Space Angels: find the Gift (complete)

֎ The O-zone ֎ ~ Chapter Forty

Cherubim Landing Zone

ЄD♡Ɲ: ֎ the O-zone ֎

40 - pride comes before a fall

Cylvah gasped when her narrator told her another Imp had revealed itself to the Seraphim. "Borak, Sunshine says the Mammons are here. Do you think Stygien has sent members from every clan?"

Borak stood at the foot of the tall trunk, bare for most of its height, staring up at its boughs, the wall of fire flickered in the wind beyond.

"This planet is important to Stygien, Cylvah, perhaps because it is important to the Bright One," he said, still gazing upwards. "We have to assume all the clans are here and we must be wary. I will debrief the cadre with what I've learned after I've closed this O-zone... and I have judged this demon."

Cylvah wondered what Borak would tell them but he was right to concentrate on the Incubus. She scanned the treetop, thick with leaves; only a Scintilla could search for the creature safely.

She checked the other Scintillas she'd left to monitor Jango. He still held his sword to Picky's chest but he watched her progress. She guessed he'd sent a Scintilla to spy on her too. Picky started talking: ["She'll never take an Incubus."]

["Silence!"] Jango snapped.

["Sorry,"] Picky said, ["but she isn't you. I saw how well your sword fought Deon - not many could hold him back - and your power controlled the wind and threw us right across the grass. I bet you could take it..."]

"Do you want me to flush it out, Borak?" Cylvah said, ignoring Picky. She had to focus, knowing Jango watched her.

"If you would, Cylvah - but use your sword," Borak replied. They are almost quick as Cherubim."

She nodded and flew up to the tree's leafy head. It was dark in there.

["It'll tear her a new one - literally - I tell you,"] Picky was saying.

She drew her sword and sent it into the branches. For moments, nothing stirred. She wondered if the Incubus had slipped away without them noticing, but then, a leaf fell on her left...

Something white and shiny catapulted from the darkness towards her. She realised it was two rows of teeth. She dodged to her right, the body of the creature became a black blur in the light. A shriek pierced her ears and slaver splashed her feathery face when it flew past, its jaws snapped together with a vicious click, missing her wing by microns, and, turning in mid air, it plummeted to the ground still howling...

["Whoa!"] Jango exclaimed, surprised as her at the Incubus' speed. She heard Picky speak.

["She did well there for a female, but we males would make short work of it."]

["Don't compare yourself with me, traitor,"] said Jango.

Picky lifted his head, his arms behind his back, chest out. ["I'm not a traitor, I'm an Edon, forced to do bad things by a demon, just like Benji - although I'm better than him. But females are weak, we're all above them."]

["And, I'm above you, so shut up."]

Cylvah's feathers ruffled at Picky's views but she disregarded them and searched the grass below for the Incubus. It had landed heavily, a few paces away from the unconscious Benji, but had managed to roll enough to avoid damaging itself. She feared it may harm the boy but strangely, it backed away and turned to face Borak. She followed it down, landing a safe distance away; her sword flew from the treetop and into her hand. Picky's voice had a coaxing tone; he spoke to Jango with admiration.

["Of course you're above me; you're a superior male... It's gallant of you to defend her, but where was she when you were about to lose your head? You were brave to face down Deon, but it took another male to save you. That's because we males stick together. And what's with all her disguises? A Cherub, a lion, an eagle face... what, is she really ugly or something?"]

["She always wears that face, it's her thing..."]

The Incubus crouched on its haunches between Cylvah and Borak, growling, switching its cruel stare to each of them. Cylvah wondered who it would choose to attack... she stared into its black eyes when it met her gaze... but it was getting more difficult to concentrate.

["Her thing, you say? Oh, sure... She's just vain, like all females, more concerned about her looks than getting the job done. But you risked your life to protect someone against a monster more powerful. That's a real hero."]

Had she blinked? The Incubus seemed to sense her lack of focus. Its jaw opened slightly, revealing a smile of little white daggers...

["...I'm not above everyone,"]Jango was saying.

["But you're above us - and so you should be - we Edons are weak. We don't fly or have magical swords... you are a god compared to us with your mighty powers."]

Jango gave a slight nod then and Cylvah realised something was wrong. Her Scintilla moved down Picky's back and zoomed in on his left hand: a thin cord extended from a finger, and when the Scintilla magnified, she realised it was a slender thread flickering with fire. It ran along the grass, smokeless and virtually invisible, snaking past the pair towards the figure lying beyond them... Ecad's face had a bluish hue, and his eyes bulged in horror: Picky's flaming thread tightened itself around Ecad's throat while he praised Jango. Ecad was slowly being throttled to death...

She could not wait. She turned her back on the Incubus.

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