Succubus lord 16, p.19
Succubus Lord 16, page 19
“And then voila!” Isabella added with dramatic flair. “The birth of the eighth Nephilim, and the beginning of the End Times.”
“You’ve gone off your gourd,” Metatron chuckled in disbelief. “It’s no wonder the Divine Order of Angels voted to halt its support. Do you have any idea just how crazy you sound right now?”
“I know it’s a lotta convoluted, prophetic mumbo-jumbo,” Todd admitted, “but it’s one of those things where ya just don’t think about it too much, sit back, and enjoy the ride. Like a CW television show.”
“You can believe us, or not.” I shrugged. “But either way, we have to get Mary out of here.”
“Take me away from my chambers?” Mary gasped. “This is my home.”
Superbia cautiously walked over to the nun, placed her hand softly on her shoulder, and attempted to comfort her with a mother-like nature.
“I know this is hard for you, dear,” the madame explained, “but we don’t want to see you hurt. If you come with us--”
“You will do no such thing!” Metatron’s deep voice bellowed. “Once chosen, the Scholar Separatam is not to leave this place. It is forbidden by both the laws of the Vatican and the laws of the Exalted One.”
“When has that ever stopped us before?” I reminded the Archangel.
He must not have liked that answer, because he instantly drew his massive white claymore from its sheath and held it out toward us.
“Do not test me, King Ralston,” he warned with a sneer. “I may have a soft spot for you from our days as allies, but I will not hesitate to bring you in. And this time, you won’t have your crafty imp to represent you.”
“He’s right, bro,” Todd admitted, “I was totally disbarred. Who knew you couldn’t sell body parts of dead demons on the black market?”
“Everyone,” Isabella sighed, “literally everyone knows that.”
“Look, Metatron,” I retorted, “we both know how this goes. I’ve beaten you not once, not twice, but three times before. Do you really want to be embarrassed like that again? She’s coming with us, end of story.”
“Even if your claims are true,” the blond Archangel growled as he tightened his grip on his sword. “Even if Lucifer did have his minions searching for her right now… Where are you going to take her that’s safer than a literal holy city?”
“I haven’t gotten that far yet,” I admitted, “but all I know is she’ll be safe with my people.”
“Your people? Safe?” Metatron scoffed. “That’s rich, coming from the Nephilim whose domain has been invaded countless times.”
“And each and every one of those attacks was dispelled, with their leaders killed,” I reminded him. “I’ll trust my track record over yours any day of the week.”
The Archangel’s brow furrowed as a look of pure rage overtook him.
“You’ve gone off the rails, Jacob Ralston,” he snarled. “And now, you’re coming with me.”
“Are we really gonna--” I began, but then I quickly ducked out of the way of the incoming attack.
Sparks flew from above me as Metatron’s sword struck the wall, but I was ready for his assault.
While I was still crouched down, I summoned red flames into my hand, charged it up, and then blasted a fireball the size of a basketball directly into his breastplate.
Metatron let out a grunt as he was tossed into the sky. His wings sprung out from underneath his armor to catch his fall, but it wasn’t going to do him much good.
I ran at the Archangel, commanded my warhammer to materialize, and swung it at his ribs.
Metatron deflected the blow with his sword, and then he flipped my hammer away and brought his armored boot up into my chest.
I tried to summon my armor for protection, but the Archangel was much too fast. The air was kicked out of my lungs as I was flung back against the damp ground. I rolled across the stone and clay, used my momentum to flip back onto my feet, and then called forth my Calignan armor with a flash of black and purple flames.
Even though I was now protected from further harm, my chest was on fire. It felt like I’d just been kicked by a fucking horse, and each of my breaths came out in a deep, labored heave.
“Jacob!” Gula cried out. “Are you alright?”
I held up my hand to stop anyone else from entering the fight.
“Stay back!” I commanded. “Don’t take your eyes off Mary.”
I knew Metatron didn’t want to kill me. And I didn’t want to kill him.
However, this was the perfect setup for some Divine trickery. If we all tried to fight the Archangel at once, he’d surely have his backup sneak in and snatch the woman away. Or he’d teleport her to another secret location or grab her and fly away or something like that.
I could more than handle Metatron on my own.
Before either of us could make another move, though, the ghost of Angelo Martatelli stepped between us and stuck out his hands to hold us apart.
“Scortillum es ad ens. Ridiculum est haec belli statim prohibere!” he commanded in his native tongue, and the nun let out another gasp.
“So vulgar!” she exclaimed.
“What did you just call me, Martatelli?” Metatron grumbled.
“Scortillum,” the spirit reiterated. “Parvus scortillum. Utrumque.”
“Did- Did Tortellini just call Megatron a little bitch?” Todd snickered.
Metatron rose a few feet off the ground and then zipped straight toward my position.
Martatelli held his position with both hands out in front of his body, but he was then whipped away into the wall with a flash of white light.
“Cazzo,” the spectre grumbled as he pried his charred figure out of the indentation he made in the brick.
Metatron was on me in a flash, so I threw up a small wall of purple flames. The Archangel did a mid-air somersault over the barrier, lifted up his sword, and stabbed it down toward me.
The blade stabbed into the ground with a dull shlunk as I rolled out of the way, jumped to my feet, and whipped out my own Sword of Saints. I lashed out at Metatron, but he was quick to block the blow. Our swords clanged against each other as we went back and forth, trying to find a weakness in each other’s technique. Eventually, we both went on the offensive at the same time, and our blades locked together.
Our faces were now only inches apart, and I could almost smell the desperation of the Archangel.
Then again, that could have just been his breath.
“The Sword of Saints,” Metatron mumbled through gritted teeth. “And Caliginian armor. I see much has happened since the last time we spoke.”
“I’d tell you about it,” I mocked, “but I don’t really think you’d give a fuck.”
We broke our blade lock, and I only had seconds to jump back before Metatron spun around and slashed at my stomach.
While he was still twirling, I threw up a barrier of purple Hellfire directly in the path of his sword. His momentum caused his blade to strike the barrier and then send a shockwave of pain coursing through his arm.
Metatron let out a grunt of frustration as he was momentarily dazed, and I used the opportunity to slug him in the face as hard as I could with my black gauntlet.
The Archangel stumbled backward, wiped a bit of dribbling blood from the corner of his mouth, and narrowed his eyes. Then Metatron let out a roar as he lunged forward and stabbed at my gut.
I parried the attack, spun around, and slammed the Sword of Saints into the side of his armor. I knew it wouldn’t be enough to penetrate the Divine metal, but the loud crack that reverberated off the Necropolis walls told me I at least did some damage.
Before I could follow up, Metatron’s large fist slammed into my face and sent me stumbling backwards. Then, as I tried to reorient myself, the Archangel grabbed me by the arm, slammed me into the wall, and threw me across the room like a ragdoll.
I called forth my wings and caught myself in midair, and then I swooped back down at my opponent. As I flew, I enchanted the Sword of Saints with bronze Hellfire, took aim, and lashed out at Metatron.
He tossed up his sword and countered the attack.
Just like I hoped he would.
I sent a burst of bronze Hellfire coursing through my blade, which caused it to vibrate rapidly. The vibrations traveled down Metatron’s weapon and into his hands, and he gasped as his sword was knocked free of his grip.
Now that he was disarmed, I pressed the blunt end of the blade up to his breastplate and engulfed his entire body with my spell.
Metatron let out a scream of frustration as his body was shaken to its molecular core. Then I called forth red fire to my open fist and slammed it into his stomach.
The Archangel smashed into the wall behind him, stumbled forward woozily, and held up his hands in a fighting stance.
I didn’t let him get that far.
Instead, I transferred the bronze flames to my fist and slugged him across the face.
The momentum from my blow twisted Metatron’s body to the side, so I ducked down and swept his legs out from under him, which sent him crashing down in a heap.
“Holy shit!” Todd called out from across the room. “Jakey-san just swept the fucking leg! Cobra Kai for the mother fucking win!”
Metatron began to stand back to his hands and knees, but I placed my boot on his back and pushed him back down.
“Come on, dude,” I sighed. “It’s over. I beat you. Now, if you’ll concede, I’ll have Sia heal you up and then we can be on our merry way.”
“You--You’re not taking Mary,” the Archangel panted. “She’s safer here than anywhere else in the universe. It’s the natural order.”
“Why can’t you get it through that thick skull of yours?” I growled. “She’s not safe here at all. If a human woman could get past the guards, and we could figure out the puzzles that led down here, don’t you think Lucifer’s goons could do it, too?”
“Well,” a nasally voice whistled from the tunnel at the end of the room, “I guess that question has already been answered.”
I took my foot off Metatron, spun around, and held my sword at the ready.
Through the darkness stepped two men, both clad in robes so dark red they looked next to purple. Both of them were short, with chiseled features and a dimpled chin that looked like something ripped straight out of an ad for men’s cologne. They wore their sandy brown hair differently, though. The man on the left kept his in a tight buzz cut, while the other let his locks grow out into a mane around his head.
Most importantly, however, their faces were identical.
“Geminos… ” Martatelli noted.
The fucking twins.
“Sia!” I commanded. “Heal Metatron, now! Everyone else, protect Mary at all costs.”
“Mary?” the man with the lion’s mane whistled. “Such a beautiful name… Very fitting for our new stepmother.”
“It’s too bad father’s going to claim her,” the short-haired man chuckled as he looked Mary up and down pervily. “She’s definitely ripe for the picking, and I’d totally take a piece of that.”
“There are plenty of fish in the sea, Alistor,” the first man reminded his brother. “No need to take father’s prey.”
“Aw, shit,” Todd sighed, “it’s Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum.”
There was a flash of golden Hellfire as Sia’s healing spell wrapped around Metatron and brought him back to full strength.
The Archangel crawled over to his fallen sword, jumped to his feet, and then pointed it at the twins.
“Identify yourself, Demons!” he commanded.
The Twins looked at each other and grinned in unison.
“Not demons,” the one with the mane, Apocrus, corrected, “Nephilim.”
“N-No… ” Metatron gulped.
“I told you we weren’t lying,” Isabella growled, and then I heard her pistols cock. “These are Jacob’s brothers, here to take Mary away in the name of Lucifer.”
“Ohhhhh.” Alistor whistled. “She’s a feisty one. Can I take her for myself?”
“You’ll have to come and get me first, asshole,” the BPI Agent spat.
“We will,” Apocrus reassured her. “If our dear brother here can have a harem of succubi and Earth girls, why can’t we?”
“You fuckers really need to stop calling me your brother,” I warned and tightened my grip on the Sword of Saints. “Like I told Cabal as he was heaving his guts through his mouth… I’m a Demon King, which is more than you sorry excuse for henchmen will ever be.”
“Ugh, he really is the redheaded stepchild.” Alistor rolled his eyes.
“Fear not, brother.” Apocrus grinned. “Once he’s gone, and we take this woman back to father, he’ll be replaced by a new sibling. Hopefully one that will be a bit more fun.”
“Joke’s on you, Ace and Gary!” Todd cackled. “You kill Jakey, and suddenly you’ll fuck up the whole ‘eight spawns’ prophecy.”
“Thanks for the encouragement, bro,” I said sarcastically back over my shoulder.
“I don’t know anything about a prophecy… ” Apocrus admitted, “I just know father said we’d be rewarded greatly if we brought this woman back in one piece.”
“Well, you’ll have to go through all of us first,” I reminded the bastards. “And we’ve got you outnumbered, ten to one.”
“Father told us you liked to say that a lot.” Apocrus smiled. “Shall we?”
Both of the twins held out their hands and summoned forth a type of Hellfire I’d never seen before. It was blue, like Cupi’s, but it was a much darker shade, almost sapphire.
“Animal magic?” Metatron noted. “That hasn’t been seen in centuries.”
“Nephilim powers, you Archangel bitch,” Alistor cackled. “If you didn’t have such a giant stick up your ass, you could have some of your own.”
The dark blue Hellfire blasted out from the Nephilims’ hands and covered the walls beside them. For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of the roaring flames as they retreated back into the tunnel behind them.
Then we all heard it.
The sound absolutely nobody wants to hear when they’re down in a dark, creepy, abandoned space.
The sound of scuttling legs.
“Bro… ” Todd began to hyperventilate. “That better not be what I think it is. I can’t fucking do spiders again, bro. I can’t!”
“They’re not regular spiders,” Isabella warned. “Italian Cave Spiders.”
Todd let out a girlish shriek.
“Not those things,” he gasped. “Anything but those things!”
“Keep it together, Todd,” Aruna tried to console the imp in disguise. “What could possibly be so bad about these things?”
That’s when the scuttling turned into buzzing.
“They have wings, Tigra.” Todd gulped. “And they’ve got fangs the size of a fucking pitbull.”
Apocrus and Alistor cackled as their lifted their hands into the air in front of them, and then the Cave Spiders swarmed.
Chapter 13
The swarm of cave spiders fluttered through the darkness of the catacomb tunnels like a silent wave of death before they burst out into the light.
Each one of these creepy crawlers was the size of a large rat, probably about a foot long and seven or eight inches wide. Their curved wings flapped with the speed of a hummingbird’s as they came through the doorway of the chamber, as they carried their brown, striped figures. Even from here, I could see their gnarled ivory fangs, massive daggers that jutted out of their mouths at an angle.
For once, it looked like Todd wasn’t exaggerating about size.
The arachnids were almost too small to target individually, but they were still definitely large enough to be a threat.
“Protect Mary at all costs!” I commanded my teammates. “And take out as many of these fucking things as you can!”
“More importantly, don’t let yourself get overwhelmed,” Aruna added as she pulled out her chakram. “If they swarm you, you’re fucked.”
“That ain’t gonna be a problem, Tigra,” Todd shrieked as he transformed back into his imp form and summoned red flames into his hand. “There’s gonna be a five-foot blast of flames between me and Satan’s little helpers at all times!”
Normally, this was where Todd would have charged forward and let out an out-of-context Schwarzenegger or WWE quote. However, this time the imp kept his eyes wide as he scuttled backward, jumped underneath Mary’s table, and then held his arms out like an airplane. The whole time, he kept muttering “nonononononononono” as he rocked back and forth like a patient in a mental ward.
“I’m going to fight fire with fire,” Aruna declared as her body was surrounded by ectoplasm. “They want to play dirty with these creatures? I’ll give them one of our own.”
The Rakshasi’s figure shrunk down to the size of a fist, sprouted wings, and elongated into an insectoid.
A Tarantula Hawk. Aruna had just turned herself into a massive version of the spider-killing wasp, and she was ready to tango.
The Aruna-wasp took to the sky on her wings, and she charged straight toward the incoming swarm.
Metatron and I were the closest to the incoming creatures, so we were the first ones they descended on.
The Archangel let out a growl as he lashed out with his blade and sliced one of the fuckers straight in half. Without another moment’s hesitation, Metatron began to move his sword with the grace of a fucking samurai. He took down spider after spider effortlessly, but there was no way that was gonna last.
If we wanted to stand a chance against these locust-like bugs, we were gonna have to take them out en masse.
So, I sheathed my sword, summoned red flames into one hand, purple into the other, and then clapped them together. An enchanted barrier appeared before me, and it glowed with the mixture of protective and incendiary flames.
Then the swarm hit me hard, and I had to reestablish my footing to keep myself from being knocked down flat on my ass.
