"Distant voices echo inside my head." "Their orders are clear, and yet all I can think about is the others." "Remiel." "Uriel." "Amitiel." "Ithuriel." "Raphael." "Michael." "Each one traveled the same path." "What was their fate?" "What awaits me on the other side?" "They have gone to a place where the light is cursed and darkness blinds the soul." "This is a place where even angels fear to tread." "Forgive me." "Freedom is the potential to challenge yourself far beyond the constraints of traditional rule." "We draw strength from our passions." "We're driven by desire." "Even hatred can be a worthy ally when used against an enemy." "And yet, we are told to turn our backs on these things, the very feelings, emotions, that make us all human." "Sounds like you've been listening to the wrong source." "It would appear so, now, wouldn't it?" "You don't like me very much, do you, Baliel?" "Strange, because I hear no complaints from the others." "Is it something I've done?" "More like something you haven't." "Then let me put your mind to rest." "You did a good thing to bring him here." " I'm not sure the others will agree." " Oh, they will." "And as a sign of my appreciation, I have a gift for you." "Do you remember the Arc, Amitiel?" "I know you were here." "Gabriel." "If you are reading this, then I have failed." "We are far from grace," "further than I could ever imagine." "You will feel things that will cloud your judgment." "This enemy within is strong and unpredictable." "Control these emotions, or the fight cannot be won." "The others have failed." "Learn from them, but do not follow." "You are the last." "Michael." "Molloch." "" " Be silent." " Gabriel!" "Close your mind." "" " Silence yourself." " You can hear me." "Silence your mind." "" " They're coming for you." " Gabriel... /You can hear me." "" " Silence your mind." "Now!" " Silence your mind." "Now!" "You looking for someone?" "Interesting." "What do you want?" "I'm looking for an old friend of mine." "Goes by the name of Uriel." "Not here." "It's very important that I speak with her." "She may be in danger." "The only danger here is what you've brought with you." "Can you at least just tell me if she's still alive?" "The answer's yes." " Now I've told you all I know." " Then tell me where she is." "I've told you all I know." "Now it's time for you to leave." "Where is she?" "This time, no lies." "You can't pull that trigger." "You're not allowed." "And why's that?" "Your orders are to destroy the Fallen and bring light back to this place." "You can't kill innocents." "It's against your code." "So get this fucking thing out of my face." "Firstly, Uriel is a he, not a she." "Secondly, there's not a fucking chance in hell he's ever coming back." "Where has he gone?" "In here, where no goddamn voices or feelings or anything else can get at him." "Why would he do that?" "You felt it the second you arrived." "It's the burden of being real, mortal." "They didn't tell us, Gabe, what it would be like." "They didn't tell us how fucking hard it would be." "If you're Uriel, then why can't I feel you?" "Because I've learned ways to silence myself." "Then you've turned your back on the order." "You've betrayed your oath." "Well, I am only human, after all." "You are an Arc and a servant of the light..." "Put into human form to walk amongst the living, I know." "Have you ever felt fear, Gabriel?" "Because I do." "I feel it all the fucking time." "I hate this place." "I hate myself." "And before I arrived, I didn't even know what that feeling was." "You can't succumb to it." "You have felt the love and contentment of a pure existence." "That is where you draw your strength." "And where's that?" "Can you see it?" "All I see is a dead world, run by the Fallen." "And you know what?" "These people seem to like it here." "They actually seem to enjoy this existence." "So, why should I fight it?" " Why should I die for them?" " Because they don't know any better." "It is up to us to show them that there is another way." "That it is worth fighting for." "I give you two weeks, then we'll see what you say." "Now, how about you get the fuck out of my face, because, whilst you may be bound by rules, I am not." "You know the other great thing they forget to tell you on the way down?" "If you die here as an Arc or a Fallen, then you're dead forever." "Even the soul dies." "And I ain't risking that." "Neither should you." "This place is surrounded by darkness." "The light has no way of knowing what goes on down here." "You can't blame them." "There's one thing I forgot." "I'm sorry, Uriel." "I had to do this." "I need you to show yourself." "Heal this wound." "Fuck you." "Please, Uriel." "Heal this wound." "You can't let this body die." "You swore an oath." "Now, do it!" "Uriel?" "Watch the door." "They may be coming." "Pumps like blood through the veins of this entire city." "You must be very proud." "If only we could sleep." "You be here about the obeah." "I be thinking Molloch is dead." "It seems they've sent another." "The presence we heard earlier belonged to the Arc, Gabriel." "Thee be knowing all about these things." "With Michael gone, all their hopes will now lay with our new friend." "Unfortunately for them, Michael was always the stronger of the two." "Well, we all know what happened to him." "I still sense the new angel spirit is strong in this place." "Which is why we will wait." "Let him fall prey to the good nature of this city." "And if, in time, he still has the will for a battle, then that's exactly what we will give him." "Fuck waiting!" "The city is ours." "We kill this Arc and go home!" "Patience, Ahriman." "Try to think of it as a game." "They move, we move." "Until all the pieces fall into place." "I don't play fucking games." "You have to trust that this is the safest option for all of us." "This is safe." "And this is safe." "Well, you know what would be the safest thing for you to do right now?" "It would be to sit down and shut the fuck up." "You be in a funny mood tonight, boss." "I just look forward to this being over." "No more conflict." " Pass me one of those." " You sure you want one?" "Just because I'm a fucking angel doesn't mean I can't smoke." "When I was back in the city, you spoke to me." "How did you know I was there?" "The same way you knew I was here." "It's your connection to the source." "You drew power from the light in order to listen." "Problem is, that also exposes your presence." "And you know a way to hide it." "The Fallen can only sense us if we're in close proximity, that's why I live so far out here." "If you go using your powers, drawing from the source, you're gonna be like a beacon for them." "And chances are the whole fucking lot will come down on you at once." "So you have to conceal your true self, far enough so they can't see you, but not so far as you can't come back." "Is that what happened to you?" "Not exactly." "But it did contribute." "I want you to close your eyes." "Now, open again." "Right now, you're an angel inside of a human form." "What we're trying to do is hide that fact." "So, to everyone out there, you're completely human." "I want you to search inside, focus on your spiritual self, connect and feel it as a whole." "Now, close your eyes." "There you go." " Yeah?" " Because it's like, I get them in, it's up to you to keep them in." "I say, take pride in every part of your life." "Hey, Jadey, what's the matter?" "You don't say good-bye no more." "Well, how about smoking my pole, sweetheart?" "Fucking deaf bitch." "It's a strange sensation." "I feel slow, more heavy." "In this form you'll still be able to listen, but that's about it." "If we can hide ourselves, can the Fallen do the same?" "Yeah." "What happened to the others?" "Remiel was killed before I arrived." "Besides Amitiel, it's hard to know." "I've heard nothing of Michael." "I think Raphael is still around, but he's in hiding somewhere on the East Side." "What happened to Amitiel?" "She lost her wings." "Became mortal." "Sammael is here." "He leads the Fallen." "She went after him but he was too strong." "Instead of killing her, he gave her a choice." "Fall from grace or eternal death." "So she fell, and now he owns her." "Why would he spare one of us?" "He wanted her body." "Sammael used her till he was tired of her, then forced her to work as a hooker." "I know what you're thinking, and you shouldn't." "Essentially, Amitiel's dead." "She calls herself Jade now." "Where does she work?" "No way, Gabe." "She's not your concern, not anymore." "Uriel, just tell me." "There's no turning back for her." "It's a waste of your time." "Don't question my resolve, Uriel." "Where is she?" "I ran into her at a place called the Funhouse." "It's in the hub of the city, near the furnaces." "Asmodeus runs it." "I can't let this happen to her." "Who?" "Amitiel?" "She doesn't even fucking exist anymore!" "Even in the state you were in, you still helped me." "I have to try." "I thank you for your words and I promise I'll return soon." "Gabe, you're chasing a ghost." "Remember what you were sent here to do." "It's not about us!" "You haven't even..." "Well, at least remember to eat!" "You'll get hungry." "And if you don't eat, you'll die!" "Same old Gabe." "There's nothing wrong with looking nice, man." "I mean, it's a fucking service industry." "These people come here just to fuck, right?" "It doesn't matter." "It's all in the presentation, right?" "Hi!" "How are you, sir?" "Enjoy your stay." "See?" "Treat them nice." "They tell their friends." "It's fucking like talking to a car park." "You got a light?" "Hi." " I'm looking for a girl named Jade." " She's out on a private call." " But I can get one of our other girls to..." " Can you tell me where she is?" "I just said she's out on a private..." "Yeah, I know, I heard that, but it's important." "Bitches, they come, they go." "Room eight?" "You been here before?" "No." "Nice to see you've dressed up for the occasion." "Here you go." "Give this gentleman half-price." "I've got a feeling we'll be seeing him again." "So, do you want to see another girl?" "Actually, I'll come back." "Thank you." "Oh, Jade, remember you're booked tonight." "Scampi's Motel, room 36." "It's two guys, one at a time." "You got that?" "That was quick." "What's the quickest way to Scampi's Motel?" "About four blocks down, turn right, across the street." "You're welcome." "Come again." "Nice to have you here." "What a friendly fellow." "Fuck." "Hi." "So, this is the lovely Jade." "In the flesh." "So, how do you guys want to do this?" "Take off your clothes." "Candy told you guys about the rule of one at a time, yeah?" "Yeah." "But unfortunately, that's not what we want." "Really?" "Then maybe you've got the wrong girl." "I don't think so." "Your name's Jade, right?" "Well, is it?" "Yeah." "You do work at the Funhouse, which means you are a whore?" "You do fuck for money, yeah?" "Then that means your real name is Amitiel, and you used to be an angel." "Oh, sorry." "Arc, as you like to call yourselves." "So, you see, Jade, we are both going to enjoy the pleasure of your divine company, whether you like it or not." "I prefer it rough, so I hope you do, too." "This meat's a little tough." "What do you say, Marcus?" "Fuck you!" "See what happens when you make all this fucking noise?" "Who is it?" "You got a tongue in your fucking head?" "Who is it?" "Help!" " Where am I?" " In a safe place here." "You've been unconscious for a while." "I've got to get back to work." "No." "You have to stay and rest." "I've spoken to Asmodeus." "He says he wants you to stay here until you get better." "You're so full of shit." "What did you say your name was?" "Gabriel." "Did we fuck?" "No." "Were we supposed to?" "No." "Good." "I sense the darkness inside you." "It clouds your soul but I know it takes away your pain." "I'm not supposed to interfere." "You have a right to choose, but I'm not sure you ever did." "So, if I am wrong, please forgive me." "This will hurt a lot." "You had no right to do that!" "I won't believe you are what they say." "Did they tell you I lost my wings?" "Did they tell you I'm a smackie?" "That I fuck for money?" "They said you had the courage to fight Sammael." "You fought well but you lost." "There is no disgrace in that." "If only they could see me now, huh?" "Where the fuck are my clothes?" "I won't let anything else happen to you." "You don't even know Sammael's power!" "He's grown stronger than all of us combined." "If Michael couldn't defeat him, what chance do you have?" "I have seen and done things here that..." "I can't even believe this place exists." "I mean, I knew it was going to be hard but..." "And I can't ever go back." "I can never go back." "I will never see the light again." "You're wrong." "Just because you're not an Arc, it doesn't mean you can't return as a soul." "What does that mean?" "What?" "I wait my days out here?" "I grow old, I fucking die?" "I can't even kill myself because it's against the rules." "I could be here for another 50 years, Gabe!" "That is nothing compared to an eternity of darkness." "How long you been here for?" "A few days?" "A week?" "I've been here for two and a half years, and that feels longer than eternity." "I feel like they've just betrayed us, they've just left us here to die." "And once you've been killed, that is it." "What then?" "You will see the light return before this week is through." "I'm sure Michael said the exact same thing." "You are troubled." "Why does this not surprise me?" "Did you feel him just now?" "Yes, he lives in the North." "Somewhere in the slums." "Then tell me why we wait." "You lust for his blood." "So, right now, he still possesses much strength." "And I can't possibly risk losing anyone else from our little family." "You could take him on your own." "I grow weary of your hesitation." "There are others just like him, but they are broken, some beyond repair." "The only resolve will be once they are all dead." "I need him to bring them out, show them they can shine just bright enough for all of us to see." "Then I am mistaken." "Yes, you are." "And, if you ever question such things again," "I will rip your tongue out and paint my name in blood across your back." "I see you have some friends here." "Would you mind introducing me?" " I missed you." " You've missed Amitiel, not me." "They're not as different as you think." "You don't get it, do you?" "Everything here works against us, Gabe." "We fall prey to the things we never even knew." "Fear, hate, the very things that make him, make all of them, stronger." "Do we not have the compassion to overcome this?" "I honestly don't think so." "The city itself is the best defense they have." "What are you thinking about?" "I think I'm hungry." "What is this place?" "Soup kitchen." "They help the homeless." "We can't eat here." "These people need food more than us." "In case you hadn't noticed, we're kind of desperate ourselves." "Come on." " Want bread?" " Yeah." "Here you go." "Thanks." "Do you know the guy who served us?" "Does he seem familiar?" " No." " Well, he's been here a long time." "That's Ithuriel." "Another who surrendered to the fear." "And after he'd heard of my fate, he chose exile over confrontation." "I can't..." "Don't be so ardent to judge others, Gabriel." "You haven't been here long enough to earn that right." "I don't intend to either." "How can you turn your back on us like this?" "You swore an oath." "Am I the bad guy here?" "You want to point this fucking thing at me?" "After all we've done for you people!" "Gabriel, stop!" "Give him back the gun." "He's just doing his job." "What a shame you can't do yours." "Am I the only one who still believes in this cause?" "Am I?" "I'm doing the best I can." "Well, what else was I supposed to do?" "I would've been killed." "It's the risk we take." "All of us." "I don't have your strength, Gabriel." "I thought I did, but I was wrong." "I'm doing the absolute best I can, here." "I'm still trying to help these people." "With a soup kitchen?" "That is this big, compared to what you're supposed to do." "Kill the Fallen." "Bring back the light." "Go home." "It's not that fucking hard, Ithuriel." "Well, if it was so easy, then why are you here?" "Why have the six of us before you failed?" "I'm doing the best that I can." "I'm sorry." "It's good to see you." "Raphael is here." "Take me to him." "These passages lead under the entire city." "We found them when we were setting up the soup kitchen." " This is Maggie." " Hi." "She's been looking after Raphael." "How long has he been like this?" "A few months." "Leave us." "Maggie will be just outside here." "Shame you had to be here." "Yeah." "What happened to you?" "Sammael shot me." "And why can't you heal?" "Nothing left." "Can't do it." "No." "No." "Save your power." "Every time you do something, you lose more." "You'll die if I don't." "You'll need your strength to face them." "I had my chance." "Then forgive me." "No!" "What have you done?" "I saved your life." "You never listened to me, did you?" "By doing that, you've probably just exhausted half your strength, not to mention the fact you've now exposed our presence to the Fallen." " My strength will come back." " No, it won't." "The longer you're down here, the weaker your connection to the source becomes." "Every time you do something like what you just did, you close that hole up even faster." "You should've waited." "I could have stayed alive long enough for you to fight Sammael, and if you'd won, if you'd returned the light back as the governing ruler, then we could have all gone home." "Even those who turned their backs." "You talk as if I've already lost." "As it stands, you have no chance of beating Sammael." "His power has no equal." "This is the lesson that both Amitiel and I had to learn." "Michael, too." "Sammael has found a way of harnessing the collective energies from each of the Fallen." "He's become stronger, faster." "Worse still, his presence is now always cloaked, so you'll never be able to find him." "Then I will take the Fallen, one by one." "Deplete his strength through them." "You are but one." "They are five, possibly six." "Less two." "Molloch and Balan." "That still leaves Asmodeus, Ahriman, Lilith." "I know where Asmodeus hides." "Tell me of the others." "It's fucking hideous." "She's not finished yet!" "You know Jade's gone missing?" "And Balan is dead as well." "I thought as much." "I've organized a gathering with the others." "It appears that Gabriel has done exactly as we'd hoped." "Let me just freshen up." "What happened to Michael?" "Though none of us actually saw him, we felt him the night that he arrived, a force of consummate strength." "And just, over time, his signal grew weaker and just eventually faded away." "I'm sure I felt a small surge the night that he fought Sammael, but then, since, nothing." "I know what he meant to you, Gabe." "These thoughts of Michael will only cause you more confusion." "He's gone." "You have to stay focused." "Michael was our greatest warrior." "Rivaled only by yourself." "If Sammael is truly all-powerful, then why does he wait?" "He's had many a chance to take me and yet..." "I've told you all I know." "Lf, after all of this, you still think there's a chance you can win," "I will follow you to whatever fate, as will the others." "Then believe in me." "That's all I ask." "Hey!" "You be moving things along, I'll be seeing the boss man soon." "Come." "Whenever you're ready, Ahriman." "He is stronger than you think." "Uriel lives on the outskirts, somewhere near the old drive-in." "The other is near the docks, hiding amongst the homeless trash." "Once they are deceased, I will take Gabriel." "Then let's just hope we're not too late." "This is a war." "Sacrifice is what victory is measured upon." "And if you don't like it, you could always return home." "I'm sure your master would love to hear how you defied me." "I'm sure he would, too." "By the end of this day, the balance will forever reside with us." "Now, I fight for a voice of freedom, and you fight to preserve control, but rest assured, we are all on the same side." "Light will never return to this place." "These souls are ours." "Hi." "Hi." "You disappeared on me." "I just needed some time to think." "Did you draw this?" "Yeah." "It's a first try." "Do you like it?" "It's beautiful." "But I don't look like that." "You do to me." "Watch where you're fucking going!" "Careful, old man." "Come on." "You okay?" "Bread with your soup?" "Raph, what do we do?" "Well done." "Frankly, more like medium-rare." "Where to now?" "We go left." " Another?" " Raphael!" "Leave him to me." "We're almost there." "Come on." "Let's move, let's go." "Come on." "This shouldn't be here." "Don't make a sound." "Just wait a moment." "Raphael." " What's the matter?" "What's wrong?" " They're dead." "Dead." " Who?" " They're dead." " Who?" " I killed them." " Gabe!" " It's my fault." "Gabe, you got to talk to me." "Listen, you got to talk to me." " Gabe, listen." " No!" " Look at you!" " You don't understand!" "Tinkerbell, Captain Hook, watch the rain." "Hey, you're back again." "Asmodeus!" "Where is he?" "Top floor." "I don't know which room." "Well, look at you, all big and macho," "carrying that huge fucking gun around." "How does that make you feel?" "Powerful?" "Actually, don't answer that." "I can see it in your eyes." "Are you angry with me, Gabriel?" "Have I done something to offend you?" "I hope this isn't about your friends, is it?" "Because, I mean, if you didn't want them dead, why did you lead us to them?" "So, it's going to be like that, is it?" "Such a shame." "You and me, we could've had something." "Now, you're just playing hard to get." "After tonight, I'll never see you again." "I don't want that to happen." "When you go back, don't tell them what went on down here." "I won't remember, anyway." "We never do." "Good-bye, Jade." "How many you want?" "One, two, three?" "I'll take all of it." "Now." "All that." "You wouldn't have enough money, let alone enough friends, to use all that." "Then let's make a deal." "How can you just sit there and let this happen?" " Asmodeus is dead because of you!" " Asmodeus is dead because he was weak." " Just like the others." " Because they believed you could end this." "I always knew we could never trust you." "Your presence makes me fucking sick!" "Nice to see you again." "Sammael!" "You are growing weaker." "I can sense this in you." "I'm not the only one." "I have no desire to fight you, Gabriel." "Shoot me if you must, but I ask that you listen to what I have to say first." "You lie!" "I'd never trust your kind." "If only that were true." "See, we are the same, you and I." "A city full of Fallen that should've killed you, and they didn't." "Why?" "Because of me." "I'm the only reason you're still alive, Gabriel." "I know you can sense me." "Your heart denies it, but your soul knows the truth." "All you have to do is say my name." "We were born in a world controlled by fear and rules." "We were slaves to a higher purpose." "Tell me." "What is the point of being created just so we can serve someone else's wishes?" "All I've done is set myself free." "Now I beg you to do the same." " This can't be true." " But you know it is." "Your instincts have always served you well." "Don't deny them now, just say my name." "I love you like a brother." "I taught you everything you know." "I can hear it in your thoughts." "Say it." "Say it!" "Michael." "Why?" "You've seen the things I've seen." "You've felt the things I've felt." "Well, I, too, came here with a heart full of love." "By the time I fought Sammael, I consumed him with hatred." "I was powerful beyond any who had come before me." "You killed the others." "Raphael, Uriel..." " They were weak!" " They were your brothers!" "They would never have understood!" "They only wanted a war that could never be won." "Not by their kind." "I knew only you had the strength to be a leader." "Now think about it." "You and I can rule this place together and the light will never know." "In time we could grow powerful enough to crush it completely." "These people are free." "And now, so are you." "I thought you were dead." "I was right." "You break my heart, Gabriel." "You know it doesn't have to be this way!" "You've sealed your fate, Michael!" "I did all of this, everything," "for you!" "You forced Amitiel to give up her wings!" "Sammael did that, not me!" "You slaughtered your kin!" "Open your fucking eyes." "There was no other way." "Don't follow their path." "The war is over, Gabriel." "No!" "No!" "We can still go back, Michael!" "Don't let this be for nothing!" "Never." "Look at your eyes, Michael." "Look what you have become." "Trying to heal, Gabriel?" "But you can't." "Can you?" "Because you wasted all your energy on the others." "Of all the things you could have been," "you chose this." "Why, Gabriel?" "I give you everything and you still deny me." "Free will." "The light's not about control." "It's about choice." "We came here to guide these people." "Nothing more." "But they don't know the truth, Gabriel." "They do." "They know more so than us." "Being human." "I've felt the things you felt, Michael." "But there is so much more you haven't." "You think you're free, but you're not." "I love you, Michael, but I hate what you've become." "Accept the dawn and bleed with me, brother." "I forgive you, Michael." "My gift to you." "Is this what you want?" "Is this what you wanted?" "You have shown me everything but this." "How can I return with all that has happened?" "Michael." "Amitiel." "I need to feel this." "I need to understand how this happened." "In time, you will form new Arcs and all this will be forgotten." "I can't let that happen." "I won't let it happen." "You threw me far from grace" "and now I fall unto it." "I hope I see you again." "Falling is the last thing an angel feels." "A distant voice still echoes inside my head." "But for the first time, it is my own." "Forgive me."