Suddenly, without warning or reason, flames engulfed the church, the Wendigo inside howling and barrelling out into the street past Locke and Liz, blue flames sticking to it like napalm, despite it swiping and patting desperately to try and put it out, even resorting to churning the earth near it in a desperate attempt to dust out the flames. Soon, the other five joined suit, howling and swiping at the appearing flames, attempting to do the same as their leader who soon collapsed to her knees, glowering at Locke who stood with Liz, who seemed to be concentrating on the fire itself, Locke keeping her on her feet as he helped her use her flame.
Hellboy relaxed, taking a moment to punch a nearby flaming Wendigo with his right hand, smirking with satisfaction at its howl as he approached Locke and Liz, frowning and about to move to pick her up, when he realized her flame had enveloped the piece of rebar that had skewered her and Locke pulled it out and dropped it promptly, the rebar white-hot. Instead of more blood issuing forth and Liz collapsing as he expected, the flame seemed to gladly help her heal, the wound sealing over and disappearing as though it had never been. Locke stepped back then, Aureiahnna on his shoulder, eyes closed, as he nodded to Liz.
Locke turned to the largest of the Wendigo, the other five reduced to smouldering corpses after a few moments, Liz holding the flame around the one who contained her howls of rage and pain, glowering and growling at Locke in defiance. Despite so much flame and light, the shadows of the early morning seemed to darken and rise, shapes of nightmarish felines, serpents and droves of insects dancing about at the edges of the shadow as though a part of it. Even Lockes' wings seemed to become enveloped by shadow, the Wendigo seeming to shrink suddenly when an aura so powerful it nearly made Hellboy cringe swept over the area. At first it was vicious and malevolent, even Abe shuddering as he realized this to be Locke making use of his Vampiric abilities, Abe and Kate peering out from behind a traffic-wall at Locke.
Eyes, radioactive green and glowing, opened all around, some much larger than others, some in pairs, some in rows, so many that anyone with a phobia would be instantly sent into hysterics. The Wendigo stiffened, Locke narrowing his eyes at her, as he motioned for Liz to let her flames dissipate. She seemed to grasp and reign in the flame like a lasso on a bull, drawing it close to her chest and breathing out, the flames dissipating almost obediently.
Aureiahnna flit away from Locke suddenly as he approached the Wendigo, the Phoenix landing near Abe and Kate, hopping to turn to look back at her master. Locke lowered his sword, but held it ready in his right as he approached the beast, its hide smoking and sizzling as it snarled at him. Hellboy steadied Liz, frowning and waiting for the Wendigo to be dealt with before he asks Liz what happened, finding that his trust in Locke had been well placed. Locke had been as transparent as possible, even to his detriment, and despite the obvious display of his Vampiric abilities, Hellboy trusted him. He smiled to himself, reminded of the chance his adoptive father had given him as a babe.
"You should have stayed out of this, foolish mortal-born mageling." The Wendigo hissed through her bloodied teeth, glowering at Locke, shuddering lightly in fear despite her defiance.
"I was once mortal, I am more than a mageling, old one. You could have only returned to this plane with aid, who helped you?" Locke snarled, some of his shadows, his familiars, stepping forward and surrounding the wounded and burnt Wendigo. It hissed and coughed painfully, spitting up blackish blood that burnt into the ground it touched like acid before fading to quickly disappearing smoke.
"He who corrupts indefinitely and wholly, the darkest of evils, creator and perpetuator of sin, the-" The wendigo's tirade was cut short suddenly as its head hit the ground with a sickening squelch as it collapsed and was devoured by Locke's shadows and familiars. He flicked his blade, using a cloth retrieved from his coat to clean it idly as he turned nonchalantly and returned to the others. His shadows soon faded away, the others relaxing visibly as the aura he'd exuded retreated and normal sunlight prevailed over the area.
"Set. Always messing with the balance of things." Locke explained as he moved to where Hellboy stood with Liz, Abe and Kate following. All seemed perturbed by the blasé attitude Locke showed at first, taking the scabbard for his sword from Kate and quickly sheathing it. Shadow wrapped around it and then promptly disappeared, Locke smiling at the interest from Abe and Hellboy as Aureiahnna returned to his shoulder from nearby.
"It's a vampirism thing. Learned it from my 'sire'… At any rate, we should get going and let the cleanup crew get to work…" Locke explained simply, looking to Liz. "It's talking to you now, isn't it?" He grinned, her blush and surprised expression making Hellboy frown and look at her.
"Say what now? Who is talking to you?" Hellboy questioned, straightening up a bit with concern.
"My fire, the flame itself, it's a part of me that… Has its own mind? I was supressing it for so long, it just stayed locked away. Locke… let it out, showed me not to be afraid." Liz explained haltingly, blush slowly receding, though still unsettled and uncertain how to react to having another presence in her head.
"It takes a while, but you'll get used to each other." Locke smiled, taking in a deep breath and stretching his wings, wincing as he resettled them carefully. Liz leaned into Hellboy, feeling beyond tired, then suddenly realized that she had nearly been impaled by the piece of rebar, right next to her growing twins. Locke and Abe, who trotted up as Kate moved to make sure that there were no other surprises around the Church, both picked up on her concern, Locke looking to Aureihanna who crooned, fluffing herself lightly before settling down with her eyes closed.
"There was no damage, you're lucky that they were still too small to even be grazed by that. Though looking forward, I may have to put you on desk duties." Locke teased, Liz and Hellboy glaring at him lightly, though Liz relaxed once more as her concern for her unborn children had been assuaged. The sun slowly peaked over the nearby buildings, shining on the half-collapsed church, which smoked lightly before collapsing the rest of the way.
"Well that was an interesting encounter, but I'm still confused. Why would Set the Unbalanced suddenly decide to mess with things? Especially bringing back some exiled Dae?" Kate mused as she joined the group.
"Dae?" Abe inquired, not understanding the word at first.
"Short for Daemon, that was the same one that was leading the group up in Canada. Her form seemed to be influenced by the area, and whatever creature she was originally bound to. Likely a stag or something, but it was perverted and twisted to whatever she wanted, likely because of the power she was given by Setesh." Locke smiled lightly, appearing generally better, yet obviously still plagued by his vampirism. Abe nodded, concern showing ever so slightly as Locke rolled his shoulders, then his wing-shoulders gently, still lightly wincing at the soreness and likely having reopened one of the slowly-healing wounds.
"I'm fine, it'll take some time to get these wounds healed…" Locke sighed, smiling lightly at Abe. "I'm sorry I took off, I was just so…"
"Frustrated? I suppose I can understand why…" Abe finished for him, earning him a light smirk and nod. Hellboy and Liz chuckled lightly at them, both blushing in their own way as Kate just simply burst out laughing.
"Okay, Okay, you two need some time alone to talk this shit out." She laughed, moving back to their SUV and clambering into the drivers seat, Locke and Abe hesitantly following as Liz and Hellboy gladly went back to it also, Hellboy stopping briefly to close his new case with care and gentleness Locke could never have expected from him. Locke and Abe sat in the middle row this time, Kate driving them back out the way they had come, though Locke and Abe both seemed to be deep in thought.
"Okay Feathers, Blue, you never answered Kate earlier, and I am dying to know, what is Setesh's deal with you?" Hellboy asked, leaning forward and lightly nudging Locke's closest wing. Locke snarled briefly, recoiling his wing and glowering at Hellboy, light growl emanating from him as he gently rubbed his right wing where a scar from the kelpie had reopened. Hellboy muttered an apology as Locke relaxed.
"I think it's a personal thing because Ashtareen, my goddess, is now reinstated because we defeated one of his Avatars." Locke smiled at Kate, catching her eye in the rear-view mirror as she checked on him. "Avatars are extremely powerful physical manifestations of a deity, sometimes retaining parts of their mortal minds, or others completely aware of their pasts. I've only ever met one, other than the one that had been left to safeguard my wings, and only briefly. She was radiant, hard to look at directly, levelled a temple and took off so I couldn't talk to her."
"Wait, the 'angel' of the red sea, was an Avatar?" Hellboy gaped, eyes widening.
"Yep, though of course people don't see it that way. I was there as a witness primarily, Ashtareen sent her Avatar to smite a group that were attempting to destabilize a ley-line and cause a massive earthquake, which would have also allowed for another Avatar of Setesh to exist in our world." Locke explained, relaxing again and happy to explain more of his knowledge of events that were interesting to Hellboy and Abe, who watched him quietly and listened as they spoke.
"So you, what, went there and waited?" Hellboy smirked, pushing for more information.
"No no, I got there just as I was intended to, was about to interfere with the connection the temple had with the ley-line, when this blinding light made the oppressive night around it bright as day. I couldn't make out her form, but her presence and voice, like a hymn sung in latin by a chorus of women, was a warning and a judgement to everyone in the area. One of the ones who were participating in whatever ritual they were using tried to cast some spell at her, it backfired and flung them back into the temple. The Avatar screamed in rage at their attempt, gave a final warning to those inside, and melted the temple with searing light." Locke recounted, Hellboy bobbing his head understandingly.
"That's why the locals said it was devil worship that was wiped from the planet by an avenging angel. Truth is even better." Hellboy grinned, gently nudging Abe before he moved to poke Locke's wing again with his stone hand. Abe, instinctively, grasped Hellboys hand and shook his head. Locke hadn't noticed at first, then quickly hissed at Hellboy again, earning himself a facetious grin as the stone hand stretched ever closer.
"Red, seriously, it hurts when you touch me with it." Locke groaned, rolling his eyes at the childish pestering. Hellboy didn't relent, leaving Locke no choice but to move his left hand along his right wing where Hellboy had nudged him earlier, the feathers seeming to slough off with a patch of skin leaving a red welt. Hellboy recoiled, face scrunched up in disgust.
"No way that was from me just touching you. No way." Hellboy frowned in disbelief.
"Way. My bracelet was making certain I was protected from it before, but now I'm not actively using a barrier around my skin, so that's what happens when your arm touches followers, devoted followers, of Ashtareen." Locke deadpanned. Hellboy quickly moved his arm to the seat next to him, muttering a solemn apology.
"No need to apologise, you didn't know." Locke sighed, moving his wing so he could groom over the reddened flesh, which seemed to make it pale a bit, as though another layer of skin had healed over the underlying wound. He relaxed after a moment, moving to gently scratch the top of Aureiahnna's head, the owl-like Pheonix cooing lightly at the attention as they returned to the BPRD in silence, Liz falling asleep against Hellboy in the back, Abe and Locke awkwardly smiling at each other occasionally.