7
Caleb readjusted the ice pack to the left side of his face. He felt like he had gone ten rounds with a tank. The last of the bodies were being bagged and tagged and the ballroom had been scrubbed to an inch of its life, erasing any existence of the horror that had happened here only hours ago. Heaven was anything but careless.
Legion descended the stairs and made his way over, he looked exhausted and downtrodden. Caleb braced himself for bad news. “How is she?” Legion sighed and glanced around at the clean-up.
“It’s touch and go if she’ll pull through. What happened down there?” A sharp pain stabbed at Caleb’s heart and he cleared his throat.
“I want to show you something.” He lead Legion over to a body bag in the centre of the floor. “They just brought him up. Do you recognise him?” Legion stooped down and examined the cold corpse.
“Unfortunately.” He finally admitted. “Is he the one that attacked you?” Caleb noticed he left out Holly’s name. The pain was all too near for all of them. He nodded in reply.
“She saved my life.” His voice broke and Legion stood back up looking uncomfortable.
“What happened?” He repeated after a while.
“He took me by surprise. I was ready for anything but him. By the time I’d sensed him it was too late. He carried a weapon of some kind, a blade. It was the last thing I saw before I passed out. I would have been a goner if Holly hadn’t intervened. How is he even out?”
“I have reason to believe Lucifer set him free along with Dante.”
“Then Lucifer was behind this. They wanted Holly.” Legion shook his head.
“If they had they wouldn’t have hurt her. Dante may have pledged his allegiance to my father but after being imprisoned by him, he’s acting on his own wishes. They went after Holly to get to Dominic.”
“Does he know Dante’s free?”
“No. And for now that’s how it stays. He’s got enough to deal with.”
“Why would Lucifer unleash him, and why now? It took Dominic and a small army to catch him.”
“Dominic should have killed him when he had the chance.” Legion spat.
“They were…friends.” Caleb countered.
“Dante doesn’t have friends. He played Dominic and now his making him suffer for showing mercy. What’s the cause of death?” Legion asked motioning to the body on the floor.
“Broken neck.” Legion nodded , but his mind was elsewhere. “Where’s Castillo?”
“Around. Downstairs I think.” And with that he watched Legion take off. Caleb gingerly bent down and zipped up the bag. Caleb had chosen to stay behind and help Castillo with the aftermath, but he was seriously regretting not being with Holly. She had saved his life by giving hers, and if these hours were her last on this earth, Caleb had to be there.
He contemplated just leaving, but decided it was better he talked to Cas first. He would want to know that the clean-up had just about finished. Hobbling down the stairs he paused outside the chamber room.
“Are you sure?” Castillo’s voice asked, his tone shaky.
“Yes. Cas we need to stop fooling around and go after him before he…” Legion trailed off, and Caleb wondered whom they were discussing.
“The council has denied your request Legion. After last night there are too frightened of Lucifer to oppose him.” Caleb heard something smash.
“It was Dante!” Legion yelled. “We should call another meeting…”
“It will do no good. I’m afraid it’s just us.” Castillo interrupted. Caleb heard him sigh. “What I’m about to tell you does not leave this room, agreed? As of two hours ago the battle for supremacy started. Heaven is under siege as we speak.” Caleb had to hold in his startled gasp.
It was a while before anyone spoke.
“How long can your defences hold?” Legion asked in a flat voice.
“Honestly…I don’t know. We won’t win, they outnumber us five to one.”
“That’s why he unleashed Dante.” Legion murmured and Caleb had to strain to hear him. “To distract us.”
“After this mess is cleared up, I intend to join my family and fight alongside my brothers. I’m afraid you’re on your own Legion.” Caleb could plainly hear the pity in Castillo’s tone. “What is this plan of yours anyway, I never got the chance to hear it.”
“It doesn’t matter now. If Holly dies he won’t call off the assault, you know that right?”
“Do you really think she will?”
“I don’t know. But it doesn’t look good. Lucifer can’t free himself without her and if he knew what Dante had done, then he wouldn’t have attacked. But once he does find out he’ll show you no mercy Castillo. You’ll feel the brunt of his anger.”
“I know.” Castillo said with a sad tinge. “How did we let it come to this? We have lost the war and the world along with it.” There was a heavy pause then he continued. “Legion, we will hold them at bay as long as possible, but you do realize once we are gone, you Dominic and Caleb will be the only thing standing in his way. I never thought I’d say this but…you will be this world’s last hope.”
“I promise you, I will find a way to stop him.”
Caleb heard footsteps and took off up the stairs. His side burned with the effort but sheer will drove him forward.
The battle for Earth had started and without Holly, they didn’t stand a chance.