CHAPTER TWO - THE RED DEAD ANGELS

The transformation began with a burst of fiery energy that swirled around Gemma like a bloody, burning tempest. The bloodstains on her clothing glowed with ominous light as the fabric started to ripple and dissolve, seemingly absorbed by voracious crimson energy spreading across her body. The transformation was both a purging and a metamorphosis, shedding the bloody evidence of the brutal confrontation while ushering in a blazing rebirth.

From the vermillion aura encompassing Gemma emerged the Red Ranger suit, a vibrant scarlet armor adorned with intricate fiendish motifs. Gemma's visage was concealed by the menacing helmet, its silhouette crowned by a pair of demonic horns that curved upward with an unsettling elegance.

The helmet materialized with an eerie crimson glow, and as it settled into place, Gemma's eyes glowed from within, reflecting the newfound power coursing through her veins. The demonic horns on the helmet pierced the air like twisted points of a crown, casting shadows hinting at the dual nature of her transformation.

As Gemma raised her hand, the transformation completed with a flourish. Gemma, the Blood-Stained Red Ranger, stood as an embodiment of both chaos and order

She spoke, her voice now amplified and commanding, “I’m going to tear your goddamn wings off.”

The Red Ranger surged towards the alien cherub and jumped just before she crashed her armored knuckle into its head, effectively spiking its skull into the ground with devastating force. So doubled over, she stomped its head into the ground and grabbed a pair of its wings with her hands. She squeezed the muscles in her chest and her arms turned as rigid as steel. She felt the bones inside the creature’s wings pulverize in her hands.

The angel began to scream, and it writhed beneath her grip to free itself from her grasp, but the Red Ranger pulled its wings off anyway.

Its remaining wings flapped like mad while attempting to thwart its attacker with their deadly plumes. But Gemma then ripped those wings off as well, and still gripping the lethal appendages, swung them into the body of the angel to whom it had just been part of until the creature was dead, its head and back impaled by dozens of its own feathers.

It turned out that angels could bleed, too, and Gemma was covered in it.

Andreaus rolled over onto her back and breathed in. What had just happened? She took a step out of her father’s work and then everything had just gone white and then she had apparently blacked out.

How long had she just been laying on the sidewalk?

She heard a hellish noise, like the scream of a skinwalker from earth, only way louder.

Andraeus stumbled to her feet, and looked inside the store. Raph and her father were both passed out, along with every single customer in the store. She heard glass breaking down the street. She hobbled along until the soreness in her body evened itself out.

Everything was covered by fog now. She heard a chirping noise emanating from the cloudiness above her. She looked up, and watched in horror as she saw her first glimpse of an angel. It descended from the sky and landed on top of a car, its weight shattering every single window. This one held a long bifurcated lance in its hands. It made a squawking noise, and several more creatures just like it came down from out of the clouds and smashed something when they landed. Wherever they passed, feathers came loose, some of them stuck in the ground like lawn darts when they did.

One of them emitted a grokking sound and moved its abnormal body in such a way it reminded her of watching a raver in blacklight. Everything about these things was unsettling. Where had they come from? What was happening? These were monsters, like from her dad’s D&D games.

The angel she had been watching approached the shattered front of the town barbershop, and stopped to examine a weird looking man lying prone on the bench out front. The inside of the building had apparently been demolished, the interior a dark mystery.

Something snatched the angel and dragged it into the building. There were sounds of violence that attracted the attention of two other creatures. They descended upon the place.

As Andreaus looked on, a powerful looking red devil, with a decidedly feminine physique, burst forth from the ruined shop holding a pale orb in its hands. It was the angel’s head. The red thing looked like a knight, but in crazy demon armor. It took three steps and then jumped ten feet into the air, and spiked the dead angel’s head, striking one of the other two in its face, likely blinding it.

The stricken monstrosity reeled, dropped its weapon, and began to issue the horrible screaming again. Andreaus covered her ears.

The one in red said, “I hate that fucking sound. Shut up!”

With movement so rapid she was a blur, the red knight reached the angel she’d smote with the severed head of its comrade and grabbed it by the throat and began smashing its skull into the ground.

She just kept screaming, “Die!” Over and over, as she demolished the monster’s braincase.

Andreaus recognized her voice and said, “Gemma?”

The red knight looked at her, but the other angel rose behind her.

“Look out!”

It was too late, Gemma was tackled, the long lanky pale limbs of the angel holding her down. The angel opened its sickening maw, revealing the oddly human-like teeth lining the inside. It howled in the red knight’s face. Its eerie jet black eyes seemed to focus on her with a look of hatred.

Andraeus had had enough. She ran forward and took up the weapon of the fallen angel–the lance with two barbs on its head. She ran at the alien attacking Gemma and ran it through. She backed off instantly as the thing tilted back from where it had the red knight pinned, as if it was processing how to deal with being so impaled.

She heard commands issuing in Gemma’s voice to ‘go fucking hide.’

Gemma grabbed the angel’s arm with her armored hand, and Andreaus looked away as she started to observe what was going to happen. She heard a sickening crunch–that of bone being turned to pulp. The angel changed the tone of its scream from one of hatred to one of pain and terror. She looked back for just an instant, and saw Gemma tearing the monster apart with just her hands. She heard the sound of a pole-snapping, and looked up to see Gemma was standing again, and had apparently just broken the other angel’s lance in half over her knee.

She heard the flap of wings from on high, and looked up to see three more heavenly beings coming down.

Gemma was ready when they reached her level. She told Andreaus to get down.

The Red Ranger took hold of her left horn, and pulled both from where they had been moored to her helmet. Withdrawing them, she held in her hand what resembled a large boomerang. Twisting into a pitcher’s form, the Red Ranger hurled the horns, which began emanating bright crimson energy as they flew in a deadly spin. With flaring intensity, the projectile traveled into a wide violent bloody arc, eviscerating the three angels that had just arrived. It struck each of them with explosive power, causing their misshapen bodies to burst from the force. Their corpses were just pieces on the ground by the time the boomerang horns returned to their master’s hand.

The boomerang faded into shadows and reappeared as horns on the girl’s helmet. Meanwhile, the streets were now drenched in the sticky red blood of dead angels.

The angel at her feet let out a last desperate throat call, but Gemma stomped its head off with a mighty thrust of her armored leg.

Andreaus, looking out for a clear coast, called to her neighbor, “that was so cool!”

The faceplate on Gemma's helmet smoothly slid back, revealing her adorable yet irked expression. Despite her cuteness, a storm of frustration lingered in her eyes.

"What are you doing here, moron?" she snapped.

"And what are you doing here? What the heck are you wearing?" Andreaus fired back.

"Don't worry about it. You need to leave. I don't know where this is headed."

"What?" Andreaus was clearly perplexed.

"Those things could just keep coming forever. I don't know what to do. I'll just keep killing them." Gemma finished speaking with a voice that reached a peak, cracking under the weight of her frustration.

Andreaus had observed Gemma's protective stance over the man lying on the barber's bench.

"Who's that weird dude, Gemma?"

"Some random guy, I don't know. He did this to me. He saved us all. Just go hide, you goddamn idiot."

Gemma screamed in frustration as feathers began to descend through the mist. She urgently warned Andreaus not to touch them.

Following Gemma's directive, Andreaus shielded herself underneath the same awning as Doctor Faust in his state of repose.

A humongous white arm with an oversized, grasping, four fingered hand reached down out of the clouds and smote Gemma with a single blow, demolishing the barbershop at the same time. Gemma lay among the piled bricks, reeling from the attack.

A gigantic white humanoid descended through the clouds. It had a massive bulk of a body that was stretched out and elongated like Gumby. It had long arms that reached its feet. Its legs were very short, grossly disproportionate to its body, and a pair of similarly undersized wings were on its back. It released a sound from its throat that sounded kind of like Goofy’s ‘hyuk,’ only higher pitched and traced with a kind of glistening malevolence.

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It landed on the street beside the rubble of the structure, causing the ground to tremble, and demonstrating that it was taller than the building had been. It stood three stories high, at least.

Andreaus suddenly noticed that the peculiar man lying on the bench had his eyes wide open. Despite his apparent frailty, they sparkled with an intensity that captivated her attention. He seemed almost immobilized, struggling to make any significant movements. Yet, with visible effort, he managed to shift his wrist and drop something weighty to the ground. His eyes pleaded with hers, attempting to convey a myriad of emotions.

Curiosity piqued, Andreaus followed the gaze of those intense eyes to the object on the floor. It was a substantial, all-blue metal key, its formidable appearance hinting at an unknown purpose.

The colossal angel pivoted its massive body, fixing its innocent baby face—complete with enormous, dark black eyes—upon Andreaus. A disconcerting giggle escaped its lips, echoing with an unsettling playfulness as it carelessly demolished a telephone pole obstructing its path. The creature's cherubic visage, initially so innocent, twisted into a horrifying maw of rage and indignation as it received a shock from the downed wires.

The once-playful expression transformed into a mask of fury, and the angel unleashed repeating, low-throated shrieks. It grappled with the tangled cables, its tremendous arms flailing in a desperate attempt to free itself from the electrified entanglement. Each swat of its colossal limbs against the wires created a chaotic symphony of enraged roars and electrical sparks, illustrating a surreal picture of a once-angelic entity now consumed by frustration and aggression.

Andreaus heard the sound of bricks hitting the ground, and wasn’t surprised when Gemma emerged from the adjacent rubble.

"How do I go about using this key? You mentioned that guy did something similar to you. He handed this to me. However, he couldn't communicate. What's my next move?"

Gemma's attention remained fixed on the towering angel. "There's no time for explanations; it's going to end you."

"But I have this," she declared, presenting the unsettlingly cool, wickedly blue key to Gemma.

Gemma explained, "You need to consent to a few things, then pierce yourself with the key and turn it."

"Damn! Does it hurt?"

"Not at all."

"What do I have to agree to?"

"Nothing you wouldn't. Trust me."

Having concluded its fit of destructive rage against the nearby objects, the immense angel reverted to its previous, seemingly nonchalant demeanor. Its gaze once again fell upon their group, honing in on Doctor Faust in particular. A joyous giggle erupted from its massive form, and with childlike exuberance, it clapped its hands together in a manner reminiscent of a seal eagerly anticipating a fish. With deliberate yet lumbering steps, it began to make its way back towards them. The sheer size of the angel allowed it to cover the distance in just three steps.

Each movement seemed to throw the angel off balance, causing it to teeter precariously. However, with an almost comical display of effort, its undersized wings flapped rapidly, allowing it to stabilize before the next step. The result was a bizarre and endearing spectacle of a colossal celestial being, moving with an awkward but determined rhythm, as it wobbled toward the group with a mixture of curiosity and an oddly childlike excitement.

Gemma urgently exclaimed, "Don't worry about that, just run! It's going to smash us!"

Undeterred, Andreaus shook her head with determination. "No, please, let me help you."

With a powerful swat, its elongated arm sliced through the air, splitting their conversation in half. Gemma, with selfless determination, bore the brunt of the assault, allowing the angelic menace to strike her rather than allowing it to liquify her unarmored comrade.

With a powerful swat, its elongated arm sliced through the air, splitting their conversation in half. Gemma, with selfless determination, bore the brunt of the assault, allowing the angelic menace to strike her rather than allowing it to liquify her unarmored comrade.

"Andraeus!" Gemma's sacrifice echoed through the chaos as the force of the blow sent her sprawling.

In a panic, Andraeus screamed Gemma's name, her grip on the key tightening as she ran down the street, the weight of the situation settling heavily upon her shoulders.

Andraeus sprinted through the city streets, her breaths labored and erratic, echoing the relentless pounding of her heart. The looming structures cast elongated shadows that danced across the pavement, adding an eerie, surreal quality to her desperate flight.

The colossal angel, a malevolent force in pursuit, thundered behind her with every earth-shaking step. Its presence dominated the urban landscape, casting a foreboding shadow over the once-familiar cityscape.

As Andraeus darted around corners and leaped over obstacles, the relentless pursuit intensified. The angelic menace, fueled by a bizarre combination of childish glee and destructive wrath, seemed determined to close the gap between them.

The city streets, once bustling with life, now bore witness to a frantic dance between prey and predator. Andraeus weaved through the labyrinth of alleyways, her senses heightened by the adrenaline coursing through her veins. The sounds of her footfalls echoed through the empty streets, punctuated by the colossal thuds of the pursuing angel.

Every now and then, the angel's elongated arm reached out, swatting at Andraeus with a malevolent grace. Buildings trembled as the colossal being crashed through obstacles, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The stark contrast between the urban landscape and the celestial terror chasing Andraeus created a dissonant symphony of chaos and despair.

Andraeus's breaths became desperate gasps, and her muscles burned with exertion. The city, once a sanctuary, now felt like a labyrinth closing in on her. The distant wail of sirens echoed through the concrete canyons, blending with the cacophony of destruction.

As the pursuit intensified, Andraeus clutched the key tightly, the cool metal providing a small anchor in the maelstrom of chaos.

The colossal angel's relentless pursuit reached a devastating climax as it unleashed a powerful swipe, toppling a looming water tower. The structure crumbled with a deafening crash, releasing a torrential deluge that cascaded down onto the city streets. It giggled playfully.

Caught in the merciless current, Andraeus fought against the force of the water, her desperate gasps drowned out by the roar of the onrushing flood. The torrent snatched her off her feet, hurling her through the chaotic tide.

In the midst of the water's cruel embrace, Andraeus clutched the key with unwavering determination. The metal gleamed amidst the frothy chaos, a small but resolute anchor in the tempest that threatened to consume her.

The creek, swollen with the unleashed fury of the water tower's demise, became a treacherous battleground. Andraeus struggled for breath, her vision blurred by the murky currents. The key, gripped tightly in her hand, became both a lifeline and a symbol of unwavering resolve.

As the water engulfed her, Andraeus teetered on the brink of drowning, caught between the ceaseless current and the overpowering surge. The tumult of storm and stress continued to play out, not just in the city's physical landscape but within the very essence of Andraeus's struggle for survival.

Yet, in the midst of the chaos, the indomitable grip on the key remained unbroken—a testament to the strength that surged within her even as the waters threatened to swallow her whole.

In the relentless grip of the deluge, Andraeus succumbed to the overpowering force of the water. As the torrent swirled around her, her strength waned, and the struggle for breath became an insurmountable challenge. The weight of the key in her clenched fist seemed to offer both solace and a poignant reminder of the futile fight against the elements.

Silently, she slipped beneath the surface, her vision fading into the murky depths. The city's tumultuous symphony became muffled, replaced by the eerie tranquility of the submerged world. The key, once a symbol of determination, now clung to her lifeless hand as it drifted aimlessly in the watery abyss.

Gemma, the Red Ranger, reemerged with a fiery determination. Her demonic armor gleamed ominously as she materialized on the scene, wielding boomerang horns that crackled with otherworldly energy.

With an electrifying war cry, Gemma unleashed the boomerang horns, sending them hurtling through the air with lethal precision. The demonic weapons, infused with the power to smite celestial threats, arced through the tumultuous water and found their mark.

The colossal angel, caught off guard, let out a deafening roar as Gemma's boomerang horns struck true, sending shockwaves through its massive form. The celestial creature faltered, its once-playful demeanor replaced by a visage of agony.

Gemma, undeterred, reeled in her demonic boomerang horns, ready to face the celestial menace head-on. The demonic armor crackled with renewed energy, as if fueled by the very chaos that had unfolded.

The colossal angel, now writhing in agony and driven by a maddened rage, turned its attention to Gemma. With a blood-curdling scream emanating from its tiny baby head, the celestial menace launched into a relentless assault.

It seized Gemma, throttling her with its elongated arms over and over again. The demonic armor absorbed the punishing blows, but Gemma fought back with unwavering determination. Despite each assault, she refused to yield.

Hurtled away by the force of the angel's frenzied attack, Gemma regrouped and, undeterred, returned to the fray. The demonic armor crackled with renewed energy as she faced the celestial terror once more.

But the angel, fueled by its relentless fury, swatted Gemma again with a devastating force that sent shockwaves through the surroundings. The demonic ranger, resilient and resolute, struggled to withstand the relentless onslaught, determined to protect the city at all costs.

As the colossal angel continued its relentless assault, pounding Gemma into the unforgiving pavement, the Red Ranger found herself subdued by the force. However, just as the situation seemed dire, a miraculous turn of events unfolded.

Andreaus, having somehow recovered from the watery abyss, appeared on the street in a moment of serendipity. Gripping the key tightly

She declared, “I am a special unicorn,” with an unexpected confidence.

In a decisive motion, Andreaus jammed the key into her own forehead.

A brilliant blue light engulfed her, transforming the chaos of the moment into a beacon of hope. Andreaus emerged from the radiant glow adorned in the Blue Ranger Suit, a manifestation of newfound strength and purpose. The suit featured a clear visor that gleamed with determination, a unicorn horn adorning its brow, and a distinctive ponytail that trailed behind.

In her newly adorned Blue Ranger Suit, Andreaus leaped at the colossal angel, ready to face the celestial menace head-on. However, the angel, quick and formidable, intercepted her mid-air, squeezing her within its monstrous grasp. Andreaus winced in pain, the armored suit absorbing some of the impact.

Undeterred, the horn on Andreaus's helmet began to spin, a manifestation of the suit's hidden power. With an unexpected burst of strength, she headbutted the creature with such force that it cracked its sternum. The angel, now badly hurt, released a guttural cry, momentarily weakened.

Seizing the opportunity, Andreaus, still writhing in the angel's grip, charged up energy within the spinning horn. At the same moment, Gemma, the Red Ranger, attacked the celestial threat from behind, distracting it and diverting its attention.

Andreaus, now empowered with focused energy, unleashed the full force of the suit's horn. A brilliant surge of energy blasted forth, tearing a hole through the weakened angel. The celestial creature howled in agony as the combined might of the Blue and Red Rangers wrought havoc upon it.

The once-overwhelming angel, now gravely injured, faltered under the relentless assault. Andreaus, still caught in its grip, continued to channel energy, preparing for the next decisive move.

Released from the angel's grip, Andreaus plummeted towards the ground, a streak of blue energy and determination. In a bold and calculated move, she chose to turn the fall into an offensive maneuver.

As she descended, the spinning horn on her helmet became a deadly weapon. With precision and speed, Andreaus aimed for the heart of the celestial menace. Channeling the energy within the suit, she sliced through the angel's form from chest to groin, leaving a luminous trail of destruction in her wake.

The celestial being, already weakened from the combined efforts of the team, convulsed in pain as Andreaus's decisive strike further rent its ethereal form.

Andreaus landed on the pavement, ready for whatever came next. The angel, now severely compromised, struggled to regain its composure. With its earthly form grievously wounded, the disemboweled angel, driven by a last surge of desperation, attempted to launch a final attack against Andreaus. However, weakened and unsteady, the creature stumbled over its own disemboweled guts, a grotesque and unintended consequence of the Blue Ranger's decisive attack.

Andreaus, standing strong amid the aftermath, witnessed the celestial threat crumble into defeat.

The girl howled at the sky; triumphant.

Gemma appeared next to Andreaus in a flash. Together, they watched the giant angel die.