The Book of Azrael (Gods & Monsters 1)

FUCK. THE WORD DIANNA FREQUENTLY USED PASSED THROUGH MY MIND. I’d been so distracted I hadn’t sensed the creature until it was too late. My head throbbed as images from my nightmares took the opportunity to assault my mind. There was blood, so much blood, on her chest, her ashes. No, she couldn’t die, wouldn’t die. I would rip the very fabric of this world to atoms.

‘Liam!’

Dianna screamed my name, the sound of it echoing through the forest prompting me to run faster. Pain laced her voice and it broke something inside of me.

He plans to rip everyone to pieces to get back what is his. You understand that?

Ethan’s words rang in my skull as I sped through the forest.

‘Dianna! Where are you!’ I shouted, scaring birds from the trees in clusters.

Trees, shrubs, nothing stood in my way as power shot through me. I plowed through the jungle at an alarming rate, leaving nothing but flattened vegetation in my wake.

‘Liam!’ I heard her voice again from my right. I skidded to a halt, the ground beneath my feet bending.

‘Liam!’  No, wait, she was in front of me.

Again my name rang out.  This time from behind me.

‘Liam!’ That time it came from my left.

I won’t let him have her.

I hope not because if he does, you won’t see her again.

I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted, ‘Dianna!’

I heard nothing but animals clearing the forest. I closed my eyes, concentrating and trying to remember everything I’d learned on how to focus. Failure was not an option, for her I could do anything. I slowed my breathing, controlling each breath, in and out. The forest fell quiet again, the snap of a branch above me sounding like a gunshot in the silence.

‘Liam!’ The scream was followed by sickening laughter. My eyes shot open, meeting the red eyes glowing from the treetop. Talons dug into the bark of the trunk as the creature crept down the tree headfirst like some warped lizard. Its wings, thick and heavy, spread and closed as it continued to grin, its teeth covered in blood. Dianna’s blood.

‘Liam!’ I spun another creature stalking out of the bushes from behind me, its wings curving back as if it had just landed.

They could mimic.

‘Where is she?’ I asked, my voice not my own as it vibrated the trees surrounding us. The birds screamed, fleeing into the night sky as more of my power seeped off me. The first creature jumped from the tree, the ground shaking with the impact of his feet hitting the forest floor. I angled my body to keep them both in sight.

The beast towered over me, its grin too large and exposing the jagged black teeth that dripped tissue. ‘Too late, World Ender. You failed again. She returns to the master now,’ its tremendous head came closer, the stench of its breath overwhelming, ‘in pieces.’

They laughed, a sickening heckling sound. The words coursed through me, awakening something dark I had kept hidden for eons.

I heard he will take her back in pieces if he has to.

Its smile froze in stunned shock, and its gaze dropped, looking at its midsection in confusion. Without making a sound, its body convulsed. It took a step back before turning into thick black dust.

I did not know I could call the Oblivion blade forward that quick, but I did not have the time to overthink it. The silver lines etched my body in patterns that twisted and zig-zagged toward my face. The second creature looked at me then at the blade I held. Thick black and purple smoke oozed from the weapon. The sword was not silver or gold like the spear my father and the gods kept. Mine was pure obsidian. A true death blade.

The Oblivion blade was the one I’d made during my ascension. The legend of it had been passed down through time. A story told of how I ended worlds and the weapon that made it possible. Even the old gods feared it, and I had promised myself I would never summon it again. I had thought there was nothing that could force me to break my vow, but the way these creatures had mocked Dianna, her pain, and her fate had proven me wrong. I would risk it all for Dianna. I smiled and unleashed. A flick of my ring and silver plated armor erupted across my body covering me head to toe. War garbs and war I would go for her. 

The creature fled into the sky.

‘Oh, don’t run now. We’re just getting started.’ I followed, shooting in the air behind it. It screeched like a wounded animal, its fear and panic echoing through the night. I projected myself farther and faster. As I slid past it, I turned my blade sideways, cutting it in half. Its screams died as it turned to ash.

I hovered, spinning in the sky, looking for my next target, and that’s when I saw it. In the distance a plume of thick orange flame burst into existence. Dianna. I didn’t hesitate. I willed my body forward, flying toward her with all the speed I could muster. My only goal was to save her, help her.

The ground shook from my landing, startling four more of those ghastly beasts. Half burnt body parts littered the area. She had fought, and fought well, but it wasn’t enough. She was wounded and outnumbered, but not anymore.

The remaining four creatures were dragging a kicking and clawing Dianna toward a massive hole in the ground. It was alight and burning, sending thick black smoke into the sky. They were taking her back to him.

No.

They took one look at me and sped up. Their powerful wings opened, and they jumped, trying to make it to that hole with her. I threw my blade, aiming it like a spear. It caught the one holding her the tightest, disintegrating the creature upon impact. As Dianna fell, I jumped, calling the blade back to my ring. I landed hard next to that burning hole. Dianna clung to the edge of the pit, screaming her rage. The remaining three beasts clung to her, trying their hardest to drag her in. I heard a pop and tear as Dianna screamed once more, defying them. That was my girl.

I grabbed her wrists as the beasts below scratched and pulled at her legs. She maneuvered, using one of the kicks I had taught her, and hit one hard enough to send it falling. It disappeared into the pit below.

I pulled as hard as I could, dragging her out of that hole and clasping her close. I knew I was holding her too tight, but I wasn’t sure I could let her go. Two monstrous heads popped up with their teeth, grasping with their clawed hands, reaching for her, intent on finishing their mission. I cradled her close to me as I summoned the Oblivion blade once more. 

‘Close your eyes.’

She nodded and buried her face against the armored plates on my shoulder, clinging to me. I tossed the blade, flipping it and grabbing the hilt. I kneeled, stabbing it into the ground with enough force to shake the terrain beneath us. Spider web-like veins of purple and black raced toward the pit, killing everything in their path. The energy blazed forward, reaching the creatures. Their red eyes widened before they shrieked. My power touched them and the dust that remained blew away in the wind. The fiery hole shook, smoke billowing from the pit as the flames crystallized and the portal went dormant. I yanked the Oblivion blade free before it could do any more damage and summoned it back to its ether. 

Still kneeling, I cradled Dianna in one arm, easing her back to assess her and her wounds. I used my free hand to carefully brush the strands of hair from her bloody and torn face. Her eyes raked over me ‘Kn-ight in shin-ing armo-r.’

‘What?’ Her words were broken by the slashes across her throat but then a part of my radical brain clicked. Armor. I still wore it. A flick of my thumb and the armor disappeared back into my ring.

‘Where are you hurt? Are you okay?’

She shook her head as she gritted her teeth, her mouth coated in blood. I looked down and winced at the thick claw marks and punctures over every bit of her body. Her arm was nearly ripped off at the shoulder. I ran my hands over every part of her, finding the bones of one leg horribly twisted.

She hissed, and I stopped, looking back at her face. ‘Why are you not healing?’

‘Irvi-kuva.’

Of course. Made of the same blood, of course, they could wound her terribly.

I went to draw the ablaze weapon to offer her my blood, but she gave a barely perceptible shake of her head and gestured to her half-ripped throat. I shifted and she hissed in pain once more. I looked down, noticing how twisted her hip was. My mind reeled, seeing the deep wounds torn into her flesh. I had assumed her injuries from our earlier altercation would heal quickly with her enhanced regeneration, but I’d been wrong. She was so badly hurt and bleeding heavily.

‘Hold on, okay? I’ll get us somewhere safe. Just stay with me.’

She tried and failed to nod as I leaped back into the sky, almost desperate to get away from that place.