Chapter 28: Alpha

Everything around him seemed to move in slow motion as he charged towards the smug demon. As he approached the demon, the man held out his dagger from his left sleeve ready to slash the monster yards away from him. Yet, for what seemed like slow motion, transformed into a blur. Garfield expected to have slashed the demon, but instead when he made contact with the demon, it was ready. Stopped in place, the only leverage between both the men were two dagger blades.

Garfield was bent slightly down drawing his blade upward, whereas Archon stood in a comfortable stance with his blade perpendicular to the Messors. Again, the demon wore a satisfying grin on his face and chuckled.

"Steady down there," Archon spoke "I do not desire your death to be that quickly. I would like for you to suffer in front of the half-breed."

Furious, Garfield swung his leg around attempting to trip the demon. However, Archon already anticipated the assault and shifted to the right avoiding the assault. Garfield stood upward still with his blade drawn defensively. He continued to glare at the demon. "Her name is Raven."

Another chuckle escaped the demon's mouth. The demon was calm and collected when it came to this battle. "Whatever it is you want to call her, she will always be a half-breed. Nothing more."

Taking small steps around the man, the demon circled Garfield acting like a predator circling its kill. Garfield continued to glare at the demon and kept his defensive stance. Making a one hundred eighty degree turn, the demon spoke.

"So tell me exactly why this half- breed is of so much interest to you?" Archon asked continuing his pace around the Messor. Garfield was silent. "You really have no idea what you have gotten yourself into. This is truly an outlandish idea to save this creature. I will tell you this, she means nothing and insignificant. She is half human and I am pure demon. In turn, making her my servant and to do whatever it is I please."

The demon stopped in place and moved his eyes towards the injured woman. She appeared to be healing herself, but pain was still stricken all over her face. The man beside her continued to bandage her wounds, attempting to stop the bleeding.

Archon scuffed and returned his attention to the man he was battling. "At least your friend is helping to heal her. After I am finished with you and him, she'll be ready for me to bed her. When she has my child, I will dispose of her. She is simply a servant to my needs as well as the great Trigon. I won't need her to fulfill my sexual desires, since I already have another demoness' for that. She only lives because I need a child born of royal blood and Trigon needs an heir. Do not fret; once I am finished with you, she will join you in the next life. Now, let's get down to business. I want enjoy your demise."

"That's not going to happen" Garfield whispered to himself.

In a blink of an eye, Archon appeared behind Logan. Before he could react, the demon plunged the sharp into the human's right shoulder blade. Garfield cried out in pain and swatted the demon with his own blade. He failed to touch the demon, and Archon removed his blade from the man. Garfield grabbed his shoulder blade to ease the pain. It was bleeding at a steady place but continued to apply pressure to it. Archon on the other hand was enjoying seeing him in pain. He took a moment to take a large intake of the iron coated air. He smiled in satisfaction.

Raven and Cleaver were only spectators in this situation. Although she was healing herself and Cleaver was helping, she was still. The poison from the underlings was still making its way through her blood. She knew it was noble of Garfield to fight for her, but Raven was fearful that it would not end so well. She was solely relying on hope that he would defeat Archon.

Garfield charged for the demon and drew his dagger out only able to get one cut on his chest not causing him too much harm. The demon smiled, grabbed Garfield by his ribcage and sent him crashing into one of the arena walls. The man grunted loudly from the impact. He collapsed to the ground trying recover from the immense pain.

"Garfield!" Raven shouted from across the arena.

"I told you to be quiet wench!" Archon commanded and returned his gaze to his opponent. He lay lifeless in stone debris. However, the demon could sense that he was still alive, but barely. Pride began to fuel his ego as he proudly stood across from his opponent. This was soon shattered by the screams of his suitor for his victim. Archon growled and turned his attention to the commotion. "What did I tell you bitch?"

The demon took slow steps towards the half-demon and the human. Cleaver immediately stood up preparing for the impending encounter with the demon. In spite of this, he was no prepared for the demon to appear behind him. Before he could react, Archon threw the man far across the stadium floor.

Still enraged, the demon grabbed Raven by her throat leaving her inches off of the ground. She whimpered feeling her strength dissipate. Frequently, her eyes would flash crimson red and when he applied more pressure, they would return to normal. She struggled for air trying to claw at the demon.

The world around him was blurry. He could feel himself drifting into unconsciousness. Garfield vision was obstructed, but could hear what was happening yards away. He felt feeble that he was unable to help the woman he loved. She was gasping for life, and here he was defeated in a pile of rubble. There was only one option he had. Though he did not want to succumb to it, it had to have been done.

A smile came across Archon's face as he held Raven's life in his hands, literally. Suddenly, his smile was wiped off when he heard a loud growl behind him. Turning his neck around, he became face-to-face with an unknown creature. It was large green being with a lupine muzzle with upturned fangs, feline like ears, a long mane, brawny forequarters, barrel like chest, and robust hindquarters.

Fear coursed through the demons body and was soon sent across the stadium. Archon skidded along the blood stained ground landing a few yards away. Raven desperately gasped her air as she landed on the ground. Right at her side was the beast. He lowered his ears and head trying to examine his mate. The beast let out a sorrowful whimper, but Raven pet the fur between his eyes assuring him that she was okay.

Though he did not want to leave his mate in this state, the beast had some business to take care of. He licked her right cheek and resumed his battle with the demon. Still stunned, the demon stood up not appearing to be damaged.

"What the fuck is that?" Archon asked.

Before he could get his answer, the beast stormed towards him with fury. Without a moment's notice, the beast was in front of the demon. The green creature clawed the demon's chest making four deep cuts. The demon cried in pain and staggered away from it. Again, the lupine animal attacked the demon by pouncing on him. The demon cried from the amount of pressure the beast was pushing on him. Archon sniveled and begged for the creature to spare his life. Slowly the beast lowered his mouth to the ear of the demon. Out came a thunderous rumble from the beast's chest that traveled through his throat.

The green beast sunk his teeth into the demon's back. He sunk deep enough that he crushed his spinal cord and ripped out some of Archon's middle vertebrae. The demon's cried ceased. Blood was stained along the beast's mouth, neck and chest and dripped onto the cold ground. Raising his neck to the crimson sky, he let out a victorious howl. Sensing another presence approaching his mate, he glared across that direction. Cleaver was not harmed, and went to tend to his commander who still lay on the floor recovering from her ordeal.

Angry, the beast charged towards his competition. Before he could harm the man, Raven stood up and stepped between them both. She held out her hand signaling him to stop and she meant no injury.

"Garfield," she softly said to the beast, "This is your friend Cleaver. I assure you that he does not wish harm upon me or wish to pursue me as a mate. I need you to calm down."

The beast was breathing heavily, and let out an exasperated sigh. Cleaver and Raven returned sighs of relief was well. The half-demon scratched behind the beast's ear trying to sooth his nerves. However, she found it strange that he stayed in this form rather than his human state. Her question was answered by a familiar sound that made her stomach churn. A loud bellowed chuckle echoed across the stadium. There was only one place in the coliseum that this nose came from. The three looked to their right and above to find the source. Though Archon was dead, the battle was far from over.