Epic Tale - Chapter 9 - Part 3

The creatures's skin was shimmering like that of a snake. Long fingers ended in sharp claws and their bold head was dominated by pointy ears and fangs. The colour of the skin varied in shades of black. They weren't tall, but countless: Imps. Thick clouds of them emerged from the lower decks, flooding the main one.
Chenbeard drew his katana and summoned his spirits.

Angel fought to get control again, not wanting the dark one to take over again.
"We must fight together, remember?", she shouted in her mind.
Dark Angel growled but realized Angel spoke the truth. She took a deep breath as she called forth the light one so they could merge.
She summoned an armor mixed with light and dark coated her body like a second skin. Her wings turned white with black end and razor sharp tips. On her face was a mask Reaper gave her, enabling her to use her dark powers to their fullest if necessary. Her hands were covered by white gloves. The new armed Angel made quick work of the creatures fighting the pirates in the crew quarters. She casted bolts of light upon them, causing their bodies to deintegrate. The Seraph smirked, but it didn't last long as more imps continued to pour in from the shadows. Screams and fighting noise could be heard from above as well. Quickly Angel decided to retreat to the main deck. She called out for Omega, who rushed to her side. There was a long cut along the wolf's hind leg. Angel narrowed her eyes as she saw it. Omega licked her hand, telling her she would be fine. Then Angel gave the order to retreat and headed up on deck, still fighting off the never ending horde of dark creatures. When she arrived on the deck, Angel's eyes widened at the sight before her.
All around her the crew members were fighting multiple imps who kept coming out of all doors and hatches connected to lower decks. Angel closed her eyes and took a deep breath. A part of her wished Aslansa and Reaper were here, yet she knew that she would protect the pirates on the ship. She couldn't, and wouldn't lose anyone. No matter what she would protect them all. Angel looked down at Omega.
"Stay save girl, I'll need you.", she whispered to the wolf. Angel then outspreaded her wings and dived into the battle.

In order to lure the enemies away from the pirates, Angel took of, fighting the imps midair. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Dan and Zane following her example.
"There must be a way to stop them coming!", Dan shouted, his katana painted dark red by his enemies blood.
Painfully slowly, the pirates were gaining the upper hands. Angel was about to return to onto the ship when she spotted a dark cloud in the water, emerging from the shipping channel. It looked like a giant ink cloud before it broke through the ocean's surface and rose intot the air.
The cloud was made of winged creatures, taller than most men, armed and obviously bloodthirsty. All of them wore black armour, adorned with collections of disembodied body parts. so far, the new black swarm seemed to stand still in the air, but then Angel heard a familiar voice from withing the crowd of fiends.
"Destroy the ship. Kill everyone you find. But this beauty here is mine."
Immediately, the swarm flew towrds the ship, ignoring Angel completely. Quickly she turned around and summoned a light barrier to protect ship and crew.
"Have you missed me, my angel?", the voice asked again. Angel knew who it was, still her eyes widened when she saw him.
"You! You are the cause of this?", She still couldn't believe it was him.
"Why Patience? Why are you attacking us?"
The dark angel smirked, his violet eyes darker and colder than usual.
"You will be mine, love! I will destroy that ship, all of those petty pirates on it and everybody who has sympathy for them!", he snarled.
"They dared to tell me to leave! They dared to come between the two of us! Especially that lying slut Riddle... that backstabbing traitor!"
"Enough of this!", Angel shouted back. "I was never yours and neve will be!"
"YOU BELONG TO ME!", Patience roared. "They are nothing, they don't deserve you!"
Filled with anger, Dark Angel tried to take over, but Angel held her back.
"Violence will not win with him.", she thought.
She looked at Patience, her eyes softening a bit.
"Is there no way we can stop this useless bloodshed?", she asked.
"Come with me. Be mine for now and forever. Then I will spare those mortals, except for that Riddle."
"You know I can't agree on that.", Angel shook her head.
"Then you all will face the consequences.", Patience said with a cold voice.

Meanwhile on deck, the real fighting began. Zane, Daniel, Skyris and Sunny riding Fluffles tried their best to get the fight away from the ship. While parrying the sword of a fiend, a second one appeared in the back of the skyrunner, ready to strike. But before the fiend could deal the blow that could have killed Kris, a katana decaptitated him.
"Those creatures fight fightout honor, watch your back.", Dan shouted to the pirates before flying towards Zane to help him out.
Suddenly a thunder clap drowned out the noise of the battle as the cannons of the Sangue-Padre opened fire as Jamal finally had been able to preapre the shots. Taken by surprise, not every fiend dogded the well aimed cannon ball in time. Balls and bodies crashed into the port of zarina, hitting one of the cranes. "What ye be doin'? some o' us still are down 'ere!"  a furious Seacat shouted at him before grinning. "But tha' shot was mighty good."Unfortunately, the fiends heard her and some decided to wreak havoc at the port instead of attackign the pirates directly. The selkies there denfended themselves as best as they could, but a gainst a flying enemy, they had not much of a chance.
Zane spotted some of the workers and growling he flew towards them while drawing his swords, "Die!" He yells at the fiends.
"Your efforts are useless!", Patience sneered loudly as he watched the crew fighting againt their enmies. "So far, you have not beaten us!", Dan shouted back.
Still fighting, the Captain looked around to get an overview . He spotted the lieutenant. "George, find the doctors and make sure they can attend the wounded!"

Down at Zarina, the pirates had gathered in a huge room. It wasn't the throne hall, it looked more like a bigger version of a comfortable living room. Aside from different guards who had brought them here and Skuvur, Lady Genoveva was there as well as some other selkies dressed in expensice cloathing.
"Her heighness, Queen Murdina of Zarina.", a servant announced as one of the doors leading to the living room opened. Accompanied by four guards, a woman entered. She was built tall and her upright carriage underlined a character used to reign. Her hair was of a sated brown, worn in a simple braid. She wore a simple turquoise dress and almost no jewelry except for a signet ring and a simple coronal. she was one of those regents without the need for pomp. Yet she had an aura of power and the right amount of pride.
Her dark brown, almost black eyes surveyed her visitors. The queen was about to begin a conversation, when a messenger wearing a uniform bursted into the room. The gueards let him pass.
"Forgive me, your majesty!", he excalimed and bowed after he made his way in front of her.
"Speak.", the queen simply demanded.
"I have urgent news. The ship and the port are under attack. Several bells are down. But what's worst: the demon is released."
Queen Murdina's face was a blank mask.
She then turned towards the pirates:
"I d regret this unfortunate events. We'll have to delay this meeting until the danger is averted. Feel free to be our guests in the meantime. Now if you excuse me, there's a war council waiting."
She then turned and left the room, as well as most of the other selkies.
"Now that was short.", Reaper commented.
"We need to get back to the ship!", Hayes began.
Sarah frowned: "I agree. I have a bad feeling about all of this."
"How? We can't get back without those diving bells.", Riddle objected.
"Well, we all know why you want to stay here.", Scratch teased and not only the trickster glared at him.
"Riddle." Reaper walked up to her and plucked her gently on the forehead, "You forgot you have shadow users here." He winked.  
"Scratch has a point though. We need to stay here as well. Nemo needs us. We can't leave him behind." Aslansa said.
"Maybe we can help the selkies while we're trapped down here."
"You may be trapped, but I'm going to rescue the others.", Reaper replied and vanished.
"I support the heroic rescue of the prince.", Lilt began.
"When they have to fight elsewhere, it should be easy getting him out."

As Reapers slid through the shadows, somehow Asiuru reached through to him and grabbed him back. Reaper blinked at him and growled: "Don't do that again."
"Then wait for the others." Asuriu gave back, shaking his head. "We are all worried but we need to decide on a course of action, not go rushing off head strong."
Reaper rolled his eyes and walked away from the others. He closed his eyes and thought to himself: "You better be safe, Angel."

"Uhm.. are we sure we want to get him out?", Sarah asked under her breath, but still she was understood.
Leelu looked at Sarah with surprise. "Of course. That is why we came. He is one of us now."
"Why are you asking?", Aslansa wondered.
"He is important to our Riddle. He comes back. It's that easy, Gracie." Reaper sighed, joining the conversation again.
Sarah felt all eyes resting on her. She looked at Latte before she turned to Riddle.
"It's just.. how do you know he won't hurt you? How do you know he's not lying to you?"
Before Riddle could answer, Scrath interrupted.
"Because Riddly is in love. The kind that makes you blind and deaf and enables you only to say one word day and night."
"It's not that bad!", Riddle objected, her white face turning pale pink.
"Still Sarah, why do you ask? Why do you ask now?"
"Because we were told the truth about him.", Latte said to help Sarah out.