Author's Notes:  Oh, my god, I am so sorry about this delay, you guys.  I know, I know, it's now September, and my last update was in March.  I've graduated from high school, and am now in college, so you know, my main words are "BLOODY HELL!"  Anyway, I should be finishing this bloody story over the next few days.  I shall not rest until this accursed thing is done!!!!!!  And with that, I again offer my most sincere apologies, and let us continue…

Flesh Wounds Part Nineteen

            The two wielders and one Immortal Aide carefully crept through the top floor, but it was mercifully empty.  They paused outside the door to the roof; Athena jerked up a hand to unnecessarily quiet her companions.  They were just in time to hear Dasseren say, "What your love means.  Why her stone turns green."

            Sara and Xander exchanged glances, but remained silent as Gabriel replied, "Because she loves me."

            "You're only half-right, my boy, and you know it."

            "Refresh my memory, then," Gabriel spat.

            "Gladly.  She has loved you in every lifetime, without even knowing it.  You've been her friend and her companion, but she's never realized you are one of the great loves of her life.  She loves you as much as that Horseman…Death, I think he was.  Her soul is irrevocably bound to yours.  You have lived lifetime upon lifetime, and she has lost you every single time.  She has needed you time and time again, and you have always died in her arms.  And this time…she has found you…and your death will finally destroy her."  The warlock began to laugh.  "I shall destroy the universes and their protector in one stroke."

            "You don't know my girlfriend very well, do you?" Gabriel asked, but the coppery-haired immortal could still discern the sheen of sweat glistening on Gabriel's face.

            "But apparently, you do, and you know how fragile she is."

            "Go to hell."

            "I'm planning on it."

            There was a sharp outcry, and Athena kicked the door open.

            Two light slashes sliced across Gabriel's breastbones, and Dasseren whirled as the three crashed onto the roof of the Empire State Building, power crackling from the two Witchblade Wielders.  The warlock moved faster than time, slicing Gabriel's chest in two thin strokes.  "You're too late, Princess," he cackled.  The portal is about to open."

            They could only watch as a single drop fell through the air, then suddenly stopped and shimmered.  "Athena?" Sara whispered.  "Why his blood?"

            "Because he's bound to me, much as the Baskera are," the Princess replied softly.

            "Holy shit," was all Xander said.  "'Thene…"

            The drop of Gabriel's blood was joined by the rest dripping from the shallow cuts on his chest, forming a sheet of glistening liquid.

            Down on the ground, Danny, Jake, and the rest looked up, watching everything.  "Holy shit," Jake unconsciously echoed Xander.  "What the hell is happening up there?"

            "I don't think we want to find out," Danny answered.

            The night began to crackle, and a jagged line appeared in mid-air, power roaring out of the crack, blowing their hair back from the immensity.  Kind of like when Athena was not shielding, Xander happened to muse in detached awe.  The portal began to open, revealing a black pit…a pit that had charred, clawed arms reaching out.

            Gabriel's wound began to clot, and he sighed in relief, then felt an invisible tongue scrape over his chest.  "Athena!" He shouted.

            Athena whipped around to see the bite marks appear upon her lover's pale body.  "Xander!"

            The young Immortal rushed for Gabriel, feverishly starting to work on the chains holding him up.  "God, what is this, mithril?" He muttered.

            "Xander!" Gabriel shouted in warning, and the teen rolled away as fire leapt to where he was.  Scrambling to his feet, rapier in hand, Xander watched as the flames in Dasseren's eyes grew brighter.

            "The day has come!" The warlock roared.

            "Not today," Xander replied, smiling humorlessly.

            Dasseren raised his hand; fire began to spread from his fingers.  Xander cursed and ducked, kicking Dasseren's legs out from under him and slicing through his arm.  "Athena!"

            Athena threw out a hand; a stream of power hit Xander's blade, and he sliced through Gabriel's chains.  Bowman grabbed hold of the railing before he fell into the chasm below, which was swarming with demons.  One stepped out, seven feet tall, skin black and cracked, oozing red liquid.  Horns protruded from its skull, framing a face that could cause death merely by looking at it.  "Xander!  I'm slipping!" He shouted as he desperately tried to hold on; then the demon's arm snaked up and wrapped around his leg.

            Xander lurched over the railing, snatching at Gabriel's arm.  "Hold on, buddy.  I got you!"

            Dasseren headed for the two again when a silver sword blocked his way.  "Please, keep moving forward," Athena smiled.

            "Be careful, Princess.  Are you sure you can handle my spirits?"

            "Hey, I'm talented, remember?"

            "Attack the Princess!!" The warlock roared, and the Princess punched him, knocking him out, but not for long.

            "Sara!"

            The Wielder, motionless until now, rushed to Athena's side and unconsciously placed her gauntlet against the girl's.  The silver swirled over both their wrists, blending together to form one gauntlet, with a broadsword protruding.  There was no time for surprise; moving as one, the two women fought violently, slashing and thrusting.  With each swipe, a spirit or more fell, but was replaced immediately.

            "How many are there?" Sara called.

            "Too many," Athena replied grimly.

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            Xander pulled for all he was worth, but Gabriel was slipping in his grasp.  "Dammit, hold on!"

            "What the hell do you think I'm doing?" Bowman shouted back, pain lacing his voice as the demon's claws cut into his leg.

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            Sweat breaking out on their foreheads, Athena and Sara fell back.  "How…many…more?" Sara panted.

            "Not sure," Athena replied.  "Separate yourself and cross our blades."

            Sara wordlessly spun away, the two Witchblades sliding apart with a steely hiss.  The blonde and brunette faced each other, thrusting their blades up into the sky, the tips connecting.  Red flames flew from the tips, forming a fiery column around them.

            Disembodied voices began to filter through the Witchblades' shield, whispering, taunting.  "Ah, shut the hell up," Athena muttered.

            "Athena…" a voice whispered.

            "Akri?"

            "Why did you never come?  You could have saved me…"

            "Ask your master.  He's actually the one who let you die."

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            On the street below, Danny Woo could not believe what he was seeing.  These…demons were flooding the street, picking up passer-bys on the streets and gulping them down like candy.  A few cops pulled out their pieces and shot at the monsters, but the bullets either ricocheted off the demon's hides or were caught and crushed in a huge, clawed hand.  "Hold your fire!" The captain roared.  "Remember what the Princess said!  Start praying!"

            "What?" A rookie protested.  "Prayer's not going to do jack shit!"

            "We trust the authority on this," The captain growled, "and that's Athena.  We do what she says.  Now you'd better find some faith right now, or we all die!"

            Hesitantly, someone started, "Our Farther, who art in Heaven, hallowed by Thy name…"

            More and more joined in, then someone started praying in Hindu, another in Chinese, and, as Danny and Jake began to pray, they were pretty sure they heard someone start to pray to the Princess.

            The Baskera stopped, disorientated, as every person in a five-block square began to pray, following the examples of others.

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            Back up on the Empire State Building, Gabriel grappled for something to hold on to, hooking his fingers around a protruding bar.  Frantically kicking he felt himself slipping from Xander's grasp.  "Man, hold on!" Xander called down.  "If you die, Athena will kick my ass!"  Looking down, he got an idea.  "Okay, man, can you grab onto the railing again?"

            "What?"

            "Just do it!  I've got to let you go for a minute."

            Gabriel desperately grabbed onto to the railing, knuckles growing white as the demon started to pull harder.  Xander swung one leg over the edge and balanced precariously.  "Okay…let's see if all that damn training paid off."

            "Any time now!" Gabriel shouted.

            The young Immortal took careful aim and threw his sword down into the Baskera's arm.  It managed to penetrate through one of the fleshy, throbbing cracks, and the demon roared in pain and released Gabriel.  Harris quickly hauled Athena's boyfriend over the edge, and the two collapsed in a heap.  "Hey, Xander?"

            "Yeah?"

            "Is it just me, or are Athena and Sara surrounded by a column of clear red fire?"

            Xander lifted his head.  "It's not just you."

            "Oh, good.  I hate to be wrong."

            Then the two bounded to their feet.  However, as he passed by Dasseren's body, Gabriel took the time to kick him hard in the side.  "Don't call me boy, you son-of-a-bitch," he muttered.

            Xander laughed.  "Now I know why she like you.  C'mon."

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            "Athena…"

            "Concentrate.  Feel the spirits." Then the girl arched a brow.  "Xander."

            The Immortal pulled Gabriel to a halt.  "'Thene?"

            "Get down and stay until I tell you otherwise!"

            "C'mon," Xander said.  "We need to get low."

            Bowman wordlessly nodded, then Xander glanced back.  "Oh, crap."

            Athena reached out her mind, gently brushing against Sara's.  They joined, and their gaze snapped out toward the flesh-eating spirits.  Xander tackled Gabriel, shoving him down as waves of flame reached out, the column beginning to spin, faster and faster, reaching for the spirits.  "Stay down," the young Immortal hissed as they felt their hair ruffle from the heat.  Screams of pain rang in their ears, and Xander yelled, "What the hell is going on?"

            "They're destroying the spirits," Gabriel called back, coughing from the smoke.

            Suddenly, the fire was gone, and the two sat up, gasping.  Athena and Sara were rushing for the guardrail.  "Xander, Gabe, get the hell out of here," Athena said hurriedly.

            "This is bad," Sara muttered.

            "And it's gotten worse," a new voice said; they turned to see Dasseren's fists crashing down on them.

            They fell hard; Dasseren stepped back, raising his arms.  "Your time has come!"

            "I don't think so!  This world is not yours to destroy!"

            "This will all crumble beneath your feet, Princess!"

            The blonde blocked a lightening strike and gazed at Sara.  "Do you trust me, Wielder?"

            Sara did not hesitate.  "Yes."

            Athena shot out her gauntleted hand; Sara did the same, and they clasped wrists.

            And time…stopped.