“Centurions,” he yelled.
Sentinel nodded to the four teammates gathering about him. “This man needs to reach,”—he pointed a metal gauntlet at Smoke— “that man.”
Sentinel charged forward without another word. Crimson, Iris, Lightyear, and Elixir followed suit without a word. Forming a human V, they drew the attention of a horde of demons.
I was about to yell a warning when Sentinel duckedunder an outstretched talon. Crimson hurled a knife, striking the creature in the forehead. He rolled, grabbing his weapon and springing back to his feet. It was almost as if he didn’t need to absorb solar radiation to be heroic.
None of them did.
Sentinel slammed his fist into a demon’s face. Lightning exploded from the impact, much like Hellcat’s staff. Had she been receiving equipment from the Centurions? Were they the secret network she always referred to? I had so many questions to ask once this fight ended.
The Centurions had almost cleared a path to the glowing circle, and I pushed off, flying through the gap. Dodging a giant demon, I hurled a fireball toward Sentinel. As if he predicted the move, he jumped out of the way, letting the projectile burn through a demon’s chest.
I was going to make it. I just had to clear two towering ugly creatures, and I’d be at Smoke. I tucked into a ball, rolling along the ground before kicking off, drilling my knuckles into the chin of one beast.
The other snatched me out of the air, its fingers closing around my chest. Its jaw opened, bearing rows of jagged, misshappen teeth. The flare from my body dissolved its hand. Fire from my chest bombarded the creature until nothing remained.
Smoke.
“They’re all going to die,” he said. The words were unnervingly calm, as if he had discovered his inner peaceamidst the chaos. Smoke had gone from the type of villain who sought power and fame to the kind who wanted to watch the world bathed in blood.
“Not if I can help it.”
The blackness receded down his body until William’s naked torso sat exposed. It was the opening I needed. Both palms out, I sent forth a flood of fire. But the perfect white of William’s skin broke away as a hand shot forward, catching the fire and extinguishing it.
“Mortals,” William’s body vanished as claws pulled their way free of his body. The beast half emerged, half consumed him until all that remained was a large beast with inverted legs, lizard-like skin, and a head shaped like a bull. The smell of sulfur filled the air, confirming that this was Beleth. William’s plan had worked, but I doubt he understood the price of bringing the denizen to the mortal realm.
“A demon. Sure, no problem.”
With a glance over my shoulder, I watched as Sentinel punched at a trio of demons threatening to drag him away. Iris pulled herself along the ground while Hellcat tried to protect the hero. I couldn’t have made it this far without them, but they were about to lay down their lives. Too many heroes had died in my ambulance. I wouldn’t be the cause for their deaths.
“Beleth,” I shouted. “If you want this realm, you’ll need to best me.” It sounded as if I was confident. But thesnorting chuckle with steam puffing from its nose said he wasn’t convinced.
“You will be the sacrifice that keeps me here.”
Wait, did a demon from Hell just threaten to kill me? I shook my head as I rose into the air. Forget the beast's attempts at witty dialogue; he had already given away the solution to this problem. Nobody dies. Simple enough, right? Maybe if it weren’t for the demons trying to kill depowered heroes.
Four fists forward, the fire tore its way from my chest, down the limbs, into focused beams. Its talons reached out, absorbing the fire as if it were nothing more than a nuisance. The suit's arms shifted and, with one more attempt, a beam struck the demon’s shoulder. Charred flesh vaporized, flying into the air.
The beast roared.
“Good.” All four fists tightened into fists. “You can be hurt.”
I flew at Beleth, arms drawn back, ready to smash knuckles into the demon. Annoying editor or hellspawn, they weren’t so different. But now, there was no reason to hold back.
Beleth moved faster than his size should allow. I couldn’t slow my approach before he snatched me around the neck. Pulled at his hand and, with the help of the suit’s appendages, I jerked free. If I was going to be close enoughto smell the decay, I might as well brawl like it was the end of the world.
All four fists flared a searing white. He caught my right hook, but couldn’t prevent the suit from jabbing its snout. Beleth pulled at my hand, opening its mouth to claim his meal. With a burst of fire, his hand loosened enough for me to slip down.
As my heels hit the pavement, I ducked its attempt to grab my head. With a punch to the groin, I prayed demons had testicles. Unfortunately, it did little more than aggravate the beast. With a kick to the chest, I watched as the sky passed overhead. I slammed into a barrier, pulverizing it as I slid.
Beleth landed on me before I could form a string of coherent swears. I tried to fly away, but the demon caught me by the ankle, slamming me against the pavement as if we were living out a children’s cartoon. Each mouthful of asphalt left my bones more and more achy. The suit protected its wearer, but even it had a limit.
I glimpsed a hero being hurled over the side of the bridge. If they were lucky, they’d die. At worse, they’d survive the fall and have their skeleton turned to powder on impact. The heroes were dying. I led them here. I’d carry every death on my shoulders.
William did this.
The anger pooled, gathering in the pit of my stomach in a tsunami of rage. That arrogant prick rendered the heroes,Vanguard’s last line of defense against evil-doers, unable to protect themselves. For what? Power? Fame? An extra inch on his penis? Whatever the reason, his name would serve as a curse for generations.
