Chapter 27

Howard battled with the remaining Dominion and it was an uphill task.

Twenty minutes later they stopped at a stalemate. He was sweating heavily but had no serious damage as his fighting experience from his previous life as well as the bracelet's power helped him.

The two eyed each other warily. This was by far the toughest opponent he had recently faced, Howard thought. His attacks were heavy on the physical side but nimble and very sharp. He could feel the years of experience on each attack.

On the other hand, the Dominion looked at the human before him. He thought of how he would have made a fine Paladin. But that bracelet was a nuisance. Most of his attacks had been to destroy the bracelet but it functioned as a separate being, protecting itself just as it protected the wearer.

He received a nonverbal command and he withdrew. Howard breathed a sigh of relief and so did the rest.

The Seraph turned to face Aian.

"You tried a sneak ambush on them and they fought well now imagine if I were to fight you all," she said chillingly. Howard felt the temperature drop by a few degrees.

"How about we make it interesting then," Aian shouted out to one the four headed creature. " Instead of me fighting you, I'll let this human fight you instead. If he wins you shall hand over the pieces you have, of you win then you can kill them all."

All the Hunters and Howard looked at Aian. She twitched a finger and shut their mouths knowing that they were about to protest.

[Sorry Howard , but you must win at all expenses, I'm not at the needed power levels to fight and win against all of them. However, Yahweh is one who is fair. If you win then we can go, it's his henchmen that I don't trust. Especially that Seraphim to his right.]

Howard stepped forward and nodded. The Cherub disappeared and reappeared next to Howard a flaming sword ready to pierce him.

He felt himself growing weightless just before the blade plunged into him. He jumped back and felt his mass and weight returning.

Aian watched hiding her shock at the bracelet letting Nick to phase. That bracelet was responding too well to Howard.

He phased two more times before he got used to the effects and started incorporating it into his attack and defense.

As their swords clashed he came to notice that the angel didn't phase but rather used high speed steps to get to Howard's blind spots.

Another thing was the heat from the blade made him all sweaty and had he been fighting using a physical blade, he'd have dropped it a while back.

The Cherub also tried to destroy the bracelet and managed to land a successful hit on it. The bracelet glowed brightly and the dial went up two notches.

Red lightning sparked from it, the Cherub tried to free the blade from it. The blade shattered and all the pieces were swallowed by the bracelet.

Aian almost jumped to her feet. She never knew that the bracelet had such functionality. Yes, she had suspected that it had a mind of its own, and that's why she never used it.

The Cherub jumped back but it was too late as Nicks ethereal sword cut off the ox head. The head rolled down the grass and stopped face up at Aian's feet.

The enraged Cherub then changed its attack pattern, giving strong brutal attacks that Nick tried hard to defend.

One hit landed on his knee and the pain shot up through his body. He would have dropped down but the bracelet instantaneously made an energy splint that supported his knee as a cast.

The next slice cut off the eagle and lion head in one attack. Howardnhad been defending against a sword strike, when the bracelet of its own accord produced another blade slicing off the two heads at once.

The effect was almost immediate as the Cherub lost strength and flopped onto the ground.

Howard stood over the fallen Cherub, three of its heads splayed across the ground. His blade hovered above the final human head.

He plunged the blade down into the ground and stood up, facing the six-winged angel.

The seraph watched the human through its feathers as he approached.

"I have no intention to kill a Cherub though I won't say the same about it, I just want the armour." Howard said staggering ignoring the pain in his left knee. "That human head if I chop it off, then it'll be dead, but that's not our reason for battle."

Aian levitate down to the ground and walked up to Nick, standing besides him, "You heard the victor."

Unlike the human, she was talking to the figure on the throne. The front Seraph remained silent as if having a conversation then a small gesture and the remaining items blipped into existence in front of Aian.

The humans had a quick glimpse of the items as they descended to Aian's position. Howard looked at them noting that he never had the time to admire them the first time.

The Shield of Faith being the largest and most prominent glowed the brightest. From the short glimpse, Howard saw its polished surface reflecting the surrounding. Along the edges he could see scintillating lights and assumed they were gems.

The Belt of truth he could make out the intricately woven design and it had a white hue around it. It looked like leather but Howard knew it wasn't.

The Breastplate of righteousness was the last piece to land gently in her arms. The way it glowed brightly they all had a hard time determining the nature of the item.

Aian started floating and she levitate just until she was at the same level as the seraphim. She made a motion and the three items vanished before their very sight.

"I would say thank you for doing business with me but deity to deity there's no need for lies."

A flash of light as the sword struck Kuronike across his chest before Magnarr landed heavily on the blade.

The shock wave flung the Dominion across the field leaving its sword and right hand under Magnarr.

A black thunderous look spread over Aian and she made a series of gestures that saw the lower angel shrivelled up into an aged ugly figure.

She then turned to the seraphim and Thrones.

"You may be the Judaic head deity but I am the personification of time, you are still too young to challenge me," Aian said her eyes glowing white.

She stopped levitating and looked at the six seraphim guarding the golden throne. "You try another underhanded trick like that and I will waste you all away."

The Thrones had all their eyes fixed on Aian. She then looked at the blinding light that emanated from the throne itself.

She muttered a string of phrases in the olden language and disappeared. The forefront seraphim looked at the spot where they'd just disappeared.

We shall meet them again

These were the only words that were uttered by the being on the throne.

With that all the angels blinked out of sight.