Chapter 3
Guardian Angel
Tyreal was shocked at the speed of the destruction caused by the Minions. Buildings once used as shelter for some humans now are barely standing from the onslaught and parts of the town were burning. Countless bodies were scattered everywhere, most of which had limbs and other parts missing. From her possession on top of the white church tower, she is able to see the efforts of the angels to seal the portal to Hell. The rest worked with the humans on the outside of the main city, focused on keeping the situation contained. Although wingless, the angels still glowed with the power of Virtue and wore the armament of Heaven.
A pressure behind her told her that an Angel had approached her. Tyreal turned and when she met his gaze, she immediately lowered to a waist bow. "Ambriel, sir, what brings you here?"
"Well," he said in a mocking tone, "It certainly not the massacre of the humans that did it."
Tyreal smiled at his joke and raised herself up. As accustom to Principalities he wore a military uniform of the area. Camouflage pants and shirt with many different colored bars on his chest. In one hand, he had a scepter and the other an orb. On his belt was a sword.
He cleared his throat and addressed her with an attitude of a sergeant. "Archangel Tyreal, Because of the sudden appearance of many Minions with physical bodies, it has become necessary for you to find and confiscate a human host, perform a Union with said human, and assist with the battle"
"But why me?" she said worried. "I'm sure there are a lot more Archangels capable enough to do the task."
"As much as it troubles me to say but," he took a pause to keep his voice steady, "this isn't a localized incident."
Tyreal stared at him, her face frozen in shock. So many questions came to mind and she wanted to ask, but she could not make herself to do so.
"I know Tyreal but don't worry. We have the situation under control we just need you to help finish here and then you can return to your mission.
Ambriel's strong words broke the shock and Tyreal asked, "Has the location on a match been located?"
Ambriel lowered his head. "I'm sorry; you must find it on you own. All of the available Angels in the area are ether fighting the louse Minions or sealing the Gate. No one has the time to fine one."
She let out a groan, finding a Human who has the same Sprit Frequency as her would be hard enough but when Minions are killing them left and right, it seems almost impossible. Ambriel sensed her distress and said, "We all are facing difficulties with this. All I can ask of you is to try."
She nodded her agreement and focused on the matter at hand. "What is the current situation?"
Right now, the coalition of the Angels and the human militia are holding the Minions inside the town. What we need you to do is join the battle and move inside the town to give them some relief. You must hurry. With time, we fear that a Sentinel may force his way out of the gate and overwhelm us. I will take my live now."
"Wait! Can't you help me find a host?" She was hoping for some good luck today and his abilities would make things much easier.
"I am sorry, I must return to over see the survivors. Blessings" and with that he took his leave.
Tyreal sighed and turned to the burning city. She closed her eyes and opened herself to the energy of the area. She felt her soul began to sing, one single note, high and strong. It hung for a moment and then disappeared. She stood there for a moment almost ready to give up when what sounded like her original note, weaker but identical, returned from her left.
Worried that her only chance may be lost, she flew as fast as she could towards the soul.
Moments later, Tyreal slowed to get a better sense of her location. And it could not have been worse. From were she was hovering; she had a clear view of the Black Gate, which was not even two miles from her position. She cursed her luck and began searching the area.
Meanwhile, the battle raged on. The Angels had split into two groups. One with given the responsibility of assisting the humans with the battle and the other was focused on stopping the arrival of new Demons and, if they could, seal the gate. The second was proving to be difficult, every few seconds the Minions would throw themselves against the seal that the Angels had created.
In between the poundings, one Angel said. "At this rate they'll break though!"
Another spoke up, "We can't do this, there're too many."
"Shut up! We're not going to let that happen." He winced in pain at another pounding. "All we have to do is hold out-"another crash. "-until the others are finished." Another shock. "Then we'll all seal this gate and go home." His speech rallied the Angels there and they redoubled their efforts.
Tyreal was worried, she had not found the Human yet and she was running out of time. At any moment, her connection with the soul could be lost and then the Union will be impossible. Weaving though alleyways, she cursed the human and their random road designs. Having finished a block she moved to another starting with a gun shop. A gruesome sight met her at the shattered window door. Half-eaten corpses littered the blood covered floor many with guns clinched in there hands. The way they lay with their close proximity to the guns and ammo told of the humans despite struggle to arm themselves before their death.
"At the beginning of the assault, these humans must have thought calmly enough to grab weapons to defend themselves with." She said with a touch of grief. After closer examination, she saw that most of the male corpses were at the front while the females were toward the back. "Only a human would worry more about others than themselves when faced with unbeatable odds." Something about this place reminded her about what Ambriel said about the humans fighting and with quick count of the guns on the floor with the ones missing off the wall explained how they were able to do such a thing.
The sound of a gunshot echoed though the store loud and clear from the back of the store waking her from her deep thoughts and drove her though the store, her body passing though the walls until she reached the back alley. An old man stood there with what appeared to be a twelve-gage shotgun in his hands. "Stinkin' demon." He said with a rasp of old age. "Go back to hell were you belong."
This old man was nothing impressive in appearance. Short with a potbelly filling up his flannel shirt and jeans, the look carried its simplicity to his baldhead and fat cheeks. He gave a groan and walked over to the wall opposite to the store. He sat down with a plump and pulled out a vial and was about to take a swig when he stopped and stared. Stared right at her.
"Oh dear Lord, I must have gone crazy. First demons and now a beautiful Angel has come to pay me a visit."
"Sorry old man." Tyreal said. "I'm not looking for you."
"Oh." He looked at the vial he still had in his hand. "Mind if I have a drink?"
"Go ahead." she said plainly. With a grin, he took a big sip from the silver flask and gave a sigh of relief.
"That hit the spot! So my winged friend, what brings you to this mess we call home?"
"I believe you already know the answer to that."
"What these guys? Hahaha! Don't worry; I gave enough guns and ammo to the militia to start a small war! We have this under control."
"Oh, really? Then what about him?" she pointed to the Minion that was just a moment ago lying on the ground and now was slowly crawling over to them while its body repaired itself.
The man backed away in fear as a look of disbelief appeared on his face. "Good God! How do you kill that thing?" He reached for his gun at his side, took aim, and fired a shot. The demon flinched as the shot took a piece of its face off but continued forward.
"It's strange." Tyreal said with honest curiosity as he fired another shot. "You know that won't work but yet you continue. Why?"
"I have to do something." The man said short of breath. "I won't die by the hands of no demon!" he fired off several more rounds before the gun clicked as if demanding more ammo. Desperate, he dug in his pockets for more shells but stopped when the Angel ran her hand along the gun and gave a nod when his eyes met hers. Filled with new confidence he took careful aim and fired. The bright light blinded him for a moment but when it passed, all he could find of the Minion was a pool of goop.
When he tried to thank her for helping him, he found her walking away. "Wait!" he called out. "Where are you going?"
"I have to find a certain human so that I may assist with the battle." She said plainly and continued onward.
"Do you have any specifics?"
She paused a moment and said, "All I know is that it's a female and she's somewhere around here."
"Well I hate to disappoint you." The old man said sorrowfully, "but almost everybody around here is dead. Well all, except, maybe for her."
Tyreal stopped and turned around to face him, when he pointed looked at the dumpster at the end of the alley, she looked, and there beneath a dirty blanket was a girl about 18 in age although she had passed out her face had the look of raw fear.
"You couldn't be?" Tyreal said to the non-responsive girl. "Could you?" After knelling down to the sleeping girl's level, she closed her eyes and hummed a tone for a moment, the same as before, and then it was quiet. Finally, after a moment, the same note emanated from within the sleeping girl. She could not believe her luck; she had managed to find the girl without even trying!
"So, is it her? The girl you were looking for?"
"Yes. Now I can complete this mission and return to finding the child." She turned her attention to the old man and said in a strict voice. "You must do the same!"
Surprised by her sudden out burst he jumped to attention like a whip private shouting, "Yes, Maim! What is my mission?"
"I want you to gather as many weapons ammo and supplies as you can find and take it to the troops. Do you understand?"
"Yes maim!" and he ran off to follow her command.
She was certain that he was distracted with the task when a loud ruckus erupted from within the store so she turned her attention to the girl sleeping next to the smelly dumpster. "Well, well. Now that we are alone, lets began."
She placed her hands on the girl and concentrated. A warm glow surrounded them. Tyreal pressed herself against the sleeping form and melted in to the unknowing woman.