Page 105 of Stroke of Shadows

Bishop snarled, pulling the knife from his neck as if it were a toothpick.

“Oh, hey there, Bishop.” Lucy held up a gun, a compact thing that looked like a toy in his larger hand. “I hear you’re still a cunt.” The bullet hit Bishop’s chest, a gnat bite of a wound that instantly healed.

“Do you really think that little thing could stop me, Xahen?” Bishop laughed, patting against his chest.

“It’s Lucifer, arsehole.” Lucy cocked the gun, one clearly designed by Jax. “You see, that cool little bullet that’s currently splitting through your bloodstream? Yeah, that’s going to stop your ability to drift.”

Bishop’s smile dropped, the edges of his body blurring before he hissed.

“Hurts like a bitch, don’t it?” Lucy tossed the gun to the floor, and Jax snarled, one of his seven tails whipping out to grab it.

“What have you done?” Bishop tried to drift once more, trying to move his body from one space to another, but nothing happened. Smoke furled around his ankles, arcane forming at his fingertips.

His movements blurred, heavy wings sweeping out with the spikes to scratch down Jax’s flank. Axel and Sythe moved as one, knowing that even Jax’s beast couldn’t take down a Daemon alone. Claws and teeth would hurt, but you needed arcane to kill a Daemon.

Jax was knocked to the side, shoulder hitting the wall heavily. The ceiling shook, cracks growing until a chunk fell. Followed by another.

A wing caught Sythe across his stomach, knocking him away as Bishop launched his way through the growing gap.

Another chunk of the ceiling fell, the surrounding walls crumbling.

“Get out!” Axel shouted above the screech of the building falling around them. Jax shook himself, a large gash weeping from his shoulder to his hip. He jumped, chasing Bishop through the hole.

Lucy gripped Sythe’s wrist, and then Axel’s. “Don’t puke on my boots.”

Before either could respond, Lucy drifted them outside, the second it took long enough for the contents of Sythe’s stomach wanting to evacuate. Luckily, he didn’t, his equilibrium taking a moment to steady itself.

Jax had caught Bishop, but he’d lost most of his side. Bishop managed to get a deadly hit, and Axel yanked Jax back by his scruff.

“Sy!” Axel screamed, noticing the arcane that had begun to eat away at Jax’s chest, just above his heart.

Sythe skidded on his knees, gritting his teeth as he thrust his hand against his brother’s chest. “Come on, big guy.” Along with Axel, they tried to absorb some of the magic. Jax was limp, his lungs barely moving.

“You dirty little fucker.” Lucifer’s arms had encased in black flames, his own wings having erupted from his back.

“How the mighty have fallen, Xahen,” Bishop growled, the two Daemons circling one another. “You know Zurz would welcome you with open arms. We are brothers in this war.”

Lucy hissed, ripping the remnants of his t-shirt from his chest. It left his tanned skin bare, the many glyphs he’d added to his collection highlighted in the early morning light. “You’re no brothers of mine.”

Jax’s breathing evened out.

“Go,” Axel said, handing Sythe his fallen sword. “Finish it.”

Lucy and Bishop continued to circle, two powerful men. Arcane danced between them, the magical flames clashing in a burst of black on black. There were no bodies, just a blur of wings, magic, and fists.

Sythe moved closer, waiting for his chance. He had to time it right.

“Hey, shithead!”

Lucifer drifted back, causing Bishop to make a fatal mistake. Sythe met his eyes of fire, his body now more arcane than skin.

“Fuck you.” Sythe swung, the blade slicing through Bishop’s neck with ease, separating his head from his body.

Lucifer burned the remnants, the arcane seeking Bishop’s heart until there was nothing left but dust. His chest heaved, his breathing rapid as he stared at what was left. “Izoth, reborn as Bishop. I hope the Fates dance to the knowledge I’m about to piss on your remains.” And just as he said, Lucifer unfastened his fighting leathers and began to piss.

“Dude, what the fuck?” Sythe shook his head.

Lucifer just simply began to whistle.

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