Chapter 32

Ruby

She was scared out of her mind, something so large and hideous just couldn't exist. She was frozen in fear for a second before a bright white light shone, and once it died down a gigantic Golem stood in its place. She looked to Ian and his face was one of amazement, not terror. She heard him whisper something but couldn't hear it. Then they started fighting, both the Golem and The thing were moving at incredible speed. Then the monster stumbled forward and the Golem landed a massive strike that engulfed the screen in light, when it faded there was nothing. Not a single trace of the dueling gods left. She stared with mixed emotions at her teammates. Ian looked back at them for a second then went back to work.

It took a minute before she got the strength back to ask Ian what was going on. "What… was that?" she asked stuttering. "That was the most relieving thing I've seen all day." He responded motioning for the group to take a seat. "What do you mean? That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my entire life." Ruby asked taken aback. "Yep, and it was defeated in glorious fashion by the second most powerful being I've ever know. Colin." Ian replied laughing. "He saved us, and thank god he did." Ian laughed again this time the tension was almost gone from his voice. "What? That was Colin, but it couldn't be. It was the size of our galaxy." Ruby fumbled for more words. "Maria, could you show them your necklace." Ian asked gesturing towards her neck. She smiled and pulled out a miniature statue of the same white Golem that had fought Satan.

A collective gasp as the information set in. "How?" she asked still shocked. "To have that much power stored he must have been down there for millennia. But for him it probably felt like only a few years." He explained "But now that he's back you should rest, he'll be fine." Ian said ushering them towards the turbolift. They took it towards the infirmary where they were given beds and food. Ian stayed for a couple of hours, explaining the entire situation Colin was going through. That time passes slower in hell than it does up here. And that theoretically when an angel is trapped with no way to expend his power, it builds and builds until he dies or it is released. But it was only theory because no angel other than Colin had ever been sent to hell.

"Sir, we are reading a massive rupture in the warp. It's Colin." Came an urgent voice over the speaker system. Ian tapped a little device in his ear "Rig our beacon so he can find us, make sure he makes it home safe lieutenant." He said letting go of the little black device. "You heard her, he's on his way now. When he gets here you can question him all you want, but for now sleep." He said tossing his pillow to Blake. "I have some work to do, but when he gets here I will come and get you first thing." Ian said walking to the door and dimming the lights before leaving. He walked to the bridge and sat in his chair. "Give me a ship wide broadcast" he said to no one in particular. A beep and green light confirmed he was live. "I have good news and bad news. Bad news is that we need to prepare for a medical emergency, Good news is that the medical emergency is Colin, he's back." He finished hanging up the receiver.

Colin

The ship was ablaze with gunfire every gun was breathing fire, and the ships engines were roaring. The whole effect gave him the notion that the ship was a dragon. He was shaken out of his reverie by a massive impact that rocked the ship to the port. He yelled as pain surged through him, looking he saw his shields had failed and he was taking impacts on the hull. He yelled and pushed the engines and guns as far as they would go, the furnace roaring louder than the demons outside. His shields flickered back to life as his rage fueled the ships ever increasing advance. Then he saw it, a massive warp storm, and at its center a demon bigger than his ship. He felt for the main cannon and charged it to fire. "Sir, the main weapons targeting system is destroyed, we can't aim." She said in a worried tone. "That warp storm could be our way out, I'm not going to let a demon stop me." He said aiming the ship directly at the thing.

The ship hurtled towards the unknowing demon at breakneck pace, firing wildly in all directions as it went. It smashed directly into the demon while it was turning around, impaling it on the prow ram, then he fired the main weapon. An under bow swivel mounted Nova cannon that took a portion of the furnaces fire and shot it at the enemy in a ball of light. Which made contact with the demon at extremely close range, blowing it into pieces and ripping a massive hole into normal space. He plowed through and into real space, guns silent and ship ablaze. His shields failed again, this time it was more permanent. The engines quit and the furnaces went silent as the ship powered down and started drifting.

Colin spread his arms and fell backwards, landing on the ground with a resounding thump. "We made it." He said aloud to the ship and Sheila. "Where are we?" he asked "Sir, look outside" she responded. A massive light confirmed his suspicions as he got up to see his battle fleet. His ship shuddered as he was boarded by rescue teams, he sat back down as Sheila stopped his enhancements and cut his supply of adrenaline and other chemicals, essentially shutting him down, as the 10 years of hell finally caught up with him. He passed out right as the medics made it to the bridge, falling into a deep slumber he would not awaken from for a few days.