text: Hikaru searched with her mind for something to harm the Nephilim with. The giant made of the corpse of dead Lemures was slow, but heavy. Even a glancing blow from its fists or feet would kill one of them. Liu and Rosa dashed in, slashing at its thick ankles. Their blows did nothing but slice a few bits of dead Demon from the abomination.
  
  Her mind seized a broken Lemure corpse and hurtled it at Nephilim, crashing into the corpse-giant's torso. The Lemure's body bounced off. The Nephilim didn't even react. She picked up another dead Lemure, and hurled it, trying to do something to the damned thing.
  
  I might as well be throwing pebbles!
  
  But what choice did she have?
  
  The Sophia-Illusion dashed in, slicing at the other leg, followed by Erica and Georgina. The Nephilim kicked at the illusion, its foot passing through it. Cynthia directed the illusion's sword to hack at the ankle. The attack failed — the foot was so massive that cutting the corpses that made up its body did nothing. Whatever force animated it, kept the monstrosity together.
  
  Not knowing what else to do, she picked up another corpse and hurled it uselessly at the giant, screaming in frustration, "Die! Just die, oni!"
  
  There had to —
  
  The Sophia-illusion launched straight at her. Hikaru flinched as the image of the Angel crossed the distance between them in a heartbeat, passing right through her, warming her skin, a tingle of love surging through her.
  
  A Lemure howled behind her.
  
  She glanced;. The Demon was impaled by the illusion's flaming sword. Rochelle's work, watching over —
  
  Cynthia screamed in pain. Hikaru's head snapped over. Another Lemure had crept up on her, driving the blonde to the gravel parking lot in a spray of blood. "No!" she roared, gathering her will as the Lemure raised up its clawed hand to slash it down at Cynthia's throat.
  
  Her will gathered, and she grabbed the Lemure with her mind and hurled it at the Nephilim. Cynthia didn't move, blood staining the back of her shirt.
  
  "Oh, no," Hikaru wailed. "Please, no!"
  
  Beyond Cynthia, bursting out of the trees and shrubs surrounding the church, came another wave of Lemures, howling for blood. Their eyes all seemed to fix right on Cynthia's fallen form. They charged.
  
  She sent her will slamming into them. She had to protect Cynthia!