Invocation: Rshkiel
In the dark of the night, the fire was reduced to glowing embers in the heath. Strangely, it didn't seem to bother Delilah. She was kneeling on the stony floor, charcoal or chalk in hand and was drawing a complex pentacle. Her hand was slightly trembling, as with anticipation.
She straightened once, sitting on her heels. Her eyes were blurry, but no tear was falling on her cheeks. Under her breath she whispered:
"Fool, fool! You're only a pitiful fool!"
In her head, again and again, her own voice was ringing:
"I don't know to love."
Even though crisped she had been so sure that day, her voice hadn't trembled! She bent down on her work again, full of anger with herself and, around the pentacle, drew diagrams of protection. When she was finished the room - which was the biggest of the house - had the entire floor covered with drawings entwining charcoal and white chalk. The outside drawings were of charcoal and next to them were the white diagrams of protection. The pentacle in the middle was protected against both Demons and Angels.
She carefully tiptoed out of the room to get ready. She came back in a dress entirely white, tied at the waist with a black silk belt. If the outfit had been made for her, she had lost much weight since the last time she had worn it. The belt, in spite of being wrapped three times around her waist, was so long that the ends were brushing against the floor and she carefully held them up as she made her way back in the pentacle.
She sat on her heels and entwined her fingers on her lap. She breathed deeply; she had to be under perfect control before beginning the incantation. Theoretically nothing wrong could happen to her in this call but she wasn't going to risk it. Too much was at stake, she couldn't take a chance. Even the friendliest invoked could turn out to be tricky and deceitful. She repeated to herself all the things she had already told herself countless times, when her hatred because of her mother's death and fate had threatened to overcome her.
"Feelings are just matters of the heart. They don't count. Only my mind can do something. I have to think clearly. I have to be cold and unfeeling, like ice that wouldn't melt even under the hottest sun. This is a serious work, work for the mind. I can face them and be calm and impartial. I am Delilah Demon's child, daughter of Lilith, and Demons don't know the meaning of feelings."
That was it! Feeling as if she was crushing her whole life in this single moment, she kept on persuading herself that she was like Demons, feeling nothing, that she was a perfect stranger to words like love, friendship or compassion.
Delilah could have persuaded an Angel that he was like a Demon and so it didn't take her too long before being totally convinced of her own words, no matter how degrading they were for her. She extended her hand in front of her; it wasn't trembling. She had a weak smile and, without waiting anymore, started the invocation. Nobody, not even masters in angelology or demonology, would have been able to recognise the invocation. The song she was singing heartily sounded half like a hymn of praise and half like a mourning lullaby. Her voice was by turns as soft as a whisper and soaring on high notes.
Just after the beginning of her song, the charcoal diagrams had twinkled dark and the air from the floor to the ceiling was looking like a wall of black sparkles. Soon after the chalk diagrams had done the same and Delilah was now surrounded by two energy walls while the diagrams whose patterns mixed charcoal and chalk remained perfectly normal. Then, at the end of her song, the air just outside her pentacle twinkled dark bronze and an ageless face with features tortured with grief and remorse appeared in front of her, surrounded with barriers of protection.
"Delilah, this is a dangerous call," he said immediately.
"I secured the house. Nobody can know you're here," she replied rather sadly.
The beautiful face softened and a light smile wandered on his lips.
"Delilah, I'm so happy to see you. It has been a long time since last time."
"Too long a time. You'll forgive me not to come out of this pentacle to greet you properly but it would put you in danger."
"Dee... I know. Don't be so sad to see me only on the sly. We both knew it would be so when we bounded."
"I miss you, Rshkiel," she whispered, her voice choked.
Then she squared her shoulders and clenched the jaws defiantly. Her eyes took a decided glow and Rshkiel knew better than trying to make her feel better.
"You did a good work with Tyrael," he said.
"Isn't it hilarious that the girl they all despise turned the Archangel of Guardians into someone a bit more fit for his mission?" she replied bitterly.
"Don't say that, Dee. You'll see it will go better."
"I don't think so but that's not the point. Rshkiel, they're looking all over for you."
"I know. I heard their calls."
"Rashiel is among them."
Rshkiel sneered.
"He never had any pride whatsoever. How could he fall so low?"
"He will make you pay for not having answered their calls."
"I never belonged to their ranks so I don't see why I should have to answer them. What do they want anyway?"
"They want you to join them and to lead one of their sections."
"Me, join them? It would be funny if it wasn't so pitiful. They can rot in their Abyss before that moment arrives."
"And would you be of the same opinion if I was on their side?"
Rshkiel looked puzzled.
"What would you do on their side? I know about your demon blood but you hate Demons even more than you hate Angels."
Delilah scoffed ironically.
"Me, hate Demons? How could I since I am His bride-to-be? Don't you know that my numerous sons will attack Heaven and then I'll reign over earth and sky by the side of my beloved husband?"
"What kind of nonsense is this?" frowned Rshkiel. "How can you be in love with Him?"
"This is what Vortigern's priests told me. Don't pity me, Rshkiel, I hate pity and anyway I brought this on myself. He is my protective Demon, you remember? He somehow decided it was not enough and He wants me to be totally His so..."
She shrugged.
"But I didn't call you for talking of this problem," she continued hastily. "My question is: would you come by their side if I was?"
"No. I'm sorry, Dee, I love you more than anybody else but I won't renounce to my last beliefs for being with you."
She had a ghostly smile.
"I'm glad. And what if they torture me until you surrender to them?"
Rshkiel shivered.
"Would they dare?"
"Most probably, yes, if their real target is you and not me. It seems they want us both but I think it's because they know we're blood brothers."
"I knew I shouldn't have done that! I knew it was madness!" exclaimed Rshkiel.
Delilah looked crestfallen and he added:
"Dee, it's not because of you, sweet. But had I been wiser I would have known better than bind you to a fallen Angel when you already had to fight because of your demon blood!"
"So what? The real problem is then me. Anyway, Rshkiel, let them torture me all they want and don't surrender, I beg of you. I don't fear death and I will only laugh at their pitiful tortures."
"I know you don't fear death; you would rather call it to you!"
"Rshkiel, be serious! You may be all they need for winning the upcoming war!"
"Or you may be. Dee, don't underestimate yourself. You are a good Guardian and a good demon knight."
"I'm the only Guardian left," Delilah said ruefully.
"I know. I felt them die. Actually, I felt you die also and I was almost ready to come out of hiding and surrender to Him, but then, I felt you were alive. What happened?"
"Raphael brought me back from death gates."
"Thank you Raphael," Rshkiel whispered with feeling. "Dee, don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I've escaped Him till now, haven't I? Take care of you, little sister. I know how much it took you to transform Tyrael the way you did but maybe now he will be able to convince the Council of the gravity of the situation."
"In my dreams only, Rshkiel, believe me. They would let humankind be crushed just to prove they were right since the beginning, that I could only betray their cause! They want me dead and buried for good. Maybe if I was to die before the confrontation would they react and yet, even then, I'm not sure."
Rshkiel understood that there was something else than Delilah's usual dark ideas but then he had no idea what. Nevertheless, hoping he would avoid the painful subject, he said:
"Dee... I know you're concerned about me but I swear I'll be fine. But I am concerned about you. There's s something about Him that's bothering you. Dee, believe me, Demons are able to love like humans. He certainly can, since His father could also. I don't think it to be a mere coincidence that He accepted to be your protective Demon. He really loves you. You have to accept His love: don't reduce it to the mere lust Demons usually feel for the daughters of Man. If you do, you'll fail."
"So what? Am I to welcome Him with open arms, glad of being His princess?"
"No, Dee. Accept His love for what it is. If you keep reducing it to nothing then the intensity of His passion for you will surprise you and may move you."
"How is it you know so much?" inquired Delilah without flinching.
"An Angel, even fallen, always knows more than he should," replied Rshkiel quite uneasily.
"What else do you know about Him and me?"
"Not much, believe me. But I can feel His love for you. It almost radiates till Heaven."
"Then how is it I can't feel it?" she asked, half-angry.
Rshkiel looked surprised then slightly coughed.
"Well, you are the object of His affections. You're not supposed to know."
Delilah looked down at her fingers in her lap, entwined them following a new complex pattern and, without looking up, she asked:
"So He really loves me?"
Rshkiel looked at her. Her voice hadn't trembled, she sounded perfectly calm and looked as if she was thinking at something complex. But Rshkiel knew better. He knew Delilah better than anybody else, even better than Lilith herself had or Eilena, and he could almost feel her pain.
"I'm sorry, Dee, but yes, He does. He loves you like a man would love you except that His passion reaches higher."
"Woe is me," said Delilah without humour. "And how would an Angel love me?"
In any other occasion, Rshkiel would have chuckled but first he had heard of the new law among Angels and second he really didn't like the dark despair which Delilah had sunk into.
"Look at me, Dee," he commanded.
She didn't even stir. He reiterated his command and she looked up locking up her eyes to his. He found himself unable to say a word about angelic love: the despair in her eyes was too much to bear.
"Accept His love or you'll fail," he repeated blankly instead.
She shook the head.
"I can't," she said. "If I accept the fact that Demons can actually love after all those years, then it means I can love also and this is something I can't acknowledge. Not now."
"But you can, Dee," frowned Rshkiel. "You're not a Demon, you're a human with demon blood, that's different. Your father could, why couldn't you?"
She was still calm but he had the impression she felt like she wanted to howl in anguish.
"I can't," she repeated. "There is too much at stake for me to allow trifle things like feelings to intervene. Maybe you don't know, Rshkiel, but Shuqra warned me. I can't surrender in any way to Him; if I do, we're all doomed."
"Then do what I say!" exclaimed Rshkiel.
"No!" replied Delilah sharply. "Don't you understand anything? I don't - and won't - care for His desire, but I might for His love. I had the mother love of Lilith and the brotherly love of you and some Angels, but never love itself. Of course, it would be forbidden love, but what do I care? Am I not already the offspring of a forbidden love? I have been an outcast for too long, Rshkiel, and I yearn for acceptance. The day I'll live only for this acceptance, I won't care who are those accepting me."
"You hate Demons," objected Rshkiel who sounded like his world was shattering in front of him.
"I hate Angels also," she replied sadly.
"Tell me then for I don't understand. You wouldn't care for the love of someone you hate, even if he was the only one to love you."
"I told you," she said wearily. "I can't accept my own feelings. It's too dangerous."
Rshkiel looked closely at her and refrained himself from asking more. He was too afraid of what he thought it might be. Instead, he chose to change subject.
"Dee, I know which side you've chosen - though I never had any doubt..."
"Isn't it amusing that the only one who had always trusted me to stand by the Angels' side is a fallen Angel?" she murmured as for herself.
"You could hold Tyrael's blade in the fight against Nymrial, couldn't you?"
She nodded, half-unsure of where he wanted to lead her.
"How much did that hurt?"
"Like Hell," she replied without hesitation.
He slightly winced.
"Listen, Dee, you can't face Him with a demon blade. It will only make Him stronger."
"I'm fully aware of this."
"What did you intend to do then?"
"Banish Him or lure Him outside and let the Angels take care of Him."
Rshkiel shook the head.
"You know they won't. If they see Him outside, with you, they'll kill you and then run for cover. They're too afraid of Him, that's why they created the Guardians. They think they can still defeat Him but are not in a hurry to test the fact."
Delilah looked surprised.
"I didn't know this version..."
"It's not very well-known and it more than sickened me when I found out. I don't say all Angels are so, mind you. Some, like Azzy, wouldn't hesitate a single instant to take down the whole demon army by himself."
Delilah had a tender smile at the evocation and Rshkiel smiled in turn. He had never felt jealous of Azrael, even though it was easier for the Archangel to see Delilah than for the fallen Angel.
"Anyway, you need an angelic blade to defeat Him. I had the time to hid mine before they cast me away; it shouldn't have an aura as pure as Tyrael's, say, but it should work anyway, without torturing you too much."
"You know my pain doesn't matter."
"I know you won't care for it, but I do."
"I know," she said softly.
"And in case of an... accident, you'll need it anyway," Rshkiel added hastily.
Delilah only nodded but he knew she was well aware of what the accident might be.
"Reverse the spells on your demon blade so you can fully use it. If needed, both your blade and mine will allow you to escape Him forever."
"He won't be able to find me?"
"No; your soul will be trapped half-way between Heaven and Hell, too far for Him to reach you."
"That's good news. Now, about reversing the spells. I can't do that, can I?"
"Of course you can," shrugged Rshkiel. "Those are just spells. He's your protective Demon, the blade should recognise both your touch and His and allow you to undo what was done before. Remember that you are a student in demonology: it should help you to find the counter spells."
"I don't really have the time, Rshkiel," she pointed. "The moment is near and I already know I'm going to be late."
"Then late for late, be late but prepared. In a rush, each action, each movement counts. Don't waste the little time you have when it's your turn to play."
Delilah knew he was referring to all the Archangels and Demons games they had shared; Rshkiel had taught her much during those games - which might have been why Lilith had let him become her daughter's blood brother: even though she was open-minded, a fallen Angel was still fallen and one could have dreamt better as for favourite companion of one's daughter, especially when said daughter was a demon half-breed.
"In clear," continued Rshkiel, "don't lose time in the middle of the game to set up your blade when you should have it ready by the beginning."
She nodded. He was perfectly right and she would have come to the same conclusion had she thought about it a bit longer. Probably she was too worried about the coming confrontation and she couldn't think straight. Or maybe she was too afraid. She frowned internally: it wasn't good at all to have such thought by now.
As usual, Rshkiel seemed to understand and he smiled encouragingly.
"It's alright to be scared," he said softly.
She straightened up, lips tightened.
"I'm not scared!" she said defiantly.
Rshkiel's gaze was gently mocking and he murmured:
"And pride was thy fall..."
She smiled despite herself.
"Know your weaknesses before the fight, let your enemy think he knows them too and then turn them into new strengths."
She nodded.
"By the way, I heard you more or less failed Illustra's Call of Fears, but I couldn't know what happened exactly: the temple is protected against fallen Angels - amongst others, I guess."
Delilah slightly frowned at the mention of the temple's protections.
"Tyrael's death from His hand, because of me," she replied briefly.
"I guess Tyrael just stood in the vision for someone you care about, because he was with you at the temple perhaps. So it could be anybody... Azzy included."
Delilah laughed briefly.
"Nonsense. Azzy would never let himself be captured, he's too clever for that, too used to His tricks. But Tyrael is an innocent, he may be easily deceived: he cares too much."
"But you changed him! You opened his eyes!"
"Not enough, believe me. He knows I'm a Demon's child yet he still wanted to save me from Him. Somehow, though I gave him strict instructions, I feel I will see him again... If he comes alive out of all this mess, then his eyes will be fully open, then he will know what to expect from Him."
"Nothing," murmured Rshkiel.
She started.
"Is it a saying in Heaven or what? Tyrael said pretty much the same thing."
"Don't forget that both he and I are the Angel of Guardians. Well, I was."
"Then what? I've never heard of a specific education."
"There isn't either but I may be fallen, that's not a reason for me to leave my successor in blissful ignorance."
"Are you also thinking that what you don't know can't hurt you?" asked Delilah suspiciously.
"What nonsense is this?" frowned Rshkiel. "There's nothing more dangerous than ignorance!"
"Great. So what are you babbling about not leaving your successor in ignorance? Did you help Tyrael?"
Despite himself, Rshkiel smiled.
"You're irreplaceable, Dee," he declared fondly. "You never miss anything; I'm no more used to your sharp mind."
"Compliments won't fool me," she said severely but a light smile was playing on her lips. "So? Did you help him?"
Rshkiel looked embarrassed.
"Well, he happened to find my journal, so naturally he read it," he explained, trying - and failing - to appear innocent.
Her eyebrows rose.
"You never wrote any journal," she murmured.
"Well, he found one," Rshkiel snapped half-irritated. "What did you think? That I would let him be manipulated by these idiots of Cherubim and Seraphim?"
"I didn't think about it: I wasn't born yet," she pointed out wryly.
He laughed ruefully.
"I'm sorry, Dee. Yes, I tried to teach him some things and Lilith helped me a bit in that task, except that she tried to protect him too much."
"How much like her," murmured Delilah. "A human protecting an Angel... she was the only one who could have such ideas."
"Yes and she obviously passed them on to you."
Delilah grumbled something he didn't hear.
"Funny, Rashiel and you have the same ill opinion of the Seraphim and Cherubim," she said then casually.
"That's one of the reasons they discharged us, but Rashiel only complained because they restricted his show off."
"While you complained for the same reasons I'm complaining now."
Rshkiel shrugged.
"They're more afraid of you than Him; they are quite confident they can defeat Him again because virtue is leading them, etc."
"I know. Tyrael told me so not long ago. Hopefully the angelic armies are still better organised but I doubt it; not with Him taking care of everything. He's a good strategist."
"Better than you?" inquired Rshkiel.
Delilah grinned.
"Well, I still managed to defeat Him in our games of Archangels and Demons but other than that..."
"Did you win often against Him?"
"I won more than my share, no matter which side I was playing with. I usually had more success when playing the lonesome side."
"Hmm... He probably did let you win so He could observe your technique."
"Honestly I don't think He let me win, but I agree He certainly took advantage of the situation. That's why I didn't tell everything to Varaxador's priests. Nymrial is a very good strategist and can come up with a plan that He won't be able to guess right away."
"I can understand why the Cherubim and Seraphim fear you so much. If you ever go on His side, then the angelic side is doomed to failure. You leave nothing to hazard."
"I've learnt that hazard is seldom walking my way."
"Speaking of Varaxador's priests, you know there's a traitor among them, don't you?" Rshkiel asked casually.
"Of course. I just hope it's not Nymrial; he's got potential and he's clever enough to find the traitor without me... except if I find him first naturally."
Rshkiel nodded.
"By the way, Rshkiel, are you 'he who seeks freedom'?"
"Who said that?" started Rshkiel.
"Nyrka. She said that he who seeds freedom would maybe walk my way."
Rshkiel shook the head.
"I seek redemption, not freedom, but I guess it could be applied to me. I doubt it is thought."
"And what does the saying 'Go where your heart leads you' evoke for you?"
"Well, if someone told you to go there, I would rather tell you no, go where my heart leads you."
Their eyes met and locked; Delilah slowly nodded.
"Then they'll meet where they lead us," she said.
Suddenly she froze as the dark energy wall twinkled brighter.
"You may depart," she said hastily as the realisation of what it meant slowly came to her. "Go away, quick!" she hissed.
Rshkiel looked puzzled.
"What..." he began.
"Get out of here!" she commanded imperiously, restraining herself for not shouting.
He looked as if she had just slapped him and, the most unhappy look on his face, he whispered, deeply hurt:
"Accept His love..."
He vanished in thin air.
Not too soon! Air twinkled dark and Rashiel appeared before her, at the exact same place Rshkiel had been only a moment before.
"Greetings, Delilah!" he exclaimed.
She quickly pulled herself together while he was eyeing the surroundings.
"Let me think," she said quite scathingly. "I didn't invoke you. What are you doing here?"
She was seething against Rashiel; she hadn't seen Rshkiel in a long time and this impertinent fallen Angel just had made everything fail!
"I thought something interesting was happening in here so I came to see. I wouldn't want you to be hurt. Really nice diagrams. You know that your house is defended against Demons instead of Angels?"
"Well, obviously, there's still a leak for fallen Angels," she replied.
"I used my former belonging to the angelic group for passing. It was hard and it hurt."
"I can see that," she said, pointing at the few burns on his arms.
"So, why did you spend so much time drawing such an interesting pentacle?"
"I had hoped I wouldn't be disturbed in my thinking but obviously it failed. You saw me not long ago, why on earth was so urgent that you needed to see me again?"
"So no major work? No weird invocation?"
"The only weird invocation I know is for calling you. So?"
"He misses you," said Rashiel with his infuriating smile.
She rolled her eyes.
"Yes, I know, my memory is not that short. Well, you can tell Him I'll come soon."
"For real?" he asked eagerly.
"Naturally," she replied sarcastically. "I'll come like a virgin to the altar of sacrifice, dressed all in white, sweet, innocent and utterly terrified. Have some sense, Rashiel, you know me better than that."
"Ah!" he said rather sadly. "You're still not decided to join our ranks..."
She looked surprised.
"Did you really expect it or was it just a rhetorical statement? What made you think I could would have changed my mind?"
Rashiel sat casually on the floor.
"Well, lots of things actually. First, you could have been touched by His obstinacy to love you against all odds - that's one of His sweet dreams, but I didn't really share His hopes on the subject. Then you could have reconsidered knowing we were looking for Rshkiel."
Delilah frowned.
"In what am I concerned with Rshkiel's fate?" she asked.
"Because he's your blood brother, naturally."
He was observing her very closely but she already knew that they knew about Rshkiel and her.
"So, you decided to put your cards on the table, huh?" she said softly.
"I'm impressed, Delilah. I expected at least a slight reaction before you could pull yourself together, but no, you showed nothing! You're becoming a real master in the art of dissimulation."
His tone was sincere and Delilah smiled wryly.
"Oh, I'll never be as great as you. So what are the other reasons why I would have changed my mind?"
Rashiel slightly bent the head as to acknowledge the compliment and said:
"Actually the fact that little Shela screamed at you and, quite joyfully, discovered you were from our kind could have pushed you over the edge."
"Why, Rashiel, I'm impressed! You finally discovered her name, after all?"
"You would be astonished by the quantity of names I could find."
"Oh, I think that after you telling me bluntly about Rshkiel, I can cope with anything."
"Oh, alright. Then maybe you'll be pleased to know that He was more than delighted to be told that your Angel is the same as your mother's... Shall I name him?"
"Please do. I am so eager to fully note the range of your knowledge."
"So He intends to make Tyrael pay for having been by your side during your trip to the priests."
Delilah didn't even blink. She had been expecting the blow and had braced herself against it. She tired her best to look as if she was going to clap for him.
"Congratulations!" she exclaimed. "Do tell me how you found out such interesting revelations. I didn't think you could without being near enough to be able to carry me off."
"It's true," acknowledged Rashiel. "Tyrael guessed right at our last encounter. I really did remain around and I had to fight hard against myself for just being a listener."
Delilah had-panicked but still presented a deadpan face to Rashiel.
"So you heard it all?"
"No. I heard your story - magnificent - but I left when Tyrael said I might still be around. I was afraid he would check."
Delilah would have felt relief if she hadn't known Rashiel for the greatest liar alive.
"In truth I wonder why your fellow Demons despise you so. After all none has ever managed to bring any name to your master."
"My thoughts exactly!" beamed Rashiel.
"They're probably jealous," continued Delilah, stifling a yawn.
"I thought so also!" exclaimed Rashiel enthusiastically. "It's amazing how alike we think!"
Then he eyed her suspiciously.
"You're not trying to turn me against the Demons, are you?"
"Me? Be serious, Rashiel, I hate lost causes."
He smiled and then sighed.
"I hate having to see you only with those pentacles and things you think necessary to surround you with. Don't you trust me?"
"Me, not trusting you? Rashiel, this is the understatement of the century. You're lying to me almost permanently, you try to infuriate me so I will lose control and you want me to be where I don't want to be. How could I trust you?"
"I wouldn't try to infuriate you if I were to see you in the open and I don't lie to you all the time. I would be more sincere without the pentacle."
"Why can't you be with it?"
"Nobody wants to be sincere under duress."
"May I have a faint idea of the subjects you would want to tackle?"
He took a deep breath.
"Well I could begin by telling you that if I could avoid giving you to Him, I would. Then I think I'd like to talk about you... and me."
His voice had an unusual ring of sincerity but Delilah remained on her guards. Rashiel was such a great liar that he could sound sincere even when telling a lie so obvious everybody would notice.
"Why, Rashiel, I never guessed..."
"I didn't want you to guess. You're His bride-to-be, after all."
"I still didn't give my consent," she signalled.
"But you will. It's only a matter of time. You belong with us; we're the only ones accepting you for who you are. One single drop of demon blood is your veins is enough for us to accept you as one of us."
"I wish humans thought the same way," she said bitterly.
"Baaladamon made a mistake so long ago when he let his human son wander off on earth. He should never have left our ranks."
"Baaladamon didn't have the choice in the matter. Damon was far too stubborn to listen to anybody, lest his father who had just betrayed his love for Ell˙s - or so Damon thought."
"You seem to understand him well."
"May I remind you that my father was his descendant and that he chose to die when he understood who was my mother and that he was going to be a father? He failed me and I resented his defection strongly."
"If you want, I can find for you the Demon who banished him and you'll know the exact cause of his death," proposed Rashiel.
"Why would you do that?"
"To prove you I really am your friend."
She looked at him and her eyes were burning.
"Tell me, Rashiel, before you fell, you were not that bad an Angel. You knew plenty of names. Did you give them all to your new master to prove your loyalty to Him the same way you gave Him Tyrael's?"
To her surprise, it seemed to her that Rashiel's eyes filled with sadness.
"Little mistress, I'm not as bad as you may think. True, I gave Him Tyrael's name. He can't do anything with it as long as Tyrael stays in Heaven, which I entrust you to have done. I hadn't any choice on the subject; it was his name or my life. I never gave Him Rshkiel's name; He already knew it."
"How?" she said with difficulty.
"Delilah, child, all the Angels of Guardians end up falling, if only because caring too much for a particular Guardian. Rshkiel is not the first one to be fallen and He hopes Tyrael will fall also. As for the other names, if you really want to know, there are still some of them sealed in the secret of my heart. So yes, I serve a new master but no, He doesn't have my full loyalty."
"Who are you fully loyal to then?"
"Nobody, Delilah. I've learned that loyalty only hinders and I can't betray all I have been for so long."
"When did He begin to look for Rshkiel?" she asked brutally.
"Since he's fallen."
"How did He know the exact moment?"
"The demon prince can always feel when an Angel falls. And, anyway, as Rshkiel was cast away, I think the whole earth heard his last cry reaching for Heaven."
"What was it?"
"'Oh, pray for me now that I am fallen!' It shook the earth, Delilah."
"I wondered if someone did..." she murmured, head bent down.
She looked up at Rashiel.
"Find the Demon for me, please."
"As you wish."
"Now could you leave so I can get ready?"
"I'll escort you there."
She sighed.
"You really want to alienate me the Angels, huh?"
"Oh! Seeing you with me..."
"They'll probably think I changed side. Though after Shela's outburst, I guess they don't have any doubt left."
"Can I wait for you outside?"
"Oh, sure! While you're waiting, don't forget to list the leaks in this house's defences. I really hate thinking anybody can sneak in."
Rashiel smiled without answering and disappeared. Delilah sighed again.
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