The intruder stepped into the firelight. He wore ragged traveler's clothes that were dyed red. He had short brown hair and his eyes were covered with a red bandana. Jocelyn stared at him. Valeria and Travis were on their feet, ready for attack. Tension hung in the air.
"What did he say?" Jocelyn asked loudly.
No one moved. The seconds drug by. Jocelyn glared at Travis.
"Come on! I'm deaf, help me out here."
The blind man turned his face so he would be looking directly at her. Jocelyn concentrated hard on reading his lips. "You should of died, Charmaine."
"Died?" she repeated dumbly. I should of died? Why? That banshee wasn't that tough. Just really, really annoying.
"It seems that you've been underestimated. Even if your reputation proceeds you." The three stared at him. The traveler smiled slightly to himself. "But no matter."
In one fluid motion, Valeria threw herself at the man. The man caught her flailing fists in mid air and flipped Valeria on the ground. Valeria lay on the ground, dazed. He delivered a kick to her head. She flopped on the ground and remained motionless. Before Jocelyn could decide what to do, Travis pounced on the man. The man danced away from the furious weretiger. Travis threw a few ill aimed punches at him. The man easily and skillfully blocked them and sent Travis flying back into a nearby tree. Jocelyn couldn't here the crack, but could imagine it. She jumped to her feet. The man had gone.
Crap.
Jocelyn kept her eyes scanning the dark vegetation for any sign of movement. She turned around to scan the forest behind her. Nothing. The darkness pressed against her numb ears. Fear began to seep into her mind. She never really noticed how much she actually needed her hearing.
Screw this!
She turned to her bag and brought out the sawed off shot gun. She pointed it to the forest. She fired. She caught a glimpse of red clothing. She aimed and fired. Chunks of tree and bark exploded. She picked another spot and fired again. She repeated this pattern until she had come to where she started. She paused to take a deep breath. When in doubt, fire at random. Suddenly, she felt an inkling to turn around. She whipped around to see the traveler advancing toward her. He stopped as she pointed the gun at him.
"What do you want?" Jocelyn demanded.
"There is no way you'll get to the next city alive."
"I can try."
"Be reasonable. I know as well as you do that your hearing is a vital tool to help keep you alive-"
"Don't talk to me. I can't understand you any how. But nevertheless, I'm going to shoot you now. Because..." Jocelyn racked her brain for a reason. "You know what, I don't even want to tell you why."
A jolt of pain shot through her neck. She reached up and felt a pin in her neck. She plucked it out, feeling dizzy. She stared at the small pin in her hand. She blinked. I thought there was only one pin. Wait... I have three hands! Since when did that happen? She blinked a few more times. Her vision blurred. She looked up at the traveler who was now blurred into three figures.
"I feel really, really... weird," she stated with a confused look on her face. Then fell over, out cold.
Jocelyn felt herself coming back to consciousness. Way to go, Jocelyn. You've successfully passed out twice in one day. Wow. You are such a loser. You're supposed to be this really B.A. paranormal expert and you can't even stand up to a banshee or a poison dart. She heard a pair of footsteps walk up to her. She opened her eyes.
The blind man stood over her. Jocelyn jumped clean out of the bed. The blind man evaded her flailing arms and stood patiently. Jocelyn noticed she was in a ruddy room. It reminded her of a hospital that looked like it had been standing for a thousand years or so.
"Where am I?" she burst.
"You are in my custody."
"And where is Valeria and Travis?"
"Also in my custody."
Jocelyn stopped her rant and stared at the man. "And where exactly is "in your custody"?"
"An angel by the name of Gabriel sent me after you."
"Gabriel?" she repeated, lowering her defense. "What does Gabriel want?"
"He said you would help us. And we are in dire need of your help."
"Well, what do you need?"
"I have brought you to the our base to help us fight off the demons."
"You brought me into the war?"
"Yes."
Jocelyn began to pace. Great. Just perfect. By doing this, he has exposed me and the others. By exposing us, he has exposed the mission. By exposing the mission, he is risking death to us all. What am I going to do? She stopped. I shall be patient. I shall gather my bearings and help these people out.
"I'll help you."
He nodded his head. "Thank you so much. The men were beginning to lose hope."
"I never caught your name."
"Nathaniel."
"All right, Nate. Show me what this war is all about."
He nodded and lead her out of the room. She followed him down a dimly lit hallway until it opened up into a meeting room. A single table stood in the middle with a few beings standing around it. Jocelyn could see mini figures standing on the table. Every once in a while, one or two would move an inch or so. They approached the table. Jocelyn saw that it was a moving, 3D battleplan. She stared at it.
"Gentlemen, this is Jocelyn Charmaine," Nate introduced.
"Charmaine?"
"The Charmaine?"
"Yes." He turned to her. "Jocelyn, these are our leaders. Damon, Deangelo, and Isaiah."
Jocelyn nodded in turn to each of the leaders. Damon was a shorter, blonde haired man with intriguing green eyes. Jocelyn noticed that he had yellow wings portruding from his back. Deangelo had black hair and was dressed in armor. He had a wolf tail on his backside. Jocelyn didn't know if it was part of the armor, or a part of his body. Isaiah was just a regular man with wavy golden hair and blue eyes. The only thing not normal about him, was the fact that he was dead and dressed in Ancient Roman attire.
Nate turned his attention back to the table. There were light characters and dark characters scattered across the table. Jocelyn scanned the map to see that the light side held the city they were in and a small portion of land outside the city. But there was a considerable amount of little dark figures on the map. Suddenly, Jocelyn realized how much help they were going to need. Nate explained that their supply route had been cut off and their reinforcements had been stopped. Their storage of supplies were running low and the men were losing hope.
"We are able to smuggle some supplies in here," Damon said.
"But not enough to hold out for much longer," Deangelo finished.
Jocelyn was at a loss. She'd never fought a war before. She was only a paranormal expert.
"I've never fought a war before, Nate," she said.
"But you're Jocelyn Charmaine," Damon interjected.
"Yes. But I've never had to fight a war before. It has always been one on one."
"But you've had wars on your plain."
"Damon, on the Earth, only certain individuals can fight in the wars."
"And Charmaine should be one of them!"
"I only deal with the paranormal. I won't kill another human being," Jocelyn said. Aleera's words came back to her. She winced. Somehow, she knew Aleera would despise the words she just said. And she didn't believe the words herself.
"Very well," Deangelo said. "Fighting a war is no different than what you have done. The only difference is that the odds are much more intimidating."
"Do you have any allies that could come to our aid?" Isaiah asked.
"Are you kidding me? The only allies I have came with me. You're asking the wrong person for allies."
Deangelo nodded. "Then, gentlemen, it is as we feared. We are on our own. I'll pull my troops into the city. We'll have a better chance of defending ourselves from the enemy in the city."
Jocelyn studied the board. A black winged figure had appeared on the board, near the city. "Who's that?" she asked, pointing it out. The three men looked at it. A tense silence fell between them. Jocelyn looked at them.
"Rapriel," Isaiah murmured.
"Who's that?"
"A Fallen Angel," Nate said.
"What's he doing here?" Damon demanded. "I didn't think the Fallen took interest in leading the armies."
Nate turned to his companions. "Things have become much more complicated."
"Azamar," Damon whispered. "But the Archangels locked him away in a barrier to prevent him from ruling the Spirit Realm. And the barrier was protected by an enchanted temple."
"Yes. But that doesn't explain why he sent Rapriel after Charmaine," Damon stated.
"Perhaps he has found a way to break the barrier and wishes to eliminate the one person that could stop him?" Deangelo asked.
Jocelyn was stunned. So what? The main bad guy, this Azamar, wants to get rid of me him? Hn. That's no surprise. But am I the only one that can stop him? She stared at the mini Rapriel figure.
"I think it's time for some answers."
"What?" Isaiah exclaimed. "You can't contend with Rapriel."
"I'm going to get some answers from Rapriel. And if that fails, well, then, I guess I'll beat him."
"Defeat Rapriel?"
"It can't be done."
"If she can beat him in front of his entire army, then maybe that will discourage them and encourage our men. We may win this battle yet," Nate explained.
"It could work," Deangelo said.
"Right," Jocelyn said. "Where's my stuff?"
Jocelyn, Valeria, and Travis were joined after the meeting with the leaders. Jocelyn quickly filled them in on what was happening. Now they stood by the wall of the city, preparing to go into battle. War cries came from over the wall. Deangelo and Damon had already lead their troops into battle and were fighting on the east side of the city. The trio just stood, facing each other, unsure of what to do. Finally, Jocelyn stepped away.
"All right. Let's do this. Try not to get killed."
She turned to the wall as the other two walked away. She began scaling the wall. When she got to the top, she drew out her fire gun. She looked out over the plain. A mass of dark figures crowded over the terrain. They stretched as far as the eye could see. Jocelyn felt about three feet tall. But she knew what she had to do. But I still don't understand why I have to be the bait.
"Rapriel!" she hollered into the sky. "Rapriel!"
She shouted a few more times, before a dark figure appeared in the sky. It reminded Jocelyn of Gabriel but with one distinction, he had black wings. He flapped his wings twice, then sped towards Jocelyn. She held her gun at the ready. Rapriel plummeted towards her. When he was within fifteen feet, she pulled the trigger. A long line of flames shot out towards the streamlining angel. The flames enveloped him. Jocelyn smiled.
A dark face appeared out of the flames. Two large, black wings followed. Jocelyn's smile faded. Rapriel ran headlong into Jocelyn. Jocelyn was knocked clean off the wall and thrown fifty feet back. She landed on the hard dirt and slid another twenty-five feet before she stopped. Rapriel landed at her feet a second later. He had short, black hair with red eyes. He smirked at her.
"Fire, Charmaine?" he said. "Come now. I was born of this."
"What do you want from me, Rapriel?"
"Oh, so now you know who I am? That is hardly any fun."
"What do you want?"
"I see you have your hearing back. Interesting that you recovered so quickly, wouldn't you say?"
"What do you want?"
"What do you want for yourself?"
"Answers."
"Of course. But you realize that I am in no position to give you answers."
Jocelyn shrugged. "I figured. But in that case, I'll settle for beating you!" She tossed a vile of holy water at him. It smashed across his chest. He let out a shriek and shot into the air, trying to brush the searing water off. Jocelyn leaped to her feet, smiling.
Rapriel finally shook off the water and stood in mid air. He extended a hand. "I'll show you why no one dares to mess with me!" Jocelyn watched as the air around his hand shimmered and compressed. He balled his fist. A sword of dark fire errupted in his hand. He serenely looked from it to Jocelyn. Jocelyn stared at it in disbelief. Crap.
Rapriel dove. Jocelyn took off running. Rapriel easily came up on her and swung at her. She ducked. She felt the heat of the flames on her neck. She stopped short. Rapriel flew ahead, stopped, and turned around.
"You're lucky, Charmaine."
"I prefer to call it skill," she returned, pulling out another vile of holy water.
He charged at her again. She tossed the vile at him and ducked. He flew over the top of her, laughing. She looked up. He had caught the vile in his free hand.
"You dissapoint me. Everyone holds you in such high esteem."
"Well, like you have any better tricks."
He smiled and changed his grip on his sword. The sword lengthened and became a whip. Jocelyn stared at it. He cracked it and sent it flying towards Jocelyn. She dove aside, just as it struck the dirt where she was standing. Before she hit the ground, Rapriel pulled up on the whip. It snaked around her ankle. Jocelyn let out a cry as she was drug upwards. The whip cut into her skin while the fire burned her. Jocelyn remembered wishing her leg would fall off.
"How about that holy water now? Here, I think you dropped this."
He threw the vile of holy water at her. It broke across her boot. The black fire heated the holy water and it spilled into her wound. The heat was so intense she just about passed out. She cried out again. Rapriel beat his wings to lift them higher. He laughed at Jocelyn. He swung the whip around. Jocelyn flew around as if she had become part of the whip. Rapriel cracked the whip. When the crack reached Jocelyn, it threatened to break her neck.
Rapriel soon got bored and cracked the whip again. This time, Jocelyn was released from the fiery grip. She fell through the air. As the tops of buildings began to rush to meet her, she began to fumble with her belt. She pulled out her hook shot and pointed it at Rapriel. She fired. She felt and saw him catch it full in the chest. He roared. Before it lengthened, she pushed to retract button. She soared through the air to meet him. She drew her cane sword.
As she got within three feet of him, she pointed the sword at him. As the hook shot continued to retract, her sword was driven through Rapriel's body. The two collided. They stared at each other in shock for a brief second. Rapriel smirked and grabbed Jocelyn by the shoulders. He threw her off of him. She lost her grip on her sword to keep her grip on the hook shot. When she reached the end of the rope, her fall was stopped. Rapriel was pulled through the air. He beat his wings. Their fall was slowed.
Jocelyn's feet hit pavement a second later. She found herself on a roof. She limped to a nearby pole and wrapped her end of the rope around it. Then she began to pull. After a few feet, Rapriel began to resist. The two were engaged in a stalled game of tug-o-war. With one huge thrust of his wings, the hook shot was pulled clean out of Jocelyn's hands. The hook shot retracted and embedded itself in Rapriel's chest. He tumbled backwards. Jocelyn fell to her back. Her ankle burned. She pressed her hands against it in attempt to banish the pain.
She looked up to see Rapriel racing towards her again. He picked her off the top of the building and shoved her into the air. She fell through the air, limbs flailing. Without her hook shot, she'd never survive the drop. Suddenly, she came to a screeching halt. Her coat had snagged on a flag pole jutting out of the side of the building. Rapriel let out a cry of rage. She was now dangling hundreds feet in the air by her trench coat.
Rapriel lowered himself to her level. "I cannot believe your luck, Charmaine. It is incredible."
She stared at the ground several hundred feet below her. "Neither can I."
"Now you can either come with me, or die."
"Why should I come with you?"
"My master wants to see you."
"Azamar?"
He smirked. He flew away and summoned up his fiery sword again.
"What does Azamar want from me?" He flew towards her. Jocelyn flailed to try and reach her coat. When she did, she pulled herself up just as Rapriel dove underneath her. He turned around for another pass.
"Answers," he said simply with an evil grin. Jocelyn swung out of his way as he passed by. He came again and again. Each time he touched Jocelyn with his flaming sword. She cried out. He spun for another attack, but stopped. He flew slowly towards her.
"I'm sorry, Charmaine. You were a formiddable opponent."
"What does Azamar want, Rapriel?" she asked.
"I thought this would have been obvious, Charmaine. He wants you."
Jocelyn whipped out a vile of holy water and threw it at him. Before it could hit him or he could catch it, she pulled out her fire gun. She pulled the trigger and the flames engulfed the vile. The glass shattered. The water boiled. It hit Rapriel in the face, followed by the flames. He shrieked as the flames heated the sword and the boiling water melted his face. His clothes and wings caught fire. He flailed and flew towards Jocelyn. His sword cut Jocelyn from the flag pole. She grabbed onto his arm. They fell through the sky.
Rapriel and Jocelyn began trading hits as they fell. She decked him across the face a few times. And his hits connected with her stomach. As the ground approached, she spied her hook shot in his chest. She reached for it. She pulled it out and fired at the nearest building. It connected with something. The jerk of Jocelyn's stop pulled her away from the burning Fallen Angel. He fell to the ground, screaming Jocelyn's name. He hit the ground with a thud. She hung silently above the ground. Her entire body burned. She took a ragged breath and sighed. It was over.
She lowered herself to the ground and stumbled. She had to hold herself up by using the hook shot. Her ankle screamed in pain. She turned around to see Travis standing in the middle of the street.
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah. I'm fine." He walked up to Jocelyn and Rapriel's body. He nodded towards it. "Is that him?"
"Rapriel, yes."
"Did you find anything out?"
"Only the confirmation that this Azamar is looking for me." Travis looked at the body. "We should get back," she said, retracting her hook shot and taking a step away from Rapriel. She stumbled. Travis leapt over the body and caught her. They stared at each other.
"That was quick," Jocelyn stated.
He nodded. "Can you walk?"
"'Course I can walk. Put me down."
Travis did as he was told. Jocelyn took another step and fell on her face. She lay in the dirt. Maybe I can't walk. Man, Rapriel, you were quite the opponent. Travis knelt beside her.
"You've got me convinced."
"Shut up and help me up." Travis helped her to her feet. She brushed the hair from her eyes. "I just need to calm down."
"Sure."
Jocelyn took a deep breath and took a tentative step forward. She stayed up. She smiled and took another step. Travis grabbed her sword and followed her.
"By the way. Valeria is still out and about. And that blind guy wants to talk with you."
He smiled as Jocelyn tripped again, and rushed to help her.