Blayze

[size=1]Gabriel spluttered into consciousness as a large bucket of ice-cold water was thrown over him. He coughed as he awoke, and found himself naked from the waist up, his scars bared, with his hands chained to the ceiling. It was a dark, cold, underground room, with no windows and the only light coming from a small, pale electric light hanging above his head. As far as he could tell, there were several other people standing in the room, just out of the light. The man who had thrown the bucket of water over him was standing, with the bucket by his feet, in the centre of the circle of light. "Good morning, Gabriel," he said, in a smooth voice, pulling a small cigar from his pocket, twisting it into his mouth and lighting it. The smell of tobacco filled the air around Gabriel, although years of heavy smoking meant it didn't affect him. He merely looked up and said: "I wouldn't call it that, Lucifer." His own voice shocked him. It was croaky, as though it hadn't been used for a long time. "I suppose not. But anyway, let's get to the point. You have not been helpful to me, Gabriel." "I was counting on that." "You have killed a lot of my people. It only seems fair that I should have killed yours as well," he saw the shocked look on Gabriel's face, "Yes, that's right, Gabriel. They were in the bar, and I blew it up. They had no chance to escape. Your new little friends are all dead, Gabriel." "No!" shouted Gabriel, "You're lying! It's not true!" "Oh, I'm afraid it is, Gabriel. You are all alone, so you can forget about the little rescue mission I know you had planned. You are going to die here, cold and alone, in the home of your enemies." Lucifer turned, and left the room, nodding to two of the men in the shadows. The rest of the men in the room followed Lucifer out, but the two men left in the room advanced on Gabriel. "Hey, Gabriel," said one of them, "We're gonna have some fun with you tonight!" "I'm sorry, Leviathan," said Gabriel, recognising the man's face, "I just don't swing that way." Leviathan merely smiled at this blatant slur on his sexuality, and picked up a small electric lamp from the table. He switched it on, then ripped it open, baring two wires. He touched them together, and a spark appeared. He moved towards Gabriel, placing the wires on his chest. 30 or so volts of electricity ran through Gabriel's body, and he grunted in pain. It was not enough to kill him, or even injure him too seriously, but it still hurt. Leviathan raised an eyebrow, curious to see how far Gabriel could go. He threw the lamp away, and picked up a 60 volt car battery, attaching two wires to it and placing the other ends of these wires on Gabriel's chest. He screamed in pain as the electricity zapped through his body. Leviathan laughed, seeing him in pain... (OOC: Ok, Sapphire Flare, you're free to post at any time now, and your job is to torture Gabriel. Go nuts, try as many horrible methods of torture you can think of, but I think it goes without saying that you have to keep Gabriel alive. The rest of you need to regroup and begin to plan your rescue.) [/size]

[size=1]Xander sat in his room, in his human form, so he wouldn't set the bed alight, and he was practicing with his powers. He wasn't too good with them so he needed as much practice as he could get. He snapped his fingers, setting them alight, and then quickly smothered the flame with the palm of his hand in a flicking motion. He was getting pretty good at controlling it. Next he tried his other hand. He wasn't too shabby with that one, either. Then, he clapped his hands together, pleased with the progress he had made. Then he realised his mistake. "Oh, crap," he said calmly. His hands caught fire, turning into blazing fireballs, and the flame travelled up his arms, eventually turning his whole body into a figure made of pure, yellow-orange flame. "This always happens to me!" he shouted, running out of his room, and into the showers. He turned them on, and they extinguished the flame pretty quickly, sending billowing clouds of steam into the air with a hiss. He turned the showers off and stood there, his clothes and hair completely drenched. He stepped out of the showers with a wet splat, and began to walk back to his room. No-one would have been shocked to see a fully-grown man running around, completely aflame, not in the Clandestine base. In fact, as he walked back to his room, he got several comments, such as: "Hey, Xander, you put the flame on too high again?" to which he simply smiled and nodded. He walked back to his room to put some dry clothes on... (OOC: Sorry, I wasn't exactly sure what to write) [/size]

[size=1]Kraven strode along the street, with the girl, Emily, following behind him. He was at least three paces ahead of her, and he was gaining more ground, as his strides were a lot longer than hers. Suddenly, he felt a twinge of pain in his chest, one which made him fall to one knee. He had never felt this pain before, but he knew at once what had caused it. Lucifer. Kraven hunched, his back arching, his eyes burning with fury. The one who had betrayed him was here, most likely along with Azrael, his little lapdog. Kraven growled, a deep, throaty, animalistic growl, and he screamed in pain and jerked upright as something happened to him. The back of his shirt ripped, and two enormous, jet-black wings burst out of his back. The people walking along the street gasped, and stepped back from this strange sight. He rose to his feet, and looked at the wings. Nothing like this had ever happened before, in any of his bodies. He smiled, and drew his swords. "You might want to meet me in that hotel," he said to Emily, his voice now deep, growling, gesturing towards the hotel where he felt Lucifer's presence. He lifted off from one foot, and leapt into the air, his wings spreading out behind him, flapping to make him fly. He soared through the air, with ease that could only be accomplished by one with experience, even though he had none. He flew towards the hotel, his swords drawn, and he sensed where Lucifer was, smashing through a window into the stairwell, folding his wings behind him as he entered. Broken glass fell to the floor around him. The group already standing in the stairwell whirled around to witness this new arrival, and for the first time in centuries, Kraven saw his ultimate enemy. Dressed in a crisp white suit, with long black hair, and his grey wings. "Lucifer," he snarled, his grip on his swords tightening. He glanced around quickly. Amber, Asariel, David and Reoan stood facing Lucifer and Azrael, but there was something wrong. Jacob lay on the floor, motionless, with Lucifer's dagger protruding form his chest. "As eloquent as ever, Kraven," said the Morning Star calmly, "I see the centuries haven't touched you." "You killed the Guardian!" he shouted, standing up, reaching his full height, which seemed much more powerful now, "You killed Jacob!" "Indeed I did, but I don't see why it is any of your problem, Kraven. You hated him." "I did not hate him! I respected him. He was a powerful ally, one I was glad to fight alongside of! I may have shown him contempt, but that is my very nature as a demon!" "You are no demon, Kraven. You are a hypocrite," said Lucifer softly, "You swore revenge on Reoan, but now you join her, and you weep for the death of her Guardian? Life on the mortal plain has softened you, Kraven." "I have made my choice, and I stand alongside Reoan, and I will fight with her." He pointed his sword at the Morning Star, joining Reoan and Asariel in preparing to fight... [/size]

[size=1]Kraven walked calmly out into the street, trying to see where Reoan had gone. Unable to see her by simply looking up and down the street, he settled for slumping into the nearest bar. He sat down at the bar and ordered a strong drink. He threw it back and shuddered. Earth was the best at making cocktails. He turned slightly to look around the bar, and found the new girl, Emily, sitting next to him. He jumped slightly, then returned to his drink, ignoring her completely. "Aren't you going to buy me a drink?" she asked him expectantly. "Does it look like I am?" growled Kraven, not looking up from his glass, instead opting to stare into the amber-coloured liquid, deep in thought. "Fine, I'll get one myself," she said, ordering a drink from the bar. "Knock yourself out." "You're a demon, aren't you?" she asked him, swigging a drink. "Clever little Zodiac. What's the matter, are you scared of me?" "Quite the opposite. I think that in this little group, you and I are most alike." "I am nothing like the Zodiacs. I have my pride." "Oh really? It doesn't seem like you do, following Reoan around like a little terrier all the time. Seems to me like you're kinda spineless." "Spineless? You forget yourself, girl. I am anything but spineless," he hissed, grabbing the girl by the collar and drawing her face close to his, "I have seen things which you could never dream about, and I have faced dangers that would leave you cowering in a corner, begging for your life. You think you know of evil, Emily, but you are much mistaken. Pure evil is a thing which I have witnessed first-hand, and, let me assure you, it is nowhere near anything you have ever seen. So you may call me spineless when you have seen half the things I have seen. Is that understood?" "If you've seen so much danger, so much evil, then why do you stick with Reoan? She doesn't seem so tough." "This from the girl she beat so easily?" Kraven laughed a little, going back to his drink, "I stick with Reoan for reasons beyond your comprehension, little girl." "Try me. I've seen a lot." "If Reoan does not survive, the balance of the entire universe could be in jeopardy. The Dukes of Hell will rise, and turn this Earth into a hell that would make you wish you were dead, just so you could escape from the torment. Only Reoan can truly stop it. Others, like myself, can delay it, but she is the only one who can stop it completely. She is destined to destroy the Dukes of Hell, be it directly or through others, such as myself, David, Asariel. She has proved herself worthy of this destiny by defeating one of the Dukes already, but there are many more where he came from. And Lucifer is heading our way now. That could make things very, very interesting." "So what about the Angels? Why is she destroying them if they play no part in this?" "I never said that they play no part in this. As well as for Reoan's lust for revenge being fulfilled, if she destroys the Angels, then there will be no-one in the way to stop her from kiling the Dukes." "But why would the Angels stop the Dukes from being killed?" "Because the death of every single Duke of Hell would upset the balance irreparably. Life cannot continue without evil, no matter how much good there is in the world." "But, in that case, why are we destroying the Dukes? If it is going to upset the balance, then why are we doing it?" "You ask far too many questions, little girl. Also, I believe you are underage for this bar." "I'm 19!" she protested angrily, "I'm not too young for the bar! Anyway, I'm really over 100!" "Well, that is still young compared to me. I believe my soul is over 400 years old." "I don't care how old your soul is!" she shouted, flicking her hair out of her eyes, but when she went back to look at him, he was gone, leaving her to pay the tab... (OOC: Beta, I hope this is okay for you, PM me if it's not and I'll edit) [/size]

[size=1]Gabriel pressed the cool glass of scotch to his face, the icy coldness of the glass cooling his face slightly. He sighed, and sank down slightly in his bar stool. Maybe Sakura had the right idea, going to bed early. God knows the Demons would be out in full force tomorrow. He drained the contents of his glass and placed it down on the table. "Goodnight everyone," he said, "I'm following Sakura's lead and getting to bed early. I'm going to guess that we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow, so you lot shouldn't be too long out of bed." "Ok, mom!" said Alchemy sarcastically, but in a single long slur. She had had way too much to drink for her age. Gabriel gave a small smile and headed upstairs to bed. As he climbed the stairs, something which seemed to take an eternity, something happened outside. Through the walls, Gabriel could hear murmuring, something about disturbing the peace. Then he heard the metallic clinking of something large, and then a strange noise which he didn't recognise. But he did a few seconds before it happened. It was the sound of a heavy weapon firing, and Gabriel realised with a split-second to go that this was not good news. Seconds later, an explosion rocked the building, ripping off one side in a blazing inferno. Fire licked around the rafters of the building, and Gabriel had to hold his arm over his face to avoid pieces of shrapnel flying towards him. His intuition told him to go for the people on the higher floors first, as they were in more danger if the structural integrity failed. He ran up the stairs, away from the rapidly advancing flames, and ran to Sakura's room. She was asleep. Damn, that girl was a heavy sleeper. Gabriel ran over to her, only to find that she was in fact unconscious, not asleep. He picked her body up, and ran back to the stairs. Flames had completely engulfed them, so Gabriel grabbed one of his handguns, and fired a few rounds into the highest step. The wood splintered, and Gabriel put his foot through, and as he did, the wood of the rest of the stairs collapsed, leaving a gaping hole where the stairs had been. Gabriel took a deep breath, a few steps backwards, and then jumped across the gap. He landed on the floor below, and rolled with the impact, dropping Sakura to the floor. He ran into the main bar, leaving Saura in the relative protection of the cellar, and found the others in similar states, coughing and spluttering, Alchemy lying on the floor laughing, still completely under the influence of alcohol, but the rest of them had drawn their weapons and were ready for any kind of clean-up crew. Something came skittering across the floor, and the crew looked at it, beofre realising what it was. It was a stun grenade. As it exploded, Gabriel was knocked unconscious, and the rest of the crew threw themselves into the various pieces of cover left. A Demon clean-up crew walked in, and, seeing that the rest of the crew were still trying to shake off the effects of the grenade, they walked over to Gabriel's prone form, and picked him up with a great effort, and carried him out of the bar. The others dropped a few explosive charges around the bar, and left them to detonate with an explosion which would essentially vaporise everything in the bar. As they walked away, the charges detonated, blowing the bar to pieces, and they bundled Gabriel into the back of a van, and drove away, leaving the others inside the bar... (OOC: My next post will explain what is happening to Gabriel, and don't worry, the rest of you aren't dead. The next post from everyone should be how you escaped from the bar, but I do want you to have some injuries. It would be illogical for you to go through that and come out unscathed. After that you will be planning a rescue mission for Gabriel) [/size]

[size=1]How can Christopher Eccleston be doing the Christmas special after what happened at the end of the series? That would make very little chronological sense. But anyway, a few things I wanted to say: I heard that Billie Piper was staying on for the next series, but I may very well have information from the same sources as Blackjack, which could be wrong. Also, I thought it was good how the Daleks, beings who my generation has always viewed as an almost comical villain, with very obvious weak points (for instance, it's inability to climb stairs), have been almost completely reinvented in this series. They have been made much more powerful, as one of them could wipe out almost the entire population of a fairly large military complex in the space of a 45-minute episode, and then there was the penultimate episode. We thought Daleks were powerful, but I at least wasn't expecting 500,000 of them to come along at once. Yikes. I am almost afraid to admit it, but I was scared. Apparently, next series the Cybermen have been confirmed to make an appearance at least, but we probably won't have any more Daleks, as you may guess if you have seen the final episode. I won't give anything away here in case you haven't seen it. But yes, I think this series has been an outstanding series, and I am with Blackjack on this one in that David Tennant should be an adequate replacement for Christopher Eccleston, although he was a superb Doctor. [/size]

[size=1]Ok, here is a description of the bar: It is your basic, bog-standard bar. Dark red walls, little lights uplighting the ceiling, a bar made of solid, dark oak lines one wall, with bottles hanging behind the bar. Dirty floor, probably roaches and stuff on the floor. It is pretty run-down, really. The carpet is pretty threadbare, and there is a full-size pool table in one corner. Hope that helps. Also, for now I want you all to stay together, but we can split up later, and probably will, but for now stay together. Hope this answers any questions. [/size]

[size=1]I was born on January 10. This means that I am a Capricorn, and as I was born in 1990, I believe that means I was born in the year of the Horse. I know I share a birthday with Rod Stewart (although I do not possess any of the cradle-robbing tendencies he possesses so strongly), as well as Bernard Lee, a British actor who played M in James Bond. Also, I was born on the same date that Coco Chanel died, as well as Marinus Van Der Lubbe, who, in case you didn't know, was a young Dutch Communist accused of burning down the Reichstag in Germany. There's a few interesting facts about my date of birth for you. [/size]

[size=1]Name: "Deadly" Blake Silver Age: 34 Gender: 'e be a male, and anyone who says otherwise gets their guts cut out and used for garters. Not by Blake, mind. Information: Blake be standin' at over 6 foot, somewhere around 6'3" and 6'5", with 'is silver hair makin' 'im stand out in a crowd, something which does not help in the business of bein' a pirate. 'e 'as a mighty beard, which, although it not be that long, it makes up for it in bushiness, something which every self-respectin' pirate needs. 'is clothes are often the butt of jokes, as 'e tries to be a lot more burly and manly than 'e actually is. 'e wears a black shirt, with a handsome red tunic, which is ripped at the back from where the other pirates often cut it out of jealousy. 'e also 'as a grand 'at, all covered in sparkly shiny things. 'owever, the most int'restin' thing 'bout Blake is 'is wooden leg, which 'e got when 'e tried to shoot 'is old man, but ended up shootin' 'imself in the foot. Yar, Blake be a right stupid boy. Blake were born to a rich old man, 'oo gave 'im all 'is fancy clothes and jewellery, but then 'is ma' died after the old man kicked 'er down the stairs. She were a bit angry 'bout this, and told Blake to kill the old man. But, unfortunately, Blake's name sort of disguised 'is wimpy personality. 'e is an outright coward, given a strangely manly name by 'is ma', 'oo were sufferin' from that dementia. As she died, Blake got a li'l bit angry, and tried to shoot 'is pa', but ended up shootin' 'imself in the foot. This is where 'e got 'is wooden leg, as 'is toe became infected, and the doctor had to cut it off, sayin' at the time that it was an extraordinarily stupid thing for Blake to do, and 'e ought to be whipped for 'is stupidity. But the people of Tokyo 3 never got round to it, and 'e escaped on board the legendary pirate ship SS Your Mom. Blake is often the butt o' jokes on board the ship, but 'e doesn't really mind, mostly takin' it (wrongly) to be a sign of 'is crewmate's affection for 'im. Really, they just 'ate the fact that 'e was brought up in much be'er surroundin's than most of 'em, and they show this by hurtin' him in as many ways as possible. Sample: "Yar, it were mighty friendly of those other pirates to put me in this nice dark cupboard to rest my eyes for a li'l while," thought Blake, "But I'm not sure why they insisted on tyin' me to the ceilin' to do it. Maybe they thought if all the blood was rushin' to me head, then I would be able to swab the decks much be'er than I had been doin', 'coz, let's face it, I haven't bin doin' a brilliant job of late, 'ave I?" Blake got a lot o' time to think about these things, seein' as most of his time was spent upside down in cupboards an' the like. One time the crew even thought it would be funny to point a loaded cannon at his hammock while he were sleepin', and then light the fuse. Luckily, he weren' even in 'is bed, 'e were down in the galley where the crew 'ad tied 'im up the day before. When they found 'im, 'e were in a cupboard, with a li'l bit of the sea-crazies, pretendin' to be a mop to 'ide 'imself from the giant bat that were comin' to get 'im. It took 'im three days to get that one out of 'is 'ead. "Where in the name of Davy Jones is Blake?" shouted a voice from outside the cupboard. Blake tried to shou' back, but then 'e remembered that 'e 'ad a dead fish stuck in 'is mouth to shu' 'im up. The crew were friendly fellows, really, they just go' a li'l bi' carried away with their pranks and so on. Four hours later, the crew remembered where they 'ad 'idden 'im, and they opened the door of the cupboard, lettin' some light in, bu' they must'a forgot 'ow to undo the knots they 'ad tied, 'coz they left 'im 'angin' upside down in the cupboard. "This is life on the ocean wave for ye," thought Blake. Yar, 'e were a stupid, stupid boy... [/size]

[size=1]Gabriel crawled back into the alley, his shoulder bleeding, but not badly. He clamped one hand over the wound, and with the other hand he grabbed a pistol from inside his jacket. Beta had both of her sais drawn, but Gabriel didn't know whether she was going to use them to kill him or Asmodeus. He guessed it would be her prime directive as an Angel to take out any Demons she found, but he had a feeling Michael would want him dead as well. He decided to take a chance and let her do her thing. "Sariel!" shouted Gabriel, "I'm gonna need something soon!" "Hang on!" she shouted back, "I've almost got it!" Her fingers tapped at the small keyboard on her organiser, and then she shouted: "Gabriel! Asmodeus may be a good fighter, but he's a cocky little shit! If you can use that to your advantage, then go ahead. That's all I have right now. I'll get back to you in a minute!" Gabriel nodded to her. It wasn't much, but it would have to do for now. He stood up, his shoulder still bleeding, and his gun still drawn. He held his arms out to either side of him, and dropped his weapon to the floor. He was taking a gamble, and it had to be worth it... "Ok, Asmodeus," he said, "You've won. We can't hold you back. I'm all yours." "Awesome!" shouted Asmodeus, twirling his gun around his finger in the style only a rookie would, "I can't believe you ever beat Belial, not with that attitude. I never thought the great Gabriel would give up so easily! Lucifer's gonna be pleased with me!" He walked towards Gabriel, his gun hanging limply from his hand. Gabriel saw this, and he knew his plan was going right. "You were too good, Asmodeus. I never stood a chance against you. You were always a better fighter than me, and I take back any comment I made about the Angels being stronger than the Demons." "Well, it is all true," said Asmodeus, now right up next to Gabriel, his face right up to Gabriel's, so close he could feel the Demon's hot breath on his face. Gabriel had waited until now, and now he struck. He swung his knee upwards, smashing it into Asmodeus' crotch. The Demon's face changed, turning from a self-satisfied smile into a grimace of pain. He doubled over, and Gabriel drew another pistol. "You should have searched me for weapons, idiot," said Gabriel coldly, aiming his gun directly at Asmodeus' head with a grim smile on his face. He pulled the trigger, and the Demon's body fell, splashing backwards into the water of the docks. Gabriel aimed, and fired again and again into Asmodeus' body, making completely sure he was dead. He was not like his would-be killers. He was a professional. "That's another one down," he said to his crew, turning back to face them, "And now I think it's time for a drink." (OOC: Ok, from now your posts are going to be in the bar where Gabriel's Crew makes their base. This is the time for character interaction, so make some good interaction) [/size]

[size=1]This looks very interesting, ULX. You do seem to have a knack for coming up with ideas that are a new twist on an existing formula. You've definitely got my sign-up as well.[/size]

[size=1]They walked on in silence, kicking up clouds of dust as they went. Asariel and Kraven walked side-by-side, as did K and David. Kraven was unsure about Asariel. He seemed as though he could be trusted, but only by those he liked, and Kraven wasn't sure whether he liked him or not. But, he had seen him fight, and on the basis of that, Kraven preferred to be fighting alongside him rather than against him. This didn't mean that Kraven was a coward, it just meant that he wanted to avoid any unnecessary conflict. They walked on, through fields and up hills that covered Spain, the dusty ground beginning to hurt their feet after a while, the hot sun not helping a great deal. They got to a field, and Kraven stopped, signalling for the others to stop as well. He looked around, feeling a presence he had not felt for a long time. He slipped one hand onto his sword, and raised his head, smelling the air. He could not smell his foe, but he knew that he was here. "Don't go anywhere," he said to the others. He walked off, trying to find his unseen enemy, his hand still on his sword. He turned around to look at his comrades, only to see that they were no longer there. "Idiots," he muttered to himself, "I told them not to wander off." "But they didn't, Kraven," said a deep, booming, almost ethereal voice from behind him. He whirled around, and saw a towering figure standing over his comrades, who were lying on the floor, apparently unconscious. This figure was fearsome to look at. He was easily over eight feet tall, with huge, rippling muscles that threatened to burst from the long black robe he wore. His body was covered in black metal armour, most of it adorned with spikes and horns. His face was obscured by the large helmet made of the same black metal as his armour, with huge horns coming out of either side. All that could be seen of his face were two cold, yellow eyes, glinting from the inside of his helmet. He had a huge battle-axe hefted over his shoulder, almost the length and circumference of a large tree, impossible for any mortal to lift. "Astaroth," said Kraven, "I was wondering when you would turn up. I felt your stench from a mile off." "Still so cocky, Kraven, even when faced with certain death," replied Astaroth, "You haven't changed a bit, except your body has gone through a few changes recently." "Perhaps. But I am still the demon who has killed thousands of your troops single-handedly." "But you could barely destroy your own brother without dying. How are you going to manage to fight a Duke of Hell?" "I will try my best." Then, with speed impossible for someone of his size, Astaroth lunged at Kraven, his axe swinging. It hit him in the stomach, throwing him backwards into a tree, which exploded into splinters on contact. He flipped to his feet, drawing his swords and ducking as Astaroth swung again. Behind the demon, Kraven saw Asariel getting to his feet, using his glaive as a lever to lift himself. Kraven drew his sword across Astaroth's leg, drawing blood but apparently causing him no pain at all. The demon laughed, and Kraven ran as he smashed his axe into the ground where Kraven had been standing. The ground rumbled as the axe struck. All Kraven had to do was keep the demon distracted for a few more seconds... He ran, dodging and ducking as Astaroth swung his weapon again and again, causing the ground to shake violently. Then, Kraven saw the Fallen Angel behind Astaroth, drawing his glaive back, and ramming it into the demon's back, between two plates of armour. The demon howled, dropping his weapon, causing a tremor to run through the ground. "Now, Kraven!" shouted Asariel, and Kraven jumped at the demon, his swords flashing as he flipped head-first over the top of the demon. He landed on his knees, his arms and swords out to either side of him, a single drop of blood dripping from one of the blades. Astaroth turned around, and raised his massive fists, but then fell to the ground, a long red line appearing across his face. Kraven had all but cut the top of his head off. The demon turned to ash, which blew away on the wind. "Thank you, Asariel," said Kraven grudgingly. He sheathed his swords, and as Asariel went to try and wake David and K, he walked over to the axe, which still lay on the ground. He bent down to touch it, and as he did, an image flashed into his brain. He pulled away, fearing what he had seen, but then, his fear overruled by curiousity, he touched it again. He saw visions. He saw his team-mates falling, being cut down, or incinerated, or stabbed, one by one falling to the ground. He saw them all dying, every single Zodiac, Asariel, David, Jacob, Amber, and then he saw Reoan. She was kneeling at the feet of an angel, one who Kraven recognised as Adoil, the Hand of God. She was bleeding heavily, her breath ragged and gurgling, as though there was liquid in her lungs. Her face was torn and beaten, her body cut and broken. She had been tortured by Adoil, and now he saw the angel lifting a sword, and cutting her down, murdering her. Then, he saw himself, a proud demon, standing alongside the Dukes of Hell he had been working to destroy. They stood on the Earth, now a ball of rock completely engulfed by flame, all life incinerated. And yet, here he stood, next to his most deadly enemies, laughing at the demise of the human race, using the last human burning to a crisp as entertainment. "NOO!" he shouted, letting go of the axe and falling backwards. The weapon crumbled, and turned to ash, as Astaroth's body had done. "What is it, Kraven?" asked David, now revived, his huge figure standing over Kraven. "I just saw something. I mean, I saw many things. I saw all of my new team-mates falling, being killed by demons and angels alike. I saw Reoan being tortured, and I saw myself at the head of all of this. I caused this death and destruction. I became a Duke of Hell. That is something I cannot allow to happen. I must fight with Reoan forever, I see that now. I cannot allow her to be destroyed, as she holds the power to tip the balance." "You saw all of this? In the time it took you to take hold of the weapon? But you were only holding it for a few seconds." "It seemed like longer than that. But, David, you must promise me one thing." "What is it?" "You must promise me that if I ever look as though I am about to join the Dukes of Hell, you must kill me instantly, without mercy. Do you understand?" (OOC: Hope that's okay for you, DC, if its not just PM me and I'll change anything) [/size]

[size=1]Ok, I wasn't really expecting that many people to sign up after it has already started, so here goes: Sapphire Flare as Leviathan: You're in. But, before you start, please PM Kamuro with the details of your little grudge against his character, just so he knows what's going on. Nagi Tomo and Lostcause, I am afraid to say I can't accept you. Your sign-ups just weren't of the quality I have been expecting from those who would participate in this RP. I am sorry, but it's something I have to do. Ok, now that I have a Demon, this sign-up is officially [b]CLOSED.[/b] [/size]

[font=Verdana][size=1]"Ok, boys and girls, pay attention," said Gabriel, his loud, clear voice cutting through the quiet of the night, "We may have taken a few of them down tonight, but we are nowhere near destroying the Demons. And, even after we have taken all of them out, we are still left with the Angels, and from what we saw of that girl tonight, they could be even tougher than the Demons. So we need to be prepared. We need to..."[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=1] [/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=1]His words were cut short by a gunshot ringing out, the bullet slamming into his shoulder, sending him spinning to the floor. A man stepped out of the darkness, his pistol holstered already, his hands clapping. His silver hair fell into his eyes, and he wore a black combat suit with a long black jacket over it. He flicked the hair out of his eyes with a movement of his head, and said:[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=1] [/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=1]"What a rousing speech. I was quite moved myself, until the part where he said that the Angels were more powerful than the Demons. That part annoyed me a little." He had a clear English accent, and was quite well-spoken.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=1] [/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=1]"Who the hell are you?" said Kugo, stepping forward, raising his fists in a defensive stance.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=1] [/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=1]"My name is Asmodeus. I have been given specific orders from Lucifer himself to take out Gabriel, and then to bring him Katrina Cleever, that little whore who left him for Gabriel. I plan to follow these orders through, and anyone who wishes to stand in my way will face the consequences." He drew his shining silver pistol and twirled it around his fingers, making it glint in the harsh glow of the street-lamps. The entire crew stepped forward to join Kugo, drawing their weapons...[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=1] [/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=1](OOC: You can do whatever you like with Asmodeus, but don't kill him yet. Also, an old friend of Gabriel's will be joining us very soon)[/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=1]Garrek's swords were unsheathed in an instant, and he leapt at one of the knights, his blades flashing. He leapt so high into the air that his head broke the top of the trees, and then he came falling back to earth, his swords pointed downwards, cleaving towards the knight. He dodged, but one of the blades still struck him in the arm, pinning him to the ground. Garrek stood up, and summoned a spell. His eyes turned blank and white, and his fingers crackled with electric power, as he blasted the knight into oblivion with a single, powerful bolt of lightning. He laughed, then choked on his own laugh. This was not his way. He had just killed someone in cold blood.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=1]He backed away, dropping his swords to the ground, and ran, as fast as he could, away from the battle...[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=1][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=1](OOC: Sorry it's so short)[/size][/font]

[size=1]The heady scent of gunsmoke filled the air as the thick cloud of smoke separating Gabriel from his target cleared. He coughed as he inhaled some of the smoke, then turned his head and twisted a cigarette into his mouth. Like the smoke from that would be much better. He waved a hand, clearing the smoke away, and saw the blood-and-rain-soaked body lying in front of him. It was a young-looking man, probably late twenties, possibly early thirties, with blonde hair turned dark by the rain, plastered to the floor. His build was solid, although not muscular in the way Gabriel's was, and he had strong-looking arms and legs. But none of that mattered now, because he was dead. Gabriel took a battered notebook from his pocket, and a short stub of a pencil, and crossed out some of the writing on the page. There were two names crossed out now, and many still remaining. The man he had just killed was known as Belial, but Gabriel did not know his real name. That was how this business worked. The other name crossed out was "Mammon." There were several names remaining: Behemoth, Astaroth, Azrael, Abaddon, Leviathan, Asmodeus, Satan, Beelzebub and Lucifer. They were the five heads of the Demons, a notorious gang in Haven City. The second page of his notebook was filled with other names. There was Uriel, Chamuel, Zadkiel, Raphael, Jophiel, Zuriel, Arel and Michael. None of these were crossed out. Gabriel fished a Zippo lighter from his pocket, flicked it open with a metallic clink, and ignited it. The flame shot up, and he put it to the end of his cigarette. Once it had lit, he flicked the lighter shut with a flick of the wrist, and put it back in his pocket. He took a puff on the cigarette, and turned to leave. "You know, that's a filthy habit," said someone in the darkness, about a foot away from Gabriel. "Do I look like I'm worried, Sariel?" he asked. The rest of his crew emerged from the shadow of the alleyway. Sariel Oki, Katrina Cleever, Sakura Hiwatari, Alchemy Forte and Kugo. They were all armed. "Did you get him?" asked Kugo. "Was there ever any doubt in your mind, Kugo?" replied Gabriel. "Hey!" shouted a voice from a few metres away, "You can shut up!" The crew turned to see a group of men coming towards them, dressed in black leather jackets with red wings stitched on the back. Demons, probably coming to avenge their fallen comrade. "You can't just kill one of us and expect to walk away from it!" he shouted, drawing a pistol. The other men in the group drew their weapons, handguns mostly, but there was an occasional automatic weapon. They all flicked the safety catches off and aimed, ready for a firefight. Gabriel, slowly and calmly, took the cigarette from his mouth, dropped it to the floor, and stamped on it, crushing the ash into the gorund with his boot. He then opened his jacket to reveal an array of firearms, all fully loaded and ready. He signalled to the others, who drew their own weapons. The first shot was fired... (OOC: Ok, here it is. Sorry it took so long to get up, but I was busy with a few other things. Umbra II has had to pull out, so we currently have no Demons, but I may have someone to join them lined up. For your first posts, I just want you to be engaged in a firefight by the docks. You can interact with other characters, as well as having a fight. Beta, if you want to post, then we can have your character intervening in the fight. Thank you, and I look forward to seeing all your posts) [/size]

[size=1]"So this is who I'm stuck with for a battle against one of Hell's most powerful denizens. A race traitor, a Grigori half-breed and a pathetic Zodiac. It is almost as if Reoan wishes me to fail," grumbled Kraven as he walked swiftly along the dirt path. "Do not forget, Kraven, that I am not the only race traitor here. From what I heard, you betrayed your own kind. Otherwise, why would you be fighting against them?" questioned Asariel. "I left my race because they betrayed me!" shouted Kraven, stopping and turning to Asariel, "I did not betray my race! You did, however, and so I am the one here who has never betrayed their own kind!" "Calm down, Kraven," said David, "We would be wise to put our differences aside, at least for now. We need to find and kill Astaroth as quickly and efficiently as possible. Now, there are four of us and only one of him, so our main strength will be together, working as a team. We must not fight between ourselves." "I concur," said K meekly. "No-one asked your opinion, Zodiac," said Kraven, "But I also believe that we are going to stand the best chance of defeating Astaroth if we stick together. So, at least for now, we must set up a truce. There will be no fighting between ourselves, and in the time it takes us to find Astaroth, we will try and improve our fighting techniques when fighting together. Agreed?" "Agreed," replied the rest of them, Asariel slightly less enthusiastically. They turned back to the road and continued their quest. [i]But from the darkness, a single, shadowy figure watched them, his eyes glinting yellow with menace, and he laughed at their feeble attempts to find him. He picked up his weapon, a huge battle-axe, and hefted it onto his shoulder, which was heavily armoured. "Foolish ones," he said, his deep voice booming in the darkness, "They believe they can defeat me?" He laughed again... [/i][/size]

[size=1]Phoenix grabbed the first demon that came to him, and ran it through with his sword. Blood splattered out from the wound, and the demon fell to the floor, writhing in agony. Phoenix pulled his sword out and dropped the demon's corpse, letting it fall to the floor in a bleeding heap. He jumped backwards out of the way of the next demon's attack, and drew one of his knives from his bandoleer, stabbing it firmly into the demon's foot, pinning it to the floor. As it struggled to release it's foot, he ran over to a third demon, his sword flashing as he whirled it around in his hand. The blade sang as he whipped it through a demon's neck, removing it's head completely. He smiled, seeing the demon fall to the floor, then grabbed a handful of throwing knives and launched them at the nearest group of demons. The knives struck various body parts, some demons getting them in the eye, others in the forehead, and some in non-lethal places like the arm or leg, but not a single knife missed a demon. He jumped, his long coat fanning out as he twisted through the air, and as demons jumped towards him, he slashed them out of the air, making their bloodied corpses fall to the floor, landing with hard thuds as they struck the broken concrete. Phoenix landed, in a crouched position, on a huge chunk of concrete that had been pulled up from the road, both of his swords drawn now. A dozen or so demons came towards him, and in a flurry of blades, claws and teeth, demons fell to the floor, and Phoenix was left standing, his swords now stained with thick, ebony blood, and a small cut leaking blood down his cheek. He wiped the blood from his face, and then realised there was another cut above his eye, causing blood to drip down into his eye, cutting off his sight partially. He wiped this blood away as well, and then saw the demon who was pinned to the floor. He smiled and walked calmly over to him, blood now seeping gradually down his face, matting his hair to the side of his face. He sheathed both his swords, and then cracked his knuckles and walked towards the demon. He delivered a powerful blow to the chest, crushing a few rib bones, followed by two powerful blows to the kidneys, probably damaging them severely. He proceeded to punch the demon in many different places, bones crunching under his inhuman strength. He was different now, this Phoenix. His eyes burned with hatred, and he seemed to be working out all his aggression on the demon. A few more punches made the demon's face battered and bruised, blood now pouring from it's nose and mouth, and still it snarled at him animalistically. Phoenix delivered a crunching blow to the demon's face, simultaneously breaking the nose and shattering the neck. The demon slumped to the floor, it's foot still pinned by Phoenix's knife, which he promptly drew from the foot. He turned, and saw a demon leaping at his teammate, Nuca. He checked around himself, and apart from the knife he had just picked up, which had been bent and buckled from the stress, he had no knives left. Thinking quickly, he drew one of his swords, and with a single swift motion, he threw it. It flew through the air, towards the demon, and crunched into it's chest, knocking it backwards. Nuca looked at Phoenix, suddenly very aware that he just saved her life. He winked and smiled at her, and she raised an eyebrow. She picked up the sword and threw it back to Phoenix, who, in one motion, caught it and sheathed it again. "Thanks for that, Phoenix, but I had it covered," she said. "Didn't look like it from here," he replied, taunting her slightly. The group was getting closer together, and Phoenix and Nuca were pushed closer to each other by the oncoming horde of demons. "Well, it looks like you have a chance to make it up to me now," said Phoenix, drawing his swords. He charged at the horde... (OOC: Hope this is okay for you, Reiku. Also, has Venge gotten back to you on the issue of the angel parent? Doesn't matter if he hasn't, I was just wondering) [/size]

[QUOTE]I don't get how anyone could live in England. It's not because it's a bad place or anything (It's damn right beautiful, ask me) but England is litterally 100 times smaller then Canada with a population 10 times as large. How can people stand to be that crowded?[/QUOTE] [size=1]Whoa, please stop trashing England! It's my home, and I am very serious about people taking the mickey out of us. As for exact location, I live in a little town called Reading, about 20 miles away from London. And while I admit that London does have some bad points, it is not a bad city, really. Also, Baron, for your comment about the Aussies being better at every sport than everyone ever, can I just mention the Rugby World Cup? We beat you fair and square in that Cup Final, and you're just jealous because you have no Johnny Wilkinson! Ha! [/size]

[size=1]Sparx searched around the Oval Office, trying to find anything which could give them a clue as to the identity and whereabouts of the President's attackers. He looked carefully at every piece of furniture in the room, but when he got to the desk, he found something suspicious. A small hole in the President's desk was drawn to his attention, made in the leather by some kind of pointed object. It could have been a knife, as one side was clearly made by a razor edge, and the other made by a serrated edge, like the knives given to soldiers. Sparx clicked on his headset microphone, and said to the others around the building: "Guys, I think we have something. The teleporter may have military roots. I'm going to see if I can find anything about him from the Pentagon computers." He walked from the room to another, this one filled with people sitting at computers, busy typing away, doing urgent work for the President. He walked up to one of them, and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around to face Sparx irritably. "What?" he said, his face red from hard work. "I need to use this computer, sir," said Sparx. "But you can't. This is official White House business. I can't just let you use this computer." "Sir, I am a government agent, so I suggest you get up off your fat ass and let me use your computer, unless you want to be arrested." The man seemed more lenient after this, and let Sparx use his computer, but only if he could stand behind him and watch what he was doing. "Do these computers have direct access to the Pentagon's files?" he asked. "Yeah, they're all on a network together." "What's the encryption key?" The man told him, and he typed it in. After a few seconds, he was on the Pentagon's system. He clicked on one of the menus that said: "Military information." When it asked for his username and password, he typed them in, and then he was inside the Pentagon's military files, which contained information on every single person in America's armed forces. He scanned a list, then opened the search menu, and typed in: Russian soldiers This narrowed it down a little, to around 50 different people. Sparx began searching through each one, trying to find any that may have left the army, perhaps gone AWOL, or even any who had been reported MIA. After around thirty different files, he found the one he was looking for. The picture showed a young, slightly tanned man, with hazel brown hair and strange yellow eyes, which were apprently due to a medical condition. Sparx read through his file. His name was Antonin Dimitrovich Petra, and he had gone AWOL almost three years ago, and was last reported to have become a mercenary, and had killed the officers sent to bring him back to the army. Sparx printed the file off, then left the room. He went to find the President, who was waiting in the hangar as Air Force One was preparing for take-off. Sparx caught him just before he got on the plane. "Mr President!" he shouted. The President turned around, and saw him. "Ah, Mr Trelawney. How is your investigation coming along?" he asked, shaking Sparx's hand. "Sir, I think I have found the identity of your attacker. Can you tell me whether you recognise this man?" He held up the printout. "Well, of course I recognise him. He's the one who attacked me." "He is? Are you sure about this? We don't want to go and arrest the wrong man." "That is definitely the man who attacked me, Mr Trelawney. Now I expect you to go out and find him, and bring this man to justice. He is probably still with the girl, so you should be able to bring her in too. Now I must leave, I have a very important meeting to get to." He turned and got into the plane. Sparx ran back to the outside of the White House, and called all the rest of the team on his headset microphone. Soon, they had all returned to the front of the House. "We have a positive identity for the teleporter who attacked the President. He is a Russian named Antonin Dimitrovich Petra, a former US soldier who turned. We need to get back to the base to find a current address for him, and then we need to move out. Understood?" They all nodded. "Excuse me," said a voice from behind them, "I believe I may be able to help." They turned, and saw a large, muscular man standing behind them. His spiky white hair was still, even in the wind, and he was easily over seven feet tall. "Who might you be?" asked Sparx. "My name is Zach Deuter, but most people call me Colossus. I know of the man you speak of. I used to know him. He was called Antonin, but everybody used to call him Joyride. He always hangs around with a girl who we call Spectre, but no-one seems to know her real name." "Ok, Colossus, will you accompany us to find these people?" asked Sparx. Colossus nodded his head in agreement, and they left the grounds of the White House. "Where exactly did you come from, anyway?" asked Trace, "You kind of appeared from nowhere." "I was working as a bodyguard for the President. I spend a lot of my time here anyway, and I thought this information might help." (OOC: Sorry, Clone Trooper, but I have changed your character's history a little to make his appearance fit into the story. So, now you didn't meet Sparx, Cloak and Psyker after you had broken out of the facility, but you started work as a bodyguard to the President. Hope this is alright with you, and now I have introduced you properly, you can post whenever you like) [/size]

[size=1]"I propose that we split up. That way we can cover more ground and find the Duke and the angel a lot more quickly," said Kraven to the group. "Very well," replied Reoan, "I will head up the group trying to find the angel, Oriel." "And I will lead the group who will find Astaroth, the Duke of Hell," said Kraven. "Why should you lead them, Kraven?" asked Jacob, "You have only been with us for less than a day. There are others in this group who have been following Reoan since the beginning of her quest." Kraven strode over to where Jacob stood, and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, hauling him off his feet. "I will lead them because I am the one here who has had most experience of facing the Dukes of Hell," Kraven hissed, his face close to Jacob's, "If you think you know Hell better than a former denizen of the place, then by all means you can lead them to Astaroth. But, of course you won't, because we all know you are just Reoan's lapdog. You follow her like a hound!" Jacob lashed out and punched Kraven in the face, making the demon release his grip and stagger backwards slightly. Blood was dribbling from the corner of his mouth. "Not bad," he said, wiping the blood from his face, "But we will see how strong you are when you are separated from Reoan. Very soon, Jacob." (OOC: I'm gonna leave it up to you to decide who is in what team, DC, but if you don't like this post then PM me and I'll change it) [/size]

[size=1]Yeah, if you have an idea for your character, then just PM me and I'll get back to you on it. Also, thanks for the idea of the character-to-character histories, that's a great one, so I will come up with some and I will post them here when I am done. [/size]

[size=1]Well, Isadora and cecelia rose are both partly right. The name Fallen is kind of a metaphor, because I haven't so much fallen as gone through some pretty major changes lately. Isadora was right in saying that my custom title was an in-joke, probably one that no-one else would get. Also, my whole theme at the moment is to do with Fallen Angels because, as Isadora said, I just think they're cool, and it's fascinated me for a while now that something so good and pure can become corrupted, like an angel becoming a fallen angel. However, I was going for a new look to go with an RP I was creating, but that never really panned out, but I kept the new look because I loved it! [/size]

[size=1]Ok, this is the underground thread for "Battle For Haven." This is where I will be posting details of what is going to happen in the RP, as well as character information, and information on the gangs. Here is a list of members for both gangs: [b][u]Demons [/u][/b]Lucifer-the leader Satan-his second in command Beelzebub Mammon Behemoth Leviathan Abaddon-[i]Umbra II [/i]Astaroth Azrael Asmodeus Belial [u][b]Angels [/b][/u]Michael-the leader Gabriel-his second in command, now renegade Uriel Chamuel Zadkiel Raphael Jophiel Zuriel Arel Some of these positions are up to be played, excluding the following: Lucifer, Michael, Azrael, Uriel. No-one may play these characters, but the rest are all up for grabs. Also, please use this thread for any questions you might have about the RP. [/size]

[size=1]Ok, all the sign-ups are great so far, and Kamuro thanks for changing yours, and don't worry, you weren't a bother. One tiny thing Kitty, you say in your Bio that Michael is the leader of the Demons. He is not. Michael is leader of the Angels, and Lucifer is leader of the Demons. If you could just change that then there should be no problem. I will be putting up an Underground thread to explain who the main members of each gang are, so there should be less confusion. In the meantime, here is my profile for Gabriel. [/size] [size=1]Name: Jake ?Gabriel? Harlan[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]Age: 31[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]Gender: Male[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]Former Occupation: Member of the Angel gang[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]Affiliation: Gabriel?s Crew[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]Appearance: Gabriel stands at around 6?7?, with broad shoulders and muscular arms and legs. His skin is pale, and his hair is short and black. It is cropped over the top of his head, and his eyebrows are a paler colour, more of a dark brown than a black. His eyes are a deep blue, and above his left eye is a small scar along the top of his eyebrow. He has other scars on his face as well, one just below his right eye, one over his left cheek and four on his chest where he was shot. He wears a waist-length black jacket, with black trousers and shoes, and a white shirt underneath the jacket. He has two shoulder holsters, one over each shoulder, as well as one at his hip. He sometimes wears a pair of black mirrored shades as well.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]Personality: Gabriel?s attitude towards life is dull. He has a very grim outlook, and seems to hate life. He is, however, very protective towards his friends, and will do anything to protect them. There are certain friends he would even give up his own life to protect, but he would never let on that fact. He would always hide it from his friends to try and keep his hard outer shell in one piece.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]Bio: Jake Harlan was only 13 when he joined the Angels. He can remember very little of his childhood, as he has mentally blocked most of it due to trauma. What little he does remember, however, is deeply traumatic. He was beaten daily by his drunken, abusive father and his mother left when he was just five to escape the abuse. He was left alone with this huge, monstrous figure who beat him just to satisfy his own horrendous needs. He was sent to a low-class public school where he was beaten to a further degree by his classmates. This school is where he learnt to fight back.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]As he grew older, he became stronger and more confident, growing each day, both physically and mentally. He became one of the top students in his school, but no-one called him a nerd or a geek, because he was also one of the toughest. He had grown up to be able to defend himself.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]One day, he went home, and found his father lying on the couch, so drunk he could barely talk. Jake found a large wooden table leg lying around from a fight the previous day, and he beat his father to death with it as he slept. He knew that he would be hunted down for this, so he fled, running out onto the streets.[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]At age 17 he joined the Angels, and worked his way up the ranks until he became known as Gabriel, and he was like a brother to Michael, the leader of the Angels.[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]Weapons: Gabriel carries two semi-automatic H&K USPs, as well as a pair of Glock 19 handguns with detachable silencers and two small, curved knives.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]Skills: Gabriel is an amazing marksman, able to hit almost any target, stationary or moving, and he is fairly competent at close quarters combat as well.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]Character Snippet: The night was cold and dark in Haven City, and the only life that was left on the streets was filth. Gang members, thugs, hookers, they all came out at night. Haven was not the safest place to be, especially at night, but still Jake Harlan walked the streets, his jacket wrapped around him to keep out the cold. His hair blew around in the wind, forming wild styles, which vanished in an instant, only to be replaced by something even more wild.[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]He walked over to the club. Huge glaring neon signs signalled that this club was called ?The Inferno.? A fitting name for somewhere riddled with all the scum that could have spawned from the deepest, darkest pit of Hell itself. Gabriel pushed open one of the doors, and walked inside.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]Lights flashed all over the club, glitter balls sparkled, and men were overcome by their desire to touch the women on offer. A barman stood behind the bar, cleaning a glass and looking at the rest of the crowd longingly, as though he wished he was one of them.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]Gabriel walked over to the bar and ordered his usual, a double scotch, which he was given, and he promptly threw the drink down his neck before walking up the cold steel stairs, weaving in and out of the drunken couples that littered the stairway. On the balcony sat Lucifer, the head of the Demons. He was sitting on a grand armchair, made up to look like some kind of spiky, evil throne, and was surrounded by adoring women and bulky bodyguards. Gabriel stepped up to the top of the stairs, where a huge, dark-skinned man wearing sunglasses stopped him.[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]?Where do you think you?re going, sir?? he asked, opening his jacket to show that he was armed.[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]?I need to talk with Lucifer. I have information that could be of use to him,? replied Gabriel, his voice cold and unemotional.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]?No-one talks to Lucifer without permission,? said another bodyguard, this one actually drawing his handgun.[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]?Let the man through, boys!? shouted Lucifer, his English accent cutting through the noise of the club. The two bodyguards stepped aside willingly, letting Gabriel through.[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]?Well, well, if it isn?t Gabriel,? he said, finishing off his drink, ?Come to tell tales on the Angels, have we?? He stroked his goatee mockingly, and laughed, dismissing the crowd of women that surrounded him.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]?What is this information you have to share, Gabriel??[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]?I have inside information about the activities of the Angels. I will give it to you in exchange for one thing.?[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]?And what might that be??[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]?I want to join the Demons. I just need a group that I can be safe from the Angels in. Yours is the obvious choice.?[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]?The mighty Gabriel wants to join his hated foes? Why would this be??[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]?I was framed for the rape and murder of Michael?s daughter. They are trying to run me out of town, or, failing that, they wish to kill me.?[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]?This is an exciting twist in the tale, now, isn?t it? Do you know who did kill her??[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]?No. But I hope that with your help, I can find out.?[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]At that moment, something in the club changed. The music was stopped, the people stopped dancing and drinking, and instead decided to leave the club with their hands in the air.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]Just below where Lucifer and Gabriel were talking, an Angel assassination squad was waiting for the opportune moment to strike. They found it was now, and they took the opportunity, jumping up from their seats and drawing their pistols. The leader fired a shot into the air, which cleared the floor quickly, and then three more of them ran up the stairs, shooting Lucifer?s bodyguards before they could attack, and grabbed Gabriel. Lucifer ran, taking his women with him.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]Down on the floor, the group of five Angels circled Gabriel menacingly. Gabriel was on his knees in the middle of them.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]?So,? said the leader, ?You were going to sell us out to the Demons, were you?? He delivered a swift kick to Gabriel?s face, knocking him to the floor. The leader signalled to the others, who came towards Gabriel, wielding any type of blunt object they could find, and began to beat him. He managed to get to his feet between two blows, and used his head to knock one of them out, but then he was beaten back to the floor again.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]After twenty minutes of this physical abuse, the leader signalled to the others to stop, and knelt by Gabriel. Gabriel saw his vague, blurry outline through a haze of pain and bruised eyes. He spat out a mouthful of blood and teeth, and looked up at the leader.[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]?Take him outside,? said the leader. Two of the others picked Gabriel up and dragged him outside, into the alleyway at the side of the club. He was thrown bodily from the club and into the alley, where he hit the dumpster with such force that the lid came smashing down, and it slid a few feet to the left. He felt a lot of his blood escaping his body, and knew that he was in serious trouble.[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]The leader of the assassination squad came outside, drew his pistol, and began to screw a silencer onto it, talking slowly as he did.[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]?No-one screws us over,? he said, ?No-one messes with the Angels, not even one of the highest of our own team. You sold out, Gabriel, and the worst thing is, we don?t even know why you did that to Michael?s daughter. She hadn?t done anything to you. Maybe you have some kind of sick fetish for children, I don?t know, but we?re all just sick about what happened.? He finished screwing the silencer onto the weapon, and aimed it at Gabriel?s chest.[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]?Oh, and just for the record,? he said, ?I never liked you.? And with this final comment, he fired four shots into Gabriel?s chest. He felt the first shot, as it thudded into his chest with a sledgehammer-like power. The second was one of dull pain, and he couldn?t feel the third, he was so close to death.[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]Five years later?[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]Gabriel stepped out of the hospital, his legs feeling slightly weak after being immobile for so long. He smelt the fresh air, and looked down at his clothes. They were the same ones he was wearing that fateful night, five years ago, complete with rips, tears, bloodstains and bullet-holes.[/size] [size=1][/size] [size=1]He was awake, and ready to start fighting the Demons once again. But this time, he would be fighting the Angels as well.[/size][size=1][/size] [size=1]He needed a new crew, one he could entrust his life to, so he went about forming this new crew? [b]PLEASE WOULD EVERYONE CHECK OUT THE UNDERGROUND THREAD FOR EXTRA CHARACTER INFORMATION[/b] [/size]