Colin's posts

Uriel shuddered slightly.

"She's another of the women I fear." he told her.

-Several months later-

Azazel had recovered, Zeke knew about all that happened, Erica's curse was back down to VERY manageable levels, and she was recovering beautifully from her traumatic experiences, with Gabriel's help. After learning about how the demon had been extorting her for money, Hal had agreed to, as a friend, help her recoup her finances, and try and get her bank account steady once more.

However, things weren't perfect with her yet, far from it. She was making progress, and suddenly, Gabriel had an insight as to how he could help her with something major.

He appeared at Aimee and Uriel's home, in their backyard, while Aimee was sunbathing and relaxing. He looked over towards her, before clearing his throat a little to let her know he was there... even though he was sure his appearance had made that... apparent.

Uriel nodded in response, before stepping away.

"Well, here's hoping this helps him open up more towards Zeke." he told her.

"For now... I think I'm going to see Aimee." he said further.

"I promised I'd help out with some things around the house today." he went on.

"...and she's one of the few women in this existence that scare me." he added with a small laugh.

Uriel was silent for a moment, thinking about it.

"I think the worst part is how she just disappeared." Uriel responded.

"She didn't even... die. Her soul couldn't be found." he went on.

"Yes, her disappearing before her time was cruel and sudden, but... the fact that she seemed to just... disappear... is what set him off the edge." he continued, before pausing.

"But... in the archangel hierarchy, I'm the baby of the family." he then said with a chuckle.

"Maybe I'm just naïve, or overanalysing."

"Right." Uriel responded.

He then sighed and went to looking back down at his brother.

"...I hope this one goes well..." he said.

"I know the reason he is... or was... so confrontational and angry was because he lost the last one that had the curse." he told her.

"...he doesn't need to lose another." he continued.

He then sighed for a moment, before smiling softly.

"But I suppose that's the risks when you are God's Love."

Gabe continued to hold her in return, not daring to speak, either. He just held her close... as those above watched them.

And of those, Uriel and Emelie were two of them. Uriel was silent for a moment, before looking to Emelie.

"Well." he said.

"This worked out... pretty well... all things considered, I suppose." he muttered.

"Tell me." he then said.

"Was this end goal YOUR doing?" he asked her.

"Or Ana's?"

Gabriel was stunned for a moment when she wrapped her arms around him, as best as she could, effectively hugging him. He was frozen, wondering what to do, buy by the time his brain told him to hug her back... he was already doing so.

He held her close for a moment, suppressing the urge to cry.

"Erica..." he said.

"I..." he stammered.

"It will take a while to fully recover from what happened." he told her. "I don't know if a full recovery IS possible..." he admitted. "At least, on the mental and emotional level..." he went on.

"But... I promise... I'll be with you every step of the way." he then vowed.

"...assuming you want that." he added at the end.

"........" Gabe was silent for another few moments, before she felt his hand tense up a little... but it softened quickly.

"...Angela... was here earlier." he said.

"You... had been injured in the brawl at that mall... and I called her in here to patch you up." he said further.

"As... as I said, the demon, Azazel is going to be fine..." he went on.

"And you won't have to worry about that parasite Balphegor again." he then assured her.

"He's gone. Out of your life forever." he continued.

"...and he was the one causing you such misery. The blank-outs, your outward attitude..." he went on, and she could hear the anger and sadness in his tone... but he was trying his best to quell it.

Gabriel was silent... a look of guilt in his eyes.

"...don't..." he said.

"I... you've been through... such horrible things..." he commented.

"And... and it all happened right under my nose..." he went on.

"I'm sorry..." he said further, lowering his head a little.

"I'm so sorry these things happened to you, Erica..." he apologised, his tone sounding like he was holding back tears.

Gabriel was silent for a moment, nearly stunned. Zeke had stopped by about a day ago with info on Azazel, and INSISTED on giving it to him, stating that Erica would ask when she woke up. Gabe hadn't believed him at first, but Zeke wouldn't back down. This earned a modicum of respect from the archangel, so he agreed to listen to what he had to say, and regurgitate it should it be asked.

And... it seemed Zeke was right. It puzzled him.

"Ah..." he stammered.

"Yes." he told her.

"Ezekiel came by earlier and volunteered that information." he said. "He was taken to the Unit, and is being tended to. It's expected that he'll make a full recovery shortly." he informed her.

"And any public that saw his demonic blood have had their memories altered."

Gabriel was silent as she went to work, and once she was finished, and the artefact revered to its neutral state, he sighed.

"I don't like you having that." he said. "But I realise you have every right to possess it, and I cannot interfere with your right to have it and do with it what you will." he told her.

No more words were said, and he then disappeared from where he was.

After that, Erica had spent close to 2 days in bed, with Gabriel watching over her.

He had continued to watch over her, not daring to leave her side for any great length of time, and he wondered when she would awaken. That was answered within the next 3 minutes, as he watched her eyes open, show a hint of confusion... and then abject horror.

"...shouldn't be surprised at that." he muttered.

Gabriel merely nodded in response.

"You can count on it." he told her.

With that, he look one last look at Balphegor's now-pathetic and pleading eyes, and sneered.

"Oh, how the self-proclaimed 'mighty' have fallen." he said.

He then disappeared from where he was, appearing back where the Priestess was.

"He has been dealt with." he informed her.

"And I will oversee your undoing of the connection."

Gabriel looked at the horn that had been hovered over towards him, and smirked a little. He then grasped it with his hand, the aura that had been around it disappearing as he did so.

"NO!" Balphegor screamed.

"Heh." Gabriel chuckled.

"This is why I brought him to you." he told Lilith. "Anything I could do... it pales in comparison to the cruel punishment you can dish out." he said further with a smirk, before it quickly disappeared.

"And that is the closest thing to a compliment that you're getting from me." he finished, as Balphegor collapsed to his knees, a defeated man.

Gabriel looked over towards Lilith, and held back his instincts to spew insults and such at her, and even outright attack her. This wasn't what this was about. As it stood, they now had a common enemy... beneath his boot.

"You could say that." he told her, as Balphegor flailed about under the foot... to no avail.

"It seems that he had decided to conscript some soldiers for an army to lead against you." he said further. "And one such was a young lady with the recurring demonic curse." he went on.

He knew this information would be relevant here. Demons could not be affected by it... but if any other hellspawn or mortal was exposed to it, they became unafraid of death, of anything of the sort. And if those under the curse's influence could be controlled and directed... it would mean trouble, or at least a difficult time, for almost ANY opponent. Even Lilith.

This told her that Balphegor wasn't just 'causing problems again'. This told her he had been making a serious, genuine, and real attempt to make a power move against her.

"No! No!" the demon protested, his voice... a bit muffled. "It was just to impress you!" he said in a panicked tone.

Gabriel was silent again, before narrowing his eyes.

"...I am returning to make sure of it." he told her, before disappearing from where he was.

He then appeared close to Balphegor, and stopped him from approaching Erica, by slapping him hard on his cheek, causing the demon to recoil immensely.

"You!" he growled, starting to build up mana, but it was too late. Gabriel moved far too quickly and grabbed the demon by the throat, so tightly that if he'd needed to breathe, he'd surely be choking. He then lifted him up off the ground, his eyes filled with a great and terrible anger.

"I want so desperately to burn you slowly. Painfully." he told him, as he used his other hand to coat Erica in his mana. This had two effects... the first was detoxifying her of the curse, and then it teleported her home, in her bed. Where she would lay until the connection was severed. Which happened soon after, leaving the celestial and infernal alone.

"But that's not good enough." he said, once Erica was gone. "I have a MUCH better idea." he said, an ominous smirk on his face.

Then, before Balphegor could respond, they both disappeared in a pillar of light.

Meanwhile, in Hell, Lilith was discussing some things with her progeny, when they all felt archangel mana behind them. When Lilith turned around, she saw Gabriel throw Balphegor down to the ground, and stomp on his head.