Angels and Demons

"Oh, yes, all the Damacus stories." Sevy's eyes gleamed as he rubbed his hands together briefly, causing Damascus to revisit his assuriity in the harmlessness of story sharing. He cast a worried glance between his friends.

Turning his attention to the door and outside it, Sevy breathed in the air. At Boris' comment, he sighed warily, the playfulness in his features fading.

"With our luck, it was most likely intentional." He scrubbed a hand over his face. "Wonderful."

James looked towards the door where Melkyael and Cornyx were peering outside. He didn't quite understand the concerns over the forest looking ominous, but he had a feeling that was likely due to the familiarity and comfort he found in the outdoors - at least, most of the time. It didn't look like it was much different than any average forest. The only odd thing was that there was a church in the middle of the forest in the first place. He wondered how far out they were from a town or city, or if there was any other civilization close by at all.

"Since it seems like we have more theories than we do answers, it would do us good to explore the grounds in and around the church," James spoke, again projecting and addressing everyone amongst them. "I can take a group to look about the perimeter of the building, while the other half of you stays here, to search the church. We can meet back up by the entrance in say...a half hour."

Aquarius hesitantly grabbed onto Rose's wrist, leading her over to the rest of the group while summoning some water to try to quell the burn. A small orb of water hovered just above the flames, then carefully wrapped around it. He had to keep concentrating, or the water would just fall to the ground instead of maintaining the shape he had created.

"I don't think we'll find anything in the church," Edward objected from nearby - he was still a little worried about how bloody those bandages had been, but he was sure there was some sort of explanation.

...Right?

As if to prove his point, Edward turned around and studied the church behind him. After a handful of moments looking, he turned back to James. "It's just a church - this door is the only one there, and there isn't a second floor. We've all already seen the inside of it. Going out is our best option."

Rose almost cried with relief as the water washed over her. The pain of three years ebbed away, and she couldn't stop her eyes from watering up.

"I have had to bear that pain for three years. Everything else I tried didn't work, not even normal water. Thank you!"

"Take der Silberfuchs with you, Herr James," Boomslang said. "Sieben will remain here with me."

As everyone walked outside, Rose followed suit. It made sense, what with there being nothing inside the actual church for them to investigate.
But...that other guy...what did he call her? She walked over to him.
"Excuse me, what's your--"

"Greetings, Mortals."

A smooth, deep voice cut her off. She spun round, her ears flicking on top of her head. She hadn't noticed she kept those as she pinpointed the location of the voice - on top of the roof. She blinked. Someone was standing there?

"Now, you must all be wondering why I gathered you here today." The figure flicked it's wings out, the movement sudden and quick. It startled Stan, though he quickly reverted back to his deapan look. The figure walked forward slowly, speaking.
"The answer, as you might have figured, is simply-crap!" Whoever it was was not good at walking. They tripped over a tile and fell forward, tumbling slightly down the side of the church's steep roof before face planting in front of the group.
"Ugh...I guess this means I'm a fallen angel then," he spoke, deciding to lay there instead of picking himself up.

Maahes had felt a tinge of recognition when he had heard the voice coming from the roof, and all it took was the face plant into the ground for him to figure out why - he had met its owner at the masquerade. And the last time he had checked, something like this wasn't exactly something he was capable of or would do in his free time.

He walked over to Raiden and held his hand out. "Do you need some help, Raiden?" he questioned, trying his hardest not to laugh at the fall and the terrible pun.

Someone shifted nervously behind him - Aquarius, who had just been talking with Rose, was now clinging to Griffith again. "He brought us here and did this to us?" he asked, nervously peeking around Maahes at the man sprawled across the floor.

Maahes looked back down at Raiden. "I think he was just pretending he did," he said. He kept his hand out for Raiden to grab onto when he decided he no longer wanted to lay on the dirt.

He slapped the hand away, opting to jump up from the ground, the dirt making a sort of moustache on his face. He cocked an eyebrow at the crowd.
"Raiden? No no no, I'm not that idiot. I am the one and only Kartiel! I have just...used this body because I do not want to be stabbed again."
'Kartiel' eyed Boris carefully.

Rose blinked. She was confused; that other guy she had tried speaking to recognized this man, but he seemed to deny it. She was inclined to believe this Kartiel person, seeing as he knows who he himself is, but...then again, she had wings.

Stan blinked slowly. "Riiight."

Maahes crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "From what I remember from the masquerade, Kartiel wasn't exactly on the best terms with Raiden," Maahes said, still trying his very best not to laugh at the entire situation. "I don't think he'd willingly want to look like him, Raiden. And, the last time I checked, there definitely was something that happened between Boris and Raiden before the masquerade, so I'm not sure the change of costume would really stop him from stabbing Kartiel."

Raiden tumbled bodily from the roof, and thudded unceremoniously on the ground, in a stunningly apt imitation of my reputation after that old masquerade business.

Sweet God. And there I was, hoping to make a good impression on Damascus' friend.
Had it been worth it? Today, it had not.

I coughed. "I'd be sure to verify it was him, first. And ensure that more diplomatic solutions had been exhausted. Naturally."

Sevy raised his eyebrow in an increasingly pronounced way as the situation played out. He eyed the strange guy- Raiden or Kartiel, apparently he couldn't be sure- who had taken a faceplant, and then Boris.

"Yes, I'm sure whatever kind of stabbing went on was purely diplomatic." He eyed the man pointedly, though he was mainly curious and a tad bit amused.

Damascus, meanwhile had tried to glance at Raiden's soul the moment the boy brought up Kartiel, but to no avail. He tried again and again to clutch at his ability, but it was simply... gone.

As an experiment, he attempted to shift, just slightly. That didn't work either.

"I- I... um.." he looked around, in a panic.

Sevy was unconvinced. I was glad that he was at least not visibly disturbed by this, but still, it was embarrassing.

I did not dwell on the thought for very long, once I noticed that Damascus was in distress. Had he been reminded of having witnessed said event? Did he carry some trauma for it? If I was responsible for...

"Damascus? Are you alright?" I asked him, concerned.

Rose raised an eyebrow at the voice and when Raiden fell into the ground. She slipped past the group and walked to the edge of the forest. Laying a hand on one of the trees, she winced. Something was really, really wrong with this forest.

Sevy turned his glance toward Damascus, picking up on his friend's hysteria. There was no telling what had him so panicked, but Sevy wasn't going to rule out the possibility that Damascus had just now...

"I- I can't shift." He whispered hoarsely, casting a scared glance in response to Boris' concern. "I'm- I'm different... what's going on?"

Sevy sighed as it was made apparent that his theory was correct. "Damascus, buddy, look around... we're all different. Look at me. I can't shift, right?"

Damascus nodded slowly and took in Sevy's devilish features once more.

"We've all been changed. Some of us just came to realize it a bit sooner."

Raiden sighed. Obviously they'd see through his nonsense. Oh well, it was worth a shot. He straightened himself and looked around at who was everyone.

Rose walked up to Maahes, now that the commotion had died down, and that Raiden guy seemed to be Raiden and not Kartiel.
"Excuse me? What's your name? I didn't catch it earlier," she said, tapping him on his shoulder.