Chapter 8: Audacity

My teeth rattled as I was slammed against a wall. The long armed one kept a hand wrapped around me as he swung me around the room, thwacking me against every solid surface he could find. Slamming me on the ground, he pulled on the bigger one. His free hand was tightly grasped in the hand of his brother. Biggun lumbered over towards me, until he loomed over me in all his un-washed glory. I struggled against the fingers wrapped around me, wiggling one of my arms out of his grasp. He chuckled, leaning over to look me, eye to creepy bug-eye.

"Where's your big mouth now, girl?" He hissed. "Go on, make another snappy comeback." His fingers squeezed around me and i felt the air evacuate my lungs. "Go on! Do it!"

The fire in my chest roared in response, and I felt the energy surging through my body. My vision started to tint red as I felt the energy gather in my arm. "The next thing you're going to say…" I wheezed, looking at him dead on. "Is 'auuugh, you bitch!'" I clenched my fist and swung at him, flames gathering around my skin. The fires shot off and flew straight across his face, searing his left eye.

"Auuugh, you bitch!" He screamed as he let go, bringing his hand to the fresh burn. I rolled away as the big one tried to grab me, jumping to my feet. He panted, glaring at me with his good eye. "That… what was hellfire. How did you summon hellfire?" he spat at me.

I looked down at my left arm, still burning with bright orange flame. The skin from my elbow down was pitch black, tapering up towards my still normal upperarm. I flexed my fingers, watching as the flames danced between the now sharp appendages. How long has it been since I've properly used this? It was nostalgic in a horrible kind of way. I smirked and drew Summerglow with my other hand.

"You… The sheer audacity." He wheezed, glaring at me with palpable rage. "I will make your death, slow. Painful. And incredibly violent."

His brother smile. "Good for you, girl. I happen to enjoy incredible violence."

I flexed my fingers, looking at the swirling flames. As I focused, several of the little lights focused around my middle finger. Smirking I flipped the bird at them, sending a small shot of flame across the big one's cheek. He looked down, sniffed and glared at me. Then he let out a guttural roar and charged at me headfirst.

I ran towards him, sliding between his legs as he swiped at me. As I slid through I slashed across his calf, bringing a pained scream to his lips. I ground my heel into the ground and bent my knee as I slid. I jumped, my momentum throwing me out of reach of another ham-fisted blow. He dug into the ground, throwing a toddler-sized chunk of tile at me. I swept Summerglow at it, cutting the rubble into even halves that flew past me.

Midget reached out with his free arm, revealing a set of stiletto nails. I barely twisted as the nails grazed my side. The force stabbed his hand through the wall behind me, before he pulled it out, rearing back for another strike. I touched ground and immediately ducked under another strike, then slid to the side, dodging another punch from the big one.

Watching them I waited as the small one readied another thrust at me. His hand speared through the air, glistening with power. I tilted to the side, feeling the hand barely scrape against my face. As it passed, I grabbed the arm with my demon hand. He screamed as I seared his flesh. Pale skin turned charcoal black, smelling like burning eggshells. In a panic, he pulled his arm back as fast as he could, bringing me along with him. I thrust my sword forward as he pulled, impaling him on my broadsword before I flipped over him.

As soon as I landed on the ground a chunky arm grabbed me. The big one pulled me to his face, squeezing me as his brother writhed in agony, burning blade still protruding from his chest. I drew my breath and willed my arm to blaze hotter, forcing his grip open. As I fell, he screamed, shaking his hand. Before he could react, I dashed forward, thrusting my hand claws-first into the area where his heart should be. He hitched, sputtered out some blood, and wheezed, clutching at his chest.

I backed off, watching the scene unfold. The two brothers were howling to the sky; one clawing at the blade sunk through his sternum, the other grasping at his heart while blood spewed out of his mouth. They firmly held hands as the larger one fell to the ground with an earth shaking thud. After a few moments of twitching and burning, the bodies fell still.

"Well, that was anti-climatic." I muttered, walking over to reclaim my sword. "I almost wish they lasted longer." I reached over the pale body, grasping at the handle to my sword, trying to think of a way to get back to Elsa.

A pale hand shot forward, grabbing my human wrist. A beefy one grabbed my ankle. I yelped, trying to pry myself from their clutches.

The two chanted in unison. I couldn't tell what they were speaking, I just knew it wasn't English or Latin. Power swirled around them, then flowed into their bodies. I could feel the static run through me the longer they chanted. My vision blurred, and every cell in my body began to tingle until it was a massive scream in unison. It was like my skin was being pulled from my body, then my flesh, every nerve and all my blood. Eventually an explosion of white happened between my eyes and I was torn asunder.

It's bright and warm. I open my eyes and look around. My face is in a pile of clouds, engulfing around me like a warm blanket of puppies. Flipping over I look to the sky. It's bright and pure, without a single impurity. Across the scene I see images begin to cycle. Standing up, I see the beginning of time, explode before my eyes. The creation of the heavens play out before me, while the creation of every deity in history followed after.

I tilt my head, watching the beginning of every angel in history, until a small one with red hair trips and falls into existence. She almost looks familiar, and the screen almost seems to zoom in on her.

"It's us." a voice behind me whispers. "Don't you remember?"I shiver, the voice bringing back something in my head.

A pair of hands cover my eyes. "N-uh. You don't get to see any more. That slideshow is reserved for when you die. You have a lot more slides to add before you get to watch." my voice said behind me. "Focus on getting to see me again. And then we'll talk. It's been too long, my body. So hurry up." She giggles, a sound reminiscent of an angelic chime ringing through my ears.

Suddenly a pressure appears on my chest and I feel the strings of mortality pulling on me. The hands are removed from my eyes and I turn my head to face her. I smile, standing there in a perfectly clean angel robe. She spreads her small sparrow wings, as she waves me goodbye. Her white hair blows in the wind, all except for the streak of red that just stayed in place.

My eyes snapped open as consciousness returned to me. I glanced around the room, mind running at a thousand miles per hour. I saw Summerglow, lying on the ground in the far corner. In the other side of my vision I could see two silhouettes beating on another silhouette.

I pushed myself to my knees, noticing that both my hands were obsidian black. The color ran along my arms in veins that traced up around my collar bone. They came down to my chest, forming a cross down to my navel. I touched my cheek, feeling a slight sizzle. My shoulder blades ached, and I reached back with my hand. There was a stub on each one that pulsed with pain every time I touched it. Breathing slower, I stood up.

The two in the corner stopped when they heard me stand. Slowly they turned, eyes wide for both of them. "Y-you… How did this." the small one squeaked.

"B-brother. The incantation is supposed… to separate the mind and the body. Correct?" The bigger one said, dropping his victim. On closer inspection, it was me. Er my...body? I guess it was my body, seeing as it just layed on the ground, wide eyes and mouth agape. It's chest still rose and fell gently, bringing a relaxed sigh from me.

I looked back from my body to the two who were now cowering in the corner. I took a step forward, leaving a smoldering footprint in my wake. The big one grabbed a chunk of wall and hurled it to me. I backhanded it, my arm burning it to ash instantly. He lobbed another piece and I grabbed it. I breathed in and watched the concrete disintegrate in a puff of smoke.

"What the… What are you?" the small one asked, not even bothering to move at me. "You're not- Humans don't do that. Humans go insane, they. Their consciences don't manifest into that!"

I smiled, running a hand through my hair. "I guess.. that means I'm not human. Fancy that, huh?" Blowing into my other hand, a ball of fire spun into existence. From a small wisp, it quickly grew into a fireball. I flung it towards them, watching it rocket into the big one's chest. He wheezed, more blood spewing from his chest as smoke flowed from the gaping wound.

I dashed over, hands spread to the side. Swiping my right, I cut through the air, leaving gashes on the walls as I cut across the brothers. They screamed again, clutching at gaping wounds. I watched as the wounds sizzled and closed in a matter of seconds.

"So… you two don't die." I said with a smile. "I guess…" I flicked a claw, watching blood evaporate into red mist. "I'm going to have to keep killing you till you stay that way."

The two of them looked at each other and nodded their heads. Simultaneously, they charged me, both reaching a free hand at me. I dodged out of the way, raking a hand across the big one's jugular. Spinning on my heel, I swung a spinning back kick into the small one's face. He buckled, but reached a hand out towards me. I hopped back, but the hand barely managed to graze me. I looked over and saw that the big one had a hand on my body.

They screamed in that foreign language again and I felt myself being sucked towards my body. It was like someone turned a vacuum and a giant fan on at the same time, and I quickly lost footing. I fell towards my body and my eyes exploded in a flash of light again.

Instantly I came to and breathed in a huge breath. Coughing, I rolled away from the two demons who had retreated in shock. I eyed them before I looked down at my hands. Pale pearly whites with some freckles along the veins. I smiled, before I took a deep breath and focused on the dark power I had tapped into. My left hand responded as before, but the rest of my body stayed human as usual. Grunting, I stood up and almost fell as the pain kicked in. Ouch, my body hurt like hell.

The two moron siblings looked at me and I could feel the confidence come back to their faces. "Now… now you're just human again." the small one said with a cackle. "Now, you are nothing."

I looked at him, then laughed. On the floor, Summerglow rested. I bent down and picked her up. "No. I'm not 'just' human. I'm a human right now, who's going to kick your ass!" I said, pointing my sword at them. Granted I had no idea how to kill something that refused to die, but I was sure I'd figure out something.

Almost on cue, the wall behind me exploded. I stumbled as a wave of energy washed over me. Turning, I saw the cause of the explosion. Elsa stood in the remains of the wall, panting heavily. Her arms were bleeding, and her clothes were torn up. From her back protruded six large muscular arms all made out of solid ice. Each held a large chunk of concrete in their hands which they promptly crushed into fine powder.

"Where. Is. Anna?" she spat out, looking across the room. She looked up and stared at me in shock. I felt her eyes roll over my probably bruised limbs and cut cheek. Rage engulfed her shock, and she hurled herself at the two.

"Elsa?!" I called out as she dashed past me. The large brother reared back, then threw a massive punch at her. She pulled her arm back, and the ice limbs did the same. Then she thrust them forward, fists colliding, making a massive shockwave that pushed me back. Looking up I saw the two going at it. Elsa, weaving and dodging, threw punch after punch at the behemoth who met each strike with equal brute force. They stood dead even, exchanging titanic blow after blow, until one of Elsa's fists began to crack.

I immediately jumped forward as the large one raised another fist. He swung down and Elsa matched his blow. A jet of fire exploded from my hand, engulfing Elsa's ice fist. It connected, the flames searing his hand as Elsa pushed forward. He attempted to pull back, but Elsa pushed forward, landing a piercing blow on his chest.

The giant groaned while his brother lept up, swiping down at us from above. Elsa dodged backwards, a claw barely glancing against her braid. I swiped forward, my claw reaching his. The two connected with a clash, and then a searing sound as my claws raked across his flesh. He hissed and continued, wrapping his freakish arm around me again.

Elsa smashed down on his arm with all her fists, shattering most of them in the process. Small one screamed again, pulling back. I ran over to Elsa and pulled her to the side, before another huge fist almost hit us. Turning I splashed a fireball in his face, bringing a monstrous scream of pain as he stumbled into a wall. Turning to Elsa I grabbed her by the hand and ran to the closest wall.

I looked at her, exhaustion settling in. "Alright, game plan. They don't die." I said, panting. She looked at me a bit wide-eyed and then nodded. "Got any idea how to kill them?"

She looked over at the two, tall one stumbling in pain and the small one trying to put out the fire. "Maybe we could seal them?" Elsa said.

"No, I doubt that'll break their hold over this place. We need to make sure they're gone."

Elsa pondered, looking over at the two of them. "They're only using one hand each…" she mumbled.

I tilted my head. "Yeah? They've been doing that the whole fight."

"No. I… Anna!" She suddenly shouted, making me flinch. "Separate their hands! That must be the secret."

"What. Where the heck are you getting that from?"

"The whole time I was exchanging blows with them. The large one only used one arm, even though it left him open and at a huge disadvantage. Why else would they limit themselves in a life or death battle?"

I blinked, then nodded. "Alright. How do we do that?"

"Well, I sugg- Anna watch out!" she called out as the long hand wrapped around me again.

"Sonuva-" I shouted as I was yanked for the God knows how many'd time. I leaned toward my attacker as he pulled me. Sticking out my leg, I drove my heel into his face, forcing his grip to loosen. Flipping over him, I fell to the side where their hands were conjoined. Smiling, I grabbed the small wrist with my burning hand. He screamed and the fingers flinched open for a second. A second long enough that is, for me to yank him down to my level.

For the first time in the fight, the small one tumbled down on top of me, away from his big younger brother. The brother in question swept his arm down at me, but was stopped by a spear of ice that shot out the ground. Elsa lifted her hands from the ground, jumping at him a frozen aura around her hands. She yelled and the energy solidified into a crystal-blue long sword, the same she used back when we worked together.

She swiped up, cleaving at the arm, driving a long gash along the giant's arm. Not to be undone, I kicked at the body on top of me that quickly tried to scurry away. Stomping on his arm, I brought my sword up and drove it through his chest. He screamed as steel penetrated through him to the floor. Thrashing like a fish, he desperately reached out to his brother who could only look on due to Elsa pinning his foot to the ground with her sword. The big one screamed. "Koka!" He swiped Elsa away and charged towards me.

I moved to run, but he jumped onto me, pinning me to the ground. He straddled me, one hand on my throat, the other in the air. He glared me down, murder in his eyes. "How dare you kill my brother! We were invincible as long as we were together!"

I panted, heartbeat racing in my ears. "W-well. I'm sorry he's not here to hold your hand anymore. Too bad, he was," I choked a little as his grip on me started to crack my ribcage. "He couldn't take a punch to save his life. With-without you that is." I coughed, blood beginning to pool in my mouth.

His eyes narrowed. "No. And I doubt you can take one either." He said, bringing his fist down to me.

"Azazel!" Elsa cried as she dove towards the fist. I saw a flash of white as she plowed into his arm, clinging to forearm as he tried to shake her off. My chest began to beat in resonance with the name she called. Something in me stirred. My breathing got ragged as my body began to shake. Aether coursed through my veins, and I began to see everything in double.

It started as a groan, but it left my throat as a loud roar. The giant looked down to me as I began to push his weight off of me. First one hand, then two pushed against the hand on my throat, slowly lifting the hulking mass off of me. He panicked, pushing down on me, as hard as possible, but to no avail. He shook his other arm as hard as possible until Elsa fell off. Eyes wide in panic, he tried to slam the other hand down on me. It stopped in mid-air by my other hand. Now matching the behemoth in strength, I sat up, taking in each breath as my ribs immediately healed.

The big one was panicking, trying to pull away from my grip. Smiling I twisted, slamming him into the wall nearest me. Then I lifted him, slamming him onto the ground. Spinning on my heels, I threw him into the wall once more. An earth-splitting crack and a pitiful whimper later, he slumped to the ground, barely conscious.

I turned, holding my hand out to my blade. My hand was fluxxing now, flashing between white and fluorescent white. The blade flew to me, and glowing with a holy brilliance as it touched my skin. Turning to the beast, I slowly walked towards him, dragging the tip of my blade against the ground.

I looked at him as I raised my blade. "Tell me, what was your aim." I said in a voice that was not quite mine.

He looked at me and laughed. "I… we. We only followed orders. That is all we knew. The master, he…" he coughed. "he never told us why, and I never… questioned it."

I glared down at him and pointed my sword at his heart. "Is that all you know?" he nodded solemnly, then coughed up more blood. "Any last words while you still breathe this realm's air?" I asked, pushed the tip on his sternum.

He looked up at me, wheezing through broken ribs and bleeding lungs. "You… First h-human. Then a fallen. Now an.. an angel. What are you?" he asked, light fading from his eyes.

I looked down on him and pulled back my sword. "I am all of those things. I was one of the first, and one of the last of my kind. And I beat you." I said, thrusting my blade through his chest. He convulsed, then light and white fire began to erupt from his body. It only took a moment before only a pile of ashes remained where the giant once was.

The building resonated with his death. With its masters gone, the magic quickly began to dissipate. Steel and concrete screamed and bent as they re-organized themselves into some sense of normalcy. I watched the area we were fighting in morph back into a relatively normal looking warehouse with a few boxes to the side.

Dropping my sword, I staggered back. I, Aza- Anna. No, Azazel. I- I coughed and looked at my hands. They were beginning to warp and fade. My physical existence was becoming undone. My senses were starting to vanish as my body started to disappear.

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around me. "No! Anna, no! Fight it!" Es- Elsa. Elsa. Elsa's voice rang through my ears. I looked at the girl, holding onto me, channeling as much energy into me as possible.

My head started to swirl as I began to breathe harder. Elsa. Elsa is my, partner. We were a- We are demon hunters right now. She's a fallen, and I. I am Anna. I am Anna now.

The last sentence rang a chord through me as I thought it. The tremors began to stop as I repeated that to myself again, and again. The energy retreated back inside me as Elsa held me close. Gathering my strength, I reached around and grabbed her back. My vision began to readjust, the glow of divinity no longer clouding my eyes. I could see her again.

Elsa, the girl who was clutching at my chest, eyes shut in focus. Elsa, who was chanting my name over and over again. Elsa the girl who's back was shaking as I started to rub it. Her eyes snapped open and she looked up at me, wide-eyed and scared.

"A-anna?" she said, voice scared.

I smiled to the best I could. "Yup that's me." I said with a small laugh at the end. "And that, is why we don't use our real names." I said to the girl who slowly started to stand straight back up. She looked at me and I looked back, and we just stood there in silence.

I coughed and glanced to the side. "Hey, did you forget your line? You're supposed to be talking here." I whispered at her.

She blinked at me, confused. The longer she looked at me and the smile on my face, she started to smile herself. The smile grew till small giggles began to form. They were contagious, as I started giggling myself when I saw her start. We stood there, giggles floating between us until they erupted into full blown laughter. We laughed, holding onto each other, laughing at pretty much everything. Everything that just happened just hit us and we laughed harder, holding onto each other as the laughter rolled over us.

I slowed in my laughing and opened my eyes. I gazed upon the angel, the one who apparently tore open a wall because she was worried about me. Her features softened as she laughed, lips resting in a gentle smile as she stopped. We stared at each other for a while, just letting silence rest easy between us.

I ventured to open my mouth first. "We won." I said, barely keeping the smile contained. "We did it, first boss down!" I said with more conviction. Elsa smiled and hugged me closer. "Hah! We're alive!" I cried out as I squeezed Elsa again.

She just nodded, holding me close as I started my own miniature celebration in her arms. Was it childish? Definitely. But considering what we just went through, I couldn't care less how badly I embarrassed myself.

A/N: I like writing fight scenes. It's fun. I'm sorry if I threw too many questions at once. I swear though, any questions you have will be answered. Hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I did. Next time, we try to figure what's going on! Until then leave a review if you have anything you want to say, and I will see you guys later!