Colin's posts

"..." Azazel was silent again, before sighing.

"Very well." he said.

"I'll go and see Lilim first." he told her.

"Highly unlikely she'll be able to do anything, or want to do anything, but I can always ask, I suppose." he admitted.

".......and I DO detest going to see Lilith..." he admitted further.

"So I have nothing to lose by seeing Lilim." he mumbled, taking his phone out and sending a text.

What are you doing right now? he asked her.

"...no. I'm not sure." Azazel admitted.

"But I think this is the only option we have left." he told her.

"...and I would never forgive myself if I didn't at least TRY it." he muttered.

"As for anything I want or need you to do... just take care of yourself." he said.

"And... try and look out for Erica while I'm doing this." he went on.

"...if I don't come back, thanks for being in my life."

"....he's doing this because of Lilith." Azazel replied.

"So... knowing that Lilith really doesn't like him, and doesn't like people trying to get close to her level..." he went on, but trailed off, knowing she would know where he was going with this, and sighing.

"And Lilim would get eaten alive down there, figuratively speaking." he continued.

"Don't even think her mana is strong enough to deal with this, admittedly." he admitted.

"So... it's time I do something I never thought I would ever do in my entire existence." he told Anya.

"...speak with Lilith, personally."

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

"I..." he stammered.

"I do." he said.

"I can think of one individual that could safely remove Balphagor's influence from her." he told her.

"...Anya." he then said further, looking at her.

"Aedan... and Cain... they both know all too well how I feel, and for us, words are pointless." he continued, in a strange non-sequitur. "...but Anya? Thank you." he said.

"Thank you for being my friend."

Azazel's hands balled into fists when she said all she did.

"....then... there's nothing we can do." he said.

"WHY does he even want her power?" he growled.

"It's nothing compared to demonic power. She should be nothing." he went on.

"Yes, she's strong. She's an oddity. But that should be nothing to him." he reasoned.

"...why is he even on the surface!?" he then exclaimed angrily.

Azazel's expression sank when he heard that.

"...no..." he whispered.

"No, that... that can't be..." he said further, the hope draining from his tone.

"..." he was then silent, before biting his lip.

"Why...?" he mumbled.

"Why is he doing this?" he asked quietly.

"What did Erica ever do to deserve this hell...?"

Azazel WAS home. Both he and Erica were. Erica was laying in bed, and Azazel had been watching over her, before he'd heard Anya call out to him. He looked in the direction of where it had come from, before looking to Erica and sighing.

He then disappeared from where he was, appearing in the den... more specifically, in another corner of it.

"Anya, what's-" he started to ask, before actually SEEING her.

"Oh, good heaven and hell!" he exclaimed.

"What happened!?" he asked her, pausing for a moment.

"...what a stupid question." he said.

"Balphagor did this to you, didn't he?" he growled, but there was a hint of dejection in his tone.

By the time Ryker had tossed the carcass and made his way back, the rain was getting a bit heavier, but it wasn't a storm.

Yet.

He saw Eke had packed everything up, and made his way into the RV as well.

"Looks like we may be sleeping in the vehicle tonight." he said.

"Depends on how heavy this gets."

He fought for a little bit, before sighing.

"....24 hours at most." he said.

"Actually... maybe 36, depending on her will." he then clarified.

He then sighed and smiled, relaxing a little.

And Anya knew why.

He was confident that he had already won. And it seemed like he already had.

So he stopped fighting. He knew it was pointless at this juncture.

Balphagor narrowed his eyes.

He started into Anya's, with hatred and coldness.

Before smirking.

"Paws off?" he asked.

"Heh. That is easy to grant." he told her.

"It's already too late for her. She will become my puppet in due time." he said further.

"So I will not touch her from now on." he promised.

"But she WILL come to ME." he laughed, though she could tell that it was taking every part of his will to maintain any semblance of himself right now.

He was silent and looked at her.

"....speak." he told her.

"I said I would let you go if you survived, and you have." he said further.

"While I will hear you out, you ARE testing my patience." he then warned her.

"And I am under NO obligation to leave ANYONE alone." he growled.

"But speak."

"..." Balphagor was silent for a moment.

"My army." he said.

"I am amassing my army." he told her.

"I will have proof of them using their mana... I will use it to force them to work for me and take my rightful position." he continued.

"They WILL be mine." he stated.

"They will be sacrificed if need be."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Hmmm." he mumbled.

"There are many that I'm not fond of, but I can guess who he is the offspring of." he told her.

"I'll make a play for him soon enough, maybe." he went on.

"After I take that wretch's little friend from him." he grinned.

"Now... I think it's time I let off a little steam..." he said further, getting even closer.

"If you survive this, I'll let you go." he told her.

"Demon's honour." he finished, darkness in his tone... but sincerity in his his voice.

"Indeed." he responded.

"Though one could argue that YOU'VE already taken the first action." he then told her. "A shame it was ineffectual." he added.

Before Anya could respond, he brought his arms out in front of him, and clapped his hands together. As soon as he did, small portals appeared beneath her feet, and black chains erupted from them wrapping around her arms and torso, pinning her arms down. And even though the bed was unaffected by them, seemingly, she could almost feel searing heat from them.

"So." Balphagor said, his tone darker.

"Seems you were trying to charm me. Or, rather, control me." he commented.

"Would have worked on a lesser demon than myself, but thankfully for me, I was able to sense it as soon as I caught your shirt." he went on. "Unfortunate for YOU." he then added.