Justice For The Fallen ✓

19.3 Melkyal

The rumble was louder than anything I've ever heard. At first, it seemed as if nothing had happened. But then the crystal base trembled and cracked, sending fissures up to the surface of the floating city. I watched in horror as half of Heaven slowly slid down, building crumbling, glass and crystals shattering, angels screaming in terror.

It was too late to stop it. The collapsing mass of now mangled structures ripped free from the floating city and plummeted down. I looked at the crowd of angels circling above Heaven, and I only hoped that everyone got out in time. I turned my eyes away as the chunk of the city smashed to the ground, raising a vast cloud of dust and shaking the earth.

When the collision's echoes died, one voice was booming over the despairing cries of angels.

Laughter.

The Wrath Demon was doubling over with maniacal laughter. She watched the civilisation crumble to dust, and she laughed.

I clenched my jaw and drew my sword, silencing my screaming heart.

I failed.

I failed to protect Sanna.

I failed to protect my people.

But I could still stop this monster before she did any more damage. Even if it cost me my life, I would drag the Wrath Demon down with me.

She was still laughing when I flew higher and dived down at her with my sword raised. The Fallen spotted me when I was just a few feet away, and she raised her hand, sending another ball of fire at me. I expected it, so I swivelled right.

After all, she was never my target.

As I flew past, I ran my sword through one of wyvern's wings, shredding it in half.

The creature shrieked in pain and desperately tried to regain balance, but it started losing altitude fast, with one wing now useless. The laugh turned into furious screams as the Wrath Demon tried the impossible task of regaining control over her mount.

I followed the spiralling down creature, my blade ready. I didn't want them to fall to their death, but the wyvern was incapacitated enough to guarantee a very bumpy landing. With any luck, the Wrath Demon would be injured and shocked, so it would be easier for me to... end her.

Unfortunately, the Wrath Demon was not ready to take those chances. A fiery whip cracked at me, and before I could dodge, it coiled around my ankle, instantly burning through the leather of my shoe. I was pulled sharply down with unexpected extra weight.

With my wings beating furiously, I managed to keep us afloat. I swiped my sword down to cut through the blazing stripes, but the Wrath Demon had already used the momentum to swing herself up and collided with me like a cannonball.

I grunted in pain when her claws pierced my armour and dug into my arms.

"I warned you to stay out of my way!" she screamed in my face.

I tried to raise my sword, but she slashed at my wrist, and my fingers lost their grip on the weapon. I couldn't do much but keep her claws away from my neck and try to keep us afloat.

"Stop wriggling, or we both fall to our death," I hissed.

"You are already dead, Golden Boy!" she spat. Her hand got free from my grip, and the dark blade materialised there. Before I could blink, she rammed it under my ribs. The dagger pierced through my armour as if it was made of paper and slid cleanly into my body.

I screamed. The pain was excruciating. As the demon wrenched her blade free, I felt my strength leaving my body with fast-spilling blood. I could barely move my wings anymore, and we started falling faster and faster toward the ground.

"Oh, how long I was waiting for that moment," she hissed into my ear as the wind rushed around us. "Your death is even sweeter than ruining your precious Heaven."

I couldn't breathe, my lungs already flooding with blood. I beat my wings for the last time and then gave in to the darkness creeping into my vision. We plummeted through the air passing angels and demons still locked in aerial combat. Before we crashed into the ground, the Wrath Demon moved to ensure my body cushioned her from the impact.

I was barely conscious when we hit the once cobblestoned square and my vision once more flashed with an explosion of pain overwhelming all my senses at once. I could feel my bones breaking and an iron taste of blood in my mouth.

I failed.

I only wished I could see Sanna's face one more time. Not this glaring demon who was baring her sharp teeth at me with a triumphant scream on her lips.

My Sanna.

"Sanna... come... back... plea─"

But cold darkness closed over me before I could utter another word.