"Our friendship will remain, no matter what happens, my friend," Oraxael smiled, "but I think of one other this may affect - what will become of John, without your guardianship?  If we do this and fail...he will not only be unprotected, he will almost certainly be a target of demonic retaliation.  Can we risk this?  is there no other way?"<br/><br/>Oraxael searched his mind for a solution that wouldn't cost either of them their lives, but in truth, he'd never even considered how such a scenario might occur, an angel and a demon mutually tainted by the touch of the other.  He remembered, vaguely, that such a thing had happened before...but he could not remember the outcome.<br/><br/>He turned to his friend, to await his thoughts.