Bastian had to snap back to reality as the creature tore through the warehouse roof, its wings stretching out wide and casting a shadow so deep it seemed to swallow the light around them. Bastian, Billy, and Wyatt froze, momentarily transfixed by the figure's sheer scale—a towering, nightmarish beast with dark, charred skin and eyes that burned a merciless crimson. There was no mistaking what this was: an Angel Killer, a demon bred in the bowels of Hell, built to slaughter the divine.
They'd all heard the stories, tales of these monsters cutting down angels during the old war, leaving even the strongest warriors of Heaven in ruins. For a second, Bastian felt the first prickles of fear claw at him. Only archangels had the strength to take on such a beast.
"What in Heaven's name…" Wyatt breathed, barely audible, gripping his weapon.
Beside him, Billy went silent, eyes narrowing in focus as if attempting to reach beyond himself, calling out in desperation. "Gabriel… we could use a miracle here," he whispered, but nothing came back, only the dead silence of divine absence. "Gabriel! We need you!" He was only met with silence.
No one was coming. Just the three of them, standing against an entity that had decimated angels before, its monstrous form radiating a power so raw it seemed to press down on them, filling the air with thick, unholy energy.
Bastian clenched his fists, looking from Wyatt to Billy. "Guess we're it," he muttered, trying to smother the fear swelling in his chest.
Wyatt nodded, his voice as firm as his grip on his sword. "Then we fight. And we don't stop."
The Angel Killer crouched, baring rows of jagged teeth that glistened in the dim warehouse light. Its wings, tattered yet imposing, stretched like blackened sails, and its powerful muscles flexed as it stalked forward. The thing was massive—every step sent tremors through the ground, echoing through the warehouse-like distant thunder.
Billy, Wyatt, and Bastian barely had time to react as the creature charged forward, aiming straight for them. Before they could even take a step, a new light flared overhead—white-hot, blinding—and in an instant, another winged figure descended, slamming into the demon with the force of a comet. The ground quaked as dust and debris erupted around them, creating a crater at the impact site. Bastian and the others shielded their faces, the force almost knocking them off their feet.
They exchanged glances, barely daring to hope. Wyatt, squinting through the dust, asked, "Did Gabriel answer?"
The impact thundered through the space, and dust billowed like smoke as the two figures clashed, the monstrous demon and the celestial force interlocked in a brutal struggle.
Bastian squinted through the cloud, trying to make out who—or what—had entered the fight. The new figure was a blaze of motion, dodging the beast's furious strikes with supernatural speed. A powerful kick from this new arrival sent the creature staggering back, its inhuman roar of pain tearing through the air.
The demon lunged, swinging a clawed arm, but the figure ducked, weaving around it with fluid grace. A flash of white feathers flared briefly as the being pivoted, landing another shattering blow. Bastian felt a shiver race down his spine. Whoever was fighting had strength that went beyond even what he'd seen from other angels.
"What—who—is that?" Wyatt breathed, his voice a blend of awe and confusion.
Before Bastian could respond, the demon let out an enraged howl, pulling itself together and retaliating with renewed fury. It spun, unfurling its wings with such force that the walls seemed to groan, and lashed out with both fists. The figure dodged in a blur, moving so fast they were nearly invisible, circling the beast in dizzying loops.
And then, in an instant, the creature struck—claws swiping downward with terrifying speed. The blow glanced off the figure, who staggered back, wings barely lifting in time to keep from collapsing. The demon roared in satisfaction, sensing its moment.
Billy gasped, his fingers gripping the edge of his blade. "No… there's no way. Whoever that is, they're outmatched."
But just as the beast charged again, the figure steadied, standing straighter, more resolute. This time, the figure's wings unfurled to their full glory, creating a wall of blinding light that seared the eyes. The Angel Killer faltered, its steps slowing, its howl turning to a low, guttural growl.
Taking advantage of the hesitation, the figure launched into the air, rising higher, almost grazing the warehouse ceiling, and then dropped like a meteor straight onto the demon's chest. The impact echoed like an explosion, shaking the building, and the demon went sprawling onto the ground with a thud that sent a pulse through the floor.
Then the figure—no, it was her, Bastian realized, hardly daring to believe it—spun to face the creature, her eyes glinting with an unnatural intensity. With a final, guttural growl, the beast attempted one last desperate lunge, but she sidestepped, outmanoeuvring it easily, and landed a brutal punch straight to its throat. The monster reeled, clutching its neck, gasping for breath.
The demon's once-terrifying form now lay crumpled, defeated, at her feet. The celestial figure stood over it, breathing hard, her wings outstretched in fierce victory, casting an ethereal glow that bathed her in light. Bastian could only stare, stunned, as she slowly turned to face them, her eyes landing on him first with an intensity that sent a jolt straight through his heart and they all froze, feeling the blood drain from their faces.
"Anastasia…" Bastian whispered, his voice barely carrying across the shattered ground. But her face remained impassive, her gaze fixed on him, cold as stone.
She stood there, looking back at them with a fierce, unyielding gaze, a glint in her eyes they had never seen before. There was no hint of fear, no hesitation—just raw, steely determination.
And somehow, they knew. This wasn't the same Anastasia they'd lost. This was someone, something, else entirely.