back to Abby, except of course for Michael, who kept his sword on Leto.
With a bright white glow, Gabrielle used his angelic powers to heal Abby, or so they thought. Afterwards she moved to wake but never did. Gabrielle tried it again with to no avail.
“May I?” Leto spoke again “The girl does have a bit oh Nephilim blood in her and this was a bit much for her”
Nick and Aphrodite looked at each other and agreed without a word that it was worth it. They looked at the Arch Angels the Leto and gave a quick nod to let him do it.
Michael, although hesitant, backed off though sword still up, and allowed Leto passage. He calmly walked over, bent down as Gabrielle backed off behind Michael and watched. With a glow of green and lavender, Leto allowed his energy to engulf them. The Arch Angels power always smelt clean and crisp, while Leto melt of sweet winter green and lavender.
After subsiding and Lwto taking a step back, Abigail woke up to the face of her parents, smiled, and grabbed Nick as though she was going to fall. He picked her up as they stood, Aphrodite coming in behind her, wrapping her arms around them both.
They turned to thank Leto but he had vanished and Micheal had his sword down.
“He left a couple seconds ago” Delilah had said stepping into sight with the other angels close behind.
They all stood their for a time, the sounds of battle long gone, the survivors being brought in to be healed. Nick looked around, seeing Fey, Warlock, Werewolf, and Vampire all coming in, all working together. He knew this wouldn’t be the last fight but it would a long time before evil would rise again.
Well boss man, I guess you have some cleaning to do Nightingale spoke to him as he looked.
I know, but this time we are finally united under a common cause, and a united government He replied.
It was a long fight, but now they could be one. The dimension the old gods came from, where the gentry and sprites came from, who united under a new government and now called fey.
The werewolves and vampires had become friends, setting differences aside, and of course hunting territories.
Nick, his team, Chiamaka, Adahy, Fenrir and Dracula, all went out to see the new dawn sun rising. It was appropriate, it was a new dawn for them, a new life for all of them. Everything they had fought for, fought to keep, and fought to get had been secured, and now to build upon new friendships, new relationships and new alliances.
The sky ships of the old gods had hung around but they never came down, but they would when the time was right. For now, they let the victors revel in this, doing cleanup of the remaining and scattered enemy forces.
Nick knew what was to come next, how the world was going to change and that was going to be a much harder battle. The world was on the verge of collapse, and they were going to lead it into a new era, a completely different era.
For now though, they just watched it all, and took in the small respite of fighting and rested.
Red Dirt 