Most camps were abandoned once word reached. They had severely underestimated their strength against these hoards and never expected a demon lord's right hand to be leading.

Raden ordered the soldiers back into the city and take a warning. He gave direct orders to Eli to find Azrael and hide her the best he could. He didn't know if any celestial forces would be coming. For all he knew, they could've all been wiped out at the border.

A new day was beginning with the sun shining a tired good morning on the land. Raden grabbed two short swords sheathing them and off he flew. He was going to end this once and for all. From the air, he could see the destruction of the fire. Dark smoke still rose miles down from where Raden stalled. If that was the fires, then Serkan couldn't have made it far. Raden flew through the early morning skies. The chill of the air still lingered from the night.

The night. Raden sighed.

All of the day before into the night had been chaos. Messengers were sent to the camps beyond with warnings. Raden did his best to order what to do next, but these were scared boys barely of age to even fight.

A cluster of small fires caught Raden's eye and he shook the thoughts of the night before. The movement was seen in the tents that weren't on fire and he knew this was going to be a dogfight. Raden folded in his wings and dove. The wind cut at his face as he sliced through the sky with ease. The hoard being too caught up in their feast didn't hear their demise racing towards them. Fifty feet. Forty feet. Thirty feet. Raden sped closer and closer to the ground until at the very last second. He opened his wings to full span and unsheathed each sword.

As silent as an owl flying he swept in slitting the throat of an unsuspecting demon. He watched as the inky black blood flowed into a pool in the ground. Two more stood hunched over a meal of their making a few feet away. Raden jumped. He sheathed one sword and grasp the hilt of the other with both hands. He drove the sword into the back of the demon and twisted. It let out a screech of anger and pain causing the other to snap its attention away from the meal. The camp erupted in angry screams and Raden knew he had very little time before the entire hoard was pouncing on him. The other demon leaped forward with its blood-soaked claws outreached. Raden batted his wings pushing himself back out of reach. He unsheathed the other sword and slashed forward at the demon's chest. He missed by a few inches as the demon moved to the right.

Raden huffed in frustration but turned quickly to face the demon.

Others had rounded the corner and were running full force towards Raden. He had to think quickly. Before the one in front of him could make its attack. Raden shot into the sky above the camp. He peered down at the angry hoard.

"Come on you bastards," Raden mumbled, "Fly."

He sheathed both swords and held out his hands. Palms open towards the ground. A brilliant bright light shot from his hands racing toward the hoard that was gathered below. Some flew out of the light's reach while a good many that stood there were hit. Their bodies lay burnt and unmoving. Raden smiled to himself but that victory was short leaved as three were now flying toward him. He reached down to his boot pulling out two hidden daggers. A demon screeched as it flew closer and closer then it was falling as one dagger found its target. With precise aim, the dagger plunged into the demon's head. Raden shot towards the second while it was distracted slashing downward across its chest. Blood squirted onto Raden's face and the demon swiped a claw catching his arm.

Raden held his arm and felt the warm blood smear across his hand. The demon reached for his neck but Raden dodged out of the way. He ended up behind the demon and slit its throat before it could find Raden again. The third demon had disappeared. Raden looked around but couldn't find it so he decided to land as the rest had been killed off.

The fresh claw marks bled profusely. "Fucking hell." Raden winced as he grabbed his arm again.

"Nice little battle wound you got there." Raden tightened his grip on the dagger and clenched his jaw. He turned quickly and threw the dagger. Serkan stepped to the side watching the dagger fly past. He tilted his head and smirked. "Oh come on is that the best you can do death angel?"

Raden saw red. He unsheathed a sword and ran for Serkan. He slashed through the air missing Serkan.

Serkan laughed, "You're unfocused. All this time away from the battlefield has you rusty."

"I'm going to kill you," Raden said with a dark tone. His eyes glowed red. "I'll rid your throat out and watch you bleed at my feet."

"If it was only that easy for you." Serkan waved his hand and a new hoard appeared to Raden's left.

Raden moved quickly but it was fast enough. A set of sharp claws ripped through Raden's back. He let out a pained cry as he fell to his knees. Before the others could make him dinner, Serkan stopped them.

He knelt down. "Not so tough now death angel." Serkan tilted Raden's chin up. "Where's the girl?"

"I'll die before I tell you," Raden spat.

Serkan looked bored. "I can arrange that." His cold soulless eyes studied Raden's carefully. Searching his mind and soul for a slip in his shields. "You can't keep her safe forever."

"I will."

A hand wrapped tightly around Raden's throat lifting him from the ground. His wings hung heavily causing Raden to cry out in pain again. "She will be mine," Serkan said calmly. Each word was like venom dripping. "This world belongs to us and I intend to take what is rightfully mine." His teeth gnashed in Raden's ear as his hand tightened.

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Raden spat in Serkan's face. He felt himself being thrown back but there wasn't anything he could do to stop himself. A tent engulfed him as he crashed. Cheerful hollers came from the hoard. Raden couldn't think straight from the pain shooting through his back. He groaned trying to pick himself up but felt a foot press into his chest.

"I will rip apart this kingdom to find her, death angel. Every human I come across will be hung on a cross and their flesh torn from their bodies. Their churches will burn and kings beheaded. You think that you can stop me from finding her?" Serkan's voice was seething with rage and fire. His calm demeanor was exchanged for cruelty. "You will watch the souls of the innocent be collected by your master and their cries will haunt you every single night."

He tried to push Serkan's foot off but it sunk deeper causing Raden to fall back. Raden peered up glaring. "You will be sent to the darkest parts of hell."

Serkan knelt down. "Listen and listen well. The next time I see you I will have my girl." Raden struggled under the weight. "I'm not finished. You come after me and get in the way... I will personally cut off your wings and break your halo."

Raden's blood ran cold. He watched Serkan stand and snap his fingers to the hoard. They moved away without as much as a glance back. Raden sank into the tent's broken frame and just yelled at the top of his lungs.

The last thing he remembered was his throat burning and his arm feeling numb compared to the number they did on his back. Then everything went black.

~~~*~~~

Azrael was helping prepare bread early to send off to the soldiers. They had started several hours ago and were finally making some headway.

The clock struck noon and the bells rang their beautiful music as Azrael was wrapping up the last few loaves. She stretched and let out a yawn. Her stomach growled as if on cue. She made her way into the tavern and sat at the bar where Rosemary was cleaning some leftover dishes from the night before.

"Whatcha feeling today?" Rosemary smiled.

"Surprise me."

Rosemary nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. Azrael reached over the counter to pull out the paper to see what was going on in the city. It was something to keep her mind off Raden at least for a little bit. Every little thing helped.

Screams outside caught Azrael's attention. She hopped off the stool and went to the window. The streets were semi-full of people but nothing out of the ordinary. A few glanced in the direction of the scream but that was all.

Rosemary had appeared again with a handful of food. "What're you doing?"

"I heard a scream but I can't see anything," Azrael explained as she craned her neck to get a better look through the window.

Another scream.

Azrael looked back at Rosemary was a worried glance. They both pushed open the door and rushed into the street. She finally saw what the screams were about.

A young boy maybe around seventeen was hanging from the sign. Dead. Azrael's heart dropped into her stomach. She grabbed Rosemary's arm and pulled her back.

"We need to go now."

Rosemary didn't protest one bit. They went back into the tavern locking the door behind them and rushed into the inn. Rosemary yelled at the cooking staff to get into the inn as well. Azrael rushed to the lobby and heard all too familiar snarls and screeches. Her blood ran cold and her breath hitched. She didn't wait for the others and rushed up the steps into her room locking the door behind her and blocking out the windows. Azrael grabbed a blanket and climbed into the tub.

More and more screams filled the streets. Azrael squeezed her eyes shut and tried blocking out the noise. This couldn't be happening. The infernal hoards shouldn't have made it across. The celestial armies were the only line of defense that would've had a chance of fighting. Azrael's eyes filled with tears as the thought raced through her mind.

A loud bang from downstairs shook the entire building. Azrael strained to hear anything but could only hear muffled screams and yells.

"Please please please be Raden," Azrael whispered. Over and over. She couldn't think of anything else. Her body was shaking and her lip trembled.

Muffled footsteps lept through the walls and she hoped they would pass. For a second silence filled the air. Azrael had a small glimmer of hope they were gone. Then the door exploded off its hinges. She clapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from screaming. The smell of blood and filth hit her nose and low snarls followed. She could hear them rummage through the room throwing things and hollering.

Only minutes passed before they left but that felt like an eternity to Azrael. Silence stilled around and she quietly stepped out of the bath. She turned the doorknob as slowly as possible trying to stay completely silent. The room was completely destroyed as if a tornado had gone through it. Azrael did stand around long. She needed to get out of there and fast.

Azrael peaked her head out into the hall and was met by emptiness. She rushed to the stairs and took a breath. Her steps were carefully placed making sure that she didn't squeak. Her heart skipped a beat as she made it to the lobby. She was going to get out of there.

"It was about time you joined us."

Azrael thought she might throw up right then and there. She looked up and was greeted by the face of Serkan who was smiling with a devilish grin.

"It's amazing what you can get out of people when you threaten to skin them alive," He joked. Serkan strode over to azrael. He towered over her. "I finally found my weapon."

She didn't have time to think. In a blink of an eye, Azrael shoved her hand to his chest and blasted him with magic. He staggered back a bit but not much. Azrael took the moment to run but was thrown to the floor as he caught her hair. She picked herself up and forced herself to look him in the eyes.

"Fiesty are we?" He grabbed her by the arm. "I don't have time for your temper tantrums. So if that is all." Azrael spat at him. His eyes lost that wicked charm and were instead filled with a wave of dark anger. He raised his hand and Azrael felt the sting go across her cheek and he slapped her. "I will not be disrespected bitch."

Serkan dragged her across the inn only to stop where the fireplace was. Azrael let out a choked sob. There laid the bodies of the cook and his staff. Their throats were slit and their eyes glazed over. Rosemary lay on the couch. A large gash across her chest and another down her face. Her face was frozen with terror still etched into it.

Serkan bend down to Azrael's level and whispered, "If you would've come with me all that time ago, this wouldn't have had to happen. Their blood will stain your hands for eternity." And he dragged her into the streets. The streets were littered with the bodies of innocent lives.

Azrael broke down and was unable to walk. Serkan picked her up as she could no longer fight. Within his arms, she felt the weight of the world settle on her chest. This was all her fault and nothing would ever fix that. Serkan called off the hoard and vanished into thin air leaving only the haunted streets to tell the story of what happened.