They all needed to burn. It was the only thing I could think about as I felt my bloodlust take over. Their screams of pain were like music to my ears. I lost track of how many Angels and 'holy' creatures I slaughtered fighting alongside my people.
Each time I felt my blade pierce an enemy or burned one to ashes. I could feel my energy quickly leaving me. Even though my flames continued to surround and protect me from enemies up close. They didn't stop the arrows from going directly into my limbs or torso.
Fia and Shadow fought close beside each other as her mount stabbed opponents. I had fought my way ahead with a few of the other men. While our main female archers covered us from a distance. They had much keener sight than the men in this realm.
Although I didn't recognize many troops from the first war. I had my faith in Fia that she trained them well. As the total number of corpses continued to rise. I noted we were definitely pushing them back towards the portal to Limbo.
That was until a different kind of warrior arrived. Although he had wings. He was the only one to have them tucked in and be dressed in simple black and green leather-looking armour. He had his hood covering most of his face and he only used spiked knuckles to kill his opponents.
Each of our men that attacked him were quickly dispatched with accurate and powerful punches. He even made me uneasy, which the men with me took notice too. They grew nervous as we got closer and closer.
But the closer we got to the man. The more his fighting style became recognizable. He guarded his lower left ribcage more than the rest of his body.
"Keep away from the Dark Angel!" I instructed the men around me.
They were quick to pull back and keep to their regular foes as I moved in on the new enemy. I stabbed and slashed my way through the other foes without much difficulty. Creating a trail of bodies and blood. My blade and armour had been stained long ago from all the enemies I had taken down.
It was slightly sickening to see the sort of monster I had become. When really this was the monster I had always been. But to protect our people and the ones I love. I would become this monster every time.
I looked at the man ahead of me. A clear path led directly too him as the surrounding Angels attempted to avoid the battle to come. He met my eyes and removed his hood. His true appearance came as a slight surprise. I had thought he moved in a familiar way.
It was Ace! His green hair was longer and a more natural tone now. Dark blue eyes narrowed as my flames died down. His eyes held confusion and recognition.
"Dante?" Ace questioned and lowered his fists.
"Yeah. It's me Ace. Turns out my name's actually Kai."
The conversation had quickly turned so casual. Almost as if we were friends. I owed this poor man a lot. He lost his own life because of me.
"Champion! Do you dare defy your creator?" The God of Light's voice echoed throughout the area.
Although the God was nowhere to be found. His question was certainly directed at Ace for he flinched from the voice and clutched his abdomen. Maybe he had done something to Ace? This came as more of a shock to me. I didn't want to fight Ace! I couldn't bring myself to kill him!
"I'm sorry, D-Kai!" Ace suddenly yelled before sprinting full force in my direction.
I made sure that all the troops were far enough away before calling on my flames. I was just able to pull up my flaming sword in time to block his first punch.
"Ace! Stop! You don't have to fight me!" I tried reasoning with him.
Even though the flames seemed to burn him. He ignored the pain and continued trying to push through my block.
"Just shut up!" His voice bellowed as he quickly pulled back his fist.
Ace readied himself before striking again. This time I blocked his first attack with my sword and intercepted his other fist by grabbing his wrist. Ace was so distracted by trying to kill me as quickly as possible he left his weakest spot unguarded.
"Ace! Stop this! We don't have to fight!"
But my words seemed to fall on deaf ears as he continued trying to fight me. This time before I could kick him back. Ace spread his wings and with a strong thrust of them, he managed to separate us. By both pushing me back and jumping back himself.
"I have been trained to defeat you and defeat you I shall. I'm not going back to that cell, Kai!"
His words made me feel ill. What cell? How does the Light God train his soldiers?
I quickly tossed those thoughts aside as Fia came to mind. I wasn't dying again! Not even for a potential friend. I just got my memories back. I wasn't about to be struck down here.
Ace ran up to me again and we exchanged blows. Both blocking and attacking. He was exceptionally well trained in hand-to-hand combat. His words kept creeping into my thoughts as we fought.
There had to be another way. There just had to be! If I defeated him without killing him. Would the Light God leave him behind? There was only one way to find out!
I extinguished my flames and dropped my blade, confusing Ace. He looked at me with a hardened look. It wasn't the Ace I had previously been talking too. This was now the man that had once been in the cage against me. I quickly pulled off my arm padding and put up my fists.
"Just like old times, eh Underdog?"
I couldn't help but smirk at his smart-ass remark and waited on him to make the first move. Ace did exactly as I expected. He ran at me and put his full power into his fist.
Right before I would normally fully block his attack. I turned my footing and grabbed his wrist and upper arm. As I pulled his arm over my head, using his own force against him, he wasn't expecting to go right over me. Ace landed with a loud groan on his back and seemed momentarily dazed.
I continued to hold his arm and moved over him, using his own arm to press against his windpipe. He panicked as I punched down into his weakened ribcage. I was hoping this would knock him out, but he continued to struggle.
Ace even managed to kick me off of him, sending me a short distance onto my side. We both got up, nursing our wounds. Ace looked pissed as he rubbed the soreness from his neck. The side of my chest ached from his kick, but it was nothing compared to the blade wounds the other Angels had given me.
"Ye' cheap bastard! Actually fight back would yeah?"
I didn't respond to his taunting, much to his disappointment. I just ran right back up to him and aimed for the same spot in his rib. He blocked using his wing and countered my attack with one of his own. Landing a good strike to my face.
He managed to get another hit in while I was distracted by my fuzzy vision in one eye. Only to be stopped once again by my block. After I managed to kick him back, I hadn't realized I had dislocated his leg and he collapsed onto his back in horror.
He attempted to keep me away by using his wings. But it didn't last long with the amount of energy he had already used during our battle. Ace was already exhausted, and his pain tolerance was lowering by every passing second he attempted to keep me at bay.
I wish there was a way I could tell him my plan but in order for this to convince the Light God. The poor guy couldn't know. It made me sick knowing he thought I was going to kill him. But I would never kill the man who tried to save me. He was a good guy being used by an evil God. That was all.
In fact, it was probably like that for a lot of the Light God's creations. When Ace's wings finally dropped to the ground with a thud. I watched as his chest deeply rose and fell. I walked up to the man on the ground and met his tired eyes with a hardened stare.
I dropped to a knee beside his head and grabbed him by the throat. He had passed out on Earth from being struck enough times in his weak spot. I just prayed it was enough to make his stronger form pass out as well.
Ace closed his eyes and dug his nails into my hand and wrist. In a last-ditch effort to save himself. This was the thing that truly made me feel like a monster. I slowly added enough pressure to cut off some of his oxygen and punched his weak spot at the same time.
In his weakened state, it didn't take too many strikes for him to pass out and when he did, I immediately let go. A part of me felt like I was going to be sick. But I composed myself as the battle around us stopped. The Angels suddenly put their blades away and retreated as fast as possible towards the portal to Limbo.
While the troops continued to chase the Angels into the portal. I heard the Light God's voice echo around the barren desert.
"You may have won this time. But I'll be back, Kai! And my creatures and I will finally end you! I'll rally the other Gods once more to put you two down!"
I didn't bother responding. I had nothing to say to the bastard. No words could convey the amount of hatred I held in my very soul for the cretin.
"Kai!" Came Fia's voice from the distance.
"Over here, Fia!"
I waited for my little mate to arrive along with her mare and Shadow. When she noticed an Angel on the ground still breathing, she turned cautious.
"No way! I thought the man would have been a loyal subject to that lunatic God!" Shadow excitedly ran over to Ace and I.
"Who is it? I don't understand." Fia questioned as she got down from her mount.
"It's a very kind man who tried to save me from Flint. The Light God I mean."
"What is his name? Can we trust him?"
Fia seemed anxious as she approached. I looked over at her once again and noted she had fresh wounds from today's battle. Some were on her arms, while a few surprisingly made it through her chest plate. I swallowed hard as my eyes lingered on her beautiful form. Even anxious and dishevelled from battle she looked like the most gorgeous woman in the universe to me.
She seemed slightly taken aback by my staring and watched my movements carefully.
"Whoa. It really is you. I knew I wasn't wrong." Fia spoke more to herself.
I couldn't control myself as I grabbed my little mate and pulled her into me for a long embrace. It was like meeting her for the first time all over again. I enjoyed her scent and ran my fingers through her long silky locks. I felt an overwhelming amount of weight slowly lift off my heart and shoulders.
As all those years of longing to hold her like this again hit me like a wave. Even in the beginning as a human, I fought against Flint. Hoping with everything in me that when I died, I'd be reunited with Fia. But I was only to be met with disappointment over and over again. Eventually it was easier on my lonely, depressed soul to just let my memories slowly slip away each reincarnation.
"I've missed you so much, Fia. So many lonely lifetimes have I gone through. Just waiting to get back to you." I whispered tenderly into her ear.
Fia wept into my chest and tightened her hold.
"I-I can't believe you're actually here. You're really still alive."
"Of course. But I'm sorry I forgot. I was able to hide from Flint a few times during my time on Earth. But he would always find me. Had I known he would attack you because he couldn't at times. I never would ha-."
"Hush! No more, Kai. I know all the sacrifices you've made to protect us. I can feel it through our bond. I feel your sorrow and self-hatred as well. Let go of that. You're here now. You came back to me and that's what matters."
I pulled back from our embrace and caressed the side of her face. She looked up at me with bright curious eyes. That was until I pulled her in for a gentle kiss. Her lips were plump and soft. Fia melted into our kiss as our lips moved in sync. It felt so right. So amazing. Like I had been waiting to do this for such an unbelievable amount of time.
Which technically I had. When we finally separated. It was only then I noticed the cheering around us. I hadn't even heard their joyous noises. Fia was all I could focus on in that moment. And even though there was so much more I wanted to do with and to my little mate. We had wounded and Ace to attend to.