<strong>Vorianne - An Abandoned Factory - Judgement Comes</strong><br/><br/><br/>Night had just begun to fall, the faint glow of the sun behind the ever present haze that seemed to float over Giliad slowly drifting further and further towards the twisted metal horizon, when she reached the factory district.  The faint vertigo of twilight only lasted a few moments, balancing on the razor's edge border of night and day before the world quickly plunged into blackness.  Vorianne preferred the night, often to the confusion of her Angelic brothers and sisters.  The twisted darkness of the City, with all it's hidden horrors and dark reflections was something she could fight, an evil that could be faced in it's dimly lit alleys.  The Hunt was something she normally embraced with enthusiasm . . . but not tonight.<br/><br/>Tonight she hunted her own, those who had fallen to the Enemy's perverse power.<br/><br/><em>May He forgive you and have Mercy on your souls.</em>she intoned to herself as she approached a particular abandoned factory<em>For I will not.</em><br/><br/>___________________________<br/><br/>Roberta De La Cruz rubbed her arms through the flimsy protection of her windbreaker, goosebumps running up and down her arms as she shook her head, pleading softly with her companions in the enveloping darkness of the factory.<br/><br/>"We<em>can't</em>do this.  Tom,  Lee, listen to me.  The Lady would not . . ."<br/><br/>Tom cut her off, the almost animal growl coming from deep within his massive chest as he spun to her, his flashlight shining directly into her eyes before he lowered it to the ground "The Lady?  Where was the<em>Lady</em>when your sister was attacked, Roberta?  Where was the all powerful Lady when Lee's wife died?  Where was the thrice Hell cursed Lady when my Sasha . . ." he choked back a sob before whirling away from her and continuing his march deeper into the factory "This is the only way."<br/><br/>Roberta spared a helpless glance at Lee, the thin Asian man averting his eyes from hers before he followed a few steps behind Tom.  She watched their retreating backs for a moment before hurrying up, catching up with them just as they reached the chained form near the very center of the abandoned complex.  It was Roberta's turn to avert her eyes, unable to look at the broken and bleeding man on the floor, his face beaten to a bloody pulp and one of his legs laying at an awkward angle as he moaned weakly, the heavy chain collar around his neck clinking in the silence.<br/><br/>Tom strode up to him, his booted foot lashing out to slam into the Infernal's already cracked ribs, earning a shriek of agony from the pitiful creature as it curled up into a ball.  He spat on the prone form, anger raging in his eyes "Tonight.  Tonight we do it, we use this<em>monster</em>to save the Nephelim, to bring them to Him and His loving embrace." he leaned down to look into the broken man's eyes "Tonight, creature, your life will finally have meaning."<br/><br/>"As yours does, Thomas Potter?" the voice spoke softly from the darkness, barely a whisper but causing all three of the Cherubim to jump and spin.<br/><br/>"And you, Lee Yamisho?" the murmur whispered from another point amidst the dark machinery that surrounded them with almost a faint note of maddening amusement "Or you, Roberta? Who . . pray tell, empowered<em>you</em>to decide who lives and who dies?  Who comes unto Him?"<br/><br/>"Who's there?!" Tom demanded, his bearded face twisted in fear as he rose to his full height "In His name I demand you show yourself!"<br/><br/>There was a moment of silence, and then a slim, ghostly form emerged into the play of their flashlights and the single grimy bulb hanging above them, her grey trenchcoat shrouding much of her even as the hood pulled down over her face shrouded all but the curve of her full lips, quirked in a faint smile.  Vorianne waited a moment, giving the Cherub time to grapple with the appearance of one of the Arch Angels suddenly in their midst before she spoke softly, almost gently.<br/><br/>"Who has given you the right to harm him?"  a slight tilt of her head indicated the man on the floor as she began to pace slowly around them, remaining at the edge of the light "Who has told you to wage war on the Infernals?"<br/><br/>Tom's bluster returned as he faced her, squaring his chest and standing proudly "They wage war on<em>us</em>, on the innocents of Gilead.  They corrupt, they destroy, they violate all that is sacred" his eyes glinted with an almost feverish light "We must do<em>whatever</em>we must to eradicate them, to protect the Nephelim!"<br/><br/>"And arranging attacks on Nephelim?  Blaming them on the Infernals to attempt to drive them into our hands?" Vorianne's voice was as cold as an executioner's blade "Going<em>directly</em>against our Lady's orders?"<br/><br/>"Fuck the La . . " Tom began with a snarl, taking a single step towards Vorianne menacingly.<br/><br/>Her blade leapt out with a single blinding motion as with a flick of her wrist she took his head from his shoulders.  The Cherub feel without a sound except a dull thud as his large form struck the hard steel floor.  Before another breath had passed she had returned to her original position, standing still as the shock shook the other pair of Cherub.  After another moment Roberta let out a high pitched scream, eyes wide in horror as she stumbled backward, Lee bending half over as he dry heaved.<br/><br/>With another a flick of her blade she cast a thin line of scarlet blood on the floor, cleaning the blade as she took another step forward "I will brook no insult to the Lady." she said softly, eyes turning from the fallen Cherub to Lee  "Lee Yamisho, you are given this one chance to depart from this path, by order of the Lady which we all serve."  the short blade spun in her hand, tucking in behind her arm along her forearm as she offered one hand to him "What is your decision?"<br/><br/>Lee stood frozen for a moment, brown eyes huge discs in his pale face before with a soft cry he ran past her into the darkness.  Vorianne made no move to impede him, head half turning beneath the hood to watch him go before returning to Roberta and the Infernal on the ground.<br/><br/>Roberta sobbed, stepping forward with relief evident in her eyes "Oh thank the heavens you came, Arch Angel, they were going to hurt him, kill him and frame him for their crimes.  I tried to stop them . ."<br/><br/>Vorianne's blade flicked out once more, coming to rest just a hair from Roberta's throat.  The Cherub froze, confusion and fear evident on her face as she barely dared breathe.  After another moment Vorianne reached up and removed her hood, her eyes glowing with a faint blue light as she regarded the Cherub impassively.<br/><br/>"You . . you, Roberta, are a liar." she half whispered, the tip of her blade pressing against the other's throat  "You did not stop them, you did everything in your power to encourage them.  To drive them to further excess, to harm and . . to murder." the arch angel grimaced, disgust evident in her icy tone "Your soul is as black as theirs, Roberta." she nodded to the Infernal on the ground.<br/><br/>Roberta's fear disappeared into an impassive mask, a faint flicker of amusement in her eyes "I do what I think is best, Vorianne.  As do you.  How many have you killed in His name?  How many to the Abyss at our Lady's beck and call?" one hand lightly touched the blade at her throat while the other slipped into one of her jean pockets behind her back.<br/><br/>"I serve our Lady.  I serve Him.  You serve yourself, your own twisted pleasure.  Surrender yourself to the Lady's judgement and perhaps she will be merciful, Roberta."<br/><br/>Roberta's eyes narrowed with the desperate rage of a caged animal, triumph lighting her features for a moment as her hand tightened around it's prize in her pocket.  Brushing aside the blade at her throat, Roberta spun, the thin gold chain in her hand flicking out towards the arch angel.  As it whipped through the air it caught flame, burning with a harsh amber light that illuminated the large room in a brilliant flash.  Vorianne ducked, bending as the chain shrieked through the air above her, scorching the metal machines around them in a brilliant shower of sparks.  She continued the motion, rolling past the wildly swinging cherub, slashing at Roberta's calf as she passed.<br/><br/>The cherub screamed as the pain lanced her leg, suddenly refusing to support her as she turned, attempting to follow the arch angel and strike her down before she could recover.  She saw Vorianne's blade flash, the tip slashing across her forehead and parting the smooth skin to release a stream of blood into her eyes.  Roberta's howl of pain and rage echoed through the factory as she swung the golden chain wildly, slashing at any point of air that might contain the angel, weaving a maze of whirling attacks.<br/><br/>Roberta's attacks slowed, and then paused as the blinded woman attempted to find her target, listening past her own labored breathing and the Infernal's choked sobs.  She heard the clank of metal on metal and spun, her whip flashing out to ensare and burn the . . .and stepped directly into Vorianne's thrust.  The short blade slammed into her chest, piercing her heart in one push that carried the tip through her back to poke out of the flimsy windbreaker.  Her mouth opened in a silent 'o', her breath driven from her as she collapsed.  Vorianne guided her fall, leading her to the ground gently as her lifeblood flowed from her in a scarlet stream.  She choked on blood, attempting to speak as the arch angel gently caressed her cheek.<br/><br/>"I am sorry Roberta." Vorianne whispered, leaning down to lightly brush the fallen Cherub's hair with her lips before making the sign of their Master over her "Sorry that you could not be saved.  Be at peace, if it is possible for you."<br/><br/>With a twist she removed the sword, the cherub's body convulsing for a moment before her final breath escaped her broken body and the spirit fled, leaving merely the empty shell behind.  Vorianne bowed her head as her faintly glowing eyes returned to their customary deep blue, bringing her hood back up to cover her features.  Sorrow twisted her lips as she closed Roberta's eyes, sadness at having to end the life of one of her sisters.  It was a failure on her part, to have not seen the corruption in the cherub's heart until it was too late, until the only answer lay in the sword.  A burden she would carry now in remembrance of the fallen cherub.<br/><br/>Her head snapped up as the wounded Infernal sobbed once more, lost in his own agony and her lips curled into a snarl.  One of the twisted beings that had no doubt tempted Roberta, had led her down the dark path that had led her here.  Not personally responsible but a symbol of the evil that lurked and tempted even the purest of them.  She longed to strike it down, to end it's misery as one would a fallen animal but again her Lady's instructions stayed her hand.  The Law had to be obeyed.<br/><br/>And so she stood, moving to gently scoop up the wounded man into her arms, ignoring the blood his wounds smeared on her clothes as well as the pitiful gasp of relief as the creature realized it would not be tortured further, even it's maimed eyes able to sense the angel's aura.  His wounds were far beyond her own moderate skill to heal . . and there was not time to attempt to contact another more skilled than she, it was a fell miracle that he still lived at all.<br/><br/><em>Mercy View Hospital</em>she thought as a mental map of the City whirled before her eyes<em>It's close and the Nephelim might be able to save him.  If not . . .if not I will have done my duty.</em><br/><br/>And so she turned, carrying the emaciated Infernal easily in her arms as she left behind her the bodies of the two fallen Cherub in the faint flickering light.<br/><br/>