Risen: Beginning of a Legacy

Chapter Thirty Five: Heca

He refused to stop fighting. Heca barely noticed the Horde he cut down; all his thoughts focused on finding Evangeline. Where was she?! The castle was a jarring blend of empty and Horde filled, the vile creations were on a particular mission. Clearly someone or several someone's were in command of the attack.
     Heca took the next staircase three stairs at a time, his feet pounding on the stone. On turning left, he stormed towards the library, the only other place he could think to look for her. The corridor was like an arctic tundra, the wind whipped and clearly was escaping from the open broken doors of the Library. It was a battle but he reached his destination as the Darklore filling the castle seemed to pulse. An eerie chanting began to fill the corridor.
     The Angyali. They were summoning Elysium light. Flickers of the powerful ritual began to spark in the air around him. Heca allowed hope to bloom in his chest, now all he needed was Evangeline to be safe and he'd be happy again.
     Looking into the disaster zone that was the library, he heard her scream before he caught sight of her. He charged into the saturated room, Darklore thick in the air of the library. The sight that met him stopped him dead.
     Evangeline was on her knees, a look of fire and determination on her features. Heca watched transfixed as deadly, gorgeous wings came around her and the razor-sharp feathers slit open the throat of the skӧll monstrosity latched on her forearm. The creature whined, its dying noise inducing a skin crawling reaction.
     Evangeline wedged the broken spearhead of a quarterstaff into the things jaw's and wrenched them apart, shoving the carcass away from her as she pulled her blood drenched arm free.
     'Evangeline.'
Her name escaped his mouth before he could stop it, the relief and emotion that filled the one word should have embarrassed him but as her eyes found his and she forced her battered body to stand he found he didn't care. Not one iota.
     She looked to him; with such a relieved look in her glorious eyes that Heca did not care about the danger literally whirling around them. He ran to the winged beauty in the centre of the chaos, wrapped his arms around her and captured her mouth. A primal kiss that took over them both and communicated all the passion he felt for her in that moment. Evangeline surrendered to him willingly, a soft moan escaping her as he pulled away seconds later.
     'We're going to be in trouble for that later no doubt warrior boy' she whispered.
Heca grinned, squeezing her waist.
     'Honestly I'm looking forward to it Angel Face' he ran his fingertips over her new acquisition, 'love the wings.'
     Her shocked look was priceless; she twirled within his embrace, her wings beating gently. It was clear she had not yet had a moment to enjoy them. As she stopped the motion, her hand stroking down the left wings' feathers reverently, the pair realised the Darklore was receding. The soft light emanating from Evangeline beat the tendrils back and even the vortex of wind seemed to be lessening.
     By her feet, Alecto then stirred. Heca felt his defences rise, but the kid looked half beaten, so he locked down the jealous animal and took in the surrounding area. Evangeline bent immediately, her caring hands resting gently on Alecto's shoulder, turning him.
     'Alecto, speak to me.'
The chanting of the Angyali's summons began to bleed into the room and the flecks of light joined Evangeline's summoned warmth. Then as Alecto opened his eyes, the darkness swirling around the library stopped entirely. Dissolving like someone had cut the power.
     Heca spotted the protection circle on his left. He marched to it, and dragged Adonis to his feet, letting his friend lean heavily on him.
     'You had me worried there mate.'
Adonis's laugh was faint but he tried to knuckle Heca's shoulder nonetheless.
     'Couldn't help but give you some excitement.' Adonis replied faintly.
     'Haven't we had enough of that this year?' Heca questioned.
     'Not from me, bud!'
Heca laughed. He helped Adonis walk and got him away from the debris littering the library. Throwing a glance over his shoulder, Heca immediately wished he'd not left Evangeline.
     Around her and Alecto, darkness swirled. Not causing the twister vortex it had before but curling around the two of them, trying to force entrance through the dimming light Evangeline was cased in. The jealous monster inside Heca clawed at him as Alecto reached up, burying his hand into Evangeline's hair, his thumb stroking her face.
     With red fury filtering his vision, Heca watched as Evangeline didn't pull away from Alecto's hand. Heca's temper flared, but as he watched, it seemed like the darkness caressed over her back, the tips trying to sink into her skin. He dropped Adonis, who shouted rough curses after him.
     Heca hurdled over the collapsed bookshelves and drawing out his falchion, slashed at the evil tendrils sinking into Alecto and Evangeline. On a shudder Evangeline slumped to the side. Heca scooped her into his arms. Looking down at Alecto, he wasn't sure if the guy was the cause or the victim of the darkness, but he wasn't going to be alone with Evangeline again. Heca felt the Warrior spirit rise up in him as he made that promise to himself. Alecto struggled to his feet.
     'What the fuck happened?' he asked.
Alecto's dark gaze stayed focused on Evangeline. Heca felt Evangeline's fingers flutter over his torso. He turned from Alecto and, looking down at her, he saw that her eyes were hooded as though drugged. Heca had to get her out of there. He needed to. As they moved towards where he left Adonis, Orion appeared, bursting into the room with Morgana and another winged female behind him.
     Angyali Tutors and Masters poured into the dishevelled library. Heca perched on a crumbled desk, keeping Evangeline locked in his arms. She however, struggled a little, twisting so her gaze could take in Tien.
     'Copycat.' she teased, her face breaking into a weary smile.
Tien, smiled back and let her hand graze over her feathers until, Evangeline gasped and burst out of Heca's arms. 'DeeDee!' she exclaimed.
     The puncture marks in her forearm caught Heca's attention but as he stretched out to stop her, the infuriating girl took off. His mind closed down and his body jack knifed from the desk after the Angelus. Several other pairs of feet pounded the stone right along with his echoing steps.
     'Evangeline, all of you, stop! No!' Master Delacruz shouted after them.
Heca at least, ignored him, hell bent on catching up with the angelus ahead of him.

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