This wasn't supposed to happen. Why was she killing the demons? Why wasn't she slaughtering the angels like he was manipulating her to do?
It was going wrong, the fall of each demon, even some of the Hellhounds fell against her. This wasn't supposed to happen, this wasn't what he was doing it for! She was supposed to go against the angels that had betrayed her, but why was she killing the demons?
He stood up, feeling anger surge in his head from the sudden lift. "This isn't supposed to happen! It's all going wrong!" he yelled in frustration, threatening to break the glass that depicted a little angel battling demons atop a Heaven Pup. That scene was already strange, seeing a Heaven Pup on a battlefield, but it wasn't what truly disturbed him.
"She's got spite." The Lord Goddess mused; she whistled at the sight of Vienna on top of Casper, one of her wings torn off. Yet, the angel kept on fighting, the blood loss, the pain, none of that appeared on her face.
Only rage.
The goddess looked to the lord, "You did manage to make her angry, though."
"But she is fighting against the demons! Not the angels—this isn't how things were supposed to play out." His wings curled tightly, and he felt fire pooling hotter and hotter beneath his skin. "I have to stop this before—"
"Before what? You lose?"
His nostrils flared, glaring at the goddess who stayed seated. He growled deeply, "I will not lose. The other lords already mocked me enough. This was supposed to be my time to prove them wrong!"
"Boo-hoo." The goddess dropped her head backwards, bellowing little snickers that pissed the lord off even more. "I like this turn of events. That angel is something else."
The lord clutched his claws together, throwing his closed fist at the glass and shattering it into pieces. It broke, revealing the Dead Zone where his castle had been. The lord opened his wings with a puff. "I will stop it, end her before she does too much damage."
Before he could take off, something seized his body. His muscles tensed, and all of his functions completely froze. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, and could barely breathe. Slowly, he was turned to face the goddess, lacking any control over himself, and he found himself staring down at her.
She stayed seated, her hand out in front of him, where the tips of her clawed nails waved in front of him.
"No, you will not."
He felt sick, knowing right away that he was under the Lord Goddess's control. He could try fighting it, fighting to release her hold, and doing what he wanted. He never listens to anyone; being under one's control leaves a terrible taste in his mouth.
The goddess approached him with a commanding presence, leaving the lord feeling as if he might shrink away, but he found himself unable to move. A few feet in front of him, she wore a playful expression. "This is something new, can't you see?" She said as she stood beside him, compelling him to follow her gaze through the shattered window.
Through the opening, the goddess summoned the light once more, exposing the fierce battle taking place outside. She pointed towards Vienna and remarked, "No angel or demon has ever reached this point without surrendering. Without dying. I doubt any of you lords could endure it." Her laughter filled the air as she twirled her fingertip at the base of his neck, sending a shiver coursing through him.
"This is entertaining. I want to see what happens next. You will not ruin it by killing the fun." She shrugged, then walked back to the cushion and sat down again. "I already know the goddesses will do that. So let's just watch and enjoy." She flipped her hand around, releasing the lord from the hold.
He fell to the floor, coughing up chunks of blood. It stung, rising up inside of him, and he bit back the pained moan and finished vomiting. Slowly, he shakily stood to his feet and turned to her. She tilted her head to the seat beside her, beckoning the lord to sit.
He did so, feeling stiffened by the powerful entity.
"Let's continue our observations, eh?"
The lord gave a nod, gulping down the bile that was threatening to come back up. "Alright, you will have what you want. But.." She turned to him, making him pull back a flinch. "I want to have Vienna when it's over."
The goddess hummed, her lips curling into a malice smile.
"Sure."
—
It was terrifying to stand alongside her warriors, remembering what had happened the last time the demons invaded Heaven. She couldn't let her fear show; she had to be the leader that her frightened warriors needed to protect their home.
"You have trained for this. You know how to fight, and you know how to protect." The warriors lined up, trembling at the sight of the dozens of demons rushing toward them. Arden pointed the tip of the Branchie forward and shouted her commands, urging the warriors to charge. Staying behind, she let out a sharp whistle to summon the Heaven Wolves' support.
Before she got on her wolf, she hesitated. Her body trembled, the sound of distant screaming and cutting of throats. All of it reminds her of the pain, of the cuts along her body that the armor could not protect. She let out a shaky breath, jumping slightly when a hand came out onto her shoulder.
Apollonia was there, Juno close to her side. "We got this baby." She kissed her, jumping onto the wolf, which Arden soon followed after. Apollonia jumped into battle, startling the older warrior who still had that spike of fear of her loved one going into the fight.
She had to force those thoughts away; instead, she raised a hand to command the cupids who joined the fight. They had their bows ready and arrows raised and waited for Arden to give the command.
Her hand fell, and they released fire. Arden dodged out of the way, flying up with Becklewood with her Branchie raised as he charged into the fight.
Blood, the usual smell and taste, stung her armor. She dodged around, flying around with the wolf, who used its large body to crush the demons who tried to jump at her. She used the technique with the Branchie, cutting them away before they could land any hits on her. They moved around, almost dancing with the demons that came one after another.
Arden knew she had to get farther in where most of them were coming from. She had to stop most of them from getting closer, wait until the goddesses showed up to help.
Why were they taking so long?
Where was the Gate Goddess? The thought of how the gate looked filled the warrior with fear. It had never been that bad. What had happened?
She didn't know what to do, so she quickly ordered Becklewood to take them farther away from where the Hell Hounds were emerging. She gripped his fur with one hand, leaning down as he soared into the air to dodge the wolves that lunged at them. The Heaven Wolf did his best to evade the wolves, only engaging with the demons that hovered nearby.
There were far more of them this time than before. Everywhere the warrior turned, a demon or a Hellbeing was there to strike at her. The armor did its best to shield her from the pain, but the strain was evident. It had been so long since she had experienced this feeling, and her strength was waning.
Arden feared for her warriors and for Apollonia, who would be experiencing this for the first time if she were struck. She did her best to focus on her fighting, having faith that the training she gave them would protect them enough. That, and their wolves, along with the armor.
The more she went out, the more horror she came to realize, and the relief at how they were thinning out. Dead demons lay on the ground, actually dead. Souls lost in the dark, they hadn't been killed by a Branchie; it must have been by a demonic weapon then.
But who? None of her warriors had one of those weapons.
Becklewood let out a yowl as it turned to the side and fell over. Arden held on, flipping herself over to prevent the Hell Hound from sinking its teeth into the wolf's leg. She plunged the Branchie into the beast, forcing it to release her wolf. Becklewood stood up, hissing and whimpering from the pain in its paw. Despite the injury, Arden did her best to fend off the monsters that attempted to take advantage of the situation and attack. Her wolf continued to fight valiantly to protect her.
Arden finally had time to breathe, the strength leaving her bones. The strain was real, and it was having a significant effect.
Where are the goddesses!?
"ARDEN!" A scream sent her heart flying. She quickly looked to where it was, spotting Apollonia flying over to her. A demon came out, clawing at her face. The warrior raised her weapon to push off the claws, which knocked both of them to the ground and out of the sky.
Arden jumped after them, with Becklewood following closely behind. She landed next to Apollonia, who had successfully cut a demon in half. Juno quickly appeared beside them, having caught a demon in her mouth, which she dropped at Becklewood's feet. The male wolf let out a gruff sound, ignoring the blood around them as he kept his ears alert for the approaching demons. Both Heaven Wolves positioned their bodies to shield their warriors, circling protectively around them.
Arden checked Apollonia, shaking hands and flipping her helmet up. Apollonia quickly grabbed her shoulder. "I'm okay—I'm okay, hun, don't worry!"
Arden sighed in relief, "whats wrong then?"
"It's Vienna." She felt her body drop, eyes widening. Apollonai quickly gasped out a sigh of relief. "Vienna, she is farther up and cutting down the demons. She is using a demon's weapon, but she has no armor!"
Arden looked around as her wolves guarded her from the demons and the surrounding dangers. Apollonia said something, but Arden jumped up to get a better view above the demons. She saw nothing, so she dropped back down, moving past the wolves. Apollonia followed after her but was halted by a hand and a stern glare.
"Go farther up, make sure the warriors are strong in their defense." She was about to jump onto Becklewood when she stopped, "Take the Heaven Wolves with you."
"Arden-"
"Please," she said before Apollonia could finish. "Go. Do not make me repeat myself."
Apollonia looked at her, nodding her head before jumping onto Juno. She called for Becklewood, yipping up into the air, and she gave Arden another look. "Be safe." She flew off, ducking away from the flying demons that came at them.
Arden quickly turned, blocking a claw aimed at her throat. She kicked under its legs and propelled herself forward, choosing to run on the ground instead of flying. Staying low, she aimed to blend in with the crowd of demons that began to scatter the further she moved toward the exit. While warding off any attackers, she focused on searching for Vienna.
Finally, she spotted her, nearly causing the warrior to stumble over a fallen demon in the process. Arden felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight of herself.
The fallen angel was barely recognizable, completely covered in blood. Most of it from the monsters, some of it her own. Her clothing was torn, and she was missing one of her wings, which hung uselessly behind her back, but her face showed no pain. Discomfort, yes, but no pain as she killed demon after demon that rushed her.
Casper was there, startling the warrior who had to fend off a small Hellbeing that tried to attack her legs. She pushed the Branchie into its chest, crouching down and swinging it away as Casper was knocked under a Hell Hound.
Vienna turned her head to the two mighty beasts. Casper let out a yowl when its claws dug into his chest. Vienna rushed forward, picking up dirt that sprayed over the demonic wolf. It growled, gashing its teeth at her. The fallen angel moved out of the teeth's way, flipping herself onto its back and diving the demonic weapon into the base of its throat. A gurgled growl, aligning themselves around until it fell off of Casper and landed on its back.
Casper quickly stood up, jumping behind Vienna to bite the demon coming for her. This was where all the demons were, fighting with Vienna. Most of them were on the ground; some even tried to run away, while others stayed to fight.
Arden couldn't stand by and watch for too long; she quickly jumped down to join in the fight. Cutting away at the small monsters and flying over to Vienna, she landed a few feet away, watching as the fallen angel decapitated a demon and threw its head to the side. She turned to Arden, shoulders seizing up with an unrecognizable look on her face.
"Vienna-" Arden took a step towards her. A demon jumped at Vienna, throwing her to the side, where she had to skid into the dirt to stop herself from flipping over.
It came running for her. Arden ran the Branchie through its chest, dashing over for the small angel. She tried to call out to her, reaching a hand out that was invaded by the smaller one. She slid under the warrior's legs, throwing the demonic weapon at an oncoming Hell Hound. It thunked inside its head, falling as it tripped dead in front of her.
Arden tried again, grabbing at her shoulder. The touch shocked both of them, mostly Vienna, who threw a punch behind her that hit Arden. It knocked the helmet off her, startling the warrior, who stayed stunned for a moment.
Her eyes found the other, watching Vienna shake violently before taking the demonic weapon back in her hand. Arden ignored her fallen helmet, once again reaching for the smaller.
Vienna raised the weapon, making Arden clutch her eyes closed. She didn't try to stop it, though the blow didn't come. The sound of rushing wind went past her ear, opening her eyes to the sight of the weapon shifting to a whip. It landed on a demon's face that tried to jump her from behind.
Arden ducked as Vienna pulled the whip back, taking the demon that was still clinging to it with her. She swung the whip around, using all the strength she had left. The demon on the whip struck several others, sending them all crashing to the ground.
Arden stood back up, hearing the sound of groans dying and a sharp thud. With her helmet in her hand, the warrior turned back up to the fallen angel.
Vienna had yet another demon in her grasp, arms locked around its neck and strangling it, she pulled her weapon up and sliced open its neck. It fell, pooling more blood over her tunic. Arden watched the demon bleed, shocked at the way it still twitched before growing still. It stayed there, limp and lifeless, not fading away like it should.
Arden already knew why; it was the weapon that killed their soul, unlike the angels that sent them back to the Underworld.
Arden couldn't ponder on her observations for long; a demon came from behind to attack her. She went for the Branchie, cutting it in half and turning to the side. Another one soon replaced it, then another, and then another.
Too much to take all at once-
But she wasn't alone; Vienna appeared, throwing the weapon that was still a whip around. It cut through their heads, killing most of them and leaving one for Arden to finish through the heart. She let it fall, huffing slightly to try and catch her breath.
She heard Vienna's steps moving away. Quickly, she rushed forward again. "Vienna-"
The small angel stopped. Her stiff body prevented the warrior from grabbing her again. She held back, wincing to herself at the way the fallen angel had flinched away. She must be in pain, lots of it.
Vienna turned to her, Casper throwing around demons that tried to sneak up on them. The smaller did not speak, waiting for the warrior who felt lost for words. She stared down at her, just cringing at the cuts along her face, blood inked into flesh and clothing that was torched and burned at the ends. She had a large gash on her shoulder, skin ripping from her bones that was visible just like the missing wing behind her.
Say something. Arden tried to speak, but no words could form.
Vienna exhaled, and the warrior noticed her slight stagger as she did so. It was clear that she was feeling pain and fatigue, but she was simply ignoring it. Arden yearned to take the angel back to Heaven and heal her once this ordeal was over.
"Nothing to say?" Viena spoke, voice rough.
Arden gulped, forcing her head to bow. "I'm sorry."
"..." No response, only the sound of pained screams and flapping of wings. The warrior looked back up, giving the fallen angel a painful look. Vienna turned around, the weapon tight in her grip. "If you're sorry, then stay out of my way."
With that, she jumped back onto Casper and went farther down, leaving Arden standing alone.