Angel and the Beast (A Good Omens fanfic)

Chapter 11

It was a dark and stormy night.
Most nights were dark, if not all of them, but this night in particular had decided to turn up the Darkness level, so that one could barely see a hand in front of their face, and the only light the village mob had was from their torches, along with flashes of lightning that occasionally lit up the night sky. The only factor that didn't seem to be working against them was the wolves, as the villagers heard not a single howl, nor snarl, from within the forest.

The only reason the group made it to the castle at all was due to the mirror, which Mrs Young had taken from Aziraphale, and then given to Gabriel. Although Gabriel was slightly lacking in certain departments of education, he was a skilled navigator, and with a simple command of "show me the castle," or something similar, he was able to locate the whereabouts of the castle, and soon, the group had arrived.

"Well," sighed Newt, "at least he found someone."
"Fat lot o' good that does us if tha' someone isn't even here, let alone whether he loves him back or not!" said Shadwell grumpily.
"Well, I have hope, and so should you!" said Madame Tracy.
"Don't see what good it'd do," Shadwell huffed.
There was a sound of horses outside. Newt rushed to the window, and he paled at the sight that confronted him.
"Uh, guys? We've got company!" he said.
"Is it Aziraphale? I told you he'd come back!" said Pepper.
"Something tells me it's not Aziraphale," Newt replied as the others crowded to the window, gasping as they saw what was outside: a swarm of angry-looking villagers, loaded with torches, pitchforks, and other dangerous objects, preparing an attack on the castle.
"Oh deary me, I do believe we're being invaded!" said Madame Tracy.
"Bunch o' scoundrels, the lot of 'em!" said Shadwell. "Well then, this means only one thing! We have a battle on our hands! It's time to rally the troops and secure the fort!"
While Shadwell gave out orders, the castle staff fetched whatever they could to try and barricade the doors. Unfortunately, they didn't stand much chance against the large group of motivated villagers, and the doors were beginning to break. Newt, realising this, decided to go upstairs to fetch Crowley.

Newt found Crowley sitting on of one of highest walkways in the castle. He was slumped over, staring into the distance, seemingly not noticing the commotion happening just below him.
"Um, excuse me master," Newt began, "we seem to have a bit of a situation downstairs. If you could maybe just-"
"He's not coming back, is he?"
Newt faltered. "I really don't know master, but please, there are people outside who are breaking down the doors!"
Crowley shrugged. "It doesn't matter," he said gloomily. "Nothing matters anymore. Just let them come."

"This isn't working!" cried Madame Tracy as the villagers continued breaking down the doors. "Newt, what did Crowley say?"
"Not much really," said Newt, coming back down. "I think we're on our own here."
"Wait!" said Pepper. "I have an idea!"

"KILL THE BEAST!"
"KILL THE BEAST!"
"KILL THE-" BANG!
After much pushing, hacking, and chopping, the castle doors swung open, one loudly hitting the inside wall, the other collapsing to the ground. The villagers warily crept inside, only to find the castle completely dark, and seemingly empty.
"Not exactly what I expected, if I'm honest," said one villager.
"Is it just me, or do you feel like you've been here before?" said another.
"Now that you mention it, there is something rather familiar about it."
"Stay focused everyone!" said Gabriel. "Who knows what could be lurking within these walls! The Beast could be watching us at this very moment!"

A short distance away, hidden in shadow, Pepper and the rest of the castle staff were watching the procession. She slowly and quietly began counting down.
"And 3... 2... 1... GO!"

Before the villagers could work out what was going on, all the lights switched on, as furniture and other objects seemed to jump out at them from every nook and cranny. If the village mob wanted a fight, then a fight was what they were going to get.

Adam and Aziraphale arrived just as the battle was in full swing. After putting Alastor in the stable, Aziraphale dismounted and went around to the castle's back entry, while Adam eagerly joined the fray at the front.

Inside the castle, it was a madhouse. Hatstands threw punches, footstools became tripping hazards, and candlesticks sent out great bursts of flame at unsuspecting villagers. Somehow, Gabriel managed to get by fairly unnoticed amongst all this commotion, and began heading up the stairs to find the Beast. (Not before Newt sneakily grabbed the mirror out of his coat pocket, though.)

The castle staff were having a blast. Pepper was turning saucers into projectile frisbees, Newt was riding a footstool and barreling into villagers with it, and Shadwell had managed to find some gunpowder, and was sending out sparks and firecrackers in every direction possible. Even Madame Tracy was enjoying herself, as she swung from the chandelier above, sending boiling hot water onto villagers below. Perhaps she was having just a little too much fun, as she accidentally swung too hard and dislodged herself from the chandelier, falling down, down, down...

...right into the hands of Adam Young.
"Oh thank you deary!" said Madame Tracy. "I'm ever so grateful. I don't want to imagine what would have happened if you hadn't caught me!"
"You're welcome," Adam replied.
Suddenly, Adam heard the unmistakable shrill voice of his mother.
"ADAM? That better not have been my son that I just saw!"
Adam turned around, still holding Madame Tracy, and sure enough, there was his mother, furious as ever. Before Mrs Young could open her mouth to say anything, however, Madame Tracy blasted a huge and  scalding jet of water right at her. Mrs Young screamed and threw her hands up to her face, staggering back into the crowd.
Adam lit up, grinning from ear to ear.
"Wicked," he said.
"It was my pleasure," said Madame Tracy. She peered up at him. "Wait a minute, aren't you the one the master captured?" she asked.
"Yep! That's me!" said Adam. "Aziraphale's here too. He's going to find Crowley."
Madame Tracy smiled warmly. "Well then, we better keep this lot distracted for him, shouldn't we?" she said.
"Sounds good to me!" Adam replied, and the fight continued.

It could have been two minutes, it could have been twenty, for not even Shadwell could recall how long the fight lasted. All they knew was that after a seemingly-long and spirited battle of Castle vs. Village, the villagers were sent fleeing out the doors, back onto their horses, and back to where they came. Even Mrs Young took off, still clutching at her face with one hand.
The castle staff cheered.
"Good riddance to ye!" called Shadwell. "Don't come back anytime soon!"

However, Gabriel was still in the castle, and the fight was not over yet.