Chapter Twenty: Death's Fight

Holly didn't even care that she was being labeled as someone's at this point. She'd rather belong to Dagon than ever have to touch Death again. That much was true.

Death cracked his neck as he laughed. "You're really cute. You think that working hard is all you need for success? You're never getting Father's throne. Hard work can never beat natural talent. It is going to be fun to engrave this lesson into your body, and when you're on the ground and hurt, I'm taking her in front of you."

Dagon growled. "I swear," he whispered. "You will never touch her."

"What does a demon want with a pure soul like that anyway? Besides consuming it I mean. I could understand if you were after her for a feast, but that look in your eyes isn't about that."

"None of your business," Dagon rushed forward but Death was prepared. As Dagon kicked out and tried to take his legs out from beneath him, Death hopped over them like they were a jump rope.

Death didn't waste any time and with a fist wrapped in pulsing black energy, he slammed it into Dagon's head.

Dagon lifted both hands and caught the punch though the force of it shoved him back with a grunt.

Death smirked. "You were saying something about hard work?" he demanded.

Dagon responded with his own punch this time, his fist covered in purple energy. It rippled over Death's face as the punch made contact.

Death grabbed the first and smirked.

He didn't see Eros's fist until the pink energy slammed into his other side. He grunted and took a step back and both Eros and Dagon together used the momentum to push him farther back from Holly and Quix.

"You don't have to be afraid," Quix whispered. "Let's get out of here."

Holly nodded but froze mid-movement as Eros was sent flying all the way back behind them and Dagon grunted a moment later as four gashes appeared on his arm. He grunted and put a hand on the injury. "Poison? Really?" he demanded.

Death chuckled. "Jealous I can use your power too, little brother? Considering that I'm next in line, I can use multiple powers."

Dagon snorted. "You next in line? Even if I didn't get married, which I am, you still couldn't beat War. He'll always be better than you."

Death's eyes narrowed and his attacks elevated to a fiercer level. Ribbons of red decorated Dagon's arms and even his neck as Death's energy swirled around them. "War doesn't even care about the soul. He doesn't see the benefit of taking all that power, but I do. You're weaker than me, you will give in."

Holly forced herself away from the fight and rushed to Eros's side lifting his head. "Eros? Are you there?"

The man groaned. "I should have just defended you. I'm really not good at the fighting thing."

Holly wanted to laugh at him, but she stopped herself as she just hugged him. "I'm glad you're okay."

Eros hugged back. "I have to back up Dagon, I might not be a great fighter, but I can't let him fight alone."

Quix shook his head. "No, you stay with her. I'll go help."

Holly frowned at him. "Is that smart? I thought all you could do was teleport?"

He winked at her. "Tell you what, if I surprise you, you owe me that date, deal?"

He didn't give her a chance to answer as he barreled down the hall with his hand at his hip. It glowed a dark green and a scythe appeared in his hand with a dark green blade. He jumped into the air and brought the weapon down toward his former boss.

Death was distracted by Dagon but managed to put up a black shield at the last moment with a grunt. "You dare to do this?" he demanded his eyes two twin slits. "You were nothing until I saved your soul. You threw your life away because a woman didn't love you."

Holly flinched. "He's trying to get rid of him, Eros, you have to do something!" she smacked him on the chest. "Please, please, Eros!"

"You begged me to come to save your soul as you lie dying in a puddle of your own filthy blood. So what if after rejecting you that she got into a successful relationship, she married, and she had tons of kids. She led a far happier life than if you had been anywhere around her. You can appear and disappear at will only because you felt invisible to that one person, and now it's over. Begone, Quix, out of my sight, forever this time."

Quix chuckled as his eyes flashed. He continued pressing his blade down and the tiniest crack formed in the energy shield. "That would have worked a lot better for you if I hadn't stuffed my ears before coming to fight you."

Dagon didn't wast the opportunity and with his power swirling around him he took his other fist and plowed it into the still face of Death. This time he didn't guard and his entire body was thrown into the side of the wall.

Death grunted as he got his feet and before they could close in for the attack. "This isn't over. We're just beginning, and little brother, you will pay for this humiliation. The things I'm going to do to your woman, and just remember they'll all be-"

He was cut off as Quix's scythe whistled through the air and sliced into Death's shoulder. The man didn't scream he just pulled the blade free as his eyes narrowed and he vanished.

Quix's weapon vanished and he let out a breath as he swayed to the ground. He pulled the plugs from his ear and grinned over in Holly's direction only to find her still crying and clinging to Eros. "Hey, the battle is over for now. We won!"

"I wouldn't really declare that a victory," Dagon pointed out with a scowl. "More like his side gave up first. Brother doesn't give up easily." He winced. "I have to take care of these before they get worse. Can't believe he stooped to poison."

Holly gave Eros a final squeeze before she went to Dagon's side and examined the cuts and gashes that decorated his flesh. She reached out to touch one, shivering as she did so, and he grunted as the blood flow increased from it and the green bubbles on his flesh bubbled faster.

"Wait, that's weird." Dagon frowned. "Only that wound is doing that. Let go," he ordered.

Holly obeyed and he watched as the bubbling continued. "Try touching another spot on me, a different cut. We're close to discovering your powers. Something to do with poison perhaps?"

Holly didn't like that thought. She didn't particularly want to have anything to do with poison. It might be Dagon's ability but it wasn't one she cared for. Still, she had to find out what it was. At least if Death kidnapped her again she could give him an answer and avoid all the torture and unbearable pain he loved to inflict. She reached for his cheek this time touching one of the gashes there.

It didn't boil and fester this time, instead, it grew smaller and then faded away. "How?" she demanded.

Eros stood at her side studying her hands. "You're not glowing with anything that would be poison. There's more like a clear light, I don't feel healing energy coming from you either. Try this one on his forehead."

Holly reached out with a timid finger and brushed it against the spot indicated. Dagon winced and Holly withdrew. One more his wound was festering and he grunted in pain. "One more time," Eros demanded.

Holly shook her head. "I'm hurting him!"

"I have an idea." Eros pulled her to him and hugged her tight burrowing his nose into her neck. Her body tensed at first but she relaxed into the hug. He smiled and grabbing her lax hand he brushed it against Dagon's shoulder.

Once more the cut there grew smaller and faded away. Holly pushed Eros away and looked at her hands. "Can you explain it to me? Because I have no idea how this works."

"It's time," Quix pointed out with a crooked smile. "You're speeding up or reversing time. I guess that means if we don't heal those wounds of his, he'll have them get worse?" He frowned. "Wait, if she just is reversing time, won't they just come back when enough time has passed?"

"No, did you notice how it's per cut? She's only rewinding the time of that area or fast-forwarding in that other sense. Once it's healed there's not a Death around to cause it to happen again, so once he's healed he'll be fine." He grinned at Holly. "Not a bad power, you deserve a date."

"No," Dagon replied as he crossed his arms over his chest then grunted as his wounds brushed against each other. "I need to be healed first."

"Great, then after. You can't deny she deserves a special treat after discovering her power."

Dagon nodded though his eyes were staring out past her. "That sort of power could change everything. Holly, after you heal my wounds, you have to swear to not use it again unless I tell you to. It's a dangerous power, and if things go out of hand, we don't have anything to counter it with. Please, only use it for these wounds for now."

Holly stared at her hands then back to Dagon. "But, even if what you say is true, how can I force it to be forward or backward? I healed you, but I also made things worse."

Eros smirked. "Trust me, I already figured that out."

Holly smiled at him. "You'll tell me then, right?"

Eros wagged a finger at her as he smiled. "That's my secret. You want the answer then I want a date with you too."

Holly groaned. Life was just getting more and more complicated.