Chapter 39
Kitty
Kitty fought the behemoth together alongside Aniel, and Lyla who was glamoured to look like an angel.
The creature had taken out too many vampires and heavenly creatures and needed reigning in.
None of them had realized it could come ashore, and they’d underestimated its physical tolerance for the In-Between.
She’d been in the process of severing a tentacle, when she felt it. A blemish in her heart, spreading like a disease. Christo. No, Oh Savior, no…
It took a moment to locate him, and another to understand Will was with him.
There was nothing more she could do. The connection with her charge, newly broken, left a void in its wake.
Sorrow enveloped her entire being. Struggling to breathe, she faltered and lost her footing.
Writhing tentacles tossed her back and forth until her small body hit the ground.
“Kitty!” Lyla exclaimed, appearing at her side at once. Above them, Aniel continued to keep the creature distracted.
“I’ve lost him,” she said. “There wasn’t time, I couldn’t do anything to stop it.”
“Who?”
“Christo. He was so much more than my charge. This is bad… Shit… I can’t breathe.”
“Yes, you can.” Lyla hugged her and squeezed tight.
“But Tobias–”
“He will survive this, and so shall you. We must keep fighting, sweet girl.”
“You’re right,” Kitty said, though her lip still quivered a little.
“What are you two doing down there?” Yelled Aniel.
Lyla arose, and pulled Kitty to her feet. “You are stronger than you know. I believe in you, daughter mine.”
Kitty hugged her fiercely, blinking away fresh tears. “Let’s end this monstrosity,” she declared as she took to flight, sword at the ready. Acknowledging the rift in her heart would simply have to wait.
Tobias
Tobias could not afford to let emotion rise to the surface.
Christo had known the risks and he’d chosen this path anyway.
On some level, maybe he’d even wanted it.
There would be time to grieve later. Right now, he had to focus on staying alive so he could save as many of the others as possible.
The agony of losing a servant would not break him; he would not allow it.
“What can I do?” Sorrow laced Uriel’s tone. As one of the Holy, he would be acutely aware of Tobias’ suffering.
“Maintain the shield.” He hadn’t meant to sound so brusque, but placating an angel was beyond his capabilities. He had to keep the mask in place if he was to have any chance of surviving this fiasco.
“Tobias, perhaps if I-”
“Please, just concentrate on the shield. I’ll be okay.”
“All right.”
It was then he realized Uriel wasn’t just experiencing this as a bystander.
The death of an innocent, even the mortal servant of a vampire, was still a loss.
It was a heavy burden for someone who could have woven a miracle to prevent it.
That is, if they weren’t already protecting Tobias.
Plus, Uriel had known Christo. Perhaps, he’d even considered him a friend. Like Tobias, he was grief-stricken too.
“I’m sorry.” Tobias wasn’t quite sure what he was apologizing for. The burdens Uriel had carried on behalf of the Trinity? The sacrifices made to aid their cause? The physical debilitation as a result of the entire crusade? The danger… The stress?
He couldn’t seem to put any of it into words. Yet, despite his inarticulation, Uriel understood at once. It was obvious by the shimmer of emotion in his amber-colored eyes, by the subtle upward curve of his lips, and by the tension dissipating from his stance.
It was an apology never requested, nor required, but one which acknowledged the magnitude of all that had transpired. One to validate the inadequacies Uriel felt, along with the sorrow over a misfortune he had no hope to prevent.
The battles they’d faced had changed them and this one in particular would scar their souls in ways which could never be healed.
Creatures of light and darkness had fought side by side for the greater good.
Unlikely bonds had been forged, connecting a web of individuals who never should have crossed paths, yet whose lives had become irrevocably intertwined.
This deep reflection passed by in a moment or two before they were back in the fray. No words were exchanged; none were needed. The connection between them however, was everything.
Pandemonium continued to erupt all around them. Beings fell on both sides, many never to rise again. The weight of loss hovered nearby like an uninvited guest, but Tobias’ resolve remained strong.
In the distance, Will fought alongside the archangels from atop an enormous silver dragon.
To see the angel thriving amongst those who had judged and chastised him was a remarkable sight.
There hadn’t been time to have any sort of conversation about where Will’s path had taken him, or all the intricacies of the Outer Realms. There wasn’t time to contemplate how much Michael and his army understood about this battle.
While context might have been absent, Will held no shame or regret anymore.
He was a force to be reckoned with, cutting down the enemy as if this was the precise moment he’d been created for.
The archangels looked upon him during the moments between blows with awe and pride, as if they were seeing his true essence and potential for the first time. In a way, they were.
Westergaard was in his element, a true Viking warrior, commanding his vampires with ease and crushing anything in their path. A group of Hellhounds fought amongst his portion of the army, accepting of him in a way the other original kings would never experience.
Ngdugu, Yamamoto, and Marquez were making progress, though all three had suffered significant losses amongst them.
O’Brien and Rhodes were in a similar position; holding their own, but not without cost. The hounds and Holy creatures were absorbing the impact of the Hell beasts and intercepting their attacks to enable the angels and vampires to focus on the Unholy.
Satisfied things were progressing as well as could be hoped for under the circumstances, Tobias honed his attention in on Rion and Oriax.
Holding the complex glamours didn’t appear to be robbing him of much energy, even with the devastating loss of Christo.
Throwing fake soldiers into Rion’s path took effort, but again, it wasn’t overwhelming.
Christo was the only mortal servant who had been in a vulnerable position. Tobias hated to lose anyone at all under their umbrella, but he felt that with the support of his remaining mortal servants, he would be able to keep his shit together.