Divide and Conquest (Grimm's Reapers Book 4) (12 page)

The four of us were locked in the world’s longest staring contest.  Cain was across from me, easily as tall as War and just as huge.  Muscles were rippling in places muscles shouldn’t even be.  He hadn’t updated his look in over six thousand years, still wearing simple sandals and a plain brown tunic.  In his left hand was a dagger that had evil intentions.

Beside him was the Roman Legionnaire Longinus.  Not quite as tall and muscular as Cain, the man still had an intimidating presence.  He was the ideal solider for the old empire, an unquestioning henchman who was damn good with a weapon.  His spear, legendary among both human and celestials, rested against him almost lazily.

In the old language, “So the prodigal son returns to Eden.”  Cain gave me a half smirk and went on.  “And you brought the whole family to watch you get slaughtered.  You must be sadistic.”

“I’ve fought Arch-Demons, Abaddon, and some of the worst scum the world’s ever seen.  What do you think you two can bring to the party that they hadn’t?”

Longinus looked over at his buddy.  “The Reaper makes a valid point.  What is our battle plan going forward?”

“We do as the witch asked us to; we kill anyone who crosses the barrier.”

“The element of surprise was supposed to be our advantage.  With that gone, this seems to be an overwhelming task.”

Cain kicked the sand beside him.  “It matters not.  We survived years fighting in the arenas.  These two will fall as well.”

The two of them seemed to be on different pages.  Longinus still wasn’t convinced.  “There is a difference in slaughtering Imps and Wrath demons.  These are the Horsemen we are up against.  I have no qualms with finally dying, but a plan with a chance of success would be nice.”

“Death, I think maybe we should give these two a minute.  I don’t think they’re quite ready.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at my brother’s jab.  Cain didn’t take that well at all.  “See, they laugh at us!  They discount us as a challenge before the first drops of blood are even shed!  Longinus, grow a fucking set and let us attack!”

The old Legionnaire looked apprehensive, but took his spear up.  “In the end my doubt matters not.  I will do as the witch Sabrina has asked of me.”

“What could she have possibly promised the two of you?”

“Freedom.  For more years than I can count I’ve fought in the arenas of Hell, all because I killed my brother.  When we kill you, I can finally have my life back.”

Longinus was more blasé than Cain.  “At this point, I just do not care.  I have taken orders this long, what is one more?”

Conquest’s bow appeared and his celestial fire arrows were ready to be nocked.  Leviathan joined the crowd as the time for talking was just about at an end.  “The two of you stand in the way of us freeing those trapped inside Eden.  If you don’t stand down, we will have no choice but to use lethal force.”

Cain smiled and held his dagger up.  “Finally, I was getting bored with words.”

“So be it Horsemen.  By the orders of her Empress Sabrina, we must fight to either our passing or yours.”  Longinus lowered his spear.

Then the battle started.  Cain and I engaged while Conquest went for Longinus.  Sabrina obviously did something to them as they speed matched ours.  My larger attacker was able to get in range with his dagger and back out in-between my attacks.  Leviathan was great for keeping distances, but if someone was able to penetrate the circle I created with the blade, then the weapon became ungainly.  Unfortunately, it was the only weapon I ever carried.

Cain pushed me back.  Even when I managed to nick him, the blow didn’t slow him down.  Cain was relentless, almost like a berserker of old.  He hadn’t penetrated my defenses fully, but if I didn’t slow him down, this could get hairy.

“Dad, catch!”  I turned around just in time to see Oz chucking his sword hilt to me.  I reached up and plucked it out of the air.  “Force your celestial fire into it!  That’s how you activate it!”

I jumped far enough away from Cain to give myself a chance to adjust.  Leviathan returned to its harmless form, leaving me to stare at this unusual weapon.  “Are you sure kid?”

“Trust me dad, you need something you can use for more speed.”

Cain started coming at me, fast again.  No time to argue with Oz, I did as he told me too.  I focused my energy into the hilt and the damn thing lit up in a blaze.  The center sword was grey and it had a soft white glow around it.  Just as Cain swung his dagger at me, I brought the celestial blade down to meet him.  The speed I could generate with it was so impressive.

The two weapons collided and the sparks flew, just like they did the first time I saw Oz use this.  I brought the sword back quickly and began a relentless attack on the first murderer.  Blow after blow rained down upon him, putting him into the defensive all the while backing him up.  He wasn’t prepared for this switch.

He kicked up sand in my face, giving him the opportunity to retreat a few steps.  I was able to block most of it from my eyes with my hand, so he didn’t buy himself a lot of time.  I jumped over him and kept up my attack.  Cain, being the bigger man, had a naturally longer reach, but his dagger didn’t add a lot to it.  This nullified any advantage over me he may have had.

Cain seemed to know he was on the ropes.  “Don’t think you a moment we’re done yet.  Rise my minions!”

“What the fuck are you-” He didn’t need to answer my question.  From beneath the sand came the demons.  Five Wrath demons to be exact.  “Oh come on!  You’ve got to be joking!”

Conquest landed beside me.  “Just when we thought things would be easy.”

I slapped him on the back of the head.  “It’s never easy.  Don’t joke about that.”

The Wrath demons formed a circle around the two of us with Cain and Longinus looking on from outside of it.  They weren’t making any moves towards the others, so they were really trapped inside an invisible barrier.  But just because they were stuck here, didn’t mean Roxanne would stay where she was supposed to.  The Lust demon returned to her true form and took to the sky.

“Umm bro, what’s your girlfriend doing?”

I looked up as she hovered above the Wrath demons.  They too noticed her arrival.  “I’ve learned it’s best not to ask.”  Sweetly, “Honey, we’ve got this.  It’s cool.”

She ignored me.  “Wrath demons, I am Roxanne, Princess of Pandemonium and daughter of Lilith.”  Lilith’s name carried a lot of weight.  The Wrath demons turned to their summoners and began mumbling about this.  “Silence!  You are all here against your will, as I know about the Treaty Death signed with the Arch-Demons.”

“What treaty is she talking about?”

“Not now Conquest, I don’t need you rambling about things that have already passed.”  I could feel my brother’s annoyance, but I was more interested in how Roxanne was going to override Sabrina’s control.

“The one who conquered your home, her days are numbered!  Return to your masters below and wait for the opportunity to reclaim your home.”  Fire was burning in her eyes, the same fire that was blazing in the Wrath demons’ below.

One of the demons turned to Cain.  “You’re bitch no longer holds sway over us!  Fight your own fucking battles mortal!”

In a great big flash of flames, the five Wrath demons disappeared, leaving behind charred sand.  Cain and Longinus looked on, greatly upset that their backup was no longer here.  Cain began stomping in the sand, furious he’d been abandoned.  “You, whore!  How dare you interfere!”

“No one talks to Roxanne like that.”  I jumped up; Oz’s sword still ignited and brought it down with all I could muster.  The fiery blade bit into his left shoulder and didn’t exit until it cleaved most of his upper body from his lower.  With a bloody thud, his two sections collapsed to the desert floor.

Longinus was already on one knee by the time I finished Cain off.  “I submit and await my fate.  I would beg for mercy, but it is unbecoming of a Legionnaire.”

I felt bad for him.  I didn’t even need to touch him to know what his fate was.  “The power of forgiveness is great.  If it’s truly in your heart, you never know what can happen.”

From across the way, Conquest had one of his white arrows ready.  “Longinus, long overdue is your day of judgement.  Do not fear what awaits you as your exit from this world will be swift.”  He let go the bowstring and the arrow pierced his heart.  As he joined Cain’s body below, he looked up and finally broke a smile.

Conquest and Roxanne joined me beside the fallen man.  “I think he came here hoping to pass on.  Unlike Cain, he was ready to face the consequences for his actions.”

Conquest put an arm around me.  “You speak like you understood the man.”

“I do.  I’m tired too, tired of fighting and having to defend my actions.”  Oz and Khloros by this time were with us too.  “When this is all over, I want to come back home.  I want to return to Eden.”

“Dad, you can’t mean that…”

I hated hearing the disappointment in Oz’s voice.  “Listen kid, I’m not going to abandon you.  You and Roxanne are coming with me.  We can live as a family, free of all of this bullshit.”

Roxanne grabbed my hand.  “You would bring me here with you?”

“Of course!  I know some people who might be willing to bend the rules.  I have favors to call in.”  This was one hundred percent true.  A lot of beings up there owed me a favor or two.  Not that kind I could cash in storming the Mistress of Evil’s castle, but the kind that could get me two extra bodies into Eden.

“Dad, I don’t want to live in Eden.  I want to live in Philly, it’s my home.”

Well shit, I didn’t expect that.  “You’d rather live with humans than in a place that is full of awesomeness and topped off with amazing?”

“Derrick, now’s not the time.  We can talk about it as a family later.”  She as right, we still had a lot to do before that was possible.  “Let’s go break the seal holding your brothers in.”

“Okay, we’ll talk later.”  Oh I needed to give them a very stern warning.  “Guys, while we’re within the walls of Eden, you can’t swear.  If you feel the need to use any language that can be taken poorly, keep it to yourself.  The consequences would be high.”  Both Oz and Roxanne looked at me like they understood.  Thank the Almighty, the ramifications for breaking Eden’s rules are not to be taken lightly.

With the guardians dead and the hidden Wrath demons sent back to Hell, it was a very leisurely stroll up to the front of the Garden.  I tried to walk up to the doors, but sure enough there was an invisible barrier that was chalk full of Tree of Life juice.  “It’s like she’s just taunting us that she can do whatever she wants.”

Conquest looked on with sadness.  “You didn’t witness what she could do.  It was unfathomable that her powers sent the three of us faltering to our knees.”

It’d been over sixteen years since my last encounter with Sabrina.  Just the thought of that night left such a bitter taste in my mouth that I almost gagged.  “We can’t fear her, for if we do, she’s already won.”  I placed my hand against the barrier.  “We’ve overcome so much to get to this point, let us reopen Eden and begin to fight back.”

He joined me and together we channeled our primal connections to the Tree.  The barrier began reacting to our energy, trying to purify the tainted evil Sabrina added to it.  It was a tug of war between Horsemen and remnants of magic.  The balance shifted when Khloros put his hoof against the barrier, adding in his own connection to the Tree.

With the three of us, the taint was wiped clean and the barrier broke.  “We did it!”

Oz was staring at disbelief as the doors to Eden opened up before us.  “Whoa, this really is the Garden of Eden?”

“You know it kid.  This is your dad’s home, well his original one.”  The brilliant light shining through put us all in such good spirits.  “Let’s go, you can meet your other uncles.”

With little fear of retribution, the five of us entered the sacred land.  The Garden was usually full of life, but it was oddly silent.  I figured Famine and War would be right here to greet us.  “War?  Famine?  Where are you?”

“Brother, over there.”  Conquest was looking to the west and down by the river.  Two figures and three horses were huddled close together.  “I think something’s wrong.”

Conquest ran, as a Horseman being away from his steed is never an easy thing to endure for long periods of time.  The rest of us followed him down.  The area felt normal, so I wondered what happened to my brothers and their horses.  As we got closer, it seemed they were in some sort of sleep-like state.

Oz was beside me as I caught up to Conquest.  Roxanne couldn’t move nearly as fast in her impractical (yet very sexy) choice of footwear.  “Dad, what’s wrong with them?”

I poked War’s back.  “I don’t know.  I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Conquest had his hands on the white horse by the water.  “Leukos, can you hear me?”

Neither of us was getting a response from anyone.  Mavros and Pyrrha, the black and red horses of Famine and War, sat there as well.  Khloros wasn’t taking this lightly.  “I do not sense foul magic over my brethren, but this state they are in is unnatural.  The mystery must lie within the Garden.”

I agreed with him.  “Some of us should stay here and watch over the bodies while the others go investigate.  Any volunteers?”

“Khloros and Conquest should stay with them Grimm, keeping watch.  Whoever did this might come back if they know we’re here.”

I looked at Roxanne appraisingly.  “You and Oz just want to explore the Garden, don’t you?”

Khloros backed them up.  “I agree with her.  The two of us can fend off attackers if needed.”

“Conquest, you okay?”

He hadn’t said a lot, which I’m sure had a lot to do with Leukos current state.  “I feel this is my doing.  Had I not been captured, maybe…?”

“Stop right there.  If we second guessed every decision ever made, I’d have a lot more to question than you.  Hang tough and we’ll get your buddy back.”  I ruffled his perfectly combed hair, knowing that irritated him more than anything.

He tried to smooth it out, but he seemed to lessen his guilt.  “Fine you stubborn old fool.  I won’t beat myself up, but I might to whoever did this.”

Roxanne, Oz, and I ducked into the trees, off to see what we could find.  This might’ve been about as practical as looking for a needle in a haystack, but I couldn’t sit still.  And I left my medication at home, so my ADHD was in full swing.

“So dad, is this place more a forest or a garden?”

The layout of Eden, not exactly something I want to broadcast to the world, so forget the next few lines.  “It’s both son, the Garden lies further in around the Tree of Life.  Two rivers flow into the center and that’s where the residents of the Garden live.”

A sixteen year old’s questions never end.  “So is there like a city there?  Where does everyone live?”

I’m sure you’re curious too, but again not for your ears.  I went over everything with Oz and Roxanne, giving them the four-one-one about Eden.  By the time I finished, it seemed they were pretty well impressed with everything.  “So that’s the grand virtual tour of Eden.  Depending on what’s happening here, you might get to see everything.”

We were already getting to the edge of the forest section, ready to cross into the outskirts of the Garden itself.  Everything seemed normal, but, “Oz down!”

He ducked just in time as a flaming sword tried to remove his head from his body.  Instead it met the cold hard blade of Leviathan.  The angel holding the sword immediately ended his assault.  “Lord Death, is it truly you?”

I didn’t recognize the young blonde man who tried to kill my son.  “Yes it’s me!  Put that thing away before you get one of us killed!”

His sword disappeared out of sight, yet he still looked like he might shit himself.  “Master Death, I apologize sincerely.  I had no idea it was you who returned!”

Oz looked to be fine and Roxanne looked like she might kill this kid.  Everything was normal.  “Yeah, it’s me.  Who are you?  What’s going on here?”

He dropped to one knee.  “I am George, member of the Eden Battalion.”

Eden Battalion?  “Huh, I’ve never heard of that.”

“We are an elite unit designed to assist in matters involving potential Apocalypses.  We were on scene when the witch Sabrina attacked.”

Hmmm, this sounded awfully like something Michael would concoct.  “Where’s the rest of your unit George?  I want to be debriefed on everything.”

His serious expression turned sour.  “They are currently in some sort of stasis.  It happened shortly after the witch sealed us within the walls.”  Then he looked over at Oz.  “Sorry for trying to kill you moments ago.”

“Ain’t no thing Georgie.  In Philly, if you aren’t threatened twice a day, you’re not living right.”

The angel looked as confused as I felt.  “What do you mean you’re threatened twice a day?”

I felt Roxanne take my hand.  “Grimm, now’s not the time to lecture the boy.”

It’s never the time to lecture him.  No wonder the kid goes to her with everything, she’s a huge pushover.  Not forgetting my son’s issues, “So this stasis, any idea on how to break it?”

“If you are here, that means the barrier has been broken.  Hopefully someone will come with a solution.”

Great, the only other person in this place and his big idea was sit around and wait.  “George, we can’t wait for an answer.  We need to free your men and the other Horsemen pronto.  We need all hands on deck to storm Sabrina’s castle.”

He looked at me in shock and wonder.  “You are leading an attack against the one who did this to us?”

Almighty help me.  “Yes I am kid.  Are you in or what?”

He jumped into the air, adding a flap with his wings to give him some extra distance.  “A chance to avenge the dishonor she gave us?  The Eden Battalion will surely join the good fight.”

Clapping could be heard behind us, on the Garden side.  “That’s the spirit you two.”

Without even needing to see him, “Michael.  Of course you’re here.”

The most important, senior, powerful, whatever you want to call him, angel approached rather casually.  “All is happening as planned my friends.  I am proud of all of you.”

Roxanne, who Michael had saved from passing on to watch over my son, walked over to him pulled him into a hug.  “I’m so sorry for my failures.  I’ve become a Lust demon once again.”

“You have failed no one.”  He gently patted her on the back.  “Everyone’s path is full of twists and turns, yours just has a lot of them.”

My girl was crying, which was a bit of a hard thing to see.  “I just don’t want you to hate me after all you did for me.”

He put a finger to her lips.  “Hush child.  None of us hates you.  You have done so much for the world and received so little recognition.  I feel bad that I need to ask more of you,” spreading his arms towards us, “all of you really.”

“I’m ready to do my part sir.”  Oz looked nervous, but I was proud of the way he stepped forward and addressed Michael.  Not many would do so.  “I want to save my brother.”

Michael’s blue eyes sparkled with delight.  “I can already tell you have your father’s adventurous spirit in you, which is good.  Nothing I can say would even change your mind, so I won’t bother.”

Oz presented him his weapon.  “With this, I can defend myself and protect others.  All I ask is for a chance to prove it.”

He examined the weapon, stopping on the runes carved into the side.  “You have been taught to use a sword by Raphael, am I right?”

“Yes, he also showed me how to access my celestial fire.”

Handing the weapon back to Oz, “This is a fine blade, one I have not seen since the time before humanity.  I bless it this day and encourage you to gain experience.”  Oh no, I recognized that look.  Michael was about to drop hints into the future.  “One day, you will be called forth for your own crusade.  Let this blade shine brightly and fell your enemies.”

Great, I could see the look in Oz’s eyes now.  Putting an end to this mindless future reading, “Do you know anything about the stasis my brothers and George’s battalion are stuck in?”

“A fine question Death.  The Big Boss did that, ensuring each of those affected remained in the proper frame of mind to agree to your final mission.”

Whoa, the Big Boss, Almighty himself.  “What about George here?”

Michael pulled the young angel over to him.  “You were left free in order to grow and harden your resolve.  The Eden Battalion needs a leader and your time here has proven to me you are ready.”

“You want me to replace Firenze?”

Michael’s sword came to life.  He gestured for George to take a knee before him.  Touching his shoulder, “George of the Eden Battalion, it is with great honor that I promote you to the rank of Captain.  Let none challenge your authority.”

When Michael finished, a golden halo appeared over George’s head and caught fire.  My new friend was officially among the chosen.