Demon Soul (1)

XXIV

"RONIN?!" Nox screamed, his eyes glazing over. I saw his hands become covered in ice, and his hair darkened to the same shade as mine.

"Wait, wait, wait!" I stepped in between them, feeling my own negativity dissipate. "He's not Ronin!"

"What the hell have you been smoking, Nyx?!"

"Just listen!" I stomped my foot like an angry child, feeling the reverberations beneath me. "We had it all wrong. Ronin wasn't the demon, but he...he was the one who killed my friends."

"Then who the hell is this!" He gestured to Mazel, who stepped forward.

"My name is Mazel, I'm a resurrected Incubus." He explained, and Nox seemed to simmer down. "I'm not the one to be afraid of here."

"Kids?"

Gabriel came walking out of the library, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he did. When he lay them on the stranger in the room, he seemed to become more awake and analytical. And in the end, he simply smiled.

"I haven't seen you since you were a baby." Gabriel laughed. "What are you doing here?"

"Lohryx." Mazel said without hesitation. "He tried to brainwash me and send me on a task to kill all the rule breakers I could find. He was basically using me like a mercenary."

"I see you're using the past tense, what changed your mind?"

"Ronin." He snarled softly, the sound like an echoed scream. "He's more of a monster than I am, and he's only got one thing on his mind: her." He glanced at me. "I want to help, but I don't have a whole lot of time until he takes back over."

"I see, the necromancy used attached you to a human infant. He's fighting back fairly hard, isn't he?" Gabriel inquired, and Mazel nodded.

"Wait, Mazel, you know Gabriel?" I asked.

"He was around a lot when I was a child." He nodded. "It's good to see you again. Are these your kids?"

"They sure are." He smiled at Nox and I. "I see you've met my daughter Nyx, and this is her twin brother, Nox."

"They're both quite powerful. Strong willed and bullheaded as all hell too." Mazel chuckled.

"You're telling me." Gabriel sighed playfully before his face turned serious. "Phoebe...I'm so sorry R-"

"Please, it's Mazel." He shuddered. "And...thank you."

"Why don't you kids get settled in, I'll go make some coffee."

"I actually think it'd be best if I left soon." Mazel looked towards the back door. "I don't know when he'll take over again."

"Oh, I see." Gabriel nodded. "In that case, you should probably be getting home. It's been nice to talk to you again."

"You too, Gabriel." He smiled. "I'm not leaving quite yet, though. There's something I need to discuss with you before I go."

"What might that be?"

"There's a way to get rid of Ronin permanently. Nyx already said she'd be willing to do it, but we figured you'd want to hear before we did something brash."

"What are you guys talking about?" Nox's eyebrows furrowed.

"There's a physical rift in the Order facility outside of town." I told him. "If I go through that and kill Ronin, he can't come back."

"You do realize what that would entail, right Mazel?" Gabriel inquired. "Breaking the seal?"

"Letting the demons through, yes." He nodded. "Is that really such a bad thing though?"