chapter eight

Chapter 8
Cadocs revenge
Calanthes attack
Demon camp: that night
As Krishna ran into camp he was met by sentries who knew him by sight and allowed him to pass. But as he got further in he did not recognize some of the demons and they were not from his army. He put on a burst of speed to Krishna's tent, once there he threw a bucket of water over himself and then walked calmly to Cadocs tent he knocked on the wooden post.
“Enter Krishna.” This was Rayners voice. He entered and noticed two of Rayners guards were on either side of the door drawn swords in their hands. He walked forward towards Rayner and Cadoc who sat around a table.
“So Cadoc I know what you did it is as simple as that. Krishna here did not have a strong enough mind to resist my power. Switch back so that I may speak to you in your own sack of meat.” Cadoc walked forward to his body. Krishna looked up at him “Sir I failed you. I was too weak.”
I looked down on him “It was not your fault my strong right hand. I could not have prepared you for such an attack.” I placed my hand on his forehead and the bright light shone again as I felt the last bit of strength fade from Krishna as our souls traded back.
When I opened my eyes I felt two blades at my throat. I accelerated my heat rate and stood up summoning my swords and killed the two guards. I looked at Krishna's limp form. He did not yet have the energy to move but I was sure he’d be up soon enough I then put my blades to Rayners throat and then calmed my heart rate. “What do you want?” I asked.
Rayner looked at me and then his dead guards. “In want you too consider what you are doing. You have committed high treason against Lucifer you Lord, you killed other fallen angels, and you have sent spies to infiltrate all of the other camps. All of this because of some woman you found? You have passed Sorin and how many other angels over as partners and yet in just over two weeks you have become smitten with this… this girl? You have betrayed your own kind. And I want to understand why?” he looked at me and I could only smile. He knew so much and yet he knew nothing at all. I lowered my swords and sighed.
“Rayner you can never understand because you cannot love. You have lost the emotional connection that allows you too feel love for another living thing. I pity you Rayner because you cannot walk in heaven again.” I looked at him and realized that he did not understand why we were fighting this war. “Why are we fighting?” I asked him. He looked at me like I was stupid.
“So that we can take over heaven and make God and his precious angels pay.”
“No that is why you are fighting. Lucifer and I are fighting because God wanted a war. He wanted one last war to end all wars. He told Lucifer and I to create an army of evil and to bring that army against heaven. This was supposed to destroy all of the evil in the world and give the Middle World a chance to restart. But what god did not count on was there being so much evil for the angels to face. So now his army is going to lose. Simple as that we are here because God underestimated the Fallen and the evil of mankind.” Rayner sat there looking dumbfounded. I put my hand on his head and sent his soul back to hell.
Lucifer would probably yell and scream for awhile but Rayner wasn’t my problem. My problem was Sorin and Rochelle. They are my first priority and I needed to take care of that first.
I walked from my tent into the camp and soared into the air. “ATTENTION ALL SOLDIERS STILL LOYAL TO ME AND TO THE CAUSE!!!!” The demons gave a cheer at seeing me rise up. I guess Krishna had not been giving any speeches.
“We have been betrayed. Rayner has gone against the plan and has just attempted to kill me. His body lies in my tent and his soul lies in hell.” I saw a few demons and fallen angels break their cover and run to the tent. No sooner had the first one entered the tent when she was cut in half by Krishna as he walked out of the tent flap stepping over the body. His sword was drawn and ready, the other soldiers followed his example by starting to surround Rayners men their weapons ready.
“My Fallen brothers and sisters you have two options: join or die. Demons your lives are forfeit. Kill them.” My demons charged killing the enemy in a matter of seconds. Of the ten demons we killed we lost none. The fallen looked at their dead companions, one took his own life, and the others looked at me kneed and bowed their heads. I nodded to Krishna who quickly beheaded all of them but one. The last one tried to move but was not fast enough. Krishna cut his head in two equally sized pieces. He raised his left arm and motioned to three demons they began to clean up the dead.
“Sorin and Faber are also guilty of high treason. They have assisted in the kidnapping of a girl who is important to the plan. They have taken this girl to Sorins mines. We will attack the mines and retrieve the girl. If you are with in this fight me then move to the left side of the camp, if you are against move to the right. If you are not with me you will not be killed or punished. But neither will you be an ally you will have one hour to leave.” Krishna stepped to the left and as he moved the army followed him not a single soldier went to the right side.
“Good now that we are clear. We will come down from the north side of the mines and wipe out their sentries using the cloud as cover. We will enter the mines and kill all of Sorins demons, but Sorin herself is mine. Understood?” their answer was loud and proud “HAWOOH, HAWOOH, HAWOOH.” I landed and walked through my men.

Angel’s cycle: Calanthes camp
Calanthe stood at the entrance to her tent and watched as Alaric and Sieghard approached. Both looked like they had been in one hell of a fight.
“Greeting Alaric, Sieghard. What is the news where is Rochelle?” they looked at each other and smiled. “Have we got a story for you.” Alaric said walking into her tent and sitting down. Calanthe listened intently as Alaric told her of their trip ad the fight and the deal. When he was done she looked to Sieghard
“Will he really join back? Would god really forgive that lying sack of animal shit?”
“If he bowed than yes he would be forgiven and we could win this war in a month. Hell with Cadoc leading us again we could do it in two weeks.”
Alaric was ecstatic about having battle after battle for two weeks straight. “Do you think we could get him to drag it out for a while?” Calanthe shot him a look that said shut up. Sieghard looked at her Calanthe and tried to reason with her “We are not winning this war. Maeve is dead Tahir is gone. We cannot beat that cloud on our own but with Cadoc we could kill all of them in a matter of days not years.” Calanthe could not do it she could not forgive Cadoc for what he had done but maybe she could treaty with him temporarily.
“What is the plan?” she asked not really wanting to know. We will attack as planned tomorrow but from the south. We must get as far in as we can and try to secure Rochelle because the day after tomorrow Cadoc will bring his fury down upon her camp from the north. With both his army and the cloud if we are still here when he arrives then even he would not be able to stop his men from attacking and with that cloud above we would lose. Are you agreed so far?” Calanthe nodded and motioned him to continue.
Alaric began this time “If we cannot secure Rochelle then we must pull the army back call it a strategic retreat to give them false confidence or something like that. After he has taken the mines Cadoc plans on moving his army back to the campaign on the Dardanos pits it is then that he will pledge to us and that he will become an angel again. But no matter what happens Rochelle must live if she dies than Cadocs rage will be turned in one of two directions: one on us for not holding up our end of the bargain or he will turn it on Sorin and hers. In either case I don’t want to be near him in his rage.”
Sieghard nodded “If Rochelle dies he will end the war in two weeks but it won’t be in our favor.” Calanthe sat there “We could wipe out the biggest threat to heaven in one precise blow.” Alaric looked at her. He did not understand.
“What do you mean?”
“We could get Cadoc to kill Lucifer, Rayner, Sorin, Faber all of them. This deal will save heaven. Do it. Order the troops with the new positions then get some rest you two we have a long day tomorrow.” Calanthe saluted them as they left then went to lie in her bed. No sooner had she laid down then Abiel came from her hiding place. Calanthe did not look at her but Calanthe new she was there and so she spoke “What do you think am I doing the right thing?”
Abiel was quiet for a time then spoke “Yes I do our revenge cannot be satisfied at the risk of heaven. We must ally ourselves with Cadoc if only for a short time.” Abiel lay down beside Calanthe “Did I ever tell you what became of my husband?”
“Not the details. I heard both he and you were killed in the same battle but that was all.” Calanthe said. Abiel snickered “Not quite we were killed in the same attack but it was his men who killed me. He was possessed by a crazed “demon” that had decided that humanity was not worthy of the Middle World and so he built up an army and slaughtered everyone he encountered. Both my husband was killed by Raphael but the “demon” escaped. I never found any “demon” but just over two months ago I found my husband. He was at the church.”
Calanthe sat up “What do you mean he was at the church you mean among the dead?” Abiel began to cry and shake “No he was in the demon army. he was the red demon who killed Raphael.” Abiel began to cry uncontrollably and hugged Calanthe. Calanthe was in shock “Your husband was Krishna? The same Krishna who leads Cadocs army?” Abiel nodded. They sat in silence Abiel fell asleep crying but Calanthe received no sleep that night. She was conflicted, on one hand she loved Abiel but on the other if she spared Krishna even the smallest amount of pity then he would kill many before he died.
As the dawn came up over the camp the orange light seemed to give the cold morning more warmth. No animals could be heard as the army marched to the mines in the morning mist. When they were a few miles out Calanthe stopped the army and flew into the air. In the mornings quiet she did not have to raise her voice “I know that we are not all going to survive this encounter. And I know that we will be saying good bye to many a brother and sister so I say good bye to you all know and that I am proud to have served with such great and honorable warriors.” A single HAWOOH was heard as a response. Then there was no noise no armor clanked no weapons made a sound as they were drawn.
In the mist the angels scout’s crept forward and slit the demon sentry’s throats one by one and foot by foot the army moved forward. But then somewhere in the mist one of the scouts was killed and the alarm was sounded. Calanthe gave the signal and the attack began.
As the angels took to the skies they were met by a hail storm of blue and white arrows. The arrows were hard to see and shot with accuracy many of the angels fell their bodies limp never again would they rise in the Middle World. The angel who had supported Calanthe led the ground charge and was the first to kill a demon in the frontal charge. Silver and black blood mixed as demons and angels fell on top of one another but slowly the demons were pushed back. But many lives were lost on the angel’s side and the demons had more in numbers than the angels did. And they were holding their ground. Calanthe and Abiel lead the left flank of the demon resistance. Abiel took a small squadron with her and began to fall back as planned. Calanthe stayed behind to hold off the demons so that the retreat would look real.
Calanthe was about to sound her own retreat when she was hit with a war hammer and her helmet was sent flying. She cleaved the demons skull in half and some of the blood got in her mouth as she screamed her war cry. Her angels began to back off but somewhere deep down inside Calanthes Rage took control and she stood her ground and soon she was decimating all of the demons forces. Her sword found the cracks in the enemy armor and brought down demon after demon, life after life vanished before her blade. A demon came at her she flipped over him and snapped his neck mid flip. She landed and kicked another one in it’s chest breaking it ribs and causing the bones to hit vital organs. The demon fell dead. She was still fighting when the light had faded at the end of the day and Sieghard and Alaric had to come and take her away. Calanthe was so taken by the blood lust that she had only stopped fighting after her body was buried under her enemies. Sieghard, Alaric and Abiel snuck on to the battle field later that night to find Calanthe and to secure Rochelle. Once they had retrieved Calanthe they made their way into the mines using the darkness to hide. They were halfway to where they suspected the prison cells to be when they heard Rochelle crying down a tunnel to the left. The tunnel was almost straight down and was lit by torches showing where the narrow steps were. Alaric went down first then Sieghard Abiel and Calanthe covered the back. When they got to the bottom of the stairs there was a great hall that was well lit and filled with demons. They snuck along one of the back wall into the shadows of the rafters up above the demons. From there they could see Sorin and Rochelle. They were playing troop moral and Rochelle was the victim. But as bad shape as Rochelle was in, she was alive and well enough. Calanthe used her telepathy to allow the angels to carry out a secret conversation. Sorin must be healing her Alaric thought
Yes otherwise Rochelle would probably be dead and Sorins fun gone this was Abiel. Sieghard stayed quiet Calanthe did not want the others to hear his thoughts for they were dark and worried. More demons entered the room cutting off their escape and Cadocs army would soon be here. Calanthe decided that it would be best to wait the situation out. Stay put. We will wait here until Cadoc men arrive then sneak out in the confusion. They all agreed and so the waiting game began. The only questions left were would Rochelle live long enough, would they be found and how would they escape.

Demon cycle: above the mines
Cadoc strode between the rows of demons giving the pre-battle speech. “We will strike hard, we will strike fast and we will strike fear into their worthless treacherous hearts.”
“HAWOOH!” the army replied
“What do they fear?” Cadoc asked one of them
“The dark.” He replied. Cadoc moved forward and asked more questions each answered by a different demon. “Why do they fear the dark?”
“Because that is where we wait.”
“What is our goal?”
“Kill the traitors, save the girl. Almost like heroes. Haha” the demons laughed as did Cadoc as he leapt to the air. “We will take the mines and kill the traitors.”
“HAWOOH”
“They will fear the dark. THEY. WILL. FEAR US. Those that survive will be haunted by our actions for a thousand years and more. We are fear, we are”
The demons finished by yelling out “THE DARK ELITES!!!! HAWOOH, HAWOOH, HAWOOH”
Cadoc flew forward towards the mines. His army followed behind him, some in the air the rest on the ground. Five miles lay between the army and the mines four miles, three miles two miles, one. Cadoc landed not slowing down hitting the ground running. He made no sound as his feet hit the ground with neigh on impossible speed. He stopped behind one of the sentries on the top of the cliff that the mines tunneled into. The torch beside the sentry allowed all of those on the ground far below to see what happened next. Cadoc summoned his swords and yelled the signal every demon new and feared. “WE ARE DARKNESS!!!” as the sentry turned Cadoc sliced his head clean off and kicked the body over the cliff above the mines.
He then raised his swords above his head in a cross and the chant began low “dark elites” it began to grow louder and the ground shook as the Dark Elites marched forwards their feet hitting at the same time causing the ground to shake. Cadoc lowered his swords and spoke his voice was cold as steel and full of hate. “You are traitors and shall pay with your lives. You can run and hide but you cannot run or hide far enough away that I cannot find you.” as his swords pointed down to the mine his army surged over the edge jumping or flying down. As they landed they would draw bows or arrows and fired with skilled precision. The sentries fell before Cadoc men like ants in a storm cloud. Soon the entire court yard was empty of Sorins men. Cadoc men took up ambush position around the yard. The last demon hid as Sorins men began to pour out of the tunnels and into the trap. All they saw was one hundred men in a group standing in the court yard all of them surrounded Cadoc who kneeled before them covered in blood. Sorins men rushed in shouting
“Good job boys now finish him”
Cadoc men turned around as the other troops moved in from hiding to block the entrance to the caves. Sorins men looked around seeing that they had no way out some began to panic but one stepped forwards a battle axe in his hand.
“I don’t suppose we have a chance at going free?” Cadoc stood up. “Not really” he nodded then I challenge you for command of your men. Cadoc threw his sword into the demons head.
“Kill the rest.” Krishna charged into the demons and started killing his daggers wreaking havoc in the small space. Once the demons were dead the elites began their march into the mines. They killed every demon they found Cadoc at their head killing everything in front of him. Krishna came running up to him an hour later.
“Lord we think we found it.”
“Have you moved in yet?”
“No Lord we are waiting for you.”
“Show me.” Krishna directed Cadoc back to a passage that went almost straight down. At the end of the passage Cadoc could see the many shadows of Sorins demon army. This was both a war hall and Rochelles holding area. Cadoc sped up his heart and then walked into the room. He saw a vast army of demons and many of the fallen angels among their ranks. Cadoc stopped right in front of them. He killed one of them then moved a ways down and killed another. He did this too cause panic and chaos in the troops. He then went back up the stairs and calmed himself.
Krishna laughed he heard the demons confusion when two of their ranks fell dead. They could hear Sorin scream out “He is here. Be ready.”
Cadoc turned to Krishna “Want to have some fun?” Krishna grinned. Cadoc and Krishna ran into the room screaming battle cries so horrifying that Sorins demons moved back to escape the two terrors that charged before them.
Cadoc and Krishna split up each taking a side. Cadoc took the right and caused damage with his twin blades. He dodged swords and axes while splitting bones and killing left and right. Somewhere in the back of the room he could hear Rochelle screaming out in pain. Sorin laughed “He is coming for you but he will be too late.” Cadoc ran up a wall and saw Sorin raise one of her hands. In it was a long wicked looking knife with spikes and razor sharp edges. Cadoc threw one of his katanas. It soared across the room but was intercepted by a demon who jumped for a better view. It sent the demon flying and distracted Sorin long enough for Cadoc to grab an axe from one of the demons who lashed out t him. Grabbing the axe he threw it again this time with more speed and accuracy it severed Sorins hand as it came down towards Rochelle's neck. Sorin screamed in pain and collapsed to her knees. Cadoc landed and yelled “Dark Elites!!!” his men began to fill the chamber and kill a path through the middle as they fought to clear a path for Cadoc. But Alaric could not stand so many demons in one place. He jumped down and began to kill demons from both sides. Sieghard joined his brother on the ground but was slowly pushing him into a corner so that he could be contained. Krishna stood in front of the two brothers and kept the Elites from coming close but kept a steady supply of Sorins demons to keep Alaric happy.
Calanthe and Abiel flew down and joined in them in the corner. Abiel did not look at Krishna but focused on Calanthe. Krishna did not look at Abiel he showed no sign of even recognizing her. He killed with a new renewed vigor once he had set an elite guard to keep Alaric in check. He made his way towards the back of the room, his sword clearing a path of it’s own but Sorins army was massive at least twice the size of Cadocs and they were not rookie fighters. Krishna came upon a couple of Fallen. They looked like twin sisters beautiful and deadly. They charged Krishna each one had a dagger in each hand. he sheathed his giant two handed sword.
As the first one went low the other jumped high. Krishna lifted his leg and pinned the bottom fallen to the floor breaking her ribs with his legs. Her sister shrieked and came down upon him her daggers digging fully into his left shoulder. Krishna reached across with his right hand grabbed her head and squeezed. Her skull gave way like paper does to a hammer under his fist. He dropped her lifeless body to the ground then removed the daggers he took them and used them to kill the other Fallen Angel. His body had healed by the time he stood up. He continued on his war path drawing his daggers and killing any demon foolish enough to challenge him. He began to count to himself. When he reached one of the tunnels that Sorins army was coming from he stood at the entrance and plugged the door with the bodies of the demon trying to get out.
Cadoc finally reached the wooden stand at the end of the room Sorin lay bleeding on the floor. He ignored her and went to Rochelle.
“Are you ok Elle?” she looked up at him her eyes had sunken into their sockets and the skin on her face had been cut off.
“You came for me. Why?”
“Because there is no life for me without you anymore.” Rochelle smiled then went limp she had passed out from pain. Cadoc’s fury was visible as he walked to Sorin and kicked her in the gut sending her flying across the room. He cringed as he looked back at Rochelle and put his hand to her head and began the healing process. He stopped only to kill a few demons that got to close but for the most part no demon wanted to have Cadoc vent his fury on them. when Cadoc was almost done he felt a pain in his back. He collapsed to his knees and saw Calanthe standing above him.
“This is for Maeve you fallen bastard.” She raised her sword and was about to kill Cadoc when Sieghard tackled her down pinning her. Krishna calmly walked up the stairs of the platform and helped Cadoc to his feet. Cadoc stood saw a red blur and summoned his swords crossing them in front of his chest. Sorins sword hit his blades and rebounded as she kicked Krishna flying he hit the stone wall and fell unconscious. Alaric and Sieghard rushed her but Sorin had entered her berserker phase and was madder than ever at her defeat in both the war and t Rochelle. She kicked Alaric square in the chest and broke his ribs leaving him crippled until his powers healed him. Sieghard stood a better chance but made a mistake and was stabbed in the gut. Calanthe dragged him away as Sorin turned to Cadoc.
“Why am I not good enough for you? What have I done wrong to deserve this hell I am punished with? To love one who does not love me back. Well now I will have my revenge I am devoting my life to ending both yours and hers.” Sorin rushed Cadoc but even in her fury she could not match Cadoc speed. He moved and blocked her sword with his left hand. Smashing her in the face with right his elbow, he grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground. He released his sword from his left hand and threw Sorin to the ground. He flipped her over he grabbed one of her wings and tore it off. Sorin screamed as Cadoc discarded the wing. He grabbed the other wing and tore it out as well Sorin screamed out in pain and for mercy as Cadoc healed over the bloody holes where her wings had once been. This would make sure that she would never grow them back.
Cadoc went to Rochelle and cut her bonds making sure to be careful as most of her body was now covered in burns cuts and general injuries. Cadoc picked her up and walked off the platform. Giving Rochelle to Krishna to hold he then walked back up to Sorin. “I loved you in heaven when you were pure and good. I stopped because your soul is now tainted and full of hate. You are not worthy of the title angel and so I have taken your wings.” He got up to leave taking his sword from the demon corpse. Bad time to get a better view. He thought as he discarded the sword into his back. he was walking toward Krishna when he heard the blood chilling cry of a angels last stand. Sorin grabbed a fallen sword and jumped over Cadoc throwing the sword at Rochelle. Krishna turned shielding Rochelle with his body, but the blade was too long and it went through him and into Rochelles side.
Cadoc ran to Sorin and smashed his hand onto her face he sent her soul back to hell and straight to the torture rack. He then rushed to Krishna ripping the blade out of his back and out of Rochelle Calanthe ran over and put her hand to the wound to heal it but no light shone forth. Cadoc shoved her out of his way and tried to heal it himself but no amount of power could heal the wound. Sorin had cursed the blade as her act of revenge. As Cadoc kneeled with Rochelle in his arms she woke up. She grimaced as she spoke the sword had pierced her lungs. She began coughing up blood “It was you, it was always you. There watching over me.” She began to cough “You are my guardian angel.”
“But I have failed you.” Cadoc began to cry as he watched helplessly as she bled out in his arms. Her hand touched his cheek.
“Do not cry for me. I am sure we will meet again. After all if you really loved me you will find a way.” Her eyelids flickered and then closed they did not open as her breathing became more and more shallow. “Cadoc pulled her close to his body and whispered into her ear “I do love you and I will find you.” she died moments later Cadoc looked at Sieghard. “You have broken the deal. I will not join you in heaven.”
Cadoc stood up Rochelles limp body in his arms he walked out without another word. The Elites made a path for him as he walked through out the tunnels. Once outside he spread his wings and took off. He went through the dark cloud and into the light above. He stopped there just hovering. Then he turned towards Rochelle's village flying at a easy pace. Once there he went into the village and found a shovel and began to dig a grave in the grassy plains. When he was done he placed her in the grave and stood there unable to place the dirt on top of her. not yet not when it was such a fresh memory. Not when he could still remember her laugh and smile so alive and vibrant not when he could remember that last conversation on fabers fort. She had just told him that she loved him and he her. But then Sorin had come. Sorin this was her fault. Sorin will pay for this with every breath left in me.
Cadoc picked up the shovel and stuck it in the pile of dirt and began to cover Rochelle’s body. His tears mixed with the soil as he wept for his fallen love. He would have his revenge on Sorin, Faber and on Rayner.
They would all pay for his loss. His loss would cost them not only their lives but their very souls.