Chapter 26 - Chapel

It was dead silent through the office. The morning hadn't brought sunlight like it had yesterday. The light from the windows was weak and dull.

Carefully Amber sat up from the leather sofa, looking to the nearest window. Thick grey sky, dotted with falling puffs of white snow. She checked her phone. Nearly 8. She'd barely slept; these sofas weren't comfortable at all. A hand massaged her stiff neck. And she turned to the other two in the room. The demons were flat on their backs, still fast asleep. They made no sounds of breathing.

Tiredness tried pulling her back to the sofa. But she had no desire to lie back on that uncomfortable thing. So she got up instead, creeping around the demons and walking to the kitchen suite. And she pulled herself a mug of water from the tap. She downed it in one.

With a breath she looked back to the sofas. The combined smell of the demons was overwhelming. Their scents must've filled the room overnight, and now it was thick through the office. It made sense now why they could only spend a night or two in one place.

She needed fresh air. And she tiptoed to her doc martens, slipping them on and lacing them. Then on went her sunglasses. And she unlocked the door. A sparing glance to make sure the demons were still asleep, before she opened the door and stepped out into the cold.

The outside world glared with white. The settled snow seemed to have doubled overnight. And still more dropped from the heavy ashy sky.

She walked down the snow caked steps, boots crunching to ground level. And she stood at the corner of the building, looking down the street. The shops were just coming to life, window lights switching on before her eyes. But not a soul walked the pavements yet.

She leaned her back to the chilled brick behind her. And she slowly fed that morning air through her lungs.

Tummy rumbled.

She was hungry. That sickly empty feeling was picking at her stomach. Every time she started to feel a little normal, her body had to remind her of the creature she'd now become.

...A flick.

Flick flick.

Head quickly turned.

And she found Thirio stood at the foot of the stairs beside her. The demon was lighting a cigarette, orange flame light splashing his face.

"You're awake..." She said in surprise.

"So are you." He smirked, pocketing his lighter.

Despite his powerful smell, he could still sneak up on her it seemed. "Is Mint...?"

"Asleep."

"Mm..." Amber nodded, and looked back to the wintry scene ahead.

The couple stood in the snow quietly for a few minutes. Thirio was upright and stoic at her side, one hand in his pocket, the other bringing the cigarette to and from his lips. And they didn't say anything.

Eventually she turned back to him, looking to his eye. And he looked back. But still he didn't say anything. He just kept smoking, eyes locked.

"Uh..." Amber tried to start a sentence, to make it less awkward. But she couldn't think of anything.

With every passing second of their unbroken eye contact the air just felt thicker. And his stare felt stronger. And she found herself turning red.

And then finally he said something. "Hungry?" His warm breath came in a cloud.

She slowly nodded.

"I'll buy." He motioned with his head, and left the corner of the building to walk the street.

Her boots flattened snow with a satisfying sound. And her hands fiddled in her coat pockets. As she watched his wide back, she'd suddenly found herself a bit nervous. It felt like ages since they'd been alone together.

Eyes went to the shop windows to distract herself. She looked through all manner of tat, and bakery displays, and clothes. But eventually something did catch her eye. And she stopped on the pavement, staring at it through the glass.

Thirio noticed and looked over his shoulder. "What have you seen?"

She pointed. In a charity shop window was a box of old tarot cards. The box was crumpled and worn at the edges, and it wasn't the best artwork on show. Just a cheap box of beginner cards. But she'd seen these before. Phoebe had the very same set.

Thirio looked. "Thinking of home?"

She turned to him. "How could you tell...?"

"The cards remind you of your friends."

A breath, and Amber drooped a bit on the spot. He was exactly right. "I miss them... my mum and my sister too..."

A large warm hand rested on her shoulder. And he smiled. "Come. Let's find that breakfast."

The gesture was meant to comfort her. And it worked to a degree. She smiled back just a little. And on they went...

The nearest open café was a small one. A typical greasy spoon joint; cheap and basic. And there were plenty of seats to choose from. Thirio pulled out a chair and dumped himself into it. Amber sat opposite.

A hostess was quick to greet them. "Morning." An older woman, smiling. "Coffee and tea's on the house. Can I start ya with a cuppa something?"

"Two black coffees." The demon held up two fingers.

"Right you are." And she pottered off back to the counter.

Amber leaned back in her wooden chair, and watched the man opposite her. He was grinning like ever, hands on the table in front of him, anticipating breakfast. It was easy to tell when he was hungry.

"When are we leaving?" She asked.

His eyes flicked her way. "When we're ready."

"Do you really think it's a good idea to bring those demons with us?"

He just shrugged. "We won't hang around them long. We'll find them a new home on our journey to the next den."

The old woman returned with two mugs of coffee, and she placed them on the table. "Had a chance to see the menu?"

Thirio looked at her with a widening grin. "Meat."

"What kind of meat dear?"

"Bacon, sausages, black pudding. As much as you can fit on a plate."

She wrote that down. "A hungry lad I see. And yaself young lady?" Eyes went to Amber.

Amber quickly picked up the menu, and scanned through it. "Uhh... how many pancakes do I get?" She pointed to the option.

"Four. But they're big."

"Could I maybe get five... please?"

"Ya can have whatever ya want dear. Won't be two ticks." And the old lady walked back to where she'd come from.

The couple picked up their mugs in unison and sipped. Gritty and bitter, but it did the job.

"Were they hostile when you found them?" Thirio asked through his mug.

"The family of demons?" She asked, and he nodded. She put her mug down. "No, not really. They were happy to see us actually."

"Good. Demons are generally untrusting of half-bloods. Your scent is strong enough to pass you for a real demon though."

"Yeah, my man scent." Amber frowned. "One of their kids asked if I was a bloody boy."

Thirio just laughed. "Sorry."

Amber looked at the black drink in her mug. "...Their other kid wasn't in human form."

"Ah. You got to see one of us for what we really are. What did they look like?"

"Nothing like I expected... like a bird or something."

"Children of Belphegor. Sloth demons." He folded his arms. "Their kind could fly once. Until idleness withered their wings."

Amber blinked. "They didn't seem lazy to me. Not the kids anyway."

"Young demons are spared from their cursed traits, until they reach adulthood. Those early years should be savoured."

Amber nodded slowly. "I didn't think a demon would look like that you know. Like an animal."

"What were you expecting?" Thirio began explaining with active hands. "Our home isn't an alien planet. It's more like a parallel to this world. With similar evolution, you see. So our forms aren't distant from the creatures you know."

That made sense. And Amber took the new knowledge on board.

Politely they waited for their food to arrive. And it didn't take long. The kind old lady came back with plates for them. For Thirio, a plate heaving with fried meat. And for Amber, a tower of inch thick pancakes, doused with syrup and butter. Her stomach growled for it.

They picked up their cutlery and dug in. Thirio didn't hold back in stuffing his face. And soon Amber was matching his speed. The both of them devoured the food in front of them, barely pausing to breath.

Forkful and forkful met her mouth.

Until she felt something crunch in her teeth.

And she froze. And pulled the fork from her mouth.

She'd bitten clean through the prongs.

In a panic she spat pancake and metal back to her plate, and felt through her teeth with her tongue, searching for damage. But her sharp teeth were all intact.

Relief set in, and she sighed, glancing back at the old woman. Thankfully she hadn't seen. "Um... exc-"

"Shh." Thirio cut her off.

She turned to him. And he offered his fork her way with a smile. She stared at it. "...Uh, you sure...?"

"Already finished." He lifted his empty plate.

So Amber slowly took his fork. And she picked the next bite of pancake. She hesitated with the food to her lips. But eventually she let it into her mouth.

...The same fork that'd been in his mouth...

She lowered her head, and ate a little more slowly now. And Thirio leaned back and drank.

"...Thirio...?"

"Mm."

She swallowed her last mouthful, and gently placed her fork on her plate. "...Why are you having trouble adjusting?" She asked, referencing his brief statement from the previous day.

He lifted his brows. "You heard me say that?"

"Obviously, I was right next to you."

The demon breathed. And he thought. And he shrugged. "I'm not feeling myself."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean my thoughts are foggy."

She looked at him from under her fringe. "Why...?"

"It's you." He said without missing a beat.

And she leaned back in her chair, blinking a few times. "...Me...?"

"Think so." He leaned an arm over the back of his chair. "Something to do with your human blood. I think its changed me a little..." He frowned. "Maybe changed isn't the right word. More like... its given me a new perspective."

"I don't get what you mean..."

"Neither do I to be honest." He grunted. "...I just know that my mission used to be clear to me. The demon cause, above everything. But now..." He tailed off for a moment. "...Don't know. It's as if I don't care anymore. I don't care about fighting the Bishops like I used to... all I seem to care about now is..." His eyes locked with hers.

And she stared back at him. Waiting for his response.

He never delivered though. "I don't know." Was all he mumbled. "Nevermind."

She wasn't satisfied, and opened her mouth to ask more. But the old lady returned to their table. She didn't say anything, only topped up their mugs and cleared their table. Amber waited until she was gone with the intention of asking again. But by now the opportunity had left. Thirio was sipping away and changing the subject.

"Good food?" He asked.

"The pancakes?"

He nodded.

"Yeah, they were okay. I bet you could make better."

In that moment his face lit up in a way she'd never seen. His mouth pulled into a huge grin, and his eyes narrowed like he was about to laugh. "You're serious?"

She inched back a little, actually surprised by happy she'd made him. And she replied with a quiet, "of course..."

The demon could barely contain himself, and began laughing. "Cor! Really, a kind young witch you are!"

"It's fine I guess..." She really hadn't meant it as this serious of a compliment.

That smile still hadn't left him. "Do you want more food? I'll buy. Anything you want!"

She waved her hands a bit. "No...! It's okay, I'm fine..."

He gripped at the edges of the metal table, bending it without even realising. "You made my day witch. Thank you for that."

"Thirio..." She quickly patted his hands, bringing his attention to what he was doing.

And he released his grip. He'd completely disfigured the metal, leaving visible finger marks. "...Hm. Well that's not good is it."

Amber folded her arms, ready to tell him off. But she stopped at the sight of someone through the window, walking past his back to the café door.

He turned at the sound of the door opening. "Ah. Morning!"

It was Mint, in green uniform as always. She didn't look happy. "What are you two doing?" She spat. "I woke up alone, wondering where the hell you were!"

"We got breakfast. Didn't want to disturb you."

The blonde girl visibly grimaced, and she switched eyes to Amber. "...You had breakfast together..."

The male demon patted the table. "Bring a chair. Join us."

As soon as Mint began to move, Amber was already getting up.

Thirio frowned at her. "Young witch, you're leaving?"

"I don't feel like sitting with her to be honest Thirio." She downed her coffee in one, and walked for the door.

Mint nudged her shoulder hard as they crossed paths. She didn't rise to the provocation though, and went to the door without a word. Boots crunched in the snow on the doorstep. And she walked back in the direction of the office.

Eyes glanced through the glass, just for a moment, as Mint took her seat across from Thirio. She didn't look for long though. Eyes returned to the snow ahead.

Amber had been packed and ready for a while by the time Thirio and Mint finally walked in the door. They were continuing some kind of gooey conversation. That look of hot desparation was obvious on the female's face.

Amber just watched them with her arms folded. "Why'd you take so long." She scolded.

Mint glanced over with a face of disgust. But Thirio had the decency to respond. "Sorry witch, I ordered another breakfast so Mint wouldn't have to eat alone."

She avoided his eyes. And she stood. "Well are you ready now?"

"Ready to go." He affirmed.

Mint was less eager, and plucked up her schoolbag with a snarl. "Playing the role of boss now, human girl?"

Amber ignored her, and walked straight to Thirio, handing over her Zulfiqar. He looked at the sword. And shook his head. "Hold onto it."

"But you said it would draw attention."

"Yes, well. This news of a Golden Bishop concerns me... keep it with you."

So she kept it close.

"Where shall I wait for you girls?" He now spoke to Mint.

And the teenage demon waved a dainty hand. "Wherever you wish love. Perhaps on the outskirts of town, in the direction you'd like to move next."

"Easy enough." He nodded.

Amber swung on her backpack and walked for the door, Zulfiqar in hand. And she waited for the other two. They were taking longer than she liked. But she bit her tongue.

"We won't be long. Promise." Mint said to Thirio, smiling.

"And I won't be far." He patted her shoulder. "Tell the family not to fear me. We're all allies."

"I will!" The blonde girl kissed her hand and pressed it to his cheek.

The muscular man was ready to take his leave, and began walking in the direction of the office door. His eyes were on Amber. "Young witch."

"Mm." She watched him.

"The demon-Bishop war is imminent it seems." He motioned with his head back toward Mint. "Within the week she tells me."

She nodded. But didn't really know what to say.

The male demon just smiled. "Beforehand, I'll take you home."

It took a moment for those words to really hit her. And she breathed hard. "Really...?"

"Really." His grin widened a little. And he walked past her to the door. She felt his heavy hand though, slipping into her coat pocket for a moment. Then he was out the door.

She touched her pocket, and felt a bulge.

Head turned over her shoulder, but he was already gone.

She looked down to her pocket, and reached in to find what he'd left for her.

...

The deck of tarot cards.

Mint seemed to remember the way to the house. She was the one to knock. And after some shuffling, the door inched open.

Again it was the mother. "You two again...!" She waved them in with a smile.

The girls entered the dark and dirty home. The whole family was there to greet them. Even the young girl, bounding about on four legs like a puppy.

"Friends!" The father was huddled back in his corner, but found the strength to sit higher when he saw them. "What are you doing here?"

"You're leaving with us." Mint announced with folded arms.

The husband and wife looked at each other. "...What do you mean?"

"We're getting you out of here. And we plan to find you a safer home."

The demons' reaction to this news wasn't what Amber expected. They looked at one another again, and seemed to deflate. "...I don't know..." The mother sighed. "...How far will we have to walk?"

Her husband interjected though. "We don't have a choice. We have to go." And he carefully lifted himself to his feet. "Are you really willing to escort us?"

"That's the plan." Mint confirmed. "We're ready to move now. You must get ready."

The father turned to his family. And he made a head motion. "Gather what you can. Quick." They responded immediately, and left the room to prepare.

Mint stood still and stoic, waiting patiently. Amber watched her from the corner of her eye. They hadn't spoken today. She could feel the hatred without the need for words though. It seemed this demon disliked her more today than ever.

Her attention was taken by the little demon boy, who had popped out to wave at her. "Please can you help me?"

Amber smiled, and nodded. "Sure." She rested her sword down against the wall.

He led her to his room with a grin.

It looked just as it had yesterday, messy yet basically empty. The little bird demon was crawling and prancing through the bedsheets, kicking the material up with her claws.

"My sister's trying to help, but she's not doing a good job..." He kneeled down and began curling the blankets at an end.

Amber waited for a break in the bird's laps before kneeling to help. She took the dirty blanket in her hands and curled it in time with the boy. The sister squawked excitedly as the blankets were pulled at her feet.

"Shh! You're being so loud!" Her brother tried to hush her.

The bird demon didn't care, and kept playing.

"How old is she?" Amber asked.

"Mm..." The boy shrugged. "...Still just a baby. I think maybe she's one year?"

"Don't you know when her birthday is?"

The boy just looked at her with a face of confusion. So she decided to leave the question there.

They quickly rolled the blankets to completion. And Amber folded the roll in half. It was thick, but the strength of her hands found it fairly easy. "All done." She smiled. "Where are we putting this?"

"I'll get a bag!" The little boy hopped up and ran to the next room.

And Amber kneeled quietly, waiting for him.

Eyes turned to the bird.

The four-legged chick was stood nearby, watching her. And it cocked its head.

It was honestly pretty cute.

She shuffled a little closer, and slowly reached a hand.

But the bird lifted its head, making her hesitate. It pointed its beak to the ceiling and sniffed. And sniffed again.

Amber frowned, and sniffed some air of her own.

The smell of something sharp made her frown. More she huffed, and it became clearer.

The smell of...

Olive oil.

...

She darted from the floor, catching herself in the doorframe. And through the house she yelled "RED BISHOPS!"

Mint's eyes turned wild. And she ran to the kitchen. "Hurry, now! We need to leave!" Veins bulged in her neck.

Amber hurried back to the bedroom and grabbed the demon from the floor. The bird resisted, squawking and flapping its claws. But she kept hold. She met Mint back in the main room.

"Amber." The blonde demon barked at her, and tossed the Zulfiqar. She caught it in her free hand. "Ready to kill?"

She nodded. And she stood with a wide gait, fingers tight around her weapon.

The smell was becoming clearer...

The rest of the family finally emerged with handfuls of bags, panic in their eyes. "Stay behind me." Mint commanded. A nod to Amber, and she led them to the door. She took the handle, and yanked it open.

...And they were met by red.

The slayers were already here.

A hunk of red armour charged at them through the door. But Mint's resistance was immediate. She ducked below their weapon and grabbed them by the leg. And like an animal she ran around the room, dragging the demon slayer by the ankle. She swung them like a ragdoll until their weapon was dropped, before slamming them to the floor and pouncing in to tear their throat with her teeth.

The next Bishop came just as fast, blade aimed at the nearest demon; the boy.

Amber dropped the bird and took her sword with both hands. And she launched herself between the slayer and the boy. Sparks flew as the weapons collided, and she managed to push away their blade.

They recovered well, and went for her instead.

But she easily dodged the blow, tucking down low and taking an opportunity to strike back. She thrust her sword up into their stomach. It went deep through them with a groan of pain. But it wasn't one of the weak points Thirio had told her to go for. She needed to stab somewhere vulnerable to guarantee the kill. So she pulled the weapon free and went for another strike. But the Bishop was falling. They fell into her legs and tripped her. She dropped the Zulfiqar so she could catch herself, and fell on top of the armoured knight.

More they groaned.

She quickly grabbed the sword back and gripped it by the blade. And she slammed the handle on the back of their helmet. Repeatedly. With every blow she crunched the armour deeper. Blood was spraying her face. But she didn't stop until she'd pummeled their skull flat.

SLAM.

Something massive and heavy had hit her side, and sent her flying to the back wall. She smacked it and slid it to the floor. She clutched her side with a yell. Her breath had been taken, and a sickly pain hummed through her bones. She looked up to see what'd hit her.

And was met by a monolith of gold.

An absolute Goliath of a man had entered the home, suited like a tank in golden armour. The family of demons fled from him. And he didn't take chase. His target was her.

He approached.

But Mint came flying in from the side, catching onto his shoulder like an ape. And she wrestled at his helmet, trying to rip it off. Her eyes had grown huge and featureless like green bottle glass, and her fangs dripping and vicious. She barely looked human.

She was no match for this Bishop though. With one arm he swatted her across the room. And he closed in on Amber with a sprawling shadow.

She fought through the pain and forced herself up from the ground, spitting and snarling. And she ran for her sword. She was fast, and she made it, grabbing it from the carpet. Now armed, she turned.

But he was already behind her. He'd been just as fast as her. She panicked and jumped at him, blade aimed for his face. But he caught her midair by the throat. Body swung, and she held tight to his wrist, gasping, flailing her sword at him desperately. But it wouldn't reach.

He squeezed tighter, and her throat screamed with pain.

She wrapped herself around his arm and squeezed with her legs and arms, trying with every muscle to break his bone.

Mint had recovered, and came in for another attack, again at his head. She landed on his shoulders and pulled upward from the base of his helmet, trying to force it off. Veins and muscle lifted in her face and neck as she tore the metal with everything she had.

And eventually it came flying off.

She didn't spare a second. Hands came down on his exposed face, and she tore at it with her fingers. Blood and skin splattered across the room. But the man made no sound. And casually he threw a fist above his head, clubbing her to the floor.

He brought Amber in close on his arm. And she found herself inches from his mangled face. Mint had literally torn it apart. His nose was gone, and all over were patches of exposed skull. He didn't seem to care though. She hissed and spat at the ravaged man, still trying to break his arm with her body.

But he opened his eyes.

And she was met by a blinding white light.

Then came the pain. Searing pain, as if fire was being poured over her face. She snapped her eyes shut and pulled away as far as she could, but still it burned. Her neck and shoulders were also caught in the blast. It felt like her skin was boiling and falling off.

For a moment she passed out.

Next thing she knew she was falling to the floor. She landed on her shoulder and slumped in a pile, gasping. It'd completely sapped her energy. She was paralyzed.

The huge gold knight plucked her up from the floor. And he swung her over his shoulder. Air choked in her throat as she was slapped against his armour. And she was carried out the door.

Through blurry eyes she could see the family of demons cowering in the home. At least they were alive.

Acid filled her throat, and she spat vomit down the back of the Bishop's armour. She was absolutely exhausted. And still her face stung. She felt sure her skin must've melted off. There was no way it'd survived the heat.

Her head throbbed, and again she saw black fog at the corners of her eyes. She was passing out.

It became harder and harder to keep her head lifted.

And before long, she was slumped against the man's back, limp and unconscious...

...

Gradually, Amber started to come to.

Eyes could finally blink open. And she found herself looking across a hard marble floor. Reflected were the dancing lights of candle flame.

Some more blinking, and she was fully awake. She pushed herself up with a grunt.

Not only was the floor marble, but so were the four walls around her. There were no windows. The only light came from a small candle mounted on the wall.

How long had she been unconscious? It only felt moments ago that she'd been fighting in the house.

She reached to her face and felt herself over, relieved to find her skin smooth and unburnt. The pain from that Bishop's eyes had been intense, but it seemed to have done no physical damage.

Slowly she stood, and she looked at the four walls.

The air was rich with the smell of olive oil. And she could hear voices... were they voices? Or string instruments? A song being played or sung some distance away. It was light and choir-like, but impossible to clearly make out.

Eyes turned to the only point of interest. A door. She walked to it and lay her hands against it. It was wood; heavy and dark and ancient. She slammed a fist, and yelled out "HEY!"

There wasn't a reply. Her voice was left to bounce from the marble walls.

She looked the door over for a handle, but there wasn't one. Clearly it was only meant to be opened from the outside. She slammed at it more, but it was incredibly dense, too dense for even her to break. So she stuck her fingers in the edge of the door, and pryed with all her strength.

She bit her lip and gasped as she heaved at what little grip she had. Her face was going hot, and her shoes were slipping. So she readjusted herself and tried again.

"Come on!" She growled, pulling with all her might.

Until finally she heard the wood begin to crack.

That little feedback was enough to recharge her. And with newfound strength she pulled harder. She could actually feel the edge coming free now. Cracks were forming in the dark old wood. She applied more tension, holding her breath now as she dragged the door by its corner.

"...COME ON!"

It snapped. And she fell backward, pulling half the door with her.

She coughed and stood back tall, dropping the chunk of wood aside. And she stared at the broken door before her. Closer she inched, and she poked her head out to look in either direction. A hallway made of the same pure marble. There was no one to be seen.

She ducked back inside, and took a few breaths to prepare herself. A piece of the brown door caught her eye. It was thick and pointed sharp like a stake. She took it tight in her hand. And she stepped out.

Both directions were identical. Empty hallways that turned off several meters away. The stench of Bishops in this place was too strong to track. She'd have to be careful.

She decided to head right.

The wooden weapon was gripped in her hand as she approached the corner, and she peered round the edge.

Bishops.

A pair of them with their backs turned, their armour rubbing audibly as they walked the other way. Amber pulled back a little, waiting for them to turn the next corner.

Beams of sunlight licked their metal bodies from windows in the marble. It was an otherworldly scene, like something from a medieval movie.

Eventually they reached the far end and turned the corner.

Amber breathed, and walked out from her hiding place.

"THE DEMON!" Yelled an urgent voice.

And Amber flinched, turning back the way she'd came. Another pair of Bishops had appeared behind her. She'd been to preoccupied to notice.

They charged, and she fled.

Boots squeaked on the marble floor, and in seconds she was top speed, running the length of the hallway in seconds. She jumped at the far wall and kicked off it, launching herself down the next hallway.

And met the other pair. They must've heard their ally's yell, and were running toward her with weapons free.

"She's awake?!" One of them said.

Amber didn't slow. She ran faster at the pair, the sheer force of the air pulling her hair and clothes. And in one easy stride she pounced over their heads. They tried to lunge their weapons up at her, but she was too quick. Already she'd turned the next corner.

A way out. A big open window.

She went straight for it, tearing straight through one of the open panes and running out in a shower of glass.

A balcony. She only just managed to stop herself on the marble railing. Eyes darted for a safe way down.

But what her eyes found stopped her in her tracks...

Towers of white marble. Cathedrals, and spires, and carved statues, all joined by ivory bridges. A complete city of beautiful stone. And all of this, housed in an enormous cavern. Stone surrounded this place from ground to sky. Yet there was sunlight. From where?

Further she looked over the edge, and found more sprawling below her. She was literally miles high.

"Got you bitch." Snapped a voice.

And she whirled on the spot. They'd reached her.

The front slayer came running with a spear. And she managed to dodge it quite easily. Hard she plunged her wooden stake into their side. But it was useless, and just snapped in her hand.

The soldier knocked her backward with the back of their weapon, giving themself distance to aim again. But she wouldn't give them the chance, and moved in quicker. She slammed her fist into their face. Their helmet was crushed and they fell back.

She jumped over them and ran back inside, straight into the arms of the next knight. They wrangled with her roughly, trying to pin her in place. But she fought herself free with every limb, and turned to sprint the other way. But another Bishop was there, a golden mace already raised. And they clubbed it across her head.

Stars flooded her eyes, and her body lost all strength. She flopped to the soldiers boots.

Hands grabbed at her. She was too disoriented to see them, but she could feel them. And she was dragged by her arms.

She struggled to keep her eyes open as she was pulled across the smooth floor. She couldn't see where she was being taken. But it wasn't long before she was heaved upward and pushed to a wall. She heard metal and chains.

But the sounds soon stopped.

...

It took a while for her to come back to her senses.

She lifted her head, and looked around. She was in another windowless room. A candle was the only source of light.

She got up on weak legs, and tried walking for the door. But she was pulled by her legs. Down she looked. And found shackles on her ankles. Her wrists too. She was chained to the wall.

She pulled her arms upward as hard as she could, trying to break her binds. But to no avail. She tried her legs too, but that didn't work either.

"LET ME OUT!" She roared and began kicking at the air as hard as she could, trying to snap the chains. But they held solid. No matter how hard she pulled they refused to break.

She fell to her knees. And she started to cry.

This was it. They'd got her. She was going to die in this place.

She wiped her eyes with dirty hands, sniffling and coughing. And she reached into her coat pocket. She pulled out the tarot cards Thirio had placed there.

"Please save me..." She whispered. "...Please fucking save me... please..."

She gripped the cards and brought them in close to her lips. He'd always managed to be her saviour. But this was different. This, she was sure, was the chapel. The one place no demon could find.

"Please Thirio... please..."

She leaned back against the wall, the cards still held to her mouth. And she stared at the flame light on the wall.

That song was still playing in the distance. That choir. Looping. Never ending...

Author's Notes:

Just taking a moment to thank Carol, Orangeporcupine, Harry P, and Humble anon for their reviews, kind words, and constant support. Legends!

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!