With Angel's Love
Part XI: Rheia's Attack
Selene growled at Arthas, and then turned. "I've got more people to save!" she hissed. With this said, she turned and ran off. Of course, Arthas followed. "Lady Selene…" he said blandly, only a few steps behind her. Selene gave off yet another loud growl. "You thug! Say my name again tonight and I'll stab you though the heart!!" she yelled. Arthas glared at her for a moment as she pulled a long, silver rapier from her sleeve. "Ah," he started with a smirk, "A master of concealed weapons I see."
Her eyes slowly darted over to him. "All that blood…" she said. "Why was there so much blood? I thought you sustained yourself by drinking people's blood, not letting it soak the ground." Arthas shut his eyes for a moment. "They were quite feisty. I only intended the kill that one woman, but those others tried to help her. The fools…I slashed them up quite a bit, I guess. Didn't get too much out of it," he replied simply. Selene felt sick. It was as if he didn't care…as if he…enjoyed killing all of those people.
The odd pair ran down the main path for a moment, when they saw the main gates engulfed in flames and many people screaming and running. The village's sentries were all mostly dead, and the demons of hell that they had battled a few days earlier were back. Except this time, there was a young demoness with greenish skin and cherry red hair. She stood mostly still, drawing the souls of the dead into a crystal orb in her hand. "Damn! A soul-stealer it seems…" Selene said, "We have to keep her from the villagers until the others can help us. Do you think you can handle that, Arthas?"
The vampire gave a slight chuckle, cracking his knuckles. "I should be able to take care of this rabble in a few blasts. You stave off the leader until then," he said. Arthas's hand began to glow black, and a smirk crossed his face. The demons, sensing his power, charged for him. His smirk grew, and a blast of black energy shot from his hand, destroying dozens of the troublesome demons. As Selene darted toward their ringleader, her rapier in hand, looked back. He's powerful…he can destroy these demons…I only hope that no more show up!
The demoness, a bored look on her face, looked down at her soul-stealing orb. "Hmm…the Master will not be happy that I have only human souls. They're just so…weak! It will take another century to revive him if we can only collect human souls…" she muttered unhappily. As soon as she said this, the black souls of the demons that Arthas had just destroyed. "What in hell…?" she thought aloud. She looked up, just in time to dodge Selene's sword attack. "AIEE! Just what do you think you're doing, you miserable little wench?!" she demanded, carefully guarding her soul-orb.
Selene simply let out a low growl. "I'm here to make sure you let the souls of the poor people that you've killed tonight ascend to heaven!" she hissed. Selene attacked again, stabbing the demoness straight through the shoulder. She let out a sharp scream, and then she charged at her with her claws. "Whoever you are, you will not take these souls away from me!!!"
Selene attacked again with her sword, but this time failed. "Damn…" she growled. The demoness chuckled a little. "I think you should practice with your blade before rushing into battle like this, little girl," she laughed, collecting more of the souls of demons Arthas was busy killing. Selene let out a low growl, and then slid her blade into the sheathe that she had strapped to her arm. "That's it…I'm going to finish this quickly!" Selene's eyes narrowed, and bolts of lightning rained down from the sky. However, the demoness was once again able to dodge.
"Hmm…" the demoness thought aloud, scratching her chin, "A half-breed with the scent of dog, an angelic aura, and controls lightning…ah ha! Yes! Of course! So she is one of the half-angels that the Master wanted. If I capture her soul…I'll surely be given eternal life to serve the Master! Half-breed…your soul is mine!!" The demoness attacked again, and with godly speed, dug her claws into Selene's chest, and then threw her to the ground. As Selene stood, a little shell-shocked from the surprise attack, the demoness swooped in once again, her hand around Selene's throat.
"H-how…could you…move so fast as to…send a tennyo…to the ground?" Selene choked. The demoness chuckled in amusement. "You truly are dense," she cooed. Selene's eyes widened from both need for air and shock. "Then…y-you must be…a fallen angel!?" "Ha ha ha…yes, little girl…and I, Rheia, has come to take your soul!!" Rheia laughed. Selene winced, and as Rheia held up her soul-stealing orb, a blue light--Selene's soul--began to emerge from her body. As the young tennyo's soul was drawn into the orb, Arthas called out her name.
"Lady Selene! Just hang on!" he called. He destroyed even more of the demons, their souls, too, sinking into Rheia's orb. "Damn it!" he hissed. His hands then began to glow black. "I wish I didn't have to do this, but…" he started. Then, he held his hands before him, and a pentagram, formed in black light, with other unholy symbols around it, with a ring of words formed in the same black light around it. A smirk formed on his face, baring his vampiric fangs. "You're going to regret ever messing with me!" With this, he shut his eyes, the smirk still showing on his face, and he then began reciting the powerful incantation that he hoped to destroy Rheia with.
"Lord of the Underworld, possessor of the soul of darkness!! Open the gates of destruction!! I summon you now to destroy the enemy before me! Cast the hell-fire of your wrath upon this creature! DEMON'S BAPTISM!!!!!" As Arthas gave his unholy command, a bolt of black light shot at Rheia, and to avoid her own demise, she leapt out of the way, taking only what part of Selene's soul that she had collected. Breathing heavily in exhaustion, Arthas walked wearily toward where his young master lay unconscious.
"Don't tell me you went and got yourself killed. I'll take the blame! It'll be my head on a stick, not yours," he growled. He bent over her, and saw that she was barely breathing. "That wench really did steal a part of your soul…" he said. Arthas scowled, and slowly took off his cape. He slowly wrapped the black fabric around her, scooping her up into his arms. As he began to stand, Rheia came near, a sinister look on her face. "Just what do you think you're doing, your filthy little blood-sucker?! That's my soul you're taking away!" she hissed. Arthas growled, panting a little. "You…little…bitch!" he hissed. Just as he said this, Azrael appeared. When he saw his sister's limp form in Arthas's arms, he gaped in disgust, a terrified look on his face as he thought the worst.
"What have you done to my sister?!" he demanded angrily. Arthas walked over to him, panting. "Nothing to harm her…here, just take her. I need my hands free to destroy this wench," the vampire replied. Arthas quickly handed the unconscious young woman off to her brother, and then he turned back to Rheia. "You wench…" he growled, "You'll pay for this!" He once again held out his hands, and they began to glow black. "Grrr…Souls of the dead, with your insatiable thirst for vengeance, I call upon you to take the foe that stands before me and avenge your unjust deaths! ABBADON'S KISS!!!!!"
Instead of a beam of brilliant black light shooting from his hands, shapeless balls of light emerged from the ground around Arthas, and shot toward Rheia. As his attack continued, he fell to his knees, only to watch as Rheia sucked up the souls of the dead. Azrael carefully examined the cuts on his sister's chest, a fierce scowl on his face. "Selene…you have to tell me what he did to you…what did Arthas do to you?" he asked urgently. Selene slowly opened her eyes, seeing that her brother was carefully looking at her neck. "He…he didn't bite me. He…used a powerful…dark summoning spell…to save me. I think…it took…a lot out of him. Please…help Arthas. I would've had my soul stolen if it wasn't for him. Please…just do it," she said.
Azrael hesitated for a moment, when he heard someone walking up behind him. "Let me handle this," a male voice said. Azrael quickly spun around, and his eyes then met his father's. "You came," he said gently. Sesshomaru gave a small nod, and then drew Songhai. "I'll destroy her quickly enough," he said. "No," Arthas panted, "She took part of Selene's soul. Destroy her, and…" A small smirk crossed the vampire's face. "Although, I think I may be able to retrieve the young lady's soul, if given the right opportunity," he hissed. Arthas removed his long wool coat, only his linen shirt underneath. "Now, it's time to get physical," he hissed, a sinister smile on his face.
Arthas leapt forward, throwing a bruising punch at Rheia. Amazingly and unexpectedly, he hit her in the face, giving her a slight nosebleed. "Why…you…little…blood-sucker!" she hissed. Rheia drew a rusted, iron blade, and slashed at Arthas with it. She struck his shoulder, and the vampires dark blood began dripping down his body. "Damn…" he hissed, gripping the wound, "You bitch!" He leapt at her again, punching her this time in the gut. "What's…wrong?" Rheia asked sarcastically, "All those powerful summoning spells take it out of you?"
Arthas let out yet another low growl. "Do you seriously think that you can defeat me?" he demanded. Rheia gave a sharp chuckle. "For a vampire you have quite a bit of audacity," she laughed, "If you had a soul, I'd certainly drain it. But right now, you're just in the way of me draining the others." Rheia charged toward him, and pierced his other shoulder with her rusted blade. Arthas let out a low groan, falling to one knee. "Just…what are you?" he demanded fiercely. Rheia gave a slight smirk. "You annoy me, little man. Now, die!"
Rheia blasted him with power, throwing the vampire back to the ground. She walked toward the man's weakened form, preparing to kill him. "Hmm…should I take your head or stab you through the heart?" she asked sinisterly. Arthas barred his sharp fangs at her, but he could do nothing more, when from behind, they both heard a female voice speak. "You…will…do…nothing…" Selene said, limping closer. "Arthas, move. I can't attack her with you near," she said. After giving a slight nod, he mustered all the strength he could and began dragging himself on his elbows. "I can go no further, Lady Selene! Attack now!"
As Selene faltered from weakness, she narrowed her eyes. I have enough energy for only one bolt…my aim must be true!! As Rheia raised her blade, a single bolt of lightning rained down from the sky, channeling through the rusty sword, straight through Rheia's body. However, she somehow got out of the charge of lightning, her clothing and armor scorched and smoldering. "You! I stole your soul! How are you still able to move?!" she demanded. Selene winced, and then fell to her knees. Azrael quickly ran over to her, catching her just before she hit the ground. "Selene? Selene!? Can you hear me?" he pleaded.
"Sesshomaru? Azrael?!" Sesshomaru turned, and Azrael looked around. They both saw Gina quickly heading toward them, being chased after by her older brother. "I told you to stay behind!" Sesshomaru yelled. Gina stopped near before him. "I'm sorry…I couldn't help it…but…what happened to Selene and Arthas?!" she said, the end turning to an exclamation. Vaul stopped beside her, gaping. "A…a fallen angel," he said. Gina, Sesshomaru, and Azrael gaped. "Of course…that's why she was able to attack so easily. But…why did she steal part of Selene's soul?"
Gina bit her lip, glaring at Rheia. "I…I think I know her…" she said. Arthas looked up at her from the ground. "Wh-what?" he asked. Gina nodded yet again. "Yeah…she's definitely a fallen angel," she said. Rheia gave a large growl. All of the angels I was ordered to kill…but I'm too wounded to attack! Damn! "I must leave you now. Perhaps we should call this battle…a draw?" she asked. A moment later, purple smoke surrounded Rheia. "My demon pets…I leave them to you!"
As if on cue, the demons that she has been controlling sprang into action, immediately attacking the small group, though a few of them were feeding on the corpses of their fallen allies and the village's sentries. And though Vaul, Azrael, and Sesshomaru were strong fighters, there were just too many of the demons. Of course, Gina and Arthas helped them fight and to defend Selene, but they were just too debilitated by their conditions. Sesshomaru set dozens of demons aflame, but he didn't even put a dent in their population. They led their defense for a few more moments, when the snow started swirling around them. They regrouped, all huddled together, as the conditions became that of a white-out. Of course, this wouldn't have been much of a problem, unless it wasn't the beginning of summer. And another oddity was that the demons were no longer attacking. But they could still here the sounds of battle.
In a moment, the snow faded, and six shapes came into vision; one female, five male, all dressed in white robes, and adorned with silver and gold crosses, as well as elaborate swords and bottles of holy water. "Who…who are they?" Vaul asked, seeming dumbfounded. The woman walked to the front of the group, and this caused Azrael to gape. He recognized everything about her: her movement, her curves, her scent. And then, she spoke. "Which one of you pagan creatures is the one called Arthas?!" she demanded.
Azrael's golden eyes shot open as wide as they would go. No…it can't be…Rin-chan?!