The Devil's Love

Shadow of Death: Chapter 15: Anton

Sarah had blown me away with her response, her angry words at a man that had me fooled. I was dumbstruck as I watched my love leave the room in a huff, listening to the words of an unimpressed man.

"I am not here to fit you into any expectation." He grumbled. "All we want is for our worlds to coincide in peace. You stopping the crows from doing their duty is about to cause problems, Anton."

As Sarah screamed my name, we both stood, looking at each other with fear.

"What have you done?" I hissed at Gabriel.

"Nothing," he said as he followed me across the hall. "I haven't done anything."

Entering the bedroom area, I saw Sarah standing by the largest of the windows; her fear filled eyes turned to me as I moved closer. Even without seeing it, I could feel it. Now that I was not dulled by the alcohol, I could feel the army of heaven.

"You bastard," I growled, turning to Gabriel.

"I came alone, only a few knew of my task." Gabriel pleaded. "It wasn't me."

"No, it was me."

We turned to see Michael, standing between us and the crib where Brannon was sleeping.

"I knew that you were incapable of getting the job done."

"It was my task, Michael." Gabriel snarled. "Take your army and go away."

"I am the protector; you are the word. I am doing my job, you've done yours and failed."

He gestured to the windows with a haughty smile.

"Beautiful, a world under guard, demons behaving themselves because they are unable to leave their residence. Now we just have the task of two little beings that are misplaced. Only demons can be locked into hell, did you know that Sarah? You, my pretty little immortal human, are not allowed and of course, the half cast child, what a shame."

The fear that I held for the situation was high; I could feel the anger fighting against the fear to gain control. But as a bulky figure rose through the wood floorboards behind Michael, I felt a sense of ease. I was glad that I'd given Igor more powers, the man was loyal to the bitter end.

"Where on earth shall I put the two of you? Antarctica maybe? It would be a pleasant change from this horrid heat."

He turned to the crib, only to see a glowering menace with clenched fists. With one mighty whack, Michael was on the floor, clutching at yet another broken nose.

"I am a man of my word; I say I give you another broken nose, and I mean it. You do not have authority to lock this world nor remove anyone. Queen is a position that cannot be removed; the prince has duties. You know rules, you cannot intervene."

Michael narrowed his eyes at him as he stood, adjusting the nose back into place. Like he had figured out how to fix himself faster than usual, Michael stood as if he hadn't just been punched by a man that was twice his size.

"Indeed." He said dryly. "But like I said, I have a duty to protect."

Sarah was fast and quiet on her feet, ignoring my frowns and shaking of my head as she moved to the fireplace. She pulled the poker from the stand and moved to Michael. The delicate creature was so light and nimble; he never heard her coming until it was too late.

Gabriel gasped as she plunged the fire poker into Michael's back, piercing through to the other side. It wouldn't harm him; it would be mildly painful but more annoying if anything.

"If I were you, Michael, I'd take the army and walk away."

She pushed on the rod making him wince as she whispered in his ear.

"You cannot remove my son or me from our home, and if you try, then you will pay dearly."

Blood poured down the front of his shirt, unlike the army Michael was wearing a suit. Did he expect me to accept that he would take Sarah and Brannon away, was that the reason he wasn't wearing his armor?

Darkness shrouded the land that began to rumble, like the minutes before a mighty storm, the underworld was being covered in a large cloud.

"Oh, you've done it now." Gabriel grumbled at Michael "Idiot. Could you not have left it alone? I said I was capable of finding an amicable path, but nooo, you had to do things your way. Well congratulations, now you've got a war on your hands. I'm done gentleman, my lady."

He tipped his head with a smile to Sarah.

"Don't bother asking me for help Michael after all; I'm just the word."

Gabriel disappeared before us, no doubt returning to where he belonged.

The sounds of an army marching towards us echoed loudly, I turned to the view of the darkened underworld and saw my beloved demons moving to us, ready to fight. With a surge of pleasure, I felt the supremacy rise, the power of the trinity pushing it harder.

Hands cracked through the land as the soldiers turned to see their doom, the damned were rising from the pit.

I laughed, so wicked and perfect, I reveled in the glorious moment as I opened the windows.

"Rise my beautiful damned." I called out to them "Do my bidding and destroy the soldiers of heaven."

Sarah dragged the impaled Michael to the window, watching with wide eyes and a faint smile as the damned clawed their way through the dirt and the leaves.

They numbered in their thousands, circling the soldiers and then they waited.

Michael looked out, thinking that they feared the battle he smiled supremely. That was until two cantankerous dragons flew past and swooped in, picking off the soldiers in large numbers and dropping them back to the ground. Hundreds of crows followed after the dragons, swooping in and out again. His supremacy fell away fast, with a growing horror he saw Cerberus running towards his soldiers.

This was it, even before the damned and the demons got to his soldiers, Michael knew that the animals had control of the situation.

"Are you ready to watch your soldiers fall, Michael?"