Unlimited Legends #16 (Featuring Zauriel)

[spiritofvengeance]

Unlimited Legends #15
Guardian Angel
Part 2
Arise the Demon, Etrigan

Featuring...

Written By: Daniel Dyer
Edited By: Mike Bowen

I can make it myself, Z,” Crystal says, smiling, as Zauriel aids her up the stairs to her apartment.

“What are neighbors for?” asks Zauriel as he smiles back.

“Who says chivalry is dead?” she laughs.

“I have a very...” Zauriel tries to think of how to finish his sentence in a modern way, “...old school upbringing.”

Crystal giggles, finding it cute how uncomfortable Zauriel seemed using such a phrase.

“Well... I should be going. I’m tired. Nice to meet you, Z,” Crystal says, the smile never leaving her face. “I hope to see you around.”

“Count on it,” Zauriel tells her as he watches her enter her apartment.

That went well. Maybe this assignment may be easier than I...

Suddenly, before Zauriel can finish his thought, he is transported to the home of Jason Blood. Zauriel looks at himself in a mirror and notices his human form is no more, his grey-whitish feathers on display and his wings outstretched.

“Zauriel...”

Zauriel turns to see Jason Blood, but where Jason once looked 30, he now appears to look in his late 50's.

“You are...”

“Jason Blood,” the now old man says. “I summoned you, for the role you play in this prophesy.”

“Prophesy?”

“Yes,” says Blood, coughing. “This prophesy is one shrouded in secret.”

“And I play a part?”

“A crucial part... to insure the Carrier’s survival.”

“Crystal,” Zauriel says in a hushed tone.

“Yes. Your charge. She is carrying the child of an angel.”

“An...? Who?”

Jason coughs violently before he answers, “Asmodel. And he seeks to undo the prophesy to hide his own sin.”

“I have to go to Crystal,” Zauriel says spreading his wings.

“Wait! Asmodel is no fool. He’s using my... ‘better’ half.”

“Etrigan? Then you are...?”

“Dying. Unless the demon is bonded to me in the next few hours.”

Jason walks to his bookcase and gets one of his many spellbooks.

“I think I can rebond the demon, but it may be too late. You need to halt Etrigan before he reaches your charge.”

Zauriel is already flying out in search of Etrigan.

“Godspeed...”

****

[spiritofvengeance]

Crystal Rodriguez lays in her bed and thinks of her kind, new neighbor. So friendly. And handsome, too. Wonder if he’s...
“AARGH!” Crystal screams in pain.

The baby? Something... feels wrong.

She gets the phone and promptly dials 911.

****

[spiritofvengeance]

Etrigan marches through the streets of Los Angeles. The people are running and screaming. Etrigan, reveling in the destruction, continues on his march.

“Flee, ye cursed and putrid souls. The Demon, Etrigan, shall call your foul,” rhymes Etrigan.

“Getting with the times, eh, Etty?” quips Zauriel as he flies for the Demon.

“Eagle host of angels, making jests and mockeries. The rhyming class of demons are above such commentaries,” Etrigan responds as he launches a fireball at the angel.

Zauriel pulls his flaming sword out and catches the ball of fire within.

“Nice try, Etrigan.” But then the sword erupts in a burst of demonic flame, knocking Zauriel back.

“Try? Surely another jest. Time to put your might to the test!” and with that Etrigan unleashes a torrent of hellfire at the angel.

****

[spiritofvengeance]

From one of the lower depths of Hell, Asmodel and Neron watch the proceedings.

“Zauriel!” shouts Asmodel.

“He does appear to be a problem, but Etrigan was one of Hell’s worst and vilest demons. I doubt you’d present much of a challenge. Our bigger concern is this,” states Neron as shows Jason, chanting an incantation. “He seeks to rebound Etrigan.”

“Is it possible for a human born to...?”

“Normally, no. Blood is an exception. Methinks we should give him a few hurdles to jump,” Neron states, grinning.

The Angel and the demon watch as Blood’s mouth begins to seal itself, preventing him from casting his spell.
Suddenly, though, Jason Blood’s mouth reopens, and Blood continues.

“Neron?” questions Asmodel.

“I told you once, Blood is an exception,” Neron roars. “He must have first cast his own protection spells.”

“Then send...” Asmodel is quickly cut off.

“And alert the Presence?! Let’s just hope Etrigan can finish the job quickly.”

****

[spiritofvengeance]

As the EMTs are loading Crystal into an ambulance, she questions, “Is my baby okay? What’s happening?”

“Everything will be fine. Just lay back and trust us.”

“Luke, you seeing this?”

The male EMT, Luke, looks at the life monitor. “Oh, my God.” He looks back at Crystal.

Tears form in Crystal’s eyes as she knows she’ll never see her baby alive.

****

[spiritofvengeance]

Zauriel is swooping and dodging, avoiding Etrigan’s hellfire. Hurry, Jason, thinks the angel. I sense something is wrong with Crystal.

“Fly, fly, little Eagle Host. I knew your jests were all boasts,” laughs Etrigan as he sends fireball after fireball at the angel.

A gleam then comes to Etrigan’s eye as he spots an approaching ambulance.

“Nevermind the winged one from most high; my chariot has just arrived,” rhymes the demon as he launches a fire blast at the ambulance, causing it to overturn.

Zauriel swoops down and spots Crystal writhing on a gurney.

“No...”

Etrigan, in a flash appears at the back of the overturned ambulance, out of a puff of fire and ash.

“Yes, Eagle host, I have my prize. Freedom from Blood. Freedom to unleash Hell on Earth.,” Etrigan states and then continues his rhyme, “Free to cause chaos and havoc. To torment and pillage. To relish in such mirth.”

Etrigan then stops his advancement and continues his rhyme, “But I was assigned to kill the carrier, not to end the birth.” And Etrigan grabs the woman by her ankles.

Crystal’s body temperature rises, smoke coming from every pore in her body. Zauriel watches in terror as he skin becomes black and she begins to turn to ash, but not the baby. As the ash that was once Crystal Rodriguez begins to blow away on the wind, a crying baby boy lays.
As Etrigan laughs with glee, he knows that Neron won’t allow him to be free. As if on cue, Etrigan begins to hear Blood’s incantation and starts to fade, leaving Zauriel standing in the street, looking on at the newly born baby.

****

[spiritofvengeance]

“No!” screams Asmodel. “Your demon was supposed to kill the babe!”

“We weren’t specific enough. He tricked us.” But Neron was a mischievous smile on his face.

“What?! You don’t get your soul, either!”

Neron’s smile widens. “I wouldn’t say that.”

“ASMODEL OF THE BULL HOST!” both the angel and the demon hear.

“Oh...” is all Asmodel can say as before them, from green flames appears a grey being of immense power, draped in a dark green cloak.

“You have gone against the Presence,” the green cloaked spirit starts. “You sought to overthrow the presence and to cover up your sin. That of seducing a mortal woman and trying to kill your unborn son. For these unholy acts, you are cast down. Remain forever tortured in Neron’s realm.”

Neron smiles as chains form around Asmodel and the mighty being, this Spectre of vengeance leaves. “A mighty soul, I must say."

****

[spiritofvengeance]

Zauriel stands alone on a roof, holding the son of an angel and mortal, overlooking the home of Jason Blood.

“Etrigan is once more bound to Jason Blood?” asks a voice from thin air.

“Yes. The spell was finished directly after he killed her.” There is a touch of sorrow in Zauriel’s voice. “I failed.”

“No,” the voice states. “Your assignment was to protect the unborn. That assignment is still unresolved.”

Zauriel looks to the sky and then back to the baby he holds so tight.

“This is my charge?”

“Yes,” comes the voice.

“Mike... how come the baby survived Etrigan’s assault?”

“The Presence. The boy is special so God protected him while still within the womb.”

“Then why send...?”

“Ours is not to question, Zauriel,” was the only response.

Zauriel looks down on the baby, knowing Michael is already gone, and he smiles. “Now what to call you...?”

Fini