Chapter 69: Amy vs. Blackheart

"I think you just made the worst mistake of your miserable life."

The two beings of Heaven and Hell stared at one another as they flew above the ocean's surface. One with righteous fury on her face, the other stared with cold, calculating eyes.

"I'm sure." Blackheart chuckled and turned around to look off into the distance. "So what will it be? Follow me to a certain location, or let all those humans die a painful death? The choice is yours."

Amy growled and shook in anger, her armor clattering slightly as her body vibrated. Blackheart had her in an impossible position; what did he want? Sure, she could escape from here and escape the devil. Ensuring her safety, but that would leave everyone she cares about at risk. Are Pietro and Wanda in danger as well?

"…very well. I'll follow you."

Amy growled through gritted teeth. She had no choice but to comply with the Demon's demands; he held all the cards. Blackheart chuckled, but then his eyes grew wide slightly, almost imperceptibly. He turned his head a minuscule amount at the ocean surface but then looked back at her.

"…good, as long as you do as I say, no harm will come to those humans. Do try not to lag behind." Blackheart then rose into the air. "We wouldn't want anyone to intervene in our business, now would we."

Amy watched as two large, grotesque, bat-like wings sprouted from Blackheart's back. With a mighty flap, the son of Mephistopheles flew away at fast speed. Amy turned her head quickly where Blackheart was looking and felt a swell of hope rise within her. Focusing all her sensory abilities around that area, Amy finally found a minimal trace of Harvey's two souls. 

"Don't worry, Harvs. Help is on the way." Amy said with a relieved smile. She quickly pulled out her phone from beneath her dress and typed. Sending the text, Amy dropped her phone into the water.

Not wanting to waste any time and risk Blackheart noticing what she just did, Amy flew after Blackheart. A feeling of trepidation was heavy inside her; just what could he be planning?

•••

DING

"Hm?"

Pietro turned his head and saw the screen of his phone light up from where he had left it on the kitchen island. Placing down the knife he was using to mince the onion in his hands for tonight's dinner, Pietro grabbed a hand towel and wiped his hands. Walking over to his phone, Pietro's eyes widened at what he saw.

Quickly dashing away to Wanda's room, Pietro opened the door without knocking and saw his sister in her pajamas while she lay in bed; in her arms were two plushies, which she was hugging tightly. They were a bear and a penguin.

"WANDA!" 

"Not now, Pietro…" Wanda whispered and hugged the plushies tighter.

"Now's not the time to mope around, sister." Pietro walked over and grabbed his sister's shoulder, flipping her so she would look at him. Shoving his phone into her face, Pietro grinned. "Look!"

Wanda's tired eyes moved back and forth as she read the text he received. With each word, Wanda's eyes grew wider. 

[Amy: Fnd Hrvy!! (17.1180244, -138.0138048) evry1 n trble, DEMONS! QS Hry!!]

"Amy? What is she saying?" Wanda made a confused expression. "Are those… coordinates?"

"You can't read her text? Never mind." Pietro looked down at his phone. "Amy says she found Harvey's location! But she's also saying that everyone is trouble and that Demons are the reason why."

"She found him!" Wanda smiled brightly, but then it vanished. "Everyone? Demons? Just what is going on?"

Pietro shook his head. "I'm not sure, but we must move; we must assume everyone we know is in danger. I'll check on everyone, and you'll go get Harvey."

"But those coordinates, doesn't that mean he's still in the ocean?" Wanda asked in concern. "How are we gonna get there?"

Pietro smiled and lifted his phone; quickly dialing away, he pressed the call button and waited. The silver speedster smiled as he heard a familiar voice speak on his phone. "Hello? Maximoff?"

"Stark, we found him."

•••

...The Nevada Dessert...

"This is where you wanted me to follow you?"

Amy expanded her senses and found no one else but herself and Blackheart in the vast desert. Looking over to the Demon, Amy couldn't help but feel anxious.

"Indeed it is." Blackheart said as he looked at her. "Before we get down to business, I can't help but wonder. Why is a servant of the Heavens friends with one of the most powerful Hell lords? I can't imagine that your natures would allow you both to be in such proximity without trying to eradicate each other's existences."

Amy frowned at the question: what could Blackheart gain by asking such a question? This prompted her to look back at all the memories and moments she and Harvey had had together. How her relationship with him brought her to be part of a family, Wanda and Pietro, came to mind. It was never a dull and lonely day with them around, a welcome experience after all her time as one of humanity's last remaining guardian angels. A job she did with pride, but it was also silent and lonely; no real connections were ever formed.

A memory of Harvey, Wanda, Pietro, and herself flashed in her mind. They were all having dinner, joking and talking about something she couldn't remember. But she remembered that they were all smiling and enjoying each other's company.

"Harvey may share his soul with the demon Zarathos." Amy started. "But that doesn't make him a monster; he's a good person. Regardless of the darkness inside him, I know that he's someone I can put my faith and trust in."

Amy opened her fingers, and immediately, light shined over her palms. Her two beautiful broad swords manifested in her hands. "Which is something I can't say about you."

"Pity." Blackheart cracked his neck. "Perhaps I'll find the answer as I rip your limbs off one by one."

"So that's why you brought me out here." Amy shifted into her battle stance. "To kill me like you did, Uriel and Gamaliel."

"No, no. I had them killed because they had an item I needed that they were adamant about not giving me." Blackheart's body began to emit black and purple energy. "You, on the other hand, have something that will make me unstoppable."

"Sorry, but whatever you want, you'll have to pry it from my cold dead body." Amy blurred forward, fully intent on killing the Demon before her.

"That's is the plan." Blackheart chuckled and dashed towards her, leaving behind a large crater where he had once stood.

In a split second, both combatants were face to face. Amy swung her right sword horizontally and struck Blackheart in the face with the flat side of her blade, knocking him away.

"Hoh?" Blackheart smiled and vanished in a blur of speed.

Eyes widening in surprise, Amy raised her swords in front of her defensively but was slammed back into the ground. A loud crash and a wave of sand exploded out from the ground. From the dust cloud, Amy jumped back and allowed her momentum to carry her.

"Don't disappoint me, little Angel!" Blackheart rushed after her with wide, excited eyes.

"Tch." Amy continued jumping back, trying to maintain any sort of distance between her and Blackheart.

Blackheart only narrowed his eyes and slashed the air in front of him. "I don't think so."

Amy felt a shiver run down her back; instinctively, she slashed the air in front of her with her blades and cut the invisible attacks that almost hit her. Digging her feet into the ground, the Angel of love and justice continued slashing as fast as she could in front of her. Cutting the seemingly impossible-to-see attacks.

"Not bad, you can see these attacks of mine? No, not exactly see. You're sensing them." Blackheart said as he continued slashing the air before him at blinding speeds. "But how long can you do that, I wonder?"

The two agents of light and darkness were thirty feet apart, slashing and cutting the air in front of them. Every movement was barely visible; only wisps of golden and purple energy could be briefly seen before them. Dust and debris flew back as the force pushed out from their movements caused the air around them to fly wildly.

"Enough!" Amy yelled as she jumped high and evaded the invisible slashes. Spinning in the air, Amy held both swords to her sides. The blades lit up in golden energy.

"Holy Move: Slash of the Heavens!"

SLASH

Swinging her swords forward, an extremely wide slash of radiant energy sped toward Blackheart at incredible speeds.

"Now we're talking." Blackheart said as he was struck by the attack.

KABAAM

The energy slash continued until it struck the ground, cutting deeply into the surface, easily creating a deep gorge spreading out a hundred and twenty feet. Smoke, dust, and large rock chunks exploded from the attack.

Landing on the ground, Amy breathed heavily and watched the dust lazily float around the entire area. Due to the night sky, it was hard to see clearly around her. Thankfully, the moon was out in full and gave her some much-needed light.

"Did that get him?" Whispering, Amy expanded her senses and smelled... burnt roses? Eyes widening in surprise, Amy jumped to the side. Just in time to see a large and thick spear of darkness shoot up from the ground where she once stood.

"Wha-" 

Amy was interrupted when she was punched across the face and sent flying back. A force slammed into her back before she could right herself in the air. Sending her crashing into the hard desert ground.

BAM

"Not so fast." 

Blackheart chuckled from above her. Turning her head shakily, Amy glared up at the Demon standing on her back. Pressing her hands on the ground, dozens of ethereal swords emerged and shot at Blackheart.

Stepping off the downed Angel, Blackheart dashed back and forth, dodging the ethereal swords easily. Seeing another sword fly straight at his face, the Demon tilted his head to the side, letting the see-through sword fly past harmlessly.

SLASH

Eyes growing in surprise, Blackheart looked down to see his torso be cut in across, leaving behind a bloody X. In front of him was Amy, with her swords to her sides. The Angel glared up at him with cold anger.

"You bitch." Blackheart growled.

"Not so fast, are you now?" Amy smiled and moved.

Arcs of gold and silver flew around them both as Amy slashed at Blackheart and continued to cut his body as he dodged and evaded. But due to the proximity, it was hard for him not to get hit or use one of his previous invisible attacks.

Seemingly having enough, Blackheart tried to grab one of Amy's wrists to stop her attacks. Only to see two of his sharp fingers fly across his face. Grinning in satisfaction, Amy dashed back and slashed upwards with her left glowing sword.

"Holy Move: Rising Rapture!"

A large and glowing circle appeared beneath Blackheart; inside the circle was the cross of Christ surrounded by several small scriptures. Without warning, seemingly hundreds of thin, Sharp, glowing short swords flew upwards to Blackheart.

Quickly, the son of Mephistopheles jumped up and aimed an open palm at the incoming swords. From his palm, a large black and purple ball of energy formed in his hand. In a bright purple flash, the ball of energy transformed into a thick blast of dark energy, eradicating all the swords that tried to skewer him.

"Impressive. Your fighting capabilities are much higher than that of those other two weaklings." Blackheart said as he looked down at Amy, Who was panting slightly. "I shouldn't expect any less from the Angel of Justice."

Amy tried to regain control of her breath as she watched Blackheart's hand slowly grow back the fingers she cut off in a dance of bone, flesh, and skin. Growling in irritation at him talking about her fallen brothers, the Angel readied herself. 

"Don't worry, before I exorcise you; I'll show you just how good of a fighter I am." Amy said as she flew up into the night sky.

"Good." Blackheart chuckled darkly as his body grew in height and muscle. "Don't disappoint me, Chamuel."