Genesis of a Hero (12 page)

He shrugged. The truth was that they probably would be. He didn’t want to think of the next time he ran into Jan. Harold would understand well enough. But the leaders within the Justice Ministers in the United States might think about revoking his status as a demon hunter. At the moment, John didn’t much care. He drew Denise close then turned to walk through the streaming crowd of Christians.

For two hours, they sang and praised the Lord. John had hoped having Denise by his side would relieve the aching stabs of stress within his chest, but the lurking dread remained. “What has been happening with the Nightwalkers lately?” he asked after pulling Denise around the edge of the stadium. “You haven’t said anything about them in the last couple of weeks.”

“Nothing,” she offered. “Xavier might have been right about Charles. It doesn’t seem like they had as much power as we thought.”

John surveyed the joyous crowd. “Where are Aaron and Xavier? I haven’t seen them since I got here.” The vision that had assaulted him in Spain swam before him like a movie filmed
on an ancient camera. The grainy pictures were confusing; and strangely unsettling.

“They’re around somewhere,” Denise said standing on her toes and covering her eyebrows with her right hand to shield the setting sun. “They brought Melody for the first time today. You should see her John; it’s a miracle how far she’s come.”

“I’d like to see her,” he admitted not mentioning the way he’d seen her staring adamantly at Aaron in his vision.

“Let’s go then,” Denise giggled and took him by the hand. They made their way slowly through the throng. People were all smiles and laughter and hugs. Four boys raced by their legs playing a game of tag, parents were yelling at them not to run.

“Sorry,” a man apologized with a sincere smile.

“
It’s fine,” John said with a rumbling chuckle. “I was the same way when I was their age. Let them play.” He continued forward tugging Denise along. The crowd split naturally in front of his long stride.

“You’ll make a good dad one of these days,” Denise said as they climbed a few steps of the stadium for a better view.

John felt the skin on his cheeks blushing and was thankful for his curly, blonde beard. Getting a compliment from Denise was worth more than fifty from a normal person. “I pray you’re right,” he said. “Maybe I’ll find out if I’m good
dad material
sometime in the next few years…” He glanced sideways to watch her expression. She seemed overly pleased with herself. Barely any of the usual sternness existed in the edges of her eyes.

“You have to get yourself a wife first,” she jested and poked him playfully in the ribs with her elbow.

“That’s true,” John said scanning the crowd. “I think I saw a nice looking brunette girl over there singing in the choir. I’ll go talk to her.”

“Oh shut up,” she laughed and drew him close for a long kiss. John didn’t care that they were almost alone in the stands. Up where everyone below could see them as if a spotlight was shining.

“Denise,” a bossy voice sounded in the air.

She disengaged and with a wary look around, pulled out her scepter. “Yeah, I’m here Aaron. Where are you?”

“At the clearing where we had the bonfire last night,” he said in hurried words. “Have you felt anything strange in the last few minutes?”

“No,” she said with her eyes darting around the assembly. “Nothing, but-”

“Come here as quickly as you can,” Aaron said. “Xavier is already on the way with Melody. I felt… something. I can’t place it though. We can figure it out here then get back to the last worship service.”

Denise put away her scepter looking irritated. “Didn’t feel like mentioning me?” John asked with his eyebrows bouncing.

“I was going to,” she said with touches of sternness creeping across her cheeks. “But he cut me off. It’s not like him… Come on.” They retreated from the crowd and when they were sure they were alone, jumped into a hurried flight through the trees. It took them less than fifteen minutes to reach their destination. Aaron was standing beside a stump staring into the blackened pit of a days dead fire. Across the small clearing, Xavier was walking towards the angel leader with Melody.

“Wait a second,” John whispered and reached for the Spirit to camouflage their approach.

“What?” Denise hissed.

The Spirit surged through John.
Gentle and nourishing in its richness. It pulled at his mind and carried his thoughts to the battle in the harbor warehouse of Boston. Chaos swirled; then fixed on the vision that had pulsed after the fighting had subsided. Images he’d plucked from the injury hazed mind of Xavier.

There stood Xavier watching Aaron struggle in a fight
to the death with Rodrigo. Reidlos crouched around him like obedient predators. Waiting. Starving for the flesh of angels. With a flick of his hand, the beasts attacked Xavier, but he didn’t resist as they struck. Blood sprayed and a wicked grimace twisted the angel’s face. But he didn’t call out. He didn’t move. Then a murky dark cloud streamed from his palms and the demons dropped dead. The oily power drew the terrible corpses over Xavier and he lay still. Waiting.

“Oh God,” John breathed. “Aaron! Look out!”

At his shout, Aaron spun with his eyes growing wide. Xavier pounced with Melody laughing in horrific glee.

“No,” John bellowed and a shining, white shield as tall as an elephant pulsed into existence at Aaron’s back. Two swords banged off of it with a snapping ring of metal.

“Xavier,” Aaron spat with his wings and halo sizzling into view. “What is going on?”

“Justice for all those who have fallen,” Xavier yelled and black tar leaked from his skin. The devil’s powers roared and met the shield. Hissing, spitting smoke and sparks flared from the contact. The shield dissolved as John struggled to match the attack. “It’s no use Decker,” Xavier said as John and Denise landed. “Lucifer can’t be stopped. He will rise and once he does, you will see true power.”

“Why?” Aaron croaked with tears glistening in his stark eyes. He danced away from the oily smoke and flipped to a crouch by John and Denise. “Xavier, you can’t believe that. God will never be beaten. His mercy and grace and love will shine forever. Why turn from it?”

“If he has so much love,” Xavier snarled.
His chin was tucked to his chest and red hate burned in his eyes. Melody was pacing like a caged tiger. A sword crafted from brimstone and fire smoked in her right hand. Putrid wings twitched reptile-like from her shoulder blades. “Why did he let Sherry die?” Xavier roared.

“She was killed by the devil,”
John corrected. “Who you are working for now.”

“He opened my eyes after Sherry was taken,” Xavier said with the words sounding like sour honey. “I get to take revenge on the demons whenever I like. Raise them from the darkness a
nd strike them down whenever I want. Listen to them scream in pain and agony. He’ll be able to do anything after he wins the war and brings peace to Earth. He can bring back Sherry. Pull her from God’s grasp. Remake her soul… and life. We’ll live forever as kings and queens on Earth. He’ll reward those of us who help him.”

“Lies that you were warned about a thousand times,” Aaron thundered. “Lucifer will bring hell and fire. He has no other powers.”

“That’s all that was left to him when God cast him from heaven,” Melody called in a feline growl. “But he’ll bring true love when he’s won the War and taken his seat on the throne.”

“Satan brought the taint and filth of sin,” Denise said drawing her magnificent, short sword. The last rays of the sun glinted from the blade. “The only thing he knows is suffering and pain.”

“You’re the one who tell lies now,” Xavier snarled. He looked at John for a fleeting second. Doubt churned in that fraction of a heartbeat. John knew the fallen angel hadn’t expected to see him there. He had wanted to corner Aaron and Denise without his interference. Uncertainty shined…

But then Xavier
pounced and struck.

Aaron backhanded the attack easily
and white chains rained from his scepter. Xavier somersaulted to avoid their divine grasp and hissed like a spitting viper.

John and Denise stormed at Melody who squawked fearfully and shot into the air.

“Let’s get-” John hollered but froze in absolute fear and shock. Through the encroaching darkness came the shadows of winged terrors.

“Yes,”
Xavier laughed and it was as if a million fingernails were breaking along a chalkboard. “Your Christians won’t survive the night. Aaron, you called it a seed that would spread faith like a living plant across the country; but that will never be. Instead people will see the horror of mass death and you’ll watch their faith in an unloving God falter.” He leapt into the dusk sky and sped to the north.

“God protect those innocent people
,” Aaron prayed loudly.

“That’s why He put us here,” John
said righteously, holding onto his faith in the Spirit. Hundreds of curses left the mouths of selvo who were each carrying a muscled reidlos. Foul saliva was dripping from the fangs of every demon in anticipation of the coming meal.

John desperately hugged Denise as Aaron’s scepter lit up and he began making calls for help. “Let’s go,” she said bravely pulling away from his embrace.
Without hesitation, she jumped into the growing dark.

Chapter 9: Nightwalking

Stars were just beginning to poke through the twilight when John, Denise, and Aaron burst from the canopy of gently waving oaks. Three hundred yards away, flying like the fires of hell were whipping them on, a great monolith of demons made a thrashing blight against the violet sky.

“Harold? Jan?” John yelled at his scepter over the tumult of his wings.

“John?” Harold’s voice instantly answered. “It’s about time. We tried to call you for an hour. We’ve been-”

“Sorry,” John apologized in a hurry. “Listen, I don’t have time to explain. I’m at the Revival here in California. There are demons and fallen. Xavier is one of them.”

“What are you talking about?” Harold griped with more venom than John had ever heard. “You need to listen, you raced out of here and left us to fight Juan by ourselves-”

“I know,” John growled. “I was pulled here by the Spirit.”

“You should have never left,” Jan’s voice carried through the air like a snake bite. “Phillippe called off the raid; which was probably our best chance to catch Juan and put a stop to the Nido del Diablo.”

“John,” Denise interrupted. “It’s Charles.” She was pointing over the leading demons. John focused and saw the fallen leader of the Nightwalkers tearing through the
darkening sky. Beside him was the Hispanic man from the fight at the zoo in the lion’s den.

“I don’t have time to argue,” John belted at his scepter. “If you can get here, we need all the help we can get.
Make any calls you can for us… and pray.” The Spirit flashed and the glow from his scepter vanished. “We may be on our own,” he said with a frantic look at the woman he loved.

“Isaac, Ashley, Olivia, and Albert are here,” Aaron said confidently. “The beasts won’t touch anyone.”

Denise’s bright eyes went from Aaron to the horde of demons. None of the same confidence lived in her worried face. Her sword swept the air nervously as if practicing to slice through the howling demons. She looked like a timeless floating statue; forever set against the minions of pure evil. A reluctant, but determined heroine of ancient times.

“Denise, I love you,” John said.

“I love you too,” she cried as if she could see death right around the corner and it might be her last words.

“For God, we fight!” John shouted and tucked his wings to shoot to
wards the head of the column of demons.

John had been in too many demon hunts to count now. But the sheer numbers
here beckoned fear through the night. Him, Denise, Aaron, and maybe a handful of other angels – against this rotten monstrosity of hate and despair. Over two hundred demons and four fallen angels.

Fervent prayers raced from John’s lips as he blasted into the leading row of selvo. The shriek of the pack made every muscle in his body flex involuntarily.
It was a convulsing thud of hell’s fury. He cut through three of the monsters, but the others scattered and swarmed. Two launched their reidlos passengers through the air at him. He dodged in a loop and the wingless monsters fell two hundred feet to the canopy below.

He struck and parried and blocked.
Every second he seemed to barely squeeze by a clawed hand. The Spirit swam around him like a radiant nebula of power. But the selvos didn’t stop screaming at him with their leathery wings flapping in tornado-like torrents of hot air.

“There are too many,” Denise shouted from thirty feet to his right.
Her hair was tousled and her chest was heaving. Demons zipped around her like leviathan bats. “I… I have to do something.”

John could only spare a peek. He saw her draw her arms to her chest then thrust them out.

“I AM!” The Spirit flashed as bright as he’d ever seen it, but he knew instantly that her attempt at voxis, the Voice of God, hadn’t worked. No demons burst into ash. There were no screams of pain and death. Instead, Denise crumpled into a fetal position in mid-air; then fell. Her sword and scepter dropped with her in free fall.

“No!” John yelled and dove. It was a dive of thrusting wings. Driving at the ground at top speed
rather than letting gravity do the job. She landed in his outstretched arms twenty feet above the trees and he backstroked as hard as he could; but nothing could stop them from slamming into the onrushing branches. Both tumbled and flipped in bone jarring crunches. Bark splintered into John’s arms and ripped at his legs.

He
hit the soft, moss covered ground. The spongy turf deadened the blow, but all the wind had been knocked from his lungs in the tumultuous plunge through the branches. His sword was sticking from the ground a foot from his right hand. “Denise?” he managed after sucking in a pain-filled breath.

“Here,” he heard a weak voice. The Spirit flared from her palms ten feet off the ground. She’d jammed into the y-bend of a branch. Her face was haggard in the
fleeting twilight.

All around them, John felt mottled gray and black
reidlos dropping into the woods. They vanished into the slithering blackness of the coming night like whispers of the most terrible nightmares. Two lost their heads before realizing John was there. He stood in a guarded stance with his back against the tree where Denise was grunting in pain.

Laughi
ng hisses tore in reverberating horror. Here and there they sounded; then quieted. Rustling, clawed feet flitted over the grass and moss. Raising the scepter in his left hand, the Spirit pulsed outward in a disc-like bomb of radiant light. The air in John’s lungs froze at the sight. Between every tree was a monster. In every space of the forest they darted. Slinking, coming death.

“God help us,” he prayed as the first charge of demons assaulted his position.
His sword arced and flashed. A reidlos crumpled five feet off the ground and slid down a bright shield that had burst from John’s scepter. Beasts cartwheeled as he sliced through muscular legs. Wails filled the night.

Denise dropped in a heap of robes
between John and the tree. The Spirit flickered from both her palms and darts of energy shot and struck two of the demons in the chest. “Not all of them are attacking us,” she growled. “They’re going around us and heading for the Revival. You have to stop them.”

“I’m not leaving you here,” John hissed and neatly stabbed through the roaring neck of the nearest monster. “You’re not in any shape to defend yourself.”

“More than the innocent people that came here for the Revival,” she countered. Her hand raised and the Spirit grew in a translucent ball of pure energy. As if throwing a baseball, she whipped forward and the ball zig-zagged through the trees. The reidlos in its path didn’t have time to snarl as they were blasted into dust. “Go!” she shouted.

Duty and honor tugged at John’s stomach. He scanned the darkness in the direction of the stadium. Through the Spirit, he heard the preacher announce the end of the festivities.

“Let us leave with the Lord’s Prayer praising the Lord God Almighty,” the loud speakers echoed the man’s deep voice.

“
Our Father, who art in heaven
,” the crowd prayed in slow worship.

John’s eyes found Denise’s. In them he found the same love he carried. Her heart beat the same as his.
How could he leave her to certain death? Her attempt with voxis had drained all the energy from her body. The Spirit shined, but she was slouched heavily against the base of the tree.

“Go!” Denise yelled.

Fighting back tears, John turned. Flying over his head, with a stump of a leg, was Ashley. “I’ll hold them off,” she hollered. “But I can’t keep up with the ones running at the stadium. Isaac, Olivia, and Albert are helping Aaron with the selvo and Charles. But you’ll be by yourself with the reidlos.” She landed on her remaining leg beside Denise who had struggled into a sitting position. A bright sword flashed in the night.

John pelted away from the woman he loved with another prayer of protection. Grass and branches ripped from their growth as he slashed through the trees. Demons fell with strangled howls.

“
Give us this day our daily bread
,” the preacher’s voice said through the loud speaker as the crowd continued to follow his lead in the Lord’s Prayer.

So intent
were the demons on the approaching thousands of innocent souls, barely any of them registered John’s advance until they were disintegrating as corpses on the ground. He smote them with the wrath of God powering his sword and scepter. Divine gifts that had always been a ruin for demons, but on this night were instant death.

“
Lead us not into temptation
.”

John reached the demons closest to the stadium and lopped off its right arm in a snarling screech.

“Very good Decker,” Xavier yelled and slammed his sword from above. John barely managed to deflect the blow and tumbled over his shoulder into a patch of vine-laced bushes.

“Why?” John
earnestly repeated Aaron’s earlier plea at the fallen angel. His feet were tangled and he twisted to work them free. “This is madness Xavier. You can’t believe that Lucifer has anything but evil plans for the world if he wins the war. All he has is hate.”

“I’ve been shown the truth,” Xavier spat and circled with his feet sliding to John’s left. “Your lies won’t work. I’ll be a king forever.
I’ll have Sherry back. He’ll give me more power than you can imagine!”

John wanted to scream at him about the stupidity behind his words. But he’d always suspected the brash angel. Even in their days on opposing teams during school.
Xavier’s conniving, cunning plans had carried hints of a lust for something more than angels should want. A desire to do whatever had to be done to win – no matter the cost. John had felt it then, but had never truly voiced his concerns. Now, he wished he had. For the sake of the world… but also for the burden of Xavier’s soul.

“Renounce him,” John called and cut his way free of the thorny bush. “Find your faith. God’s great mercy will wrap you and you will feel love again. You’ll never see Sherry if you fall to hell.”

“Even if I died with faith,” Xavier screamed crazily. “I’d never see her. Charles told me what happens when you die with faith. God snatches back the bit of soul you have and laughs about it. There’s nothing of Sherry left - unless Lucifer rises and brings her back.”

“Xavier,” John breathed feeling the helplessness of a youth trying to correct an overpowering adult. “You can’t believe that. You can’t. How could you fall for something so-”

He couldn’t finish as Xavier stabbed. The hellish blade slid past his robes as he spun and sliced horizontally. Both swords caught only air. Xavier flipped and struck. John blocked and danced behind a tree. The Spirit surged and stormed at the fallen angel, but the black tar of Lucifer’s corruption met it with a horrendous bang. It was as though the air itself had been torn open. The light met the black and left a void of pure cold. Xavier somersaulted over the Spirit’s attack and thrust at John’s head.

The world slowed
in that moment. The power of the archangel Michael’s soared into every cell of John’s body. Particles of dirt and blood wove through the darkness as if reduced to drops of molasses. The Earth itself had wavered on its axis. Only a heartbeat of time, but enough. John ducked and his blade ripped to the right. Not to parry the blow from Xavier. Instead, his sword sliced through the fallen angel’s hamstring.

The terrible yelp of pain was enough for him to know the fight was over. He turned to find Xavier clutching at his leg. Blood that looked solid black in the night flowed in spurts from the wound. Xavier recklessly flung his sword, but John swatted it away. Manacles of white, so bright that the trees all around shone like the mid-day sun was overhead, clamped over Xavier’s wrists and ankles.

“Let me heal you,” he said and knelt. Lucifer’s black power surged at him, but the Spirit absorbed it in a popping squelch. The smell of sulfur bombarded John’s nose, but reached with the divine power at the spurting wound.

“
Amen
,” the crowd ended the prayer only a hundred yards away. There was another cheer of love and thanks as the twenty-five thousand people in attendance rejoiced in each other’s company.

Before the Spirit had mended the flesh on Xavier’s leg, a reidlos barreled into John’s chest. Pain erupted as the monster’s fangs locked on his left arm.
He roared and stabbed sideways through the demon’s iron-hard body. Another crashed into John’s arm and his sword tore from the already dead beast and disappeared into the night. Claws scraped at his face.

A trumpet blasted from his scepter and sent the reidlos scurrying. John smashed forward and crushed it with Gabriel’s Shield sparkling
in the electrified air. He turned and saw Xavier lifting over the trees. Putrid wings pumped against gravity. The white chains fell and disintegrated as the fallen angel raced out of sight.

John searched the area with the Spirit. No reidlos tore through the night. The Revival was safe, for now. He retrieved his sword wincing at the gashes in his arm. In the distance, where he’
d left Denise and Ashley, a scream of pain and anguish bounced. It wasn’t a demon. Nor a fallen. It was the woman he loved. Absolute fear lanced into his heart at the call.