Warning: The following chapter contains swearing and scenes of graphic violence.
The very foundations of the gallery seemed to quake as the two demons clashed, bursts of light and roars filling the hall, illuminating the damage and scatter of bodies. But the two demons were too busy to notice anything but one another. Their deadly dance grew fiercer and more blood thirsty by the minute.
Javier and Avander flashed past each other in a blur, using only their hands as weapons. Sure enough their fingers were coated in the other demon's blood, bodies scarred and skin torn.
"You're holding up well." Javier smirked, licking some of the blood off his hands. "There was once a time when you wouldn't last a minute against me. Your blood is still the same though. Absolutely tasteless."
"Sorry to disappoint." Avander said, disappearing and reappearing behind Javier, smashing his elbow into the back of his neck. Javier fell towards the ground but regained control, twisting back and allowing his foot to make contact with the side of Avander's face. He hurtled to one side, crashing into a wall and causing it to turn into another pile of rubble. Avander however did not stay down for long, raising his hands and sending a beam of black-red light at Javier.
The other demon managed to avoid it, but just as he twisted away missing the beam by a hair's breath, Avander appeared beside him, grabbing him by the hair and forcing another crackling ball of energy right into his face. The demon shrieked, falling back. As he looked up at him with his skin smoking slightly, Avander was pleased to see that part of Javier's face had been blasted away, small chunks missing from the raw and bleeding skin. But as he watched Javier's face began to reform, the chucks of flesh regenerating and covering his exposed teeth and bones. Javier's left eye appeared in its socket, the grin on his face never faltering.
"Not bad, you almost had me there." He chuckled, feeling his newly formed face. "But I guess you'll have to try harder than that."
At this, Avander raised his hands once more, raining down a storm of glowing spear shaped forms. Javier weaved around them effortlessly, twisting and turning as though he were boneless. He materialized in front of Avander and lashed out, clawing at his stomach and ripping away a section of his flesh, watching blood fly in all directions. He burrowed deeper, groping for Avander's innards with the intent of wrenching them out when Avander clasped Javier's wrist, tearing his hand away from his wound. As he did, her grabbed his face and gave a sharp pull. There was a strange, sickening sound similar to that of fabric ripping and Javier's arm was torn off his shoulder, flesh, sinew and threads of ligaments clinging until they snapped. Javier howled in pain, lurching back and shaking violently from side to side as a steady stream of blood splattered across the walls. The arm in Avander's hand twitched and then dissolved into smoke.
The two demons glared at each other, one clutching his side and willing his wounds to heal, while the other gripped the bloody lump that remained of his arm. Javier growled for once his nonchalant attitude slipping.
"Bastard." He thundered, his voice vibrating with fury. "Fuck you. You ripped off my arm."
"What's wrong Javier?" Avander taunted, his own skin slowly knitting together, the bleeding less profuse. "Can't heal that? I thought an injury as trivial as that wouldn't be too much of a trouble for someone who always boats about his power. It's a shame though, because that tongue of yours in next."
Despite his anger, Javier laughed. I was a sound devoid of humor but laced with malevolence. "Okay, I admit you've gotten the better of me. But that just means I should stop holding back. "
And with that, Jaiver's body began to mutate, the skin shimmering and bubbling as though something inside was trying to break free. From the lump of his arm grew a shiny purple grey pincer, the skin stretching into the air, curving and hardening. Javier's lower body changed as well, his legs elongating while two more pairs seemed to erupt from his sides. He bent down, convulsing while still keeping that insane grin of his face as a stinger grew and arched over his head, a protective armor made of the same substance as his claws encasing his upper half. In a second, Javier had transformed into a half man, half scorpion like creature, his demon form a terrible sight to behold.
"What's the matter?" Javier asked, his voice low and whispered, sounding as though many of him were speaking at the same time. "Aren't you going to turn into your true form? Oh I see." He glanced in Joan's direction, who was watching the spectacle with amazement and interest. "You don't want her to see it. You're worried she'll be repulsed by it."
Avander chanced a glance in Joan's direction, then back to Javier with a smirk. "You've got the wrong idea. " He said, shadows swirling around him. "I just believe I can easily beat you, even in this form."
Javier licked his lips with his forked tongue, regarding Avander closely. "It's your funeral." He shrugged and lunged.
Javier forced Avander to the ground, trying to claw at his face with his pincer. Avander held the pincer above his head, feeling Javier apply more pressure in order to make him let go. Avander held on, but eventually he could not keep it there. Still holding him down, Javier clasped Avander's arm, the sharp edged cutting into his skin and he attempted to clip it off just as Avander had done to his arm. But before any more damage could be done, Avander summoned his strength and blasted Javier away, aiming a glowing orb at his chest. But Javier's armor was too thick to penetrate and the orb bounced off it harmlessly.
"Nice try." Javier taunted, raising his hands as a giant pulsating orb of purple energy manifested in the air. "Now it's my turn!"
Avander desperately tried to avoid the oncoming mass of unstable energy, but failed. The orb seemed to smash into him, encasing him in a bright burst of light and blasting him off his feet, sending him crashing into the still standing stair case, causing it to collapse on top of him. Joan cried out, calling his name, but there was no response. As the dust settled, Javier scuttled over, moving aside the broken brick work and twisted metal banister parts until he found Avander's battered body. He held him up in triumph, watching as the semi conscious demon made no effort to fight back. He positioned his stinger directly overhead, aiming at Avander's neck.
"It looks like your finished Avander." He sneered. "That's what you get for interrupting my chat with lovely Joan. Think she'll miss you when you're dead? I doubt it. But don't worry, I'll be good company for her."
The end of the stinger drew dangerously close, then back, quivering slightly. There was a sudden flash and it plunged down.
A high-pitched scream shook the walls of the building, the few intact windows shattering as a result. Blood streamed across the floor as Javier drew back, screeching in agony as it gushed from his stinger, which had been chopped off cleanly. The sharp, poisonous end lay a few feet away.
"You!" Javier cried, pointing wildly. "I'll get you for this bitch!"
Avander, who had managed to get back to his feet, looked around to see Joan standing a few meters away, her hand outstretched and palm glowing. The anger still shone clearly in her eyes , her determination unwavering in spite of the glowering demon before her.
"Well? Do you plan on finishing this fight anytime soon?" She demanded, shifting her gaze in Avander's direction and arching her brow questioningly. "I really don't have all day."
A grin crept onto Avander's face as he straightened up. Javier turned back, a surprised look on his face as though he had not expected him still be able to get up. Still grinning, Avander cracked his knuckles and a dark aura encased him, shadows forming sharp needles in mid air. With the wave of Avander's hand, the dark cloud above him plunged down on Javier, the shadowy needles passing straight through his armor and solidifying, puncturing many holes into the demon. Javier shrieked, looking very much like a voodoo doll as his many pair of legs scrabbled at air. Avander walked over, holding the demon there as he punched and kicked at his face and armor, the volley of attacks causing it to crack and break away, leaving Javier's bare skin expose. His chest was pierced by the many tiny needles, blood dribbling down his pale skin. He looked at Avander and cursed, coughing up blood in the process. Avander raised his hand to deliver the final, fatal blow, when Joan's voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Wait," She said, walking over and standing beside him, glaring down at the demon with a repulsed look. "He said he had come to deliver a message from Satan."
Avander looked down at Javier with an equal amount of disgust, roughly grabbing him by the hair and tilting his head back and a painful angle.
"Talk."
Javier coughed. "Oh yeah, I was having so much fun I forgot to deliver my message." Despite his injuries, he laughed before looking at Joan. "He wants you to meet him on the twenty fifth of this month in the Church of Saint Peter ad Vincula, the Tower of London at midnight. Says he'll give you a chance to take your soul fraction back. Bet you're thrilled."
Joan's face was stony and impassive. "Was there anything else he said?" She asked.
"No, that's about it."
She nodded. "Then we are done here. Avander, kill him."
Javier chuckled, as though he had just heard a very funny joke. "You sure you want to do that Joan? If you kill me, that mark of yours will grow. Don't want that now, do we?"
"I shall take my chance." Joan said simply. "But under no circumstances will I allow scum like you to live."
At once, Javier's relaxed attitude change, agitation creeping into eyes. "No, wait. You can't let that happen. How can you be okay with it? You can't kill me knowing it'll only cause your own downfall. You can't kill me!"
"Finish him." Joan ordered firmly,ignoring the demon. "I've heard enough out of him."
"I'm not going to die just yet!" Javier shouted. He radiated a burst of green energy that shattered Avander's hold on him. He held up his hand, forming another orb of pulsating energy and was just about to aim it at Joan and sent it hurtling at her. But before it could reach her, Avander appeared, swatting it aside as though it was a harmless fly, sending it crashing into a wall which disintegrated instantly.
Javier stared at Avander in horror, around whom electricity buzzed and crackled, long hair dancing behind him. He took a step closer and Javier caught a whiff of the power he gave off and for the first time in his demonic existence he felt fear implant itself into his dark heart.
"That's enough out of you." Avander leered down. He summoned his servants, the shadows taking the form of tall, stooped creatures that restrained Javier, and no matter how the demon struggled, they would not let go. Avander's gaze shifted sideways and he spotted the cut tail and stinger a few meters away. A smirk stretched across his face.
"What are you doing?" Javier demanded, watching Avander pick it up. "What will you do with that?"
"Open his mouth and hold him upright." Avander ordered his servants. Obediently one of the shadows wrenched his mouth wide open, the other s holding him in the position indicated. The demon stared wide eyed as Avander stalked forward, holding up the stinger facing downwards directly above his open mouth. There was a cold gleam in his eye, almost as crazed as the one Javier once had, maybe more. He prolonged the moment, allowing the silence to stretch uncomfortably as he enjoyed the terrified look in the other Javier's eyes.
The stinger plunged down in a flash, to fast for the eye to see. The stinger and tail section were of full body length and they traveled down Javier's throat, slicing through his insides vertically and tearing out from behind, all in a spray of blood and withering limbs. The shadows disappeared and Javier fell back, hands scrabbling at the monstrosity jammed into his mouth. In those last few minutes and he lay on his side, only one thought ran through his head.
This was planned. He told himself and sure enough he could hear Satan's cold laughter in his ears. Just then, his gaze shifted to Joan, who had cried out, clutching her arm where the mark had been branded. This only confirmed Javier's suspicions.
He told me I was exempted from the deal, but it was a lie. I was meant to die all along as well.
Anger replaced fear and in those last moments Javier cursed his master in the most vicious way he could, knowing he was listening and watching. Eventually his body shut down, the twitching ceasing. The dead demon lay there in a pool of his own blood before turning into a wisp of smoke and fading way.
Avander watched the remains of Javier's body disappear before turning to Joan, who was rubbing her arm.
"Well done." She said, glancing at him over her shoulder. "Another one dead, although it's a shame he had no soul to offer up."
"Doesn't matter." Avander shrugged, a smirk on his face "I enjoyed killing that sick bastard. After all, I can't let anyone touch what's mine."
"I'm not yours you idiot." Joan snapped and Avander noticed how she walked gingerly, a hand held to the side of her neck, trying to keep a straight face.
"You're hurt." Avander pointed out, walking over to her.
"It's nothing. I'm just a bit battered. I've never been in a fight like this before." She said dismissively. "Heidi will see to it."
But as Avander drew closer he saw the injury on her neck was not something to take lightly. There was a thing line down the side of Joan's neck, the skin around it burnt and blistered, bleeding heavily. Unknown to Joan the wound was spreading and Avander realized it was the result of Javier's saliva.
"That's not something to brush off." He said firmly. "Javier's saliva is known to be corrosive. If you don't have it removed from the wound it will spread until the damage is too great to heal. Let me fix it."
"You?' Joan said in surprise, her hadn't falling to her side. "Oh–I don't think–well, fine. Just make it quick." She said, accepting his assistance and tilting her head to the side so he could heal it. The wound did hurt quite a lot. Joan wondered how she had managed to ignore the pain until now.
She expected to feel Avander's fingertips touch the wound and braced herself, calming that instinct to lash out. Instead Avander lifted up her chin slightly, arm wrapping around her waist and pulling her closer. His lips brushed the wound gently and Joan felt a shudder run down her spine. Warmth spread up her neck and the pain from the wound faded, a slight tingling indicating that the injury had begun to heal. Avander however did not move, trailing soft kisses down her neck. As he lingered at her collarbone, Joan broke free, swinging her arm around and slapping him hard in the face.
"Hey!" He protested, putting a hand where she had hit him, more out of shock than pain. "Is this how you thank me for helping you?"
"You perverted son of a whore." Joan thundered, her face glowing red and eyes narrowed. "This was just an excuse to satisfy those lustful urges of yours. I knew I should have waited for Heidi to fix it."
Avander shrugged. "She would have recommended the same thing. The effect of the saliva had to be neutralized otherwise the wound wouldn't have healed. Who better to do that than a demon?"
His smirk widened into a mischievous grin, eyes glittering. "Although, I did feel the urge. Did you enjoy that? I won't stop at your collarbone next time."
"You disgust me."
Joan's eyes narrowed until they were no more than slits, hands balling into fists as though she was readying herself to hit him again. But her attention shifted to the many gashes across Avander's skin and she forgot her anger.
"What about your wounds?" She asked, noting how much damage he had taken.
"They've already began to heal. Heidi will fix up what remains." He said,looking down as though he just remembered how badly hurt he was. You don't have to worry about me." He added cheekily.
"I was not worried about your health." Came Joan's indignant retort. "I wanted to be sure you would survive those injuries. I still have use for you and would prefer you dropped dead only after my mission is complete."
"Of course, how naïve of me." Avander chuckled. Ignoring him, Joan looked around at the damage and the dead bodies piled on top of one another or beneath bits of the building.
"We should leave." Joan instructed. "The authorities will be arriving and I do not want to get caught in another mess."
"As you wish." Avander spread his large black wings, taking Joan in his arms. The two disappeared, fading into the darkening sky and leaving the wreck of a gallery behind.