Page 144 of Alastair

The fallen warriors scattered around us began to twitch. Bloody limbs spasmed before the dead began to rise. Bodies with only half their heads swayed once standing. A few warriors whose legs had been sliced off used their arms to drag them through the snow.

“Zombies?” Lev groaned. “Why is it always zombies?”

“Better than ghosts,” Warrin told him. “Right, my friend?”

“Nope.” Lev shook his head. “Both equally suck.”

“Try not to piss your pants, Lev,” Efrem, one of the ice dragon twins, said. “But since you’re scared, leave this to us.” He then charged at them.

Ivan, the other twin, smiled at his brother before following suit. The two of them cut down the zombies, using a combination of their swords and ice powers.

“I’m not scared,” Lev muttered before screaming as one of the corpses dragging itself across the ground grabbed the back of his leg.

A cackling laugh came from the shadows before bright green eyes appeared in the darkness. Purah stepped out from behind the garage and twirled his dagger. He licked the flat edge of the blade before tsking. “Veppy Boy will be punished for leaving us. Yes, he will.”

“Let the dead rest in peace,” I said. As anger flared in my chest, the voltage running through my whip sparked. “Don’t disrespect them this way.”

“Lazzy is worried.” Purah’s unnatural grin widened, showing his sharp teeth. “I have an endless supply. Every warrior who falls becomes one of my children.”

“Children?” Bellamy kicked a zombie in the chest to knock it back. “You sick fuck.”

Three wolves from Bane’s pack then lunged at Purah. As they fought, I joined Alastair’s side and sliced through more of the shades that had spawned from the shadows.

“We have to stop them!” Clara shouted over the noise of battle. She stared in horror at the circle of witches. “The spell is nearly complete!”

Galen—now possessed by Wrath—broke through the line of demons acting as a barrier between him and the witches. More materialized in front of him and screamed as he tore off their arms, legs, and heads as if the demons were made of clay instead of skin and bone. It still wasn’t enough to reach Lucifer.

Simon stood beside Clara and threw orbs filled with a sloshing dark liquid. When the orbs shattered, the liquid melted the demons’ flesh. Other orbs exploded upon impact—her witch bombs.

Branches from the trees closest to the fighting elongated and snatched up enemy soldiers by the ankles before ripping them apart. Daichi, in his earth dragon hybrid form, had control over nature.

Oliver’s power was similar. The angel stood beside the dragon warrior and summoned a silver flute with gold runes etched along the sides. Music filled the air as he blew into it, and the earth rose up and swallowed the screeching shades that had been hurdling toward a group of vampires.

The vampires nodded their gratitude to Oliver before flitting off toward another section of the battlefield.

Everyone was fighting for their lives. Fighting for humankind. If we failed that night, there wouldn’t be much of a world left after Lucifer fully conquered it.

I flung my whip toward Lucifer, and his eyes flashed bright blue as he deflected it. Telekinesis. Such a damn pain. I dove forward and tried again, managing to graze his cheek. Not that it did any harm. The boys were the only beings capable of hurting him. I then set my sights on the witches. If I could take them down, their link would be broken, and the spell would fail.

Belphegor realized my intention before I could act. He dropped down in front of me and batted me backward with his wings.

I didn’t fall, but I stumbled back a few steps.

“You can’t win this fight, Lazarus.” His brown eyes were devoid of all emotion. So different than those of his son.

“That’s where you’re wrong.” I followed his movements, keeping a firm hold on my whip. “Lucifer had a vision of his death. You know how this night ends.”

“The future isn’t set in stone,” he responded. “It can be changed. It’s been done before. Asa saw a vision where he killed the cursed sons, and as you’re aware, that never came to pass.”

“Why do you remain loyal to Lucifer?” The end of my whip caught him around the bicep, but he broke the hold before it could do much damage. “If he succeeds tonight, he will kill the boys. He’ll kill your son!”

That gave Belphegor pause. “Morningstar will spare Gradyn,” he then said. “I believe that given time, my boy will join our side. Perhaps once the bastards he calls brothers die.”

The chanting transitioned to a frenzied shouting before suddenly, the witches stopped. Sparks of red and silver glinted in the center of the summoning circle before there was a blinding white light.

Asa then materialized in the circle, equal parts confused and frightened.

“Shit!” Castor exclaimed. “We’re too late!”