The Sky Bleeds
Blaze and his squad stood atop the mall roof, scanning the horizon. Three hundred yards out, a sea of demons surged forward grotesque, towering, endless.
Through his binoculars, Blaze spotted a throne carried by four massive beasts. Slouched atop it was a demon with sluggish movements, almost sloth-like.
Is that one of the Demon Princes? Blaze wondered.
He lowered the binoculars.
"Group they're coming in hot. Stay high. Use your holy weapons. Don't let them grab you. Stick and move."
He turned to Sophie.
"I hope Eve taught you well. You're our sniper tonight. Stay in the trees. Watch for aerial demons that come in packs."
Sophie nodded. "It's just another day, right guys?" Blaze said.
Ace grinned. "That's right, Cap. Just another day."
"Head out!"
They broke into the trees, moving like shadows. The silence was eerie.
Blaze thought, Can we really surprise them?
Then BOOM.
"Watch out! Aerial demons!" Ace shouted.
They came fast like monstrous mosquitoes, fanged and hideous.
Blaze leapt to a thick branch. One demon buzzed past, he dodged. Another came from behind he did a back flip, slicing through the air.
A third lunged head-on. Blaze didn't hesitate, he slashed. Head gone.
Then another. And another. One, two, three, four. Too many to count.
"Ace!" Blaze yelled.
"Ya, Cap?" Ace shouted back, mid-swing.
"Come to me!"
Then Blaze yelled, "Eve grab Sophie and cover us and wait for my signal!"
Eve yelled back while shooting an aerial demon "understood!"
Ace fought his way over. Meanwhile, Eve and Sophie scrambled into position.
"Sophie, come here!" Eve called.
Sophie was struggling, but holding her ground. Eve moved like a storm, clean, lethal, precise. Eve shoots a demon that was coming from Sophie's backside Sophie turns and sees and is in shock and grateful. Sophie screams thank you! And Sophie went to Eve position jumping branch to branch.
Blaze shouted:
"Wait for my mark!"
Ace reached him. "I'm here, brother."
Blaze nodded. "Get back."
They pressed against the base of a massive tree. The horde closed in.
"Wait for it…"
Mosquitoes buzzed within arm's reach.
"Wait for it…"
Sophie's hands trembled, but her eyes stayed locked.
"NOW!"
Blaze and Ace exploded into motion, swords flashing, slicing through wings, limbs, heads. The demons that dodged were met by arrows from Sophie and Eve. A perfect execution.
Hundreds dropped. The air cleared.
"Follow me!" Blaze shouted.
They moved deeper into the woods, leaving behind only the wounded.
Then CRASH.
A flaming boulder slammed nearby, sending the group scrambling.
Eve lost her footing plummeting toward the ground. Thousands of demons below watched, waiting. But at the last second before she hits the ground she catches herself on a single weak branch that's ready to snap.
"Eve, hold on!" Sophie screamed.
"Sophie, wait!" Blaze barked.
But Sophie rushed forward.
Another boulder flew BOOM. It struck near her, sending her flying into a tree base. She hit hard. Unconscious.
As she fell, demons reached up claws outstretched.
Blaze moved like lightning. He caught her mid-air, one arm wrapped around her.
"You good, Cap?" Ace yelled.
"Grab Eve!" Blaze shouted.
Ace dove toward Eve.
Then Blaze saw it.
The thing that chilled him.
Demons.
Climbing.