As soon as Griffin crossed over into Earth, he found himself flying through a light blue sky with a bright sun shining in the distance. His black robe violently danced against the wind as Griffin picked up speed, but his hood was never pulled back, keeping his head hidden in darkness. On the ground, an entire city appeared to be nothing more than a small grey block, trapped between the deep blue of the sea and the green of nature that covered a nearby mountain. He spotted the team he was ordered to join and redirected his flight towards them.

“Armageddon,” Myrianthy said in a serious, dramatic voice. She paused and smiled in admiration of her own cleverness. “The sky tore apart, and the Heavens descended upon Earth with divine wrath. All Hell broke loose, and the blood hungry Demons of Hell spewed upwards from the ground. Free from their eternal bonds, they escaped their pitch-black prison looking for souls to consume,” she burst into laughter.

Most of the Grim Reapers flying alongside Myrianthy smiled; at least those who could form a smile. Some even allowed a few giggles to slip out.

“But that’s a lie and you know it,” Dafne said, “Demons don’t consume souls. They’re incapable of such a thing. It’s the souls’ mana they’re after.” 

“Yes, I know it, you know it, we all know it, but the humans able to see this scene wouldn’t have known that,” Myrianthy replied.

“Come on Dafne,” Nicolas said as he bumped into her, “Stop interrupting Myrianthy. Let her tell us the epic tale of how we bravely charged into battle and saved hundreds of souls from the hands of blood hungry Demons. It’s the only entertainment we have until we reach our destination.”

They were all descending to earthly ground, following the two teams of Angels in front of them that were flying in a tight formation.

“Besides,” Griffin added, announcing his arrival, “It’s not like we are looking for an accurate account of what’s about to happen.” He removed his hood and revealed his bleached-white skull and grey-blue eyes. “It’s fun listening to Myrianthy twisting the truth like any human would have, had any of them been able to see us rushing into their world.”

“Well, what do you know, the rookie will be joining us,” Myrianthy moved next to Griffin, “I didn’t know they reinstated you back to collecting souls.”

“Last minute addition to the mission, and I’m actually working on Archangel Michael’s team. But he believes it’s best if I help you collect souls for this one, especially since that’s what I was trained for.” Griffin turned and looked at Myrianthy straight in the eyes, “Besides, without me you will probably screw everything up and lose a soul.”

Lacking eyelids, Griffin never blinked. Something that made even Demons feel uneasy when he stared at them. The sclera of Griffin’s eyes was white, and the iris and pupil shared the same grey-blue colour, making it look as if he had two giant pupils.

“Was that a joke, sarcasm maybe? I can never tell with that face of yours,” Myrianthy looked away, “Why anyone would choose to have a human skull as a head is beyond me.”

Griffin would have formed a proud smirk if he could, “It’s just to annoy you, because I know it bothers you that you can’t read me.”

“Nah, I’m willing to bet four days leave you subconsciously chose that head to project how you really feel inside,” Myrianthy changed to her dramatic voice, “Empty, emotionless, dead.”

“Careful, Myrianthy. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you cared,” Griffin replied and everyone, including Myrianthy, burst into laughter.

“You two cut it out, and everyone fall into formation,” Lance barked as he dropped in front of them seemingly out of nowhere.  “Griffin, I don’t care what team you’re on, for this mission you are under my command and you will obey my orders. Is that clear?” Lance paused and waited until Griffin nodded before he turned to Myrianthy. “Myrianthy, please, do us all a favour and continue with your story. It’s way better than hearing you two squabbling like a married couple.”

A loud and violent roar suddenly filled the morning sky and forced a chill up the bodies of all Angels and Grim Reapers alike.

“I will never get used to his roars,” Dafne quickly fell into formation next to Nicolas.

“I know what you mean,” Nicolas tightened his grip around his scimitar, “But when Archangel Gabriel roars like that, it only means one thing. He’s detected Demons.”  Nicolas could picture the Archangel’s slender face and long blonde hair. His bright emerald eyes full of ferocity and his thin lips pulled back, baring his teeth. “What did you call it Myrianthy,” he added, “Divine wrath? Gabriel is definitely divine wrath embodied.”

“Dafne,” Lance bellowed so everyone could hear him as he moved to the front of the formation, “You’re responsible for slowing down time. Nicolas, you will switch with her when I signal you, just like we practiced. A group of Archangel Michael’s team will keep you safe. The rest of you move out and wait for my go ahead to begin collecting souls.”

Lance headed for the railway track, followed by the remaining Grim Reapers. They all flew so close to the mountain side, the treetops curved in their direction as they sped by. The sun hung over the sea, shedding its blinding light on the mountain slope where Angels and Grim Reapers gathered.

The entire mountain was covered from top to bottom with thick, green trees full of life, obscuring the ground beneath them. On the side facing the sea however, the mountain stood bare where the railway passed, and its bald patch expanded all the way down to its base. Looking further, Griffin noticed that the small grey block he saw while crossing over had now turned into an enormous, modern city, and beyond that, just at the edge, the sea disappeared into the horizon.

“Lance,” Griffin said as the Grim Reapers landed on nearby treetops, a few meters from the railway, “I thought the train was supposed to be derailed.” He held out his scythe and moved on a branch directly above Lance to get a better view of the area below. “But I don’t see a derailed train on those tracks down there.” 

“It hasn’t derailed yet, but it will,” Lance replied.

“How can you be sure?”

“Look at Archangel Gabriel as he rides down the mountain and you’ll understand,” Lance lifted his bow and took aim at Archangel Gabriel without pulling back on the bow’s string.

Archangel Gabriel’s long blonde hair was held in a tight ponytail that reached his lower back. His white skin glistened in the sunlight, and his spear’s silver edge shone even brighter as he lifted it next to his head, ready to throw it fast and hard into the distance. Griffin knew that Archangel Gabriel’s slender body did not depict the extraordinary speed and precision with which he attacked.

“I don’t understand,” Griffin raised his skeletal hand to block out the sun and get a better look at the ground in front of the Archangel’s horse, “I witnessed Archangel Gabriel spar with others countless times in the past, and I know he only raises his spear like that if he’s about to attack. But there’s nothing down there.” 

“What can Angels sense that we cannot, Griffin?” Lance pulled back his arm holding the string, and an arrow formed between the wooden handle and the very thin, white, and nearly invisible bow string.

Griffin was nothing more than a skeletal frame underneath his black robes, like his teacher, Haron; the first Grim Reaper created many millennia ago. Yet Griffin often acted as if he had a human body made of flesh and blood. His jaw dropped, he took a quick short breath and his pupils dilated, “There are Demons under--”

Archangel Gabriel roared, and his spear went flying. It quickly arched and buried itself into the ground. A shriek followed and before it ended Archangel Gabriel was over his spear once again. He grabbed it as his horse ran past and lifted it high into the sky, revealing a Demon caught by the head, like a fish on a hook. He pulled his spear back, removing it from the Demon’s head, and quickly thrust it forward again, running it through the Demon’s chest. All this while the Demon was mid-air, and Gabriel’s horse kept running forward. The spear penetrated the Demon’s hard skin and his body exploded like a water balloon. It turned into a black liquid that hovered into the air for a split second, before imploding back into the wound the spear caused and disappearing.

“And that’s how you force a Demon back to Hell,” Lance closed one eye and leaned his head towards the bow’s taut string. “That is one Demon we won’t see for at least a couple of decades. That’s if his soul hasn’t completely reset from that attack.”

“You really think Gabriel’s spear can cause so much damage?” Griffin stared at Archangel Gabriel, envious of his agility and accuracy.

“He isn’t an Archangel because he looks pretty, Griffin. Can you imagine what would have happened if he had used his wings?”

“Oh my God! You’re right, he isn’t fighting with his wings out.”

“Here comes the train,” Lance said, “Get ready to collect souls because things are about to get nasty. Archangel Michael said he sensed more than four hundred Demons crossing over.”

“You’ve got to be joking,” Griffin said in disbelief, and his mind conjured up an image of all the Demons hiding somewhere beneath the ground on that mountain slope.

The story continues in: Kingdom of the Red Rose (Episode 3 of 62) Chapter One: Train Wreck (Part 2 of 2)