42. Showdown motherfuckers
Nevaeh
W ith a half-gold face armor carved and embedded in tiny gems, the Horsemen of Conquer, rustles through an old cabinet, after helping me strap my body armor.
Whipping out a small box, Angel wipes the dust on it before showing me what's inside. A choked gasp leaves my lips when I see what he is holding.
“Dean got it made not long before he left. I think it was a reminder for him to not lose hope.”
In his hand is a face armor that looks like plain glass, but the instant Angel holds it to my face, the glass adheres to my right profile. My lips part in surprise when he turns me to a mirror and I watch the armor light up with hundreds of small, intricate, glimmering gold veins.
I’ve seen similar patterns on my Divine when it circles me— like it has a life of its own —but seeing them come alive makes a sense of belonging run through me. After years of fighting against my Divine, I finally feel what it’s like to be one with it.
Diamond impatiently stomps his horseshoe when he sees me on the rooftop with my mate as if asking us to hurry the fuck up so he can join his brothers in battle.
Angel's pure white horse with majestic golden wings and accessories follow Diamond's call and spreads his wings wide to show us he's ready for some action.
From this high point, I see the exact moment the first invading force crosses our portals and descend into the battlefield. Our warriors are alert, anger of enemy feet on our sacred ground radiates off them and a similar need to show the world what the Tetrad kingdom is capable of fills me.
A loud clap of thunder makes my head jerk to the sky that’s bleeding red for the first time. Heavy black clouds hide the twinkling stars behind them as if protecting them from the gruesome sight.
A roar of rage and blur of someone slicing through Deviants catches my attention. Leaning against the railing, I watch his crimson face armor hiding the blood I know must be splashed on Harvey’s face.
Standing in the middle of what once was a field filled with rare exotic flowers, Seiji lashes his whips on the ground before letting them fly across and dig into the flesh of anyone who dares to come near him.
I’m not surprised to find Jackson steadily levitating above his mate, protecting both Harvey and Seiji from dark spells thrown their way.
A loud screech from a were-dragon reminds me of the creatures hovering above us. I turn just in time to catch one tearing out a gargoyle’s neck with his teeth before tossing the body to the ground.
With a loud command I didn’t expect from my petite sister, I watch with pride as Grace commands her team of skilled archers to aim for the third portal opening just on their south.
A group of were-dragons are positioned atop every tower to assist the archers bring their targets down.
I remember calling Hazel crazy the first time I saw her in battle mode, but I’d like to add batshit to it as well.
A hoard of Warlocks circles the siren, and like she is performing a dance routine not standing in the middle of a battlefield, Hazel moves gracefully enough that slicing our enemies looks like they are made of butter, not flesh and bones. What proves me right is the sinister smile playing on her lips. She is covered in blood and guts but smiling nonetheless.
Batshit. Crazy. Siren.
I have this unexplainable feeling that Papa would absolutely love her. He has a unique way of appreciating the crazy in other people.
I notice witches are heavily using Deviants in the first layer of confrontation. It’s convenient since Deviants lack the moral compass or survival instincts to not run into the field like rabid dogs hungry for blood.
I was surprised when Angel told me how many empires and dynasties turned their backs on the witches to save their own asses after our siren visited them. Well, most of them because djinns, gargoyles, and— not so surprisingly —werewolves were stupid enough to bet on the wrong side.
I had expected Visha to realize the barriers around the kingdom were purposely lowered to let them pass through, but maybe I’ve been giving her a little too much credit this entire time.
Sheathing a sword behind my back, I’m buzzing with excitement when the last of Visha’s soldiers crossover because it’s time for the actual game to begin.
The enchanted shield surrounding the kingdom is abruptly raised, turning the portal gates untouchable. The sudden change causes a wave of panic and dread to crash into our enemies.
Now their only way out is by death .
I watch my worst nightmares unfold into an opportunity served on a silver platter. The scene before me reminds me of the days I felt so helpless that I couldn’t do anything but watch as they tortured and killed all those prisoners.
This coven still holds power over me long after I’ve escaped their clutches, but after today, I refuse to carry the guilt of not being strong enough to help more people like me. People like Anisha. Like my little monkey.
“I get to avenge them all today,” I whisper with my eyes on the bloodshed below me.
Sensing Angel behind me, I don’t think before leaning against him. Pointing to the raging battlefield before me he says, “Everyone not on our side is yours to feast on. Stab them, slice them, shoot them, curse them. Tonight, you do whatever your precious heart desires.”
Tugging me to Diamond, Angel helps me climb on. “This is your chance to avenge yourself, Harvey, and our son. Avenge every tear your father shed waiting for his daughter to come home, every lie they told to break your spirit, every drop of tear that mixed with your blood. Make them pay their dues, sweetheart.”
Brushing off the tear that trickles down my cheek, Angel cups my face and pulls me down to kiss the half of my forehead that's not covered.
“You look so hot when you ask me to rage.”
Dropping his head, Angel laughs and double-checks my armor seeing how Diamond is getting too impatient to stay in place. Squeezing my calf, Angel asks for my full attention. “If I see more than five bruises on you at the end of the night, there’ll be punishment.”
“Ohhh, daddy behavior.”
“I adore your ability to be so innocent yet so filthy.”
With a teasing wink that makes my insides tickle, Angel backs up. “Now go unleash Death.”
With a loud neigh, my beautiful morbid horse cuts through air and his enemies. His mighty wings knock down multiple witches to the ground on his glide. A pale Death’s horse with flames consuming his wings and legs steals everyone’s attention, and Seiji takes excellent advantage of it.
The grass beneath our enemy’s feet turns black before burning to ash. Creating a tornado, Seiji traps a group in an unforgiving rush of wind before extinguishing the tornado along with every last breath of oxygen. Hundreds of warlocks, witches, and gargoyles fall to the ground, coughing up blood as their lungs beg for air.
Harvey moves in next before they can predict him. The 6-foot-something man climbs his red horse, and in the blink of an eye, their size grows until the duo resembles a walking mountain. They crush every soul that falls, turning them into a thick red sauce with a white seasoning of bones.
Gross . But c reative.
One thing about Horsemen is that we’re invincible together. Challenging us is considered nothing short of suicidal because when we join forces, even the mightiest mythics tremble in fear.
We’re the Horsemen of the apocalypse.
Our Divines are connecting on a level I’ve never experienced before. With our newfound proximity, I feel my power amplify until it's hard to breathe. The rush of power surging through me feels exhilarating yet equally terrifying.
To prevent myself from unleashing something beyond my control, I’ve always restricted my essence. Built invisible walls around my Divine, but now, with every slice of my sword, I feel it crumbling.
With every crack, the knot in my head tightens farther and farther until it snaps hard enough that my Divine explodes inside me. I can’t hold back the grunt of pain that leaves my lips as I struggle to reign in my essence.
Diamond races to the middle of the field and throws me to the ground not-so-gently. I go to snap at my horse, but he thinks the moment I’m losing control of my power is perfect timing to drop me off in the middle of battle and take off. I push my palms against the ground to stand up, but my body is stuck.
This surge of untapped power running through my veins is what Visha has feared all these years. I can feel my Divine prepare to finally relinquish all control and I’m not sure I’m ready for it.
The ground shakes beneath me and I struggle to rise with the barren ground soaking my power, craving magic only I can offer. My head falls back, breathing through the burn in my lungs and an agony-filled roar leaves my lips.
I’ve been fighting for control my entire life, and this is the moment my Divine decides to give up.
Should’ve known bad timing was my thing by now.
A crack under my foot makes my eyes snap open and I watch my essence shoot to the ground and disappear. Gold cracks spread through the field in a blink, and like the veins have a mind of their own, they snake over to my enemies and climb them until nothing but mangled bodies drop to the ground.
Wherever my Divine snakes, wounded warriors on my side heal before my eyes, ready to fight again. Warriors assumed dead now stand unscathed since the Angel of Death is Hell-bound. I.e., an ally. He gave his word to Anxo that he won't record any souls we lose in this war.
Archangel Azrael, the first-generation Angel of Death, recently celebrated his grandson’s coronation.
Elias Azrael , who I’m sure is looking up and enjoying the show, sitting beside the first son of Satan and the current King of Hell, Elijah Lucifer .
It should’ve been Lucifer’s grandchild running Hell too, but unlike the rest of the supernatural world, it took our original King of Hell a few centuries to realize he wanted a mate by his side too. It was something he desired but didn’t dare to ask until he was the only one immortal and unloved... and he couldn’t take all the lovey-dovey couples around him anymore.
That epic love story is another reason Heaven has been extra pissy with Hell in the last few centuries. Let’s just say I was the second person Hell stole from Heaven.
Since Diamond ran off on his own to headbutt and fry the enemies of his kingdom, I take off in the direction of my partner in crime. The sound of a sickeningly sweet whistle raises my amusement, and I let my Divine, wrapped in shimmering gold, crawl on the dark soil, engulfing everyone it touches.
Following the sharp whistle, I feel giddy because I know exactly what this particular tune does. Her whistle has dragged every witch, gargoyle, djinn, and werewolf within a twenty-foot radius to her. They don’t even know they're walking straight into a trap since their bodies have no control over their movements anymore .
Breaking through the circle around Hazel, I come face to face with my partner. Volunteering to cover the left side, I kneel and lay a palm flat on the ground. The puppets to the siren’s hypnotic magic choke when entrancing gold veins wrap around their bodies, and spikes come out, digging into their skin.
I’m finishing my share when Hazel starts cackling like a madwoman. “You're living up to my nicknames, huh? Glittering Death . Oh, and those bags under your eyes? Nice touch. Really sells your unhinged act.”
“Unhinged? Me? Someone get this woman a mirror!”
In between our banter, we lure and strike our next group in perfect rehearsed patterns.
With every Deviant Hazel and I cut in half, every werewolf Harvey tears apart with his bare hands, every gargoyle Angel and Grace pierce from the sky, and every djinn Seiji whips to purgatory, our enemies start reducing to nothing.
But I’ve had enough of fighting Visha's followers. All I want is to find the soulless monster responsible for this bloodshed, who continues to force her coven and so many others into facing the consequences of her sins.
Ever since I charged into the field, my eyes have been searching for Visha, so when I finally find her sitting on a levitating throne, made from the corpses of my warriors, it's clear why I didn’t see her before.
Visha smirks, struggling to move the mangled side of her face, and waves at me with her arm that’s covered in burns. Consequence of excessive dark magic.
When I first saw her, it wasn’t as bad, and I thought a dark witch like her would know her limits, but as the years went by, I took pleasure in watching her lose herself and relished the way it destroyed her body.
Visha growls at her warriors to do better, to fight on her behalf, and continues to just sit there, causing so much pain. I witness her soldiers sacrifice themselves while she maintains her haven, and disgust rolls off me in waves .
The image of an 11-year-old girl scrubbing her throne makes me blink rapidly to get rid of it but I fail.
I remember accidentally dropping the filthy cloth, and Visha broke my arm in half by stomping on it with all her might as my punishment. I remember the way she looked down on that vulnerable little girl and treated her worse than the dirt under her shoes.
Visha was gifted clairvoyance yet she failed to see the real monster was living inside her all along. She only used her gift, power, and position to cause harm.
Visha called me her doom and I guess she was right.
“Go get her.”
Hazel snaps me out of my head and whistles to beckon my horse. She understands the burning need for revenge crawling inside my veins, and steps in to help.
After what he put her through, Hazel deserves a good payback story too, and I vow to make sure she’s the one to drive her dagger through his heart. She deserves to be the last face he sees right before he loses his pathetic life.
Walking backward, I promise her through our link that one day it will be her turn, and I will hold down an entire army so she gets her revenge. Hazel, as always, simply shakes her head and reminds me to keep my bloodlust in check.
Catching a glimpse of Diamond as he runs towards me, I grab his fur and climb on his back in the middle of his stride. Diamond steps on air, and we take off to where Visha has created a makeshift throne for herself.
The moment she notices me fast approaching, Visha orders the four warlocks shielding her, and they don’t hesitate before hurling balls of fire at me. Rude.
Diamond absorbs the attacks without flinching, and before I can start worrying about how much he can take, the two warlocks flinging fireballs at us fall to the ground like sacks of potatoes.
Whipping my head back just in time, I see Angel aim and shoot another arrow wrapped in his essence at anyone who dares to come for me.
I can’t help but think how poetic this is. Angel is the one who helped me glue the pages of my past together so I won’t keep finding ways to rewrite the book of my life, and now he’s here, helping me reach the final chapter so I can burn the damn book for good.
Blessing me with his sexy smirk, Angel yells on top of his lungs when he could’ve just as easily used our link.
“No one messes with my wife!”
“Not. Your. Wife!” Everyone around him snaps in sync.
“What a bunch of jealous A-holes.” Muttering in our link, Angel aims at the last warlock in my path but not before giving me a look that screams, ‘I’m not going to tolerate not being married to you any longer’.
Tapping into our link, I tell him soon before focusing on Visha. My proximity heals the warriors she was using as her makeshift throne, and they fall to the ground, landing perfectly on their feet, and joining other warriors to watch me reach the finish line.
The last two warlocks try to flee when they see their death fast approaching, but two perfectly aimed arrows pierce through their hearts, and just like that the last of Visha’s soldiers fall to the ground.
With no one left to fight on her behalf, Visha conjures her darkness. It's weak but I can see she's not ready to give up. Dark magic seeps out of her pours, leaking in the air.
Collecting her unbridled magic in her palms, Visha throws it in my direction. I turn Diamond away just in time to make sure I'm the only target to Visha's last attempt at survival.
My chest burns from the harsh impact. I feel the magic digging into my bones before my Divine takes over. Inch by inch my essence breaks down the darkness inside me, turning it into something I can feed on. With every blow Visha throws, I grow stronger with the dark magic and my Divine working together.
With every blow, Visha steps back and her hands start trembling. She knows this is her own fault. She made me this. She taught my Divine to be friends with the darkness inside me.
When her eyes grow wide, I follow Visha's gaze and look down at my arms. Covered in gold veins, my skin is crawling with raw untamed magic begging to be released. When Visha sees her attacks are doing the exact opposite of what she intended, she takes off.
Now, she will experience what it feels like to have your powers snatched from you. What it feels to be helpless, to be at the mercy of someone who hates your existence.
Running through the clouds she dodges the arrows my mate aims her way to slow her down.
Patting diamond, I say, “Time to hunt.”
Diamond takes off after Visha, who is no match to his speed and within seconds I'm in front of her. My horse leaps forward and I grab Visha by her neck and lift her in the air. Like a caged animal, she does her absolute best to thrash around to make me lose my grip and fall to a quick and easy death.
After everything she did to me, all the innocent souls she burned alive, chopped to pieces, how na?ve is she to think that I will let her die that easy?
“Please,” Visha croaks pathetically. Ignoring her pleas, I pat Diamond who is agitated by her presence.
“Now you're begging?” I huff. Visha digs her nails in my arm but that pain is nothing compared to what I'm feeling in my heart.
“I begged too, didn't I? Spent hours by your feet, pleading, screaming for mercy, hoping that you'd show some sympathy but you never did. We were kids,” I spit out. “ Kids. And you whipped my best friend in front of me, sliced me open in front of him, and never showed mercy, so why should I?”
Visha grunts like she could care less, and the lack of remorse fills me with rage.
“You’ve reached your end, and I’m here to collect.” A single tear rolls down my cheek, but that’s all I'll allow. She’s not worth more.
“You know something your precious visions didn’t tell you, Visha?” I look her dead in the eyes and relax the pressure on her neck so she can feel the weight of my words. “I can take your Divine.”
Visha stops struggling instantly, her limbs fall by her side in shock and horror-filled eyes look back at me.
The entire world stops beneath me, and a collective gasps of shock echoes in the now silent field. This isn’t something I’ve shared with anyone other than my family, and the fact that the world will witness me do it will be controversial.
No matter how she interpreted them, Visha's visions were never wrong. Despite her best efforts to prevent those visions by killing me and the ones blessed by Fates, Visha forgot that no one can change what’s already written in the books of Fate.
The vision she saw of me destroying her entire coven was always going to happen. If I didn’t make it out of that dungeon, someone else would’ve been responsible for her fate, but in every universe, every dimension, every realm, her future ends with a pathetic death.
Visha, the once mighty queen, starts struggling harder when her thick brain finally processes my words, and she realizes a quick and easy death is not in her cards.
Her shock is justified since only The Almighty God or the King of Hell has the power to take away someone’s Divine. Even Fates can only write magic in someone’s life journal but can’t erase it.
Our Divine is a large part of our identity, and it’s considered the highest form of humiliation in the supernatural world to be stripped of your Divine because, essentially, it takes away your right to our world.
“Wait—stop. If you k-kill me, how will you s-save your family from him ?”
My grip tightens on her neck, but I can’t help but falter at the confidence. A coy smile appears on her lips when she sees I’m baffled .
“Who?”
“A threat no m-man has ever faced, a power beyond your knowledge, and a... and a future you can’t run from.” Visha recites as if the words are carved into her memory.
A power beyond your knowledge?
“I can help you destroy him. Spare my life, and I will tell you e-everything about him. Everything that’s about to come.” I can hear the manipulation in her voice, and I’m amazed Visha is still fumbling to save her life when there’s no chance of it ever happening.
I’ve seen this before. Visha has a knack for figuring out someone’s deepest fear and using it for her benefit, but not this time. I’ve had enough of her manipulation.
Even if danger lurks around my family, we can deal with it just like we dealt with her. No one is stronger than the literal causes of apocalypse.
“Your games don’t work on me anymore.”
With that, I close my eyes and take a deep breath, expanding my lungs as my Divine reaches out to push past her flesh. Her screams of agony are high-pitched, and they make me want to cover my ears, but I continue reaching inside her forcefully and pulling out her Divine, not even trying to be gentle about it.
When I open my eyes again, her entire body is covered in burns, strings of her glowing essence are pouring out of her, and disappearing where my palm is slowly squeezing the life out of her.
Her screams get louder once the last of her Divine is ripped from her. A witch losing her Divine is painful, but a human enduring torture designed for a supernatural being is like someone reaching inside your chest and pulling your heart out. Slowly.
My essence circles her like a predator, absorbing every bit of her Divine before eating away at her soul when I should be sending it to purgatory.
But I’m not a reaper yet; so the rules don’t apply to me .
With one last squeeze, Visha slumps forward and I let go. Hearing the loud thud and the crack of every bone in her body, I close my eyes and finally let the tears fall past the relieved smile on my lips.
I’m finally free.