There was absolutely too much testosterone enclosed in this small area. She could feel the tension that each man held and she felt guilt in her chest. She knew that none of this would have ever happened if not for her. However, she knew not all the blame was on her. It was on Azrai as well, for he had agreed to take this mission, disregarding the warnings that his companions had given him. There was also fault on Raziel, who had somehow managed to discover her, no doubt from the encounters with her step-father. Things had been more complicated than the simple rescue from her village. She had honestly thought that she would have been chased after by her step-father and that was all. Instead, she had just been a pawn on the grand scheme of things. She winced as she heard the scuffle that happened outside of the room. She glanced over at Lucian, her eyes narrowing slightly. He had been rather...upset when she had the first opportunity of meeting him. Now, he seemed to be grinding the gears of everyone around him. When Maverick decided that he had had enough, it seemed like he was doing everyone a favor.<br/><br/>It pleased her to know that no one had any objections to her condition. She was sure that they all wanted her as far away from Azrai as possible. She knew that they held no malicious thoughts towards her; they were just merely concerned about the well being of their comrade. She could understand it and that was why she had purposed the condition in the first place. If she could save Azrai's life, then she would be content with leaving. As long as he lived, she could part ways with him. It would haunt her for the rest of her life if he didn't survive. She winced slightly as another needle pricked her vein, giving her back that blood that she was losing. She sighed slightly, feeling a bit light headed but it didn't matter. She would give Azrai as much blood as he needed in order to help him recover, even if it meant giving him the very last drop. She glanced over at Ivan, who had a very grim look on his face.<br/><br/>She knew that he wasn't happy that she had forced him into a decision that he was unsure about. Call it selfish of her but she knew that she had to take drastic measures. When the medic told them that Azrai seemed to be recovering little by little, she felt a sense of relief flowing through her. She had been unsure if she had made it in time but she had hope. It seemed like that hope had paid off but Azrai still wasn't in the clear. Once Azrai's heartbeat was stronger, she would depart. She felt slightly anxious about departing however she knew it was for the best. There had been a silent agreement between the men that this was the best solution. After she was gone, Azrai could go back to being a normal man. Well, maybe not as normal as they all would like. Her blood would make changes to his body and personality, she wasn't sure if they would be dramatic or subtle. All she knew that it would help keep him alive longer.<br/><br/>Ivan watched the blood transfusion, things were still not clear but since no one else had any bright ideas, he placed all his faith in Shizu's blood and God. He had refrained from getting in between Maverick and Lucian. He knew that he would have done more damage to Lucian than Maverick would, so he allowed his friend to release his anger. It wasn't like Lucian didn't deserve it. The pilot always knew how to get under everyone's skin and he knew that he needed to talk to Elias about his friend. If Lucian was to continue to help their group out, he needed to be more civilized. He felt out a slow breath, trying to remain calm with all the chaos going around them. He knew that this was their final option to save Azrai; he could only pray that the man pulled through. What would they do if he didn't? What would Zachariah say to him?<br/><br/>Thinking of their leader, he wondered how he was holding up against Raziel. He knew that the man was going through a lot of things right now. Many of their men and been killed, Azrai and Shizu had been severely injured, and he dared not to tell him that it was now Azrai who was close to dying. The stress of this situation was clearly wearing the Russian down, but he knew that he still had things to do. He couldn't stand around forever, waiting for Azrai to recover. It was in God's hands whether He allowed him life or death, whichever option was chosen, Ivan had to be prepared for both. He took a few steps away from the observation window, thinking about the condition that had been given. He knew that Shizu would have to depart as soon as Azrai was stable, just in case he came to quicker than they expected and Azrai was full of surprises.<br/><br/>He stopped one of the medics, ordering them to go to Azrai's apartment and pick-up her passport and identification card. It took a few unnecessary moments to bully the poor man to doing his errands but he didn't have time to leave here. Watching the disgruntled medic run off with the task ordered, he walked further away from Azrai's room. "Elias, come in," he grunted into the earpiece.<br/><br/>"How did the cure go," Elias questioned immediately.<br/><br/>Ivan hesitated briefly, though he knew that he couldn't keep the male in the dark. "It worked for the most part, however Azrai is not recovering like we hoped he would." He could hear Elias ready to apologize, but he immediately cut him. "However, Shizu is giving him blood which will help him stabilize but it is still not guaranteed."<br/><br/>"I see," Elias replied in a quiet tone.<br/><br/>Ivan sighed slightly, glancing around the medical bay. "This is no time to beat yourself up; I still need you to do some things for me."<br/><br/>"What can I do?"<br/><br/>"Shizu has made a condition to leave Azrai's side, should he recover. What I need from you is a place that she can go to."<br/><br/>"What kind of place are you thinking of," Elias replied, the sound of his computer chair creaking, told Ivan that he was leaning back and coming up with ideas.<br/><br/>"Preferably a place that is safe with a security system." Ivan rubbed the back of his neck. "I was planning on flying her out to where you are, that way we can keep a close eye on her."<br/><br/>"Do you think Azrai will try to find her?"<br/><br/>"Who knows what that man will do at this point? Our main priority is to keep him alive and sending Shizu far away from him."<br/><br/>"R-Right, well I can think of a few places that we can tuck her away at, but it'll take a while to set up everything."<br/><br/>"You've got plenty of time," Ivan said in a reassuring tone. "And given if that asshole of yours is in good condition, I'll be sending him back as well."<br/><br/>Elias winced through the earpiece. "Lucian is really a good guy."<br/><br/>Ivan snorted slightly but deep down he knew that Lucian was a decent person, decent being the nicest word Ivan could think of. "I don't know what you see in him and I really don't want to know, just make sure everything is ready for their arrival."<br/><br/>"Roger that."<br/><br/>When the conversation ended, Ivan let out a heavy breath. It was a risky situation sending Shizu to Elias but he had no other option at this point. The hacker could provide her a suitable living space and the protection that she would need. Once she was able to integrate into society, perhaps she could live in a way that allowed her even more freedom. After this fiasco was over, she would have to be closely monitored. Should she find trouble, Elias knew his way around a gun and was in touch with everyone. She would be fine in the hands of the hacker. He would have to explain the details of the plan to Zachariah later and he felt a bit uneasy about it. Surely their leader would understand the need to separate Azrai and Shizu.<br/><br/>Ivan rubbed his face, trying to not look as bad as he felt. He had a few medics fuss at him, trying to get him to finally sit down and get his wounds patched up. For a while he resisted it but now he was far too exhausted to put up a fight anymore. He settled back down in Azrai's room, continuing to monitor the man. He allowed the medics to do as they wished; his head was swarmed with different situations. What if Azrai didn't pull through? What would they do with Shizu then? That was something that he had yet to think about. He knew that it would be wrong to abandon her but he didn't have a clue of what she could do. She was not cut out for their line of work nor was she ready to live a normal life. He would have to remind Elias to teach her about life and basic college studies. He had to stop relying on this plan so much, because he knew that there could be two different outcomes. He just wasn't ready to accept that Azrai could die.<br/><br/>A medic came in, pulling one of the needles out of Shizu's arm. It seemed that she had given as much blood as the medics would allow, fearing that she might pass out from the blood loss. Ivan was thankful that she had given so much but he hoped that she recovered faster than Azrai. If this was successful then in the next hour or so, she would be on a plane out of here. Ivan winced as the medic tweezed gravel out of his shoulders. He cleared his throat, catching the attention of the Oni woman. Tired eyes looked at him and he almost felt guilty for agreeing to allow the blood transfusion. She was still recovering as well and yet he seemed to have paid now mind to her condition. "I have made the proper arrangements for your departure."<br/><br/>"Thank you," Shizu said after a few moments of silence. The air between them was slightly awkward but it was to be expected. She shifted in the chair slightly; trying to rest will her body regain its strength. "This...was the best decision right?"<br/><br/>Ivan looked at her then to Azrai. "I hope so..."<br/><br/>----------<br/><br/>Why?<br/><br/>That was always the question. Why? Why had things turned out this way? Why did he have to be shunned from the organization? Why? Why? Why? That one little word had plagued him for most of his life. It had driven him to this crazed state of mind. He was on the brink of losing it all; his mind, his dreams, and his life. It was all because of that one stupid question. It tore him to pieces, making him feeling useless and weak. Why did Zachariah reject him? Why did this moment not feel as satisfying as he had dreamt of? Why? Why? Why? He could hear the question resounding in his head. Why had he created these bio-weapons? Why had he killed the people that were close to his heart? Why did he do this? Was it truly in the name of God? He had believed that it was all this time, but was it really? He questioned himself, just as everyone else had. Question after question and yet he could never find an answer or grasp anything that was close to one.<br/><br/>Was this supposed to be some sort of final lesson that he was to learn? Was this supposed to be God's way of telling him that he was, in fact, wrong all this time? No, that couldn't be it; he had been given the vision of creating a better world, a new Holy Land. This was the path that he was given. Had God led him down this path of damnation on purpose? Was this the real meaning of his life? He thought back to all those times when he had been so adamantly working on these brilliant plans. He had been so proud of the work that he had done, he had been so eager to tell Zachariah. He had been shown disgust and that had crushed him. He lashed out in anger, trying to explain to Zachariah that this was what God wanted. He wouldn't have been those visions, had it not been. Then how was it that they were on opposite ends of one another now? They were supposed to unite this world and create an army that would forever protect His Kingdom.<br/><br/>Then...why?<br/><br/>When Zachariah spoke to him once more, he felt a little shocked. So that was it? After all the words that he had spoken to him, he was done? What were those words worth to Raziel anyways? They meant nothing now. He was far too gone to think clearly, to see that there was still a chance for him to find the errors in his life. The decisions he had made up until this point, had caused him to suffer these severe injuries. There was no hope left for him. He would never been in God's favor. However, Raziel was too stubborn to think such logical thoughts. He had burned all his rage and jealousy into this plan. He had held onto the grudge of Zachariah rejecting him for too long. He would make sure that Zachariah would forever remember him, because after today, he would be no more. He was sure that others would come along but of them would match up to Raziel. He was almost on God's level, after all.<br/><br/>He grimaced as white hot pain slide down his arm, his flesh opening as the acid worked. When it hit a nerve, he left out a cry of agony. His arm was losing its feelings and he was no longer sure if he was gripping Zachariah's neck. He glanced down at his arm, just to see if he still had a grip. The good news was that he did but he could no longer tell how tight he was holding it. He growled lowly, trying to focus all his attention on squeezing the life out of Zachariah. Had he not been so distracted by their conversation, he would have snapped his neck already. However, Zachariah was a master at prolonging the inevitable. The inevitable in this situation was Raziel's death. Clenching his teeth together as the fire igniting his body grew even more, he wanted to end this battle. He knew that Zachariah was starting to have troubles breathing and he only hoped that his hands would hold out longer.<br/><br/>How pathetic. Zachariah had to resort to such a weapon and that chemical he had drank just to defeat him. Would his old companion still be in God's favor after this? Was he still in His favor now or would had He rejected Zachariah for stooping down to his level? He wanted to ask the other those questions but the pain made it impossible to speak. If he didn't stay focused on killing Zachariah, then he would succumb to the agony and ache in his body. But still, those questions nagged him. Maybe God would punish the two of them and that was why they both had to die. If that was the case, then why couldnâ€™t he feel his fingers? If that was the case, then why was he fighting a losing battle? Yet again, that one word haunted him and it would surely follow him to the afterlife. Why hadn't God favored him? Why was he only second best when it came to Zachariah?<br/><br/>He was trembling at this point, it could have been from pain or anger, and he wasn't sure at this point. He continued see parts of his body splitting open as the acid had made its way to the surface, breaking down various muscles and nerves. He could feel his bones starting to weaken; the acid seemed to have a slower process of breaking down bones. It was terrifying to watch his body practically fall apart before his eyes. Was this what God's punishment was for him? Had the wrath of God finally set foot in his mind? He wondered if he truly had understood the consequences that would happen when he had left the organization all those years ago. He knew that everyone who was against had warned him, yet he paid no heed for their worry meant nothing to him. They had been nothing to him. The only person who had ever mattered there was Zachariah. They merely listened to what he had to say, never Raziel. Maybe...he should have listened after all...<br/><br/>Ah, it was too late for anything like that now, especially with the way his body was deteriorating. It was too late to apologize for all that he done and he still wasn't sure if he regretted any of it. He was a man who had lived without regrets, following the path that was given to him. Perhaps God had seen into the future, knowing that if he continued any further then he would destroy the world. At least, he could understand that much but it still didn't make a huge impression on him. He merely just saw it as God giving him a different path to take. So maybe he was still favored or maybe he was going to Hell. He wasn't sure how he felt about either of those options as well. Did he prefer to be in God's grace? Of course, but only if He allowed it and if not...then Hell would be suitable...if God wanted it that way. Then he could accept the cards being dealt to him.<br/><br/>He looked down at Zachariah, the hatred in his eyes still burning. He couldn't believe that this was all happening really. He had been so sure that God had wanted his army but now it seemed that Raziel was no longer needed. Had he not made the perfect army? Of course he hadn't, he had seen on the field all the imperfections that had been used and disposed of. It was a shame that he had worked for five years on them and they had not pleased Him. What more could he have done? If he had had the Oni woman in his hands then he could have used her to create the army of Heaven, yet...she had escaped. For all he knew, the poison in her system had killed her and that made him satisfied in some sick way. He had wanted her so badly but now that the possibility of her death was on his mind, he was relieved. No one else could use her for the army of Heaven.<br/><br/>That had been his task and his task only.<br/><br/>"So....you are the one who is to condemn me," he said in a strained voice, pain lacing it heavily. "For my sins, am I right?" Though there was really no need for Zachariah to answer because the evidence was ruining his body. He could feel the acid opening up the skin around his neck, the tendon melting causing him to lose control of his arm. It slumped to the side, though it was hard to feel it, the acid cauterizing the severed nerves. He glanced trying to move it but the appendage was no longer his to control. He laughed hoarsely though seethed in pain as the acid spread faster the more he tried to move. He was growing weak, his body was failing him and all he could do was stare down at the face of his old friend. Was he relieved or sad to be dying? That thought passed through his mind though he cared not to answer it. It would be pointless in the end. He shook his head slightly, trying to keep hold of Zachariah's neck though he knew it was futile. He couldn't just give up.<br/><br/>"So it seems you have bested me once more..." Raziel seemed bitter as he spoke, still unable to let go of all the hatred he had. He would bare this grudge for eternity. "It must make you relieved to rid of me." A hoarse laugh left him and he looked at the battlefield, his face growing paler. His time was fleeting at this point; at any moment the acid could reach an area that would kill him instantly. If not the acid, then Zachariah would end it or did the man wish watch him die slowly? Was it even in Zachariah's being to watch some suffer? That was another question that would be left unanswered. "I will....never forgive you," Raziel muttered angrily, trying to force his hand to strangle Zachariah more, having a futile hope that he could kill him. But by now, they both knew who was in God's favor. Certainly, it was not Raziel by any means.<br/><br/>The outcome had been realized all too late by him. He had lost when he started planning five years ago, but he couldn't regret anything. He was unable to allow himself to feel pity for himself. He had been successful in many ways, wiping out many of Zachariah's men and destroying his base. Hell, he was sure that Shizu and Azrai were on the verge of death, and that made him feel elated. No, he had no regrets and he had won in his own ways today. He grinned to himself, knowing that he would forever haunt the lives of them in one form or another. "So, shall you wait until I collapse or will you kill me, my brother?" He asked while raising a brow, that arrogant grin upon his lips once more. His composure would not fall in the face of death nor would he feel fear.<br/><br/>He was close to a God after all, right?