-BIRD STRIKE!

Was it too late? NEVER. Eurytion would be disgraced if they gave in so easily as this. They cast off their cloak and, sword in hand, spread their angelic wings wide. The birds rushed the angel one at a time. Too fast to block, but not to parry. Eurytion broke the attack by defecting one bird into the next and bought the precious time they needed.

“Come, brother of Cerberus, fulfill my call!
Come, guardian hound, here your master now!
Come, oh great beast, and protect this world’s gate!
Come, Orthus, and slay our enemies!”

The great 2 headed dog leapt from Eurytion’s shadow and easily grappled a bird in each of its maws. As large as the birds were, the dog towered over them. Orthus jumped in the air, from one to the next, and mercilessly thrashed and threw them into the cityscape below.

“Good job, boy. I didn’t want to have to call you, but with this it looks like we win.“

* * *

“Damn it Red, we can do better than this!”

“I really hate getting thrown around by dogs you know.”

“I did warn you about playing around.’

“Ugh, fine! We’ll do it all at once this time. Ready?”

ready

Five flashes of light. Five birds of prey once again soaring in the sky, each just out of Orthus’s reach.

CHANGE, SYNTHESIS ACTIVATE!

As they approached the Horizon, each stream of light came closer and closer, until they met.

COMBINE TO FORM

If the lights before were the moon, this was the sun. So bright was it that the entire sky was blinded by it, Eurytion and Orthus included.

S.S.S. PHOENIX, RISE UP!

Before the flare could even completely die down, a river of fire streaked across the horizon, straight towards the Angel and their hound. In a moment the fire passed by, taking Orthus with it. Another moment, a howl from the ground as the city was engulfed in a massive fireball. The next, Eurytion was alone no more. A figure wreathed in flames towered above him, hovering in the sky.

The figure, the machine, was evidently the combined form of the 5 birds. It was hard to tell. It had great wings far larger than that of any of its components and underneath the flame its body held the uniform colour of ash, but for where it glowed with an inner fire more intense than that without. It’s eyes, the seams of its armour, and the outline each metal feather within its wings. It was like nothing the angel had ever seen. Truly, this was what it meant to stare a devil in the eye.

With twin howls, Orthus appeared once more. Heedless of the burning flame, the dog crashed into the machine. A bite for every punch. A raking claw for every kick. Though it fought valiantly, it was obvious Orthus could not win.

But the beast might yet still buy the precious seconds needed for it’s angel master’s escape.

Stunned as they were, Eurytion knew there was now only one means of escape. The miracle that was Orthus needed to last long enough for them to flee. Wasting no more time, the Angel flew for the edge of this infernal city and the relative safety it promised.

Rainbow Prison!

The phoenix threw Orthus away and with one fluid motion summoned birds of pure flame with rainbow tails to give chase. The dog recovered quickly, but not before the birds began to circle, their rainbow tails creating a barrier that stopped the dog’s vicious advance. Orthus was trapped.

SOL BLADE!

The Phoenix raised its hands high, what passed for a sun behind it. From the light and flame it drew forth a golden blade that burned even brighter than the phoenix itself. As bright as the brightest sun.

SOLAR-

The sword swung downwards, Trailing an aurora that would race out towards its enemy.

-CROSS

Another swing and the Aurora was complete. In an instant it overtook Orthus and destroyed the dog utterly with a massive explosion.

Eurytion was close now. They could see the edge of the city, and the junkyard that lay beyond. It had seemed odd at first that this place was surrounded as it was with so much scrap. Now it made all too much sense.

In another precious moment, the angel would be out of the city proper. Another few after that and even the junkyard would be escaped. Eurytion would win.

“Prepare yourself. The flames of rebirth will claim you, too.”

The angel was so close, but with another streak of light the short distance became as infinite as endless night. The miracle didn’t last last. Not quite long enough.