I
With a thought, the remaining wreckage of the old school were blasted away. His cape whipping in the power he generated, the Paladin stepped forward into the darkest night he’d ever seen.
Her body lay behind him, stained in blood and growing cold in the moonlight. Lea, whose flame was extinguished by a demon who sought to hurt the Paladin, who sought to drive Connor Sharpe insane.
And damn it all if the monster hadn’t succeeded, for all that Connor could think of now was killing the King of Fallen Angels, Vilnias.
Gabriel limped around the corner, having followed the screams of Vilnias. “Connor…wait…”
Connor only glared at his mentor before taking off, a streak of white light disappearing into the night. There was no stopping him no, no yielding his rage, no satisfying his bloodlust. As Gabriel hobbled to where Connor had stood, he finally noticed the body of Lea lying in the rubble. He tried hard, but could not find her soul, no trace of it left in this realm.
Wherever Lea was now, she was not returning to Earth.
II
Vilnias stood above the city and laughed. At last he would succeed. By now, Connor was undoubtedly weeping, mourning his lost love. Soon, weakened by the brimstone, the fool Paladin would succumb and die. And if he didn’t? No matter. He would be so weak, Vilnias could finish him off with but a stomp from his boot.
It wasn’t until the Paladin drove headfirst into the demon’s back that he realized just how wrong he was.
Before he could recover, Paladin’s fists shattered any previous knowledge Vilnias had of his power. Brimstone armor shattered, his wings ripped and bloody, the monster found himself assaulted by a wild beast, the Paladin’s only speech consisting of animalistic howls and screams as he laid into the monster.
Vilnias fell, breaking through the side of the town hall, what few survivors were gathered there running and hiding as the two titans battled. Paladin dropped down to the ground, refusing to let up his assault, screaming and raging at the monster Vilnias. A right hook to his jaw. A roundhouse kick in the chest.
Vilnias laughed as the blood poured from his body. “Do it, Connor! Give in!”
Another right hook shattered Vilnias’ jaw. Connor was having none of this.
III
Weakened and bloodied, Gabriel hobbled across the city, putting the pain he felt away and trying his best not to look like he was dying. He finally made his way to the only place in town where humans still stood and screamed. The brimstone chunks had long since stopped falling, which told Gabriel that Vilnias had lost his concentration. The dust in the air and fresh falling debris told him that the battle was moving all throughout the city.
He caught a glimpse of the battle, a bloody red streak followed by a screaming white one. The two figures tore through the city, exchanging blows, screaming obscenities at each other, trails of blood following as the two combatants tore into each other. The battle flew back into the air, tearing through into a miraculously still standing construction zone. Mortar and steel bars fell from the sky as the two fought throughout, moving with a speed that Gabriel himself could not comprehend. Gabriel hobbled up a fire escape and found himself standing across from the battle, Connor’s fist pulled back to deliver a killing blow…
IV
The demon Vilnias pulled his jaw back into place and flew into Connor, tearing at his flesh. They flew throughout the city, Vilnias finally capable of getting in a few hits as Connor yelled and screamed, clawing at the flesh of the monster, his rage unyielding.
After a whirlwind battle throughout the city, Connor threw Vilnias to the roof of a long empty building, the monster landing on his back coughing up blood and gasping for air. Connor landed and ripped off his mask, his eyes still burning with rage and power.
“Do it, Connor.” Vilnias hissed, blood dripping from his lips. “They gave you the power to do anything you want. Just will it and it will happen. You can do anything you want.”
“Anything?” Connor whispered. “I can make you suffer? Make you beg for mercy, pray for my life? And it would make me no better than you, would it? I can feel it coming from you now. I know why you do this…you blame Gabriel for your fall. You think he failed you, let you become…this. So, what? Kill all the Angels on Earth, then kill Gabriel?”
“Fool. He’s miserable here, on Earth. His powers limited…his memories of Heaven erased. Gabriel was left on Earth to prepare for the return of Earthborn Angels…so long as I kept killing them, he would keep existing on Earth. And as long as the King of Fallen Angels walks the Earth, you damned Angels will never stand a chance.”
Energy crackled around Connor’s hand, his eyes gleaming with the sweet notion of vengeance. “Anything I want, then?” he quipped, grabbing Vilnias by the neck.
“Yesss…prove to them that you’re a waste of their time. Avenge her, and redeem yourself for failing her. Kill me Connor…”
Gabriel crawled up on the roof as Connor screamed, pouring all his power into his fist. He thrust his hand deep into Vilnias’ chest, grasping the demon’s black, hardened heart and pouring his energy into it. Vilnias gasped and screamed, his body burning from the inside out. As the light intensified, Gabriel shielded his eyes, dust kicking up and destroying the world around them.
When all was done, Connor stood beside him, his costume gone and his wounds healed. Connor laid his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.” He said solemnly, “I was unable to shield you from the blast, but…it had to be done.”
“I understand.” Gabriel said, sighing and looking longingly at the ground.
“You won’t be here much longer, my friend. Maybe they will take you back soon.”
“Doubtful,” Gabriel whispered, “Since you just killed the…”
Gabriel looked up to see the bleeding, fleshy form of Stefan laying amongst the rubble, unconscious, his wounds slowly healing.
“Connor…” Gabriel said, awestricken. “…I don’t understand. What did you do?”
“I did what Lea would have wanted…what was a fitting revenge for her soul. He vowed to continue killing the Earthborn Angels so long as the King of Fallen Angels walked, so I took away his lineage.”
Gabriel stood and turned, facing Connor who stood at the edge of the fire escape. Connor turned his head to look over his shoulder, a single tear welling up in his eye.
“I made him a human, Gabriel. He’ll never harm another soul.”
END
NEXT IN ORIGINS
ACT XII
“…INTO THAT GOOD KNIGHT…”
