The massive basilisk, Herpo, coiled around the shattered canyon floor, his emerald scales gleaming with a venomous sheen. Zachariah hovered just above him, his golden robes now stained with dark crimson from the wound on his side. The bite of the basilisk had left its mark.
The angel's skin had an unnatural pallor, and his once-glowing presence dimmed. Threads of magic flickered around the edges of the wound as the basilisk venom twisted within him, gnawing at his divine essence. But even so, Zachariah smiled.
"You're fast, I'll give you that," Zachariah sneered, though his breaths had grown shallow. "But I wonder, how much damage that form can take."
Herpo answered with a low, guttural hiss. The ground trembled beneath his massive form.
Then he struck.
The basilisk's body lashed forward, faster than any creature had the right to be. His fangs gleamed with the same deadly venom that now coursed through Zachariah's veins. But the angel was quick. With a burst of magic, he vanished just as the basilisk's jaws slammed shut, cracking the stone beneath them.
Zachariah reappeared further up, but his wings faltered for a moment. The venom gnawed at him, distorting his magic. He grimaced, clutching his side as golden sparks flickered from the wound. Yet still, he grinned.
"Foul thing," he spat. "But you forget you're not the only one with tricks."
The air around him shimmered. Then, without warning, three copies of Zachariah materialized, their golden forms radiating the same presence. They moved as one, circling the basilisk with unsettling grace.
Herpo's slit eyes narrowed. He could smell the illusions thin, twisted threads of light. But the angel's cunning ran deeper than simple deception.
The basilisk lunged once more, but as his fangs tore through one of the illusions, it exploded in a brilliant flash of light. The burst seared the air, blinding even the serpent's unnatural vision.
Zachariah laughed, his voice echoing. "Blinded, are we? Guess I don't have to worry about looking at your eyes anymore."
But Herpo was not so easily tricked. Even without sight, the basilisk twisted his massive form, releasing a sickly green mist from his fangs. The air itself rotted in its wake. The mist clung to the illusions, distorting the magic. Within seconds, two of the false Zachariahs flickered and vanished.
The angel hovered above, his grin faltering.
"Clever," Zachariah admitted. "But not enough."
With a wave of his hand, tendrils of golden energy lashed down at the basilisk. Herpo's scales burned beneath the assault, but the dark gleam in his eyes only deepened. Shadows gathered around him — the foulest magic of all. Dark tendrils slithered up from the earth, tainting the air with their twisted presence.
Zachariah flinched as the shadows clawed toward him, their whispers gnawing at the edges of his mind. The basilisk's laughter, low and guttural, echoed through the canyon.
"You think light will save you?" Herpo's voice slithered from the shadows, unnatural and ancient. "You will drown."
But Zachariah merely smirked.
He twisted his hand sharply, and the light responded. Blinding rays erupted from his fingertips, forcing the shadows to recoil. The battlefield lit up in a cascade of radiant gold, yet the basilisk did not retreat. He lunged forward once more, his venomous fangs striking with relentless intent.
****
Morpheus looked at his betrayers a grin spread across his lips but his mind was in turmoil. Thanks to the presence of so many angels and demons in the area it was hard to pinpoint exact presences but he knew, deep in his gut that one of the men before him was being possessed.
Which would only make killing them all harder.
Morpheus walked a half circle backward whilst spinning the daggers in his hands, "Well? What are you waiting for come and kill me." he taunted while his eyes brushed over the ward once more
The men didn't make a sound but instead moved according to Maximillius's hand gestures fanning out around the ward circle.
Morpheus spun and flipped the daggers in his hand without a care in the world while eying the men around him.
He was looking, searching for someone.
Finally Morpheus spotted his prey but, he did not react and instead walked to the farther end toward Maximillius, "Dont tell me you thought you could kill me without a plan?" Morpheus laughed while placing his back directly in front of his target
The man still supplying the ward with magic.
Morpheus flipped his dagger in the air and tossed a pill in his mouth with his now free hand, catching the dagger with on the blade side Morpheus quickly twisted his body and released.
The dagger tore through the air faster than the wizards could react and pierced through the wizard's forehead. As blood brain matter flew into the air the ward fell and Morpheus slammed his hand onto the floor.
The ground trembled and spikes erupted from the rocks impaling a few of the wizards too slow to move.
"Defensive formation!" Maximillius yelled in panic
Morpheus just grinned.
***
Herpo hastily transformed back into a human dodging a barrage of spears from a group of angels helping Zachariah, "contristare!" Herpo shouted slamming his palm onto the floor before dodging out of the way once more
Dark magic exploded from beneath the earth and surged into the dead bodies of demons and angels alike that littered the canyon floor.
Herpo smiled, "My gift to you!" he yelled at Zachariah
"FOUL!" Zachariah yelled in a genuine rage as he saw his brothers and sisters, friends and families, bodies being used in such a way
The reanimated corpses lunged at anything close by gripping onto their old allies with such fervor it was truly frightening.
Zachariah tried to help but it was for naught as Herpo started laying down more pressure.
His blood was pumping and his heart thrumming.
"Oh, I missed this!"
***
Morpheus dodged a killing curse spinning sharply whilst thrusting his palm forward. His target tried to dodge but he was to late the spell clipped his leg, "AhhhHHHHHHH, AHHHHHHH!!" the man screamed as his blood boiled from the inside
Morpheus twisted to see only Maximillius left, "What's your name?" he asked
"Quiet." Maximillius snipped before shooting a Reducto
Morpheus danced out of the way, "I mean I know the bodies name but I don't know yours."
Maximillius's eyes turned red briefly before he lunged forward shooting spells at every step.
Morpheus put up one hell of a defense, he blocked, deflected, and dodged everything that came his way.
Morpheus ducked a curse then touched his palm to the floor flowing his magic into the fading ward.
Mqximillius widened his eyes and tried to jump away but his magic was already gone.
The last thing he saw was a dagger heading for his head.
Looking at the carnage around him Morpheus frowned heavily. His mind retracing everything that has happened from the moment he stepped foot into the canyon.
"But still." he muttered as his mind began to reach a disastrous conclusion, "They shouldn't know the exact location I didn't even tell the ICW."
Looking up something clicked.
his eyes widened and frantically Morpheus shot off a spell toward Herpo, he then rushed toward the location of the anchor.
***
Herpo laughed in annoyance, "I thought my brother was annoying to fight but you might be worse. Are you that afraid little angel?" he mocked
Zachariah shrugged with a grin, "Who said I was trying to win?"
Herpo frowned before a spell erupted next to him, "They are stalling, get to the chamber as fast as possible." Morpheus's voice said almost like an echo
Herpo's eyes widened and he turned but Zachariah already moved blocking his way, "tsk tsk, leaving already?"