"Um, the other way, Ska", Soma said, pointing behind them at the tower.
Ska looked back and watched as Chi, Kami and Vara disappeared into the tower.
A shower of red rain started pouring down from the miasma. "Oh, for fuck's sake!" he groaned, clutching at his side with one hand and holding on to Cara for support with the other. The rain had drenched them from head to toe in red. Ska closed his eyes and tried to focus as he tried to center his being and draw on the energy within him. He managed to tap into source and closed his wound. Removing the taint would have to wait.
"Blood, of the innocent", he spat through grit teeth, like the words tasted bitter on his tongue. He looked at the red viscous liquid that was now, pretty much flooding the place. Anger flashed through him and he marched straight into the undulating miasma with Cara and Soma close behind. A buzzing sound filled the air as they moved through the miasma that pressed in on to their aura. There was a familiar flash of yellow somewhere to the right that made Ska smirk, spitting out some of the blood that had entered his mouth, "that's more like it! At least someone's getting what they deserve."
"And wat do they deserve?" A tall humanoid demon stepped out in front of them, it was all eyes for a face and a thin creepy mouth between them. Its purple skin was slick with what looked like spit. soma visibly gagged as the stench of rot once again filled the air.
"how rude of you!"
The tall demon flicked its bony finger up. Soma's head titled up at the same time, a scar appeared, blood flowing freely down his cheek.
"You hurt my poochy." The demon hissed at them just as six red glowing eyes opened behind him. "So now, you will be poochy's dinner"
Cara flung her short-sword at it.it went spinning and abruptly stopped mid-air. "No no," the demon said wagging a ugly finger at her, "none of this" the sword turned into thread like wisps and disappeared.
"There are a ton of humans back there if your poochy needs some chow." Ska gestured with his thumb.
"That would be a great prospect. But, they are our allies unfortunately.so we will have to settle for you lot," it said then smiled the most unsettling smile in the history of smiles.
Soma flung a long chain weapon at the demon. Its sword glowing a bright yellow. The demon saw it coming and ducked just in time, the weaponflying over its head and stabbing into poochy, right brtween its six eyes. A pained howl filled the air. As poochy fell to the ground. Dead.
"oh no!" Soma said, dramatically bring his hands to cover his mouth, "Who will eat us now?"
"Don't worry there are plenty who will." The tall demon said as it knelt dow to examin the fallen poochy.
"You will pay"
Ska huffed, "We already have, so do your worst"
The demon fussed over his fallen poochy some more then straightened up and smacked the air in front of him. at the same moment, Ska went flying through the miasma With his guard completely down, the miasma burnt purple-blue welts into his body. He hit the ground and came to a skidding stop, his sword flying out of his hand and unravelling into glowing threads that were pulled back into his belly. He stood back up completely out of breath and legs shaking beneath him. The wound he had managed to close was bleeding once again his own red mixing with the red of the rain.
The demon stomped its foot and Cara's shin snapped in two her pained shriek echoing all around them. Ska moved to get closer to Cara but was stopped as he felt fantom hands around his throat, choaking him. from the corner of his eye he could see the demon make a motion of strangling the air in front of it.
All three of them were gasping for air suddenly feeling cold like the demon was depleting them of their energy that formed a natural shield around them to keep the miasma at bay.
Now, the miasma was creeping in closer.
The demon was so engrossed in torturing its victims that it did not notice a long golden staff that came shooting at it. In the blink of an eye the staff shot through its neck and lodged into the ground in front of it, effectively impaling it.
"Small- fry" Ska spat an insult at the dead demon as he wheezed air back into his lungs.
Ska reached into his belly pulling his sword back out. And with his other hand he made a symbol in the air, and a translucent, gold shield appeared covering his left forearm. He took an offensive stance, sword at the ready. he moved cautiously towards Cara, his senses on high alert.
"Soma." He called out loud, "come give me a hand with Cara."
"we should maybe hang around and," he wheezed "and thank the owner of that weapon."
"we absolutely should not." Ska said, as his gingerly examined Cara's broken leg.
"If i had to kill you," a silky voice spoke," you'd be already be dead," Ska knew this voice and he hated the voice too.
He looked up and there he was, Archangel Raphael green robes pale skin and large wings neatly tucked away behind him, "oh how nice of you to show up Raff"
"I don't like your tone," Raphael sounded almost bored.
"You may not want to go where you are planning to. Unprotected. Some greedy, dumb humans have opened a portal"
"That's just perfect."
"So you gonna be our protection Raff?" he gestured at his small party.
Soma and Cara just looked dumbfounded.
"I'd much rather throw you right into it and watch as you slowly wither away" He looked at Soma and Cara correcting himself immediately "not you two, obviously,"he said, ruffling Soma's brown hair.
"My my, Raff. you sure you are an archangel? Such disdain you show, Dad will get mad at you!"
"Dad," Raphael said scrutinizing his nails "will throw a party"
Raphael strode up to Cara examining her leg. "this will pinch a bit," he said placing his palms over the broken leg. The bone snapped back in place,, tissues and muscle straightened themselves out and the skin put itself back together. Cars watched with stars gleaming in her eyes. she got up and tested the leg. thee was no sign of pain.
Happy with his handy-work, Raphael strode towards Ska and picked him up by the back of his tunic and hovered slightly above ground.
"grab a leg each you two." Cara and Soma did as instructed.
Raphael snapped his fingers and the weapon was back in his hands. He unfurled his wings and took flight, spinning mid-air he disappeared, reappearing inside the tower right in front of Chi and Kami who were still sitting at the top of the stone stairs and Vara looking out the window at the ritual happening outside.
There was a loud snap and a flash of pale green lightning as they all appeared inside the tower.
Kami's jaw hit the floor and her eyes lit up at the sight of the archangel.
Chi gave him a knowing smile.
Raphael unceremoniously dropped Ska on the stairs and walked up to Chi.
"Having problems?" He said, looking at her troubled face.
"Um, yes sir, I can't seem to transmute enough energy to bring out the destiny rings."
"Yes," Kami provided, " We haven't been able to check on the soul core for quite a while now."
"Here," Raphael's voice was smooth and soothing "Let me help" he said as he sat down directly in front of Chi. "Come, hold out your hands"
Chi held her hands facing each other, the same as earlier. Raphael placed his hands over chi's and the energy shell formed almost instantly. The device appearing in it, floating within the bubble.
"Now you" he turned to Kami.
Kami did as she was instructed, blushing bright red when Raphael put his hands over hers. Again, the energy shell instantly formed and the soul orb was floating within it. Kami carefully brought the orb to Chi who was now holding the device and placed the bob within it.
"What a show off" Ska looked at the angel, an expression of disgust painted on his face."Well, if you are that good, maybe fix us all up too?"
Rafael snapped his fingers and all of them were all cleaned up, taints and injuries all gone, cloth a;ll clean as if brand new. Ska looked disappointed that Rafael actually did it, "yeah, whatever," he mumbled.
"Come now, get going, you are not needed here anymore."
Raphael let out a defeated sigh, "I can't believe I was one of the angels to approve your ascension." he shook his head in disbelief and just like that he was gone.
"Good riddance"
"Ska you do realize he is an archangel, right?" Soma looked completely horrified .
"Oh, don't worry, Raff's okay"