Colin's posts

Again, Nate sighed.

"All we know is that it's mana-based, and it's tied to Vanessa." he told her.

"And it seems to be STRONG. And... it's unlike anything we've seen before." he continued.

"The best way we can describe it is... like some sort of advanced curse." he muttered.

"As I said, it happened when she tried to help Cameron, thus interfering with Vanessa. Thus, that backlash." he said further, shaking his head a little, but making note about how Erica was suddenly a little more talkative.

"Sadly, because of this contract that Vanessa has, there's only so much we can do, as celestial and infernal help is barred away from her."

"..." Nate was silent for a moment, sighing.

"It's probably Sariel." he told her. "As in, the archangel Sariel." he said further, merely confirming it.

"She tried to help Agent Sharp and Cameron/Alicja a bit ago, but... well... it ended up massively backfiring, and she's... she's now in a coma." he informed her. "She cannot be moved up to the angelic realm, because what did this to her is preventing that, so we're trying to do all we can down here." he went on.

"...it's something that's stressing out Gabriel, Uriel, Zeke... a few more..." he continued.

"But we're trying our best to try and wake her... or even remove what's keeping her down and out." he finished.

"Hm? A question?" Nate responded.

"Of course." he told her.

"No reason why you can't, after all." he reasoned, continuing to smile.

He set down his clipboard and pen, stretching his arms out over his head for a moment, before looking at her.

"Can't guarantee an answer if I don't know it, though." he laughed.

"Anyway, what is it?"

Nate wasn't sure how to say this. Gabriel had become a lot more surly, a lot more down on himself, and almost seemed like he was on the verge of going back to the way he used to be. Or so he'd heard. However, he'd also heard that he hadn't given up... yet. Something was still alive inside him, something refused to give up and think that this was the end of the relationship.

"He's very worried." the medic told her.

"He doesn't know how to really help you, and it's been frustrating him." he said further.

"However, I really think that hearing you'd like something to eat, made by him, will help him a lot. As well as actually making the dish." he continued, firmly believing that, himself.

Nate could only smile at her.

"Erica." he said.

"You want something from Gabriel? You'll get something from Gabriel." he told her.

"We'll get into contact with him, and have him get you something." he went on.

"That's perfectly all right." he assured her.

Internally, he knew he would need to talk to Zeke, who would talk to his father, who would try and reach out to Gabriel... but he honestly didn't know how well that would go. He was hoping Gabe would do this.

Nate looked at her and smiled.

"No set menu." he told her.

Granted, they had been planning to get her something pre-determined if she hadn't spoke up, but she had. And there was plenty of time to make corrections to her dinner.

"And of course you can get something specific." he then said. "Anything the kitchen is capable of making." he chuckled.

"What is it?" he asked, putting the pen to the paper he had to make a note of it.

"..." Nate was silent for a moment, before sighing silently. He could see that she was in a bad state. And odds are it was because of his presence here. He'd been told that Erica had been with Vanessa for a while now, and he'd guessed that ANYONE in the same room as her would cause her to flinch and act like this.

And he didn't even want to think about how Gabriel was taking that.

So he just went on his business, checking the numbers and making sure she on the road to (physical) recovery.

"That IS the best we can hope for right now." he commented.

"All things considered, anyway." he added.

"I won't stay long." he promised. "Just a quick in and out to check up on you is all." he went on.

"Oh, and dinner will be brought in for you in an hour or so." he added.

The one who had walked in, Nate, noticed that she had jumped, and immediately put a hand out.

"It's all right, it's all right. It's just me." he said.

"I've just come to check up on you." he assured her, stepping more fully inside and closing the door behind him... before pausing and re-opening it.

"I'll let YOU decide it you want the door closed." he told her.

"But how are you feeling right now?" he asked.

Gabe didn't put TOO much pressure on the imposter, but it was definitely enough to keep them pinned... for now, anyway.

"Is she okay?" he asked.

"To quote her, 'doubt it'." Zeke responded, before sighing.

"We need to get you serious help. And multiple layers of it, too." he then said to Erica. "You're physically hurt, are in touch with elder omni-dimensional beings, and have Vanessa Encrae's mana inside you." he told her.

"...but then again, you probably already knew that." Azazel commented quietly.

"Erica!?" Azazel exclaimed quietly.

"She's awake!" the demon then yelled to the others there.

Zeke ran over towards where they were, as Gabriel threw the imposter to the floor, onto their front, and stomped down onto their back.

"So much for forgetting how to wake her up." he snarked.

Meanwhile, Zeke had made his way to Erica, and knelt down by her.

"Erica, are you all right!?" he asked.

At that point, Gabriel had snapped. There was an actual audible crackle in the air, and it was his mana. Zeke took an actual step back from him, and Azazel was cowering even MORE, before taking Erica and hiding behind the couch that was the closest. He had no idea what was going to happen, but he decided to take a little bit of a preemptive measure against... whatever might happen.

And in that split-second, Gabriel was behind the imposter.

Then, his fist slammed into their lumbar region, but that wasn't it. The impact hurt... quite a bit... but then something else happened. The imposter could feel Gabe's mana seeping into them, which they'd been told wouldn't do anything.

They fell under Vanessa's protection aspect of the contract.

However, the mana then raced throughout their body, almost like electricity. And while they couldn't quite describe what they felt... it was almost as though they'd been smote. But without the dying at the end.

Zeke seemed enraged at that, and was about to dash forward again, when Gabe threw his arm out, stopping him. The archangel was quiet... silent... but there was something about him.

Something that had Zeke feeling uneasy, and Azazel recoiling out of fear.

"...I could never harm Erica's face." he stated, taking a step forward.

"However... the face of one who would dare use her likeness to bring harm to those she cares about?" he then asked... before a light-cloaked fist slammed itself into the opposite cheek of the individual, sending them flying into the closest wall.

"...that is another story." he commented.

Zeke, meanwhile, realised what the imposter had actually SAID... and wondered if they had been underestimating Vanessa all this time... and if she was truly more formidable with her information than anyone had realised.

Gabriel looked ready to lash out right there and then, but then stopped. He stopped and hung his head low. He looked defeated at the thought of that, but Zeke raised an eyebrow and looked at the imposter, before looking back at the real Erica, and then looking back at the imposter again.

"Azazel?" he addressed the demon.

"Yeah?" Azazel responded.

"Death is linked to the soul, right?" Zeke asked. "I know it sounds like an obvious question, but humour me." he stated.

"Of course." Azazel replied.

"Is DAMAGE soul-linked?" Zeke then inquired.

"...possible, but... highly unlikely." Azazel muttered. This was enough for Zeke, and before the imposter knew it, Zeke was right up in their face, and slammed his fist into their cheek, his follow-through slamming them down to the floor.

"Is Erica's cheek hurt!?" Zeke exclaimed.

"....no!" Azazel yelled back, after checking.

"Meaning YOU get to be a punching bag, as long as we don't kill you!" Zeke declared, which caused Gabriel to perk up from his previous sorrow.

Gabe was silent for a moment.

"I know the truth now." he said.

"It won't last long, I can feel your damned manipulation clawing its way back into my brain." he told her.

"But while I HAVE this clarity..." he then went on, cracking his knuckles. "I am going to make sure YOU regret what you have done to Erica." he told her further, as Zeke stepped forward.

"And if HE doesn't make sure we are rid of you forever, I will." he added, brandishing his sword now.

Azazel, meanwhile, just held onto the real Erica, using his own mana to disrupt hers, whenever it was activating for teleporting.