Three more rock klops continued the assault. They surrounded Cyrus on threesides. The first chopped with an ax at Cyrus’ head. The other two leaped at hisankles. Cyrus ducked and spun, slashing out wide with the nagen’s lance. He sliced leather, wool, belly, and throat. The three klopsfell back, gurgling, and clutching their gaping wounds.
Five more nagen surged forward, encircling the Dragon Eater. Cyrusrose up from his crouch and glared down at the armored demons. Warm klops blood dripped from his bristled face. How many were willingto die? A tempered rage filled Cyrus’heart. He took a deep breath and felt his mind grow still.
All five nagen pounced, stabbing at Cyrus with their bladedstaffs. Cyrus parried three of the attacks.Two pierced his back. The assassins tried to wrench their blades free. Cyrus spunand sent the villains sprawling. He ignored the strange sensations in his back.A nagen stabbed at his head. He ducked thethrust, dug his feet into the earth, and heaved. He drove the blunt end of hisstaff straight through the villain’s faceplate,puncturing metal and skull alike. Thesoldier stumbled backward, the staff skeweringhis steel helmet. The demon gripped the bloody shaft, trying to jerk it from hishead. Then he pitched sideways and crashed dead to the earth.
With the two spinyspears still protruding from his back, Cyrus pivoted on his toes. He slipped aslashing blow, loaded up his right hip and punched a second nagen in the chest. Silk, steel, sinew, and bonegave way to Cyrus’ fist. His knuckles shattered the demon’s spine. His arm plungedthrough the creature’s back. The villain convulsed,then slumped over Cyrus’ shoulder. Cyrus twisted and hurled the corpse at theremaining three assassins. The body struck the trio hard and knocked them to theground. They rolled away and clambered to their feet, staring horrified at theirdead companion. A large, grizzled rock klops bargedthrough the crowd, wielding a loaded rifle in each of his three-fingered grips.
“Die, Child Eater!” thebarbarian roared.
Bang! Crack!
The brute shot Cyrus inthe belly and chest. Blood spurted from his flesh. Cyrus peered down at thewounds. He poked at each smoking hole with a thick finger. The pain was subtle,otherworldly. He looked up at his would-be killer with an expression of grim fascination.The klops dropped both weapons and began to panic. Hestared down at the dead nagen with the bloodypit in his chest. Then he peered at his surrounding comrades. They all stepped backfrom him as if he was diseased. He glared wide-eyed at Cyrus. His body trembled.The Dragon Eater strode towards the klops.
“The prophecy, no!”
The calloused brute turnedand dashed for the woods. His alarm became contagious. Several more minions toobegan to retreat towards the trees. Even the squawking black birds leaped from their perches and climbed high into the sky.
“Get back here!” Rorroh cried.
Cyrus rounded on the witch, bloody and hulking. Rorrohbegan to gather her strength, readying her body for attack. Cyrus reached backand wrenched both staffs from his thick ribs, tossing them aside. Then he drew aremaining pistol from his belt.
“Have you learnednothing, Child Eater?” Rorroh asked, her flesh clammyand grey.
The witch produced a black,dripping blade from beneath her torn robes.
Cyrus thought back towhen he had first met Fibian. He recalled the corporal’swords.
“She is not called the Sea Zombie in vain,” Cyrus said,staring Rorroh straight in her oily black eyes. “Shehas been cursed to wander the ocean, lifeless and wretched. No mortal hand will ever take her from thesewaters.”
Cyrus emphasized the wordmortal. Then he raised his pistol and aimed it at the Sea Zombie’s head. Rorroh’s face grew horrified as understanding took hold. Onlyimmortal could kill immortal, but was Cyrus now truly immortal? It was time to findout.
He cocked the hammer ofhis weapon. The expression of terror on Rorroh’s facedid not fit her decaying features. She was not ready to die. Her guise shifted from fear to rage and anguish. She raised her dagger and began topounce. Every cell in Cyrus’ body grew still. His finger tightened on thetrigger. His gun roared. Smoke and flame erupted from his pistol. The Sea Zombie’srotten head snapped back on her stitched neck. Black, bloody matter rupturedfrom her skull. Then her head flopped forward. Her eyes locked with Cyrus’, lostand confused. She had not seen this coming. She had been so desperate to defeatthe Angel King that she had overlooked this possible counter.
Children shrieked, nagen hissed, and rock klopsgasped. The witch dropped her knife and fell backward. As she struck the earth,her stained robes enveloped her emaciated body. Cyrus threw aside his smoking pistoland picked up one of his cast-off spears. He stepped forward and stabbed at Rorroh’s cloak. He struck only mud and dirt. He drew back thetattered hood. The skeletal remains of a long-dead woman lay beneath. The bones were yellowedand scarred. A ragged hole marred the skull’s forehead. Around the remnants, ancient dust and soot lay.
The heavens above shifted.Shafts of warm sunlight shone down through the clouds. Cyrus had done it. TheSea Zombie was dead. He peered around at the remaining enemy. He saw only theirleather and armor backsides as they fled off into the forest.
Cyrus’ body lost allstrength. He fell to his knees, exhausted. He felt Gabriel’s relief wash over himlike a warm bath, sensed the hune’s overwhelmingjoy. He looked to the alvelings. They too seemed tosense the giant’s presence, hugging eachother and weeping, grateful to have survived.
Fibian walked to Cyrus and put his webbedhand on his shoulder. Edward scurried down the froskman’sarm and onto his best friend’s back.
“A savior will rise up from the most unlikely of places,” Fibian said, recalling the words he had spoken not so longago. “They will destroy the Warrior Witch’s armies and scatter her ashesto the sea.”
“You did it,” Edward said,grinning wide, “you saved us all.”
Sarah rushed over and searched Cyrus’ body. She felt his chest, pressedalong his ribs and his back.
“How?” she asked. “Howis this possible?”
Cyrus felt his wounds. Hisinjuries began to throb but were alreadyhealing.
Rorroh never healed. What did this mean? Was Cyrus now an Angel, immortal,
