Marcus/Rocco
The road exploded beneath zephon's feet.
"MOVE." The warning barely left mouth before he
reached us. The spear swept across the street. The floor split apart.
Noah threw himself into Riley. Seraphina pulled Callie
back. The blade tore through the space we'd occupied a heartbeat earlier.
The shockwave alone shattered every remaining window
around us. Glass rained from the sky. "Shit he's fast!"
"No kidding!" I lunged first. Both swords crossed
toward his neck. Zephon laughed, his spear spun. The impact nearly tore both
swords from my hands.
"So, you're Rocco." He smiled. "I expected more from
Aldo's blooded." A kick slammed into my stomach. I flew backwards.
Concrete cracked beneath my back. Air vanished from my
lungs.
Noah charged. Both tonfa crashed toward Zephon's ribs.
The spear shaft blocked one. The other, his bare hand caught. "Seriously?"
Noah's eyes widened. Zephon grinned.
"You hit pretty hard for a human." He headbutted Noah.
Blood sprayed across the snow. Then the butt of the spear struck Noah's chest.
He rolled across the road. Barely stopping before
hitting a collapsed car. "Noah!"
Riley was already moving with one arm and zero
hesitation. Her baton struck Zephon's shoulder. he actually looked surprised.
"You're still fighting?"
Riley answered with another swing. "You'll have to
kill me first." Zephon laughed again.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
Seraphina moved in to join her. For the first time,
Zephon stopped smiling. Steel rang through the street. Even together, neither
woman gained ground.
"The tear!" Darren shouted through the communicator. "It
keeps expanding!"
I looked up. It had doubled in side. Pieces of
concrete began floating upward. The world itself… was becoming unstable.
Zephon forced Seraphina back, then Riley. One sweep
and both were separated. He looked disappointed. "I thought there'd be more."
I wiped blood from my lips. "Noah." He nodded.
Together, we moved again. Four directions this time.
It should've overwhelmed anyone. Well, except Zephon.
He moved like a storm. No wasted effort or pattern.
One moment he was in front of me, the next behind Noah or beside Riley. None of
us could pin him down.
Callie's whip wrapped around the spear, as she ran at
us after helping civilians. "Guys! I got him!"
Zephon looked at the whip. "Cute." He pulled causing
Callie to stumble farther than she'd intended. His smile widened. "Got you."
At the same time, three lower demons had slipped
through the fighting. Straight toward Darren and Livia. Callie saw them too.
Without thinking, she released Zephon. The whip
snapped toward the demons. It caught the first, then the second. The third
leapt straight for Darren. To which I intercepted with the chains.
We never saw Zephon move, the spear flashed. I
screamed. "CALLIE!!"
Callie turned, too late. The tip of the spear tore
across the left side of her face. Blood sprayed across the snow. Callie dropped
immediately.
Her hands flew to her eye. A scream unlike anything
I'd ever heard ripped through the battlefield. "AAAHHHH!" everything inside me stopped.
I ran toward her. Zephon tried to intercept. Seraphina
blocked him. I slid to my knees beside Callie. Blood poured between her
fingers.
She couldn't even open her left eye. She was shaking.
"I-I can't- " she clung to my jacket. "It hurts!"
"I know, sis. Its gonna be okay." My heart broke.
"Darren, Medical Kit!"
"I'm coming!" Livia was already beside Callie.
Panicking.
"Cal… No…"
Across the street… Zephon watched. "Huh." He tilted
his head. "I missed." He looked almost annoyed. "I was aiming for her throat."
Every muscle in my body locked. Callie whimpered
beneath my arm. Still clutching at the ruined side of her face.
Zephon sighed. "Oh well." He rested the spear on his
shoulder again. "Next time."
Something changed then. Seraphina stepped forward. Her
grip on her sword tightened.
She looked at me. Just for a second. But I could tell,
she'd just made a decision and knowing her, nothing was going to change her
mind.
As Seraphina raised her blade, Zephon smiled.