Dancing In The Void

The alarm blared as the iron walls slammed shut around the building.

In that exact moment Katherine nodded towards Constantine and both jumped from their seats, running in opposite directions. Constantine went towards the viewing hallway, and she towards Azazel. All the people in the room were in a frenzy around her, panicked and afraid. Some ran towards the windows and smashed themselves against them, hoping they would break, others just stood still, confused, asking random people what was happening. Katherine’s steps went faster and faster, her right hand reaching into her cello case and pulling out her compact halberd, as she then tossed the case aside. She flicked her wrist, and the blade extended back to its natural length, with a loud metallic sound that resonated even amongst the chaos. Azazel heard it, quickly turning his head realizing what it was, but Katherine was faster. She clutched her weapon with both hands as she then raised it. With a flash of light in the dark, she twisted her body like a spring and brought it down upon him before the demon could blink. And then, silence. Katherine’s eyes went wide, as did Azazel’s. Between him and his executioner stood Wrath. The twin violet blades that emanated from her forearms like spectral shields glowing in dim darkness blocked the weapon that would have been his end. The monster’s smile turned into a wicked grin.

Wrath pushed Katherine back, and as the huntress then flipped backwards trying to gain some distance she lunged forward aiming for her chest. Katherine then dodged sideways, the ethereal blade narrowly avoiding her dress. She smashed Wrath’s chin with her right elbow and backed away in her opponent’s stunned haze. Wrath stood up, massaging her chin. The two locked eyes, Wrath’s fiery golden jewels staring into Katherine’s icy miscolored pearls. The people around them ran as far away as possible, clearing an area for the two.

“Haaah!” Wrath sighed, smiling from ear to ear. “Azazel, this one’s been eyeing you all evening.” She waved her right hand in the direction of a nearby doorway, where Octavian and a few others had already ran off to. “Go, I’ll take care of her.”

Azazel looked confused at her, then turned to the doorway, shrugged, and ran off. Katherine angrily stepped forward to follow him, but when Wrath lifted her sword at her she stopped.

“You’re not going to let me leave this place quietly will you, Demon?” Katherine grinned.

Wrath growled quietly, but forced herself to be calm, stretching out her arms and looking up at the red ceiling.

“The night is singing, girl, do you hear her?” Her fangs curving into a vicious grin.

Katherine was confused at first, but then the sounds came pouring in. The alarm had stopped ringing without her noticing. Now what played was a terrifying orchestra of pain-filled screams, grotesque laughter, horrific roars and a dreadful howl.

“Constantine…” She gasped.

“Oooh. You’re worried about your friend are you not? Do not fret, those wights looked famished, they must have been quick with him.”

Katherine was filled with worry, but she could not show weakness in front of the viper. She had to put her faith in her student, and the training she’d drilled into him. She took a deep breath, and turned towards Wrath, shifting her body sideways. She then took the halberd and placed it on her back, the blade carefully fit over her shoulder. Wrath grinned as she spread her black wings, smoke-like appendages billowing like dark fire from her hands, and the violet blades shining brightly amidst the red light.

“Haaaaa. I should have taken my time that night and finished you then. I did not think about it at

that time.” Wrath’s body shivered with pleasure as she licked her violet lips with her tongue. “I’m going to enjoy tearing that pretty soul of yours to bits. Your screams will be a lovely addition to the chorus.”

Katherine lifted her open palm towards her opponent. On her face a mixture of anger and disgust, hidden behind a veil of emotionlessness. “Twisted fool that you are, you think you are the conductor of this orchestra? No… I am.”

“You are talentless! Nothing more than a butcher, Huntress. Your voice will only sour the sweet melody of this night.” Came Wrath’s reply. “I will show you the true harmony!”

Katherine’s stoic face couldn't help but reveal a smile. “Well then come, let us sing!”

Wrath’s eyes flared. She dashed forward, her blade aimed directly at Katherine’s heart. The huntress was quicker, her body unloaded and her halberd swung downwards, crushing the wooden floorboard in front of her. Wrath was not ready, the shockwave and debris hit her head-first, stopping her charge. Katherine rushed forward, violently swinging the jawbone upon her foe, driving her back. Her opponent was fully on the defense, the merciless halberd smashing against her twin blades without a moment’s rest. The huntress expertly maneuvered her blade through the air, like a whirlwind of steel. Wrath braced herself once her hands could no longer endure the onslaught, a final swing flinging her back into a pile of tables and chairs. After that, Katherine’s body was motionless, save for her heavy breathing, the halberd pointed forward, perfectly still.

“Graaaagh!” Wrath grunted, standing back up. On her arms, chest and legs were a myriad of slices and cuts, each with a trickle of blood running downwards. The nearby onlookers were cowering in fear under the few remaining tables, those unfortunate enough to not get the chance to run off in the same direction as Azazel, Octavian and the rest. “Alright Huntress.” Wrath sighed, regaining her balance. “I apologize for underestimating you. Know this however, it will not happen again.” She grinned. As her body immediately melted into the shadows.

Katherine’s eyes were wide, her feet dancing around the abandoned restaurant. She could hear Wrath’s sickening laughter echo in the dark, but she could not see her. Fear began crawling through her as the red lights grew dimmer and dimmer, until the bulbs exploded, plunging the restaurant in complete blackness.

“I can almost taste it, your fear, you reek of it!” Her horrific voice echoed.

Katherine barely moved out of the way of the violet blade that shot from the darkness. Her eyes frantically jumped in every direction searching for her opponent. Two blades sliced towards her from perpendicular directions. She tumbled away from one and instinctively blocked the second with her halberd. The blade disappeared like a wisp of purple fire as Wrath’s maniacal laughter continued echoing in her ears. Katherine blinked, and dozens of blades rained upon her. The huntress dodged, blocked and parried with inhuman speed and no relent, her halberd and her body melding into one. The storm of blades seemed unending, until one found her blind spot, and sliced open her left shoulder. Each spectral dagger vanished almost instantaneously, and even the darkness seemed to ease, as mild light illuminated the room once again. Katherine stumbled into a table, slightly confused at first. Blood poured from her wound, and began floating like fire from her shoulder. And then the cold pain embraced her. Katherine collapsed on the floor, her shoulder pulsating with burning pain. Wrath materialized before her, rising from the shadows. She licked the tip of her violet sword, and shivered. Her face became a mixture of delight and confusion.

“What... What are you? What madness is this shattered soul stitched together with?” Her echoing voice trembled as she spoke. “You’re a monster, just like me, Huntress.” Wrath walked closer towards her.

“I-I am nothing like you, Demon!“ Katherine spat out, her voice brim with vile and hate.

Wrath only looked at her for a brief moment, her face strangely indifferent, no sadness, no joy, nothing. Then a hint of deranged anger flashed upon it and her sword pierced Katherine’s shoulder. Her scream was loud and sharp, but short, as Katherine forced herself to endure it in silence. She gasped and took large gasps of air as pain coursed through the whole left side of her chest. Wrath kneeled in front of her, her amber eyes staring back into her black and blue ones.

“I… am... not... a demon.” She said, leaning forward and whispering in her ear.

Katherine cracked a smile. “Go fuck yourself!” She yelled, her black eye morphing into a flaming scarlet one.

Wrath’s stoic face turned into a gasp. Katherine grabbed her by the horn, and yanked her closer, just enough for her teeth to sink deep into Wrath’s neck. She shrieked briefly in pain and desperately tried pushing her away, but the Huntress’ mouth was bound to her neck like a vice. Wrath gasped harder and harder, her black tentacles wrapping around Katherine, trying to dislodge her. Katherine’s head snapped back, and in her mouth was muscle, blood and part of Wrath’s jugular. She spit it all out and wiped her mouth with satisfaction. She then picked up her halberd and quickly staggered off after Azazel, without looking back.

“G-gharh…” Wrath looked onward in shock, gasping and coughing loudly, gurgling blood and bile. She crawled on the wooden floor, her hand pressing hard on her neck. She was rapidly losing blood from the massive chunk ripped out of her neck. She crawled back on her feet, just far enough to see him. Her eyes spotted him, a still cowering bystander hiding under the tables. Wrath dashed towards him, kicking the table away and pulling him up into the air above with her black tendrils. The tentacles wrapped around his waist, head and torso.

“Ph-ple-” Was all he could mutter before Wrath twisted and crushed his body like a can.

Blood poured over her, bathing her face and gaping mouth. She tossed his limp corpse on the wooden floor, and Wrath quickly lunged onto it, feasting on the warm blood still inside the man’s heart. She guided it with her hand and tendrils into her mouth, like a starving savage, until there was nothing left. A mummified, twisted corpse in a dirty suit. Wrath then slid up against a chair, taking slow, deep and heavy breaths. Every cut, wound and especially her missing neck muscles, healed and sealed back, the shallow ones quickly, and the deeper ones very slowly. Soon, the bleeding stopped, and Wrath was able to breathe normally once more. Her pain was slowly replaced by the shame of such a crippling defeat.

Constantine rushed through the doors of the restaurant, hand gripping the handle of his dagger-turned-lance. His goal was not to be an easy one, Nikolai was somewhere in the presentation hallway, and between the two of them stood an ocean of heinous, hellish creatures. His eyes went wide, a knot tying up in his neck as disgust and fear gripped him. All the laughing corpses that were locked in their glass boxes were now free, and those unfortunate to be there when it happened were now nothing more than food. Heaps of mangled grotesque cadavers were chasing, dismembering, and eating the flesh of the victims trapped in this infernal hallway. One of the bodies snapped its head up, with two massive hooks that were embedded into its eyes curling up over its head. It turned towards Constantine. Its mouth then began jittering and a mixture between repeated howls and laughter came out. It then jumped and rushed towards Constantine, who quickly tumbled aside and charged ahead, before the other creatures realized he was there, and still alive.

What the FUCK, what the FUCK! His mind raced, pushed by pure fear. Constantine just ran as hard as his legs possibly could, cutting down those that were in front of him and jumping over piles of flesh, bones and intestines. Suddenly, a body missing its lower half grabbed his left leg with its skeletal arm, causing him to trip headfirst into filth. He then started kicking it violently with his other leg, until its jaw broke off and it let go of him. But it was just enough, as other laughing carcasses jumped onto him. Constantine started screaming and shouting as they tore away at his body, but then, a shriek into a mumbled growl was heard from behind. The corpses all went silent. The growl inched closer and closer, and the cadavers backed off, leaving Constantine on his back right in the path of the beast. He reached for the spear, standing up straight and wiping some of the guts off of him. Then he saw it, charging straight for him, with its mangled beady yellow eye. The wendigo crushed the pile of bodies on the floor in its rampage. Mad with rage, it jumped towards Constantine, who tumbled underneath it avoiding its massive poisonous claws.

“Grragh!” Constantine yelled, looking up to it. Seeing an opportunity, he fiercely stabbed it in the back with the spear, causing it to turn rapidly. The beast swiped with its huge paws and crushed the glass boxes in its way. Constantine was showered in shards and glass, and barely avoided getting struck by the wendigo. The beast was slow afterwards, and Constantine felt confident, despite the dozens of small cuts he’d sustained. He charged under it and hacked away at its legs and stomach screaming like a madman at the same time. The wendigo roared, collapsing on its back. Constantine climbed over its chest, stabbing his spear deep into the neck and head repeatedly, until the wendigo went silent. He stopped, as the adrenaline stopped pumping briefly through his veins. His job was not done yet however as he wiped the blood off of him, and ran forward, into the other hallway. Something had changed. His mind seemed more focused, more lucid. The fear that came so naturally, now subdued and fading. Overconfidence, or perhaps Katherine’s training taking roots at last? He did not have time to ponder such thoughts.

“More of them!” He yelled. There were shambling corpses here as well, a dance of chaos as wolves and hawks and hounds and all manner of profane beasts all hunted their prey. And that was not all, on the floor, imps and rats and snakes were all feasting on the leftovers. Constantine’s mind was blank for everything except the thought of finding Nikolai. He recklessly charged onward, slicing everything in his path, whether it was a small black hound or a jumbling corpse. Then he heard her. Through the chaos and hell, he heard her quiet sobs. He found her still hiding inside the glass box that was her cage. She was fortunate enough that most of the beasts were busy with the other bystanders, and none bothered searching for food inside the cages.

“Nikolai!” He shouted when he found the glass box, his face full of tears. Nikolai looked up slowly at him, her eye lighting up with happiness and disbelief.

“C-Constantine?” She cried, crawling out of the box and placing her shivering hands on his face. She burst into tears when he nodded softly. A gut-wrenching, agonizing cry of salvation, all the pain and suffering pouring out of her. He embraced her tightly, cradling her head and whispering in her ear as she wept.

“I-it’s alright. It’s ok, I’m here.” He said, his voice soothing in the mayhem.

“Constantine…”

“Nikolai, please listen, we have to get out of here, fast.”

“Constantine…” She pulled him in tighter, burying her face in his chest. Constantine stepped back, giving her room to walk a few steps. She was barefoot, and she hesitated at first, choking when she saw the state that the floor was in. She turned back to Constantine and screamed: “BEHIND YOU!”

The spectral tiger pounced, but her warning was enough to save him. Constantine narrowly avoided the full swing of its claws, jumping away with Nikolai in his arms. He immediately got off of her and grabbed his spear, pointing it towards the tiger.

“Constantine...” She gasped, seeing the three red lines that cut through Constantine’s coat and into his flesh. “Your back!”

Constantine grit his teeth and grunted, enduring the pain. “It’s… fine. Stay back Niko!”

The tiger’s numerous feral eyes all looked straight towards him, never blinking. It growled and paced side to side, searching for its chance to strike. Constantine’s grip tightened around the lance, his breath held awaiting the decisive second. The moment the tiger lashed forward, he stabbed into it, his reach longer, his strike faster. His weapon plunged into the tiger’s face, destroying its lower right eye. The creature roared, and thrashed about madly as smoke and blue blood seeped from its wound. Constantine stood back, a wave of satisfaction and bloodlust washing over him. His arms were both trembling. The tiger roared once more, and turned to him. Its eyes stared into his, and then the creature mewled and ran in the opposite direction.

Constantine sighed. He turned and pulled Nikolai to her feet.

“We best get going. This way.” He told her, pointing the lance in the direction opposite that of whence he came. Nikolai nodded meekly and went first. This part of the hallway was much cleaner and empty of creatures, save for a few critters and the occasional rotting corpse. Constantine followed her slowly, keeping an eye out for anything that may try to follow them.

“It’s… it’s so cold here.” Nikolai’s frail voice rang out.

Constantine was quiet and not well. A familiar sickness began throbbing in his mind. His consciousness quivered with pain, his soul choking as if strangled. A whispering noise made him look up at the ceiling. What he saw turned his blood cold. Nikolai turned to him, and looked up as well. She let out a startled gasp.

The pale shadow was looking at them curiously, its arms stretching the entire length of the ceiling. It tilted its heads back and forth briefly, before oozing down onto the floor behind them. Constantine was shivering violently, as Nikolai wrapped her hands around his arm and hid behind him, not daring to look at such a horrible thing. The pale shadow’s foremost head was a living black flame that extended all the way down its spine and down to the very tip of its forked tail. It had dozens of extra sets of long skeletal arms that came out along its spine next to its already freakishly long forearms. Constantine could not see its legs, and he was not curious enough to bother searching for them; he had to get out of there. He raised the spear and pointed it offensively towards it. The shadow inspected it with its bright white eyes, then opened its similarly-colored mouth and laughed. One of its arms lifted and pointed directly at him with its clawed thin fingers. It smiled, and then vanished in thin air. Constantine’s eyes went wide. He was shocked, but he did not question it. He turned, grabbed Nikolai by the hand and ran onwards, not knowing the full extent of the fate he just sealed for himself.

The guards were closing in on him. Evan was hidden behind a series of short boxes in a twisting hallway. Earlier he had done exactly as planned. He made his way inside the unguarded control room, knocking out the one person who was happily browsing the internet on his laptop in there, then released the locks on the glass cages. However this immediately activated the security system which locked everyone inside the complex and also got dozens of guards after the one who did it. He was panting heavily, massaging his aching shoulder.

“Fuck!” He shouted as the bullet whizzed through the box and past his ear.

“Freeze! Get out from under there with your hands where I can see them NOW!” The guard shouted.

“Shit… Uh... fuck!” Evan looked around quickly. To his left further down the wall was a doorway. and to his right was a dead end. Running right was safer, but nowhere to go from there, so he had to risk running out in the open. He heard the guard’s footsteps getting closer, so he seized the opportunity and ran. Bullets rained upon him, and ricocheted off the metal walls and floors. Sparks flew everywhere, but Evan made it at the door, slamming himself into it and ripping it clean off its hinges. The guard ran after him. Evan found himself in a parking lot. He ran, it did not matter where, if the guards got him he was dead. There had to be another way out of here.

He looked back and saw that the guard trailed farther and farther behind him. He ducked leftwards on a perpendicular passage to slow down. He looked down. A graze on his hip, bleeding mildly. He sighed in relief and prepared to run again.

“FREEZE!” Another guard shouted as he stepped out from behind a corner and pointed his gun at Evan. It was less than two meters between them, so Evan stopped and gulped. He muttered a curse under his chin and got on his knees. The other guard finally caught up and nodded to the other when he saw Evan on the ground. He pulled out a device and mumbled something into it. Evan couldn’t understand, but his mind was not on that. He had failed. And he was going to pay for it.

Click.

Went the hammers on both of their guns, as they lifted them towards his head. Evan closed his eyes, and began to pray. They immediately jumped open when he heard the first gunshot. He looked up and he was completely fine, but the guard in front of him fell back with a bullet straight through his left eye. He turned to the other guard, who tried shooting towards the parking lot after someone. After three more bullets the other guard dropped dead as well, as one hit him in the neck. Evan got up, and carefully searched for his rescuer. Towards him walked a familiar face, long black hair, blue eyes and tanned skin.

“T-thanks!” He blurted out.

“Don’t thank me yet, more are on the way soon.”

“You! YOU’RE-” Evan continued in shock and amazement, before being interrupted.

“Yes, I’m that demon from the other day. Mephistopheles by the way. Evan right?”

“Yeah. What the fuck are you-”

Two more bullets rang out behind Mephisto, as the demon then plastered himself against the wall and reloaded his gun.

“Looks like they’ve gotten here already. Listen Ev, you and your friends got a way out of here? This place is completely sealed up.” He moved in and out of cover, shooting at the guards in the parking lot.

“The hangar. We’re gonna get out through the hangar.”

“That’s close, your friends are gonna meet you there?

“Hopefully.” Evan said with a head nod.

“Hopefully soon, apparently the police is on their way. Better get out quickly. I’ll hold them down, you go on ahead.”

“You sure about that one?”

“Yes, these guys are nothing, we’ll meet each other at the mansion.”

“What mansion?” He shouted confused, while more bullets zoomed through the air.

“Alila’s mansion you fucking idiot, now go! GO!” Mephisto yelled. Evan nodded and ran, without looking back.

Azazel, Octavian and dozens of other people found themselves in another restaurant: the VIP section that was going to be opened later tonight. No creature found itself here yet, so the people wandered around, muttering and buzzing, afraid and uncertain about what was happening.

“Octavian, what the hell happened? Get your ass over here and start talking.” Azazel shouted to the man, sitting down on a chair and pulling out a cigarette.

“I was hoping you’d tell me, was that the Huntress you used to talk about?”

“Yeah that was her. Rough break-up. What’s with the lights and the walls outside?” The demon continued, annoyed.

“The security system. We only prepared in case some creature would try to get outside which is something we needed to avoid at all costs. I didn’t consider that someone would try to break in.” He adjusted his glasses and pulled out his phone.

“Bloody idiot.” Azazel shook his head and put the cigarette in his mouth as his friend got up to talk. He then leaned back in the chair and inhaled deeply, taking numerous puffs. “Damn, I’m amazed you managed to best Wrath... Huntress.” He said, eyes closed and smoke escaping from his nostrils.

Octavian heard him and was confused at first. He then turned around and saw a wounded Katherine, halberd in her blood-soaked hand, standing a few meters behind Azazel. The demon jumped from his seat and backed off. Katherine looked at him, her eyes filled with anger, but her face was ever void of emotion. She dashed forward with her halberd towards Azazel, but the demon was fast. He jumped backwards, avoiding its swing, as Octavian ducked under a table, cowering in fear. Katherine swung her blade with no remorse, cleaving down tables and people that were not fast enough to dodge out of the way. But Azazel was untouchable, her blade unable to reach him. His grin taunted her as he became nothing more than a blur, the Jawbone missing its crucial mark.

“COME BACK HERE, DAMN YOU!” Katherine screamed, her whole being consumed by rage and anger..

The bystanders hid or ran, trying to avoid Katherine’s rampage but one of them, an underling of Octavian’s, pulled out a gun and unloaded it upon her. The Huntress saw the man and ducked under a table, knocking it over. Azazel used the moment of respite to run away to a nearby wall. Katherine ran from under the table, dancing around the gunfire. She spotted Octavian cowering a bit farther away. With quick thinking, she dashed for him, pulling him up and putting her halberd at his neck. The underling stopped shooting, and lifted his gun.

“Drop it.” Katherine ordered.

The guard still held it.

“Drop the fucking gun, or he dies.“ She shouted.

The guard tossed the gun to the side. Azazel watched her, his grin faded, and his eyes carefully observing. Katherine looked at the gun, then at the man who threw it. Between them were about two tables and a few chairs. Octavian whimpered in her hands, eyes closed and knees trembling. No shred of mercy could be found on her face as the blade sliced his neck clean open. Azazel shouted, his green eyes wide with shock. Katherine climbed the table and jumped towards the guard. She descended into a spin, and the halberd sliced through the man from shoulder to hip, further crushing the floorboards beneath.

“No!” Azazel cried out, seeing his friend’s lifeless corpse slump to the ground. Katherine turned to him and he looked at her with fearful and angry eyes. Suddenly, a flash of light came from behind him, as the wall exploded both of them were sent flying, along with guests and furniture. When Katherine came to, she saw a massive hole where the wall previously was. No sign of Azazel however, one could only pray he was dead and buried in the rubble. Further away was the hangar, and even further out, the sky. She reached for her halberd and dashed towards it. Outside a storm was raging, and rain and hail pelted over her.

Azazel was indeed buried in rubble, but life still clung to him. His leg was broken and his shoulder was dislocated. But he crawled out, fueled by hate and anger, and saw the chaos that was in the restaurant. His eyes dashed back to his friend Octavian, who lay there in a pool of his own blood. They then spotted it close beside him, his underling’s still loaded gun.

Nikolai rushed past through the chaotic restaurant, her hand still clinging to Constantine. His lance cut down dogs and corpses like an artisan painting a tapestry. He cleared the path they had to take, and the light at the end was almost in sight.

“We’re almost there Nikolai…” He turned back towards her panting heavily, and gave her a bright and reassuring smile. Nikolai saw him and tears flooded her eyes, as she could not smile back at him.

Constantine smashed himself into a doorway which led to a small corridor. There at the end, was an open door that led to the hangar. Constantine let her go first, running into the awaiting arms of Evan. She ran towards him, crying and hugging him tightly.

“You… you came for me… both of you!” Nikolai shouted through her tears, choking on her relief and happiness.

“Katherine is the one you must thank. She’s here too, she’s outside over there.“ He pointed towards the missing wall that led out of the building complex. “Constantine, let’s go man let’s go!” He then shouted.

Constantine ran out of the hallway, after checking nothing followed them. He nodded towards Evan. The three then ran out of the building where they found Katherine, looking up at the sky, bleeding from her wounds.

“Evan, the car.” She whispered. Katherine groaned, her legs wobbling slightly.

Evan nodded and ran forward into the field. Constantine let go of Nikolai’s hand for a brief moment and walked up to Katherine, asking her if everything was alright. He turned back to her and smiled. Nikolai looked at him, and her heart jumped with a fading smile.

Nikolai saw his lips move but she never heard his voice, the gunshot and the bullet that was buried in her back screamed louder.