Shadowess

"Alright..." Kodi nodded. He didn't have much experience with contacting Heaven or their authorities, but by the sounds of things, this wasn't something new to the CIA. "Just tell me if you find anything or if you need any help with finding her." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess I should head home and update my roommate... he's probably freaking out by now." --- "Oh..." Clementine faltered with a mild look of disappointment. "Never mind, I guess," she mumbled while avoiding his eyes out of embarrassment. "I think I'll go and get some air..." She turned and walked away quickly towards the doors to the patio, feeling her cheeks growing warmer. --- Lillith watched Napoleon through the gap carefully. She became uncomfortable when he complimented her. Her past experience of receiving such compliments from Angels had never ended well for her. "I have no test for you," Lilith said boldly as she made her decision and opened the door. "You may stay and discuss this business with me. But know this, that if this is some kind of ruse to harm me, it is my son that you will have to answer to." Her eyes then lit up as she smirked and added cooly, "After you answer to me, of course." --- Kris's eyes dropped to Violet's bracelet. He hesitated. Part of him wanted to trust her and remove the bracelet. But one good day wasn't enough for him to start trusting her yet. "I can't." He sighed. "I know you're trying to help and you're trying to make up for what you've done, but I'm just not there yet." He scratched the back of his head as he thought for a moment. "Thank you, though. You've given me a lot to think about..." --- "Oh, no. I'm fine, thank you." Helena answered quietly. She turned, having been about to walk away, but paused before she could take a step. "Have you heard from-" She started, having been about to ask about Viktor. Her brother. She hadn't heard from him since they were separated after the CIA had arrested him. She didn't learn about him being turned or what had happened to him after that, but then, after learning about their family history, she assumed he'd committed the same crimes that their parents had. So, she hadn't wanted to know or to speak to him. But she couldn't help worrying about him. He was still her brother, after all. She bit her lip and then shook her head. "Never mind..." she began walking away from him with her stick tapping the floor in front of her. Oscar shook the President's hand and stiffened as he felt the strength in the man's grip. "It's an honour to meet you, sir," he said, then tried to hide his nerves as he avoided the President's glaring eyes. "Uh, he thought it best that your daughter would be the one to deliver the news, Mr President... sir," he said awkwardly, and feeling very out of place. --- Unity nodded to Metatron and watched them leave. They then returned to passively watching the event. Still standing off to one side of the room, Raziel was watching Unity anxiously. Azrael dismissed his scythe then hurried over to Lucretia and Shezmu. Shezmu had bent down to help the Angel to her feet. His expression was blank to mask his growing hunger. "There is a room down that hall to the right where she can clean herself up," Azrael said to Shezmu hurriedly, wanting to get the event back on track but sensing all eyes were still on them. Shezmu glanced at him and nodded. "Come, Lucretia. I believe some time away from the crowd to calm down would be good," he said as he pulled out a clean handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her while trying to avoid looking at her blood. Azrael looked around, briefly nodding to a couple of Reapers who were working with him to keep the event running smoothly. They nodded back and quickly went about cleaning up the mess that had been made. "Allow me," Cassiel said politely as he approached Amelia and Charles. He snapped his finger, and the tear in Amelia's dress styled itself as a neat triangular split that showed off her midriff. As this occurred, Azrael had turned back to the crowd. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please excuse the interruption. We will proceed as normal. Please help yourselves to refreshments. The ceremony will take place soon." He then turned to Lilly and smiled at her. "I brought one last surprise guest," he said. "You brought Bob?" Lilly asked with a grin. She never thought she'd be so happy to see the bag of bones again. "I didn't think you'd want him missing from such a big day." Azrael grinned back. "Well, where is he?" "He's still alive, and unlike most other guests here, he is human. So, we had to be careful when bringing him over. He's in the party room. He insisted on helping us blow up balloons while he waited. He also insisted that we surprise you by letting him jump out of a cake, but you'll be relieved to know I shot that idea down and had him stick to balloon duty." "Thank you." Lilly chuckled. She then ran off towards the party room to fetch her friend. Atma realised she was still holding Abaddon's hand and quickly removed it with a nervous chuckle. "Oh, um, sorry. I guess I got a little startled." She took a sip of her drink and tried to hide her pink cheeks. Carol glared at Lucretia but reluctantly put her shoe back on. The look in her eye gave away that Lucretia was going to need to watch her back for the rest of the event. She turned and walked back to Uriel, taking her drink back, but seemed less interested in flirting than she previously had been. Robb watched Lucretia and Shezmu quietly. The way she was disarmed and ordered to serve the Blood God reminded him of how he'd been arrested for his crimes and ordered to serve Gabriel, before they'd gotten close. He tilted his head towards Gabriel and said to him quietly. "It kind of brings back memories. Do you think they'll end up like us?" --- Layla took Nil's hand. Although she wasn't sure what he meant, she trusted him. When they saw that the Spirit had fallen asleep in just the few minutes that they'd been getting ready, she was a little amused as she crossed her arms. "Wow, I wonder if sleepy head is working overtime or something." --- Ellesse carefully handed the child to Carter. She watched as he walked back into the house and closed the door. She understood the shock and the gravity of the moment, so she didn't want to intrude further. She waved a hand, and the bag she'd brought with her would appear in the house where it would be visible to them when they'd need it. Inside, there were a few bottles of Patience's milk. Formula for when that would run out. Other essential items to help them care for the baby, as well as an informative book about how to raise vampiric children, which had been donated by one of the vampires from the German castle. Confident that the baby was in safe hands, Ellesse departed. Sebastian rose to his feet. His eyes moved from the bundle in Carter's arms to his face and back again. Like Carter, he knew what this meant and how much they would need to protect this child from the painful truth of how they came to be. "No," he said softly. "Our daughter," he corrected him and gave Carter a teary smile. Stevie watched them quietly, unsure of what was happening or who Patience was. When Sebastian said she would be their daughter, he assumed that Patience had been some kind of surrogate. At the sound of strange voices, the baby stirred ever so quietly. Her little hand opened and grasped the air, but her sleep was otherwise undisturbed. The barest amount of black hair covered the top of her head. Only a few hours old, she still had the new baby smell.

Kodi nodded. "I've searched the place over. Like I mentioned before, the only thing I could pick up was a pair of scents... and that'll have faded by now. I couldn't identify one of them, but the other, I'm certain, was an Angel. No idea who, though." --- Clementine jumped and whirled her head around to look at him with wide eyes. She wasn't as shocked by his shouting as she was by how it had made her feel. An old part of her had always respected those who could display strength. Who could take charge. But in her new body, that respect was now mingled with a sort of thrill. "Don't be sorry." She said to him. "Do it again. Command me. I want you to." --- Lilith thought for a moment. She bit her lip anxiously as she tried to recall what had happened when she'd been captured, but there were parts of her memory missing. This wouldn't be the first time this happened, and she knew why. Raguel had a habit of trying to erase some of her traumatic memories. She suspected he may have messed with some of them while she'd been in Heaven's prison. Though why she still recalled most of her other traumatic memories was curious to her. Perhaps she'd fought him off and interrupted the process? She could only speculate. But for now, she had to think about whether or not she could trust this Angel that she had been left alone with. Slowly, she moved back from the door and turned the handle. She opened the door just enough to peer at him through the crack. "My Nate sent you? He trusts you?" --- Kris guided Violet into the heart of his base. It was where all of his plans and meetings took place. He turned to look at her and faltered for a moment when she questioned him. "I-" He faked a cough into his fist as he regathered himself. "Before I came to your room, something happened to me. A strange man telepathically contacted me. I caught visions of him as he was calling out to me for help. His face was bleeding. He seemed frozen in place. But even weirder than that was the heat around him. I could feel it. He said something about a desert, but I've teleported to the hottest deserts on Earth and still never felt a heat like it. I could barely breathe; it was so oppressive." Kris paced for a second as he recalled the memory and then stopped to look at Violet. "I was wondering. What is it like in Hell? Is it as hot as most stories say it is? Could I have been glimpsing a lost soul?" --- "Alright." Helena nodded to Allie as she hugged herself. "I trust you." "Uh, no problem." Oscar said, and he gave a quick smile to Leo before teleporting with Allie to her father." --- "Not our fight?! She hurt Amelia! I'm going to brain the bitch when I get my hands on her!" Carol seethed, glaring at the Angel over Hades's shoulder. Lilly had run with Raven, but ground to a halt as she saw Shezmu grabbing the Angel. Shezmu had been about to bite the Angel when he was thrown back by Metatron's power. He skidded back on his feet before stumbling to a halt, somehow managing to maintain his composure. All eyes were on Metatron and the Angel, who was now identified as Lucretia. Even Carol had lost all of her will to fight and simply stood by, staring in awe with her shoe still dangling from her fingers by one of its straps. Amelia had gasped when her wound had healed so suddenly, and she gingerly stood while leaning against Charles, holding him for comfort while she struggled to take her eyes off the being. At the flash of light and booming voice, Atma had jumped and instinctively clutched Abbaddon's hand. She barely noticed what she'd done as she stared at the events unfolding with a mixture of anxiety and fascination. Shezmu was taken aback by the request. He thought for a moment as to how he should react, and as he did, his eyes wandered across the various faces in the hall. For a long moment, his eyes landed on his pupil. Then he looked up at God's messenger. "I am honoured to be considered. My priority is the safety of my student. As you may be aware, my home is shared among many people. I wouldn't wish to bring danger to them, and this woman had proven herself to be quite a danger." He said confidently. "That being said, if this is the will of God, then I will accept this responsibility. I only ask that she be made less of a threat before I, as you put it, take her under my wing. I believe Heaven has such a trinket to make this possible," he referred to the bracelets that had recently become a favourite tactic among Angels to peacefully bring criminals under control. "Councilwoman Metatron." Unity spoke in a man's voice as they entered the room calmly and looked up at the Messenger. It was hardly a surprise to those watching this unfold that an Angel as famous and important as Metatron would be part of the Spirit Council. "We weren't expecting you to attend the event in person." --- "How do you know that?" Layla asked worriedly and in a hushed voice as she jumped out of the bed. She began pulling on clothes as quickly as she could. "We just met him. How do we know he is who he says he is?" Unlike Nil, Layla wasn't linked to the Fae World. Understandably, she was dubious about the stranger's intentions, especially after everything they've been through so far. --- Inside, Sebastian was quietly playing a card game with Stevie as a way of trying to help the boy settle in. Ellesse looked at Carter as he answered the door. The look in her eyes was a mixture of sadness, importance and hopefulness. "Travis Carter and Sebastian Walker? My name is Ellesse O'Quinn... I'm a Spirit of Life. Some like to call us Midwives." She paused awkwardly for a moment and glanced at the sleeping bundle before looking back at Carter. "Patience sent me... She said you had agreed to adopt her- this child, when it's born." She paused awkwardly again, and once more she had glanced briefly at the baby. "I guess congratulations are in order. You have a daughter." She offered a small smile.

I'll be online later. Working on some of my reply while I'm on a lunch break and then I'll finish it off later 🙂

"All I did was hand it to you. I didn't draw it." Kodi shrugged but still smiled. "Look, I appreciate you wanting to help me in finding Clementine. Is there any way that I can stay involved, though? It wouldn't feel right for me to sit it out... I promised I'd bring her back." --- Clementine glanced at his hand and then looked back at the ingredients as her eyebrows furrowed. "What will sitting around achieve?" she asked. "No, I-I need to think... I just need to focus... I know how to do this, I do..." She lifted a hand to rub her temple. --- Still pressing the door shut with her weight, she listened to him. She was mildly confused when he mentioned having hurt her. She wasn't familiar with him. But then, her brief time with Donnie and his gang was somewhat of a blur to her. When the Angels had started getting involved, she had mostly dissociated out of both panic and an instinct to help her survive. So, she barely remembered how she'd been captured... She only came back to herself when she'd managed to escape back to Hell, and even the details of how she'd even achieved that were fuzzy. "You... it was you who took me to Heaven's prison?" She asked, trying now to piece the memory back together. "I don't remember." --- Kris watched them tensely as they exchanged words. He'd jumped from his chair when Blake had raised a fist, ready to jump between them. Then he watched in awe as Violet diffused the situation in the simplest way. A small, affectionate smile found its way to Kris's usually hardened expression. He caught himself and quickly wiped it from his face as he stepped towards them purposefully. "Now that we're all friends, Violet, I need to speak with you privately for a moment. Blake, finish your breakfast and then go wash up. Your training officially starts today. See me in the training room in an hour." --- "If this is what you want," Helena said seriously. "But you know, you don't have to change what you are to be capable of anything. You're stronger than you think you are," she said softly. --- Amelia cried out with a mixture of pain and surprise as she jumped back. She gripped the fresh cut with one hand and felt Charles's arms catch her before she could hit the ground. She sucked air through her teeth as she looked down at her ripped dress and the blood covering it. Her wound burned, and as it did, her eyes darted to the Angel's pike. "Angellic steel! The bitch brought Angellic steel!" "Amelia!" David and Carol had shouted in unison. "Oh, this bitch is getting it now! Hold my fucking wine!" Carol growled as she passed Uriel her glass. She then hopped on one foot as she took one of her heels off, apparently intending to use it as an improvised weapon as she began marching over to the Angel. David had run over to Amelia to look at her wound. He looked around hurriedly. "Nate! We could use your help!" he then caught sight of Carol being an angry, drunken idiot. "Hades, hold Carol back!" "Don't you dare!" Carol snapped back. "Sire!" Azrael gasped as he watched his King cut off the Angel's path. Immediately, he summoned his scythe and flew over to stand by his King's side. Seeing the Angel facing the people she loved, Lilly turned to look at Raven. She gave him a determined and searching look. As if to say she was ready to do whatever was needed to defend their new family, and looking to see whether he would be prepared to join her. Before anyone else could move, Shezmu had moved faster than any of their eyes could track. In the blink of an eye, he'd be standing right behind the Angel. His movements calculated, right down to how much of his strength he'd have to use so as not to break any of her bones. He'd aim to grab the wrist of the hand she was using to hold her pike. Essentially disarming her while his other hand would reach around to grip her chin and force her head to tilt back. He intended to bite into her throat. To inject her with his venom while taking just enough of her blood to subdue her and stop her from being a threat. --- "Whoa, wait a minute. Slow down. A Spirit of Nature? And what rules? We don't know about any rules." Layla said as she stared at the stranger. She looked from Nil to the Spirit in confusion. --- Ellesse knocked on Carter and Sebastian's door. A sleeping little bundle in her arms.

Sorry, not been around for a bit. I honestly don't mind either way. If you want to add more, I'll wait until you're done or I can start writing up my response now. Up to you 🙂

For some reason, I'm imagining your Angel looking like Carmilla from Castlevania xD

Kodi paused and lifted the drawing. As he showed it to Reed, he got a better look at it and realised how it might look. His face turned a deep shade of red as his eyes shot back up to Reed's. He started to stammer his words quickly and awkwardly. "Oh! uh- you see- I- Um-... was worried that I scared you when you ran off and wasn't sure what to do but then- you know-...It's-" he laughed nervously. "I guess it's been a hell of a day..." --- "No, I have everything I need for now... I just need to remember..." Clementine sighed. She was wound up and stressed, but what she didn't realise is that by trying to force herself to remember, she was making things harder for herself. She needed to relax. --- Lilith jumped when Napoleon arrived. She darted away from him and locked herself in one of the rooms. She pressed herself against the door to stop him from following her. She heard him, but she didn't trust him. For all she knew, he could just be telling her that Nate sent him. --- Kris stayed where he was and watched Blake calmly. When the boy faltered, he sighed. "I'm not defending Violet's actions. You know that, don't you? She knows that what she did was wrong, and she wants to make up for it. Don't think that because I don't fly off the rails, it means I don't care. I do care, but as you'll learn soon enough, we can't afford to let our emotions rule our actions." --- Helena was already confused when Allie started guiding her back to the room. She was even more confused when Allie told her she'd become something different. "What do you mean?" Meanwhile, Oscar had stood back to watch everything unfold. Satisfied that they'd found a way that works for them. He stood closer to Leo and smiled at him to show he was in support of their decision. --- "Oh, stop." Samael waved a hand dismissively. "The Angels act all high and mighty, but I know more than a few of them did really shady things during the war. They make out like Demons and Devils during that time were the worst when in reality, they were no better. Look, I don't condone most of what happened during the war, but this is a new era. So, maybe for the best, some things need to be left in the past." "A shame," Shezmu commented as he glanced around the room. "But it is at least a comfort to know that we are in the same boat, in a sense. Perhaps it would be best for us to converse with the other archangels then, to get their measure?" "You're doing the old-timey speak again," Warren said softly to him with a blush. Shezmu chuckled. "A habit that will be difficult to break, I'm sure. But at least I have time and company with which to practice." "Sometimes, I don't," Raziel admitted with a small smile. "But... thank you for understanding. Most people I've spent time with usually end up blaming me or get frustrated when I can't tell them what I've seen... I suppose it's mostly why I don't socialise much anymore." Social gatherings of any kind made him nervous due to past experiences not being so pleasant. "The music will resume after the ceremony and the feast," Azrael called back to Life. He then hurriedly turned to the band as they huddled around him. "Apologies. I believe there has been a miscommunication somewhere. Here-" he flipped over some pages on his clipboard to show the schedule to the band members. "So, right now we're just welcoming guests as they arrive. In a few minutes, Death will begin the ceremony. When that's done, there will be a feast. Then here, in this room-" he pointed to a room on the map. "Is the dance hall. There is a more suitable stage area in there where you can set up and begin your performance. Any questions?" "This is really something!" Tom said as he looked around the throne room in awe. Still technically alive, he never imagined he'd ever set foot in Death's Castle. "I only read about this place in books during my training in the Angel academy." Robb nodded in agreement. "What's all this for anyway?" Tom asked curiously, looking from Nate to Gabriel and back again. "It is a formal event." Cassiel smiled warmly. "Cass helped to get me in contact with Raguel back when we were trying to start the negotiations for peace," David explained. "I thought him a madman, but I was interested to see what would happen," Cassiel smirked. "Now, I'm glad I helped. I hear you're one of his daughters. Forgive me if this is too forward, but you look lovely," he gestured to her outfit. "Careful, Cass," David warned him with a thin smile. "It was only a compliment." Cassiel feigned defence with a playful smile. "Mhmm. Watch out for this one, Hades. He thinks he's smooth." At the appearance of the new Angel, Amelia placed a hand on her hip. She raised an eyebrow and scoffed at her declaration. "Stand for it? Bitch, he signed off on it!" She retorted loudly. "Or did you forget he represented Heaven during the negotiations with Hell for peace?" She should really have stopped there, but the audacity of this Angel had really gotten under her skin. Her heels clicked on the stone floor as she took a couple of steps towards her. "What is this really about? Why make Raguel your martyr? What, did you have the hots for him or something?" "Amelia-!" David called out to try to stop her, but she either ignored him or, in her moment of rage, she didn't hear him as she continued. "And now you're all pissy cos you can't kiss his ass anymore? Who the fuck do you think you are?! Racist, daddy issue having bitch!" "You tell her, girly!" Carol, apparently already tipsy, cheered Amelia on. She then turned to Uriel and proudly told him, "That's my daughter!" Uriel seemed to be mildly entertained as he could barely contain his smirk. His eyes were fixed on the Angel. "Oh, God, please let there be a cat fight..." Samael mumbled to himself as he watched the scene unfold, utterly entertained. Shezmu said nothing, and although he seemingly hadn't moved, he had tensed. Ready to pounce on the Angel if she needed to be subdued. A small part of him hoped for an escalation, as it had been far too long since he'd tasted Angel blood. Raziel glanced at Death, and by the mild confusion on his face, it would be clear that although this wasn't a good thing to be happening, it wasn't what he had predicted. "Excuse me, this is a private event. Who invited you?" Azrael demanded. His usual calm and gentle tone suddenly became hard and commanding. "I suggest you leave. Now." --- Layla jumped at the sound of a stranger in the room. She quickly pulled the covers up to hide her body as she sat up and growled at the little man in surprise. "Nil!" She gasped, shaking him with one hand.

Rickster grinned as he sucked air through his teeth at the sensation of Ricky digging his nails into his back. He could barely contain himself as the vibrations he made pulsed through their bodies. He practically tore their clothes off, ready to give Ricky a night he won't ever forget. *Private time* --- Kodi tried not to take offence at Reed's last comment. By now, he was used to Humans thinking lowly of Demons, but he knew that Reed hadn't meant it in that way. "It wouldn't have been right." He said simply. "No one deserves that," he thought for a moment while idly tapping his fingers against the back of the sketch in his hand. "Maybe I could show you some moves? I was originally trained how to fight in hell, and when I came to Earth for a new life, I also went through training to become a cop... so I know a mix of techniques that might come in handy for a self-defence situation." He took a step towards him. "I wouldn't mind training you, but Reed, I'm really worried about my friend. I need your help." --- Clementine thought about his question. She turned back to her little cluster of ingredients and studied them. "I'm not sure. I don't even know where to start... All of my research, my books... they all went up in flames after my destruction. All that I have left are my memories of them." She sighed heavily. It would be clear by her tense posture that she was a little overwhelmed and maybe a little stressed. She rubbed her forehead, trying to think of what would work for what they needed to do. --- Lilith watched him leave. She was relieved that he wouldn't be taking her with him. She took a moment to look at the shattered glass on the bar and the liquid now spilling off the side of it. Getting to her feet, she wandered around the bar and found a useful tool to safely gather the broken shards with. With the glass moved out of the way, she found an old rag and wiped the bar down. If this was going to be her new home, she wouldn't have it be a messy one. With that done, she headed back up the stairs and into the room that Nate had been sleeping in. Her heart dropped at seeing he wasn't there, and for a horrid moment, she thought he'd been taken from her again. She paused and steadied her breathing. No. He wasn't taken. Perhaps he'd gone with Gabriel? He had mentioned that other Angels would be going to that ceremony, so why not Nate, too? Besides, he couldn't be taken from her anymore. He was an adult and capable of looking after himself. It pained her to realise this, but it was also a comfort. Her son had already come back to her once and given her a home. So, he could always come back to her again. --- Kris paused in the doorway to the kitchen at seeing Blake, then he moved towards the coffee pot. "Good morning," he said back. He took a cup out of the cupboard and began pouring himself a drink. "You're up early," he noted as he turned to face him. "Listen, Blake. I know I was hard on you last night. I had to be. I won't have in-fighting here, and what you were saying to me... got me concerned." He moved over to the table and sat across from the boy. "Talk to me," he said gently. "Are you still worried? Angry?" --- "For another year..." Oscar pointed out when Leo said Allia was the president's daughter. As important as she was right now, they both knew that the presidency in the US only lasted a couple of years until potentially a new one was elected. And lately, the people seemed to be favouring the nonsense being spouted by a bafoon all over the media. The next election was looking to be split in opinions, at best. He sighed, "But I get it. I think. Leo, you don't care about her because of her status. You care about her as if she were family. You look out for her like some kind of big brother or uncle. And I think she looks up to you as such, too. You can still look out for her like that, but you can still have a life of your own, too. The choice is yours. No one, not even Allie, can make your decisions for you." Helena stopped when she heard Allie's voice and felt her hands on her shoulders. "You were upset. I had to come and see if you were alright," she responded. Her English had gotten a lot better since living with Allie. Her milky white eyes looked in the direction of Allie's mouth as she heard her speak. "How can I have fun when you're hurting?" she asked, and she lifted her hand to find Allie's face. She felt the tears under her fingers and, gently, carefully, she tried her best to wipe them away. --- "Yeah, I've heard of you. But I also know there was a war on during that time, and the Angels love some propaganda, so I know never to believe everything you hear about Devils." Samael said casually. "Besides, ours is a new age! No war! and even better, no Lucifer! Never thought I'd see it. I honestly thought I'd be in hiding for eternity or worse." "Did you know Lucifer?" Atma asked naively. "Wow, you really have forgotten everything, haven't you?" Samael said in surprise. "I er-... You could say he's my identical twin. So, after he fell, my life became... awkward, let's say." Shezmu smiled and took a sip of his wine. "Of course," he said with a nod. "All who agree to be my consort do so willingly. I wouldn't have it any other way." Although Shezmu had hinted that he usually has more than one lover, Warren didn't seem the least bit phased as he hung onto the Blood God's arm lovingly. Further backing up Shezmu's words. "Now, while I have the opportunity, I must commend you on your achievement of peace. I can only imagine it must've been difficult." Shezmu went on. "It was." Amelia nodded. "We had to attend a lot of negotiations. I'm pretty sure Raguel thought we were trying to pull some kind of trick when we first approached him." "A shame about him." Shezmu nodded. "He seemed the honourable sort. I was very surprised to learn of his crime. So, tell me, what do you make of these other Archangels? I have slumbered for so long that I know very little about them. Do you think any of them are worth Raguel's title?" "Ah, so you are more Raven's age?" Lilly asked as she glanced at Raven. It just now occurred to her that she didn't know how old he was, either. She jumped when the band arrived and then beamed at the sight of Pain on the stage. "Please, excuse me," she said excitedly as she made her way towards the stage to smile up at the band as they played. Raziel smiled at the offer and at Death's last comment. "I might take you up on that, your Grace," he said and then faltered as his mouth twisted sharply into a frown. His eyes darted back and forth. With his abilities, God made sure that his mind would be shut off from anyone with telepathic abilities so that they couldn't risk The Balance by trying to stop what Fate had in store. This meant that if Raziel did have a vision, the only way anyone else would know what it was, is if he chose to tell them. Coming back to himself, Raziel shivered and gulped hard. He sadly but briefly brought his eyes up to Death's and then glanced around the room. "Your Grace, as you know, I cannot divulge the details of my visions. But something is going to happen later. You must keep calm and remember your children will be looking to you for guidance on how to react... That's all I can say. I'm sorry." "This is more like a party! Come, my life! Let us dance!" Leandra cheered as the band arrived, and she pulled him with her to dance. Azrael smiled at Jean as he hugged him and watched in amusement as he then dragged Hannes excitedly towards the bar. He turned towards the band when they arrived and frowned. "Ah, wrong time for that!" he mumbled, flustered. He then quickly ran over to the side of the stage and motioned for the band to stop and to come over to him. "Wow, rock music? Wasn't expecting that at a formal gig..." Robb chuckled as he arrived with Gabriel. He waved at Nate and Tom. David wheezed a bit at his daughter's strength. "Too tight," he breathed and then chuckled between coughs as he was let go. "Hades, this is Cassiel. Cassiel, this is my daughter, Hades." "A pleasure." Cassiel gave Hades a short bow.

Could be possible. It is an alternative universe after all 🙂

So, I've been mulling over the idea of the alternate universe where Amelia was raised by Lucifer instead and it's amazing how much of the story changes when you change one small detail lol I've quickly written up this list of what would change. Let me know if you think of anything else to add. I also thought that to make things easier when writing about our own characters from the alt universe to put an asterisk * next to their name so we know which is which lol Amelia* found by Lucifer* instead of David*. Raised, trained and turned into Devil by Lucifer*. Amelia* then destroyed David*, Carol*, Damien* and Lucifer* to take the throne. Changes;- * Following Lucifers* destruction, Clementine* became loyal to Amelia*. * No peace between Heaven and Hell. * Sebastian* was never saved from ADIEU and went mad. * Carter* went to face Theo* and Vincent* alone. * Additionally, if Carter* survived the encounter then there wouldn't have been anyone around to get in Bryce's* way. * Elliot* became a vampire snack at the club * Having looked up to Carter*, Parker* would have gone looking for him when he'd go missing and either would have been killed or turned, (if turned, he'd have gone mad and joined Amelia's army.) * Charles* and Vincent* would never have body swapped. High chance Charles* never awoke/ came out of hiding or Amelia* destroyed him to eliminate competition like Lucifer* used to do. * Nate* was never saved from ADIEU * Tom* worked for ADIEU until he eventually figured out what they were doing in the labs. He was assassinated before he could expose them by Leo* who was still brainwashed. * James* is also still brainwashed by ADIEU * Desi* never left their brothel and subsequently never split into two beings * Salvo* remained biggoted, murdered Mon* & Bern* and never changed his ways * Rickster* never met Ricky*, remained the leader of his gang of thieves, continued to neglect Neva* and would eventually wage a gang war against Kris* and his gang * Ricky* also never changed his ways and continued trying to persue demons to get out of his contract. * With no Alex* or Elliot* around, Gary* died in a fire * Oscar* never left hell and remained a punishment demon * The war between vampires and Steinheil hunters continues * The CIA never got involved with the vampire castle, but the rest at the castle played out mostly the same minus Patience*, Jessica* & Ben* moving in. * After Parker* went after Carter*, Jessica* never found her long lost brother and ended up stranded & homeless in the US after spending all the money she had trying to find him. Ben* still finds her... but only after she overdoses in an alley.

That sounds good. I was debating whether or not to drop a bombshell near the end of the event but I still need to figure out a few details to make it work.

Thank you 🙂 and sure. I think seeing a legit Spirit of Nature will blow her mind lol

That's just as well cos I've had insomnia for the past few nights and am now ready to pass out lol Anyhoo, before I do fall asleep, this was what I thought of that could fit together with your idea; So, you know how Death and life have their own realms and they preside over their kingdoms? The same thing in a hidden valley on earth and Gaia is the queen. The only mortals on earth who can find her kingdom are the fairies because they're direct descents of the queen. (Your new character could be one) They can reveal themselves to mortals but rarely do so as to not risk The Balance. Very few of her subjects are humanoid as most resemble flora, fauna or fairytale creatures. They're all about all things nature, whether that be the brutal circle of life, evolution to aid the survival of plants and animals alike, helping flowers to bloom, etc. Additionally, the reason Gaia wasn't called to the meeting with Unity is because she's been stuck in a sleeping beauty type sleep for centuries. So her subjects have been guarding her and trying to maintain their duties in her absence. What do you think?

Hey sorry it took me a little while to reply. Been hectic on my end lol It's funny you bring this up, I had an idea along similar lines. Maybe we can workshop it? I'm just heading home from work atm so I'll go into more detail in about an hour or so. But yeah, deff a good idea 🙂

Rickster's face turned red, and he stifled an unexpected moan. He grinned at Ricky, this clearly being as much of a surprise to him. "Um, surprise?" he chuckled. He wasn't entirely sure how he'd started, but now that he'd gotten it going, he did his best to keep it up while he kissed Ricky and started to undress him. --- "What do you-?" Kodi started as he looked at the sketch. He was confused about what Travis was trying to tell him. He looked towards the bathroom and sighed. He really needed to get back to searching for Clementine. He didn't have time for all this drama. Sketch still in hand, he followed Reed into the bathroom and stopped a few feet from him to give him space. "Hey, are you ok? I didn't scare you, did I?" --- Looking up, Clementine studied Adam for a moment before answering. "I get why you did it," she answered. "By rights, I should be demanding to be taken home. You did essentially kidnap me. But... It'd feel wrong for me to leave. You're going to need someone with medical experience to make sure your wives survive... There are so many things that can go wrong with childbirth. I might not have a doctorate, but I'm exceptionally skilled when it comes to science and medicine... so if I left, I'd feel like I'd be dooming them... and dammit, I'm trying to be a better person than I used to be... so, no. I don't want to leave, Adam. This is my choice." Clementine sighed as she picked up one of the jars with powder inside. After inspecting it for a moment, she put it down and then turned to face him. "When I agreed to help you, I was motivated by greed... that was the old me trying to come back... I don't want to be her anymore. I don't want to do this for power or a title... well, part of me does, but I also want to help." --- "Business?" Lilith repeated the word, and then she jumped when the bottle shattered. When Gabriel explained he'd forgotten about some kind of ceremony that other archangels had been invited to and offered to take her with him, she hesitated with a horrified expression. She quickly shook her head as the thought of being surrounded by other Angels filled her with dread. "N-no. No Angels. No," she stammered and hugged herself. --- Kris nodded with a small smile. "Like I said. You're one of us, now," he told her. Then awkwardly cleared his throat. "Just don't tell the boys I have a soft side," he then said quietly with a grin as he walked to her door. He turned his head to her as his hand lay on the door handle. "If you ever need to talk, you can always come to me," he opened the door and headed back to his room. --- Oscar frowned and turned to face Leo. "This has to be your choice. I'll support you, whatever you choose. I know you're worried about her, but sooner or later, she's going to have to come to terms with the fact that you can't be here forever. You've got a life of your own." Helena had gotten up from her chair and taken out her walking stick, which she unfolded in a single flick of her wrist. She started tapping it on the ground as she walked towards the door that Allie had run through. "Allie?" she called out to her, trying to determine which direction she had gone in. --- "Lucky for some." Atma chuckled. "Atma!" Samael greeted her with open arms as he approached them. "I heard you'd retired. Surprised to see you here." Atma looked at him blankly, trying her best to recognise him despite having absolutely no memory of him. "I'm so sorry," she said awkwardly. "I don't remember anything from before my um, 'retirement'" "Ah, that has to suck," Samael commented, then held his hand out for her to shake. "Samael. You used to call me Sam," After shaking her hand, he then looked at Abaddon. "I saw you at the meeting, but we didn't get a chance to talk. Abaddon, right?" he held out a hand for him, too. "I couldn't agree more." Shezmu chuckled. Meanwhile, at the bar, Warren had ordered himself and Shezmu a glass of red wine. When the bartender placed them onto the bar and asked if he needed anything else, Warren nodded. "Can I borrow your lime knife for a moment?" The barman looked at him oddly but passed the small knife over to him. Then watched in surprise as Warren, without any hesitation or reaction other than a slight wince from the citrus, pricked his finger with it. Warren passed the knife back to the barman. "You might want to wash that before you use it again," he told him as he held his finger over one of the glasses and squeezed a few drops of his blood into it. "We have blood available for vampiric guests..." The barman said, but Warren grinned while shaking his head. "He prefers mine," he said simply before popping a napkin onto his finger for a moment. When he pulled it away, the small cut had healed. The barman took the napkin from him to dispose of and watched as Warren left the bar with the glasses, seemingly happily. "Ah, thank you." Shezmu grinned as Warren rejoined them. He took the wine glass from him and gave him an expectant look. "Warren?" Warren nodded before looking at Amelia and Charles. "I'm sorry for the part that I played when Donnie was around. With Shezmu's help, I'm trying to be better. I hope you'll forgive me." Amelia hesitated to answer as she gave Warren a hard look before sighing. "I mean... that's what we're all about now, isn't it? Forgiveness. Just make sure you stay on the right track this time." "I will," Warren said, relieved. "Perhaps you can tell me more about them," Lilly suggested to Dariel. She then smiled at Conrad. "Thank you." She noted the way that Dariel and Raven seemed to be becoming fast friends. "In my home world, I would have been considered an adult already. Apparently, here I'm only considered to barely be a young adult." She tilted her head at Dariel. "How old are you?" Raziel didn't bring his gaze up to meet Death's, but he grinned at the joke. "That was even better the second time around..." he joked as well. His clairvoyant powers didn't quite work like that, but now and again, he had the courage to make light of his situation. "I appreciate the offer, Your Grace. As you can imagine, my kind of power comes with a great deal of responsibility. If I must discuss matters, then I must do so with a great deal of care." Raziel glanced very quickly at him before lowering his eyes back to the ground. He smiled warmly. "I was telling the truth. I don't win this election. But that's fine by me, Your Grace. My gifts are enough. I'm just hoping to enjoy the occasion." He nodded towards the group. "Your children look very smart in their robes. You must be proud." "Ελα! (Come on!) You will most certainly not tone it down! If anyone likes a party, Καρδιά μου (My heart), it is me!" Leandra exclaimed proudly and with a playful jab at Life's arm. Azrael looked up in time to see Jean dragging Hannes over to them. He smiled warmly as they approached, despite Hannes's reddening face. "It is good to see you're doing well and that you're reunited," he said as his eyes moved from Hannes to Jean. He then ticked their names off after adding Hannes as a plus one. "You remember me?" Hannes said in surprise. "I see a lot of... let's say, 'clients'. A few stand out now and then. Yours was one." Azrael replied. "But you've earned your wings, made your way home, and your battle hasn't been in vain. That's worth celebration in itself." "You were kind to me," Hannes said with a nod and a smile. "Thank you." "It is my duty," Azrael replied modestly. "Please, enjoy yourselves today. I've had the bar reserve some blood packs for our more vampiric guests." He then turned to look at Nate and Tom as they arrived. "I was beginning to grow concerned." He chuckled. "I didn't even know about this until two minutes ago." Tom laughed as he tried his best to quickly straighten out his suit. "Any sign of Gabriel?" Azrael asked as he marked down Tom as a plus one and ticked off Nate. "We also seem to be missing Hades and her band, for that matter..." Off to one side of the room, Carol was chatting away and was trying her best to seduce Uriel, who was merely watching her with a smirk as he occasionally took a sip of his drink. David was having a pleasant conversation with Cassiel. [[----------- Party;- From Death's Realm:- * Death (No Guest Invited)[Arrived] * Azrael (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Lilly (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Raven (+ Conrad)[Arrived] From Life's Realm:- * Life (+ Leandra) [Arrived] From Earth:- * Shezmu (+ Warren) [Arrived] * Dariel (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Jean (+ Hannes) [Arrived] From Heaven:- * Nate (+ Tom) [Arrived] * Gabriel (No Guest Invited) * Samael (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Raziel (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Cassiel (No Guest Invited) [Arrived - Not claimed yet] * Raphael (No Guest Invited)[Arrived - Not claimed yet] * Jophiel (No Guest Invited)[Arrived - Not claimed yet] * Haniel (No Guest Invited)[Arrived - Not claimed yet] * Uriel (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Camael (No Guest Invited)[Arrived - Not claimed yet] * Zadkiel (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Shubael (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] From Hell:- * Amelia (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Charles (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Abbadon (+ Atma) [Arrived] * David (+ Carol) [Arrived] * Hades (+ Storm & Band Members) -----------]]

I'm imagining Raziel having the same kind of posture & mannerisms as Newt Scamander from Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them

I'm similar. It depends on my mood. Mostly gothy.

Welcome!

"Alright," Rickster kissed him and teleported them to their bedroom. He knew this would mean the unconscious man in the kitchen would now be alone, but he was confident that his bindings would be too strong for him to break loose. Rickster wrapped his arms around Ricky and wondered if he could achieve a hover while they continued to get lost in their passion. He kissed his neck and started to beat his wings, trying to adjust the speed so that they'd only lift a little. As he was attempting this manoeuvre, he discovered he could make his wings vibrate. --- As soon as the pimp demon was gone, Kodi's eyes returned to normal, and his tail receded back into his spine. He hurried over to Reed and helped him to his feet. "Hey, are you alright? I'm sorry that you had to see me get like that." He then growled under his breath. "It's demons like that that give the rest of us a bad name..." --- Back at the secured location for New Eden to begin, Clementine had had enough time to sleep off the effects of the champagne. Now she was inspecting the ingredients that John had brought to her, along with the equipment she could use. "Will this be enough?" John asked her while watching her carefully. Clementine took a moment to answer before nodding and fastening her hair back with a ribbon that she'd borrowed from one of the other women. "It's a start," she said as she picked up a vial. "This will take some time and experimentation." "Call me if you need anything," he said before walking away. Clementine sighed and looked at everything on the table before her, feeling a little overwhelmed and unsure of where to start. A part of her still wondered if she should be helping them at all. She was still confused about how she should be feeling. --- "This..." Lilith smiled as she glanced down for a moment before looking back up at Gabriel. "This brings me comfort," she looked around them and the building once more. Fascinated by the idea that humans might look to spend time here. "So, this is to be my home now?" she asked, as if just now coming around to the idea. --- At her comment, Kris realised what he was doing and lowered his hand rather quickly. He averted his eyes, possibly embarrassed, but with the way he held himself, it would be difficult to tell. He glanced at her door when she mentioned Blake. He recalled how Blake had behaved earlier and his harsh words to him. "In the morning. It's late- Oh well, early now," he said as he looked at his watch and realised he'd been passed out for longer than he'd realised. It was now the early hours of the morning. "Give it a few hours, and I'll come with you." --- Helena sat in a nearby chair. Being blind, she couldn't see what was happening, but she could hear everything. Including each little movement they made, so she knew roughly whereabouts in the room everyone was. Helena had been granted permanent residence with Allie and her family some time ago, at Allie's insistence. The girls had grown a close bond during the time she'd been staying with them, so when it became apparent that her older brother wasn't coming back for her and the time for Helena to go into the foster system came up, Allie had put her foot down and refused to let it happen. Now, Helena sat quietly in the chair, gripping the chair's arm nervously as she knew how much this all meant to Allie. Oscar sighed, "This doesn't mean we're gone for good. It just means Leo's job is changing. He can still come and visit now and then, right Leo?" he said while looking at Leo, hoping to diffuse the situation. --- Atma chuckled at Abaddon's reaction to the wine. "Just don't drink it too quickly or you'll get drunk faster," she pointed out. "Besides, it's polite not to overdo it at classy functions like this," she said while gesturing around them. She found herself looking around again in awe. She really couldn't remember a single bit of her past life, so seeing it all like this was like she was experiencing it all for the very first time. "Pardon-?" Shezmu was taken aback, and he looked at Warren in surprise. Then, before Warren could say a word, he'd already pulled the information he needed from his memories. "Ah!" He said just as Warren had opened his mouth. Warren faltered and then closed his mouth again, a little annoyed that Shezmu had read his mind again. Shezmu then turned back to Charles and Amelia. "Apologies, I hadn't realised. Rest assured, my companion has no more affiliation with that criminal and has instead pledged himself to me." "I'm so relieved," Amelia mumbled sarcastically. Shezmu's smile thinned for a moment. "I understand the apprehension. Please, let us start over. Warren, please go and get us drinks and..." Shezmu leaned over to Warren to whisper something into his ear. For a split second, Warren's expression blanked, but then he nodded and smiled at Shezmu before awkwardly lowering his eyes from Amelia & Charles as he walked past them towards the bar. Shezmu turned his attention back to the couple just as Amelia spoke. "What do you mean he's pledged himself to you?" "Merely that he has agreed to devote himself to me," Shezmu answered simply. "I assure you, he has left his old life behind to begin anew. I hope that this will not sour a potential friendship?" "Hmm. We'll see." Amelia said as she glanced in Warren's direction for a second. She turned back to Shezmu. "You said you only woke up recently?" "Indeed, I went to slumber centuries ago." "How long-? Sorry, is that rude?" "Not at all." Shezmu smiled warmly. "I sought to sleep in the year 1570. The language hath changed much," he said while making fun of the way he used to speak before learning the modern language. "Vampires?" Lilly asked Dariel curiously. "I've only seen depictions of those on television. My friends said some of those movies were a 'must-watch'," she commented. She then looked at Conrad as he approached them. "Good to see you again," she welcomed him warmly. When he asked his question, she chuckled nervously. "I'm not used to it," she admitted. "I'm nervous that I'll mess up my oath." Raziel's jaw clenched as he heard Shubael's comments. "Encouraging as always, brother," he greeted him sarcastically, but his voice wavered as if he wasn't confident enough to be saying such things. "You needn't fear. I have no intention of seeking the position. There'd be no point... I won't win anyway. I've seen it." his voice became more and more quiet as he spoke. "Yes!" Zadkiel cheered and looked at Leandra before holding out a hand to shake hers. "I'm Zadkiel. My friends call me Zad." "You know my Life?" Leandra asked as she shook his hand. "I used to visit now and then before humanity became a thing. Things weren't as busy back then, but it doesn't mean it wasn't boring. This guy knows how to party!" Hannes looked around at the castle in absolute awe. He'd only ever heard of Death's Kingdom through his lessons when he was trying to become an Angel. Seeing it in person was really something else. He glanced around and recognised Azrael immediately. "He helped to guide me to Heaven when I died." He said to Jean. Azrael ticked off the other Archangels one by one as they turned up until only two were left to arrive. Nate and Gabriel. He sighed and tapped the end of his pen on the side of his clipboard. "Fashionably late, as usual, boys..." [[----------- Party;- From Death's Realm:- * Death (No Guest Invited)[Arrived] * Azrael (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Lilly (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Raven (+ Conrad)[Arrived] From Life's Realm:- * Life (+ Leandra) [Arrived] From Earth:- * Shezmu (+ Warren) [Arrived] * Dariel (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Jean (+ Hannes) [Arrived] From Heaven:- * Nate (No Guest Invited) * Gabriel (No Guest Invited) * Samael (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Raziel (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Cassiel (No Guest Invited) [Arrived - Not claimed yet] * Raphael (No Guest Invited)[Arrived - Not claimed yet] * Jophiel (No Guest Invited)[Arrived - Not claimed yet] * Haniel (No Guest Invited)[Arrived - Not claimed yet] * Uriel (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Camael (No Guest Invited)[Arrived - Not claimed yet] * Zadkiel (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Shubael (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] From Hell:- * Amelia (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Charles (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Abbadon (+ Atma) [Arrived] * David (+ Carol) [Arrived] * Hades (+ Storm & Band Members) -----------]]

Huh! Can't believe I only just noticed this lol Hi there! Um, not really a lot of places for me to go but where I live there's this park with some frames of an airship hanger as it's centrepiece. It's mostly quiet so when I have the energy and the opportunity, I'll walk there to get some fresh air & time to myself.

Rickster grinned and rolled playfully with him until he was on top before sprouting his wings. "These wings?" He purred as he teased him by hovering his lips just over his. "Shall we put them to the test?" --- Kodi had opened his mouth to argue. Although he recognised that he shouldn't be involved because he was too close to the case, he also couldn't stand the idea of sitting around waiting for someone else to find Clementine. Before he could get a word out, however, the demon pimp appeared. Kodi was already stressed from Clementine's disappearance, so this interruption aggravated him further. Seeing the Demon manhandle Reed was enough to tip him from agitation to rage. During the seconds that the Demon was distracted by Reed, Kodi had stepped closer and in a flash he'd whipped out his dragon tail, bringing the razor sharp edge to the Demon's throat. "This is how this is going to go down." He started with a growl as his eyes bored into the other demon's. He was furious but unsettlingly calm at the same time. "You're going to release the agent. Then you're going to crawl back to whatever piss soaked hole you crawled out from, and if you know what's good for you, you won't dare to come back again. Refuse or even attempt to pull the trigger, and not only will I slice your throat, I'll come find you when you wake back up in Hell and kill you again and again in the most painful ways I can think of." His eyes flashed red. "Don't test me." --- Hannes nodded. "Yes, I think I have something that would suit the occasion." He said and took Jean's hand in his. "Let's go and get ready." --- Lilith watched Gabriel cautiously out of habit as he leaned over the bar to tell her something. What he told her left her stunned, and she lifted a hand to her chest as she gawped the word "Me?" She was in disbelief. Ever since she'd been cast out of Heaven, she had thought she was utterly alone and that her name would have been stricken from any histories other than Heaven's. "Adam's children know of me? They worship me?" She laughed shortly out of shock. Then she began laughing at the irony of it all. That some of the children of the man who had scorned her and begged God to replace her had chosen to take her side. She wondered how furious it would make Adam to learn this, and this thought alone had made her laugh harder. When her laughing slowed and she placed her empty glass back onto the table, she sighed happily with a thoughtful look. "I haven't laughed like that since..." She trailed off and glanced away for a moment. She then looked back at Gabriel and smiled. "Thank you." --- "Ran off?" Kris repeated. "What- just like that?" He turned to look at her as she explained that there was a new, better king now. His eyes softened at seeing her tears and the way she assumed this new king wouldn't even know who she was. "Maybe that's for the best." He told her. Without thinking, he'd lifted his hand to brush away some of her tears with his thumb. "Because now you can have a fresh start." --- Atma ordered another glass of the same wine she was drinking. When it was placed onto the bar, she lifted it and passed it to Abaddon. "The taste might take a little getting used to. I always prefer white wine, but there's also red, which has its own taste. Or rose, which is a kind of mix of the two." Amelia felt right at home with Charles's arm around her. She beamed at him as he spoke. "I didn't think a lot of things would happen, but they did, and I wouldn't change a single part of it." She replied. Of course, she was also referring to everything that had led up to this point. If not for their success in brokering peace with Heaven, they would never have had an opportunity like this. As far as Amelia was concerned, brokering peace on her own would have been almost impossible. So, she was thankful to have Charles in her life." Content that Raven was alright now, David stepped away to get himself a drink too. He politely bowed to Death in greeting on his way past. As he got closer, he noticed the way Carol was staring at Samael and the irritated look on the Angel's face as he tried to ignore the smitten Demon. Picking up his pace, he reached Carol and placed a hand on her arm to get her attention and then whispered hurriedly into her ear. For a moment, Carol seemed confused as she looked from David to Samael, then she looked a little crushed. A moment later, she picked herself up and nodded thankfully to David before walking away from the bar to mingle with the other guests. "That was Carol, wasn't it?" Samael said as he approached David. David found the interaction jarring as the Angel's appearance and voice matched his memory of Lucifer perfectly. "Um, yeah. I told her who you are and that you'd likely appreciate not being compared to... well, you know." "My brother." Samael nodded seriously and then placed a hand on David's shoulder. "Thank you," he said with a small smile before walking away. Although David knew he wasn't Lucifer, if he'd needed any kind of reassurance on the matter, then that had been it, because there was no way in Hell that Lucifer would ever utter the words 'thank you'. At least not without some difficulty. Lilly was almost relieved when their father told them they needed to remain in the hall for the ceremony. The idea of looking at rocks wasn't very appealing to her. She looked at Dariel curiously. "You're the student of the pale man from the meeting. Unity called them a Blood God. I've never heard of a Blood God before. What does he teach you?" Shezmu approached Charles and Amelia, hoping to do some networking of his own. "Royalties of Hell, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance in a more relaxed setting," he said with a short bow. "I am Shezmu. I only recently awakened from centuries of slumber, but I have heard that you are the ones responsible for achieving peace." Warren, who was still on his arm, looked increasingly awkward as they'd stepped towards the couple but hadn't had a chance to warn Shezmu that he'd been a fugitive in league with Donnie until very recently and that he wasn't sure if he was still considered a fugitive. He lowered his eyes shamefully as his face turned a little red and his heart hammered in his chest. They wouldn't cause a scene here, would they? Raziel appeared and dropped off Conrad while wordlessly gesturing for him to go to Raven. His wings, out like the others, were a very light shade of grey. As always, he looked incredibly nervous and fidgeted with his hands while avoiding eye contact with anyone who looked his way. He moved towards the steps to Death's throne and bowed to him in greeting before approaching Azrael so that his name could be ticked off. "No plus one?" Azrael asked him, and Raziel shook his head without lifting his eyes from the ground. "I know you can see things, but that shouldn't stop you from living, brother," Azrael said gently. "Mhm." Raziel hummed in response and looked around as though he didn't want to continue the conversation. Azrael sighed, knowing there was no talking to him when he got like this. "Alright, but try to enjoy yourself?" "Mhm..." Raziel hummed again as he turned and walked towards a less crowded corner to stand in. Zadkiel was next to arrive. His feathers were a pale shade of cyan. Straightening his tie, he also approached Death to bow in greeting before heading to Azrael to be signed off. He then wandered over to Life and Leandra. "So, when is the wedding?" He asked and nodded to the ring on Leandra's finger before smiling at Life. "And congratulations, by the way. Please tell me I'm invited. Your parties are always wild!" [[----------- Party;- From Death's Realm:- * Death (No Guest Invited)[Arrived] * Azrael (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Lilly (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Raven (+ Conrad)[Arrived] From Life's Realm:- * Life (+ Leandra) [Arrived] From Earth:- * Shezmu (+ Warren) [Arrived] * Dariel (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Jean (+ Hannes) [Arrived] From Heaven:- * Nate (No Guest Invited) * Gabriel (No Guest Invited) * Samael (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Raziel (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Cassiel (No Guest Invited) * Raphael (No Guest Invited) * Jophiel (No Guest Invited) * Haniel (No Guest Invited) * Uriel (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Camael (No Guest Invited) * Zadkiel (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Shubael (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] From Hell:- * Amelia (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Charles (No Guest Invited) [Arrived] * Abbadon (+ Atma) [Arrived] * David (+ Carol) [Arrived] * Hades (+ Storm & Band Members) -----------]]

Rickster was surprised by the move but smiled as they hit the floor, and he kissed Ricky back passionately. Losing himself to his beloved. --- "Y-yeah, she's about this tall..." he lifted his arm to roughly his neck and then thought of how tall he was in comparison. "So, about five foot five-ish? Maybe five-seven? Skinny. Shoulder length, straight black hair. Dark brown eyes. She's super pale too... I guess kinda like a real-life snow white? Only without the cheery disposition." Kodi then hesitated as he wasn't sure if Reed would know much about the supernatural world. But then he recalled the CIA having worked a few supernatural cases in the area before. "She's human. Her name is Clementine. It's a mononym, so no last name. I had a look around the area at the bus stop and caught the scent of an Angel. No one I know in particular, though. And a strange other scent that I've never smelled before..." he bit his lip worriedly. "As for suspects and possible motive... Clementine used to be a Demon... a renowned one and vicious too... she made a lot of enemies during the war, so catching the scent of an Angel isn't a total surprise... I just hope she's ok. She's not like how she used to be. She's trying to change." --- After several minutes, Niko would walk alone back to the medical wing. His eyes were on the ground, and tears were in his eyes as he thought through everything Hannes had told him. He couldn't recall any of it, and he had a horrid feeling he'd intentionally left out some details, but he also had an equally horrid feeling that perhaps that was for the best. Among all the talking, Hannes had tapped his forehead with his fingers, and after a moment of excruciating pain, Niko suddenly found that he could understand the English language. He was still reeling and trying to take it all in, but absent-mindedly, he'd made his way back to the medical wing until he was standing outside Patience's room. Listening to her struggles from the other side of the door. Waiting. Hannes turned to Jean as he joined him in the hallway. His own eyes were also a little watery from their conversation, but he stayed strong. He was almost thankful when Jean invited him to attend Death's ceremony with him. If there was one thing he really needed right now, it was a distraction. "Of course, but what ceremony?" --- Lilith did not comment. Her opinion on Angel-kind had already been made clear. She lifted her eyes from her glass to study Gabriel for a moment. At least, for an Angel, this one seemed to be sincere. She shuffled awkwardly on her feet as she looked back at her drink. Then her expression became resolute. "If there is one thing I have learned as an immortal, it is that eternity is a long time to not make mistakes." Her eyes lifted back to Gabriel's. "We will fuck up. But how else would we learn? How else would we grow?" She sighed and downed her drink. Her face scrunched up from the way the liquid burned, and she had to force herself to swallow it. Coughing a little, she opened her watery eyes to look at Gabriel. "Not how I imagined it to taste..." she said in a strained voice, but despite her grimacing, there was some humour in her eyes. --- If Kris hadn't already been sitting down, Violet's words would have knocked him on his ass. Having not encountered anything from Hell before meeting Violet, he found himself stunned to learn that there was really a Lucifer. Slowly, he rose to his feet and moved a hand to trace his fingers over her scars. Before he could touch her, he realised what he was doing and pulled his hand back. He then turned away from her to give her enough privacy to dress herself again. "This uh, Lucifer..." he began, even sounding clueless to himself. "I-Is he-? I mean... Will he-?" he stumbled before sighing and forcing himself to say what he intended to ask. "Is he going to be a problem? Will he come looking for you? I should know something like that. I have the boys' safety to consider." --- Atma ordered a glass of white wine, wanting to keep classy in such a formal setting. She looked up at Abaddon. "Do you drink?" She asked him curiously. "I don't often, myself. But I like wine now and then." Amelia ordered herself a whiskey and Coke, then turned to Carol. "So, are you and Dad finally a thing now, or-?" Carol waved dismissively as she sipped some of her cocktail through a straw. "Oh, sweety. That'll never happen. He's far too in love with that stick up his ass! No, I much prefer just having fun with no strings attached. Much less messy. That Napoleon, for instance-" "Ok, I don't need the details-" "Let's just say what he lacks in stature-" "Mum, stop, I don't wana-" "He makes up for it in other areas." "And that's this conversation officially over. Thank you, mother, for the fresh nightmares I will have after today." Amelia said sarcastically. "You're welcome, sweety." Carol chuckled as she took another sip of her drink. Amelia paused by Atma and Abaddon. "I'll catch up with you guys later. Have fun," she smiled before making her way over to Charles when he would inevitably arrive. It would be at that moment that Carol would spot Samael as he appeared and wouldn't be able to stop herself from staring at him like a deer in headlamps. Much like other men who turned up, he was wearing a simple black suit with a white button-up shirt. His tie was a little loose and his hair wasn't combed, but he didn't seem the least bit bothered as he swaggered confidently towards the bar to order himself a drink. He either didn't notice Carol staring or chose to ignore her. Just like the other Angels, his own wings were out. Their feathers were a brilliant white, in stark contrast with the dark surroundings. Spotting her adoptive brother, Lilly made her way over to him and David. As she got closer, she noticed the tears in Raven's eyes. "Is everything alright?" "Everything is fine," David answered softly, then looked at Raven. "Because you're a good lad and she can see that in you, that's why." He told him gently. "Look around you, Raven. This celebration isn't just to cast votes and declare you a Prince. It's a fresh start. For both of you." He smiled between Lilly and Raven as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "So, leave your regrets in the past where they belong and enjoy the occasion." "Pompous chicken." Azrael huffed under his breath, repeating what Charles had called him in the meeting. He ticked off a few names and added more plus ones as they arrived. Uriel had arrived as well. The feathers of his wings looked a little ruffled and tattered, but it seemed at least he had tried to make them more presentable. Shezmu smiled at the wonder in his student's eyes. It had been a very long time since he had felt the awe of experiencing these things for the first time. He tilted his head towards Raven and Lilly whilst looking at Dariel. "Now might be an opportune time for you to... I believe the mortals of this era call it 'network'." The Hopper or La Tramoggia arrived with Life in an ashen coloured tea-length dress with black trims and a black bow around her waist. No longer going by her pseudonyms, she had decided to start her life anew as Leandra, Life's fiancé. "My Life, my muse. You're looking at this all wrong, my love." She purred to him after hearing his complaint. "You are the Life of the party, no?" [[----------- Party;- From Death's Realm:- * Death (No Guest Invited) * Azrael (No Guest Invited) * Lilly (No Guest Invited) * Raven (+ Conrad) From Life's Realm:- * Life (+ Leandra) From Earth:- * Shezmu (+ Warren) * Dariel (No Guest Invited) * Jean (+ Hannes) From Heaven:- * Nate (No Guest Invited) * Gabriel (No Guest Invited) * Samael (No Guest Invited) * Raziel (No Guest Invited) * Cassiel (No Guest Invited) * Raphael (No Guest Invited) * Jophiel (No Guest Invited) * Haniel (No Guest Invited) * Uriel (No Guest Invited) * Camael (No Guest Invited) * Zadkiel (No Guest Invited) * Shubael (No Guest Invited) From Hell:- * Amelia (No Guest Invited) * Charles (No Guest Invited) * Abbadon (+ Atma) * David (+ Carol) * Hades (+ Storm & Band Members) -----------]]

The Hoppers dress

Once both Abaddon and Atma had taken Amelia's hands, she teleported them to Death's Castle. Rickster grinned and leaned over the counter to kiss Ricky. "I've missed you, too. So, candlelit dinner followed by a night of passion under the stars?" --- "CIA?" Kodi said in surprise and glanced around while wondering what he'd missed. But now wasn't the time for that. "Um, I need to report a missing person. She uh, she's one of my roommates. She was supposed to be home hours ago from doing a grocery run, but she never came back. We- my other roommate and I, we found her bag of groceries on the ground at the bus stop. I think she might've been kidnapped." --- Jessica watched as Jean and Hannes vanished. She was about to teleport after them, but caught sight of Nil's expression. "Hey," she said to him quickly. "Don't worry about them. They'll come around. This was what Niko wanted. In the end, that's all that matters, Ok? None of this is your fault." And with that, she vanished too. "Scheiße! (Shit!)" Hannes gasped when he appeared near Jean and saw what was happening. He hurried forward and lifted Patience into his arms. He then hurriedly walked to the medical wing of the castle. Teleporting with Patience in this condition would have been too risky. Niko followed closely behind, his eyes on Patience the whole time. "Should we alert her partner?" he asked in German. Hannes cringed at the question and gave Patience an apologetic look before answering, also in German. "There is no partner, Niko. I'll explain later." He then ducked into the medical wing and called for the help of a midwife. With a flurry of movement, Patience was taken from Hannes's arms and guided to a more private room towards the back of the wing. Just as Patience was taken away, Jessica had managed to catch up to them. "But she cannot be alone for this! Isn't there anyone we can call upon? Her family?" Niko said worriedly, his eyes on the door that Patience had gone through. "She will want to be alone..." Hannes said sadly. He locked eyes with Jessica briefly and knew what her look meant. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. What happened to Niko was his own choice. Giving him back his memories would only bring him pain. He sighed and nodded to her as a silent agreement that he wouldn't ruin this opportunity for his oldest friend. But still, there were some things that Niko needed to know. He'd missed so much. Starting with Patience. He gave Jean a sad smile as if to tell him he could handle this himself from here. He then wrapped an arm around Niko's shoulder to walk him towards the door so that they could walk the halls while Hannes attempted to fill him in on some important details without triggering any traumatic memories. --- "Good. Remember what I told you about etiquette and creating allies." Shezmu told him privately before gesturing for Warren to come closer. He lifted his elbow for Warren to take and then placed a hand on Dariel's shoulder before teleporting them into Death's Main Hall. --- "Russians?" Lilith repeated the word. There was so much about this world that she had to learn. She inched even closer to the bar with her eyes warily on Gabriel. Gingerly, she reached out and lifted the small glass before bringing it under her nose. She sniffed, then recoiled while cringing as the smell burned her nostrils. "Humans willingly ingest this?" She asked, baffled. "It smells toxic." --- David couldn't help smiling at Hades's words. He looked from her to the band and nodded. "You all look great. I'm looking forward to your performance later on." He said and then turned to Raven. "Speaking of, we should probably get you back home now." --- Kris looked at Violet oddly for a moment before stepping into her room and closing the door behind him to give them some privacy. He looked around briefly before bringing his eyes back to hers. "I thought I heard crying," he said to her quietly as he sat on the edge of her bed. "I know I'm not the most approachable person. I have to..." he paused, contemplating his words before continuing. "This life we have isn't easy. It comes with challenges, prejudice from outsiders and threats from local vampire clans... not to mention rival Tricksters who would love to overthrow me and take this territory for themselves. What I'm trying to say is... I might be the boss here, but you're one of us now. So, you can come and talk to me about anything that might be troubling you. I might not always have time, but if you let me know that you need to talk, then I'll find time." --- When Amelia, Abaddon and Atma arrived in Death's castle, Azrael hurried over to greet them. He held a clipboard in his hands with details for the party, including a guest list. He ticked off Amelia and Abaddon's names as he approached. "You're early!" He greeted them with a smile. He was wearing the traditional formal black robes. As it was a formal occasion, he also had his black feathered wings out, which shone silkily in the light. The hall was handsomely decorated. The walls were lined with tapestries that vaguely told the history of Death's kingdom through intricately woven images. Silver canopies hung from the rafters high overhead and along the top edges of the walls. Death's throne was polished, and on either side of it were two slightly smaller thrones for his Children, for when they completed their oaths. The runway towards Death's throne was kept clear, except for the long carpet which matched the colours of the tapestries around it. Long tables had been set up on either side of the hall with black tablecloths and polished silverware. The chairs are all facing towards the centre of the room. Around them, Reapers were busily setting up the finishing touches. "Are the first ones to get here?" Amelia asked. "For now, but I expect the others will be appearing at any moment." Azrael nodded, and then his eyes landed on Atma, who was looking around them in awe. "Atma?!" Her eyes snapped to Azrael in surprise. "Oh, I guess you know me. Sorry, I don't remember-" "No, th-that's fine. Apologies, I know your situation. I was just surprised to see you here." Azrael stumbled on his words awkwardly before smiling at her. "My name is Azrael. Despite the circumstances, it is nice to see you again." He awkwardly cleared his throat after adding her name as one of the plus ones, and then he gestured around them while speaking. "During the ceremony, you'll be expected to stand on either side of this runway. It's important that until the oaths are completed, none of the guests say or do anything to interrupt. When the oaths are completed and Death invites his children to sit by his side, he will then give the order for the feast to commence. That's when you'll need to take your seats at the tables at the sides here... There's no seating plan, so sit next to whoever you want. Once everyone is seated, our culinary team will start bringing in food and drinks. They're here to serve you, but you're still guests, so please be respectful to them. When you have finished with your meal, you can head to the ballroom..." Azrael continued on to give them the trio directions to the ballroom as well as the lavatories, in case they'd be needed. This is the same speech he would give to each guest as they arrived, so that all guests would know what to expect and how to behave. "Finally, there is a ballet box arranged in a private room. I'll give you the direction momentarily, but at any point during the ball, you may submit your vote in private. Unity has already arrived and enchanted the ballot box to only take one vote from each guest. Additional votes submitted by the same guest will incinerate itself as it enter the box." Azrael looked a little relieved to have finished his spiel, as he then pointed towards the back of the room where a temporary bar area had been set up. "You may help yourselves to drinks as we await the other guests." "Blimey! How many times do you have to go through all that info?" Amelia chuckled, a little amused. "I dare not think on it." Azrael laughed as he noticed Carol appear in a simple black dress. "Please excuse me," he said as he made his way over to her. Shortly after Carol arrived, Shezmu, Dariel and Warren would appear next to get the same speech from Azrael. Then David arrived, too, with Raven. "Well, I suppose we might as well get a drink," Amelia said to Abaddon and Atma. "Oh, yes, please." Atma smiled. Being in this new place for what appeared to be a very fancy party was exciting. But also, after already being recognised by someone she had no memory of, she felt a drink might just settle her nerves a bit. "Amelia!" Carol cooed as she half-jogged over to them in her black heels. "Oh, so he did invite you, then?" Amelia chuckled. "I'm just as surprised as you are, but I'm not complaining." Carol grinned as she walked towards the bar with them. "Sex on the beach, please, sweety!" she ordered from the bartending reaper. "And maybe afterwards I'll get a drink?" she then said jokingly with a cheeky wink. "Mum! Cut it out!" Amelia groaned. "It's just a joke!" Carol laughed as the reaper began mixing the drink after rolling his eyes. Shortly after, Lilly walked into the room in her new dress and robe. She looked around shyly at the mixture of new and familiar faces. A reaper approached Azrael to ask him what they should do with the ice sculpture of Shubael that had just been delivered. Looking slightly irritated, Azrael rubbed his forehead as he instructed the reapers to take it into the ballroom for now. As they hurried away, he then mumbled under his breath, "With any luck, it'll melt before the ball starts..." --- [[----------- To make things a little easier to remember who is attending;- From Death's Realm:- * Death (+ Guest?) * Azrael (No Guest Invited) * Lilly (No Guest Invited) * Raven (+ Guest?) From Life's Realm:- * Life (+ Guest?) From Earth:- * Shezmu (+ Warren) * Dariel (+ Guest?) * Jean (+ Guest?) From Heaven:- * Nate (+ Guest?) * Gabriel (+ Guest?) * Samael (No Guest Invited) * Raziel (No Guest Invited) * Cassiel (+ Guest?) * Raphael (+ Guest?) * Jophiel (+ Guest?) * Haniel (+ Guest?) * Uriel (No Guest Invited) * Camael (+ Guest?) * Zadkiel (No Guest Invited) * Shubael (+ Guest?) From Hell:- * Amelia (No Guest Invited) * Charles (+ Guest?) * Abbadon (+ Atma) * David (+ Carol) * Hades (+ Storm & Band Members) -----------]]

I'm working on my next post btw 😄