Episode 7:
Madness and Devotion

Decades passed for us in our new home, the world going mad in those years that followed, technology racing along at a breakneck speed. It seemed every year the world was filled with new marvels to adapt to. The mundane were getting stronger by the day, but their thirst for conquest had never been sated. Indeed, they plunged nearly the entire world into a bloody war for several years.

The dust settled on their little world war and peace returned to the planet after much life had been lost. It was a sad affair but meant little to those of us in the paranormal circles. I still felt it was a shame they made such grand things like machines to fly, but simply used them to kill one another.

I had been no slouch though in those years leading up to things. I knew the times were finding me and my family, so I made it a point to train myself more dutifully. The dreams were still present and each day made me feel I lost a little more grip on myself. Elias and I quarreled more frequently by the day, I even lashed out at family members regularly. Of course, I always apologized and was remorseful for my actions, but still, I could feel things changing in me.

It was in the spring of nineteen forty-three when Lorelai came to call. She had called us on the telephone line to warn of her visit, so we expected her a full week in advance. It did my heart good to look upon her, but I could tell with one glance she was not here for pleasantries.

Her soft brown eyes darted to the side upon seeing me and Elias, then they refocused upon us. “I hope you two are well.”

“We are, was your trip a pleasant one, my lady?” Elias spoke the words and offered her a bow.

“Hardly...” Lorelai folded her arms across her stomach and sighed. “Let us do away with the pleasantries. I am here on dire matters.”

“Very well… let’s hear it, my lady,” I spoke the words and set my jaw, feeling my tail go rigid behind me.

She took a deep breath though she didn’t need to draw the air into her lungs, then spoke out in a concise tone. “House Shadowtail was razed to the ground last month.”

I gasped out and felt my chest tighten at the words. Elias snarled, showing his sharp teeth as he spat out angrily. “Lady Diana’s house? Wait… what of her and our family members?!”

Nearly a decade past, the council had levied new laws to minimize house sizes and foster more secrecy in light of the growing mundane threat. Several of our members had been shifted to other houses throughout the world. Shadowtail was one of those houses, with five of our family and my former crew going there.

I knew the answer before she parted her lips, I could see the look in her eyes. Lorelai spoke out quietly, barely a whisper of an answer, “They struck during the day… no one made it out...”

“No...” Elias growled the words and shook his head, putting his palm to his face. “By the gods...”

“My lady… was this the church or celestials?” I hissed the words, my ears flat as my tail furiously whipped about.

“The German church, they used the on-going war as an excuse to purge them.” Lorelai showed her own sharp teeth and I could see the cold fury in her eyes. I knew what she and Diana once were, I could only imagine what she was feeling.

“So what can we do?” Elias spoke out, folding his arms. “Surely you did not come here just to deliver this woeful news.”

“House Sandshore is within their borders. It will no doubt be the next target. Sir Harold is a mighty warrior, but he cannot stand to modern weapons of war. I came to ask your assistance in traveling there. We will extract their members and bring them to this part of the world.” Lorelai spoke the words in a simple tone of voice, all business.

“So this is council business,” I growled as the words came forth, thinking of my former shipmates and Diana.

“No...” Lorelai showed her canines, a look of hatred gleaming in her eyes. “No, I turned a blind eye in Moscow, I let them off easy then… They have crossed a line, they have taken… they have taken something from me that is- This is unforgivable.”

The sheep put her hands on her hips and fixed us both with a level glare. “This is not just an extraction mission. I have temporarily resigned as head of the council. No, this is a personal request. Help me save our family members in trouble, but more than that… help me exact  gruesome retribution on those monsters.”

My heart leaped into a strong eager beat as I wagged my tail. “The rivers and deltas will run crimson with their blood… They will pay dearly for this.”

I saw my husband's eyes practically burning with white fire in them. He folded his arms and gave a calm nod. “You have us, my lady. A tithe must be paid for their sins and like my wife, I have never forgiven them for our first home. Let the gods sort them out.”

I put a finger to my chin. “What of the celestials?”

“To hell with them. If they get in the way, they die.” Lorelai snarled the words, her eyes now red. “I have warned Toroah that we are declaring war and that the celestial council will do well to stay out of this. I have already spent the last weeks creating temporary alliances with the region’s lycanthrope clans and magi circles. If the celestials involve themselves they will have all of us on them, a fight they cannot hope to survive.”

“Even in your rage, you are wise and calculating… You’re a hell of a sheep, Lorelai.” I spoke the words with admiration in my voice, feeling myself grinning upon her.

Lorelai met my eyes with hers and I saw the pain in them for an instant, then she gave me a knowing nod. “Sarnai… my fox. When this is over with, you and I need to speak of our unresolved issues. I left words unspoken with Diana and now I must hold them indefinitely, I’ll not repeat this mistake again.”

Elias wasn’t a clueless dog and picked up on the body language right away between us. He gave the sheep a curious look, then an inquisitive one to me. “Sarnai… you and my lady?”

I shook my head and frowned. “Nothing like that, my husband. I have been ever faithful to you, as I have been for all these centuries.”

Lorelai shook her head as well. “It is a matter of the heart, nothing more my fox.” She spoke the words gently towards Elias and offered him a smile. “I do not seek to disrupt your marriage. We simply need to address many feelings and concerns.”

He set his jaw and gave a nod to the both of us. “As you will. If I am being truthful, I respect both of you more than anyone else on this earth. You would have my blessing if it made the two of you happy.”

I couldn’t help but show my teeth in a grin and leaned against my husband. “But surely you would wish to spectate if anything came of it, am I wrong?” I hummed the words in a playful tone.

“Isn’t that assumed?” He spoke back to me in an equally playful bark.

Lorelai gave us both a soft laugh and sighed out. “Thank you… both of you, for lightening my mood before we undertake this… I do love both of you dearly.”

“So when do we leave?” I tilted my head curiously.

“Can you be ready within the hour?” Lorelai responded right away, the look in her eyes saying she was eager to get started.

“I will leave Jennifer and Jason to mind the house. If the worst should befall us, Silverpaw needs reliable successors.” Elias spoke the words in a serious tone and we both gave him a nod of agreement.

“Will you call upon Val as well?” I asked Lorelai with curiosity.

“I will not. We need reliable leaders here in this region as well. Also, though I do not doubt his prowess, the three of us are more inclined to the brutish way of things.” Lorelai gave a shrug and looked between the two of us. “This is personal and the ones that have lost the most will take up arms.”

“You said we were at war?” Elias tilted his head, rubbing at his chin, his white tail flicking about in agitation.

“We are. Within the coming days, it will be announced to all our houses throughout the world that hostilities are open upon the church. They have used the mundane war to strike against us, but we can do the same.”

“What of all the talk of an unstoppable juggernaut, my lady?” I growled the words and folded my arms, giving her an irritated look. “We could have done this centuries ago and avoided all this.”

“Their power is dwindling. The fact the whole world is at war again so quickly and many of their kind are dying needlessly have soured the general faith of the mundane. The church is still powerful but it’s at the weakest it’s been in centuries.” The arch-vampire gave us both a coy grin. “Likewise the celestial’s have weakened from the worldwide lack of faith. We are in a strong position for once, and I aim to see justice done because of it.”

“Ha… the abominations doling out justice, oh the irony.” Elias barked the words, amusement clear in his voice.

#

Jennifer and Jeremy were beside themselves with ire that we wouldn’t bring them along, but they eventually relented to Elias’s decision that someone needed to take over the house. If this adventure in revenge went awry, they would be the new Marquis and Marquess of Silverpaw.

We arrived within three days to house Sandshore. Harold was furious about the news and stubbornly demanded to stand with us in battle, but Lorelai pulled rank upon him and ordered him to withdraw his family to the west. The lion begrudgingly gathered his family, and within a day's time had fled on ship back to the region we came from.

A few days passed as we traveled through the war-torn country in the night, before arriving at the remains of Diana’s home. There were still bits of charred remains upon the large lot that held the grand home. Given the state of the war, it was no surprise minimal effort had been made to reconstruct upon the plot of land.

The three of us sat there in silence, thinking of our lost family members. I recalled the collie’s warm gentle smile as well as my crew members and family that came to her home. I shook my head while whispering, “She was such a kind gentle thing. Always there when you needed her… My mates were the best any captain could ever hope for...” I spoke the words softly, bitterness in my voice.

Lorelai nodded and placed her hands upon her hips. “She was… even to the mundane as well. I never personally saw her kill, even in the old days. She routinely donated to the poor and downtrodden as well.”

Elias simply gave a bitter laugh before lowering his head. “Everything the church is supposed to do...” He clenched his teeth and looked upon us both with a hard glare. “What’s the plan, my lady?”

Lorelai lifted her ears and nodded. “Yes… this is not the time for mourning.” The sheep composed herself and folded her arms. “There is a holy site in this city, no doubt that is where the acolytes came from. It is a grand thing, a citadel with a military base full of trained soldiers of the church.”

Me and Elias shared a nod before I spoke. I already knew the orders but asked all the same. “What will you have us do, my lady?”

“Kill them and raze the whole damn compound to the ground. There are hundreds upon it and I want naught a soul to flee. Children, females, sick and old. Everyone dies tonight. We make it clear we are at war now.” Lorelai hissed the words out, her sharp teeth gleaming in the street lights.

I saw Elias flinch at the words and I lifted my ears sharply. “Husband, do you not have the stomach for this? Their spawn has already been indoctrinated, they are parasites that would grow and seek vengeance for our mercies.” The white fox jerked his head away from our gaze, saying nothing to my words.

“It is disguised as an active military base for the church, Elias. Rest assured there are no mundane children there. Though if there are, I expect them to be put to the sword, war is hell and you know as such.” Lorelai showed him a hard look and spoke the words with authority.

His ears lifted and he gave her a nod. “I understand. Forgive me for my moment of doubt.”

“You are a kind dog, my brother. I do not relish in such barbarism myself, but a statement must be made this night.” Lorelai spoke the words in a resigned tone as she placed a hand gently on my husband’s arm.

“Well, the statement won’t make itself, let’s go.” I barked the words and turned to leave the two of them behind, striking out myself for the compound. In truth I had no reservations, the demons in me didn’t care if it were children or the aged. The blood of my clansmen and friends were on their hands, I would see all of them charred to ash this night.

I leaped to the rooftops and began bounding through the city, the others behind me as if I were leading the charge. My thoughts turned inward while I hopped from building to building. Centuries ago I too would have shown reservation about laying low children and the weak, I wondered if it were my madness making me more eager for the slaughter. I dashed my thoughts as we arrived on the fringes of the compound and focused upon the task at hand.

“Sarnai… we are a small group, if we go in full force, we will be overwhelmed. I have improved my study of tactics over the centuries, but I still feel more confident in your abilities. Can I trust you to direct us?” Lorelai spoke the words next to me, cutting her blood-red eyes upwards to my own crimson set.

I showed the sheep a hungry grin full of pride at her words. “Of course, I am honored, my lady.”

Even in the middle of the night, the compound had armed sentries and watchtowers with searchlights. The acolytes were not armed with swords, they wore modern combat armor and carried assault firearms. Vampires or not, we wouldn’t walk away unscathed from a clip of one of those guns emptying into us and that’s assuming the bullets weren’t blessed.

I studied the compound for nearly an hour before deciding upon a plan. Finding a proper insertion point the three of us leaped into the compound while the searchlight was tracking the far side of the property and the guard’s patrol had passed by. From there we split up into separate tasks.

Elias made his way to the watchtowers to deal with those. Lorelai I set loose upon the three groups of soldiers patrolling the compound. I knew she would easily be able to handle them by dominating their wills. Finally, I set myself to strike at the most dangerous portion of the compound, the barracks with several dozen acolytes in them.

Perhaps the madness gave me a deathwish, mayhaps the demons in my soul just craved the destruction. Regardless I strode into the building as if I owned the place, not even trying to conceal myself. A few of the soldiers who were still awake saw me and called out in warning to their companions. I saw dozens of guns being pulled to the ready from under beds or the sides of them. I simply showed my teeth and clapped my hands together before thrusting them outwards, sending a corona of black flames outwards.

The hellfire washed over the mundane in the barracks, instantly burning them to death and washing up the walls. I looked up to see the structure unable to handle the supernatural wave of heat I had unleashed upon its interior, support beams and walls alike burning to ash as the building came down atop my head.

The barracks collapsed in on itself in a large plume of fire just as one of the watchtowers crumpled from the white flames engulfing it in a similar fashion. I climbed from the wrecked burning husk of the building, pushing a large slab of the roof away, having deftly sidestepped and dodged the bigger chunks of debris as they came down on me. The air filled with a loud high pitched warning siren from the second tower which was abruptly silenced as it went down in white flames like the first did.

My next task was their vehicle supply. A simple rake of fire across the various parked trucks set a few ablaze and the rest took care of themselves. The other vehicles ignited from the first ones beginning to explode when the unholy fires got to the gas tanks.

The whole compound was now aware of things, dozens of troops from various locations pouring forth to combat the unknown assault. I rendezvoused with Elias near the southern gate as had been the plan, but Lorelai was nowhere to be seen.

“Where is Lorelai?” I barked out sharply, another loud explosion booming out as a truck went up in flames nearby.

“I thought she would have been with you!” The white fox snapped back at me. In the heartbeats of our exchange, we had been spotted and several dozen acolytes trained their guns upon us.

We scattered in opposite directions as the bullets whirred by our ears. Dodging a bullet or two was a simple matter for us when our powers were fully opened up like this, but dancing through hails of them was another matter entirely. We dodged and darted through the gunfire, each taking cover. A few bullets had grazed my flesh and they had indeed been blessed, so the stakes were high.

I had taken cover behind the husk of a burning truck as sparks flew off the frame. The soldiers were laying down cover fire to keep me pinned while a group of them no doubt was moving to flank me from the sides.

“Cute tactic, boys. It’s a shame you’re not dealing with an amateur!” I yelled the taunt out over the hail of scattering bullets before leaping straight up into the air and backward. None of them expected their target to literally leap several stories up. It was a risky gambit, to say the least, it’s hard to dodge when you’re sailing through the air.

I pushed my hands forward and summoned my foxfire into a massive sphere of black flame that I pushed forth like a cannonball towards the main group that had been using suppression fire upon me. Some of the soldiers had already taken aim and started firing upon me in the air, but the launching of my sphere propelled me back further and out of the stream of bullets that followed.

The fireball splashed onto the ground as the group scattered, while I landed gracefully on the edge of the base's barbed-wire wall. I showed a grin and focused my will, making the sphere of flames pull in on itself before exploding outward in a wave of supernatural heat. This was one of a few new tricks I had mastered over the last century. I had learned how to pull the heat and flames of my hellfire in upon itself, creating a vacuum that made it explode out violently in a wave of heat.

The black flames washed over a few of the retreating soldiers, but it was the heat that spread further, several simply collapsing to the ground dead before the flames could reach them. The sound of bullets exploding and a few grenades succumbing to the heat filled the air, along with the scent of burned flesh and fur.

Bullets bounced off the concrete of the wall I stood on, acolytes that hadn’t been in the blast radius now firing upon me once more. I quickly darted away, seeing gouts of white fire erupting and exploding across the compound. It relieved me to know my husband was safe and still wreaking havoc in his wake.

The dance lasted several moments as I and the other fox swept through the holy ground, slaughtering the ones that had taken so much from us. Eventually, I met back up with my fox, both of us sharing a grin as we joined together in the slaughter as husband and wife.

Dozens upon dozens fell as we moved through the complex before we got cocky and found ourselves in a large courtyard that was obviously used for training. Several high powered lights came on illuminating us. A blink of an eye later we saw it, multitudes of rifle barrels shining in the light as the acolytes sprang their trap.

“Ha… guess they started taking us seriously...” I spoke the words, pushing my back to his.

He showed me a grin and wagged his tail against mine. “Yeah… I can easily make out nearly a dozen snipers on the roof too, jumping is out of the question.”

“Well… if it’s happening, I’m happy it’s with you, darling,” I growled the words, my palm drifting over his, feeling his fingers lock into mine.

The white fox nodded as we held hands and gave me a smile. “Let’s give 'em hell and make them earn it!”

We both summoned our flames then like that, the sheep was before us, standing down the whole group that had trained guns upon us. There was a wave of her hand and dozens more soldiers poured forth to draw their weapons upon the ones standing across from us. We both saw the shock and fear in the acolyte’s eyes, seeing their own brothers in arms now standing as a shield before us.

“These cretins seek to do you all harm, my knights. Defend yourselves!” Lorelai spat the words out, a sadistic grin showing on her face, then all hell broke loose.

The dominated acolytes opened fire and several of their brothers fell before they realized what had happened and returned fire upon their former comrades. In the ensuing chaos, the three of us slipped from the courtyard. Elias pulled away and hunted down the snipers while I and Lorelai weaved through the maelstrom of combat, cutting down all those before us, saber and katana in hand.

The battle carried on and when the dust finally cleared the three of us had thoroughly razed the entire complex, hundreds dead at our hands. We slipped into the darkness as the region's actual military was deploying, obviously responding as if it were a terror attack. The whole thing had lasted not even half an hour.

“Do you feel better, my lady?” Elias spoke out as we ran through the outlying countryside.

“Hardly… we’ve struck at one of their arteries but they need to keenly feel the blade of retribution. An hour from here is their largest cathedral in the region, that is our next target.” Lorelai spat the words out, the katana slung over her shoulder, hanging at her back behind her. Given the small stature of the sheep, the large curved blade might as well have been a claymore, the length of the blade nearly half her body height.

“By the way… that blade looks familiar.” I showed Lorelai a grin as we moved through the darkness.

She gave me a nod in response. “Indeed it should. It was that stupid angel’s before you and I killed him. I felt it appropriate to use a divine blade on our hunt.”

#

We made our way to the large cathedral and wasted no time setting it aflame and butchering every clergy member and acolyte there. Another several dozen fell to the three of us before we slipped into the night once more.

“The sun is a few hours from rising. We should move to the nearest small town and take refuge in an inn for the day.” Lorelai spoke the words as we walked through the small cluster of trees and brambles, the activity taking me back to our treks through the wilderness of China.

The three of us paused as we heard a faint whistling in the air. We all shared a look, our eyes wide as we scattered in all directions right as a mortar fell upon our location, exploding and leaving a huge crater in the earth. I huffed out as I climbed from the dirt only to hear more whistles in the air. They say you never hear the one that gets you, but they never had enhanced hearing, so I just assumed every one was going to get me and kept fleeing through the trees.

“Fuck… gods be damned… how?!” I snarled the words to myself, darting through the trees as explosions continued to rain down. They were falling well at a pace of six per volley and I could only fathom how they were tracking us in such dense woods. The three of us separated but I dared not call out to them, from concern I would draw more attention.

Sensing her energy at last after several minutes of dodging and skulking around, I found Lorelai with a pant on my breath. “Gods… how are they tracking us so easily?!” I hissed the words as we came upon each other. I found myself in her arms, hugging her briefly before we parted.

“I have a feeling that’s not mundane manning that artillery,” Lorelai whispered the words to me, then both our ears lifted as another whistle filled the air. The sheep grabbed my wrist and darted away with me as another crater was left behind.

“Fucking celestials! I thought they were staying out of this shit?!” I barked the words furiously as we ran through the forest, then my ears lifted as I heard shouting from deep in the night.

“You cowards couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn, come face me properly!” The words were Elias, he roared them out at the top of his lungs before several more explosions started raining down towards the sound of his voice.

“Eli-” I called out in shock before Lorelai shoved her hand over my mouth and pulled me down to her.

“Hush! He is drawing them!” She hissed the words in a faint whisper before pulling her hand from my mouth.

“I know! We have to help him!” I snarled the words furiously, my teeth showing in a glare.

“We will help him by finding the artillery, Elias knows what he is doing. With me!” Lorelai spoke the words with a command in her tone before grabbing my wrist and pulling me along. I whimpered as I heard more taunting from my husband and more explosions, his voice growing distant.

We came upon a group of three artillery cannons and three soldiers manning them. They were obviously not mundane given the speed and accuracy of their loading. Not to mention such machinery usually took a small crew to man, not a single being.

“They are third class knights… by the gods, I can’t believe they are stupid enough to interfere in this...” Lorelai hissed the words as she slowly drew the large curved blade from her back.

“Let’s draw and quarter them, we can sort the details out later!” I barked the words, drawing my saber and fully loaded revolver.

“I can handle them with ease, you watch my back.” Lorelai showed me a grin and I gave her a nod.

The sheep blurred from sight with impossible speed. Two of the three celestials were already disemboweled from clean sweeping slashes of her katana before the third had time to draw their sword. Lorelai gave the angel a bored huff before blurring forward and taking the soldier’s head clean off their shoulders.

“Damn… you’re so great, my lady...” I spoke the words with admiration, my tail wagging as I joined her.

“Hum… We aren’t done, you feel that, yes?” She cut her eyes up towards me and I nodded before we both darted to the side as the very earth was impacted by a massive slam that left nearly a three-yard crater in the ground. Dirt, rock, and the remains of the nearby siege weapon clattered to the ground as the large winged woman reeled back a massive warhammer and shouldered it.

“Using your troops as bait? How very like your lot.” I barked the words as I leveled my revolver towards the massive woman that stood between me and Lorelai.

“Nay, I only just arrived. However, you two will pay dearly for your crimes this night.” The angel shifted her black eyes between me and Lorelai, her wiry tail flicking in agitation. She had long platinum blonde hair like Rachel and Toroah, a theme I was starting to notice with some of their kind. Her wings were large, the tips brushing the ground like the last archangel we had crossed paths with.

“Why don’t you go back to your barn, the adults have work to do,” Lorelai growled the words dryly while setting her stance, the curved blade still covered in divine blood.

The angel's large folded ears lifted, showing the black spots dotting the white of them. Her teeth showed as she glared at the sight of the sword before setting her own stance. “You will not talk down to me, abomination. Hagen was the youngest of us, do not overestimate yourself.”

“So I stand corrected, you’re all a bunch of children. Go back to your pasture and graze, maybe I won’t declare full-on war for this and wipe your kind off the face of the planet.” Lorelai spat the words, her knees bending.

“Seriously… You’re a sheep and you make racist barnyard jokes towards me?” The cow snarled the words, her wings snapping outward before she simply blurred from sight.

Lorelai sidestepped as another massive impact struck the earth near her, this time the crater smaller as the bovine woman had followed through and was proceeding to swing her hammer in skilled strokes as easily as if it were a shortsword. Divine steel clashed in the night, sending off radiant blue sparks as the katana and hammer met again and again.

I sighed and shrugged, seeing I had been ignored once again. “Fine… it’s always like this, isn’t it?” I grumbled the words as I casually walked towards them and waited until the angel took to the air once more. Like with the fallen one as soon as she lifted off I fanned the hammer of my revolver, putting the entire chamber into her back.

The archangel howled in fury but didn’t collapse, simply deviating her flightpath before bringing the hammer down on top of me instead. I gave her a grin as I hopped back, not foolish enough to try to parry divine steel with a normal saber. She reared back the hammer to strike and I casually opened up a lance of hellfire, point-blank into her face.

She cried out before she stumbled back from the unholy foxfire then screamed in both pain and fury as Lorelai raked the katana into her back, barely missing cleaving her wing fully off as she stumbled to evade the brunt of the strike.

“Huff… huff… you pests… I am archangel, Samantha… I will not be humiliated by the likes of you!” The cow sneered as she opened her palm and I saw the light gathering, the little trump card the celestials always used coming to play.

“Sarnai, behind me!” Lorelai spoke the words in commandment as she stood between me and Samantha.

“Unholy abominations, cower before the light of the divines!” Samantha cried the words out proudly as she launched the sphere into the air.

#

“I’m sorry… you must be out of your mind if you think I will help you in such an endeavor!” The platinum-haired fox shouted at me, her teeth showing in a scowl, her arms folded over her chest.

“I am mad, as you know,” I growled the words and gave a shrug. “Regardless you owe me so fucking much, Rachel. I’ve piled the favors upon you time and again, the knowledge is a minor return of them at this point.”

“You ask me to aid you in a way to counter my people's greatest defense against your kind!” She snarled the words, her fists clenched.

“I simply ask you to help me test a few theories on it. Nothing more...” My shoulders shrugged and my tail lazily flicked about as I cut the angel a coy grin. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

“You use it to strike me down along with my loved ones.” She grumbled the words dryly and folded her arms.

“Hmm… fair...” I put a finger to my cheek. “Very well… who are your loved ones? I will swear not to use it upon you or them.”

The angelic fox blushed as her hands moved to her hips. “I… I care about all of my kinsmen.”

“So do I, including the one whose head you removed,” I growled the words putting my own hands upon my hips.

The other fox frowned and jerked her gaze away. “That was not of my doing, I had no control and you know that!”

“Indeed, but it was your sword and body that did it. Out with it, angel. Will you or won’t you help me?” I snarled the words, feeling my agitation at this exchange building quickly.

“If it will make us even, then… swear you will not use it upon Toroah and Ichiro.” Rachel barked the words with a frown on her face.

I nodded and flicked my tail. “Fine… I Sarnai Silverpaw, swear upon my power, that any knowledge I garner from these little tests, will not be used upon you or them.” I huffed out and ran my fingertips through my raven hair and gave the other fox a lazy look. “Satisfied?”

Rachel gave me a sharp nod and took a breath through her nose. “Very well… what do you want me to do?”

“I simply wish you to summon your light in various degrees of strength, I wish to test things against it… I wish to find out what will work, or not work, without being locked in mortal combat with your kind.” Black flames erupted from my fingertips as I showed my sharp canines in a mad grin.

#

The now-familiar light came forth, it was more intense than Rachel’s which stood to reason. I still felt woozy and sick but held my stance. “Do not shield me, I am fine!” I barked out the words to Lorelai as we both leaped away from the mighty impact of the warhammer that crashed down before us.

Samantha snarled furiously as we dodged, the three of us basked in the holy light above. “Impossible! You monstrosities should be on your knees!” She spat the words out, swinging the hammer in a wide arc, the sheer force of the swing sending a wave of pressure out that made us both take a step back.

I huffed and set my stance but felt my knees starting to weaken, I wasn’t on the same level as Lorelai, my willpower could only handle so much. I locked my legs and readied my saber as the angel seemed to take notice in my stance and lunged for me.

“D-Damn it!” I barked the words as she sprang forward, the hammer moving in one of those upwards swings as if she were ready to strike me like a ball in that one game I saw in Scotland years ago.

Right as the impact was to land, Lorelai roared in fury and came down in a wide slash with her own weapon. Samantha pivoted from the blow and my eyes widened as the hammer slammed into the sheeps chest. I clearly heard the breaking and crunching of several bones as she scattered backward, carving a large swath of the earth up in her wake, tumbling nearly a dozen yards.

“Lorelai!” I screamed her name and was atop her in a blink. She shuddered and blinked up at me, her brown eyes shifting erratically before focusing on me. The combat armor she wore concealed the damage but the injuries were obvious.

“G-get this fucking vest off me...” The sheep hissed the words and I did as she commanded, pulling the combat armor off, the plates and weave were dented and had been inhibiting her body to heal. Her chest and stomach beneath her top was obviously mangled, large spots of blood starting to show in the fabric of her clothes.

“Gods… Lorelai...” I barked the words, my panic showing as I held her head in my lap.

“The gods have no intention to listen to you, monsters,” The cow snarled the words as she shouldered her hammer and casually walked over to us. She knew Lorelai was the stronger of the two of us, and she had already won.

“Sarnai… I can’t heal this in time, she can’t outrun you. Find Elias and flee.” Lorelai coughed the words and gave me a strong look, blood dribbling from the corner of her mouth now.

I lowered my head and gave a bitter laugh. “You are wonderful my sheep, but so damn stupid sometimes… as if I would leave you...” I sighed and shook my head, reaching to my hip for the small flask of blood I had brought. I passed it to her and gently lowered her to the ground. “Drink that, I will take care of the rest.”

The archangel gave me a genuinely amused grin as I stood weakly in the light she had placed above us, my knees obviously shaking to stand. “Oh you poor thing, you’ve lost your mind in the face of death, haven’t you?”

I grinned and held my left hand out, palm open. “Oh no, I lost my mind a long time ago.” I clenched my hand into a fist, black flames rolling off it, my ears folding and my tail drooping. “All the same… you’ve hurt the sheep whom I love, you’re paying for this in blood.”

The walls came fully down in that moment. I had only given the power in me full reign once, but even then there was a faint restraint of it, never did I let the power roam completely free, but I would lose myself before I lost her. The demons poured their power into me, the destructive nature of my hellfire coming to full glorious fruition. My flames shifted to blood red, my eyes blazing like a blacksmiths forge. I gave the cow a wild hungry grin as I thrust my hand upwards, my own sphere of red flames pushing into the air near hers.

The flames turned in on themselves and formed a vortex of heat and darkness that slowly pulled the radiant light into it, devouring it and leaving us in an eerie red haze.

“Your little tricks won’t save you, fox!” Samantha spat the words before she summoned more of her light, a sphere ten times the size of my own, and launched it into the air once more. The vortex of hellfire had the same effect and simply dragged the divinity slowly into it, devouring the radiance and casting us in red light once more.

“Ha… sorry Samantha… guess you should have made friends with more people in your family!” I barked the words and brandished my saber, red flames rolling off the blade before I blurred towards the archangel.

Hammers are powerful until you need to defend yourself with them, then they are clunky and unwieldy, especially against a smaller faster weapon at close range. Sparks flew as I struck out with my saber, again and again, the cow retreating back, holding the hammer in both hands, parrying blows with the shaft of the weapon.

“How… did you… you’re too fast!” She shouted the words and lunged forward, trying to slam her head into my own. I showed her a toothy grin as I stepped back, evading the blow.

“You call that a headbutt?” I barked and pounced atop the cow, my fingers of my free hand digging into her divine flesh at her shoulder as I slammed my forehead square on with hers. She yelped out at the blow and I clashed our heads together again. “This… is… a fucking… headbutt!” I shouted the words, slamming my forehead into her own again and again before hearing her nose break. She staggered back, blood pouring down her mouth and chin, obviously dazed.

Stars filled my vision but I felt no pain, the monsters in me keeping me numb. I showed Samantha a wide grin full of joy as I dragged my tongue over my bloody fingers, then I set my saber. “Try harder cow… I want to enjoy this...”

“How… my power...” She huffed the words and reinforced the grip on her hammer, shaking her head to clear her vision.

“Don’t you know a girl never gives away her secrets? Suffice to say it’s a trick to counter the bullshit you celestials do, and I don’t even have to maintain it. Sure it takes massive amounts of my energy, but when I’m opening the tap like this...” I huff and flick my ears before blurring from sight once more.

The angel yelped out as I struck her hammer several times before my saber slashed into her belly, hip, and thighs. The hellfire raked over her flesh as I struck, sealing the wounds before they could bleed. Samantha fell back after several more exchanges, panting now, her ears lifted high as she gripped her hammer tightly and showed a grimace at my sneering grin.

“Not to worry cow… when I’m done with you, I will wipe out thousands of your flock, then I will make the heavens run with celestial blood. It can fall to the lands as a crimson rain!” I barked the words madly as my tail wagged furiously, my eyes cutting over to see Lorelai had found her feet, the blood having sped up her healing.

Samantha shook her head before glaring upon me and springing up off the ground, taking flight for a dive attack. I lifted my ears and hopped off the ground, intercepting her in mid-flight. The angel gave me a shocked gasp as I grabbed her in mid-air and laughed out before shoving my palms to her wings, letting my hellfire pour forth. The flames burned her feathers to ash leaving only the charred bone frame of her wings behind.

Needless to say we both tumbled out of the air from that attack. I grabbed the cow by her platinum hair, driving her chest first into the earth from the fall, my knee in her back. Samantha cried out from the massive impact, her hammer falling away across the burned grass.

“This isn’t fun anymore...” I snarled the words as I rolled her over and wrapped her platinum hair in my fist, wrenching her head up and baring her throat. “Go to your gods and send Hagen my regards!” I flashed my teeth and plunged them into the angel’s throat, feeling her blood erupt into my mouth and drinking deeply of her.

Samantha shuddered at the embrace, then ceased her struggling as the euphoria took her. I took a few heavy pulls before my ears lifted as I heard a voice behind me, “Sarnai… can you please not finish her off?”

I snarled and withdrew my teeth, dragging my tongue over the angel’s throat to seal the wounds so she wouldn’t bleed out. “Give me one good reason, rabbit,” I growled the words, not even bothering to turn and look at the other archangel that had appeared behind me, my mouth burned by the divine flesh.

“You will never gain the knowledge you seek if she dies.” The platinum-haired rabbit spoke the words in a gentle calm voice.

I barked a laugh and shifted my gaze to him, seeing Lorelai next to him. “A threat to go back upon your words? Why am I not surprised, your lot has dangled that before me like a fucking carrot for centuries.”

“You misunderstand… It’s not a retraction of the offer. Archangel Samantha is the only one of us that possesses the ability to scry the dead. You end her, you end any possibility of finding the information you seek.”

“Sod the information, and sod the whole lot of you. She dies, and when I’m done with her, I’m coming for you and the rest of your ilk, rabbit.” I snarled the words and reinforced my grip on the angel's hair, exposing her throat once more.

The rabbit looked to Lorelai, but the sheep simply shrugged. “She is within her rights, Toroah. I would be dead if it were not for her intervention. Your kind crossed a line and we are now at war. The lycanthropes and mages will be joining us as well. I suggest you cut your losses and prepare yourselves.”

The rabbit hissed through his teeth and spoke out to me once more. “Sarnai! Spare her and I will deal with you directly. Anything to spare her and prevent open hostilities with our people.”

“Fuck your peace talks!” I hissed out, showing a glare to him as I growled. “Your kind interfered in our business, we didn’t draw blood first, you did, as your kind always does!”

“Samantha acted solely on this against the wishes of-”

“I do not care! She is one of your leaders and she represents your kind. You cast the die in this, not us!” I snarled the words, feeling my fury building, my eagerness to taste more of the divine blood starting to wear at my patience.

Toroah folded his arms and frowned, shifting his gaze between the two of us before shaking his head. “I cannot stop you from claiming your due, but please do so under your own power and not your demons, I know you do not want this.”

I screamed out and slammed the cows head into the ground, leaving her there still in her daze, and stomped over to the rabbit. He was slightly taller than me and I had to rise to my toes to glare into his eyes. “You do not know me, angel! You do not know my kind!” Lorelai clenched her teeth and looked away, leaving me to my exchange.

“I have always believed our people could coexist if we tried. What will it take to sway you?” The rabbit stared into my eyes, unflinching as I glared upon him.

“Your throat, offer it in exchange for hers and your peoples!” I showed my teeth, the canines still bloody from my brief feeding. I saw Lorelai tense at my request and look at me out of the corner of her eye, but she said nothing.

Toroah gave me a defiant glare and jerked his head to the side, giving me access to his neck. “Fine, but do it as Sarnai, and not the monsters inside you.”

I snarled and grabbed his platinum hair, drawing him to me, my teeth grazing his throat, my tongue pushing against his flesh, feeling his strong pulse, and tasting the resignation in his soul as it burned. I dragged my tongue up his soft skin, then snapped down hard upon his left ear, biting into it, blood staining the snow-white fur as I growled through my teeth.

“Take your fucking cow and be away from here. You have two decades to give me my knowledge and not a day longer. Your people will remain fully hands-off towards us, the lycanthropes, and the mages during that time. Should even the lowliest cadet raise arms to any of us, I come for your throat and you willingly offer it, after that, we hunt your people down.” I pulled from his bloody ear and shoved my forehead to his own, meeting his blue eyes and feeling the burning from touching his flesh. “Are we in agreement?”

Blood rolled down the side of his cheek from his gnashed open ear as he nodded to me. “You have my word.”

“We are at war with your flock, you will leave us unmolested during that time. Do you understand?” Lorelai spoke out next to us and the rabbit gave another nod to her words.

“If my husband is hurt, you can forget the whole thing,” I growled and pushed the rabbit away from me, feeling the rage in me quell as I let the whirling sphere of red flames dissipate in the air. “Now take your cow and be gone, I wish to not see any of your lot until you have fulfilled your agreement.”

Toroah nodded and moved over to the still dazed bovine. A moment later they both simply slipped from sight and I was alone with Lorelai in the field, even the dead knights having vanished.

“Your power is astounding when you fully unleash it.” The sheep folded her arms, giving me a gentle gaze.

“How are your injuries?” I asked her pointedly, feeling my energy start to dwindle as I took a seat on the charred grass.

“I hurt, but I will live… thanks to you.” Lorelai took a seat with me and we sat in silence for a long moment.

“I can’t feel his energy,” I growled the words, drooping my ears.

Lorelai nodded. “During the exchange, I felt the divine signatures of others, it could be a small squad pursued him and the conflict drew him a distance away.” She cut her eyes to me and cocked a brow. “Are you fearful for him?”

“No. My husband is a mighty warrior, he will not fall so easily.” I bark the words, feeling pride in my voice before my ears folded. “I am… winded...”

“I know you are my fox...” Lorelai gently patted her lap. “Rest your head awhile.” I nodded and slumped over, laying my head in her soft warm lap, feeling her hand gently rubbing at my ears, her will pouring over me in comfort, slightly muting the screams for death that wouldn’t leave my mind now.

“You were brave, my fox, Thank you.” Lorelai’s words came to me several minutes later as I laid there in her lap.

“Just paying my dues. You’ve saved me hundreds of times over the years, I’m glad to return the favor.” I spoke the words and felt her will push against me, compelling me to relax. Feeling my eyes grow heavy, I closed them, deciding to take a moment of respite in my sheep’s lap.

#

Tapping into so much of my power cost me something that night. My restraint on my demons and the looming madness weakened dramatically. I had to constantly shutter out the cries for death and carnage. Still, I would have done it again in a heartbeat to save her or my husband.

It took us nearly two weeks to find my Elias, he had diverted the attention of the celestials but was chased several miles by a small elite strike group. Lorelai and myself also had our hands full, a large division of soldiers of the church descending upon us and cutting off our route to follow him.

Those weeks were bloody ones, I and the sheep killed mercilessly to exact our retribution. The mundane slaughtered themselves to the tune of millions and I’m sure between us, Elias, and the rest of the family, the church lost several thousand by our hands.

I was thrilled to reunite with my husband weeks later, but equally shocked when he came with a young black cat in tow. He claimed she held some sort of power known as thaumaturgy and had saved his life on the road. I did not smell her upon him, so I took him at his word that nothing had come between them in the weeks they were together.

Regardless, the young vampire ended up a part of our house, I regret that it was in my darkest years. I’m sure she had a great distaste for me during that time, but let us save that story for another night.

Thank you for reading and I hope you look forward to the next episode.
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