The Devil in Her Eyes Ch. 11

I walked out into the courtyard, the key tucked safely in my pocket and my mind racing a mile a minute. I could bring her back... not only her, but the millions of Humans, Angels, and Demons that had been erased.

That was enough to make me walk straight into the jaws of death with a smile on my face.

Ori, Syb', Morris...

Lucy.

This one right here? This was for the fucking ballgame.

Ari and Jophiel were huddled together, a platoon's worth of Angels, Demons, and IDF soldiers milled around. In the distance, through the smoke, I could see heavy-lift helicopters peeling away, evacuating soldiers and civilians, each bird flanked by my guys and girls.

"Is it true, my Lord?" One of my Demons yelled across the gap.

"It is!" I called back, Ari burst into fresh tears, and it was all I could do to keep from joining her; instead, I poured some iron into my voice and focused my magic so all of my troops could hear. My voice boomed across Jerusalem.

"We're going to Mount Horeb! Now! Pull all of our forces from around the world on my orders! Belial is waiting! OUR QUEEN IS WAITING!"

The cheering roar shook the city to its foundation, so full of righteous anger and overwhelming love that it sent chills down my spine.

"Major?" I called out above the crowd.

He ran up to post in front of me.

"Sir?"

I waved him off, "Call me Zack. I need your guys to get on the net, get everyone, and tell them the answer is Mount Horeb. We need everything Humanity can muster if we're going to stop this. My soldiers are already on their way."

He nodded and hustled off, shouting orders in Hebrew.

Ari stepped up next to me, sniffling.

I wordlessly wrapped her in a hug, rubbing her back as she cried...

"We're gonna get her back," I whispered, and she nodded into my shoulder.

"We're going to get them all back."

*********************************************

Two days went by, and I had Demons and Angels scrying the area around Horeb hard, making sure we had a plan to combat whatever awaited us.

Humanity had arrived in the interim with everything they had, standing armies and air power.

I'd never been so proud of my people.

All of them.

"Mr. President, I believe we can resurrect another army, close with and finish Belial... end this thing right here."

I was playing a politician in a slapdash FOB situated in the foothills.

The President nodded, the remaining delegates watched, rapt.

One by one, they added their assent.

I smiled, "I thank you all; you have my word that when the dust settles, we will all move forward together into a brighter future than any of us have imagined."

I nodded to one of the Marines, and he killed the VTC, but he had a look on him as I prepared to walk out.

Tom Evans, twenty-five, Lance Corporal...Lost both of his parents in a car wreck when he was fifteen.

"Tom?"

His head snapped up, "Sir?"

I closed my eyes and let the magic flow through me, reaching out into the endless forever.

The smile that broke across my face came unbidden.

"Dad says he's proud of you, Mom too. They were watching on your wedding day...They want you to know they're waiting for you," I pointed a finger at the ceiling as my eyes snapped open, "up there."

Tears shimmered, and he sucked in a rattling breath.

"I...Thank you..."

I crossed the tent and laid a hand on his shoulder, "Not today though, not yet...Am I understood, Lance Corporal?."

He nodded, a new fire in his eyes.

"Yes, sir!"

I gave him a reassuring squeeze and walked out, Ari close behind.

"That was nice."

I smiled, "That poor kid has been wondering if he could find some way to see them again since all this came down. I didn't know what else to do."

She side-hugged me as we stared out over the Heights, packed to the brim with every army on Earth, Heaven, and Hell. My guys had sent them through portals from every corner of the planet. I saw South Korean Marines smoking with Russian Special Forces, German Tankers hanging with French Army dudes. Bedouin tribesmen had come in from the Rub' Al Khali; now, they mingled with SEAL Snipers and Air Force Combat Controllers.

Angels chatted with Demons, sharpening blades or checking ammo; some laughed together, some sat in silence.

Everywhere I looked, the old world bled away.

The new world was waiting on the other side.

"We're really doing this, aren't we?" Ari whispered.

I nodded, "Fuckin' A we are."

Eligor popped into existence and saluted.

"My Lord, they are ready. The humans have been outfitted with erasure munitions; they have been briefed on the capabilities and stand ready for your order."

I looked out into the setting sun; the empty spot in my soul almost throbbed.

But it wouldn't matter for much longer.

"Let's go."

*********************************************

Mount Horeb was wreathed in thunderclouds, the peak far above almost obscured.

Belial's army stood between us and the mountain. Thousands of Demons and Rogue angels encamped, waiting for us.

"Fuck, there's a lot of them." I deadpanned, striking a match against the side of an Israeli tank and lighting my cigarette.

Ari nodded, a grim expression on her face.

"There are, but I think we have more."

"Straight for the summit?" I asked.

"That's what I'm thinking. Belial warded the fuck out of the place, so portals are a no-go. We're gonna have to fly."

More to myself than her, I nodded, "Alright...fuck, didn't get all dressed up for nothing."

I'm coming, baby.

Eligor chimed in, "Ten minutes until the Human attack begins, Sire."

I leaned against the tank, "Have they spotted us?"

"No, my Lord, our wards are holding."

I nodded, "Good enough. Ari?"

"Let's do it." She almost growled.

It was well past time.

"Eligor...Get it done."

"Yes, My Lord." He saluted, pulled a borrowed radio off of his belt, and gave the orders. I could hear jet engines whining in the distance long before I could see them; they darkened the sky as Ari and I broke into a sprint across the FOB, the strike team hot on our heels.

My boots thudded across the sand, and Lucy's face played on a beautiful loop in my mind.

It would be over soon.

The barbed wire perimeter came up fast, three long final strides, and Ari and I came flying off the sand like rockets, hitting the speed of sound and powering right on through it. I didn't even wince as much cones appeared and dissipated with a series of booms that almost blended together. I could feel our contingent of soldiers behind us.

The air attack was right on our heels, Jets from too many countries to count, FA-18s, Harriers, F-35s, SU-57s. And behind came the bombers, massive clouds of them, all armed with erasure weapons.

It was a bad day to be on the other side.

In a flash, the wards dropped, invisibility spells flickered and died.

The cry from Belial's forces brought a bloodthirsty grin to my face.

Surprise, Motherfuckers!

I kept my eyes on the summit as the air assets blew past, an F/A-18 almost clipped me, afterburners roaring, the pilot jinked around a squad of flying Traitors and fired a beefed-up Maverick, the big missile hooked into one of the camps and wiped it off the map in an explosion of violet that bathed the surrounding hills.

Beneath us, fireballs exploded across the ground, shredding the traitors and erasing huge swaths of them in the blink of an eye.

I focused hard and issued a single command.

Go.

I could feel their roar as millions of boots thundered across the ground, millions of wings, Demonic and Angelic, beat through the air.

They'd come for us, taken from us.

And now we'd take everything from them.

The summit came up quick, with no resistance in sight.

My bells were ringing, but he'd die all the same, no matter what came out to greet us.

Seconds later, I hit the ground so hard that the ancient stone cracked underneath my armored feet.

"BELIAL!" I screamed over the driving wind.

A flash and there he was, surrounded by a coterie of Demons and Angels.

"You know, you're beginning to become a huge pain in my ass." He growled, red eyes flaring like coals in the dust storm that was beginning to swirl around us.

My guys landed behind me, hundreds of them.

I drew my sword, as did Ari.

The whispering rasp of metal on leather told me that my troops mirrored us.

"Inferos Aeternum," I growled back at him.

"INFEROS AETERNUM!" They roared behind me.

Belial flashed his fangs, and his jet black wings flared wide; his soldiers roared at us, their weapons at the ready.

"You want your bitch back?... Come... and I'll send you to meet her!"

I glanced over at Ari.

"He's really asking for it, isn't he?"

She nodded, one corner of her mouth splitting into a crooked, fang-filled grin.

"Suppose we should oblige him, Boss?"

"Oh yeah..." I returned the grin, bringing my flaming sword high and slashing it forward.

We charged, baying for his blood the whole way.

Our two lines met with a world-ending crash. Swords clashed, sparking off each other, blood sprayed my face, and I kept running straight for Belial, moving with the speed Ari had shown me, taking lives and limbs.

They would remember my name by the time this was over.

I cut a Demon in half, and Belial stood there, waiting, his own sword held low. I impaled another bodyguard and kicked him off my blade; Ari finished him off and stayed on my arm as we stalked toward the architect of all of our misery.

She struck first, slashing for his face with a war cry that dwarfed the roar all around us. Belial parried, knocking her blade away and decking her across the mouth. I shot forward, looking to drive my sword right through him. He spun and kicked me in the face; I hit the ground just in time to see him bring his sword flashing toward Ari; she rolled and pushed off, taking to the air before thrusting wildly.

Trying to give me an opening.

Belial's hands crackled with a dark aura, and the spell blew through the superheated air between them, ringing off her sword like a gong. I skidded in low, swinging for his legs.

A blow laid me out on the stone; my vision went blurry for a split second.

Fucker hit hard.

I pushed myself off the ground just in time to see Ari overextend...Belial made her pay for it, snapping out a slash that took her in the side, spraying blood and sending her rolling.

I could hear bones break under the impact as she went over the side.

"ARI! Mother-FUCKER!" I screamed. My sword came up to meet his blade as it flashed for my throat. The echoing clang seemed to drown out the world around us.

He'd killed her too...My little buddy, my stalwart bodyguard, the only thing that kept me sane after he'd taken everything else.

I'd just have to get her back too.

I moved like a man possessed, backing Belial up under a hail of blows. Everything Ari had taught me front and center as I struck, parried, rolled, and struck again.

"Oh, I'm sorry," He growled, ducking a swing that would've taken his head off, "Was that a friend of yours? I've killed so many of them, I lost count."

I didn't answer as our blades locked together in a stalemate for a flash; my off-hand drew my revolver, dug it into his stomach, and fired in one smooth motion. He roared in pain as I rolled out and backhanded him with the massive handgun, breaking his jaw and sending him skidding backward into the rock face in a cloud of smoke.

A flash of otherworldly light rocked the plateau. The pedestal appeared between us, a simple rock dome with an indentation in the center. I shrugged off the pain and stalked forward; my fingers slid under my armor and snapped the key off the strip of leather I'd used to secure it.

"NO!" came a voice from everywhere, followed by harsh violet light that crashed into me like a semi-truck on steroids, blasting me backward and smoking my armor, shredding it. A follow-up slash hit bone and laid my chest open, sending me spiraling to the floor.

Belial marched out of the smoke, spitting blood on the ground.

I coughed, and something shifted, broken.

I used the point of my sword to push myself up. But he was already in my business, swinging wildly, all rage and no logic.

But it was working for him.

Another devastating impact knocked me across the plateau as the war raged around us; magic spells and flashing blades ended lives. More jets roared by, almost level with the summit, raining fire on the enemy.

I only had eyes for Belial and the rock pedestal behind him. Another crushing blow and my sword sparked off the ground as it skipped away, but my hand was still wrapped around the key.

There was a chance, and while one existed, I would see this finished...

"You are vermin!" He screamed, madness burning in his eyes, "Nothing in the face of true power!"

He grabbed me by my hair, dragging me to my knees and holding his blade to my throat....

"Vermin, huh?" I glanced down at the battle below us; a Japanese Air Force F-14 roared over the fray with a British Tornado on its wing, and violet napalm exploded in the traitor ranks, burning them alive. I saw vehicles and soldiers from every nation on Earth backed by Demons and Loyal Angels, all screaming into the fight.

Half of an American Abrams tank platoon screened a couple of German Ozelots, hitting anything that moved while the little anti-air tanks smoked anyone stupid enough to fly.

Bedouins raced into the fray on horseback, firing AKs. Falling from their mounts and still killing bad guys.

We were winning.

Pride and love rolled through my soul, and I couldn't help the tears of absolute joy at a world united. It all led me here, that scared kid crying out for someone to save him, from death in the Syrian desert, from cancer lying in a hospital bed, from a life alone, devoid of light and love...

And someone had.

My turn.

My gaze flicked back to Belial... "Looks like those vermin are kicking your fucking ass. Imagine all of those plans put to the torch by the people you tried to destroy."

He smiled wildly, pointing his blade at the rock dome a scant few feet away, "Your insults are meaningless, Human, look. It's right there! And you're going to die never laying eyes on your beloved Queen again; this realm and all the realms will be mine because of your failure."

My gaze flicked up again.

"Well, bud," my injuries were healing far too slowly; I was slurring my words a little...but I was ready, body, mind, and soul.

"You might be half right."

I growled it at him, an evil smile splitting my face... And with the last remaining bit of strength I had...I launched the key over his head.

Right to Ari...

She dropped into a dive and slammed it through the pedestal with all of her might.

Belial stared, shocked, the look of a man that had lost everything and knew it, horror slowly growing behind his eyes.

And I started to laugh...

"Gotcha, fucker."

....And the asshole cut my throat in one snapping thrust from his runed blade.

He spun, tossing me into the rocks like a rag doll... blood filled my windpipe, spraying the sand in obscene gouts. Somewhere, Ari screamed, a long high thing ringing with agony.

But it was finished....We'd fucking won...And where ever I was headed next...I was alright with it...

Not bad for a cowboy from the middle of nowhere...

I coughed, spraying more blood all over the place. My ears were ringing, and I was fading fast...

But I heard it all the same.

The roar started off faint...growing louder by the second. You could almost miss it over the din of battle all over the mountain...

But not a soul in the realms missed when Lucifer...Queen of Hell, Daughter of Heaven, Leader of the Fallen, and Defier of God, blasted through reality with an Archangel at her side and a legion at her back...

...And slammed her flaming broadsword through Belial's chest.

My soul lit up even as my power drained away, gone back to its rightful owner.... I felt so much love, more than I ever had before. My gloved hand reached up to staunch the flow or try to... I had seconds.

But I could feel her again, her soul holding mine tightly.

I collapsed back into the dirt as she twisted the blade, cutting her killer in half. Her perfect lips were twisted into a snarl, silvery hair flying in the wind, red eyes flashing retribution.

And behind her...

Morris sliced through a traitor Angel...

Sybilla blurred in and out of my fading vision, cutting Demons apart with her supernatural speed.

And Ori...

My friend ripped them limb from limb with his bare hands.

Belial's final horrified scream as he burned was music to my dying ears.

Lucy held her bloody sword high and roared it to the realm, mine, hers, and everything in between. A cry of defiance to anyone and anything that would try to destroy what we'd wrought through blood, fire, and undying love...I thought I'd never seen anything so unbearably beautiful as the light poured off of her, a beacon to the new world that lay ahead.

Then she looked at me, and I realized just how wrong I was. Her rage-filled expression turned terrified in a flash. I watched her break into a sprint, reaching for me, beautiful lips twisting as she screamed my name.

My hand came up, reaching for her, my vision fading by the second.

I tried to speak, and nothing came out, just a rasping wheeze...But she was alive...

That'll have to be good enough...I'm ready, old man.

She was only a few feet away now; my soul burned so brightly I could almost see the glow from it...

A heaving, choking breath...and I was gone...

*********************************************

White...everywhere.

No pain...Only warmth.

I blinked as my vision came swimming back.

"Over here," a voice called out.

God stood a few feet away, smiling. Behind him, a city skyline shone with intense light in the distance and tinged a rising sun's color.

"Gotta hand it to you, kid; you do good work."

I rubbed the blur out of my eyes with both hands; my injuries from the fight healed as if they'd never happened. I tried to keep the tremor out of my voice and failed miserably. Loss coursed through me, but I knew she was alive, and it dragged a bittersweet smile out of me.

"Is this...Heaven?"

God smiled.

"Yes, the Silver City in all its glory. The home of your father and Lucifer's... once upon a time."

I followed his gaze to the gates of Heaven itself, high golden things, almost unbearable in their beauty.

"Will...I be here from now on?" I whispered, returning my gaze to Him.

And He shook his head.

"C'mon...did you really think I was going to let that happen? You held up your end, Son. You did well, and I am so very proud of you...."

Again with that smile, "Forgive a stubborn old man?"

My mind stuttered as I tried to catch up, "What? But you said-"

He chuckled a baritone sound that echoed through me.

"I asked that you be ready to die, and you were; you did, for Heaven's sake, for everyone's sake... I'd say that answers the question... You and my daughter will go forward together into a world united.... And there's another reason for your presence here."

I squinted at the Father for a long moment, trying to catch up...

"Hey, man."

I froze...fucking froze...before spinning and taking in the smiling kid that hadn't aged a day...

"R...Rob?"

His laughing brown eyes held me rooted to the spot, but I could see that it wasn't just him approaching...

Steve and Chris each beamed at me.

"Sup, fucker." Chris started.

"What he said," Steve added.

"Fucking hell..." I whispered.

Rob stepped up and snatched me off my feet into a bear hug for the ages.