Swan Song

I Have Waged Both Life And Land Part 2

Abaddon threw her ball of fire toward Crispin, who jumped on the ground to dodge, then quickly rolled back to his feet and ran toward the woman. Another fireball halted his efforts, making him dodge again.

"You're running out of friends for me to threaten, boy," the sleeper woman seethed. "Samael. Out. Now."

Wave appeared behind Alice, throwing his arms around her, then dragging her into his shadow.

Lock was busy trying to stop Lily's bleeding, but didn't seem to be getting anywhere. He looked around at the fire, then at Abaddon, and then back at Lily, who was growing paler by the minute. "If she dies, you get nothing."

Abaddon scoffed, aiming a fiery whip at Crispin's feet, igniting the grass in the process. "You were already giving us nothing, kitten. Oh, well, I guess your pals die bloody."

Crispin's sleeve caught fire, and he was forced to rip it off to stop the flames from spreading, burning his fingers. Then, his back ignited, and he quickly took off the jacket, then started coughing violently.

Lock looked around once more as Lily's breathing became shallower, then ran toward Crispin and got between him and Abby, who was getting ready to throw another fireball.

"Enough," he said. "I'll do it. I'll bring out Samael."

"Good boy." The woman grinned.

"Only if you help her." Lock pointed at Lily. "Use your fire. Sear the wound closed."

Abaddon gaped, then burst out laughing. "Then what's your incentive to keep your end of the deal? I don't like you, you pompous little brat. You remind me of the Hatter. Can't trust either of you."

"Tell me how to use Samael," Lock continued. "While I'm using him to retrieve the thing you need, you close her wounds."

The sleeper seemed to consider it. Wave appeared from a shadow next to her, holding the bloody sword. "She'll do it," he said. Abaddon looked ready to protest, but her ally's glare shut her down. "It's for the master."

That seemed to be all the motivation the woman needed, because she stalked over to Lily, her fingers emitting fire. "I should tell you that this'll hurt like a bitch."

Just as Abaddon described, Lily was in agony, screaming at the top of her lungs, barely having the strength to thrash. While the fire wielder dealt with that, Wave approached Lock.

"Bring him out."

Hesitating because of Samael's earlier warning, Lock nodded anyway, and his shadow extended behind him. His angel's imposing form crawled out of it, filling the air with even more dread than was already present.

"I don't see the Head Hunter anywhere," Samael said, tilting his head downwards to look at his eve. "You've ignored me once more, boy. I told you what would happ-"

Wave rolled his sleeve back, revealing a bracelet with a ruby embedded into it. Samael fell silent immediately, while Crispin eyed it suspiciously.

"You-"

He was cut off when the shadow at Wave's feet extended, and a short, slender figure jumped out of it. Robin's gloomy eyes were locked on Samael, then began glowing red. Lock's own eyes widened in shock, and he felt the strange connection between himself and his angel break. Unlike Dum, Samael did not wonder off, and instead began sinking into the ground.

"No," he bellowed. "The angel of death must have an eve!" His skeletal hands were digging into the ground as he tried to keep himself from sinking into the shadow. Wave's ruby glowed, and the shadow beneath Samael shifted. Robin took a hold of the all-too-surprised Lock, then proceeded to jump into the shadow, dragging him along. Samael disappeared along with the two, leaving Crispin behind with the sleepers and the injured Lily.