Ya-Ya throws a final assault, a small ball of blue, and takes out the last of the twelve Ven Demons. Her actions answered my earlier question. She wasn’t throwing the blanket of power at me. I just got in the way. I allow her to help me to my feet.
“Try to stay in the center of the circle,” she says. “We’re still working on the outside, making sure more Ven Demons aren’t sneaking up on us, and right now you have the biggest target on your back.”
I nod my agreement. Clearly more are still coming and I need to be a bit more vigilant. Not just of the demons, but of friendly fire as well. I clap Ya-Ya on the shoulder and run towards the center of the battle. Rye and Mel are standing back to back, fighting a circle of Ven Demons who can’t even get close to them as their swords flash and their feet kick out.
Aziza and Jinx stand on the outskirts of the battle, forming a rough triangle with Ya-Ya and firing into what looks like thin air but soon fills with injured demons which they then begin to blast away. Sunday is fighting a trio of large Ven Demons, and although he’s holding his own, the fact he is so outnumbered sends me in that direction.
I learned from my earlier mistake that got my arm cut, and as I move, I swing my sword in a wide arc in front of me.
“Sunday, look out,” I hear Rye yell.
I look at Sunday. More Ven Demons are advancing on him from behind. He’s got no chance of being able to stop them without the ones in front of him taking him down. I start to run, but I only make it a few steps before a Ven Demon steps into my path. Our swords instantly clang together, but I’m more focused on what’s happening behind the demon than on him.
Rye and Mel have spun around so Mel faces Sunday instead of Rye facing him. She waves her hands, and at first, I think nothing is happening, but then I see it. The sand around the Ven Demons behind Sunday is starting to rise in a swirling vortex. It covers them to their heads and stops them from walking for a second.
“Aziza, now,” Mel shouts.
Aziza turns to face inwards for a moment and she throws both of her palms forward in the direction of the sandstorm. The grains of sand burst into flames and with pained screams, the Ven Demons are no more. I look away as their eyeballs pop, turning my entire focus back to the demon who is still fighting me.
I feel a surge of anger deep inside of myself. Anger that my friends are in constant danger. Anger that these demons think they should get the weapon and free the Horseman to wreak havoc on humanity. Anger that Raven has infiltrated my life. Anger that the very gods I’m trying so hard to help are the ones who are standing in the way of me being with Rye.
I raise my sword above my head, fueling myself with the anger. I slam it down and the Ven Demon’s head splits in two. I wrench my sword back out of what’s left of his head as he goes down, ignoring the blood and grey matter that cling to the blade.
A fire ball comes at me, and I effortlessly bat it aside with my blade. My anger isn’t distracting me this time, it’s giving me clarity, making me see everything more clearly. I move through the space, twisting and turning, swinging out with my sword. Any invisible Ven Demon isn’t going to want to get in my way now.
I manage to reach Sunday without any more interruptions, and I swing out, decapitating two of the demons who are on him. He glances at me in surprise for a moment, as though for the first time he’s seeing how dangerous I can be, and then he turns back to the third demon and sticks his sword through its heart.
“Look who woke up.” Sunday grins at me when the three demons are dead.
I laugh softly, a humorless laugh.
“Yeah, well it pisses me off when people try to hurt my family,” I say.
He gives me another strange look, but it’s gone in seconds and then he laughs with me.
“You and me both,” he says. “Let’s finish this thing.”
I look around and see this thing is almost finished without us. Rye and Mel have one demon each, which they’re making short work of. Ya-Ya is coming back towards us, and Aziza is fighting a single demon who looks like he already regrets taking her on.
“I think we got them all,” Ya-Ya says.
I glance over my shoulder and see Jinx fighting one Ven Demon and I’m inclined to agree. My face breaks out into a wide smile. We did it.
The smile freezes on my lips as a scream comes from behind me. I turn and see Jinx is down, blood running everywhere. The Ven Demon he was fighting towers over him, its evil face twisted in glee.
The demon explodes in a ball of flames as Aziza fires at it. We all run towards Jinx except for Mel and Rye, who are still battling the last two demons. Typical that the only two people who can’t get here fast are the healers.
I reach Jinx first and kneel beside him. I have to look away when I see the mess of him. His T-shirt is shredded, his abdomen split open in a sideways cut that looks like a terrible grin. I can see his internal organs and I think I see a flash of white bone that can only be his spine. I know he doesn’t have long left. His face is pasty white, beads of sweat standing out on his face. I take his hand in mine.
“You’re going to be okay,” I
