Calamus 003

[extutela.livejournal.com]

[Aziraphale shows up wrestling with what appears to be a scorched and smoking wolf, easily three times the size of a normal animal. The teeth look like they should be too big for its mouth but something winched the creature's jaw into dislocation to get them to fit. Red and black drool oozes from the corners of its mouth and runs down the line of its jaw. It hisses. Its tail lashes, stabbing into Aziraphale's leg. He snarls, smashes his swordhilt against its jaw and sending it crashing off of him.]

[He rolls to his feet, scratched and bleeding, black hairs riddling his forearms. Apparently what looks like fur is actually fine, porcupine-like spines. The creature's jaw opens, opens, opens into a grotesque howl that sounds like a harmony of human and animal screams.]

[And then it bursts into blue flame.]

[Az rubs tiredly at his forehead.]

Foolish at best. Really.

Comments

[contract_star]

[Hei will be over here going LOL WUT.]

[shinypaws.livejournal.com]

[Here to help kill a bitch.] Aziraphale, what is that thing?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Oh...shit. That, ladies and gents, is what we call a Hellhound.]

[extutela.livejournal.com]

Please stay back. [The thing shrieks again and launches itself at Aziraphale in a bright blue streak; a fraction before it connects they both disappear. There are flashes; streaks of white, blue, red. From nowhere a firework of blood explodes across the surface of the plane. The intense feeling of invisible motion.]

[And the hellhound streaks away from Az, smashing against the ground on its back and skidding several feet. It staggers, limps onto three feet--the fourth leg is mangled and crushed. Az pants slightly, a hand on his side.]

[contract_star]

[Hei is perfectly happy to stay away--reminds him a lot of the Gate monsters, after all--but he does have his hand on his knife.]

What--exactly is it?

[extutela.livejournal.com]

Amaterasu. [He sounds calm, if a bit winded.] A Hellhound. A few of the... less experienced angels believed it to be dead and carried it back to our headquarters as a prize.

[The Hound snuffles in Ammy's direction, growling like rocks sliding against each other.]

[extutela.livejournal.com]

[...the one thing that can get his attention away from fighting. Mildly panicked,] Crowley, stay away.

[The animal takes advantage of Az's distraction and charges, reeking spit splattering the plane as it howls again.]

[extutela.livejournal.com]

A Hellhound. [Az is linefacing at it now, weighing his options. Taking it back certainly isn't one of them. And it's starting to look as tired as he does. It's head swivels in Hei's direction. Ears that looks like torn-up sails swoop forward. Its mouth drops open in a howl.]

Oh for fuck's-- Out of the way! [He cuts in front of Hei as it leaps again, smashing into him and knocking him to the ground.]

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Crowley barks something harsh in the language of Hell, a command to the Hound, form changing even as he does to something larger and more horrifying. Claws, wings, fangs...Crowley may not be much of a fighter, but he IS still a demon.]

[contract_star]

Hellhound...?

[Oh dear and now it's looking at him. Hei slides a foot backward, prepared to fight if he has to, but then Az comes smashing into him. Hei hits the ground hard and decides it's best for the moment to just roll out of the way.]

[extutela.livejournal.com]

[It stops, confused, snuffling in Crowley's direction. Az jams his sword through the spines, which shriek along the blade, and severs one of its legs before it staggers back. The wound doesn't bleed, it smokes, catching fire and cauterizing itself before the creature loses more than a drizzle of fluid.]

Crowley, don't! I didn't bring it here to put more in harms way!

[shinypaws.livejournal.com]

A prize. Forgive me for saying so, but that sounds incredibly foolish. There is no prize in the act of killing and destroying.

[She snarls right back at it, teeth beginning to show, her fur and hackles rising as she takes a step forward.] If you require my assistance, I will gladly provide it. This thing reeks of darkness.

[extutela.livejournal.com]

I would appreciate it. [He sighs, sounding tired.] They're young, and they've paid for their hubris. [His grip on his weapon tightens as the Hound stalks closer, then crouches.] Their deaths are as much my responsibility as any-- here it comes!

[It rockets forward, angling for the smaller target--Amaterasu.]

[extutela.livejournal.com]

[It chomps down on his arm, pulping his wrist in three quick bites. He can't help it; he screams, using a blast of holy fire to knock it away again. He has to use his other arm to lever himself upright again. Pale, shaking, pain making him feel faint. The Hound isn't much better off--the fire ripped away half of its face, one of its ears, and splashed red welts down the length of its body.]

In the name of the Father, the Son... [Az coughs, sighs, shakes his head.] Oh you know. [He holds his good hand up, points his sword at the creature. White flame rolls down its length, flowers into a twisting column that slams into the Hellhound; it screams, Az falters, but in a moment the noise is cut off and the Hound is nothing but a spreading pile of very unpleasant stink.]

[contract_star]

[Holy shit. Hei draws his knife the moment he sees the hellhound get its teeth on Az, but then Az pretty much blasts it all to hell. And now he's remembering why Az was so terrifying before.]

[He's silent a moment, but then he's pulling himself to his feet and going over to see if he can help with Az's hand.]

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Crowley...pretty much ignores the angel. As long as the Hellhound is focused on him and not Aziraphale, that's what matters. The nightmare form of the demon takes a step forward on all fours, limbs unnaturally long and clawed, fangs bared, and issues another guttural command to the Hound in Infernal.]

[Someone only knows if the stupid thing will listen, but as long as it's preoccupied...]

[shunofandromeda.livejournal.com]

[A black-robed Shun pauses to stare in complete shock. The tiny gray dog walking at his side gives a growl that's far louder than should be coming from something it's size be when it catches sight of the hellhound,and it's eyes flash red.]

[extutela.livejournal.com]

[DAMMIT CROWLEY. Az slashes at its neck but the creature whirls and catches his sword in those Goddamned impossible teeth. It bulls forward, wrenching the weapon away and knocking Aziraphale down.]

[The spines dig through the angel's skin--a few punching straight through his hands--as he tries to get a grip on is throat.]

[extutela.livejournal.com]

[AUGH PEDESTRIANS.] I would advise you to stand clear.

[The Hellhound's attention is caught by the little dog, however. It snarls in reply and attacks.]

[A tweak of physics and a muttered curse and Aziraphale is between Shun and the monster, hacking at its spine-armored shoulder.]

[extutela.livejournal.com]

[He winces; the sword has disappeared to who-knows-where, and he's cradling his ravaged arm with his whole one.] I apologize--I had to think rather quickly and... obviously I didn't think very carefully. Are you hurt?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[And then there are long, wicked claws dragging the beast off of the angel, piercing the creature's hide even as the spines dig into the demon's hands now. Crowley rips the beast away and knocks it aside, not even bothering with subtlety as he interposes himself between it and Aziraphale.]

[contract_star]

[Crouches down beside him.] I'm fine. Can you heal that on your own, or can I help?

[shinypaws.livejournal.com]

[Her glow intensifies until she's shining like a sun, and then she's rushing forward to meet it. The mirror on her back streaks out of its own accord and clips it hard under the chin, breaking its jaw and a few teeth. She spins to the side as it streaks by, howling and shrieking in pain, then she draws three slashes in the air above it. A massive whirlwind forms around the hellhound, lifting it up and tossing it out and to the floor hard, and hopefully putting out some of the fire.]

[extutela.livejournal.com]

[Az makes a pained noise as the thing rips away, his sword skittering out of its mouth and across the plane. He pushes himself upright, wincing at the feel of the spines in his hands.]

No! [No no no, NOT GOING TO LET THIS HAPPEN.] Get out of the way! [Holy fire flares up around him, burning away the spines.]

[extutela.livejournal.com]

I can do it, once I catch my breath a bit. [He does seem rather winded, but it's more the ashen skin tone and near-white lips that are worrisome. The wound in his side is still bleeding.]