Satan's army barrels toward us with the speed and ferocity of a billion leopards. I raise my hand and focus on the energy that I know exists inside my heart. Golden beams of electricity shoot from my eyes, annihilating the first row of demons.
"Hey," Loki shouts. "Save some for us."
Heimdall forces one off of him and steps on his brittle skull. The demon turns to dust. "Plenty for everyone," he says.
Loki lunges forward and unloads a full round of bullets.
Heimdall heads toward the cliffs to defend our flank.
Ash is doing the unthinkable and diving into the crowd, cutting heads off left and right.
One of the angels swoops down to my level. It sends me a message telepathically. "We must form a link."
As soon as I take off into the sky the angels join me in my reckoning. Yet, I feel complete.
No matter how many demon beasts I kill with the angels, I feel like someone is absent. In between using my great powers, I look over at Ash. I see him get pulled under, only to be saved by Loki's quick shot.
Heimdall is doing his best to disrupt the circle the demons are trying to put around us, but nothing can stop the rising swell of the tide. It won't be long until a tsunami takes us all down.
I need Ash. I'm stronger than I've ever been, but I need him. It's an excruciating pull on the heart, and I feel it at every second of the fight.
The angels and I use the power of our sight to cut off Beelzebub’s arm. He wobbles back and falls into the boardwalk, sending shards of cement into the sky. More of the demons scramble to make up his body, but his overall greatness is diminished.
The lord of the flies has one move in his back pocket. He shoots more flames into the sky. One sears the wings of the angel beside me. Another angel comes to its aid, but is hit within seconds. They both swoop down, and Ash takes the charge by jumping on the back of one.
Together, they rise and fly back to attack. They ascend over the rocks, near the devil's great legs. He takes a swipe and injures him.
"Nephilim, attack," Beelzebub roars.
Demons with large and leathery wings descend from the sky, striking with horrible ferocity. Ash manages to cut the head off of one. Another comes from behind, but Loki guns it down.
They do a loop over Beelzebub’s head before dropping. More of the winged entities attack, and Ash struggles to fend them off. He kicks one, shoots two, but they have overwhelmed the angel.
With long and sharp blades, the Nephilim stab the angels. The three of them lose their abilities, spiraling toward the ground.
Ash jumps, and I catch him. However, the angels hit the ground with a loud thump. They lay motionless on the sand.
"Hold your ground," I command.
Death and sin is all around us. The serenity of the ocean has been ruined. The dolphins I witnessed earlier are nowhere to be found. Life has left this place.
The smell of fire and brimstone is both foul and alluring. How can I go on when the world feels like a crown of thorns?
I am an angel, but nothing has changed. There will always be someone trying to bring me down.
Beelzebub stands and drags a fist down into the sand. Shockwaves reverberate through the ground, pushing the soil up against my counterparts.
Ash collapses as the ground shifts below his feet. The demons gather around his body and attack. My world seems to stop.
I have been honored by Odin and the council he serves on, but that means nothing without Ash. I once thought I had doubts about him, but he could be the devil himself, and I'd still need him. The benefits of his love are far too great.
"Ash!" I scream.
The last angel falls prey to another one of the demon's attacks.
"No," I whisper.
The angel drifts like a burning ember all the way to the shore. When it hits the sand, the sight nearly breaks me.