Chapter 8: Smother the Flame
"This ends here!" I scream, running at full speed. The bottoms of my crippled ebony wings flutter behind me.
Var seizes an opprotunity and extends an arm towards the nearest captive angel. Said angel, a young and ragged man, starts to fidget wildly. A mere motioning of her arm sends him into a panic. Var laughs arrogantly.
"One more step and this angel's disgusting life is forfeit." She spits. "Considering the circumstances, Anubis wouldn't mind if a few angels were killed prematurely. So stay back!"
Var's voice and figure are both beautiful, though her voice is filled with frightening bloodlust whenever she refers to angels. I don't waste a second. I speed forward and slice deep into her forearm. She pulls her arm back and tries, in vain, to kick me. The green pants that cover her legs flap in the wind that is generated from my quick dodge.
"You selfish scum! You endangered the life of one of your own kin." Var says as she nurses the wound on her arm.
"These angels fear you. I do not." I move so close to her face that my long red hair nearly touches hers. "You die here for YOUR sins."
My last statement makes her mouth twist into a frown. Before she can do anything, I hit her in the stomach with the black metal wings that jut out of the hilts of my blades. She staggers backwards with a sickening gurgle. I crouch down and fling my legs up towards her chin. They make contact and launch her high into the air. I kick myself into the air in pursuit and slice her neck open.
A few angels cheer in the background. I land gracefully while Var falls to the floor with a crash. Blood spills in the area around her in abundance. I spin my blades and let them vanish in a bright white light. A voice calls out to me as I wipe some blood off of my face.
"You did it! Now please, our savior, release us."
Every bit of murderous rage I felt but a few moments ago disappears. Whoever said that revenge doesn't feel good was a liar. This newfound grasp I have on my powers is amazing, even if my wings still ache horribly. I must admit, however, seeing the lifeless body of Var lie motionless on the ground makes a small pit in my stomach. Even if that shapeshifting woman was utterly vile, I've never killed anything before. I try my best to come to terms with it as I untie the first captive angel I see.
"You black-winged monster! Stay back!" The captive angel screams into my face.
I curl up a fist in preperation to punch him with all of my strength. I catch myself and withdraw my fist. I've never been prone to violence before. Has this place changed me? Putting the thought out of my mind, I cut the chains that bind every angel in the room. Many thank me wholeheartedly. An equal number treat me like I am a demon. I cut the chains of the final angel, the one closest to the door.
"This isn't over, y'know..." The angel says timidly.
"What do you mean?" To my surprise, I have to force myself to speak with kindness. I'm probably just tired and shaken from this entire situation.
"None of us have been outside this room since we were dragged here. We don't know where we are exactly or what else is in this place." The timid angel is a small girl who looks to be about fifteen years old. She says her name is Kristen.
"Don't worry yourself about that, okay? I will go on ahead and scout out the area. I'll come back for all of you once I find the exit." I tell this to all of them. They all agree, though some do it reluctantly. I feel no power from any of the angels in here. They must be completely drained of strength and resolve.
I take a quick look back at the little girl before I steel myself and open the door that leads out. Much to my dismay, I see Anubis standing in front of me as soon as I open it. He strikes me with an open palm. The force of his strike is unbelivable, pushing me painfully into the wall on the other side of the room.
"I was afraid that Var wouldn't be enough to keep you in check, monster." The tall tan-skinned man says bitterly. He glides into the room with a cool grace. "Your strength is to be rewarded, however. I will give you directions that I know you have no choice but to follow. How do I know you will follow them, fire-haired angel? Well...Allow me to show you why."
The collision with the wall knocked the wind out of me. I have trouble hearing what Anubis says, but I see what he does very clearly. His pale visage is the center of attention of every angel in the room. He runs a hand through his long black hair before extending it into the air. He dons a slight smile.
"Let God above grant His Holy Judgement!"
A dark black pillar of energy crashes through the ceiling and engulfs someone to my left. It dissipates, leaving only a smudged black mark behind. The angel who was there exists no more. I gasp in horror as similar black beams soon descend upon every angel is the room excluding me. Screams fill the air, and Anubis laughs cruelly.
"Speedy judgement is what Our Lord excells at. His wisdom and power extends beyond our comprehension. It is so wonderful."
I look to the little girl, Kristen. Tears run down her small face. Her large eyes seem to plead to me in desperation. The final black beam falls onto her as she extends an arm out. I mimic her action and reach my own arm out. Yet, as soon as I realize that tears run down my face as well, the black beam disappears, taking the life of the young teenage girl with it.