Malevolent

Chapter 34

     Arlo, what the hell is taking you so long! Dante reached Arlo's mind. He swooped low, avoiding a blade only to have to flip back to avoid another. His massive talon ripped through the air, narrowly avoided by the brown eyed angel. If Arlo didn't hurry, there would be no chance of escape for any of them.

FRrree mEe! Dante's demon roared with a thunderous force. Feeling Dante growing weaker, the demon demanded to take over. 

In full control, the demon could summon its full powers. But If Dante slipped, he'd be letting the demon take complete control of his body and soul. 

Dante wasn't sure if he could come back from that. He'd seen it happen in hell, when fallen angels weren't strong enough to rein in the demons they merged with. 

He had to hold off as long as he could. Arlo!

Your women are holding me back, Arlo grunted back.

Confused, Dante turned his focus towards where he sensed Arlo and sure enough, hidden behind a couple of cars, were Amra's midnight locks. 

Angel.

Dammit, he growled. 

He'd wanted to keep her safe from the fight, but with her awake, she risked getting hurt and if that happened, Dante knew he'd let go. Completely detach from any part of him that wasn't demon. 

For a split moment, Amra's gray eyes caught his gaze and he felt her stare penetrate his soul with something he couldn't quite understand, but his strength felt renewed. His hits grew stronger.

Her gaze seemed to say everything she couldn't. It caressed his face like her hands would and filled him with vigor.

"ARRRH!" Dante pushed forward. If Arlo didn't take the shield down, then his options would soon be limited.

𓆰𓆪

"Arlo, you need to hurry." Amra turned back towards the green-eyed demon. Following his trail with Lily alongside them.

"Dante's a big boy, he can handle himself a bit longer."

"FUUUUUUUUUUC—" Crrrack!

Amra turned to see Dante had been tossed against a tree so forcefully the tree had fallen and landed on a car.

        "Arlo!"

        "Just need ma' sword." He strolled over, picking up the massive sword from the ground. The shield suddenly trembled, and it caused everyone to look up and stop. 

 "Finish drawing as many of these on the shield as you can." He handed them a piece of paper with a sigil on it and to Amra's surprise he took out two giant dark plumes from his wings— green at the tips.  

They reminded Amra of his dark midnight locks with a green streak. 

She wondered if he was also a fallen? A Darkborne like Dante.

"Use the sharp end of the feathers to draw them on." He instructed before giving one to Amra and Lily.

     Lily looked as if she was about to say something, but Arlo had already moved on. "The shield is weak, but it also heals. The more sigils on it, the slower it takes to heal and the weaker it will become, which'll make it easier for Dante and I to take down." 

"Oh, and you might want to hurry," he looked behind them with a glare. "Cause it appears we got their attention." 

Amra followed Arlo's gaze, noticing one of the angels had spotted them.

        "Hold them off as long as you can!" Amra responded, before swiftly taking Lily's hand, jutting Lily out of her thoughts, who had been examining the feather in her grasp.

Arlo's eyes landed on Lily for a moment, "Don't get cornered, I can't guarantee I'll be there this time." He said, before taking off in a sprint.

     The words meant as a reminder to stay safe had only unlocked a piece of a puzzle for Lily as the green-eyed man took off. Her heart raced, realizing that the hooded man that had been following her for days was likely him.

     Before Lily and Amra's eyes,  Arlo shape shifted into a monstrous creature and charged at the angel. 

Lily gasped in astonishment, but there was no time to process it. Amra pulled her towards the perimeter of the angelic shield.

Lily's gaze was conflicted, and Amra was certain that Lily was full of questions, but none that she could answer at the time. Escape was their only option and the faster they moved, the better.

        "Amra?"

        "Yes."

        "When this is over, you'll have to explain all of this."

        "I know."