Reaper Kissed

16. Oblivion

Liam bellowed, swinging his mighty axe in a circle of carnage. The imps shrieked as blood sprayed up the gorgon, drenching his hideous face. His axe caught one imp in the torso - hacking neatly through the creature. The imp was flung up into the air - cleaved into two parts and intestines showered down upon Liam like a bloody rainfall.

The Repulsive closed in on Liam unseen. Both of his heads grinned evilly as the cattle prod in his hands crackled with charge. Too late Liam caught sight of the danger out of the corner of his eye. He dodged to the left, an act that shouldn't have spared him. But at that moment, Ryder's blue fire lit up the sky. The swarm panicked, and Liam ducked quickly down. Pan was on the ground in a pool of blood. His head was titled into the puddle, his mouth and nose close drowning.

Liam hoisted Pan quickly up onto his shoulder. A soft groan was only mild reassurance. The young warlock wasn't dead quite yet. The imps were backing away, their frightened gazes on Ryder who filled the alleyway ahead of them. Taking the opportunity, Liam darted down another passage - away from the fight. Pan's blood was already rapidly soaking Liam's front and back.

"Stay with me Pan." He urged gruffly.

Ryder closed in on the dozgam legend. He flung out an arm suddenly and a disk of ice shot out from his palm. The disc struck The Repulsive. The imps shrieked, frozen spectators to this showdown. The Repulsive swayed unsteadily. Its extra head fell with a thud in the mud. The head rolled between them, its face staring up at them - fixed in a startled expression. Neatly decapitated.

The Repulsive turned and bolted. Blue fire immediately shot up through the mud and littering corpses - surrounding the imp. The surrounding imps started to back away, cowering back. The blue fires reflected in their large terrified eyes. Ryder strode predatorily toward the flames.

"I want to kill you," he purred darkly. The Repulsive gawped up at him, black blood running in rivulets down its one remaining wrinkled face. "But there's someone else who'd enjoy it even more. Someone you badly betrayed."

A taloned hand suddenly shot up through the mud, seizing the dozgam imp by the ankle. "Your former master." The imps shrieked in terror, leaping about frantically as one of their leaders was dragged down beneath the mud before their eyes. Airluck frantically clawed at the mud, thrashing with no progress as he was swiftly dragged down. Down into the world below. Down to face Mishael, the royally pissed off lord of the underworld.

The imps retreated on mass - flooding back to the Obituary Pits.

Ryder's blue fire melted away, leaving only some icy blue embers to flutter in the humid air. Ryder's keen gaze surveyed the shacks. Slowly the inhabitants emerged from the shadows - the filth of their bodies and faces having blended them in with the muddy walls. Ryder turned slowly on the spot as debris and waste piles seemed to grow eyes and rise to their feet.

"I need a doctor." He called out to these people. They didn't approach him. Buzzing, like a nest of bees, they rose up - hissing to one another.

"Ryder."

"It's Ryder."

"The Devil."

The fear and hostility in their gazes pressed upon Ryder. His hands clenched into trembling fists. They'd recognised his powers. They knew who he was. He hadn't been discreet enough. He hadn't been able to be. "A doctor!" He shouted angrily, his patience completely snapping. Beasts like him would never get second chances.