Colin's posts

Jake was silent for a moment, before sighing heavily.

"Look, I can't let you in unless you have an appointment, or can factually verify who you are." he told her.

"You sound like Sierra, you talk like Sierra, but you do NOT feel like her." he went on.

"Which is to say, I get an entirely different sense of being from you." he clarified.

"So, I'm sorry, but that's my job." he apologised.

"Without proper verification of identity or appointment, I cannot let you in."

Jake was stunned for a moment.

"I... excuse me?" he asked.

"Sierra? What?" he muttered further.

"I... hold on." he continued, shaking his head.

"Do... you have anything that can confirm this?" he asked her.

"Any proof of what you claim?"

Jake looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Eh?" he muttered.

"Do... we know each other?" he asked.

His tongue then darted out of his mouth a few times.

"...your mana is unfamiliar to me." he commented.

"I think there's been a case of mistaken identity here, perhaps?" he suggested.

"Regardless, name and business here, please." he then told her.

"...ah..." Azazel stammered.

"Huh." he said.

"That is... that is fair enough." he told her.

"Forgot you even HAD mana when you were alive." he admitted, before pausing. "Or... you never told me." he went on, thinking about it.

"Well, whatever." he said.

"..." he was then silent, before taking a step back.

"...wow." he muttered.

"That... that is some... potent stuff." he told her, looking at the orb.

"Feels like it... could do some serious damage to me..."

Ryker grinned again.

"Fair enough, fair enough." he said.

He then checked on the rice, before setting a timer.

"Right then." he said.

"When this timer goes off, yell for me." he told Eke.

"In case I don't hear it while getting these other things done."

"....ah... hm." Azazel mumbled.

"See, that's the thing." he said.

"I need to see someone right away about this Pit." he told her.

"So I should probably go there now." he went on.

"But how will you get back to the Unit?" he asked.

"Want me to call you a cab or something?"

"......." Azazel was silent for a moment.

"Hm." he mumbled.

"Hard to say." he said.

"It's also improperly made." he went on.

"But three years? That's not bad at all." he commented.

"You're going to have to go back to the Unit, though." he then said further.

"Let Sharp know of this."

Azazel raised an eyebrow when she spoke to him.

'So she DOES remember me...' he thought.

"The date?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure." he said.

"May 15th." he told her, before pausing.

"2055."

After a few seconds, a rope was thrown down.

It landed next to her, and it was clear that someone was holding the other end.

The rope would make it a lot easier for her to climb up.

But whether she accepted it or not was her own business.

"...." Azazel was silent as he wondered if she would take the rope and use it to help her, or not.

Azazel was conflicted.

What did he do here?

Sierra was still being formed. She would be confused and vulnerable when she came back.

What would be forgotten? Who would she remember? Would she remember anyone? Was it better to wait here for her? Would that do any good?

He had information on the Pit now. Should he act on that ASAP? Shouldn't Sierra have someone here? Should it be him? Should he call someone else there to be there for her when she came back? If so, who?

Who would she remember? Who would she have forgotten? Would someone being there that she didn't recognise freak her out? Would it be worse for her to be alone?

"....AAAAAARGH!" this frustrated Azazel to the point of him screaming impotently at the sky. He then sighed, and pulled out his phone. He dialled Sharp's number, and waited.

"...hey, boss." he said when the phone was answered.

"Good news. I know the demon that created this, and I am going to attempt to find someone to help. Bad news, the pit has expanded and it getting more unstable. More news, Sierra fell in." he told him.

"No, I have no idea how to proceed from here, I have no idea how long this will take, I have no idea what sort of timer we're on-" he continued, before he suddenly paused, as Sharp said something.

"...yeah. Yeah, you're right. Thanks. Yeah, I will." he said, before they ended the conversation, he hung up, and sat back down.

"He's right. Sierra's my friend. And whether or not she'll recognise me, as her friend, I should be here for when she 'returns'."

".......shit." Azazel said quietly.

"I... well, damn it." he cursed.

"What do... hm." he mumbled further, scratching at his chin.

"...it's not done yet." he realised.

"It's still actively working..." he went on.

"Question is... how long will it take...?" he wondered aloud, before sitting down and crossing his arms over his chest. He then closed his eyes, concentrated... and waited.

When Azazel stirred, he saw that the pit had widened... but he couldn't say anything for the mana within.

He looked around, before scrambling up to the edge of the pit, and looking around.

And he didn't see Sierra.

"Shit!" he cursed.

"SIERRA!" he called out.

"SIERRA, WHERE ARE YOU!?" he called out further.

He then paused, and looked back towards the pit.

"...don't tell me..." he mumbled, as he watched the pit intently.

The mana seemed to be getting stronger and stronger, until Azazel's eyes popped open.

"SIERRA!" he called out to her.

"RETREAT! NOW!" he yelled.

However, by the time he had said that, the mana had pulsed once more, but this time it was even more intense than before.

This launched Azazel out of the core and against one of the walls of the pit, seemingly rendering him unconscious... but that wasn't all.

Sierra then started to feel the ground crack and split beneath her, as she noticed where she was sitting... as well as several metres around her... was beginning to crumble rapidly.

Azazel continued to make his way down towards the centre of it all, and when he got there, nothing seemed to happen.

He then closed his eyes, sat cross-legged where he was and concentrated.

As he did, Sierra suddenly noticed that his expression was now strained... concerned... he looked worried.

And the energy that was surrounding him seemed to be pulsing... as though it were trying to repel an intruder.

However, Azazel continued to sit where he was, trying desperately to endure whatever was happening.