I have the keys of Death and of Hades.

[Frank Brimstone]

I have been vindicated in the blood of my enemies.

Always I have known that I walked the righteous path. Now the Most Holy has blessed me for my humble service to the cause of Heaven.

I am not a proud man. I have known weakness. My faith has been challenged as has that of all men. One night some time ago while I laid awake staring into the night sky, doubt entered my mind and disbelief slithered into my heart. Darkness shadowed my soul.

It was in this troubled time as I considered past actions that I was lifted up and all the weights upon my mind dropped away. Before me was a Seraphim come as a Herald from the Most High.

And he spoke to me thus, “Do not doubt your path. Know that your toils have been noticed. I come to you now, low though thou art with heavy burdens, for I bear thee this message. Thou art chosen to do the work of the most high. You have been called, will you accept the path before you?”

Tears stained my face and I am ashamed to say that I averted my gaze from the Light. “I am not worthy.” I bowed down in shame before the one who had come to lift me up.

“Yes, truly thou art not worthy.” Each word stabbed deep within my heart and my souls agony bled out. “But even for such as you, redemption may be had. Take my hand, oh worm who grovels such upon the ground. I shall grant you the strength to persevere upon the path though thou art weak.”

His strong hand lifted my chin up and I was forced to gaze upon those horribly beautiful eyes. “Thou art my champion. Now, go FORTH!”

Power surged through me like ten thousand volts setting every nerve on fire. Righteous, holy fire burning away doubt and incrimination. Verily I was blessed even for not being worthy.

In the forest of discontent, there was no moon and no light from the stars of heaven. Surely I had been taken from the world I had known and cast into the lower planes. But not for my punishment but to bring divine wrath upon the deserving.

The wretched were not long in making themselves known to me. A glow through the trees in the distance caught my eye and drew me closer. I could hear their mocking attempts at laughter. A wicked attempt to steal the joy which is the Almighty’s gift unto man.

Little did I know the extent of their blasphemy.

In fullness it was revealed unto me. Such manner of creatures I can scarcely describe. Little winged girls as may appear in an innocent child’s book were it naught for their lewd nakedness. Dancing with them around the fire were goat like beasts, ready to rut. A sinful mockery of the commandment given at the Fall of Man.

I wished to cast my eyes away from the debauchery before me but I knew I must not. The new strength within me guided my gaze ever further. They had gathered for an unholy feast.

For upon the fire was a great pot, black as ichor. Within, bubbled and boiled an unholy stew. Providing the meat for the stew was a mare's head. Mane, once pure as snow on Christmas was darkened. Once proud eyes rolled up into the skull. The majestic golden horn blackened with blood and gore.

Given vigor from the righteousness from within, I fell upon them. Mightily did I smite them in the Most High's name. As they fell before me, they tried to turn aside my rage with their lies.

“Mercy! She must be cleansed or never be at peace!”

“No! We must return our sister to the earth ere the light of the new moon comes!”

“Her soul! Her soul! Shall she not be reborn?”

I was deaf to their despicable lies.

And thus did they all fall before me.

Yet my work was not yet complete. The strength urged me on. The power surged and dragged my body deeper into the darkness.

Before me rose a mighty citadel of obsidian. There was no gate so I began my ascent. Punching my hands into the bare rock, I dragged my body up the side. It was only the strength granted to me for this very task that allowed me to succeed. Indeed, I would have been too weak and frail otherwise.

When I had finished my toil, I was in a once grand hall. A heathen temple brought low. There was a throne and upon it sat a beautiful winged woman. Her luscious black hair fell in piles, forming midnight pools on her shoulders and over her breasts and down even unto her lap. White was her skin such as can be seen upon the face of the moon when it is fullest. Her eyes were dark and piercing as though seeing to my very soul.

Then she stood and black wings unfolded into view. She was an angel, surely. But the strength in my heart whispered to me, “Fallen. False. Heathen. Blasphemer.”

Her mouth opened so to speak her lies to me. “So I have fallen so low that now even mortals would dare challenge me?”

“The Almighty has empowered me to send your dark soul to it’s eternal reward.” I would match it’s lies with the Holy Truth.

“Reward?” Her laughter was haunting as it echoed to me from across the hall. “Thou art no reward for me. Thou art an insult from one who has not the courage to face me, even weakened from centuries of neglect as I am.”

“I will bear your slander against him no longer!” Drawing my blades and sharing the power that was within along their surface, I charged.

“Foolish mortal. Arrogant fool. The power was given unto me to end such as you.” In slow even paces she approached, drawing a two handed sword as she did so.

In the middle we met in mortal combat. While we fought she cast her wicked magic’s but the power rose up within me each time to counter the threat. When I was cut, the power healed me. Never did I feel weak.

But her skill was great and I was yet unworthy. Her blade plunged into my stomach. She wore a triumphant smile as I began to fall away from her. Yet even as I descended my shotgun came up. As my swords clattered to the ground, it fired my anger and hate upon my foe.

She smiled no more.

I lay dying, satisfied that I had served my purpose. I had seen the path to the end.

“You have done well.” Again the herald was above me. Majestic. To see me to eternity, I was sure.

“Your toil is not yet ended.” He laid a hand upon my chest. Power surged through perfect fingers and into my imperfect vessel.

Pain shot through every pore of my being as the healing began.

“Shhhh.” My magnificent savoir said softly. He laid a finger upon the dent on my upper lip as though it was made to fit there. “Shush child. Pain is but weakness leaving the body, child.”

And it was so as I was fully healed and my agony subsided. Though the power of the gift was passed from me. “Is it time for my rest? Is it time to join the exalted host?”

“It is time to AWAKE.”

And so it was.

[Grace]

Well what do you know.

Insanity on demand.

[skeptic]

Truly, only a mind in desperate need of help could have concocted this story!

[Gabriel]

Mr. Brimstone, if the things you relate in this story are true, then you are here and now Marked. The "herald" of which you speak has deceived you completely, and I have proof.

Though I speak to you from the depths of Hell itself, I bid you welcome to come prove me false. I am a great many things, and I have earned my way here, truly...but lying is not one of my sins.

[Cessiel]

The devotion is strong in this one.

[Gabriel]

Strong enough he allows himself to be fooled by an anti-scrupulous angel with a silver tongue... I find blind devotion to be a hideous sin against one's own morals, quite often.

It is through questioning that we free ourselves. Question ourselves, if nothing else. Mindlessly slaughtering childlike creatures who did not fight back? Not even questioning why he has been sent to face and murder an angel in her own home? I am not a Christian, but I don't believe his God truly condones that sort of thing.

At least, Christ would say not.

[Cessiel]

It is through questioning that we free ourselves.

It is through faith that we find strength. It is through faith that we are redeemed.

[Cybermancer]

It is through questioning that we free ourselves.

It is through faith that we find strength. It is through faith that we are redeemed.

Not all faith is equal.

All freedom is equal.

[Gabriel]

What good is faith to one who claims to be an angel? Faith is belief in the absence of proof. If you claim to have proof, then you deny faith.

Faith CAN also refer to love, and even then, blindly having faith can and probably will lead to heartache and sorrow, as you allow yourself to be destroyed by one you think you love.

Blind faith in a religion leads one to damnation. Blind faith in relationships leads one to usually take their partner for granted, and leaves the blind one open to be taken advantage of.

But when one has faith with eyes open, one does not need "answers" in religion, nor do they take for granted their loved one will be there tomorrow no matter what they do tonight. THIS is true faith, THIS is what grants one TRUE strength.

Blindness only offers pain.

[Cessiel]

What good is faith to one who claims to be an angel?

Who has made this claim?

[Gabriel]

My apologies. I misread when you said you fight "on the side of the angels".

Still, you fail to answer a single actual point I raise. One wonders what kind of intellectual you really are...

[Cessiel]

One wonders what kind of intellectual you really are...

And now you lower yourself to slanderous suggestions.

If you were truly interested in intellectual debate, such would not be necessary.

That being the case, there is no need to waste the effort in such engagement as it is not truly what you want. Rant, rail and mock the beliefs of others if you wish. It is thus that you unveil your true colors.

[Shang Li]

You still have not reponded to anyone's reservations about the "goodness" of your actions beyond "I have faith that I was not mislead."

Does not your own scripture tell you that demons will wear the guise of angels to mislead teh faithfull? That your devil quotes scripture as it pleases him to twist it's intent?

Were I a preist of your own religion, I would ask you how you kneew it was truely an angel instead of a demon hiding under a more seemly guise - evil is never happier than when it causes good men to do it's foul deeds in the name of goodness.

[Gabriel]

In other words, you are not capable of responding, and do not wish to admit it publicly. Do not fret or worry, good sir, I understand completely.

I also understand that it is YOUR wish to construe what I said as "slanderous"... Slander is usually a term associated with definitive statements, of which I made none. I simply wondered what kind of intellectual fails or refuses to even acknowledge the arguments presented to him.

In this manner, I am a better man than you...and there are those who would not call me a man at all.

Still, your arrogance is amusing...especially as there are those that think ME arrogant. He who looks always down on others is doomed to never look up and see the glories of the high. Speaking as someone in my position, I can guarantee you this is true.

[Cybermancer]

I beleive that this story should be renamed.

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

[Gabriel]

Indeed. It would be a far more fitting title, in so many ways...

[Cybermancer]

I believe a good title should have layers of meaning.

[KonThaak]

What God wants, God gets, God help us all...

God wants goodness, God wants light, God wants mayhem, God wants clean fights... God wants peace, God wants war, God wants famine, God wants chain stores... God wants sedition, God wants sex, God wants freedom, God wants semtex... God wants boarders, God wants crack, God wants rainfall, God wants wetbacks... God wants voodoo, God wants shrines, God wants law, God wants organized crime... God wants crusades, God wants Jihad, God wants good, God wants bad.

So, Mr. Brimstone, which character are you? Beetle, springbok, jackass, hyena, vulture, magpie, raccoon, or groundhog? I know you're not the monkey in the corner, nor are you the soldier or veteran... Cessiel is the alien prophet, so you're not that, either...

[Frank Brimstone]

I am the Finder of Lost Souls.

[Gabriel]

By the grace of God Almighty, and the pressures of the marketplace, the human race has civilized itself... It's a miracle.

[Frank Brimstone]

Hyperbole is a refuge constructed by the devil. I see right through it.

[KonThaak]

Hey, Gabriel... I think this species may be in imminent danger of amusing itself to death.

[Shang Li]

I will pray, Frank, and Cessiel, that your god forgives your straying from his message of peace and love.

Your angel by having you attack the peacefull and innocent has proven himself false, and you at this point willfully refuse to see.

I will pray for you to be allowed to escape the hell you have chosen - but I have little influence with your god, and he is as unfogiving as my own.

[Gabriel]

KT: To bring this inside joke full circle, perhaps that is just what God wants...

Master Li: Despite my current position, I fail to believe any "Higher Power" to be terribly unforgiving.

[Frank Brimstone]

I see the path that the Most High lays out before me as clear as day.

I am in no need of forgiveness. When my toils end I know that precious in the sight of the Most High is the death of the righteous.

Instead of prayer, remember what was said, be strong, do not fear--the Most High will come with vengeance to save the faithful.

[Gabriel]

Vengence is the recourse of those who are in the wrong, for does not Jesus preach to forgive?

[Frank Brimstone]

Only the penitent.

[Grace]

Vengence is the recourse of those who are in the wrong, for does not Jesus preach to forgive?

Do you practice what you preach?

[Shang Li]

I try, Nemesis, and I bear the fruits of my successes and failures at it on my concience.

[Grace]

I'm sure you do, Shang Li.

But it's Gaby's nose that I am tweaking.