Logan, the guard at the entrance to the City of Guardians, napped peacefully. He leaned against the door itself. He had his fedora tipped low to cover his face. His collar was unbuttoned and his work jeans, straight out of the 1930's, were devoid of a belt. His hands were buried deep in his pockets, but on occasion - when he was half awake - he would reach up and rub his stubble of a beard.
He heard heavy footfalls approaching him. Sounds like Surno, he thought to himself, shaking himself awake. Logan raised his hat, confirming his suspicion. Surno had his blue flame burning brightly on his right hand. Logan nodded at him, then turned around to begin opening a portal. "Just yourself, right, boss?" he asked. The portal to the human world opened before him. He didn't even use his hands if it was just one person.
Surno shoved him aside, rushing through the portal. Logan's jaw dropped as more angels tried to squeeze through. Logan aimed both of his hands at the portal, and it widened. The stampede of angels ran on endlessly. They were equipped with armor and weapons. He didn't know if he could sustain it for long.
Sarah stepped out of the many columns of angels, apologizing to those she bumped into. She ran up to Logan, then placed her hands on his wrists, standing behind him. She had to press into him to reach across his large body. Logan sent her a smile, and she blushed. The portal grew to an even larger size, and Logan felt a surge of energy rushing through his hands. "Thanks, ma'am," he said. The two watched as the last angels ran through the portal. Logan closed it, then gently removed Sarah's hands from his wrists. He tipped his hat at her.
"Well, I guess that's one way to get out of fighting Markers," she said, sadly. Sarah eyed him oddly. "Migrant worker of the Depression, eh, darlin'?"
Logan nodded. "I oughtta get some new threads, ma'am. People gonna keep thinkin' I'm old." He smiled, then rubbed his gristly chin. "Them purple things attackin' the humans again?"
Sarah nodded. She reached out and brushed a hand against one of his white wings. "I protested on behalf of all Heart Angels to stay in the city to Surno," she said. "He didn't say anything, then ordered everyone to follow him. The only ones left are the Syphies, Ryan and Justin, and you and I, darlin'. I have a question to ask, though."
"Ask away, marm." Logan set his hands on his hips.
Sarah pointed at the entrance. "Your portal is called the Lunar Passage, right?"
"Right, marm."
"Why didn't we use it on the first attack?"
Logan chuckled. He rubbed his beard again. "I been in the i'firmary, ma'am. Injured from the liberation from Daniel and all that, I reckon. Syphies done pretty good, too." He chuckled again. "City'll be much more empty. I oughtta have gone wit my buds to tussle wit some Markers, I oughtta. Feelin' useless in here." He kicked the ground. "Squads been assigned to other places, and all that mumbo-jumbo."
Sarah nodded grimly. "Surno, Justin, Ryan, Tracy, and I are to stay here. That's probably the biggest group out of all of the angels. There are even some angels who've been sent alone to other places in the world. I can't trust Surno's judgment on all of that, though - it's just too risky! I'm afraid my darlings ain't gonna come home for Chris'mas," she complained. "I can't tell what that guy's gonna do next, ya know?"
Logan nodded. "I'm rooted here, ain't I, marm?" Sarah frowned, then nodded. Logan repeated the gesture. "Figures. If portals are what I'm scratchin' for, then portals are what I'm rooted for. Thanks for the help, marm. I'd best rest for the return portals, 'less I get some luck and them angels return when the door opens regularly." He leaned against the door and tipped his hat over his eyes.
Sarah pivoted on her heel and began to walk. She stopped, hands behind her back, then faced him. "Logan?"
"Ma'am?" He didn't lift his hat.
Sarah walked away without another word, too afraid to speak her mind. Logan shrugged, then tried to go back to sleep.
---
Mickey stretched his arm out to a length of twenty feet, then twirled it around in the air. It picked up speed, forcing him to grip his rusty sword even tighter. The Markers were still pouring out of the mist, and he still had energy. They were the ones in trouble, though.
Mickey let out a manic laugh. "Aren't we just havin' oodles of fun?"
The nearest Marker shook his head. He trembled nervously, then began to flee. With his free hand, Mickey grabbed him. He kept twirling his sword arm. Mickey brought the Marker close enough to breathe on him, then pressed their foreheads together. "You're having oodles and boodles and noodles and poodles of fun - right!?" Mickey spat in his face, grinning wickedly. The Marker nodded, wincing.
Mickey, satisfied with the blinding speed of his sword arm, aimed it in a downwards slope. He twirled with his arm, cutting every Marker surrounding him within his reach. The sword whistled through the air and became a deafening sound. Mickey slowed to a stop, and the Marker he held trembled even more now. Mickey laughed.
"Repeat it after me: 'I'm having oodles of fun!' Got it? Do it!"
The Marker winced. "I-I'm having oodles of fun!" his voice was shaky. He shook violently.
"Good!" Mickey then tossed him up in the air, following after him. He ran his sword through the Marker, cutting him into two. Mickey smiled as the body faded. "You're having oodles of fun too, right, Michael?"
"Uh... yeah," Michael said. "I wouldn't want to fight you - ever. Seriously, that was just, uhm. EPIC." He laughed weakly. Mickey did the same, but obnoxiously.
"So this is how we bond, eh? Through blood! Nothing brings men closer to one another than through war and pain! How messed up can we be? Aha-haha!" Mickey spotted another Marker. He flew towards him with his sword raised.
Something else caught his eye. It was a shifting vortex of dark colors. It was just under the purple mist - Mickey paused in midair to watch it. An angel with a white theater mask burst out of it in a dramatic fashion. His right arm was set aflame with a blue fire. Michael gasped in Mickey's mind.
"We have to go. Now."
"Why? I can take him!"
"Trust me, Mickey. Finish off a few more Markers in his sight, then he'll leave us alone. I can't let him know that I'm Michael - not yet, anyway. It's... It's all a part of the master plan, so to say." Mickey sighed.
"Alright, alright." Mickey refocused onto the Marker he spotted earlier. It had taken the ceasefire and closed the distance between them. It swiped a clawed hand at him. Mickey cut the hand with his sword, then grabbed the Marker's head. It squirmed, and Mickey began to butcher its body. His sword swung in quick flashes as it cut off his limbs. The Marker stopped squirming, nothing but a torso and a head, then disappeared. Surno eyed Mickey from his safe distance, curious. Mickey waved, smiled, then flew away at high speed.
"Before we go into hiding, we need to find Macie," Michael ordered. "She might be in trouble."
"You're a pedophile!"
"We're one person, now. You just insulted yourself."
"I don't give a damn. You know it's true, too!" Mickey snickered. Michael sighed.
Angels began to pour out behind Surno. Markers were appearing in even greater numbers than before. The angels flew forward to meet their enemies with weapons drawn. Purple claws clashed against swords and shields. Markers were tossed around by skilled angels who utilized their energy. Spirit Weapons shone brightly in the night sky as they cut a pathway through their enemies. Surno hovered above it all, staring at the spot where that renegade Marker had killed its ally. He shrugged off the though, then plunged into battle with fiery red eyes that suited his flaming hand.
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