<div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/3jnas.jpg)</div><div align="center"><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Tahariel</span></strong></div><br/>He felt the fury roiling off of the succubus Erato like heat off of a fire as she spoke about her confinement, about the state of Hell and its denizens, about all of the things that she hated.  He had no idea where this was leading, all he knew was that it was going to go no where good.  As the knife was drawn he suspected for a moment that she would try to end him with it somehow.  It wasn't easy to kill a Celestial, but there are<em>ways</em>...  He knew the pain of the<em>little deaths</em>he had already endured up until this point, so he was not scared when she raised the knife as if to strike.  Still he closed his eyes and waited for the sharp pain and the sensation of life oozing away from him.  When instead of pain came relief to his bound wings he opened his eyes, startled and looked up at Erato.<br/><br/>He rose to his feet, pure white wings unfurled from his back, the full glory of an angel radiating from his perfect form.  Despite the humbling nature of his nudity, he seemed majestic, filled from within with a light that had been subdued while he had been bound.  "What game is this?" he asked rhetorically as Tristan was dragged towards him.<br/><br/>"No!" he protested as she made her plan clear, "You cannot do this!  You don't know the consequences!"<br/><br/>He pleaded with Erato only moments before his attention was drawn to the beautiful and terrifying Queen of the Second Layer of Hell who changed her shape to mimic the rage she must have been feeling.  He hoped that would be enough to stop Erato, the display of disapproval, the eyes filled with wrath, the shaking of the throne room.  It was not.  If only he had noticed quickly enough, if only he'd reacted more quickly...<br/><br/>The gout of flames that erupted from Tristan was like the striking of a match.  The mortal shell of the man was burned away, what was immortal was left behind.  And the angel could only look on in mixed horror and guilt.<br/><br/>"What have you done?" he asked impotently before Tristan yanked Erato to the ground.  His clear blue eyes filled with muted anger, though at what it wasn't easy to see.  His attention went to Tristan first.<br/><br/>"Blood cannot repay blood," he said with a sad, soft sigh as he extended a hand down to Erato to help her back to her feet, "and her judgment is for the Queen to decide."<br/><br/>Tears slowly rolled down one cheek and then the next, the droplets dripping from his chin until they sizzled and evaporated away on the ground at his feet.  Though he looked resolute, his eyes betrayed the sense of deep sadness that he felt within, not just for Tristan but for much more that would come to pass from this event.