Shadowess Posted July 28 Author Posted July 28 shadowess - July 11, 2024 At the zoo, now high as a kite as the brownie had kicked in, Damien was entranced by the vivid orange colour when they saw the tigers. When looking at the giant tortoises, Damien burst into fits of hysterical giggling as a pair in the enclosure started to 'get it on' very slowly and very loudly in front of them. He giggled so hard that he was almost wheezing and had to lean on James for support. Every time he'd start to calm down, one of the tortoises made another loud groan and it set Damien off again. After a while, they visited the gift shop and Damien spotted a basket of stuffed animal toys. "I wonder if I should get one for Parker for when he wakes up?" he asked with a smile then picked one up and ran his hand over the fluff, captivated by how soft it felt. --- Over at the hospital Parker's surgery was still ongoing. Sebastian and Carter would find Kite, Alex and River in the waiting room. Alex was sitting on one of the chairs, staring at the clock while bouncing his knee anxiously. River paced the room with a faraway look in his eyes. Just as Sebastian and Carter would walk in, Cindy would call Kite to see if he was ok and to tell him that she'd managed to get herself and the babies somewhere safe in time, thanks to their children crying to alert her of the danger before the quake happened. She also broke the news that their apartment building had partially collapsed during the quake. --- "Honestly, I was just wondering the same thing," Carol admitted. "But if I were a fugitive in Hell who had just escaped a magically indestructible, not-so-indestructible anymore prison, I'd probably want to lay low someplace empty where there are lots of hiding places... My bet is they've headed towards Dead City. Lots of abandoned, creepy buildings and empty streets." --- Amelia sniffled then looked around, suddenly alert. Their friends! "The earthquake hit Hell. Did it hit here too? Is everyone ok? Has anyone heard from my dad?" She looked at Charles. "Do we know what caused it?" --- "Like I said before, if we are to re-awaken Eden, we need to bring your new spouses to Hell while they're still alive. Once they start to bear your children, the world itself should revert back to its former glory...The main problem we'll face is finding somewhere in Hell that is both hidden and safe." John told Adam. "Once we know where that is, I can set up spells to make it invisible to all but those who inhabit it. As well as prevent your spouses from wandering into dangerous territory. You spent centuries roaming Hell's landscape, did you ever find a place that was safe?" --- "Wise." Bianka nodded in agreement with Theron. "But if he's not here to be a friend then why has he helped so many of us already?" Larissa asked naively. --- Shezmu released his grip on Triston's arm and the banished vampire stumbled away from him gingerly without taking his eyes off of Jean. "Th-thank you! Thank you!" He said with a look that was crossed between shame and relief. Then he bolted from the hall as fast as his legs could carry him. He knew he'd have to run straight into the shade of the forest as soon as he got out of the castle to avoid the sun but at least he was being allowed to leave with his life. Shezmu watched him run with a blank expression then turned his head to give Jean a puzzled look. He tilted his head slightly, prying into Jean's memories for Tristan's crime. Then his eyebrows furrowed. "Why would you allow such a wretch to live? Why doth he deserve thy mercy?" he asked, genuinely curious to know Jean's reasoning. --- The officer opened his mouth to retort but was interrupted by shouting coming from the main next room. "Hello? H-Hello?! Are there any officers here? I need help!" The officer hesitated. He glared at the hitman for a moment but knew he was currently the only officer available to help whoever it was as the others were all out trying to get the riots under control. "Fuck." he mumbled as he stood up abruptly. At least the hitman was locked behind bars. He doubted he'd be able to get out. He hurried out of the room. From where the hitman lay, he'd hear the officer begin to greet someone then hear a bang, a grunt and a thud in quick succession. A moment later, the taxi driver who had been up to no good around the city, including narrowly escaping Lilly and her friends after they discovered a body in his trunk, half-jogged into the room with a set of keys in his hand. "You're lucky there's a riot going on right now." He told the hitman quickly. "The city's police force are all busy dealing with that." He unlocked his cell and then stepped back to let him out. The officer that had been watching him had been knocked out. His badge and ID would name him 'Henderson'.
Shadowess Posted July 28 Author Posted July 28 Denix Vames - July 12, 2024 "Your son is an adult." ,said James. "I can't imagine him finding amusement in that." --- "I'll head there right away. Just stay put. I've got the car. We can drive somewhere safe." ,said Kite. He ran past Carter and Sebastian. Carter awkwardly shifted his eyes to Alex and River. "So, any news?" --- "Then we're taking a road trip! Let's give some big spiel about good will or whatever then get drunk afterwards!" ,said Eris. --- "I'm not sure about David. I was too busy dealing with the destruction of Hell. However, I did find out that a portal caused the quake. Apparently, a boy came out of there. He was with another one like him but it would seem that there was an accident. Someone killed one of the boys and now the one that still lives is seeking revenge. I assume he's taking time to plan and get use to this place." ,said Charles. Elliot shrugged. "Sorry Amelia. Me, Vincent, and Neva have been here taking care of Oliver. Carter and Sebastian did show up so we know they're alright. But they had to leave. Other than them, I don't know about anybody else." --- Adam thought for a moment. "There is an abandoned harem. I use to stay there in order to keep safe away from everyone else. We could take that place." --- "He wants Jean to trust him. I just hope that he stays alert." ,said Theron. --- Jean's eyes widened. Surprised for a moment that he didn't understand. He turned back to face him, "Killing doesn't solve anything. Torturing and all that violence? It doesn't do anyone any good. All it does is continue a neverending cycle of pain and torment. In order to find peace, we need to use our words. To tell our stories and understand each other through that. We've all suffered in some way. Why should others suffer too? Don't we want suffering to end? That's why I was able to end the conflict between the vampires and the Steinhells. Because they know what it's like to feel that pain. To grieve those losses. We're not so different from humans. And neither are humans different from us." He suddenly smiled as his heart warmed. Giving a happy aura. "We're a family." --- The hitman smirked. He bent down near the unconscious officer. Pointing a gun at his head. "Dumb sorry copper. What do ya think? Should I put him out of his misery?"
Shadowess Posted September 27 Author Posted September 27 "But that's my point..." Damien said with a small frown. He traced his fingers over the shape of the stuffed animal's face. "He is an adult... and I missed him growing up. I missed being able to take him to a zoo. I missed being able to give him gifts and seeing his face light up. I missed it all. I don't know... I know it's stupid but... I'd like to think that getting him something like this might be a way of making up for all that lost time." He scoffed sourly and threw the teddy back into the bargain basket. "Or maybe I'm just high... C'mon, let's go then." --- Both Alex and River stopped to look at Carter when he spoke. Alex shook his head but stayed quiet. After all the times Gary had ended up mortally wounded, he'd grown some anxiety around being in a hospital. That, and every so often he'd catch himself staring at blood packs as they were being transported past the waiting room and they kept reminding him of what he used to be. Of what River could apparently be without losing his mind like he had. Meanwhile, River turned to face Carter and Sebastian with a frown. He walked over to them to tell them in a hushed voice; "He's going to lose a leg. Damien offered to make him a Devil to save it but Parker refused. I don't know where Damien is now. He left with James a few hours ago, saying something about getting stoned or drunk or whatever." He tried to hide it but he sounded a little bitter about the last part. --- "Just drive safely. There are riots all over the news." Cindy said worriedly. She was standing outside their apartment building, looking up at the ruin. Desi was standing close by, gently rocking the twin stroller to keep the babies calm. As soon as the quake had stopped his first instinct was to teleport to his sister to make sure she was ok. He'd found her out in the open, struggling to calm the twins down while also struggling to remain calm, herself. He'd run back into the crumbling building to get their stroller so that she could rest her aching arms and gave her his phone so that she could call Kite. --- "I'm definitely down for the getting drunk part!" Carol laughed. "I know this cool little place on Earth. Mostly caters to vampires but babe, you have got to try mixing their venom with liquor!" she does the chef's kiss expression. "Though I gotta admit, I'm not usually one for big speeches about being good and all that crap. That's more Amelia's shtick. I usually just throw punches and hope for the best." she shrugged with a grin. --- It was a lot of information to take in, but if it meant that she didn't have to think about Tuzo right now, then it was a welcome distraction. Amelia nodded, gently rocking Oliver in her arms to keep him snoozing while they talked. "That's awful, the poor boy..." she shook her head sadly. "Alright, at least we know Carter and Sebastian are ok. I'd like to check on my dad though. Vincent, Elliot, I know I'm asking a lot but would you mind watching Oliver for a little longer? I don't want to risk him seeing any destruction and I think he'd be safer with you two until this whole thing blows over..." she then winces and gives an awkward expression. "No pun intended..." --- John nodded. "Picture it in your mind. I'll see it and be able to teleport there to start preparation. Do you want to come with me? Or would you rather begin your search while I do that?" --- "What if he's just misunderstood?" Larissa asked naively. "You said he was ancient but you know, for a long time we all thought Blood Gods were extinct. Until X showed up and took the throne for a little while. What if he was slumbering all that time and we just all thought he was dead? I can only imagine how disorientating it would be to wake up to a completely different world and to a home filled with all new vampires." Bianka held a small smile for Larissa's words but she couldn't shake her concern. Even if she wanted to give a Blood God as old as that the benefit of the doubt, she'd still want to be wary of them. Afterall, learning the ways of the new world was not the same as choosing to adapt to them. Maintaining some caution around the Blood God would be the wise thing to do right now. She exchanged a worried glance with Theron. --- Once again, Shezmu was unaffected by Jean's aura but he seemed, for a moment, that he genuinely considered his words. He still didn't understand how words alone can be enough but if it brought an end to the centuries-long feud between vampires and Steinheils, then who was he to question it? "Thou art a curiosity of your time, Jean Poe," Shezmu commented. "I shall not pretend to understand thy logic, but I wilt attempt to open my mind to it." he nodded to him respectfully. "For now, if there is nothing else, I should like to wander these old halls of my home to find an unoccupied space that I can inhabit." He said as he turned to walk away. --- "I don't really care." The taxi driver replied simply. He was tense and constantly looking around in case the rest of the officers returned. "I would suggest that whatever you do, you do it quickly though. I was paid to make sure you escaped, I'm not being paid beyond this point so I'm out of here," he explained quickly then glanced at the hitman with a cocked eyebrow. "Unless, of course, you can afford to employ me further?" --- The champagne had long since arrived but Nate hadn't. Tom sat on the end of the hotel bed, checking his phone for messages but nothing had come through. Particularly after the earthquakes and the riots all over the news, even here in France, Tom was understandably worried. Meanwhile, Tuzo had settled into his own room and decided he needed a shower after the ordeal with Amelia. Once he was clean and feeling much fresher, he stepped out of the shower and placed a small towel around his waist. He stared at the distorted silhouette of himself in the misted mirror, wondering what he should do with his life now. Or rather, what he should do with his life once Amelia and her husband forget about him. It had become painfully clear while he'd been 'caring' for her that there was no future for him with her anymore. This left him feeling a little aimless since he'd arrived at the hotel. He didn't dare contact Raguel to make him aware he was back from Oblivion. He didn't want to go back to being his informant and with the things he'd done & learned, he didn't think Raguel would be too happy about him wandering around unchecked. So for now, he'd just have to lay low and figure out what he wanted to do. Tom's face flashed in his mind and he smiled a little to himself as he walked casually out of the little bathroom, into the bedroom. He wondered who the dark-haired stranger had been. Who knows? With some persistence and a little hypnotism, maybe he could spend a few years having some fun on Earth while he tried to stay off of Heaven & Hell's radar?
Denix Vames Posted October 13 Posted October 13 James picked up the bear and looked at it. He handed the plush back to Damien. "It's not stupid. Forget what I said. I never had a family so I'm not use to this idea. But if this is meant for your son then go ahead and get it for him." --- Carter immediately dropped to his knees and sobbed uncontrollably. Devastated and confused by the news. --- "Don't worry. I'll be fine." ,said Kite. He hung up. He soon reached the ruined apartment. He jumped out of the car and tightly hugged Cindy, "I'm so glad you're ok! How are the kids?" He turned to Desi and ran to the babies. He smiled with tears in his eyes, "Hey guys. It's your daddy. Heard you two saved your mother when you heard that noise? I'm so proud of you both." --- Eris nonchalantly waved a hand, "We'll just improvise." --- Vincent smiled. He took Oliver, "It's really not a problem. He's such a gem." Elliot pointed at himself with his thumb, "You can count on us!" --- Once Amelia and Charles had said their goodbyes, they appeared in a warehouse. It looked as though all three men were camping out at what would have been a place where some of the mafia business was once in. --- "Not yet. I'll go with you just in case. Who knows what will happen?" Adam closed his eyes. "Now, I believe it looked like this...." The harem came into his mind like a painting. --- Theron frowned, "We can be nice but we should still be careful. Would that be ok?" --- Jean nodded, "Of course. Make yourself at home." His eyes sparkled as his cheeks grew red. It would appear that he was showing such happiness because of the hope in his eyes. --- The hitman thought for a moment. After only small talk from the officer, mainly violent, he suddenly had this idea. He handed the taxi driver some money, "I'm paying you to leave. I don't care what my boss says. Don't come back." He aimed the gun at his forehead, "Or else. Is that understood?" --- Nate suddenly appeared in Tom's bedroom. He let out a sigh of exhaustion. He sat on a chair. "Sorry that I'm late. Raguel had me controlling so many parts of the world with some of my own men. Humans can be unpredictable when a natural disaster strikes."
Shadowess Posted October 19 Author Posted October 19 Damien paused to look back at James. His eyes lowered to the bear and softened. He sighed, accepting it as James handed it to him. The corner of his mouth twitch briefly into a warm smile then vanished just as quickly as he marched over to the cashier, trying to maintain whatever dignity he had left. Once paid for, he turned to James. For a moment, he averted his gaze. "It was nice to get away for a while. I'm tempted to just stay here. Part of me believes that Parker probably wouldn't miss me or he'd be better off..." he admitted while unconsciously holding the bear close to his chest and squeezing it a little. The smallest glimpse of the tender, anxious man within. "But I owe it to him to try. Maybe getting high was a mistake. I think it might be time to go back." He took a breath and lowered his arms by his sides, holding the bear by one of its arms. He brought his eyes back up to James's, a fire had re-ignited behind them. He was prepared to change if it meant that he wouldn't lose his son. "Ready?" --- Sebastian had been just as shocked by the news. Before it could truly sink in, Carter had dropped to his knees. Without hesitation, Sebastian knelt beside him and rubbed his shoulders to try to comfort him. "There was nothing we could have done to prevent it." He said to Carter gently. "The main thing now is that we're here to support him and he's going to need a lot of support." He looked up at River, trying not to focus on the remark about Damien. "Where is he now? Can we see him?" River shook his head. "He's already in surgery. I guess they couldn't wait around for too long." "How long has he been in?" "About an hour? An hour and a half-ish? It's been a little hard keeping track of the time and I don't know how long these things usually take." "Thank you, River... Is Alex ok?" Sebastian glanced over at Alex who had been tapping his foot and biting his nails anxiously. "He's been like that since we got here." "He can also hear you and speak for himself, thanks." Alex piped up irritably. "I just don't like hospitals, ok?" --- The children had been alert, wide-eyed and looking around. Cindy had been standing in front of them so that they always had a clear view of her. This seemed to keep the pair calm. The quake had spooked them both and they struggled to relax again despite Desi's rocking. Cindy had run over to hug Kite back when he'd arrived. She was still shaking from the adrenaline. She hurriedly kissed his cheek as they let go, relieved to be reunited with him after the chaos. When Kite's face appeared in front of their stroller, both babies whinged uncertainly. Simultaneously smiling from the comfort of seeing their father while their eyes watered, threatening that they might start to cry again. "It's good to see you're safe." Desi greeted him while still gently rocking the stroller. "We should get your family out of the streets. We heard glass smashing and some shouting down that way just a few minutes before you arrived," he said while warily looking around to their left, the opposite direction to where Kite had driven from. "If you have a place in mind, I could teleport us?" --- Carol grinned. "Sounds like my kind of plan. To Dead City then." She stopped walking and offered her hand to Eris, intending to jump them both straight there. "And be ready for anything." --- "Dad?" Amelia called out when they arrived. "Oh, it's you again," David replied in a curious yet relieved tone. Trying to ignore the hurt she felt from the fact that her father clearly still couldn't remember her, Amelia looked around them curiously. "Where are we? Why are you all here?" --- Nodding, John would have preferred to be with Adam when he chose his wives anyway. When he'd closed his eyes, he reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. He focussed on the image that Adam conjured and willed them both to teleport to the centre of that place. The moment they landed, he opened his eyes and looked around. It wasn't as cluttered with pillows and blankets as Adam had remembered. It was clean. Tidy. A hint of lemon-scented the air and the place looked like it had previously been occupied but the rotting apple on the dining table told John that it had since been abandoned once more. This was a relief, as the last thing they needed was to end up fighting for territory when they were so underprepared. Still, it was a large place and John wasn't ready to relax just yet. "Stay here. I'll make sure we're completely alone before I begin the spells to hide this place," he said quietly as he started to walk away. "Call for me with your mind if you see anyone but otherwise stay quiet and out of sight." --- Larissa pondered the suggestion before nodding with a wide smile. "Sounds good to me! Shall we go say hello?" "Perhaps later, Rissy," Bianka said quickly. "As you said, he's just come home from a very long nap and is likely disoriented enough. It might be best to give him time to adjust before introducing him to um... your level of... niceness." Bianka's cheeks turned a bit pink. "What's that supposed to mean?" Larissa huffed and folded her arms. "Nothing bad! It's just... you're very... what's the word I'm looking for? Enthusiastic? It might overwhelm him, Meine darling." "Fine." Larissa tutted with an eye roll. Then she grinned cheekily. "Then I shall overwhelm him enthusiastically tomorrow!" --- The way the new monarch carried himself and had addressed him left Shezmu baffled. He had returned to this home determined to take back his rightful place upon one of the thrones but it would seem much had changed since his reign. He walked calmly out of the hall as he contemplated how quickly this new king had simply talked him into avoiding violence completely. He had sensed the attempt to manipulate his emotions but, of course, such things barely affected him now. Even though he is weak from the gnawing hunger since his awakening, he was more powerful now than he had been when he'd fled to the crypt in which he spent the last few centuries in deep slumber. This was the result of several factors. His age was one. All Devils and Angels become stronger with age, even if it is only in the tiniest increments. The second factor was due to his feeding habits in the past. He had slain scores of Angels and Demons alike. Preferring their blood to mortals and devouring them until their true death in which their essence added to his own. The third factor to consider, like any Devil from his era, was the contracts he'd made mortals sign. Like Lucifer, Donnie and even at one time Damien had used whilst Shezmu had been sleeping. To strike a bargain with mortals and in return, the contract they signed would grant the Devil in question more power. Even now, after all this time, Shezmu could sense that some of his contracts were still active. Meaning the mortals that he'd bargained with long ago to include their bloodline in his pact, still had family living somewhere in the world. These mortals he would not bother and would allow them to go about their lives without intervention. Shezmu had already kept his end of those bargains and by simply keeping their bloodlines strong they were continuing to provide him with all the strength he needed. Given all this power, it would have been a simple thing for Shezmu to march in and take the throne by force. But as long as he had what he needed and was treated with the respect he deserved, why disrupt what was clearly a time of peace within his old home? And Shezmu, despite his reputation in his day, had always been a man of his word. A bitter, spiced scent hit his nose and the gnawing hunger almost caused the ancient Blood God to lose his composure. His fangs had sprouted and he took in another lungful of the smell as if savouring it. There was a Demon somewhere in this castle... and he was bleeding. Just about managing to control himself, he walked towards the source of the scent confidently. He soon found himself standing in front of a door leading to one of the homes. He sniffed the air around the door warily. One demon and no one else. Perfect. He moved to knock on the door but found himself standing on the other side of it in the blink of an eye. His hunger and longing to be in the same room as the source of the scent had caused him to teleport involuntarily. Fortunately, the Demon in the room had not noticed. He seemed to be preoccupied with the blade in his hand which he used to slowly glide across the skin of his chest, drawing blood which trickled down and mingled with the blood from other, similar cuts across his chest. The Demon's eyes were closed, though he was facing a full-length mirror and seemed to be muttering under his breath. "I deserve this. Please come back to me. I deserve this." Shezmu opened his mouth to speak but his mouth felt so dry and the smell of his blood was suffocating. In an instant, he was on him. Warren barely had time to gasp when Shezmu pinned him against the wall and sank his fangs deep into the man's neck. Warren's eyes rolled back and he immediately fell limp as a moan escaped him. He hadn't realised how thirsty he'd been until now and he lapped up the Demon's blood like a dehydrated man who had finally found the oasis in the desert. Memories shot through him, carried to his mind by Warren's blood. He felt it warm up every inch of his body. He heard Warren's heart slowing down and oh how sweet it would have been to keep going until it stopped. Until Warren's essence joined with his. But this Demon had done him no wrong. He had merely been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Using all of his willpower, Shezmu pulled his fangs out of Warren's throat then quickly bit his tongue and licked at the wound to seal it. Of all the memories Warren had unwittingly shown him, the most important to Shezmu right now had simply been this era's speech. Suddenly the way the others in the hall had spoken to him made much more sense. Lifting Warren into his arms gently, he carried him over to the couch and sat him down. The Demon's head lulled to one side and he groaned, struggling to remain conscious. "Forgive me," Shezmu said calmly. His accent had also been affected, adopting a subtle amount of Warren's Philadelphian notes. He lifted his finger to his fang to draw blood, then began tracing his bleeding finger over Warren's wounds over his chest. Each one closed up as his finger glided over them. "I had intended to introduce myself and to ask first. My hunger got the better of me. My name is Shezmu, it is a pleasure to meet you, Warren." Warren's eyes widened and he stared at Shezmu in silent fear. Seeing this, the Blood God shook his head. "I didn't mean to frighten you. Allow me to make it up to you, hmm?" he gave him a warm smile. Even his skin tone had changed from a sickly pale colour to a light, golden brown tan. Unfortunately, his new complexion had come at the cost of Warren's who had since turned several shades whiter. Shezmu looked over the man curiously then spotted the bracelet on his wrist and he smiled. "Ah! I know how I can make amends." he reached over and gripped either side of the bracelet, snapping it in two with little more than a strained grunt. "There! You are no longer restrained... though I probably should have asked why you were restrained first but I assume it has something to do with this?" he lightly tapped Warren's chest with his finger. "Why were you mutilating yourself, anyway?" "P-Punishment... I-I Deserve it." Warren stammered weakly. "I understand..." Shezmu nodded. "Y-you do?" "Oh, yes. I once knew some monks who would whip themselves raw for their transgressions. This is no different." Warren blinked at the strange Blood God and sat up slightly. "Everyone else treats me like I'm mad." "Is that why they bound you?" Warren nodded then glanced at the door. "I can't leave. They're always watching me so I can't risk being followed. But I need to know that my family is safe..." he looked at Shezmu pleadingly. "Please, would you find them for me? and let me know if they're safe?" Shezmu contemplated this. Of course, he'd seen who this family was from his memories. Warren's last memory of seeing his family was of them trying to escape the Angel's ambush in his old apartment building. He had no idea what had become of Donnie, Insanity or Sam. "And if I do this for you, what would be in it for me?" He asked finally. He knew a contract was out of the question. Warren had already signed away his soul to Donnie and Insanity. Though, neither of them knew yet that Donnie had been destroyed which rendered all contracts he'd drawn up, to now be null and void. "I don't have anything to give." Warren despaired as he stared at Shezmu. "Don't you?" The Blood God smirked and brought his fingers up to caress the Demon's throat. "The new King here informs me that the vampiric community is restricted to animal blood but my tastes are a little more... refined. I once had my own consorts. Willing thralls who would offer their blood to me whenever I grew hungry. It kept me sated then, it can keep me sated now." "Con-consorts?" Warren repeated apprehensively. "In a sense." Shezmu shrugged. "What you do with your body is still your choice, it is only your blood that I am interested in. Now, do we have a deal?" Warren hesitated as he weighed up his options but seeing as there wasn't much to weigh, he nodded. "Yes, yeah, ok, just please find my family?" "Of course. In a moment. First, we must seal our deal. Close your eyes, my tortured one." Eyeing him warily, Warren reluctantly closed his eyes. Once closed, Shezmu re-opened the tiny wound on his finger with his fang then squeezed a couple of drops onto Warren's lips. Warren had jumped a little and recoiled but Shezmu was already done and had stood up. Having been open slightly, a droplet of blood had slipped between Warren's lips and touched the tip of his tongue, sending a brief but powerful, almost electrical jolt of pleasure through him. He couldn't help but lick the rest off his lips and his eyes snapped open to stare up at the Blood God. "What was that?" "My blood. Without venom, a large dose would kill you. Venom and a large dose would turn you. Venom and a small dose binds you to me... for a short while." "I... wait, no. I read up on vampires from those ADIEU bastards. There's no mention of-" "It is an old trick. Primarily used by Blood Gods, though a vampire could pull it off if they wanted." Shezmu explained tiredly then turned away from Warren. "A deal is a deal. I will return when I have news of your family." he vanished. His first intention was to seek out Insanity as he had been Warren's main concern when Shezmu had briefly seen into his mind. --- "He'll kill you for this. You know that, right?" The taxi driver said darkly as he stared down the barrel of the gun into the hitman's eyes. "Look, I can't just leave. I have business in this city, same as you." he lifted the wad of cash that the hitman had just given him. "So, I propose we work together. I have contacts, access to weapons, drugs, vampire and werewolf venom, anything you need. After all, you've already paid me. So, what exactly is it that you need here?" --- "I was starting to worry." Tom moved over to hug Nate as soon as he'd arrived. He sat in the chair opposite and poured a glass of wine for him. "There's been riots all over the news. What happened? Are you allowed to talk about it?"
Denix Vames Posted October 21 Posted October 21 James laid a hand on his shoulder so that he could teleport with him. He nodded, "Ready." --- Despite Sebastian's words and the small talk, Carter couldn't look at anyone. It felt like he had let his own son down. Even though Parker wasn't related to him, he still saw him as his own kid. He wanted to scream and curse at the top of his lungs so badly. If it weren't for where he was, he probably would have. All this chaos and the times when he nearly lost his friends just made his heart sink further. Carter uttered, "I'm tired..." --- Kite shook his head, "I really don't know any place. Sorry. Maybe one of you guys know a place?" --- Eris took her hand, "I was born ready!" --- "It was the safest place. We....don't know if the boss is ok. We're just trying to keep our hopes up. This was where we use to make deals here." ,said Bern. --- Adam winked, "Sure thing. I'll go hit the hay until then." He decided to look around for a cozy spot. --- Theron turned away, "I don't know about that. He didn't seem happy when Jean was being nice." --- Insanity was sleeping on Abaddon's chest who was strapped to the bed and asleep as well. As soon as he felt someone's presence, Insanity woke up. He glared at the person before him and didn't care if he was wounded. He forced himself to fly up despite the broken wing, "Get away from my friend!" Yet, his broken wing gave up on him. Hitting the floor, tears dripped down his cheeks. "He's all I have. Donnie is gone. I know it. I felt it when it happened." He looked up, "Go ahead and kill me. I have nothing." --- The hitman let out a frustrated groan, "Don't you get it?! That's your job! To leave me alone! I don't care if I die! Go ahead and keep going about your business! Just leave me here!" He put his gun away and picked up the police officer. Holding him in his arms, "I've been in this line of work for too long. Ain't got no reason to keep doing it anymore. So, he could shoot me in the head for all I care. At least, he'd be putting me out of my misery." He moved the officer to the break room where he set him on the couch. --- Nate nonchalantly waved his hand, "All in a day's work. You would not believe the amount of people I've had to kill." He rolled his eyes, "Humans can be so dramatic sometimes. And there's this weird kid from another dimension who's hellbent on destruction. Apparently, his boyfriend got killed by one of ours. At least that's what I've heard. Now, he's pissed off. Can't blame him though. So be wary of him. He's got glowing green eyes and a whole lot of power."
Shadowess Posted October 21 Author Posted October 21 Sebastian turned his head to look worriedly at Carter. Given his history of depression and suicidal tendencies, the statement that he'd come out with was alarming. Sebastian's heart ached. He'd truly hoped they were past this but it seemed such an affliction wasn't easily cured. "Carter, look at me," he said gently while cupping his chin. "It will be alright. He's strong but he only got like that from looking up to you. Do you hear me? You're his role model. and he's going to need you to be strong for him now more than ever." At that moment, both James and Damien teleported into the room next to them. Among the chaos and commotion of the hospital, their sudden appearance went almost completely unnoticed. What did not go unnoticed by everyone in the group was the combined smell of liquor and weed on the pair. If that hadn't been enough of a giveaway, Damien's reddened eyes would be. He gripped the bear tightly and looked around at them all. "Any news yet?" he asked, then his eyes landed on Carter. Both he and Sebastian exchanged a worried glance. It had barely been 24 hours since Damien had attempted to leave the country to spare Carter from his withdrawal. Now he was standing in the same room, likely as Carter's cravings would be beginning to peak. "Damien-" Sebastian began in a warning tone. "Don't worry." Damien cut him off and gave Carter a stern glare. "I'm not weak anymore." he showed them his wrist, now free of the bracelet that had rendered him powerless. "I can defend myself, if necessary." --- "My old-?" Desi began and Cindy cut him off. "Oh no! We're not taking the children there! The smell alone..." she shivered. "I'm fairly sure the previous squatters cleaned it thoroughly before moving in but I take your point. Hell isn't exactly safe for children as it is." He relented with a chuckle then scratched his head as he thought. "We could visit your friends in that mansion? See if they're in a position to provide refuge? Or I could ask Blaire if she wouldn't mind us popping in for a little while until we can figure something else out?" --- Eris took her hand, "I was born ready!" In an instant, Carol and Eris were standing in the heart of Dead City. Abandoned buildings towered around them. The only thing they could see behind each window and down every alley was suppressing darkness. Silence. Aside from their own footsteps, the entire area was utterly soundless. Carol gave Eris an uneasy look, then a nervous smile. They would need to venture into the lightless buildings to expand their search. --- "It seems everyone is having a hard time right now. How are you though? Are you hurt?" Amelia asked, looking at each of them but resting her eyes on her father. "I had a couple of scratches but they healed up within seconds... perks of being a Demon, I guess." David shrugged. "Right... I keep forgetting this is practically new to you all over again." Amelia nodded. "How would you like to put your new skills to use? We could really use your help." "What do you need?" David asked curiously while taking his hands out of his pockets. "You too. May as well gather as many Demon hands as we can." Amelia added while glancing over at Bern. "For starters, let's check up on your boss. It's the least I can do for him taking my dad in while he's... um..." "Forgetful? An amnesiac?" David asked with an amused smirk. "Yeah... then we need to work with the Angels to help mortals as well as search for a way to close the portal. Charles and I will go and meet up with Raguel to come up with a plan that utilizes both our forces. The more ground we cover, the better." she looked at Charles to see if he was on board with her idea. "Portal?" "Oh right, you don't know. A large portal from another dimension opened up. That's what caused the quakes. Those quakes have hit Heaven and Hell too, by the way. There's this boy that might be linked to how it opened. We need to find him but until we know more I wouldn't recommend confronting him. We need to come to an agreement with Heaven on how he will be handled once we find him." "I'm sorry, did you just say 'another dimension'??" David looked between them, wondering if this was some kind of joke. Amelia frowned and nodded. "You um... this wouldn't be the first and... you were there for that one." "I was?! Did I meet an Alien?!" David seemed equally shocked and excited. --- It took several minutes. The building was larger than John had initially assumed. But the more he explored, the more it seemed perfect as a little hidden kingdom. Their own secret paradise, concealed from enemy eyes. A home. He found no occupants but curiously he found some blueprints that included two rooms with no doors or windows. Their only access would be to teleport in and out. He checked those too and found nothing but some old splattered blood on the floor in one and a large glyph painted across the floor in the other. Both rooms were perfectly circular. Perhaps, after some time, he could re-purpose these rooms as prisons for trespassers or rule breakers? An idea to revisit later. For now, having explored every inch of the grounds, gardens, and rooms, John was content that they were completely alone. He rummaged through various drawers and cupboards until he found the supplies he would need for his spells. He then set about spending the next few hours carving small glyphs into the marble bricks around the grounds and rooms while chanting under his breath. The spells he was weaving were complex and required his full concentration but once he was done, not only would living mortals be unable to leave but not a single soul, Angel, Demon, or Devil be able to locate or even see this compound from the outside. Not unless Adam or John personally teleported them in, at least. --- "Maybe he's just hangry?" Larissa suggested "Is that how the young ones say it now? he's just woken up and he's a Blood God. He probably just needs a deer or two and he will be fine." "Ay! Larissa, you are so innocent sometimes, you know this?" Bianka chuckled and bent to kiss her forehead. "Please don't change." --- "So, the other is gone then?" Shezmu asked. Though he masked it well, this had interested him. Perhaps he could convince Warren to sign his contract after all? He gave no interest to Insanity's pain nor his grief. Simply here to fulfill his end of the bargain. "Warren will grieve this news but it is you that he held most dear in his heart," he said as he gestured to Insanity then hesitated at his current form. "Though he may be shocked by your... change. He asked me to find his family. To confirm you are all safe." he glanced at the Abaddon on the bed. "Unless he has changed as drastically as yourself, I am inclined to assume that this is not Sam? Where is the troublesome son?" --- "You'll be burned." The taxi driver commented quietly. Of course, he didn't mean a literal burn. He meant that a hit would be put out on the hitman for trying to leave his job. After all, he'd seen, heard, and done too much to simply be let loose. The driver backed away from him. "Fine. If you want to throw your life away? Be my guest. I'm getting out of here." he said before hurrying out of the building. He wasn't just running to get away from the hitman. He was running to the radio in his taxi, to report what the hitman had told him to their bosses. The hitman said he was paying him to leave, but he didn't mention anything about keeping his mouth shut. --- "Easy, I used to be human, you know." Tom chuckled. "Stay away from the freaky green-eyed kid from another dimension, got it," he added with a nod. "That's awful though. I wonder why they came here?" He poured himself a glass of wine and took a sip. "Mmm, it's good... it's not your blood though," he smirked.
Denix Vames Posted October 22 Posted October 22 Carter sighed. He stood, "Don't bother giving that look. I could care less about your blood. Parker made me realize that. All I want is to be there for him when he wakes up." He wiped the tears from his eyes. With a small smile, he nodded at the bear. "You're gonna outdo me on comforting the guy." James awkwardly looked around. Still not used to emotional moments like these. --- "The mansion then. It's got to be standing still." ,said Kite. --- Eris raised a brow at the sight of a grey hoodie. She crept up over until she found a depressed teenager flicking at rocks and drawing on the dirt. It was Sam with red eyes from all the crying he had done. He didn't recognize Eris but his eyes slightly moved at the sight of Carol. "Oh hey. Here to torture me some more? Go ahead. It's not like it matters. Nothing matters." Eris placed a hand on her hip, "Geez! Talk about mister Debbie Downer." --- Bern suddenly shouted, "Shut up!" There was heartbreak in his voice. He was pissed that David had forgotten everything. Even if it wasn't his fault, he still couldn't move past this. He turned away from everyone. "I'm going to stay here. I want everybody to just leave me alone." Charles said, "I get it but this is no time to be letting our emotions get the best of us. We need to help everyone." Bern's eyes suddenly glowed, "Just leave." --- Adam hugged his knees. He found himself thinking back to what he did before. What he once was. He couldn't help it but cry. --- Feeling as though he couldn't convince her, Theron stepped to the door. "I need to go to my room. I'll see you later." --- "Warren...." Insanity shook his head, "Sam isn't the son I had hoped for. No doubt he's lost in Hell. I disowned him after his charade. Yet, I am starting to see that I was no better than him." He nodded at the person on the bed, "This was once Abaddon. Another Devil like him had taken his powers. He doesn't even remember who he is. I...don't want to leave him. I'm afraid he'll do something drastic. Please tell Warren that I am alright. I will see him again once I have recovered." --- The hitman had shot the taxi driver in the back of the head before he had a chance to push the button on the radio. He watched him drop dead before heading back into the department. He threw cold water at the officer's face, "Wake up! I've got some info for ya." He leaned against the desk as if he was a friend. Casual and unarmed since he had put his gun aside. --- Nate smiled a little at Tom's remark but soon frowned. "I don't know why but I'm kind of worried for the kid. I know what it's like to nearly lose someone you love. But to lose that person? To watch them die? I know what it's like to suffer. I don't want him to think that he's stuck with assholes. I doubt he'd give me a minute to say anything though."
Shadowess Posted October 22 Author Posted October 22 Damien took a moment to gauge whether Carter was being sincere or trying to distract him. Then his eyes softened a little and he broke into a small smile as he looked down at the bear in his hands. "It isn't much... I don't even know if he'd like things like this." "You lot really need to stop getting into trouble" Nurse May said upon walking into the waiting room to see a lot of familiar faces. "Are you all here for Parker?" she asked, looking around at them. "Yes, is he ok?" River asked, beating Alex to the punch as he'd also opened his mouth to speak. "He'll need a lot of support but he'll be fine and is expected to make a full recovery. He's just being taken back to his room at the moment and made comfortable. You'll be able to visit him soon but not all of you at once." she sighed, giving them all a sympathetic look. "I'm really sorry and I know I'm going to be asking a lot, but I need to ask that only a couple of you stay here to visit. The rest of you need to either go home or go somewhere safe." She glanced around at the chaos. "We're overwhelmed and simply don't have the room to accommodate full families of visitors. Not while we have so many patients and barely enough room for them as it is and even more coming in by the minute." She sighed and glanced around. "I'll give go and give you five minutes to decide who should stay and who should go. Then I'll come back to take whoever is staying to Parker's room to wait for him to wake up." with that, she hurried off to help other people. Alex and River looked at each other anxiously before looking at the others. Both wanted to stay but knew who Parker would want to see most upon waking up. "I think Carter should stay here. He's closest to Parker." River said. Alex nodded in agreement. "I can teleport me and the rest of us somewhere. We can always take it in turns to come back and see him." "I'm staying too," Damien added resolutely. "I owe it to him to be here now." Sebastian hugged Carter. "Be strong for him and take as much time as you need." --- Astonishingly, it was still standing. Desi teleported the five of them to the little courtyard outside the mansion to find that not a single pebble was out of place. Yet houses on either side had some level of destruction to them. "How?" Desi gasped in astonishment. "Ricky used to do shady deals with Demons and Rickster was literally a magician. I don't think it takes a genius to work out they used spells." Cindy commented. "Ah yes, I keep forgetting." Desi turned to look into the stroller. Both babies had fallen asleep and hadn't been disturbed by their sudden teleportation. "Aww, little blessings. Asleep at last," he commented as he started pushing the stroller up to the front door. Cindy rang the doorbell. --- Carol had been on high alert and ready for a fight as Eris approached the hooded figure. Then she saw his face and her guard faltered. She didn't care about the remark. She was simply relieved to see the boy alive and safe. This was evident as she marched up to him to pull him into a tight hug. "You matter," she said in a firm but gentle tone. As she let him go she faked clearing her throat and fidgeted on her feet awkwardly. "You tell anyone I hugged you and I will torture you, though." she bantered while looking around. "What happened? Are you alone here?" --- Amelia's and David's eyes snapped to Bern when he shouted. Mon, who had been quietly staring at the ground until this point reached over and placed a hand on his knee. "Bern, we gotta help the boss..." he said in a broken, tired voice. David sighed, unsure of what Bern's problem was. He'd sensed a strain when he'd tried talking to them on their own earlier but didn't know it was because he'd lost his memories. He looked back at Amelia and Charles. "Well, I'm in. You said you're my daughter and I wouldn't be much of a father if I let you wander into danger unsupervised." he chuckled. --- It had taken a few hours, a lot of patience and some headache inducing complext spells. But finally, John was done and the relief was immeasurable. Safe at last. He decided to look around properly and check up on Adam. When he finally found him, his heart ached to see him so upset. He rushed over to his on the edge of his bed. "Adam? What's wrong?" --- Shezmu stared at the Devil on the bed for a moment before turning to nod at Insanity. "I will deliver your message and find Sam. But first, tell me more about this Devil who can steal powers from others," he asked as he knelt down to give him his full attention. The news of a Devil that could potentially strip him of his power was a clear threat that Shezmu would not be able to ignore. He would need to learn more and, for now, be cautious not to cross paths with such a creature. --- The taxi's horn honked continually as the driver's body fell against it. The radio was still in his limp, hanging hand. Blood pooled around him, slowly dripping its way down his arm, over the radio and down his fingertips to drip onto the floor. "What the fuck?... WHAT THE FUCK?!" he screamed. He was standing just outside his vehicle, staring at his lifeless body. At his blood that had sprayed across his windscreen and the hole in the back of his head. "Am I dreaming?!" "No. You are quite dead." A voice came from his left and he jumped to look at the dark-haired man. Azreal was usually gentle with new souls but for this one, he glared dangerously. "D-dead? Shit! You're going to take me to hell, aren't you?" The driver panicked. "I know about your kind! I-" "I know your crimes." Azrael interrupted him. His tone was acidic. "Your affiliations with the humans who would treat other species as test subjects. Ordinarily, I wouldn't involve myself. It's forbidden, you see. We of the Realm of Death must maintain balance above all. But you. You." he growled. "You are a special case. You have sinned against the Realm of Death and for this, you will be brought to him for judgement." "Who? How the fuck did I do anything to the realm of the dead?!" Without another word, Azrael gripped the driver roughly by his shirt and teleported them both to Death's throne room where he threw him to the ground and stood aside. The driver looked up shakily. He didn't recognise Death, nor any of the servants going about their normal duties in the background. But Lilly. The raven-haired girl sitting by one of the high gothic windows, who's eyes widened at the sight of him. He'd met her and her friends on Earth briefly. Just before the earthquake had hit. They'd found a body in his trunk and he'd struck her across the face for not minding her business. When he realised she was a necromancer he'd fled the scene, knowing he was outmatched. But he'd reported her last known location on Earth to a very eager, very malicious organisation. "Oh fuck..." he muttered as he looked from Lilly to Azrael and then to Death so was obviously the most powerful person here given the look of the throne he was seated in. "I- I didn't know she was one of you." He started but deep down, he knew it wouldn't have mattered if he had. "Please, I didn't know. It was just a job!" "Sire, this wretch is known as Kyle Rothers. He spent his life selling drugs, weapons and people to the highest bidders. He sold the names and locations of various supernatural beings to agencies including but not limited to ADIEU. More relevantly, he not only assaulted your daughter but sold information about her to said organisation." Azrael informed Death while reading from his book. He then looked up and saw Lilly's pale face and the news that ADIEU might go looking for her at Storm's home. Putting Bob and the others in imminent danger. "I have already sent word to some Angels to keep an eye on your friends," he added to reassure her. --- Officer Henderson awoke with a start and jumped to see the hitman out of his cell and standing very casually in front of him. He eyed him and the gun warily. "W-why? Weren't you trying to kill us before? Why now?" he asked, confused. He heard the blaring sound of a car horn outside but he didn't dare take his eyes off the hitman. He didn't like this. He felt like he was being toyed with. --- Tom frowned and placed his glass back on the table. He got up and walked over to sit on his lap. Lifting his fingers, he gently brushed some of his hair from his eyes. "Oh, Nate. All we can do is try," he said softly. "And we must try. We must believe that there is good in people. He's just a boy. He's probably feeling lost in our world... sure, he might be angry but maybe he just needs someone to talk him around. To help him process his grief." He brushed his lips against his cheek. "Just promise me you'll be careful if you see him? Promise that you'll come back to me."
Denix Vames Posted October 22 Posted October 22 Carter lingered on to the hug before nodding, "I'll be sure to give myself a break when I need it." He kissed him. He turned to Damien, "Guess we should head there now. Don't want to disappoint him." James stepped in, "I could guard his room in case anything should happen." --- Ricky opened the door. He was surprised to find a whole family in front of him. It was especially awkward since he had history with both Kite and Cindy. He frowned. Feeling guilt and shame for what he had done to them. Kite spoke, "We need some shelter. If-" "No need to ask. You deserve this home more than I do." He placed a hand on his shoulder, "Don't say that. I know you weren't great before but you've clearly changed. It's alright now." --- Surprised by her affection, he flustered. Sam nodded though when she said her casual threat. "I'm all alone. I thought I deserved it so I've been keeping myself away from everyone." Eris looked around, "I don't know. You might think you're alone but what if someone is hiding?" "I didn't really think about that before. I was too caught up in my own thoughts to notice." --- Bern took a deep breath. He turned to Mon, "Ok. I just hope everyone's safe." Charles couldn't help but feel hurt too. Yet, he had to put it all aside in order to do his duties. --- "I've just been thinking about the past, ya know? I can't seem to stop remembering what happened to me. I just want to be ok." ,said Adam. --- "The King of Hell has already imprisoned him. If you wish to know how he looks like though, he appears to be a Devil with everything colored red. He has antlers, a wicked smiled, and wide eyes." ,said Insanity. --- Death glared. He stood from his throne and walked down the stairs without ever having taken his eyes off of him. "You pathetic mortal. Using innocent creatures to benefit you in any way? It sickens me!" He grabbed Kyle by the throat. Death's eyes glowed, "I ought to throw you into the pits of Hell myself!" --- The hitman flustered. He quickly turned away, "Don't read into it too much. It's an Australian thing. Anyways, I know where my boss is at. When your copper friends are done taking care of the city, you lot can head over there. I'm warning you though, that business deals with selling supernatural creatures aside from the usual crimes. So be wary." He bit his lip, "And....if it's ok with you. I'm coming with. Wouldn't want you pigs to get lost." --- "Of course I will. I always will. No matter what happens." ,said Nate. He kissed him.
Shadowess Posted October 26 Author Posted October 26 Damien turned to James and gave him a thankful smile. "I appreciate it. Probably best for you to stand just outside the door." he sadi with a nod. Reluctantly, Sebastian left with River and Alex who walked out of the hospital casually until they were sure they wouldn't be noticed as River teleported them all to his home to wait. When Nurse May returned, Damien explained that only he and Carter would be going into the room while James stood guard. She was apprehensive but nodded. "Fine. I believe his boyfriend is already in there as we speak so it'll be a bit of a squeeze," she said before leading them to Parker's room. Parker would still be sleeping when they'd arrive. Covered by a blanket so as not to alarm him when he'd wake up, though the space under his knee was noticeably flat. --- "You're on the Redemption Programme. That to me is proof enough that you're making the right kind of changes." Cindy added. "I forgive you." "Now that we're all friends, let's get these little ones inside where it's warmer, hmm?" Desi chimed in as he lifted the stroller over the threshold and into the foyer. --- Mon stood. He'd heard about the looting and riots going on so he took his gun from its holster to make sure it was definitely loaded before replacing it. "I'm ready. I'm going too," he said resolutely. "Alright then, let's go," Amelia said as she held out her hands to take David's in one and Charles's in the other. David, being barely familiar with teleportation anymore, followed her lead and reached out a hand to Mon who took it. Mon then reached his free hand for Bern's. --- John watched Adam carefully for a moment. As eager as he was to create the new Eden, it wouldn't do their little paradise any good if their King was in mental anguish. "Do... do you want to tell me about it?" he suggested. --- This Devil didn't sound familiar to Shezmu but he committed the description to memory in case he were to run into him. Even if he was imprisoned now, there's no telling what the future holds. "Thank you, strange little one," he said with a nod and straightened up. "I will find Sam and deliver your message to Warren." He glanced back at Abbadon. He hadn't known this Devil either but he'd heard of him. To see such a champion of violence stricken to mortality was both unnerving and concerning. He needed to think of a way to destroy this red devil without risking his own power in the process. He could not allow himself to suffer the same fate as this one. "Farewell to you both. May his recovery be swift," he said before turning away from them and vanishing. --- Carol glanced around warily. "Dammit, we can't leave until our task is done. There's too much at stake," she said quietly. "And I'm not even sure where we could take you that's safe anyway... You're kind of a fugitive." she looked back at Sam and shrugged. "Look, just stay close by, ok? And do as we say. If we tell you to be quiet and hide, you do it. There are way stronger, more violent Demons on the loose after the cells collapsed. Once we've done what we came here to do we'll see if we can convince Amelia and Charles to grant you a pardon. You might have to go onto the Redemption Programme for a while." "The boy is old enough to be a soldier. Sheltering him would only make him soft." Shezmu's voice and sudden appearance had made Carol jump. She whirled around, taking up a defensive stance. "Stay behind me, kiddo," she warned Sam. "You needn't fear me. I am merely here to keep my word." "And what word would that be?" "I was sent by Warren to confirm his family's safety." He explained calmly then lowered his eyes to Sam. --- "N-no, no, no!" Kyle choked while tightly gripping Death's arm. "Y-you don't need to do that! M-maybe we can come to some kind of arrangement? I-I could work for you? Yeah! I'll work for you! Look, I'm really good at finding things. Valuable things. Rare things. Even people! You put me back on Earth and I could be your personal delivery boy! How does that sound, eh?" he bargained desperately. Barely able to contain his fear as he tried to give Death his best salesman smile. --- Henderson didn't understand how this man's sudden change of heart was an Australian thing but he wasn't about to argue with a professional killer. That was until the hitman said he wanted to go with them to confront his boss. "Oh no, if we're doing this we're doing it by the book. Which means we need to book and process you properly then get your statement. Then you sit and wait in a cell where it's safe while our guys raid your boss's place. Then we can talk about a deal in return for you testifying against your boss in court." Henderson said sternly, surprising himself that he'd managed to find his voice despite his predicament. --- Tom held on to his kiss for as long as he could. "Well, before you fly off to save this boy, let's make the most of tonight." he kissed his cheek. "We could go out and make a date of it. I hear there's going to be an opera at the theatre across town. Lots of private booths." he smirked playfully. "Or we can stay in and simply enjoy each other's company. Or do something else. What do you think?"
Denix Vames Posted October 26 Posted October 26 Will had been silently crying. Doing his best to stay quiet so that Parker could sleep soundly. He never took his eyes off of Parker even when he sensed his friends presence. Carter clenched his fists at the sight of Parker. James stood outside by the door and nodded at Nurse May, "Don't worry ma'am. I can assure you that I will be silent. Should you need me, you may give me any order." --- Ricky smiled at her words. He stepped back to give everyone a clear path inside. "We've got plenty here. Pick any room you want." --- Bern looked at Mon before taking his hand and nodding. --- Adam shrugged, "There's not much to tell except for the fact that me and Eve were being stupid. But you already knew that. Everybody does. Eve....I hope she's ok. I haven't seen her. I don't remember what happened to her after I was taken. Maybe we could find her? She's still a friend to me despite everything." --- Insanity cocked his head, "Strange but friendly." --- Sam awkwardly looked down, "He shouldn't be. It's pointless. I've disappointed everyone. Even myself. I'm no good to anybody. Just tell Warren he should focus on his own problems." Eris placed a hand on his shoulder, "Whether you like it or not, he sees you as family even though you were terrible to him. Finding out if you're ok is his problem. You don't seem like the same boy that you were before. You can go to him. Be a better friend." Sam thought about it before gasping, "Dariel! My boyfriend! He's probably lost in Hell. We need to find him before I leave!" --- Death threw him to the floor. He raised his hands. Casting his dark aura to enter through Kyle like a thousand knives. Slowly but surely making him suffer. All while glaring at him. --- The hitman groaned, "You don't get it! You coppers may have guns but these are skilled killers! That's why you need me there!" --- "I think an opera would be nice. It has been a while since I've visited a performance like that." ,said Nate. He cupped his chin, "You could be my handsome prince. The two of us pretending that we're royalty just for fun."
Shadowess Posted October 26 Author Posted October 26 For a long moment, Damien stood silently to one side. His eyes were wide as he stared at his son. He was feeling a mixture of emotions that were all new to him and he could barely fathom it in this moment. Was he angry? upset? Did he want to cry or punch the wall? He did none of these. In fact, he was practically frozen to the spot but hearing Carter's knuckles cracking somewhat brought him out of his stupor. He blinked and briefly looked around the room as he blinked back tears before stepping forward to gently place the stuffed bear in the nook of Parker's arm. He then stepped back and looked at Will. Giving him a sympathetic look as he lifted his hand to give his shoulder a comforting squeeze. He didn't speak. Fearful that if he opened his mouth to do so his emotions would erupt out of him in the form of a scream. Nurse May was caught offguard by James's comment and she flustered. Even blushing a little. "Um I- thank you." she said, not knowing how else to respond as she hurried off to see to other patients. --- "Desi!" Oscar half jogged down the stairs to greet them. "It's good to see you and your family are safe!" He bent down a little to smile at the sleeping twins. "And who are these cuties?" "Ricky, we really should talk security," Atma said as she also entered the room. "The spells you had on the place kept it secure but what about the riots? What if those reach our doors-?" she paused at the sight of the little family. "Oh, hello!" --- Mentally preparing themselves for anything, Amelia teleported them all to Salvo's location. --- "Is this in relation to the Forbidden Fruit?" John asked, curious. "We could try to find her and make her part of our new paradise?" he suggested. --- "Leave the boy in my care," Shezmu said. "I can help him locate his lover and deliver them both to Warren." "And why should we trust you? You're basically a stranger!" Carol argued, moving to stand in front of Sam defensively. "How do I know you're not sent here to destroy him? You'd say anything to get him alone!" "My dear girl, if I had wanted you all dead then you already would be. Alas, I am demonstrating a profound amount of restraint given that I am still famished from my centuries-long slumber." his eyes flashed red for a moment and chills ran up Carol's spine. "No! We'll take him to Warren and we'll find Dariel. You can go back to whatever tomb you crawled out from!" "You are trying my patience, woman," Shezmu growled. --- Kyle hit the floor and before he could even catch his breath the pain shot through his every vein, bone and muscle. He writhed, screaming in agony. His wide eyes stared up at Death who was blurred and obscured through his tears. Azrael did not react nor move. He felt this act was completely justifiable given the man's crimes. Lilly couldn't help but sit up in her chair. It was difficult for her to watch and she wasn't sure how to feel about what was happening. She, like Azrael, felt that this was justified. But she also found herself fascinated by Death's strength. Would she be able to learn to do this one day? Would she be as powerful as he is? "Stop! Make it stop!" Kyle screamed. "For fucks sake! What do you want from me?! I'll do anything! Just stop!" --- Henderson faltered. This wasn't exactly normal circumstances and it wasn't like he had anyone else here to back him up. That and he was an unarmed man against a clearly armed hitman. "Alright, alright." He said gently with his hands up a little. Trying to diffuse the situation. Worried that he might antagonise the man into taking his frustrations out on him. "Look, I can't promise anything. This is... a little out of my area of expertise..." Understatement of the year. "Let's just wait for my colleagues to get back and then we can discuss this with my boss, ok?" --- Tom grinned, excited by the idea. "I'd like that." he purred. "Let's get dressed up for it." he jumped up excitedly and hurried over to the wardrobe. Opening it up to look at their options.
Denix Vames Posted October 26 Posted October 26 Will glanced at Damien and Carter. He gave a slight nod. Acknowledging their comfort before returning his gaze to Parker. James was puzzled by Nurse May's behavior. He figured anyone would love to have a soldier by their side who would take orders. --- Ricky rolled his eyes, "You worry too much Atma. We've got plenty of powers to protect this place." --- Salvo, looking old as he would be expected in the present, was being helped by his boyfriend. Taking him to the couch. Bern's eyes widened, "Boss?" Salvo gave a smile, "It's good to see that everyone is alright." Charles raised a brow, "What happened? Why are you-?" "Old? I couldn't let the house be destroyed. I didn't want anyone to die so I used all my powers to save this place. The power that kept me young for so long, I gave it to this home so that it would stand against the earthquake. Thankfully, it seems to have worked." The merman frowned. He looked at Salvo now with worry and fear. Concerned that at any minute, he would suddenly drop dead considering his age. --- Adam nodded, "I'd like that. She should have a place where she can be safe. Where she can be free. I want her to be ok." --- Sam walked over. Standing between the women and Shezmu, "It's alright guys. I think he's telling the truth. I'm an asshole so I know he's just a guy trying to do his job. He's being nice despite what he could have done. And I'm using the word nice loosely." He stood next to him. "We can leave now." Eris said, "Are you sure?" Sam nodded, "Trust me. I got this." --- Death uttered, "You don't deserve a life or an afterlife." He raised his hand. Forcing Kyle's soul to enter his mouth as he consumed all of it. Ceasing Kyle from existence. --- The hitman slammed his hand on the counter, "Why can't you see that I'm doing this for you?!" He immediately covered his mouth as his face went red. Embarrassed, he grabbed his gun and jumped out the window. Running far from the department. --- Nate stood behind him. Looking at the clothes, "What do you think? Black is usually traditional but we can still make it a bit different."
Shadowess Posted October 29 Author Posted October 29 It was a tense awkward and emotional wait. But after several minutes, Parker's eyebrows furrowed and he groaned a little. His head turned slightly to one side as he began to stir. The sound broke the silence and Damien couldn't help but let out a quiet gasp as he stared at his son. His heart was pounding, knowing that his awakening and coming to terms with his loss would be harder to bear than the wait had been. - "FUCKING USELESS!" a man could be heard shouting further down the corridor. "I've been waiting for hours! When is someone going to help ME?!" Outwardly, there didn't appear to be anything wrong with the man aside from a few scratches and bruises. "Sir, we are doing the best we can given the circumstances but right now there are other patients-" Nurse May tried to calm the man down but he shouted over her, his reddened face getting in hers in a threatening way. "I WAS HERE BEFORE HALF THESE PEOPLE! WHAT EXACTLY DO I PAY INSURANCE FOR IF YOU'RE GOING TO PUT EVERY BUM AND SALLY SOB STORY BEFORE YOUR PAYING CUSTOMERS ANYWAY?!" It was clear by her red cheeks and the slight shake in her voice that May was becoming flustered by the altercation but she maintained a professionally stern approach. "Patients are seen depending on the severity of their needs, Mr Mitchell and our team are stretched thin due to the volume of patients that we currently have!-" "THAT'S NOT MY FAULT THOUGH, IS IT?! STOP COMING UP WITH EXCUSES, DO YOUR FUCKING JOB AND GET A DOCTOR TO TAKE A LOOK AT ME NOW OR I'LL SUE YOU AND YOUR HOSPITAL INTO THE FUCKING GROUND!" "I would strongly suggest that you lower your voice, sir or you will be removed from the premises!" "YOU WANT TO KICK ME OUT? GO ON THEN. DO IT. I DARE YOU TO FUCKING TRY KICKING ME OUT. THINK I WON'T HIT A GIRL? FUCKING TRY IT!" He moved towards her threateningly, forcing her to take a couple of steps back while continually shouting in her face "TRY IT! TRY IT! GO ON! NOT SO TOUGH NOW, EH?!" --- "Didn't I tell you those spells would come in handy?" Rickster's voice came from the open doorway. He was leaning against the frame and giving Ricky a warm smile. Oscar straightened up, looking at him in surprise then looked at Ricky to see his reaction. Atma had also lost her train of thought, being caught so off-guard by Rickster's sudden return from Heaven. "Though I have to admit, our dear friend here," he gestured to Atma. "Has a great point. Those protection spells will only go so far and most of them will need some maintenance after that quake." He stepped inside and walked towards Ricky. "I can't stay for too long," he said softly while lifting his hand to caress his cheek. "The quake, as bad as it was, has given Angels in training a unique opportunity to earn their wings a lot sooner. I can earn mine but I need to help humans who need it. I just couldn't resist stopping by to see you again. Once I've earned my wings I'll be free to come back to you." --- "Boss!" Mon gasped, covering his mouth with his hands. He looked at Amelia and Charles desperately. "Y-you guys have powers, right? Isn't there anything you can do?" Amelia looked from Salvo to Mon and then back again as she shook her head sadly. "I'm so sorry," she replied in a gentle tone. "This isn't something that can be reversed but it doesn't mean that this is the end." she glanced at Bern, hinting that they already knew at least one likely scenario that could happen once Salvo passes on into his afterlife. She hoped this knowledge would be of some comfort. --- "Then we find her and bring her home as soon as you're ready to begin," John said to him. "She can help us to build our new Eden. Either as a wife or simply a friend." He looked around breifly. "My spells are done. This place is completely concealed. Outsiders will neither be able to see nor sense the entire grounds. The only people who will be able to teleport in and out is us. We're completely safe here. The people we bring will be safe. Eventually, from this point, Eden's beautiful garden will regrow to cover all of Hell. Then, we will be finally safe and strong enough to lift these spells." --- Carol was reluctant to let Sam leave with this stranger but ultimately Sam was old enough to decide for himself and she couldn't force him to stay. "If he hurts you or does anything dodgy, you call for me and I'll be there!" She said to Sam before lifting a threatening finger at Shezmu. "And if you harm a hair on this boy's head I'll make you regret it for centuries!" Shezmu merely smirked at her threat. "A warrior with a mother's instinct. You have my word, I will bring no harm to Sam." he then turned to the boy and gestured for him to follow. "Come, child. Let's find your beloved, then." --- Kyle had still been screaming in agony up until he was consumed and an eerie silence fell in the throne room. Azrael had not reacted. Although it was rare, Kyle hadn't been the first soul to be consumed and he doubted he would be the last. Lilly, however, had jumped to her feet upon seeing what had happened and gawped at Death in disbelief. "What-? What happened? Where did he go? Did- did you eat him?" she asked, confused and in awe. --- "What?" Henderson muttered at the hitman's outburst. He watched, baffled, as the man then fled the precinct. He stayed where he was for several minutes. His heart had been hammering in his chest throughout the entire encounter so this was his first opportunity to calm down. Gingerly, he stood from the chair and looked around the place to make sure he was gone. Then a realisation dawned on him. A murderer and cop killer had escaped on his watch. "Fuck!" he rubbed his forehead from stress. "Will's guna be pissed!" --- Feeling Nate behind him, Tom leaned against him while trying to decide on an outfit. "Hmm, I like the sound of a black suit. Maybe..." he ran his hands over the sleeve of a black jacket. "We could wear satin underneath? I love the feel of it against my skin."
Denix Vames Posted October 29 Posted October 29 Will said, "Parker? Can you hear me? We're all here for you." - James grabbed Mr. Mitchell's arm. He slammed him against the wall, "I would advise that you wait patiently or leave with your body still in one piece." --- Ricky burst into tears before kissing him. He glanced at Atma before sighing, "But this is the only place I know. This is safe for everyone. Where else would we go?" --- Bern frowned. He knelt by Salvo, "Boss...Are you ok?" Salvo gave him a smile but it felt different. Like a grandfather smiling at his grandson. He pressed his hand against his cheek, "You boys have made me proud. Bern, I want you to lead this gang. I'm too old for this life now. I'll rest until my soul leaves. You and I both know that I'll come back then. But the title will still be yours." Tears dripped down Bern's cheeks, "Oh boss...I didn't want to see you like this. None of us did." "No need to worry. It's like Amelia said. I'll be back." (im so sorry, i forgot the name of the merman i created. i legit want to write a reply of him reacting to this 😧 ) --- Adam stood, "Good. Then let's go find her." --- Sam nodded. He disappeared with Shezmu. Finding Dariel covered in blood. Dariel had been slaughtering the souls passing by. His eyes filled with pure hate as he held an axe. Sam clenched his fists, "This is my fault. How am I going to bring him back from insanity?" --- Death realized what he had done in front of her. He couldn't bare to look at her. Worried that she would see him as a monster, "I did eat his soul. I'm sorry." He headed out of the throne room. Making his way to the city's fountain where he sat there. Weeping silently. --- The hitman watched from afar on a rooftop. He would be keeping an eye on the place. Instead of killing them, he would keep the cops safe. --- "Same color to match the suit? Or something a little different?" ,said Nate.
Denix Vames Posted October 30 Posted October 30 Galiel had been sobbing before everyone appeared. His eyes were a puffy red. He held Savo's hand tightly. He looked up and met Amelia's face, "There's another way. We don't have to wait long. If he wants, only if he's ok with it, he could become a merman. He would become young again. We could spend the rest of our lives in the ocean together." Salvo eyes sparkled for a moment. He stood from the couch, "What an idea! It'll be just like those stories I use to read when I was a kid!"
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