Colin's posts

Azazel gritted his teeth at the text.

So be it. I'd rather choose death than be a coward, and I have a strong feeling that Erica would choose death over being a demon's slave/puppet/plaything. he sent back.

He then sighed, and nodded at Anya.

"Or something." he told her.

"Odds are he's retained any old habits of his or something. We may be able to trick him or outfox him." he said.

"It's our only chance, none of us can overpower or intimidate him." he lamented.

Azazel narrowed his eyes at the text.

Thank you for your input. But I would just as soon be unmade than abandon a friend. he sent her.

"That's fair." he said to Anya.

"Hence why I said 'had'." he told her.

"But for all I know, she might have had some info back before people cut contact with her." he shrugged.

"I DO know that Balphagor is a creature of habit. What was true about him 1500 years ago is more than likely to be true about him NOW." he reasoned.

Azazel looked at the text and sighed.

Long story short, he's extorting my friend Erica because of her power. he sent her in response.

He then sent her another text, explaining the state he'd found Erica in earlier, and the altercation he interrupted not long ago.

He set the phone down, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"....Lilim might have some info, too." he said.

"She has... well... had... a pretty big network, too."

Azazel was at attention immediately.

"He recorded you?" he asked.

"...wait..." he mumbled.

"Recorded you... probably... your markings..." he went on.

"If... we get rid of the proof he has... the very reason he was extorting you... then... it would be a lot easier for us to get him in trouble for this." he said further, the gears turning in his mind.

"....but that would be a lot easier said than done." he mumbled.

"Still. It's SOMETHING..."

"Oh, I have no doubts that it's her arm." Azazel agreed.

"...but your second question is what's puzzling me." he said.

"HOW did he entangle her like this?" he asked.

"The hell transpired to lead up to this?" he asked further.

"...I mean, perhaps, if we knew that, there might be some way to worm her out of this." he then suggested.

"But he's tight-lipped as all get-out about these sorts of things."

Again, Azazel sighed.

"I don't know what happened when I was... created... but something just... happened inside me during the process, and I had... emotions. Or... well, I don't know if they're real and true emotions, as I lack... well, a heart, a soul, whatever one thinks contributes to that." he said. "But... I'm as close as a demon gets to having human emotions." he said further.

"And I know. Just... I should mostly stay here and watch over her." he went on.

"...even though I feel like I should be doing something more proactive." he admitted.

He then shook his head, and growled.

"...of ALL demons for Erica to get wrapped up in." he muttered.

Again, Azazel paused, before standing up and looking at Anya.

"I know." he said.

"Your infernal network is... well, it's as complex and far-reaching as a spider's web, to use an apt simile." he commented.

"I just hope at least one of them can prove to be helpful." he said further. "Because now that I know that this was Balphagor's doing... I don't think there's anything that -I- can do, personally." he went on.

"At first I thought this was just another flare-up, like she usually gets, and Roxie said that worse ones should be expected, but... well, there was hope that I could find something to help when THAT was the assumption." he reasoned.

"...now all I can do is sit back and wait." he growled.

"I mean, knowing me, I won't, but... I at least feel like I need to do SOMETHING vaguely active to help her." he sighed at the end.

Azazel bit his lip, and sighed, before looking to Anya.

"I need to find SOMEONE that can do something more... permanent." he told her.

"Erica doesn't deserve this." he reasoned.

"And I hate that HE gets to get away with this crap." he growled.

"...but I'm powerless to do anything on my own." he said quietly.

"I'm nothing compared to him..."

"......right." Azazel mumbled.

He then looked at Erica, and sighed.

"Erica?" he said.

"Bear with me." he told her.

He then reached over and pinched her wrist. Hard.

"Did that hurt?" he asked.

"If so, how much?"

Azazel was silent, and nodded.

"All right." he said.

"Anything to help." he commented.

"Anything at all that could possibly do SOMETHING to help her." he went on.

"...she's on a timer now." he sighed.

"It won't be long before she's completely gone and nothing more than an empty puppet." he lamented.

"Damn it." Azazel growled.

"Yeah, I know he's high up there." he said. "He's like a prince of Hell." he said further.

"Shit." he cursed again.

"There has to be SOME way to help Erica." he said.

"I refuse to let her become a broken puppet for him." he told her.

"He shouldn't be able to just... just do this, scott-free."

Azazel just sighed.

"Seems he was extorting her." he told Anya.

He then told her all he knew. How her markings had been acting up, how he'd found her afterwards, what he found when he showed up at her place recently, what Balphagor had told him... everything.

"I'm worried." he said.

"She... there seems to be SOMETHING of her left inside." he continued.

"But... but, well... she's so... blank now. Mostly."

"...." Azazel was silent for a moment, before responding.

He's struck. he sent her.

If you can come to my home, please do so now. he sent further.

Don't bother knocking, don't bother telling me, just... teleport into my den. he told her.

He then looked at Erica, and gritted his teeth.

"Damn you, Balphagor." he growled.

"What did you do to my friend?" he asked the air, knowing there were no answers right now.

And he hated it. Immensely.

Azazel's eyes widened a little.

In those words, he knew that this was serious. Extremely so.

"...right." he stammered.

He then thought for a moment, before sending a text to three different people. The same text. And he sent it to Roxie, Anya, and Lilim.

If you can tell me anything about Balphagor's mana, respond to me. ASAP. it read.

He then paused, and bit his lip.

"...shit." he cursed quietly.