be quick about it. A brilliant light flared, and Watcher Three staggered. Over his shoulder, I spotted Chuck with his juiced-up ray gun, and he gave me a grim smile. I followed up with a blast from my athame. I charred Watcher Three’s face and Chuck went for the kill, sending the Watcher’s head rolling, but I was tiring quickly, and I knew one more blast was probably my limit.
Sorren was fighting Sariel, while Donnelly’s magic focused on the portal and Watcher Five, who still hadn’t come through yet to our world. Sariel’s power enabled him to nearly match Sorren’s speed and strength, and it was quickly evident that he knew how to wield the sword he had drawn. Sorren went on the offense with both swords, but his strike missed while Sariel’s sword cut a deep gash in Sorren’s thigh.
Sorren snarled, and I could see his fangs. “One of your Watchers is down. The rest will die soon. Give it up. The game’s over.”
“I can still destroy you and yours,” Sariel returned. “Marinette! Goddess! Lend me your strength!” The strain of holding open the portal and fighting off Sorren’s attack was starting to take its toll. In response, Marinette turned from where she withstood the assault from Lucinda and Caliel. I heard a horrible laugh, and then Marinette vanished and Sariel’s whole stance changed. For a split second, I thought I saw Marinette’s image overlaid on his, and then Sariel’s lips twisted in a vengeful, triumphant smile as the Loa possessed him. The transformation was terrifying.
Sorren had his swords, but juiced up with Marinette’s power, Sariel pulled one of the metal parking signs out of the ground, swinging it one way and the other, first jabbing with the sharp metal sign and then using the concrete that still clung to the other end as a cudgel. It was far beyond his natural strength, and I wondered if he would find his body badly damaged when the Loa finally departed. That would be cold comfort if he beat us into the ground before then.
The concrete end caught Sorren in the chest, sending him flying with enough impact to break ribs. Sorren was back in the fight in the blink of an eye, dodging in and around the deadly metal and concrete to sink both his blades deep into Sariel’s belly and side, ripping the blades sideways as he pulled them free so that blood gushed and entrails bulged.
Teag sparred with Watcher Four, managing to keep him at bay, but the Watcher tired of the game and with a howl, shifted to his beast form. I was pretty spent after taking out Watcher Three, but I gathered enough of my strength to channel more magic through the walking stick, and a blast like a torch burst from the end of the cane, hitting Watcher Four square in the torso. He shrieked and swung at Teag and me with his claws, but I managed to dodge the worst of the strikes, though the sharp nails opened new cuts on my shoulder. I staggered, weakened by the outlay of energy needed to use my magic.
The instant the flames subsided, Teag leaped on the Watcher’s back, slashing with his knife and his dagger, flaying the skin from the fallen angel’s frame. The beast swept Teag aside with one powerful arm, sending him flying across the lot to land hard on his back.
We were losing, fast. A storm was rolling in, and dark clouds now filled the sky. The air felt thick with power, tingling with electrical charge, like right before lightning strikes.
Sorren was holding his own against Sariel, but he was bloodied in a dozen places. His shirt hung in tatters, and three deep gouges across his face barely missed his eye. He looked like he was getting the worst of the deal. Caliel and Lucinda had gone to help. Caliel had drawn blades, and teamed up with Sorren to box Sariel in, forcing the nephilmancer to watch two opponents at once. Lucinda channeled her magic through her staff, hitting Sariel with a burst of power to drain his strength, giving Sorren and Caliel opportunity to regroup between strikes.
Chuck held something that looked like a cross between a cattle prod and a flame thrower. Chuck’s high tech weapons worked like a charm on disembodied creatures like wraiths and malicious ghosts, but it was always a toss-up how they’d affect corporeal creatures. His weapon was holding Watcher One at bay, but it didn’t look likely