Footsteps behind us made us all turn, weapons ready.

“Screwed up again, Dave?”

Bristling with irritation I reluctantly lowered my weapon with the others. I didn’t work well with Marcus, but with his wings barely intact, and freshly scarred, I was willing to forgive his arrogance for now. For now.

“Chaz,” I pointed to the grinning, ex-dead Guardian in the distance. “Has learned how to bridge our world with the daemons. Until we close that bridge they’ll keep coming through.”

“He wouldn’t have been able to without your help,” Marcus sneered.

“Marcus!” Pater snapped. “You work with us, or not at all.”

Marcus stepped back, momentarily chastened.

“So, how do we close the bridge?” Sylvia asked.

“Only one way that we can,” I told them. “Dead easy.”

“Emphasis on the dead, no doubt,” Marcus mumbled.

“Is it really the only way?” Pater asked. “It will be costly.”

“How,” Sylvia asked again. Being the youngest she was the most worried.

“We have to fight our way to Chaz, and kill him.”