Gabriel is on the deck of an oil tanker out in the middle of the ocean. It’s pouring torrents of rain with waves crashing over the deck and the beats on board notice him at once… as well as a seal that start’s putting itself in motion! Evangeline is far down below having constantly been moving, running, or hiding as staying still was far more dangerous. With the activation of the seal, she knew Gabriel was there… and once again walking in to a trap because of her! She runs to try and meet him.
Meanwhile, Gabriel is fighting his way through the tanker, taking down beast after beast. Suddenly, the scene changes and his weapons are gone. He’s facing a beautiful woman that claims she’s been waiting for him. She says that he’s been fighting for so long… he can finally rest now with her! He is almost entranced by this memory when he hears Evangeline calling his name. Angered by this demon using Leah’s face and memory, Gabriel fights through more beasts trying to get at the demon. He nearly looses himself in the blood and carnage, almost not recognizing Evangeline when he sees her. Gabriel finally falls to his knees with Evangeline dropping to the floor to throw her arms around his neck. He looks at his blood hands before balling them in to fists an locking his arms around her.
It’s almost too late to escape the tanker, but when the demon Sariel threatens to take Evangeline’s soul because Gabriel replies he doesn’t have one, Gabriel’s strength is renewed. Having to run and dodged the mighty swings of Sariel, Gabriel shoots off the demon’s collar. Before they’re swallowed up by ocean water all three of them disappear from the tanker.
Gabriel and Evangeline appear at Ciara Grey’s lake house, in the room Ciara and a wolfy Leon were sleeping in. Seeing just how wretched they both looked, Ciara saved her lecture for another time reluctantly giving up the room and dragging Leon with her. Gabriel takes Evangeline straight to bed, finding himself unable to pry her arms off him. (He didn’t try very hard.) Evangeline claims she’s too dangerous for him to go saving, she doesn’t want to get him killed. Gabriel stats that he can’t let her be taken by Anthony, even if it IS a trap. He admits he enjoys her company, and confesses he’s never been this close to someone. Evangeline asks him to promise that he won’t come for her if it looks impossible… but he doesn’t reply!
It was a HUGE oil tanker that rocked and groaned! It was filled to the brim–and then some–of negative emotions and evil! Haunted by the souls of not only humans but animals and plants alike who died as a result of oil spills the tanker was involved in!
Evangeline: *She really should have been driven insane by now. On the brightside- ….. well, she ran out of ‘bright sides’ a hundred and fifty four injuries ago. As she slammed and sealed a door behind her, jumping in the ocean was sounding like a better idea by the minute!* -03:45 Nov 04
Gabriel: *Was on the deck of the oil tanker. It was raining, the surf was high and the waves were so tall they crashed onto the deck! But even over the waves and the wind, he could hear the growling and the moaning!*
Suddenly the once empty deck was covered in creatures of all shapes and sizes! These were demons but they were some of the weaker ones who relied on sheer number to overwhelm their prey! They grinned, showing razor sharp teeth, and slowly crawled over to Gabriel! They had no trouble in keeping on deck as they used their claws to get a grip!
Meanwhile Evangeline could hear the scraping of claws against metal! Those demons were having a field day chasing her down! SCRATCHscratchSCRATCHscratch …!
The demons got as close as they dared … and then they charged him all at once!
Evangeline: *There was no such thing as a break! Covering her ears to block out that sound, she scurried down some steps. Wait… up was a better idea! Evangeline started up the steps! …but there was something up there! Evangeline went down again! …at this point she was just running in circles! But she already figured out the hard way that not running was a worse idea!* -03:54 Nov 04
Gabriel: *Already had his sword and his gun out! He glanced from side to side, looking for the door that would lead him further down. He spotted it across the deck. He spread his legs slightly and didn’t move when they jumped him at once! He sliced the three in front of him in half, swiftly turned and ran the demon who had been behind him through! Then he shot a few demons to his left as he pulled his sword free and sliced more demons in half!* -03:58 Nov 04
Gabriel: *Already had his sword and his gun out! He glanced from side to side, looking for the door that would lead him further down. He spotted it across the deck. He spread his legs slightly and didn’t move when they jumped him at once! He sliced the three in front of him in half, swiftly turned and ran the demon who had been behind him through! Then he shot a few demons to his left as he pulled his sword free and sliced more demons in half!* -03:58 Nov 04
The demons knew full well who this was! They were trying to kill him but ultimately … they had another purpose …
The demons after Evangeline were taking their time! There was nowhere she could run although the walls of the ship, the floor, and the ceiling pulsed once and slowly, very slowly designs and shapes began to appear on the walls, ceiling, and the floor …
Gabriel: *He dodged claws and sidestepped out of the way of charging bodies, slicing off heads as they ran past! He shot them full of holes, ran them through, dropped them down with a kick so he could finish them off with a stab! Then he was dashing across the deck, to slice and shoot some more!* -04:05 Nov 04
Evangeline: *That was something new and it didn’t bode well at all! Evangeline was trying not to have morbid thoughts as she ducked in to a room and crawled under a bolted down desk. Just a few moments to breathe. The ocean wouldn’t be all that bad. She could float alone until she washed up somewhere, right? If she didn’t drown or get eaten by sharks….!* -04:08 Nov 04
It was obvious that whatever was going on was Anthony’s handiwork. Evangeline might recognize it as the beginnings of a seal and by the number of designs and how intricate each of them were, a powerful one!
Gabriel: *By the time he got to the door, not one of the demons on deck were alive. He opened the door to the stairs that led up to the communication and steering room or down to the engine and oil tanks. As a hunch, he went down. He noticed the designs appearing on the ship and knew time was running out …!* -04:15 Nov 04
Even here, the place was teeming with more demons whose bodies and claws could phase through solid matter! They clawed at or reached out to try and hold him or appeared to try and overpower him!
Evangeline: *It was a lot of work to keep one woman on a ship, it’s not like she- …Oh drats! Evangeline wasn’t sure if she was relieved or upset, as she scampered out from under the desk. Gabriel was going to walk in to more traps because of her!* -04:17 Nov 04
Gabriel: *He cut his palm!* Laqueus in vicis quod tractus. *The spell trapped the demons in the solid objects they were trying to phase through so they couldn’t move! He got to the bottom and opened the door to the first oil tank.* -04:23 Nov 04
There were more demons here! Mixed in with weres foaming at the mouth and even a few vampires going mad from lack of blood to drink! They all fastened their sights on Gabriel before that door even opened! And wasted no time in attacking, either!
Gabriel: *Shot down a rabid werewolf before running a vampire through the heart and pushing the sword deeper! He kicked out to catch a demon coming at his side, sending it flying into some of the creatures behind it! The vampire turned to ash and freed his sword! He brought the blade up to stop a were’s claws and moved slightly to avoid getting sliced in half by a demon trying to pounce on him with claws extended!* -04:37 Nov 04
Evangeline: *Sneaking down a hall, Evangeline kept close to the wall as she searched for the upstairs. If she called for him he’d come too deep in the ship. She had to get top side! * -04:42 Nov 04
Of course, the ship was teeming with even more demons! That seemed to have taken some of the heat off of Evangeline as they had someone else to worry about! And the designs of the seal kept appearing …
Gabriel: *He kicked the demon in the face and sliced its head off as it flew backwards. Its body bounced once before getting lost under the swarm of demons and monsters trying to get a piece of Gabriel! BANGBANGBANG! He slashed, shot, kicked, punched his way through all of them, slowly getting deeper and deeper into the ship until …* -05:02 Nov 04
The ship was gone. He was in the forest, a clearing with a small house. He knew this house … “Gabriel …” And that voice! Something moved inside of the house and stepped outside. A beautiful woman with long black hair and eyes in a dress, carrying a basket. “You’ve come back. I always knew you would.”
Gabriel: *A trick! This had to be a trick! He raised his gun to aim at the woman! This couldn’t be real! It just couldn’t!* -05:06 Nov 04
Unfortunately for Gabriel, he didn’t have his gun anymore! He was holding air! He didn’t have his sword either! The woman smiled at him as she walked closer. “Gabriel … I’ve been waiting for you. What took you so long?” He could smell flowers and grass and the smoke from the fireplace … Surely no illusion could be this real! When the woman touched his cheek, he could actually feel it!
Evangeline: *Evangeline ran her hands on the walls while she moved forward. Sigils werre forming faster than she could unravel them, but it was a delay at the very least. …something else was wrong now too! She pulled herself up on the stairs trying to move faster!* -05:09 Nov 04
Gabriel: *He flinched! He kept telling himself it was a trick! There was no way it could be real and yet … Maybe deep down inside, he really did want it to be real.* … Leah. -05:13 Nov 04
The woman smiled. “I told you, you were named for the angels. You have done so much for so many people … It’s time for you to rest.”
Gabriel: *Looked at her. He was still trying to discern truth from fantasy.* I cannot … Anthony and Michael … -05:19 Nov 04
The woman was still smiling. She touched his other cheek with her other hand. “They are no longer your problem … Close your eyes, Gabriel. Rest. There is nothing more you can do here.”
Evangeline: Gabriel! *Her voice was hoarse, it was hard to call for him! She shouldn’t have done all that screaming! But he was so close, they could maybe leave in time..!* Gabriel! -05:24 Nov 04
Gabriel: *He really did want to rest. It had been battle after battle and he could only fight for so long … It was time someone else–He blinked when he heard … that voice! That was …* The Seer. *He stepped back, away from the creature who wore Leah’s face and knew her memories.* -05:28 Nov 04
“Leah” smiled as she watched Gabriel step away. As he did, the house and the forest melted away to leave the ship which was beginning to glow brightly with all the sigils that had appeared … “What a shame, Gabriel.” Her features distorted. “What a shame …” Her face seemed to melt but one side of her face, in fact one side of her body seemed stuck in its melted state. The other half became a normal human face and body. There was a mark on the creature’s forehead. A manticore holding a sword in one claw and the Earth in another. Anthony’s brand. Behind it and around it appeared more demons and weres and vampires, all snickering. “But thank you for the show.”
Gabriel: *He growled and then he launched himself at the horde! He shot and swung and maimed for all he was worth! As he fought, his fangs began to grow. Somewhere along the way, trying to get to "Leah", he lost the sword and gun. But by then, he was past caring. It was one thing to humiliate him, it was quite another to use Leah’s memory to do so. And for that … they were all going to pay. He slashed with claws and ripped throats out with his fangs! Blood and guts sprayed everywhere and eventually he forgot why he was so angry in the first place. All he knew was destruction, death. He was going to tear everything apart!* -05:36 Nov 04
Evangeline: *This was impossible…! She was never going to find him in time, and it was be years and years of being chewed on by beasts! …but if she gave up, he could die! Evangeline pushed her way through another door.* …Gabriel! -05:42 Nov 04
Gabriel: *He was breathing hard and there was blood everywhere! He stood up from the pile of bodies he’d made. He hadn’t noticed that "Leah" had disappeared. There was the taste of blood, sweet blood, in his mouth. He ran his tongue over his teeth and moved slowly, walking up to the woman. She looked … She didn’t smell like the others.* -05:50 Nov 04
Evangeline: *Evangeline backed up a stop… that was a wild aura! Like Brutus in stalking mode! So not himself, she was nsure if it was him at all!* Gabriel…? -05:53 Nov 04
Gabriel: *He blinked! It came back to him … He had come for her. She had been kidnapped. She was the Seer, Evangeline … The wild look in his eyes slowly faded away, his fangs and his claws slowly disappeared. He closed his eyes, sank to his knees …* -05:58 Nov 04
Evangeline: *What a time to cry! Evangeline dropped in front of him, throwing her arms around his neck. Not caring about blood or aches as she burried her face at his neck. He was there now, it was all she needed!* -06:01 Nov 04
Gabriel: *He opened his eyes when her arms went around his neck and she started to cry. He looked behind her to his hands which he was holding up, looking at the blood on them. He made fists and then put his arms around her. His grip tightened slightly when he moved and then he stood, lifting her up with him.* -06:09 Nov 04
Evangeline: *Evangeline wasn’t going to let go and she couldn’t stop herself from cying!* You shouldn’t have come… There’s not any time.. -06:13 Nov 04
Indeed, the ship was nearly covered in the seals! It would take a miracle to get out now! Or …
“GABRIEL!” The ship began to shake as something large and heavy stalked toward them! It was a giant so large it took up the entire tank, half of its face and body were melted, its melted arm replaced by a tentacle and its melted leg that of a goat. It had a tail of a scorpion. The leg of its normal half was a goat’s, too, but the normal arm held a giant mace! On its forehead was the manticore brand and around its neck was a collar with a large red stone. “I have come to devour your soul!”
Gabriel: … I have no soul. *He replied, turning slightly to look at it.* -06:21 Nov 04
Gabriel: I do not suppose you would consider letting go. *He told Evangeline!* -06:22 Nov 04
Evangeline: I’d rather not… *It didn’t look like she was going to either, but she slowly loosened her grip.* -06:25 Nov 04
“THEN I WILL DEVOUR YOUR WOMAN’S SOUL!” The scorpion tail lashed out!
Gabriel: *His eyes flashed red!* Change of plans. *He held Evangeline against him and jumped up, just as the tail came lashing out and landing neatly back into place once it was gone! He ran forward toward the giant!* -06:28 Nov 04
The mace came swinging for them and started smashing down on the ground to flatten them into pancakes!
Evangeline: *She almost said he was going the wrong way…! Evangeline thought twice about it and hung on tight! Maybe she couldn’t help a frightened squeek at loud smashing noises!* -06:33 Nov 04
Gabriel: *Zigzagged, making it nearly impossible to predict where they would end up exactly! When he was close enough, he jumped into the air instead of dodging and landed on the mace! Then he was running down the mace and up the arm!* -06:33 Nov 04
“YOU WON’T GET PAST ME, LITTLE BROTHER!” the thing roared! It began to shake its arm violently to get rid of Gabriel! It even brushed its tentacle across its arm in the hopes of snagging him!
Gabriel: *He jumped on top of the giant’s head and glanced down the back of its neck and then to the sides! He jumped down onto the giant’s shoulder and crouched down, using one hand to start undoing the clasp of the collar around its neck! -06:39 Nov 04
But the giant had other plans! It began batting at its shoulders to get them off!
Gabriel: *Was forced to jump off and landed neatly on the ground in front of it! He’d managed to loosen the collar just a bit but he’d have to work at it again to get the thing completely off!* -06:44 Nov 04
Once the two were off, the giant began using its scorpion tail, this time to try and run them through! If that wasn’t enough, the tail was beginning to shoot acid that instantly started to corrode the ship!
Evangeline: Gabriel..! *She warned quickly! Maybe it was a good idea she couldn’t actually see beyond auras, or she’d be having a hissy fit!* -06:45 Nov 04
Gabriel: Hm? *He asked, oh so casually as he dodged acid and getting impaled! He found his gun on the ground and kicked it up into the air, catching it in one hand. He jumped back a bit but when he tried to fire it, it was blank!* Do you know how to reload a gun? *He asked as he started dashing forward again!* -06:47 Nov 04
Evangeline: I have never handled a gun in my life! *Oh boy…! This really was the end of it all! They’d be squished!* …I think I can figure it out! -06:49 Nov 04
Gabriel: Good. *Moved to the side and ducked a swing of the tail! He found a small window to hand her the gun and the magazine while still holding her with one arm. Then he was off again, bent forward slightly as he ran under the tail which had gotten stuck in the wall!* -06:51 Nov 04
Evangeline: ..! *Evangeline had spent days here, there was no reason to panic now! It took her a moment to fumble with it, and she was well and lucky not to accidentally shoot either of them!* Done, I think!? -06:55 Nov 04
The giant was trying to get its tail out of the wall! Needless to say, it was pretty deep in there! And it was pretty awkward when it tried to swipe for Gabriel and Evangeline! Fortunately with all the struggling it was doing, the collar looked a little lop-sided! Either the small tinkering Gabriel had done was working or it just looked that way was anyone’s guess!
Gabriel: *As he dashed around the giant, he retrieved the gun and then dashed forward toward its back! Just before he reached its feet, he jumped up and landed on the base of its tail and then jumped up into the air again!* -06:58 Nov 04
The giant finally got its tail out but when it did, it left a huge hole and water began to flood in! It looked around for Gabriel and Evangeline!
Gabriel: *With one well-aimed shot, he destroyed the rest of the clasp holding the collar on! The collar dropped! The giant felt something like a small sting!* -07:00 Nov 04
“COME HERE, LITTLE BROTHER! OW!” The giant clutched at its neck and turned in time to see Gabriel landing neatly on the ground! It charged at them! While the collar sat on the floor and was beginning to disappear under the water!
Gabriel: *He trudged over to the collar but by then, the water was up to his neck!* Hold your breath. *He said as the icy water started to slosh over them!* -07:03 Nov 04
Evangeline: *…She took it back!! The ocean was not better than the ship! It was worse! Lots worse! Evangeline held tighter to Gabriel and took in a deep breath!* -07:03 Nov 04
Gabriel: *Bit his wrist before he dove down! He grabbed onto the collar and the red stone flashed! But not before the giant reached out and grabbed the other end of the collar! All three of them disappeared!* -07:11 Nov 04
… And Evangeline and Gabriel appeared in a house on the lake! No sign of the giant!
Evangeline: *Cough! Thankfully so! She might not have been able to hold her breath any longer! ..this place felt like… Oh dear. They were going to be in trouble.* -07:14 Nov 04
Leon: *Growled in his sleep and kicked! Then he went back to snoring and dreaming of chasing rabbits and deer and these flying fish things!*
Ciara: *Ciara had only wanted to see that tail and maybe give a pet or two and test out fur softness. She didn’t expect to fall asleep using a wolfy pillow… Nor did she expect to hear a woman coughing! She sat up quickly!* …What the hell! -Evangeline
Gabriel: *Was breathing hard. He had his eyes closed, although he was still holding Evangeline. The battle had taken more out of him than he had thought … especially since he had to use a considerable amount of power to activate the collar which, as he had figured, was an item that allowed the wearer to pass in and out of the seals.* -07:17 Nov 04
Evangeline: *Evangeline opened her mouth and normally there would be a very good explanation and a few apologies but… bother, Ms. Grey could figure it out for herself! Evangeline just clung tighter to Gabriel’s neck!* -07:19 Nov 04
Gabriel: *He finally opened his eyes and looked up. He probably would’ve stood but … he was just too tired.* Ms Grey. Leon. -07:20 Nov 04
Leon: *Thought he heard talking! He yawned and lifted his head! He hadn’t realized he’d fallen asleep! He looked around the room. Cissy … Evangeline … Gabriel … Cissy … Wait! Evangeline and Gabriel! He shook himself awake!*
Ciara: *Ciara was gearing up forn one hell of a screaming fit…! Until she settled for a low growl as she rolled out of bed, ignoring the fact she was wearing pajamas and sleeping with a wolf and marched past that stupid vampire and his psychic!* Fine, take my room. I like the master bedroom better anyway! *…Then she marched back to bed to tug on Leon’s tail!* -Evangeline
Leon: ??? *He was just too speechless to make so much as a whine when she tugged on his tail! He’d probably whine about it later! He found himself in the master bedroom and watched as Cissy got into bed! Confused as he was, he hopped onto the bed and curled up again!*
Evangeline: *Evangeline expected Ciara to murder them both right there! it was a relief to see that it was going to wait until morning! As for Gabriel, he’d have to pry her off with a crowbar.* I’m too dangerous. -07:29 Nov 04
Gabriel: How so? *He managed to stand and attempted to put her on the bed but when she wouldn’t let go … He lay down beside her.* -07:30 Nov 04
Ciara: What am I, everyone’s safe haven? *Ciara was muttering under her breath as she curled up under blankets and snuggled up with that wolf!* -Evangeline
Leon: *Was patient enough to get this all settled in the morning but … he was wise enough not to say or make any sounds. Cissy was Cissy and … she needed her time to vent.*
Evangeline: I’ve led you in to traps and worse yet you come to get me, knowing what he’s going to do. I’m going to get you killed. *She wasn’t going to let go to wipe tears away either, Evangeline settled for rubbing her face on his shirt.* -07:33 Nov 04
Gabriel: *Eyes closed.* I cannot let you stay in whatever hellhole he puts you in, trap or no. *He finally opened his eyes to look down at her.* Truth be told, I do enjoy your company. *He closed his eyes again.* I have never been this close to someone. -07:37 Nov 04
Evangeline: *He always had to do or say things that gave her warm fuzzies. She nearly forgot what she wanted to say!* But you’ll get hurt or worse, and it’ll be my fault. I’d rather you didn’t die… -07:42 Nov 04
Gabriel: You humans worry too much. I refuse to die until I put an end to Anthony and Michael. *And he said so matter-of-factly!* -07:44 Nov 04
Evangeline: *She laughed softly.* Now if I could say that, there’d be nothing to be afraid of… Will you promise not to come get me if it looks impossible? -07:47 Nov 04