ICC. A sceen before I forget it.
They were going to fail. The tears of a young girl are worthless to an old deamon.
Alyssia shook her head, the black hair falling into her eyes, before she noticed Lucifer staring at her. I have already told him this plan will fail, she thought to herself, what is he waiting for? The silence continued in the room, the young girl sniveling to the creature it considered a mother. What does Lucifer want? This demoness does not care about its Nephilim, its mess. What is the point of his game?
As she watched, the answer dawned on her slowly. No. Not Lucifer. Samuel. Her eyes flashed to her husband but he seemed strangely distracted. The ineffective whining fluttered around them but his eyes kept dashing towards the door. Alyssia’s eyes flickered behind her pausing as they fell on Joseph, Price and Fatima. Her mind reached out and touched Rafael. All were well. Her eyes returned to David, seeking to ask her husband on his worries, but he had flickered out of existence for the moment.
Great. Gulfora and Lucifer bickering and my husband leaves. Alyssia’s hand rested on Price’s shoulder for a long moment. The three Lasombra were trying to prove the flaws in Gulfora’s resistance of redemption. They are going to fail. They cannot touch her. Her heart is like ice.
Fatima caught Alyssia’s attention with a whisper in her ear. “Now what?”
Alyssia cocked her head, staring at Gulfora. “I do not know, Chosen. She will not listen to them. And I highly doubt she will listen to me, considering it was my fist that last crossed her face.”
But it is my choice to try, is it not? And is that not what Samuel is doing? Providing choice? Her thoughts were murky, interrupted by the bickering between herself, Gulforia and Enigma. Old friends, lovers, hates, pieces on a chess board placed before mortal existence. Alyssia almost smiled, her mind drifting to Seneca and the chess piece they had exchanged years prior. He was likely out dancing the tune of a failing Camarilla. Alyssia sighed, it was her problem no longer. Now, now she was the wife of David and….her thoughts turned on themselves quickly. David. That is what will touch Gulfora.
Alyssia walked across the room, ignoring all others, until she squatted down by the sitting Gulfora. When she spoke, her voice was very quiet.
“I wish to tell you a story.” The Spanish accent was light. Gulfora did not answer, her sculpted, beautiful eyebrow simply raising in curiosity. Unphased, Alyssia continued. “Once upon a time, there were Angels who stood in Heaven united. One of them, for reasons which are not relevant here, chose to take a portion of the Host and stand against the Lord. He convinced one of the most beautiful Angels in Heaven, Renzadriel,” Gulfora started at the sound of her Angelic name, “that she should stand with him. This Angel of great beauty found ways to bring others to stand with the Prince of the Morning and the war against Heaven. One of these…”
Alyssia paused for a moment, looking over her shoulder at the Lasombra behind her. “One of these was the youngest of the Host, an Angel named Tsotsiel. He, the one who was often overlooked, fell prey to Renzadriel’s affections. Taking her hand, together they left Heaven. They fought in the war together. They went to Hell together. They were summoned to Carthage together.”
Alyssia’s eyes were down, focused on her cross. The anger in her voice was clear. “There in Carthage, as you well know, Renzadriel make sure that Tsotsiel knew just how worthless she thought of him.” Black eyes flashed over at Skylark. “He was nothing but a fool for believing in this beautiful woman. She made sure he knew she cared nothing for him.” Alyssia’s eyes raised to look at Gulfora’s. Gulfora was cold, cool, as if Alyssia was simply reading the textbook of her past. “They fought over Carthage, him moving the Lasombra, she whoever she wished. Finally…” The smile that flickered across her face was small and cruel, “he chose to destroy his reliquary and return to Hell.”
Gulfora gasped, turning her head in spite of herself. “That was willing?”
Alyssia nodded. “Si. He was tired of hurting humanity. So he retired to Hell and the, well, hell it inflicted upon him. This January he escaped Hell and moved into his Dominion, the Abyss. It was there that clan Lasombra found their Angel; broken, battered, fallen, a monster in the darkness. It was there that this family chose not to condemn that darkness, that monster, but to try and help it.”
Alyssia paused at Gulfora’s incredulous look. She shrugged at the other woman helplessly as if to say ‘it’s the truth’ before continuing. “They did all they could. The demon saught redemption, they wished to give it redemption, but something was missing. They were, for lack of a better phrase, stuck. Finally the matter was brought before the head of their family. After consultation she went into the darkness to speak with this thing.”
There was a long pause as Alyssia looked down at her cross. Refusing to look up, she continued. “The woman entered the Abyss. After many meetings and long conversations the two creatures fell in love.” She did not pause for Gulfora’s shocked gasp. “It is then that she chooses to do anything she can to assist in this demons, this Tzotsiels, redemption. She reads through Catholic mythology, looking for any place in which a person is their own priest and speaks to God directly…”
Gulfora interrupted. “There is only one. Marriage.”
Alyssia did not pause, but simply nodded. “Indeed. Marriage. So this woman, this Lasombra, sought Tzotsiel’s hand in marriage.” Gulforia’s scoff was loud. Alyssia’s hands flexed. It was only Price’s comforting hand on her shoulder that defused the situation from violence. “Tzotsiel accepted and they were wed.”
The silver and purple cross glittered in the light as Alyssia stared at it. “The Lord redeemed him, Gulfora.” Dark eyes rose to look up at the demonness. “Tzotsiel ascended. And became Gabriel.”
The pause was long again as Gulfora just stared at her. “Si. Your ex lover, the man you led into Hell, is now Judgment. Why? Because God forgave him. Because of love. There is nothing more powerful then love. I loved him. And she,” she pointed at Skylark, “loves you.”
“You are mad.” Gulfora’s voice sounded unsure, quiet.
“Perhaps. But I am right.” Alyssia sighed, turning the cross over in her hands. “This is your choice, Gulfora. Choose the love of your child, choose to accept the laws, choose to seek God, choose to attempt redemption…or do not.”
“But if I fail, I would go to Hell.” The fear was evident.
“Si. That is what makes this a hard choice.”
“And was it the hard choice to backhand me, then?” Gulfora’s eyes sparkled as the spirt reentered her voice.
“No.” It was Alyssia’s turn to be quiet. “It was not. But now I am the Youngest, am I not? And as such, sometimes I make the childish choices.” Her eyes flickered back to the Lasombra. “But I am in Her favor. Do not use me as your marker. Use one who has been redeemed.”
They sat in silence. The only conversation became repetitive, Alyssia reviewing the choices, explaining how David was truly redeemed, and how he would not be cruel and vindictive, no matter how much he wanted too. Skylark sat on the floor next to Gulfora, her head resting lightly on the chair. The conversation would turn about her and both women would look down on her.
After many silent minutes, tears began to roll down Gulfora’s face. Like she was touching a live viper, Alyssia placed a hand gently on her arm. “Is that it, then? Is this your choice?”
Gulfora nodded, biting her lip and looking down.
Alyssia was quiet when she answered. “I accept your effort of redemption.” She stood slowly. “Let us go find my husband.”
They stood and quiet words were exchanged between Alyssia and Enigma informing him of what had passed and where they were headed. Price, Fatima and Joseph rode on the Abyss’s shadows back to the Plains with all the others. Gulfora, Alyssia and Skylark entered the Abyss and emerged where David stood.
His eyes widened in surprise. “The three of you? Side by side? With no stabbing? This is a surprising sight.”
His casual humor, as typical, fell flat at Alyssia’s feet. Her tone was formal and crisp. “Husband. I bring Renzadriel to you. She seeks redemption.”
David’s eyebrow raised. “Really? And what of the girl?”
Alyssia shrugged dismissively. “What of her? She means little to me.”
He half rolled his eyes at Alyssia as he turned to Gulfora. “Is what she says true? Do you truly seek redemption?”
Gulfora nodded once, silently.
He nodded in return. “Can you serve mankind again?”
Her eyes shot up to his. The refusal was clear in her face. It was just as clear she was terrified to refuse as the threat of Hell hung over her.
David gestured the question away. “How ‘bout her?” he said, pointing at Skylark. “Can you serve her?”
Gulfora looked at him suspiciously. “How do you mean serve? If you mean make sure she has a place to live and that she isn’t eaten by wolfs…I guess I could do that.”
He sighed slightly. “It is a start.” His face was serious as he focused on Gulfora again. “Do you love her?”
The long pause came again. “If one small seed in a barren, wasteland of a desert is enough, then I love her. But it is only one small seed.”
David nodded. “Alright.”
Gulfora looked at him as if he was mad. “Alright?” Her face softened, not daring to believe. “Really?”
He nodded again. “Really.”
As Gulfora stood there stunned, David gestured at Skylark. “And this one?”
Alyssia stepped forward. “That one is a problem. And I am fixing it now.” David’s eyebrow raised but he otherwise said nothing as his wife moved to stand beside him.
“Skylark.” Alyssia’s voice was cold. “You have to make a choice. If you could only be one, would you be that of the celestial beings or would you be mortal?”
The beautiful young girl hesitated. “Celestial being?”
Alyssia nodded. “Like him. Or your mother.”
Gulfora spoken then. “But if she not mortal, then my love for her…”
Alyssia nodded. “Si. You must love humanity. If you do not have that seed…”
“Wait, wait.” Skylark cut in. “Is there a choice that is better for my Mother?”
“Si.”
“What is that?”
Alyssia sighed. “It is better for your mother if you are mortal. If you give up Heaven and choose to walk on earth.”
Skylark paused, thinking. “Then that, that is what I wish. I wish what will help my mother. What will help others.”
Alyssia smiled slightly as she nodded. Her long sword drew with a noise that sent shivers up all of their spines. It was the sound of death’s very whisper. Alyssia’s black eyes looked at Skylark and then she calmly ran her through with the sword. Again and again and again. The young girl screamed, whimpering in pain, and died.
Gulfora, David and Alyssia fell quiet for a second as the world paused. The Angelic part of her soul was dead, and the Mother mourned it. The moment was quick, interrupted by Skylark’s moaning on the floor. Gulfora helped her rise.
David whispered over to his wife, “That was well done.”
The dark haired woman nodded, cleaning the sword. “Thank you, husband.”
He continued speaking, this time to Gulfora. “You have found your path. Now enter and help others find theirs. See what you can do to guide those who you have taken from the path back onto it.”
Gulfora nodded. “Come on, girl.” It was strangely gruff. “We have work to do.”
Alyssia fought a smile at the interaction. “I will come with you. I have work as well.”
Gulfora nodded and the three of them started to head back to the main gathering, leaving David to his work. His voice called out after them.
“Tsotsiel?”
Alyssia turned, the corner of her mouth curving into a small smile.
“Yes, husband?”
He smiled at her softly. “I love you.”
Alyssia let Gulfora and Skylark walk ahead before answering.
“I love you, too.” The Angel of the Abyss paused for a long moment, smiling at her husband, before stepping into her dominion.