The ocean of innocent people flushed out from the city square, leaving the Dowsers hidden in the sea behind. The newscasters kept their cameras close as the gray-masked heretics shot at every Chime they saw.
After the smoke thinned, dozens of black HCs came squealing in from every street. With Gewehrs, MP40s, and Tommy guns, they fired upon the stage.
Many Chimes took heavy injuries and fell with rusted blood. They counter-attacked, fighting with ranged and melee brass conjurings, divinity, and light. Brass spears clashed with Fallite blades. Volatile chains bound and crushed, and golden flames licked the air.
The Bearers’ interest in the skirmish was nearly null. They were far above humans, so this was just an annoyance.
After swatting some bullets without bothering to put away her notes, Phanuel stated, “After I finish this section, I’ll turn bones into ash.”
“Have you forgotten why we are here? Smiting them will contradict our mission and make this demeaning parade pointless,” Gadreel growled.
“The rules we are under can be adjusted as needed.” Phanuel crushed her brows at Gadreel. “Don’t act like you’re a superior.”
Zaqiel opened her mouth and raised a finger to interject but was conversationally pushed aside again.
“These heretics are not well received by the public,” Sachiel said while wiggling his fat, jeweled fingers. “Burning these creatures that despise God may bring great favor and fortune.”
“Bearers of the Burning Bell,” Gretgle began with his scratchy voice, “This Kindler suggests you do what would upset Maiden Sympha the least. Which means: do not smite the humans.”
“Sew your lips, Kindler,” Gadreel replied, pointing a sword at the geriatric-looking Chime. “We hadn’t asked you.”
A siren went off in the distance, and the Dowsers disengaged and fell back quickly. Three people of evident importance entered the square. It was the three Dowsers from under the bridge. The one called Ten was grumbling and throwing his arms around.
We went over this. Over and over and over. Stick to the plan. Let us lead. Now people are dead.” He shook his head while passing a nervous and damaged group hiding behind a wall. “Don’t let rage lead you. It’s a false guide.”
“Awww. Be nicer, Ten. They jumped the gun because they were anxious. Calm down; be happy.” Heart woman threw her arms up widely.
If you didn’t have a fine body, you’d be dead,” Flower man sneered. “You remind me of this one airheaded waitress.”
“What a coincidence. You remind me of this bitter man.”
“Focus, you two. We’re about to shake the world. Save your flirting for later.”
As Ten said that, a group of already riled Chimes collapsed on the trio. The strategist Dowser threw open his coat to reveal the inside was lined with many throwing knives. The knifes had a faint blue glow, and little gears spun like a clock. He grabbed a knife and tossed it at a Chime’s face while the Chime created chains.
Phanuel said, “For such an entrance, these three ants fail to impress. Simple knives can be avoided.”
Before the flying knife reached its target, the Chime had moved out of the way. At the same time, though, another knife flew in and ricocheted against the first, sending both flying. Ten flung more and more blades that collided and bounced off walls and each other. Their speeds only accelerated, and they sparked on contact. They pierced the hearts of confused, isolated, and vulnerable Chimes without loss of velocity.
The Bearers watched as their Kindlers were slaughtered effortlessly. Their confidence and calmness wavered.
“I presume that you are the leaders of this blasphemous group.” Phanuel walked to the edge of the stage, took off her hat, and put her hand on her hip. “That would make you the Ten Drowned.”
We have a winner. You’re a genius,” the man with the gray flower mask shouted sarcastically. “Must be from those glasses.” He rubbed his chin.
Ten took his last knife and gently set its point on the road. It stood like a gyroscope, spun, and hummed loudly. The airborne blades became blurs, shaving away the ivory flesh of nearly a hundred Chimes. The knives ended their journey at Ten’s feet, standing on their points.
“The lower the number, the bigger the problem,” Gretgle mumbled. “That’s the idiotic rumor.”
“I’ll just smite them,” Sachiel hummed, setting down a drink.
Sachiel raised his hand like he was conducting, and from above, a hot beam of light scorched the entire square. But Ten countered by using his flying blades to form a disk and reflect most of the light. The ray of light was no more potent than a hot summer day.
“Ladies and gentlemen at home…” The flower man held a microphone and spoke to the news cameras encircling the square through speakers around the city. “We are those who are tired of the monster in the sky. We are those who have lost loved ones. We are those who are doing something about the Burning Bell, and we are here to show we are not helpless.”
More Kindlers rushed them, and the heart woman flipped into the air, pulled out a whip, and intercepted the group with a few cracks. The whip was vacuous, lined with Fallite shards, and had gears in it like Ten’s knives.
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“Hello, sweeties. I’m Seven. You can call me Mommy Seven if you wish.” With sharp snaps, Seven sliced a few Chimes down the middle and whipped holes in a few others. “Unfortunately for you, I am single.”
“Act serious, Seven,” Ten demanded. “Follow the plan. Do you remember then plan?”
“Ah, that one,” Seven answered gleefully after minimal thought. She dangled her whip and twirled it like a little tornado. It had a growing whistle.
“You floozy,” the flower man screamed. “Not now. She can’t hear me. Plugs! Everyone! Plugs! Cover her position.”
While Seven spun the illuminating blue whip, any Chime that approached was deterred by Fallite bullets. All the Dowsers put in earplugs and escaped Seven’s field of view. Finally, she grinned triumphantly under her mask and cracked her white toward the Bearers.
The noise it made was a soft whistle. But instead of getting quieter, it kept getting louder. Louder and louder and louder. The noise was unbearable. Any glass surrounding the Bearers shattered. Chimes held their ears in pain, then collapsed to the ground. The Bearers were having a hard time with the sound as well.
While the Chimes were disoriented and suppressed, Ten motioned the Dowsers to move in and quickly neutralize many lesser Chimes.
When the sound ceased, the flower man popped his earplugs and yelled, “You nearly blew the broadcasting equipment, you moron!”
“I did the plan exactly-I think.” Seven touched her hips and leaned forward like she was scolding a child. “I’ve done more than you’ve done all day.”
Flower man grunted in reluctant agreement. He dusted off his knee, tested the microphone for damage, and spoke to Ruth again.
“The reason the Dowsers have existed for hundreds of years has been to pass down a secret that your virgin minds have never challenged.” Flower man turned his excited near-yell into a calm, concise tone. “The world is not destroyed... It never was,” he added with a melancholy sigh.
The Chimes exchanged uncertainty. The Bearers were unamused. Those brave people who stood by to witness history were suspicious.
“The world did not fall to the death fog. Rather, the fog is a wall to hold us in. The Burning Bell has been using us, burning people alive with the promise of heaven. We’re content with humans being treated poorly with the promise of infinite paradise.” Flower man threw out an arm and gripped the microphone. With fire in his eyes, he affirmed, “I know most of you wouldn’t believe such an idea from heretics. You can hate us, and that’s fine. But we will save Ruth and be free to the world.”
Seven sniffed and wiped some tears from under her mask. Ten sat crosslegged and hung his head. The other Dowsers expressed strong emotions in their own ways. After holding an unbelievable secret passed down for hundreds of years, it was officially announced to the world.
Sachiel’s loud laughter broke the mute world. “This is the basis for your whole cult. You think that the world is still out there? Boy, I’ll be the first to tell you it’s not.”
“It is true.”
“Little man, we’re the Bearers. We would know more than anyone. We’re far beyond your knowledge and were there around the time it happened,” Phanuel sneered.
Before Zaqiel could add to anything, Sachiel’s fat body crashed down before flower man, cratering the cobblestone road. Flower man threw off his coat and pulled two revolvers from his hip holsters.
“You’ll be smitten in vain, Boy. All for a fairy tale.” Sachiel examined the dazzling, varied rocks on his rings. “Which number are you then? Doesn’t matter; just curious. Nine? Eight?”
“Unfortunately for you, I’m number Two,” Two said cockily.
Two used his pinkies to spin the cylinders of the revolvers. The spinning accelerated and began to hum, spark, and glow blue. He aimed straight at Sachiel with one gun and fired several times. Every bullet missed.
Sachiel laughed. “Second best, and you can’t even aim properly. How pathetic.”
Two was caked in rusting brass liquid as Sachiel was struck in the back by large Fallite bullets. Sachiel’s snide face changed to horrified seeing the bowling-ball-sized holes. The other Bearers lost their composure for the first time and displayed astonishment.
“You’re right.” Two shrugged. “I always miss. That’s the trick.”
Sachiel covered a wound, created a spear in his free hand, and tossed the brass impaler at Two. But Two dashed away in a blur, and his jacket came at Sachiel. The Bearer burned the battered jacket with golden fire before it touched his face. And for a brief moment it hindered his vision, Two struck from behind.
Sachiel saw the world upside down after a giant bowie knife severed his head. After swiftly turning his body to rusted chunks, Two stepped on Sachiel’s head, ready to stab it, but had to sidestep a massive brass axe tossed by Phanuel.
As the Bearers joined to smote the heretics, Gagreel spoke into a button on his clothing, and hundreds of Chimes divine stepped into the fray as reinforcements, and a brutal battle broke out.
Two lit the sky with bullets, sliced through the crowd, turning brass into rust, and hunted the bikini-wearing Chime. When he found Zaqiel, he crossed blades with her, retreated with a flip midair, and put away his knives.
“I’ve been waiting to meet you, Zaqiel. We’re not supposed to get personal, but that rule is moronic.” Two shot at the Bearer, but she used another Chime to take the shots.
“You’re a sin against God,” Zaqiel quietly stated. No one heard her.
“You killed my former employee. All because she was poor and dirty and trying to make a living for her sick father.” He swiftly reloaded. “I’ve been gathering info on you since then. So I can make a good impression.”
A swarm of bullets came hailing down on Zaqiel. With no one to take the shots, she crushed her ivory hands together, and a strong geyser came from a sigil atop her head.
Although she eliminated the bullets above, more were coming for her midsection. She flipped, dove, and stretched to nearly avoid the barrage. When she reached a safe climax, a knife pierced her back, and she fell on her knees. After a second large knife stabbed her shoulder blade, Two stood in front of her.
Now that he was face to mask, Two placed a gun against Zaqiel’s forehead and said, “My girls hit different at close range. Goodbye, Zaqiel. Goodbye... Millie...”
Two stopped the spin of the cylinder, which glowed blindingly blue, and pulled that trigger that led to Zaqiel’s head to transform into an aerial spatter of darkened, flakey brass. Behind her, near her toes, the cobblestone road had a crater.
Two kicked her over and turned with the intent to help Seven and Ten. He turned around only a few steps in, witnessing a situation he hadn’t trained for. Wings burst from the corpse, and she ignited with gold fire. Two goggled under his mask and screamed, “She’s an Ascended!”
The Dowsers heard this and braced themselves as a waft of golden fire engulfed the stage momentarily. When the flames extinguished, Zaqiel was seen in the air with a flawless body. She crushed her brows and formed a sphere of golden water in her palm. She crushed it tight in her hand, and a high-pressured laser of water cut through the battlefield.
Two reacted quickly, examining the path the water would devastate. “Dumb floozy,” he swore when he saw Seven wide open. “Your fat butt is in the way,” he yelled, kicking out her legs, catching her, and tossing her into the air.
After Seven landed precisely on her toes, she turned around to nag Two, but she watched in horror as the water stream cleanly separated his left arm from his body. She called out, but he seemed unfazed by the loss.
“That arm was slowing me down.” Two jumped off an HC, and he and Zaqiel hit the ground hard after Two clipped her wings. “Stay on the ground!” Two yelled while straddling the Chime, ready to plunge a knife into her heart.
Before Two could finish the blow, Zaqiel vanished into blobs of light, and his knife stuck through the stone below. Every Chime in the square also turned into lumps of light and disappeared. It was just the Dowsers now, the Dowsers and silence.