Page 24 of Swamp Kings 1

Another vision flashed through her mind, and she threw herself at the salvation. She flung her arms and hands open wide and screamed as she commanded the Kevlar and backlash power into her fingers. The demons saw her plan and shifted their powers as the Kevlar ripped through her body, obliterating the doorway between her and Kaphas.

“Nooooo!” Kaphas roared, his arms suddenly wrapping her tight. His mouth crashed down on hers, his panicked agony piercing her. She held on to his stare as the Kevlar then formed a prison around her spirit and flew her and the demons far from her love, from the one she wouldalwaysprotect.

Even still, their agony grew with every atom that divided them until it sliced through her spirit. Light poured in from all around, a soothing balm coating whatever remained of her.

Sister. Look at me.

Celeste turned, finding the bluest eyes before hers, the beauty in the depths stealing her breath until her being shook.“Jesus?”

He smiled with such a deep kindness and love.“Just a brother. Samuel.”

She pondered the name, familiar with him.“Why are you here?”

He reached his hand out for hers and she looked at it.“The Lord still needs you. Kaphas needs you.”

The stillness inside reminded her.“The demons want him. I didn’t know another way.”

“But I do. Take my hand and don't let go.”

****

This was fucking bad. Kult watched Fetch, Fathom and Fin drop to their knees, all three roaring as they fought to hold Kaphas who stood, holding his lifeless wife in his arms, rage and agony tearing through his vocal cords.

The air and ground vibrated, bringing panic at remembering what was coming. “RUN!” Kult yelled to everybody nearby as Kaphas lowered his wife to the ground, every inch of his skin shiny and black. He stood and turned, teeth black and elongated, nails matching.

Kult watched as Pain hyper-jumped and slammed Kaphas to the ground. Atlas, Sync and Harlow followed, dog-piling on top of him. Kult ran for them and dove next, all of them absorbing theirbrother’s pain as every fucking one of his“My angel, my angel, my angel”chewed gashes in their soul.

Syphon King appeared with the Seer like a fucking apparition. Seer knelt next to Celeste, placing his hand on her head while Syphon King held his palm toward her. Oh fuck, could he do it?

“Get off! Get away!” Pain roared.

The power beneath them built, creating literal waves that passed through their bodies like walloping heart beats. His instinct to hold on and die for his brother got shredded by his instinct to live for one particular piece of trash that needed him.

Before he could make the decision, something bit into his back and sent him flying. While airborne, he realized it was Quantum, tossing Harlow, then Sync and Atlas off of Pain. He fought to loosen Pain last then gave up and grabbed Kaphas’ head in his hands, bringing full-body seizures that caused the air to ripple. Seconds later, the black sheen of Kaphas’ skin began to fade until normal skin remained.

Quantum suddenly collapsed onto the ground next to Kaphas with a resoundingwhat-the-holy-fuckthud.

“Move back Zeen!”

Kult snapped his attention to Syphon King, his alarm returning at finding his massive body turning black.

“It’s too much!” Zeen shrieked, throwing her arms around the Syphon King.

She let out another scream that seemed to bring massive bolts of lightning from the fuckingairparticles all around. The thick arcs anchored into the giant dude’s body, filling him and the immediate forest with bright light.

The sparking couple stood frozen like a statue for several seconds as sizzling and popping filled the eerie silence. Slowly, the frozen couple began falling back and the triplets raced forward, catching them before they hit the ground.

CHAPTER SIX

Kult’s ragged breaths filled his ears as he looked all around in the aftermath. Quantum, Syphon King, and his woman, Kaphas and his wife. Pain. All fucking down. He made his way to his feet as the triplets rose along with a stunned and dazed looking Seer. Atlas and Harlow then Sync climbed to their feet next.

He looked around, finding Bishop and his crew, along with a handful of the Creole Kings slowly entering the aftermath zone, gazing at the fallen.

As if sensing the questions on everybody’s tongue, Fetch went first. “Your Seer saved Kaphas’ woman,” he said to Bishop then to the Creole Kings. “And your Syphon King drew out her darkness.” He regarded the girl on the ground next to the fallen hero. “She absorbed it all. And somehow still lives.”

“You have a read on Kaphas and Quantum?” Harlow asked, winded.

Fetch pinned him with icy blue eyes. “Our brother’s grief turned him into a conduit of pure destructive force.”

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