<span style="font-style: italic">"Do not allow your desires in the moment interfere with what you truly want , Isolde,"</span>the voice was like a whisper only she could hear. It drifted through the mist, floating effortlessly into her ears. The voice was soft, but decidedly masculine. A message, one would miss if no attention was paid, like so many of God's messages sent to mankind and disregarded like some bit of rubbish.<br/><br/>Rafael stood silently in a corner watching, invisible to both, observing the witch and the demon who once stole his brother's daughter so many years, centuries, no millennia ago. Rafael silently whispered a prayer to his brother, one, only he would hear,<span style="font-style: italic">'Raguel, the defiler is corporeal, my brother. He is in my presence. The creature of lust who took poor sweet Sarah from your loving breast. Such a precious child. Please show mercy, brother. The defiler, Hashmedai is with me. He knows I am here now.'</span><br/><br/>With the utterance of one of Asmodeus' name, for which he has many, the defiler was aware of Rafael's presence. Rafael knew Asmodai, or his new corporeal name, Elrind was aware of his presence, but the hand of God chose to remain concealed for the time being. It was not an act of fear, but of timing. It was unnecessary to reveal himself. Isolde needed to make her next statement on her own.<br/><br/>But a word of encouragement could not be squelched. Isolde, if she was listening could hear a second whisper,<span style="font-style: italic">"God loves you, friend."</span>