The Rise of the Fallen (The Angelic Wars Book 2) by J.J. Thompson Page B

answer, to Chris' relief. Both of them simply stood there and
stared at the Horseman.
    Chris hoped he looked
defiant but he was afraid that he just looked young and scared. We're
about to die, he thought. What a frigging waste, another part of him
thought with disgust.
    “ Well, the time had
come, my dears. I have to wrap this up. Once you and your leader are
gone, his organization will collapse. And whatever remnants are left
will be swept up by our servants. Finally, we can begin our
destruction of this miserable planet and our march on Heaven.”
He looked up at the ceiling and his expression was rapturous. “Oh,
what a glorious time it will be. Almost,” he giggled,
“heavenly.”
    Name him, Chris, a tiny little voice said from somewhere deep inside.
    Chris jerked slightly but
the intruder didn't notice. His eyes were still closed and he was
smiling widely, lost in dreams of disease and destruction, Chris was
sure.
    Name him? Name him
what? Is that you, Sariel?
    Yes, it's me. Who were
you expecting? Listen. we have no time. You must use his real name.
That will lock him into his present form and lessen his powers. And
it will free Gloriel so that she can deal with him.
    She can kill him? Chris asked eagerly.
    Of course not. He's a
son of Satan. But she will be able to banish him for a time. Time
enough for all of you to find a safe haven.
    I don't understand.
You're back, so why don't you deal with him?
    Because I'm not back. I
stand in Purgatory even now. I can only reach out to help you this
way. I cannot leave here. Not just yet anyway.
    Why? What's going on?
    For the love of Heaven,
Christopher, stop asking questions! You have no time left. His name
is Askalon. Use it. Name him. And I pray that Gloriel is strong
enough to stop him, once he is weakened. Now, farewell.
    Sariel? Sariel! Damn it, Chris thought. What's going on with him?
    The stranger opened his
eyes and looked at them again. He continued to smile with
satisfaction.
    “ And now, dear
children,” he said. “We come to the end. Adieu.”
    “ Get ready to bring
out Gloriel,” Chris muttered to Natalie under his breath. She
turned her head painfully to look at him.
    “ What?”
    “ Never mind what.
Just get ready.”
    Chris steadied her on her
feet and took a step toward the man, demon, whatever he was.
    “ What's this? The
boy wants to die a hero? Defending your lady love, is that it,
child?” He laughed loudly. “How delicious. Come then.
Come ahead.”
    Chris walked slowly but
steadily forward. The intruder folded his arms and watched his
approach with amusement. When Chris was about six feet away, he
stopped and looked up at the man's face. He really was quite tall.
    “ Well now, here you
are. You may, as they say, take your best shot.” His smile
faded. “And then, I will take mine.”
    “ Yeah, you do that,
you son of a bitch,” Chris snarled. “But do it as a
human, not a demon.”
    “ I am not a demon!”
the Horseman screeched in fury and reached for Chris.
    He skipped backwards and
glared at the man. “Maybe not. But I know who you really are
now. I name you...Askalon!”
    The man's eyes widened,
and widened again.
    “ No!” he
bellowed. “You cannot know my true name! You cannot!”
    “ Get him, Gloriel,”
Chris shouted as he dove into the nearest seat.
    A rush of air whipped his
hair over his face and Chris heard a massive crash as something
slammed into the forward bulkhead. He popped his head up to look
toward the sound and his jaw dropped.
    Askalon was pinned to the
wall beside the cockpit door by a glowing spear seemingly made of
pure light. Gloriel stood leaning on the weapon, her form small
enough to fit inside the plane, barely. Her red, metallic wings were
stretched from wall to wall and she glowed with a golden light. The
man, Askalon, squirmed on the end of her spear.
    “ You cannot do
this,” he gasped, black blood leaking from his lips. “You
cannot. You are merely an angel. I am a son of Satan.”
    “ Yes,