World After

30

HE LEAPS for Beliel and slaps his wings into him, clearly meaning to slash through him.

Beliel spins out of the way, partly avoiding the hit. He tosses a work lamp in Raffe’s direction.

The light crashes onto the pier. It flashes with a loose connection, lighting the fighters in a random strobe light.

Blood drips down Beliel’s sneering face and arms. “Admit it. You like the new wings. Why bother with fluffy and feathery when you can have freedom and power?”

“I could ask the same of you, Beliel.” Raffe stalks menacingly toward Beliel.

“I’ve had my life of freedom and rampaging. It’s time for a change. A little respectability. A little well-deserved admiration, don’t you think?” They circle each other like sharks getting ready to attack. Beliel’s limp is gone now that he’s lured Raffe.

“Respectability and admiration are beyond you,” says Raffe. “You’re nothing but a pathetic minion for angels.”

“I am not a minion!” His face turns red and furious. “I have never been a minion. Not for devils, not for angels, not for anybody!” The randomly flashing light highlights the stark shadows of his blood-streaked face.

Raffe leaps for Beliel again. But his motion is interrupted by a net falling on him from the night sky.

Raffe rolls on the pier, tangled in the net.

Get up, get up!

All the fight rages inside me. Can I watch as Raffe gets executed? Every fiber of my being chants, No, no, no.

What can I do? What can I do?

Raffe isn’t struggling against the net like I expected. Instead, he whisks open his wings. The scythe-like hooks on his wings snag the net.

Then his wings slice up, cutting the mesh.

It falls around him like a dropped veil as he leaps up, ready for a fight.

Scorpions drop out of the sky, a couple of them landing on Raffe. He ducks but their glancing blows shove him off balance.

Raffe’s wings, arms, and legs whip around him. Three scorpions go down, writhing in pain. That still leaves half a dozen more plus Beliel. As if that isn’t enough, three more land on the outskirts of the fight.

I pluck off my bear and pull out my sword, ready to dive in.

Mom grabs my shirt and yanks me so hard that I land on my butt like a little kid.

Luckily, Raffe seems to be able to hold his own. I doubt that he’s made peace with his new wings but he’s at least learned to control them better than the last time I saw him.

He’s also a fearless fighter. I hadn’t quite realized just how fierce he could be, but now that I think about it, this may be the first time I’ve seen him fight when it wasn’t immediately after a major injury. The sword’s memories only had him fighting with a sword, which was something to see, but this is more of a ferocious dance.

I’m sure Raffe hasn’t fully recovered yet, but he’s a wonder to watch. He’s fast. Faster than the scorpions that keep trying to sting him. A single scorpion is no more a match for him than a fire ant is to a person.

He’s far outnumbered, though. Yet, he doesn’t seem that concerned as he slowly slashes his way closer to Beliel.

Beliel gets the picture and takes off into the night sky. Apparently, his evil health plan covers wing injuries because his wings seem to work just fine.

Raffe takes off after him.

I watch him get farther from me. He never even knew I was near.

He disappears into the darkness like a fading dream.

I stare at the sky where he vanished for longer than I probably should.