Alice pushed forward, sucking in a slow breath, eyes half closed. "Aerendyl listen to me- you need to tell me what you know. Now."
"Alice, you don't get to walk in here, and give me orders," The angel protested, glaring down at her. "Do you forget who I am, and who you are?"
"Yeah, the girl who forgave herself for circumstances she couldn't control and the man who chose seven shitty women and still cries about how they treated you, like you didn't choose to be there. The difference? People die around you, Aerendyl, and they smile around me- so answer me. Where is Lynx?"
Aerendyl blinked a few times, stunned, as if he'd been slapepd.
"What?"
"You heard me." Alice stepped forward, poking his chest. "Your girlfriends died- all of them. Coincidence? Probably not. Your fault. Sure- it was complicated. Everything is. They're all dead though, aren't they? People don't rise to power without blood on their hands."
"Alice, one of my partners is-"
"I don't care. Where is Lynx? You don't get to choose whether I pretend it's fine, or sleep easy, just like you didn't get to choose whether she accepted what I am. Get over your childish, immature, insecure little complex because oh, oh no, I ordered this mission- this is fault- WHERE IS SHE?"
"Alice-" Aerendyl snarled, and she pressed on.
"No, Aerendyl. Your emotions, and your pride- they're why people die. Speak, up."
"I'll fix this-"
"I don't care, Aerendyl," Alice whispered, sucking in a breath and gathering mana as subtle as she could, letting it gather in her right arm. If she recalled, the angel's powers didn't give him any sort of magic detection, or sixth senses…
"You need to care- I am the Director- and I'm that for a reason-"
"Because you let your friends and family die? Because you built your throne on a mountain of bones, lucky enough to be the last one standing? I know you," Alice snorted, shuddering, and rolled her eyes, still gathering magic. "You're a half baked leader who couldn't even die properly, o' great and powerful archangel. Now if you don't spill it, I swear to every god in this world and the next-" Alice snarled. Her arm felt like it was vibrating, as if her blood was boiling- if she wasn't careful it might pop.
"You'll what,"
"I will find a way to kill you," Alice snarled through grit teeth, and roared with pain as she nearly fried her own arm off- and still, the idiot didn't understand that this was so much more than anger. Aerendyl snorted, and blinked, rapidly, as golden blood splashed the wall behind him, sizzling, burning through the curtains, bubbling on the glass. Alice's head swam, dizziness making her head feel like it was being held up against the counterweight of a bowling ball around her neck- but she'd done what she needed to. Not fire, or ice- just pure, unadulterated energy had burned through Aerendyl's shoulder, and he looked down, now, at his arm, hanging uselessly at his side. "You got two choices, angel boy. Tell me where she is or kill me. Option C is me finding a way to kill you, or make you talk," Alice panted out, raggedly, glaring up at him.
"You…" Aerendyl swallowed, ichor dripping from the corner of his mouth, his arm hitting the floor with a sick snapping noise and a thud.
"You might be nigh-indestructible, but you're still weak to a Grade-A anxiety attack. You ordered this mission. You caused this. Where is Lynx?"
"We can't reach her," Aerendyl whispered, kneeling, picking up his arm, tear tracks slowly cutting trhrough the five o'clock shadow along his jaw.
"Why not, Aerendyl. Is she dead?"
"She's… between a rock and a hard place…"
"Ugh… I'm calling Jones, but if you don't talk, I meant what I said. You let your guard down over some half-assed rage-baiting. You're not going to fix this, clearly- something is in your head. We need to put our heads together."
"You… sound like Lynx…"
"And you sound like you can handle a thousand demons being thrown at you, but all it took to get your arm off was mentioning your dead ex-girlfriends. I hope this is a reality check- I'm not somebody who values their life, Aerendyl. So you can kill me and Lynx both like the joke of an angel you are, or you can talk, you self-righteous, arrogant-"
"I get it-"
"You'd better," Alice snarled, turning away, ripping her phone out of her pocket.
Ring.
Ring.
Click.
"Jones, there's an emergency. Get to the Director's house. He's wounded."
-
"What on earth happened?" Jones sighed, holding the arm in place, a warm, golden glow emanating from his hands. "If the media had even a hint of this, there would be… riots. I thought nothing could stop the mighty Aerendyl."
"Talk," Alice repeated, nodding. "Jones won't repeat it. You know that."
"Now? Can't we wait for privacy-"
"Talk." Alice stared, raising her chin. "Bite down your ego. You said you'll save her yourself- but I repeat. You, were disarmed-" She choked, covering her mouth, biting down a laugh, a grin trying to pull at her face for all of two seconds. "-because I hurt your feelings. You're only useful when the mask is on."
"She's…" Aerendyl sighed. "She's alive, last we heard. We have a spy, but a powerless one. Deep underground, in one of the drug dens- the biggest one, and one that I'd like to be rid of entirely. That spy is going to attempt to help her get out- he led a patrol directly across her path when I reported her missing."
"What's stopping us from going down there?"
"On one side," Aerendyl gritted out, while Jones worked tirelessly, expressionless, as if he wasn't even listening. "There's an arch-demon, as old as I am- maybe older. She was around when I was still human. She's nearly achieved god status; she can cause hallucinations from miles away, take any shape she chooses, disable your nervous system to incapacitate you, teleport some distance, read minds in an instant… she preys on fear and pain. Well, rather, she just, really enjoys playing with her food. You uh…" He glanced down at his arm, and the seam where it was gradually being reconnected. "You can imagine why that might be a… a um, what was I saying…?"
"Drink this," Jones muttered, taking a bottle from his pocket and handing it over. The angel uncapped it and knocked it back like a shot without hesitating, shaking his head, wincing at the taste.
"Right. You see why that kind of a demon might be a problem for me," Aerendyl continued. "I could be incapacitated- we're on equal footing, and her greatest strength is my greatest weakness," He added, and there was pain in his laugh, but Alice couldn't bring herself to care, right this moment.
"There's no other way in? Clearly there is, or the drug trade would fail, and your spy wouldn't exist," Alice crossed her arms. "Cough it up."
"The other exit is in the far north. The people who pass through spend weeks sneaking through the ice, to avoid The Bleeding Ice.
"The Bleeding Ice…" Alice shivered, closing her eyes for a moment. "Of course."
She recalled, for just a moment, a children's story she'd been told- or so she'd thought, at the time. A dragon so full of bloodlust, the apex predator- it was unable to be killed, or so they said, having even survived the divine punishment of the old God of Pain. The smite drove it mad, and made it all the more dangerous- and so, unable to kill the dragon, the God of Pain cursed it with blindness and fought it north for weeks without rest. After much pain and bloodshed, the god fled, leaving the dragon, blind and with a broken wing, to die in the arctic.
Except- it didn't die. It survived, hunting animals built to survive the extreme cold, and anybody stupid enough to wander so high to the North.
"If CA records are accurate, that dragon is classified as an arch-demon itself. At the very least, it could wound me severely, and possibly kill me."
"Hah. People think you're invincible, you know?"
"Yeah. Well I've fought nothing but smalltime terrorists and an arch-demon who believed I was under orders not to truly attack. It was underhanded, cheap wins. You didn't think I was completely unkillable, did you?"
"I did, the way you've been mandling the corrupt side of CA."
"I was their weapon, and I turned on them. That does not make me infallible," Aerendyl snorted, rolling his eyes; there was a deep wariness there, and Alice paused, drawing a slow breath.
"Look, Aerendyl. I get it. The people in suits don't think they need to be strong- they leave fighting to the brutes. Could that dragon really kill you, though?"
"Maybe."
"What about the both of us?"
"Still too risky."
"What about, the two of us, Nara, and a platoon of CA soldiers," She asked, sucking in a breath.
"Why waste the lives of so many? For one? I can't afford to play favorites-"
"HAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAA?!" Alice wheezed, as disrespectfully as she could. "Is that what you told yourself when you put her on this mission because she asked nicely, you arrogant wannabe savior?"
"Screw you," Aerendyl whispered, anxiety creeping into his voice, and Alice swallowed. You're doing this for Lynx. Aerendyl won't talk if you make him go full panic and shut down. Jones, for his part, only worked, healing. Sweat beaded at his brow from exertion, but he made no sound.
"What would it take to kill or get past that dragon?"
"I…" Aerendyl swallowed. "I might- have a friend I can call in. One who'd give us the upper hand. It's risky though- and I can't force her, and who knows if she'd agree."
"Call her," Alice rolled her eyes. "Now."
"It's the middle of the night."
"Call her."'
"Alice-"
"Call. Her. I wasn't joking, Aerendyl. I got a person to live for now. You can kill me or listen to me. You're not safe otherwise. I don't care how stupid it sounds, I won't rest."
Jones looked up, now. "Alice- are you sure it's wise to-"
"Yes." The succubus stared, leaned forward, and hooked two fingers into the angel's pocket, plucking his phone out and dangling it in front of him. "Call."
Sighing, Aerendyl raised his good arm and took the phone, swallowing, dialing, putting the phone on speaker, so Alice could hear.
"Hi!" A voice came through the phone. "Haru's personal line! Sorry I couldn't make it to the phone. Do me a quick favor and leave a message, please, and I promise that I will get back to you just as soon as I can!"
Beep.
Alice frowned, frustrated.
"Hey, Haru-" Aerendyl began, only to be cut off from a voice on the other end.
"Hng… who's this…"
"Aerendyl," The angel swallowed, gritting his teeth as he spoke. "Hate to do this, sorry for waking you."
"Dog breeder…? What's up…?"
"I…" The angel began, and Alice snatched his phone.
"We want to save somebody, and take out a lot of bad people. Aerendyl here says you can help."
-
"Come on, Lynx." One of the guards pushed her forward, and she, the blonde, looked around in fascination as she stepped into what must have been the place- but, this was unrecognizable as having ever been a warehouse, no. She stepped into a beautiful path winding through vegetable gardens, magical lights glaring down at them, In any direction, she could see cobbled huts- and there were more, in the air, supported by steel beams protruding from the walls, walkways supported by magic, ropes and beams… there was a veritable three level city, albeit a tiny one, here. Lynx walked forward, as directed, looking around at the crowds; they were so colorful.
Humans and angels and demons of every shape, size and skin color- wheelchair- crutches- that one doesn't have legs- oh are those tentacles-
"Keep it moving," One of the three nudged her, and Lynx nodded, continuing on. As she walked, people kept turning to stare, and Lynx tried to ignore the way her tail-fur bristled, pushing through some sort of market stuff. Knives, pieces of rebar- jewelry, clothing- armor, snacks- canned food… it was like some sort of post-apocalyptic game market.
"Hn…" She continued, shaking her head, still looking around. "What's that?" She asked, pointing at a tall wall of steel- it seemed that part of the tiny city had been segmented off and separated.
"The arena. People have friendly sparring matches there," The kinder guard spoke, directing Lynx toward a staircase. Starting up it, she spotted what was, more likely than not, the home of whatever person led this place. Perhaps once an overseer's office, there was a window overlooking the warehouse floor, and a demon with the only gun she'd seen guarded the door. Well, doubt that'd do much against that many demons, so I bet it's symbolic, or status.
"For the leader." A guard spoke, and the demon guard nodded, a bristled, spiny tail waving them inside. Lynx went first, unsure what to expect… but surprised, regardless. The space inside seemed like a plain studio apartment. There was a shoddy kitchenette with a sink, there. A bed across the room, and a desk, where a young man with dark hair and skin so pale he may have been an albino slept. He sat up, though, grinding his palms against his eyes and yawning.
"What is it? Who is this?" When he spoke, his voice was deep, relaxed.
"My name-" Lynx began, and shuddered, panic flaring in her chest- one of the three guards who'd brought her suddenly ripped her pistol from her belt, and she felt the barrel against the back of her head. Froze, slowly raising her arms.
"Her name is Lynx. She's part of Contracted Arms, sent here as a spy to kill us." The kind-voiced guard spoke slyly, and Lynx shuddered, liquid ice slowly running through her veins, eyes glassing over. "Personally, I thought you might like her for the arena. Or, I can pull this trigger. She's alone, though. We're sure."
"Hm…" The albino demon stood slowly, powerful muscles coiling, and stepped forward, pushing his hair away from his eyes as he walked closer, narrowing his eyes.
"Why are you here, cop?"
Lie.
"I was sent to see if there really were people living down here. Got in over our heads, my team and I, so I tried to leave, only to wake up from some sort of hallucinogenic nightmare in a musty storeroom before your patrol found me."
LYNX. COME ON.
"I see," The demon deliberated slowly, smiling, pouting, as if he was imagining her story. When he smiled, his mouth was full of razor-like fangs. "An agent of CA- down here, in our neck of the woods? Seven months away from our yearly transport of Angel Shots, no less. You really are out of your depth- but I think the good gentleman who brought you here has a point. A fully trained soldier would be a boon to our arena."
"Please, I just want to get out of here," Lynx whispered, nervously, smiling. "I need to get home."
"Well. If I were to… arrange transport for you," The demon spoke pleasantly, but there was a honeyed trap in his tone. "It would cost. I repeat; I think a trained soldier would put on quite the spectacle, in my arena."
"I'm not even fully trained, I'm just a student-"
"Oh, don't lie to me now!" The pale one chuckled, grinning wolfishly. "Students, aren't send into dangerous missions, tasked with investigating the Old City- much less the lair of arch-demon."
"I'm- friends- with the director!!" Lynx shouted, eyes wide. "He was just letting me go because I pestered him!! I think, maybe he thought the arch demon was gone!! After all, your guards sneak around it!!"
"Oh…" The pale demon stopped, thoughtful, eyes narrowed. "Yes… my people sneak past it, patrolling for CA… and so the Director… he thought, that the demon was gone, and sent a team to investigate… never stopping to think, that the demon's powers… revolve, around hallucinations." He grinned again, slowly. "Lynx, my people haven't explored outside of this warehouse in years, save for the select few who make transports- and they take the other exit."
"Oh gods…" The notebooks. They were just bait. Were the guard rooms even real? The guard books were clean, legible- the only things not covered in dust, oh my gods…
"More importantly," The pale demon smiled. "You don't know when to shut your mouth do you? I can't wait to see how the Director's Chosen fares." He nodded, and Lynx barely registered the explosion of pain in the back of her head before she blacked out.
-
"In this corner, we have a crowd favorite!!" The voice of an announcer reached her, and Lynx swallowed, groaning. She lay on her stomach, breasts painfully crushed under her in spite of her sports bra. Planting her hands, pushing herself slowly up to her knees, she looked around- and for a moment, she couldn't see, but as her eyes focused, it became painfully clear where she was. The arena; tall auditorium seating mounted around her in a ring wide enough for maybe a hundred paces, all caged in by an enormous steel wall. She could see the exit, but it was three levels up, too high for her to reach even if she jumped, likely.
"Ugh…" Lynx refocused. Across the arena stood a hulking man, easily three times her height, with fur over his legs- ankles splitting into wicked talons like those of a bird. Yet, it wa ram's horns that curled from his hair- the man was an odd combination of beast and man and bird, altogether, with skin like cobalt. He held a long, rusted axe; not the axe of a fantasy warrior, but of a fireman.
"In the other corner-" Right, they've been talking the whole time. This arena isn't a square, why are they saying corner- "-The Director's Chosen- The archangel's prodigy- LYNX!!!! Welcome to the games, fresh meat!!! On the count of five, our warriors will fight- and you know the rules- if they can both stand, the fight isn't over!!"
"Wait hold on- I don't want to fight!?" Lynx shouted, and the crowd, as a collective, seemed to jeer her, offering thumbs down and other rude hand gestures.
"On the count of three!!" A voice came from somewhere. "One!! Two!! FIGHT!!!"
"Wait hold on!!" Lynx shouted- and pivoted sideways as a talon closed where her head had been only a moment before. "He has a weapon!!" She screamed, ducking back, staggering out of the way of an axe swing.
"You don't need one!!" The announcer laughed. "After all, aren't you the Archangel's Prodigy!?"
This isn't funny- oh- nuhuh- Lynx weaved another strike, and she caught the next ax swing, ducking and letting it carry her- only for the beast's talon to send her flying. The blonde choked, as she fell to her hands and knees, seeing stars; her side burned, it was hot, wet-
Come on Lynx. Breathe. Be better if you didn't die here.
The cat-cop shook her head and focused, swerving up to her feet, letting the fire ax bury itself in the dirt beside her head and rising with a kick.
I'm a trained assassin, I'm royal honor guard, was the last thought she had.
Left. Right. The ax whizzed past her face, her hip. Backward- the talon. Forward, under the ax; Lynx grabbed the demon's wrist with both hands and jerkled. A talon sank into her thigh, blood welling, but the demon screamed as his wrist snapped, and she grabbed the axe, swinging it around, burying the blade in her opponent's thigh. With a roar, the bird beast staggered back, and Lynx went in to finish it, only to stagger, wincing.
One glance down.
Lot of red.
Finish this fast.
"What- scared of the sight of blood?" The demon chuckled wetly, and Lynx pushed with her uninjured leg, flying forward. Before he, the demon, could react, she'd wrapped her around his neck and swung, landing on his shoulders, curling her fingers around the ram's horns.
"Yield," She barked, calm, steady.
"I'm good," The demon spat, and Lynx wrenched sideways, breaking his neck. For a long moment, the demon stood there… and then he fell forward. Lynx, coming down from her adrenaline high, hit the dirty concrete ground with a bang, groaning, tasting blood, but the audience was raving.
"THE DIRECTOR'S CHOSEN HAS CLEARED THE STRONGEST RANK ONE FIGHTER!! TOMORROW, SHE ADVANCES TO DIVISION TWO!!!"
Oh, you've gotta be kidding me…