A solider was all alone in a clear patch of the forest, the sound of death, that took the shape of screaming that was played in reverse, was coming from all directions. “Command! This is private Huron! Please answer! Is Albert even there!?” Huron screamed into his quiet radio.

  Upon looking at his gun’s magazine he realized a little too late that he only had five more shots and no other means of defense besides his light that would only last for ten seconds. Enough time to let him start running but not to get to safety.

  “Albert please! I’m in a clearing not too far from a barn. I need…” Huron’s words faded, drowned out by the sound of static coming from his radio. His eyes and attention were now solely focused a pair of glowing eyes in the edge of the woods. Just far enough back so it was still shrouded by the safety of the icy darkness but close enough for its eyes to capture every bit of light the solider could see.

  The radio dropped from Huron’s hand as they both fell to his side, one knowing that once they hit the ground they knew they could be broken but out of danger while the other felt the gravity of reality as the rest of the arm stopped it from going any further silently reminding it of the rules that once the body goes so will it.

  As the pair of eyes moved closer there weren’t steps that accompanied it, but rather a slither of scales gliding across sand that wasn’t there. Huron shared the same vision of a helpless animal caught in a trap, scared for their life but unable to move. A massive white tentacle with packed on red moss moved through the air silently reaching towards Huron leaving a trail of red moss to grow in its shadow.

  “Lord please send your mightiest warrior for we all might die if not.” Huron’s words were somehow filled with desperate favor, but they only traveled a few feet away before being swallowed by the reverse screaming.

  “I am speaking to my god! Do not interrupt me you demon!” Huron screamed back at the thing matching it in volume and adding a more thick layer of malice.

  Huron’s gun, the only thing that kept him alive for so long, passed quietly through the air being guided by an unforeseen force upwards until the barrel rested under Huron’s chin. “I know if you kill me… my soul will be consumed and lost forever… but if I go before that…” Tears were the only thing that Huron allowed to interrupt his words and prayers now.

  “Do you have the strength to ruin the work of your lord? The strength to destroy one of his master pieces?” A voice echoed down from the sky, seemingly coming from the red moon. A pillar of light that erupted from one of the tree tops correcting that assumption instantly. It revealed a solider sitting on one of the branches pointing his flash light down at the demon. Fully exposing its ugliness to the world, just a mass of tentacles that led to one wide mouth that wrapped and spiraled around all of the tentacles. A pair of glowing red eyes marked center mass.

  Huron couldn’t muster any words, he thought he was destined to die after no reply came from his radio and yet here was someone coming to his side in his time of need. As soon as Huron locked eyes with this savior the weight of every little problem he had was being lifted.

  No dust or wind was stirred up on his behalf as the solider flung himself from the top tree branch that had to have been 50 feet up and landed with grace next to Huron. “If you give up now that will be it you know? You have been training all your life to fight demons, don’t let their mer presence wash away your memories and bravery.” The man said placing his hand on top of Huron’s head. Seeming to instantly send a wave of hopefulness through Huron’s body in forms of his childhood, with his parents, him at church, and even the time he saved someone’s life.

  “It… it can’t be Mi…” The demon began speaking before freezing instantly. The solider had turned his gaze towards the demon and pointed his flashlight at him. The air grew with electricity as lightning shoot from tree to tree surrounding them in a cage of intangible righteousness.

  “Did I give you permission to address me demon?” Huron thought the mans words were cold but correct. He never normally would think like this, it was usually survive for the next day so you can keep doing good. They can’t allow the demon to do what it wants and must put a stop to it while risking their life or the whole world could turn out wrong.

  The demon kept it’s mouth shut tightly. It even began trying to back away from this solider. “You were once an angel but I am sorry, since you no longer are one you do not belong on this earth.” The solider said pulling a big hunting knife that was strapped to his vest and a bottle from his pocket.

  “Wait! You can’t do this! I can go back right now just give me the chance!” The demon pleaded, its eyes rolling across its body signaling its desperate attempt to run. As if lightning from an unseen cloud was working on our side, it struck down several trees blocking the demon.

  “I know this is your third attempt demon. Normally you would get many more chances to keep coming back.” The soldier’s voice rushed through him, sparking life through Huron’s body. He began to pour water from the bottle over his knife as he muttered in some langue that would be impossible to translate.

  “But given this current war I’m afraid I have to temporarily ignore those rules by the command of the highest power and cut you down now. May he watch over your soul once you lose everything else.” Symbols began to appear on the hunting knife. The demon had curled itself up and began to sob and pray for forgiveness. With a quick flick of the wrist the knife was launched into the demon causing its body to fracture like a stained glass mural. The pieces of the glass forever capturing a demon who was truly afraid, a demon who didn’t want to die. The glass gave way causing what once used to be a strong beast into white ash that blew away in a sudden breeze that seemed to be only there for that reason. All that was left was a black flame that floated in the demons place.

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  The solider walked over to the flame and extended one arm over the flame while the other rested over his heart. “Please take his soul so it will not be wasted. Forgive him for his governor is absent.” The man said, the flame flickered between his fingers until it shrank out of sight.

  A pit in Huron’s stomach was his first sign as to this was all wrong. Something about hearing a demon cry and not even try to fight back. “Why was it begging for its life?” The words fell automatically from Huron’s mouth that he couldn’t hold close fast enough.

  The solider’s shoulders dropped with a heavy breath following them. He hadn’t even turned to look Huron in the eyes. “My brother was crying for help. I know he wasn’t outside of hell because he wanted to be but because he had to be.” The man said his voice growing heavy. Huron couldn’t see the tears but they made a devastating sound as they hit the floor.

  “If a dam were to open would you grow mad at the water for spilling out?” The solider reached up and whipped the tears away.

  Before Huron could even respond the solider cut him off. “No you wouldn’t. They were just following the natural law and because they did that during the final hours I too had to follow my natural laws. My fallen brother was crying for he knew this was the last moment of his life. I had to send his soul to our father for the final judgment, given his crime it is likely his soul will be extinguished permanently.” Cracks began to show in the soldiers skin revealing a blinding light busting through the seams that was only growing in time.

  Huron was utterly stunned. “What does that even mean? He’s being sent back to hell right?” No matter how much Huron thought about he couldn’t wrap his head around it, what did it mean to not exist anymore? Wasn’t god supposed to show divine and perfect mercy to everything and everyone?

  The man turned to finally face Huron. Half of his face was gone revealing a blinding light that Huron couldn’t look at for to long but he made out a faint, forced smile pasted over the light. “Take this leaf and make it disappear.” The solider said pulling a leaf out of his pocket and handed it to Huron. It looked just like any other maple leaf that was dried up and extra crispy.

  Huron wanted to protest and question everything but the solider placed his hand on Huron’s shoulder and smiled at him. Huron didn’t know how but it was as if a force whispered into his ear and he knew this was an important lesson he needed to learn right now. As time passed the light the man was emitting seemed to dim.

  Huron crushed the leaf and let the fractured leaf flow in the wind just as the demons body had done but to his surprise there was a small black flame in the palm of his hand now. Shock took over his body and he took a few steps back from the flame. It remained there floating, staring Huron down.

  “No mater what you do to a body the soul will always remain. It’s a part of the life that can never be taken away by mortal hands.” The cracks in the solider’s skin began to grow and large pieces of the skin fell off and turned to dust. He walked over and placed his hand under the flame and began to move it around. Huron could see the mans all seeing eyes staring straight through him as if looking at his soul.

  “It’s up to angels to make sure these souls make it to our god or preferably stay where they are until it’s their predetermined time. But when they get exposed to the earthly realm like this they won’t last long. Usually they will move quickly on their own searching desperately for a new host so the soul stops decomposing. Do you know why I’m telling this to you Matthew Huron?” The solider was fully exposed now as a man made of light. Huron couldn’t think right now, too much about his past understanding and teachings of the church was getting in the way. But he could feel the pit in his stomach grow in magnitude swallowing his voice box whole, taking away any ability to talk now.

  The solider pointed at Huron, to be more exact Huron’s chest. Huron looked down to see what possibly could be the reason only to realize that black flames started to emerge from his chest. “I tell you this because your soul has wondered to far from your realm.” The words turned to ice as they passed through Huron’s now hollow body. He wasn’t sure if he would now get the same treatment as that demon.

  “The fallen angel knew that where he was at was not his intended place and that is why he was apologizing. I thought it to be fair to at least let you know why I have to do what I must. You will soon see your maker face to face. If you have any sins you wish to be washed away then confess them to me now and as the archangel, Michael I will plead your case to our father.” Michael’s light seemed to dim further as armor made of gold descended onto him and 12 absolutely stunning wings unfolded from behind him and stretched out in all directions.

  Huron turned away from Michael and shielded his eyes, for the light the angel was made of wasn’t bright anymore but his eyes still burned from looking directly at him. “Can’t… can’t I just go back?” Huron stuttered out seemingly to get the strength to speak only when he wasn’t looking at Michael. Huron dropped to his knees not for he was weak but an unbelievable and unseeable force was pushing him down, away from Michael.

  “Regrettably we cannot. Your soul has wondered to far, has seen things it should not have seen yet, it won’t ever be the same and for this unjust end I will make sure your soul rests comfortably in heaven. You were meant to be a great man Matthew Huron but you will be an even better man next to our father. Thank you for fighting this war that doesn’t belong to you, you may rest now solider.” Michael’s words took forms of warm bandages that gently wrapped around Huron.

  “No…” Huron’s words passed through clenched teeth. He lived a good life, always went to church, always helped others, raised two beautiful daughters. Does his life deserve to end just because he attacked?

  “I can’t accept this! I need to see my girls again! I need to see my wife again! I have so much I need…” Huron’s ability to speak faded as he looked up at Michael who was floating just a few feet from him.

  “I’m sorry Matthew Huron but I have to do this.” Michael’s words couldn’t find the strength to reach Huron for his mind was already made. He was not dying here, he will see his family again no matter what.

  The unforeseen force pushed on Huron but somehow his shaky hands found the strength to raise his gun towards the angel, it was as if someone much stronger was raising his hands for him and whispering the ideas of blasphemous acts into his ears. He knew he had five shots left, he needed to make them count. The angel looked down upon Huron and frowned. Before any accusations could be thrown around Huron pulled the trigger aiming for the angels chest. A brief moment of relief could be felt in the air before the weight of what he had done just hit Huron. He struck an angel and is going against the word of his god.

  The bullets had hit the angels chest plate before falling not leaving a scratch. Huron turned to run, this was his chance. “Please forgive me!” He screamed over his shoulder before falling flat on his face making it just a foot away from the tree line.

  “If you resist I have to resort to measures that are extreme. Please allow me to send your soul off.” Michael descended, landing in front of Huron’s escape route.

  Huron looked down to see his legs were bending in every direction possible but the part he was really worried about was not feeling any pain from this extreme state.

  “Never question his judgement again.” This was the first time Michael’s words had any emotion behind them. Any hope of his escape fled as Huron looked up. A flaming sword was already zipping through the air towards him.