Chapter Fourteen
Without opening his eyes, he rose and raised the talisman to
his chest, where the heart was located. And he exhaled to bring forth new
oxygen into his lungs. When he started feeling steady again, he opened his
eyes to recover his balance.
What met him was a sight of carnage. Blood, hideous blackening
blood, was spattered on the floor and the walls. A black wolf was lying
whimpering in a corner and in the middle of the room laid Wrath, or what
was left of him. Gabriel dropped the talisman and it fell to the floor softly,
landing on the carpet. And although it made no sound, the wolfs ears pricked
up and slowly, so agonizing slowly, it began unfurling from the tight cluster
of bloody black fur it had been.
It was on four legs, golden eyes staring at Gabriel. Then it
simply began stretching out, upward and was the blackclad boyish figure
again.
Shatter held out a hand towards the astonished Gabriel. There
was blood in the boy's face and around his mouth, dripping on the uncarpeted
floor, but Gabe could do nothing but obey. He bent down, lifted the talisman
and gave it to the boy.
"Now," the golden-eyed demon whispered, "you will see the true
meaning of power."
Grace moaned and Gray drew the cool cloth over the
Japanese woman's face once more.
"When will the pain end?" she whimpered
Gray could only shake her head.
"I don't know. I'm sure that Wrath will help you when he comes
back."
She looked at her feet, but had to close her eyes to force
the tears to stay. If he ever will come back, she thought to herself.
Shatter let out a large roar of pain as he began
to metamorph into the largest creature. It was larger then the two entities
on the talisman. But Gabriel recognized this being. In a dream it had come
to him, to give him a key.
The Dragon.
A small flame licked around his lips and smoke trailed through
his nostrils. Shatter exhaled and looked at himself adoringly with bloodred
eyes.
"At last," he said, the voice a deep bass that shook Gabriels
world, but still as gentle as a mother lioness purr to her cub, "at last
I am perfect!"
Shatter, if it still was him somewhere inside that gigantic
shell of a monster, now inhaled a great draught of air, like a whale, and
Gabriel understood what now was to come. The cleansing fire, that wouldn't
be cleansing any more, but would burn the flesh off his bones.
His eyes touched the fallen talisman that was lying now at
his feet again. He bent down, the entities supernatural powers had not yet
left him, with unnatural speed and took the talisman. He brought it close
to his face as the fire was thrown towards him.
It struck the talisman, no sound at all except the fire's roaring
heat. Then it was turned. The amazing Dragon had no time, nor the space to
dodge it, and was struck by it's own lethal missile. Gabriel had been wrong.
The fire was indeed still a cleansing one, and it began consuming the scales
and the eyes of the enormous beast. The hideous scream was so high, the
ShadowHunter thought his eardrums was going to explode.
And it just went on until it was over.
Gray let out a scream and fell to the ground, rolling
in agony, the fire was burning, destroying and cracking the bones of her
body.
Hunter fell to his knees and his forehead touched
the floor. He felt weak and warm all over, the dizziness consuming him so
that he didn't notice the dogs howling and licking his face.
Gabriel, feeling ashes on his face yet ignored it,
ran past the hideous smoldering pile of bones toward the marauded body of
Wrath. His silverhaired friend was half wolf and half into human body with
his silver hair toned in the deep red color of blood. If he was alive, he
made no sign of it
"Sweet Jesus," Gabriel whispered as his eyes fell onto the
wrecked throat. "Dear God. Wrath, Wrath; can you hear me?" He took a hold
of Wraths shoulders and shook him. The eyes fluttered open and the blue light
that shone was as alive as ever.
"Are you alright?"
"Do I look alright to you?" Wrath's voice was tired and
hoarse.
"No." Gabriel looked away. "No, you look dying."
"Good boy, ShadowHunter. "
"Can I do anything for you?" Gabriel begun fighting his
tears.
"Don't cry. I hate crying," A smile played in the corners of
his stiff mouth. "Promise me to marry Grace."
"What?!"
"You heard me."
Wrath suddenly erupted into a violent attack of coughing, blood
bubbling in his throat.
"Jesus, take it easy. Please Wrath..." Gabriel pleaded.
"One thing remains."
The ShadowHunter frowned sadly.
"What?"
Wrath lifted his arm and let it rest on Gabriels neck
"Listen..."