The tortures of the damned

”Improvise, I think I can do that.” Adam noted as the to of them continued to move through the territory they were making way in. Of course keeping out of the way from these strange new vampiric hybrids was one thing, but having to fight them eventually did not sound too pleasant to him. Not that there was much of a choice there now that he was deep into the operation, and now the human said he was going to blow things up.

Just brilliant.

“Handsome? I feel like I'm obligated to make some kind of joke about buying me dinner first.” Regardless of wry humor, Adam broke off from Matt and went around in an attempt to flank them like he was expected to. The human would approach two strange ones with raised hoods, attempting to get their attention until he pulled up a flanking position to take them out without much of a hassle.  Unlucky for him stealth was not something that could work out when one of them noted he was there and then charged him.

The speed itself was impressive but Adam had fought his own share of vampiric people before. It would take someone centuries older to take him on like this, especially with his own enhancements. ”A little rude to exclude me like this brother.” He slipped forward, each motion a blur to anyone with less than enhanced senses as his palm slammed upwards. He felt something crack as their body was pushed back, further propelled by a kick twisted into their stomach.

They didn’t have much time to react as he came forward, driving a fragile skull into concrete with all the strength his body could produce. Cracking the thing like a fragile eggs, splattering greymatter and odd smelling blood across his shirt and the ground. An explosion had rung out during his small scuffle and with that more of them funneled inwards, some even ignoring him for another problem entirely. ”You’ve got to be kidding me.” Adam groaned, as he went once more into the combat around him.

Well and tried to work back towards the strange human that he was working with.

–

From his puddle vantage point Ryan watched Silus and the door open to reveal the one beyond it. It didn’t take much to realize that they were someone that he recognized and without a doubt it changed the air around them. Regardless, Silus approached him without an issue, the two of them acting as if they were friends to some degree. Despite the growing void he felt between him and Silus, there was no denying the sinking dread that came with seeing him approach and even speak with a known monster without any care in the world. The odd part of this was the fact that he referred to Lucius as someone else despite the fact that he was standing before them.

So many questions and nothing that really answered them. All of it felt wrong, and he didn’t like that feeling. The two of them were speaking, mostly of things that had no real value to him beyond suggesting the two of them had some manner of history together. None of it made sense, and in a sense that was why he did nothing. A part of him wanted to know what was going on, something that asking simple questions wouldn’t get done.

Someone would get defensive and he would be left as ignorant as before. So he said nothing, wondering if and when he should make a move as the temperature itself actually began to cease lowering. Return to whatever it was before, not cold but perhaps even mild while he waited and this person that resembled Lucius would eventually turn to him. Giving in that way Lucius did the reason why he was still alive.

That was of course when the grand moment came and betrayal appeared to be the response.

”Silus, what are you doing?” He finally broke his silence, looking more than anything confused with the situation that was unfolding before him. Silus giving away who was here, even though he didn’t expect Humanity to be among the people here. The only thing that did matter was the fact that he had sold out Matt, and that was more than enough reason to be angry, if anger could equate to what he was feeling right now. Honestly he was confused and with his powers that was worse.

–

”Don’t look so nervous. We still have a lot to get done before this is even close to being over.” Giving Dante the equivalent of a soft pat on the shoulder, he took point and slipped into the open room before them. He had grown used to dealing with particular tics with people, them reacting a certain way and in a sense he could sympathize with the guy. Something told him that he didn’t deal with this kind of thing very often, and that just made his thoughts drift back to his little mutt he took care of on occasion. The small explosion that took place in the distance suggested they were already running into snags, meaning that...well he didn’t want to think about that.

Sticking to the shadows was his main thing and he made sure the dark areas of the room were sufficiently dark, slipping through them with a surprising amount of silence. ”Keep with me and just...I guess point me in the right direction. Honestly don’t know too much about this mission.” He explained in a hushed voice to Dante, trying to lead him the best way he could through the more stealthy sections of things.

The explosion went off and Silus just listened as Ryan appeared to question him, leaving Silus to simply look off at Orpheus, fearful of what a confrontation of all these people, people he had been emotionally tied to, and how it would end. He had a whole other level of faith in people, in trust. Silus looked to Ryan and with his piercing eyes he leveled with Ryan, truthfully and honestly.

"What are YOU doing Ryan? He's trying to make things right, not just for him but for you, for me too! What am I doing? For the first time in my life I'm being selfish. I want my friend back. I want Yancey back, I want you back, I want Lucius back, I want Austyn, Cale and Isalia back!" Silus' fists were clenched, his jaw was clenched and he couldn't stop the tears from streaming down his face as small sparks of an indigo energy sparked off of him, creating a minute bend within the light around him. "I'm tired of everyone I care about tearing each other apart. I can't hold it together anymore, I can't do it! I can't...I was supposed to be there. I was supposed to stop it. He shouldn't have made that wish, and we shouldn't have...I-I...I....I need to save them." He had officially broken down as his eyes faded from their glow to a very stale grey color. In his hand there was a rod that appeared from glowing purple energy as he looked up to Ryan, his face lacked any form of emotion other than a broken despair.

"I can't..." he whispered as he started to walk away, eyes towards the ground as he shuffled off like a zombie, his whole body shaking from his uneven weeping, stifled as best as it could.

"Silus? Silus!? Silus!"Orpheus called out as he turned around and noticed the zombie like shuffle as the boy continued to murmur a chanted mantra. Orpheus looked as if he were ready to pursue, but upon seeing Ryan he froze, unsure of how to proceed.

***********************

The vampires seemed to actually be a threat, though thankfully due to the sheer prospect of age, Adam wouldn't feel overwhelmed at the beginning. But soon he'd see that there were several dozens that were swarming the area, looking for the cause of the explosion. Several broke off from the group to look over Adam. Having seen another Agent downed, multiple of the slightly older variants broke off, allowing the younger fledglings to search for the source of explosion. The slightly older ones were far more coordinated, three of them in total lurched forward, one coming from the flank to try and drive a fist into Adam's jaw while another took the time to come at an angle aiming for Adam's waistline while the final and most skilled of them charged head-on, fully prepared in his own mind.

*******************

Dante whimpered a little as he saw a vampire bolt past in front of Samael. The noise seemed to attract the beast's attention as it backtracked just in time to meet it's end to Samael's hand. Dante resolved himself, prepared and already knowing the likely condescending glare he'd receive. Without much more time, they'd arrive where they needed to be. Unfortunately, when they found their way to the vast open chamber, Dante froze.

The warehouse' inner haven was a large command room with a circular ring suspended in the air, large tubes plugged into a forward seat with a chest-table and bindings. The tubes went from the chair into the several individual tanks, all of which were filled with a strange purple-pink maroon tinged liquid. The faint figures of the vampiric entities could be seen, though their features were far from human.

"B-by the Gods..." Dante said weakly, his breath ripped from his chest at the sight of such scientific marvels.

At first killing these mutated blood drinkers proved simplistic. Mostly crushing their brains and leaving the bodies nothing more than useless clumps of meat, but quickly he could tell they were sending in the more well aged ones. Some of them perhaps even as old as he was, with unknown gains in strength due to their potential angelic heritage. Each new one bringing within it a certain amount of trepidation that grew into mounting fatigue, Adam trying to keep up with them as well as make sure he didn’t get himself severely injured. Eventually however he did find himself being outnumbered by the more skilled and well versed of the brood, three of them making him their mark. Dodging the fist at his jaw was easy enough, but that did leave little room for the blow that slammed into his stomach.

Pain was always an abstract sensation for his kind compared to what it would have felt like for a human, and yet the sensation of having a fist drive into his gut was more than enough to paralyze him with pain if even for less than a second. Feeling himself quickly heading towards the floor and hearing the sound of another approaching, there was only time to react quickly. His hand shooting downwards, catching the floor and allowing him to twist and bring his legs around to knock a few of the vampires away from him. ”And here I thought this would be boring.” He managed, darting to his feet and using all the speed available to him to tackle the eldest of them against the nearest wall with all the force possible.

–

Ryan questioned out of ignorance but ignorance was perhaps what lead to the blowup he was facing now. None of this made sense to him. First they were here to stop some weird angel vampires, now Silus was making deals with Lucius that said he wasn’t Lucius. Nothing made sense, and in a sense that was not good at all. Having the young boy make a sudden change within his personality from...well how he normally acted to strange trancing, making him wonder if he had done something entirely wrong.

Or perhaps that was just the next of many wrong things done. He really hated it when people were right, especially when people he didn’t want to be right were. ”Silus….I...” This was his own mess and he needed to do...something about it. Even if that something was just telling Silus he would trust him to do what he needed to do.  If all went south, well he had to hope the weird pale guy could take care of Matt or he would have to.

Dispersing into liquid and appearing before the somewhat strange acting Silus he tried to put himself in his field of vision. ”Silus, I just...don’t understand what’s going on. Look at it from my perspective, guy looks like Lucius and we don’t exactly have the best relationship now...or even actually. But if you think this will help bring all of those people back then I won’t get in the way.” He looked away for a second, and sighed.

”I know I don’t have much room to talk because of everything i’ve done. Everyone i’ve hurt, willing or not. If you really believe you can undo all of it, then I trust you.” Of course trust was a tough thing but then again he was just trying to avoid doing anymore damage, and his gaze fell to Orpheus for a moment wondering what he was even doing.

If he planned to do anything.
–
Admittedly Samael hadn’t expected someone to whimper when one of the vampires went by, drawing them to their position and forcing him to take them out quickly. Clamping their mouth shut before any words could come out and severing their head just as quickly with blades of shadows. Rather than condescension he gave a single curious glance to the younger male, wondering what was going through his head. Maybe he had a fear of the blood sucking undead or perhaps it was just a healthy kind of fear. Regardless he just needed to get him to wherever they were going and eventually that point was reached.

What he saw in the room itself was not something that Samael had encountered before, strange tubed containing vampiric forms that transcended the mere humanoid form. ”What the fuck is going on here.” He said in shocked awe, turning to Dante as if wondering whether he could illuminate the matter. ”So, should I destroy this or do you want to do something with it first?”

Adam's attacks were nothing to scoff at, but the eldest of the trio seemed to be about on par with Adam. Thankfully he seemed to be the eldest brute in the brood. They had crashed into the wall, one of the younger vampires standing up and cracking it's ribcage before turning and slowly approaching. The eldest of the three threw his elbow into the floor, shaking the ground and allowing him to use elastic force and propel himself upwards a small bit as he carried into a rather impressive acrobatic feat of a flip, throwing out several small knives as he did.

"This one is mine. Go deal with the humans." A voice boomed from behind Adam, the three vampires immediately heeding the words of the disembodied voice and without hesitation running off as they were instructed. In front of Adam a very signature thrown weapon arrived, a small flat wide-belly throwing blade covered in holy runes. The blade let out a flash of powerful ultraviolet light and when it died down there would be a small wisp of smoke and a smaller figure in a feathered cloak and cowl, the markings of a templar and enochian runes marked upon them. The small figured looked up with two mis-matched eyes that narrowed.

*******************

Silus just continued to shuffle away, completely zoned out as he felt a great emptiness within him growing. Ryan seemed to utilize his hydro-based teleportation to arrive before Silus, not a very smart idea as the child didn't seem as though he was going to stop. Ryan explained and made his appeal to Silus, the words caused him to stop his cryptic shuffle, but he continued to mutter his newfound mantra over and over again.

"It doesn't matter now. I want to fight for you Ryan...I do....I want to help you. I want to help Lucius I want to take the pain away. But the only way to do that is to wipe it all away. Wipe it all away. It doesn't matter now. I can't help it. I'm sorry Ryan. I've failed." He said, his faded grey eyes didn't even seem to have any light as he walked, any contact with Ryan would literally phase through him as he continued to walk. The mantra he muttered becoming more apparent. "I can't. It won't matter. Wipe it all away. By trying to save them, I've doomed them. I've pushed one away, the other wouldn't stay. I loved them and it hurt them. Wipe it all away. Be good and end the pain. Wipe it all away." He said, he wasn't stopping for anyone at that point. he wasn't even responding to anyone.

He had broken...

"He's seen better days." A rather familiar voice came, when Ryan turned around he's be faced with the former head of the disbanded angelic hero group. The Seraph, Austyn Abernathy, stood there with a glowing yellow eye and a slight arch to his upper lip on a half masked face. "We all have." Orpheus and the Automatron where nowhere to be seen.

*********************************

"U-uh no. First, Matty said we need to plug in this little bag of IV fluid into the machine. For...some reason." Dante said as he began to hook a bag of solution he pulled out from his backpack. He slowly began to search for some calibration before the green liquid began to funnel into the intricate tube system. The second that the green substance spun through the upper ring, which whined a high speed centrifuge, the two different elements were separated out and funneled to the many vampires.

Pushing himself away from the eldest of his enemies, Adam glared at them while they flipped through the air and threw a few knives in his direction. Wit a few acrobatic motions, only one of them managed to scathe one of his legs and damn did that stings. A low hiss worked from his throat, as another voice joined the cluster fuck that was going on now. That being an odd blade thrown before him, and then a bright flash of light appearing.

The sudden stinging pain came immediately, and the thought that he needed to move before his body actually lit up. Rushing backwards, and finding something that could actually block out the light that was rushing forward. Without much thought he found himself behind a corner of a building, pressing himself against it and waiting for the bright light. It didn’t last long, but pain was what remained from the small flash bang of sorts.

”Oh great, and then there’s this asshole.” Adam rolled his eyes, darting towards one of the thrown knife and ducking down to grab onto one of them, and with a quick motion he chucked the knife in an attempt to take them in the throat.

–

Silus reacted to his presence, but not in the way that Ryan had hoped. Not in the fashion that he did long before, but  something felt off. His hands phased through him, as if his friend weren’t there anymore. ”Silus I….im sorry.” He sighed, raking fingers through his hair and just watching him walk away in that almost dead state. It was painful to seem him like that, even though Ryan knew that he had done something to do that to him. Regardless of everything else, he had managed to add onto the pile and in that sense he had messed up more than he ever wanted to.

This moment felt as if it were...in the top five worst moments of his life but that was when someone decided to add themselves to their conversation. Looking up, his expression blanched for a second at the sight of his brother standing there. ”Austyn, it’s good to see you.” He didn’t feel like acting aggressive by any means would make anything go better. ”So I guess you have some part in this too, don’t you?” Lucius, Silus and now Austyn. Things were just getting stranger as they went from what he could tell.

–
Hook a bag of something into something and then work from there. His eyes followed Dante while he hooked a strange bag into a section and let the liquid mingle with what he assumed nourished the vampires. ”So, this is the part where I break it right? Because i’ll be honest, science was never my big thing. Cliche I know but whatever.” Samael noted with a shrug, shadows rising around him like writhing blades that grew jagged like saws. ”Just tell me when.” He would of course destroy when given the order.

Silus continued to walk on his way, it was a few minutes past when he found his way to a seat, waiting for the bus. In almost a weird display, he heard footsteps before him, someone stopped and turned to face him, though his attention was too far zoned out. It took a moment before an irritated young boy looked up and his eyes went wide as he saw the sun kissed skin and blue eyes in a generic band tee-shirt and a small mess of brown hair.

"Howdy..."

************

Austyn smiled slightly as he stepped forward like he was going to open his arms, but the yellowish eye flashed and he had to shirk back, retreating the step he had taken with a look of worry on his face. Austyn let out a sigh and a pained smile. He was genuinely happy to see his brother again, and he knew that there was likely some hidden animosity. But he could understand that, forgive that even. He was just glad that Ryan seemed civil at this moment in time. Maybe this moment was all he'd need.

"I'd hug you...but I can't. Not without the possibility of ripping out your spine." He said as his left arm tremored and rose up to tap near his right eye, still glowing the sickly yellow. "I doubt you'll believe me, but the man that killed my little brother; and the woman who raised me. Truth is, I murdered him. He killed children, made targets of them. Preyed on them like a sick perverted animal and ended their lives. But when I killed him... He didn't leave. He stayed, haunted me. Possessed me...and maybe i'm just crazy and my psyche snapped but- Ryan. I killed a boy. I hate Lucius as much as you do; but this has to work. I can't even look at someone under the age of 15 without wanting to hurt them. I want this to work. I want a world where we weren't separated. Where I was the big brother I shouldda been. A world where Eric, Austyn and Ryan aren't murderers..." Austyn's pain was genuine if nothing else, he was obviously bearing his soul out, though one might as why here, why now? Truthfully, Austyn wasn't sure what this would change, or if he would die. He didn't know what moment would be his last before the spirit within him took total control and started a genocidal onslaught. He needed Ryan to know. If only for some selfish peace of mind. Ryan deserved to know that he wasn't the only murderer. Perhaps his own struggle was similar, simply without a merderous soul trapped within.
*********************

  Adam charged, taking one of the enochian knives and making a go for the cloaked man's throat. Thye seemed to daftly evade with an unmistakably inhuman speed, stepping off to the side as angelic feathers detached and gracefully floated through the air. The clawed gauntlet of the small cloaked figure reached out and intercepted Adam's wrist as his eyes kept his cold and icy look.

"My name is Azrael." The voice was airy and forceful, though almost more awkward and menacing than deep or rumbling. It sounded like a small wheeze or death rattle as this Azrael shot out a flat palm that would hopefully cnnect and exert more power than was probably expected. The attack itself wasn't designed to cause damage mind you, rather to ward Adam off and allow the cloaked figure some space to asses his situation.

*********************

Dante made a few adjustments as the last of the liquid poured into the small chambers. He gave a smile and nodded to Samael, muttering out an "by all means" before watching the demon make work of the machine. The vampires began to wake from their slumber, many of them choking and drowning from within the liquid, while a few others violently thrashed about, fists shattering glass as they rolled over onto the floor.

Dante watched, mortified by what he had done, watching eyes go bloodshot and seeing blood pour from their mouths through violent wretching. It took but a moment for one vampire amongst the rest to crawl up, punching an opening in one chamber of a struggling sibling, and sinking it's fangs into them, draining some of their essence. The vampire dropped to the ground, grabbing onto anoother and bearing it's fangs down as it desparately attempted to siphon or stimulate it's healing factor.

Coming face to face with Austyn again brought with it strange feelings. Reminding him of the last time he saw his brother, well brothers all in one place. With Austyn’s distaste for their younger triplet more than obvious and even further flaring up when that strange guy ousted Eric as some kind of murderer. Not so long after him being taken away, Austyn disappeared and so did Cale. It felt strange having people that he cared about disappearing one by one, then learning that someone he called a best friend was spending time with the very person that killed his mother. It was not exactly  an easy time, granted perhaps that was just Silus’ drive to help everyone regardless of all the bad things they did.

He almost envied that aspect of him.

To hear that Austyn was being possessed somehow and had killed someone, put the triplets in similar boats if only for different reasons. ”I want that too. I really do. I just have no idea what’s going on with this whole...thing. Matt didn't exactly tell me anything about this beyond weird angel vampires.” Nothing was making sense now and Ryan just wanted answers now more than ever. Seeing Silus act as strangely as he was, and now suddenly here his brother was. Explaining his own motivations and the fact that he had murdered someone as well, even if that person was an absolutely terrible person. Nothing was making sense, and now of all times he was trying to make sense out of everything happening to him.

”What even is going on here?” He questioned, looking around and then back to Austyn as if he could answer his questions somehow. Ryan wanted to know, even understand what everyone was saying and why they sounded so convinced that impossible things were possible.

–

He felt the knives burn against his palm, sending signals of pain all up the arm. These signals not fading once he hurled the knife at the figures throat, only to have them deftly avoid the fast moving projectile. Instead of allowing him to step back, a clawed gauntlet wrapped around his wrist rather quickly, keeping the vampire in place for a few seconds. Within that time the flat of a palm slammed against Adam’s chest and sent him stumbling backwards a few feet, the force from it enough to crack a few ribs in a painful fashion. Nothing that wouldn’t take a few minutes to fully heal up, his eyes narrowing on Azrael.

”Well Azrael, I think it’s about time I kick your ass.” His eyes narrowed, following their movements and in the blink of an eye Adam darted forward, aiming a kick to their stomach and followed by a knee to the face should the former connect.

–

After the last few adjustments, Samael was given the go ahead and began letting the shadowy weapons rip through the complex circuitry of the machine. Violently penetrating through the upper shell, and reducing the innards to nothing more than confetti, spitting sparks like blood. With the critical damage done to the machine, the vampires would begin to awake and futily bash their hands against their glass prisons. A few quickly expired, choking and drowning while even less managed to break free and begin any attempts to heal themselves with the blood of the fallen vampires. Just looking at it made Samael want to vomit.

”So I don’t forget, what’s your name? Mines Samael but...most just call me Sam because it’s easier.” With that small bit aside he began to approach the last one desperately trying to heal itself. ”If you’re a little squeamish or just don’t like seeing things die, I would suggest turning away. This is going to get messy.” With that said he would rush towards one fo the feeding vampires, removing what looked to be a short sword from nowhere and proceeded to butcher the living ones that got out. Try to butcher them at the very least.

Adam made the distinct commonet about kicking Azrael's ass as he shifted his eight to run forward. Azrael's eyes went wide as he moved with equally inhuman speed and reflexes as his lefr forearm shifted to his stomach, intercepting Adam's foot. Adam played off of the block and brought his knee up towards Azrael's face, Azrael's right hand coming up to meet the knee, if only for a moment before Azrael spin off to the side, his feathered cloak elegantly belowing through the air as he semed to fall to a squatted stance. No sooner had Adam's foot touched the ground was Azrael leaping into the air, arching to fall upon Adam with two hands clasped together, aiming to smash the Vampire upon the head.


*****************
Austyn listened to Ryan as he spoke, though he heard the name Matt and didn't quite put two and two together. He nodded and after the cue was given about the angellic vampires, Austyn would enlighten his brother as to the hopes of their goals. He made no threatening gesture and he only offered a remorseful nod before pivoting on his foot and pointing to the warehouse, smoke flowing from the tip of it as vampires moved. They were so close to the chaos, yet they were almost in their own world entirely. He looked towards the smoke.

"What we're planning to do is...this is all a bit foreign for me too but.... I think it's called. Okay let me start form the beginning." He said as he sighed, getting irritated with himself as he struggled to hold the concepts straight in his head. "So you know how some people say there are probably multiple realities? turns out that's true. There's several realities of our universe, but most importantly there's a universe like ours that runs parallel...meaning they'd never intersect. SOMETHING is making them bend, and causing them to slowly creep towards each other. Now part of these universes are wells of power the...the Etheria-net cable thing and the...Soul River? I don't rally know..but Samhain found an artifact thart's protected by guardians from these two wells of power, and these vampires can actually drain the person's connection to these wells. It lets us get the artfact and with the artifact we can actually follow the tether of whatever is pulling these universes together and change our pasts." Truthfully, Austyn was thje best person to explain this to Ryan. Mostly because he was just as clueless as his younger sibling.

After looking at the younger of the two, Austtyn began to look rather bothered for a moment as he began to evaluate the situation on hid side of things. Ryan didn't seem to be in too much of a bad situation, though he was likely going to be around for at least a moment more. Austyn began to sense a feeling of dread before he looked to Ryan.

"They said Humanity was here, huh? I killed a kid, wounded another pretty badly. That kid must have been something special to Humanity, because he hasn't given up." Austyn made a half-hearted chuckle as he reached down to pick up the other half of his mask that hang on the side of his armor. He looked to Ryan before even trying to put the mask on, waiting and seeing what Ryan would say or do. Looking for something, anything that told him what his brother was thinking. What he was feeling...

*************

"D-Dante. Dante Alighieri of the 7th outer realm." He said, noting what Samhain once called his reality. He then made note of what Samael had said about maybe wanting to look away, or occupy himself otherwise due to the nature of violence. Dante didn't shy away, rather he simply took a step back and a hardened look fell over his face for a moment while he reached behind him, reaching just under his belt on the back of his jeans and feeling for a small set of knives he had kept sheathed.

There had been three vampires that had survived, though they had made a meal of many of their siblings simply to continue their existence. But these three had survived the birthing process, and that was enough of a victory for the enemy. It was up to Sammy and Dante to salvage this war, and ensure the plans of an Eldritch God had been thwarted.

The first celestial vampire had no qualms about darting off towards Dante at lightning speeds, appearing before him in a radiant light of holy energy that seethed from his flesh, as his clawed hands came down upon the human. The claws tore through clothing, though Dante's knives came up, burying into the temples of the beast, stunning it for a moment as the blades seemed to naturally dislodge themselves, the seeming wounds closing as a nearly clear white blood would seep from their head.

The other two vampires in their celestial glory began to run towards Samael, though each of them kept themselves at opposite ends of Sammy, keeping him divided on a three hundred and sixty degree front.

Once again this Azrael managed to move, keeping up with his blinding quick movement and blocking the knee with little issue. Everything moved quickly from there, as he tried to continue with a second strike but found that was subverted as well and left him a little open. The small form whirled through the air in a graceful fashion, following the maneuver with a leap for his head with hands clasped to smash him likely. Not that he would make something like that so easy, quickly gaining his footing again and yet it wasn’t quick enough. Force striking him square on the forehead, and causing everything around him to spin. Bone crunching, and what he could only describe as intense pain lancing through his entire being. Without much thought put to it, he lashed out with a backhand in an attempt to ward away Azrael.

The damage itself would heal rather quickly, but that was just if he had the time to do that. Falling on all fours, he propelled himself forward as fast as possible within the limited range of 50 feet, letting his body propel forward with the expectation that they would be able to dodge that which would lead to him nearly colliding with what looked to a dumpster, skidding along the ground and lifting the massive construct of metal with what could be called ease, then tossing it at his foe should the tactic come together.

–

Ryan listened to Austyn’s explanation as best he could, the few terms that were used making sense and even causing him to nod his head along to it. Multiple realities and two that were never supposed to come together doing just that, with a few terms that made little sense to him being peppered in. In the end however he understood that their pasts could be undone, and changed to where everyone was happy. Despite the fact that Lucius might have gotten that same happy ending, he was more than willing to enjoy the same regardless. It all sounded like too much and yet he was convinced that Austyn wouldn’t lie to him like that, or even himself.

”So you’re saying this weird sounding stuff involving multiverses could actually make everything better?” He questioned, arcing a brow and just looking to Austyn who appeared troubled by something. What thought was nagging at the back of his mind, well that was another question he had and still he didn’t ask about that. ”Humanity? I think I met them before, nearly killed me even. It was a weird sensation.” Somehow coming back together, feeling the pain of his molecules being dispersed and thinking that he was dying.

”If he’s coming after you, for whatever reason then I won’t just walk away.” His expression sharpened for a second, before melting. A low sigh working from him after that. ”I’ve seen enough of the people i’ve loved die, before me or at my hands. I won’t be going anywhere now.” If this Humanity person wanted to kill his brother, they would have to go through him as well. There had been too much at stake for him to just run away, even if he didn’t deserve that. Lowering his hood, he kept his eyes locked on his brother.

”There’s not much I can do now.”

–

Dante of the 7th Outer Realm. Now that was an odd name and yet suggested something that he would stow away for later, when they were in the middle of purging the world of a new species of vampire. Knuckles had clenched around the weapon he held, runes glowing a dark red on the edge of the black steel. That however failed as they quickly avoided his weapon, one of them rushing Dante and the other surrounding him in a flanking pattern. These blurring figures that were having no issue keeping him guessing, moving around and trying to catch the cambion when he least expected it. ”You’ll need to do a little better than this.” Like tripwires the shadows rose around him, sharp enough to slice through flesh even at the speed by which these creatures were going.

Mostly a hope that he would force them to leap over his traps, likely into a cascade of spikes that were meant to rip through flesh and even pin them against the walls. Regardless of if that did work or not however he would send off a single skewer to wrap around the vampire attacking Dante and attempt to drag it away from the human, and slam it into a hard surface.

Maybe even a wall preferably.

Drawing on the agility runes inscribed on his ankles, he pushed towards Dante with a sudden burst of speed while trying to suppress the vampires with a hail of solid shadow attacks.

Azrael moved forward to land another strike, but the fumbling motions of Adam and his backhand caused the angel to retreat and pull out short of his intended attack. Azrael watched and assessed the level of regeneration that Adam had, marveling at how quickly the regeneration seemed to make quick work of undoing his progress.

Azrael could see the effectiveness of his methods, though he was always cautious, monitoring himself and the entirety of his powers. He watched, but was taken a back when such a brutal and graceless method was utilized. Adam threw his entire body into Azrael, sending the air form his lungs and shooting him back into a dumpster, causing the large green metallic bin to cave in.  Azrael felt his spine shift back into alignment as he tried to step out of the bin, twisting his head and cracking his neck. He quietly anticipated an attack, which he was more than ready to respond to with his own counter.
*************

The tripwires came across and the shadow actually began to trip up the celestial vampires. The first that had pursued Dante stopped and turned over his shoulder to look at his failing brethren. A single black tendril would attempt to skewer the vampire, though the creature reached out and with a hand outlined in a golden-red glow, grappled onto the shadow, forcing to stop in it's tracks. Sammy made his agility maneuver in order to come to Dante's aid, though Dante backed up.

"H-Hey, I'm gonna get out there and try to get a scope on the field." Dante announced, or rather informed Sammy with a sense of urgency. it was obvious that the boy wasn't a combatant. Dante made his way as the one Vampire began to glow in his entirety, the shadow tripwires would dissipate as his light spread through the room like tendrils. With an extended hand, the celestial fired out a bright beam of holy light out at Samael.

Adam felt the smaller figure crash into the dumpster, bones crunching and likely body crumpling under the sheer force. His own form went through a similar process, bones not quite used to dealing with slamming into solid metal structures. Bones forced out of sockets quickly began to shift back into place, Adam stepping away from the ruined heap and noting that their heartbeat didn’t stall. ”Durable little bastard.” He wished he had something other than pure physical strength to rely on, but the time by which he could rely on more psionic gifts was far away from now.

Eyes narrowed on their target, rising from the wreckage and he acted without much thought. Fingers hooked under the trash in and violently upheaved it, likely disorienting anything that was in or around it. If he had escaped in time, Adam would move just enough to kick it towards them in a violent motion in the hopes that he actually did any damage.

He hadn’t fought this much in a long time.

–

Most of the vampires were tripped up by his methods, ceasing the circling around the cambion and tripping violently to the ground. As for the one trying to attack Dante, they were now more interested in the one taking on the other two. Shadows melted on the strange aura that emenated from the beings hand, breaking apart on contact and rendered null. Still, it gave him some time to rush towards Dante to see if the male needed any help and that...well was questionable.

He was attempting to back up, escape the situation now that it had proven to be hopeless. ”Really? I’ll try to keep these guys busy then.” He growled, brandishing his blade and turning to the now glowing celestial vampire that dispelled his existing shadows. Even looking at it made his eyes water, a burning within his body rising up that he couldn’t place. Shit, it almost felt like the very blood in his body were boiling.

He raised his hands as if that would protect his eyes, and then came the blast. Shadows attempting to come to form in weak manners, breaking as if solid upon the blade and it slamming into Samael full force. His skin crackled as if burnt, feet leaving the ground and everything loosing sense of direction. Then came the wall, cracking and shattering along with one of his bones.

The floor rushed to meet his falling form.

Everything was ringing, his vision becoming blurry and arm barely supporting a now fragile feeling frame. He breathed, feeling something prod into his chest and bring about immense pain. ”Fuck...” He managed, voice tinged with pain as he attempted to stand up. His legs managed to support his weight for a few seconds before he fell back against the wall, sliding down in a more composed fashion. That was when he felt it, the throbbing within his chest that gave way to warmth and began to spread like fire. Once again he felt to the ground on all fours, chest shaking with spasms and an almost splendid pain.

Shadows rose, almost spitting in the fact of any celestial light and began to envelop the damaged half-demon. Cocooning him and bringing with it a loss of consciousness.  

–

Humanity was someone that Ryan had only encountered once but he was a threat that he would not take lightly. Maybe that was why he died the first time they fought, or perhaps was forced to regenerate that time. Preparation from there meant making the terrain all in his favor, rapidly lowering the temperature around him while the weather began to turn from what it was to an intense snow storm. A blizzard would likely do wonders for him, and no favors for a human trying to make it through dense snowfall. ”I’d say be careful against this guy but I think you already know about that.” Ryan said to Austyn, hoping that he would accept the advice against whatever was coming.

He wasn’t known for his strategic mind, but Ryan was really hoping that he could build something. What little he had left rode on getting this to work.

Snow fall was quickly gathering, thick white blankets on the ground that began to shift into the snowy guardians he was used to creating. Wolves with snow that faintly formed fur, and crystalline eyes. Flying constructs meant to swoop down on anyone that fit the image he had from his last encounter with Humanity, and even a few lumbering creatures meant for a more...brutish kind of destruction. Most of them were meant to wear him down, but Ryan did have the hope of ending this here.

He had a feeling people would avoid that one specific point in town where snow was falling heavily all of the sudden; hoped they would even. He would attempt to lead Austyn into a nearby building, one that was quickly being encased in ice much like the others as if not to let one stick out more than the others. It was a five story building, Ryan taking them to the third where the shielding of ice was thick.

Hopefully enough that it made simply breaking through windows near impossible.

”I’m hoping these slow him down because...I think I used too much energy just now.” Putting something together like this in such short time felt draining, as if he needed to sit down and recuperate. Sitting against the wall with a few of the snowy constructs prowling the floors he looked to Austyn. ”Think I did good on the whole plan thing?” He asked with a weak smile, feeling a small dribble of blood come from his left nostril.

So it was done. Samael had been blanketed within the darkness, his consciousness fading as the celestial vampires had claimed victory over the half-demon. It was a victory that they claimed for but a glorious moment in their short lives. Their very short lives. The darkness that consumed him seemed to stem put, like ink into water as it mutated and twisted form. Small oval droplets of darkness branching outwards before turning into black feathers that danced through the air before dissolving into a necrotic scorch mark upon the concrete floor. The shadow gave form to a new, unholy pressence that stood taller though just as sleek as before. A sharp formation came from the hairline as darkness began to give way to a feathered cloak and a sharp beak-akin visor formed and gauntlets adorned with fierce talon-like blades formed, embedded to the creature's hands.

Azrael prepared himself as he shifted. He could hear this vampire approach, and Azrael readied his blade, the blade of Death itself. The garbage can was lifted in it's entirety, Azrael's eyes widened as he watched for a point of pressure, where he could discern where the man was lifting from. Physics was certainly his ally on this day, as he could see where the vampires fingers dented in. Trying to judge where the man's body had been, he attempted to dive forth as the garbage began to shake, Azrael's blade first as it tore through the dumpster with no issue, unfortunately Azrael's aiming had been off, and rather than taking off the man's arm, the worst he could do was a large laceration to the shoulder...but that would be sufficient for the "Angel of Death", as his blade could leave marks that even time did not heal. Disoriented and shaken, literally, Azrael dropped to a knee, blinking several times ad he tried to rely on his sense of sound in order to prepare himself, his durability augmenting in preparation.

--------------------------

The smallest of the celestial vampires backed away, while the largest charged forth with lightning speeds, it's claws glowing with prismatic light as it moved so quickly that the mortal eye couldn't perceive. The creature worse a smile, though it's eyes widened as it realized that which stopped it's movement was not it's foe's body, but merely their hand. What happened next was something that the vampires would never have thought to concern themselves about. Shadow came from the ground and wrapped itself around the celestial claws. It was a very potent shadow. The Celestial's claws burned bright enough to challenge the full demon's primal power, warranting the creature to smirk, knowing their power was deadlocked. The demon seemed to orient itself as it let out a pained and bellowing clamoring of noises. The demon's claws came forth, opening as it gave an upper swiping slash to the celestial that it held in it's grasps. The celestial's arm was severed clean off as bright energized blood flew into the ground, lighting up the floor a slight bit, driving the demon farther. The wounded celestial attempted to turn and run, but even at it's immense speed the enraged being bolted forth and tackled the beast, suppressing it tot eh floor as the demon began to dig it's claws in and rip out the celestial's glowing entrails.  The youngest of the celestials seemed to back away, fearful and it turned to run. The now oldest living vampire turned to cover it's younger sibling's retreat.

--------------------------

Ryan asked about his planning for the attack, though Austyn wasn't sure what exactly was going on. He smiled at Ryan, genuinely grateful for his brother's attempt at helping him. Austyn had to admit, Ryan definitely deserved a family. A better family than he or Eric had ever been. But soon, if he could, he would restore things to the way they should have been. He would take back everything that happened. But he needed time, and he needed to stop Humanity. Right here. Right now.

"Dude, that's a great idea!" Austyn said, trying to beam a level of excitement and pride towards Ryan, whom sat against a fence. His appreciation for Ryan seemed to only grow by the fact that he was willing to stand with him. He felt that perhaps it was time for him to tell Ryan the truth about everything he had done. Maybe...but not now. Austyn smiled and squatted down and let out a chilled sigh, his breath frosting a bit in the air. "Hey Ryan? I'm sorry for vanishing like that. But...just remember...even if I die here...when Samhain gets this artifact...I'm totally gonna get our family back together. All of us. Even Eric...We all got blood on our hands now. But we can't let that define us. What we choose to do now, who we choose to become...that'll define us. Right now? You're a Hell of a good brother...for not abandoning me."

That thought was interrupted by a high pitched whistle as a small canister landed in the snow and burst open. Austyn began coughing and immediately pulled on his little cane, with a flick of the wrist it had become the Sword of Seven, and with the first emblem glowing it began to push a funnel through the smoke, blowing it harmlessly off tot eh side, parting the smoke like the red sea. What he saw on the other side, caused Austyn's heart to stop as he looked upon the hooded figure, standing in the snow. He looked Austyn and Ryan, his eyes narrowing.

"How touching..." Humanity stated as he took a single, slow step forward. The way his fear effect had worked, no one was truly ever cured from it. It was proof the way that Austyn, the reincarnation of "Hades" swallowed hard and began to tremble in fear, taking in a deep breath and trying to keep a stoic face... which until now he had excelled at his entire life.

The trashcan raised above his head, Adam ready to deal with whatever was inside the metal container. They had the size of a human child, but they were far more dangerous than would be expected. There was the move to do damage to them, but something ripped through the metal exterior. Pain lanced through his shoulder. Genuine pain instead of that dull throbbing that came from your average attempts on his life. Adam uttered a curse, massive metal vessel falling to the ground with a loud thump and he jumped back, trying to keep a distance between the two of them. He felt for his shoulder, feeling blood spurt from the injury without ceasing. Which was odd considering his flesh usually mended back together, or at the very least began to heal. Blood shouldn’t have been spewing from him like this.

If he weren’t already so pale, his body would have began to quickly take on that pallor. ”Don’t know what that knife is but it’s a pain in the ass.” He reached for the pouch of blood hanging around his neck, hoping that it would perform those miraculous healing properties would work once again. Fangs broke through the surface, taste of blood sweet hitting his tongue and the hope of healing coming with it.

Nothing.

Instead he found himself bleeding out, teeth grinding together and eyes narrowing at the shape now wavering before him. His body wasn’t healing, and that meant he would bleed out in...however long. Drinking blood did nothing, which meant he couldn’t replace what he had. ”This is worse than I thought.” He growled under his...well lack of breath, feeling his faculties begin to give way to disorientation. Instead of trying to let himself get poked full of holes with the knife, he stepped back with narrowed eyes and ran. Dying again didn’t seem like something he wanted to go through.

Adam had seen one of his kind drained of blood. Alive but unable to do anything, that was not something he wanted.

–

Darkness had enveloped the half-demon. Roiling and twisting as they formed a protective shell, the false identity of defeat to those that knew nothing about what he was. Pain was the last sensation that he knew, and the one that he experienced when coming to a new consciousness. One of roiling turmoil, a body shifting and changing shape as the new creature rose from that cocoon of darkness that fell away like slick ink. Necrotic droplets slid down midnight feathers, and eyes narrowed in sheer hatred focused on the beings that had damage it before. Like a cloak its wings clung to its body, parting to reveal hands adorned in gauntlets of unknown material with claws like daggers.

Its beaked mouth parted to let out an angry hiss, halting the first celestial vampire that was foolish enough to strike at it.  They were matched but with a sweep of its claws the arm that was held came off, bringing with it with a splash of celestial blood. Brilliant blood splattered on the floor and it ran. Not fast enough to escape the claws that dug into it, energized by demonic essence and reducing its life to nothing. It guts parted for the physical weapons, splattering blood and viscera across its  pristine black mask of a beak.

Kill.

A single thought that dominated the creature as it tore away at the thing that had hurt it. A disgusting abomination that deserved nothing more than death, and so did its kin. Without a thought towards the corpse, it lunged at the largest of the celestial kin letting large talons lash out at it while commanding the shadows to attempt to constrain the one running away. The desire was to rip them all into pieces.

–

Ryan smiled, accepting the small amount of praise from his brother. Great ideas were not too common from the cryokinetic but he tried to impress.  More of his sentient constructs paced around them, wolf in shape and seeming to scent the air. Not that they had functioning noses, but the habits were baked into them anyway.  ”I already failed mom...I don’t think i’ll forgive myself if I do that again.” His breath came out in an arctic puff of cold air, eyes narrowed as his many glacial servants paced the area. A whistling permeated the air, Ryan noting something as a smoke began to follow suit.

Humanity made his appearance, Ryan rising despite what felt like an infinite ocean falling down on him. His legs were shaking, breath coming in heavy draws and heart rate elevating. It must have been something in the smoke, but something that his companions were not affected by. For all their semblance of life, they were nothing more than simulacrums. ”Unfortunately you’re not welcome in this touching family reunion. ” His voice wavered, but determination stood strong...for now. His guardians growled, circling the unwanted intruder. They shared his desire, and that was to protect Austyn.

”Kill him.” The pack, rising from now present thick mounds of snow all descended upon the man. Larger than your average wolf, and it was his hope they were capable enough to deal with him. Ryan offering small support by unleashing a miniature barrage of ice spears.

Azrael had seem to have won his battle, immediately walking towards the defeated vampire's retreat and falling forward, the young human fell to his knee. His hand on an outstreatched leg that was positioned to try and keep him upright. The mask fell from his face, smacking onto the ground as the child-sized human reached down from his concealing hood and placed the mask back on his face. His heart was racing a thousand miles an hour, it felt like at least.  

"Forgive me for my wrongs. Heh... I've just begun." Azrael said to himself as he looked to his dagger. Some of the vampires in his command looked to him, dogs ready to chase for their master. The angelic one shook his head, the vampires all reluctantly turning suit and neglecting a chase. Azrael stood up and began to walk away, careful to sheathe his blade and walking towards the main gate, where he anticipates his other half to be.
-------------------------------

The second vampire stood less chance than the first one did, fortunately for the vampires the youngest seemed to be a successful escapee. Unfortunately, that vampire was now the last of his specific breed. The demon would make rather swift work of the vampire, though now where it's eyes would turn was a point of question.

-------------------------------

Humanity was prepared for anything. Well, almost anything. He wasn't entirely anticipating the exact attack, but the utilization of snow as a point of attack as constructs was just foolish. Humanity knew the effort and power it too for one to be able to do such a thing. Ice spears flying out made him feel like he was part of an undertale fangame. The pack of wolves descended and he pulled out his ballistic knife, firing out a hellfire explosive into an oncoming ice-spear, the fires erupting as Humanity dove forward towards the ground.  Austyn was knocked back by the roaring flame. Humanity somersaulted into a perfect opening as he loaded the ballistic hilt with another blade, as his other hand fired out his grappling knob, tethering himself to Austyn from four feet away, leaving Austyn off of his balance.

"I  WOULD BE CAREFUL." Humanity said as he shot a glare at Ryan, a small blinking red light flashing on the blade he brandished. "I  was  more  than  willing to  spare  you  by  filtrating  water  when  we  last  fought.  I  will  not  do so  this  time." Humanity said as he fired off his knife onto the ground beneath him. dropping the ballistic hilt, he reached and drew another weapon, one that was iconic to another other than Humanity.  The Dragon-styled hilt and the supernatural craftsmanship shining from the serpentine blade as he gave a twirl.


"I  have  matched  far  greater  than  you  Ryan.  Please...  do  not  make  me  do  this." He said, genuinely appealing to Ryan for a moment as a short beeping began to emit from the blade within the ground. Matthew owed it to Ryan to attempt to be friendly to him, or at least not violent inherently. However, he always had his plan if things went south.

"Your right. It doesn't have to be this way..." Austyn said as he raised his hand, driving his sword into the ground and raising the other. He looked to Ryan and smiled slightly as both hands remained raised. "We're not killers. We're not murderers. We're all guilty, but... I won't fight. I won't kill. If I do then that only justifies why you want to kill me." Austyn said as he watched, Humanity's eyes narrowing as he looked to Ryan, as if reading and anticipating what was coming next. Humanity wasn't aggressive at this second in time, but the second a snow structure came even close the jig was up.

Hounds. Six-Strike then frontal. I'm ready... I'm sorry, Ryan. But if I have too... I'll kill everyone here...even me.

Daggers of ice shot, whistling through the air towards their intended target. An explosion blasted outwards, destroying the spikes of ice and knocking back most of the wolves that were intent on ripping him apart. A few of them shattered into snow, sending faint pangs of pain through his body. Austyn too was knocked back and he followed the suit, hitting the snow encrusted ground and let the pain subside in the way that it would. ”Sparing me then was your mistake.” His gaze was cold, sharp as if glaring would somehow kill the man that stood before him. An intense desire to deal with him came about. Run the man through and be done with this, considering everything that was at stake. It was confusing almost, his brother not doing anything but letting the man stand but feet from them.

It made no sense.

”Far greater than me huh? The great Humanity is sure quick to dismiss his lessers.” He snorted, hatred festering within his gaze seemingly to burn. ”Are you expecting me to sit here while you kill my brother? Who the hell do you think you are?” He spat, Austyn seemingly for the route of inaction. He looked to Austyn with a questioning expression, silently asking why he was doing this.  There had to be a reason, a reason his brother was making himself so vulnerable. ”Why do you care so much? I’d have thought you would be all for killing me.” It didn’t make sense that someone many people called a terrorist and killer was sparing his life here.

”Why are you doing this?”

–

The soft form of flesh fell, weak under claws that ripped it to shreds with no remorse. Hatred clouded its mind, blood splattering the ground and hitting his coat of feathers futile as the vampire attempted to get up from the blows. There was no escape, at the very least for the thing he had fallen upon. Lucky for the youngest who had managed to escape through his shield of shadows. Claw tipped fingers grasped onto the head of the corpse, off handily flinging it against a wall and letting out an ear piercing screech.

Shadows writhed around it, lashing tendrils that hit any solid surface and gouged deep grooves. In a burst of speed it slammed into a wall, through the wall that it remembered where the vampire was running off. Beyond it saw things, shapes of humans in white coats looking at him with utter fear. A low, hissing sound worked from between the massive hooked beak.

Need...flesh...souls. A thought, now more coherent went through his mind. It lunged, and the sound of flesh tearing following. Screams. These little people looking at him in terror, claws soaked int blood and entrails scattering across the floor. Spears of shadow struck out, slamming into people and pinning them to the wall. The taste of flesh and blood could be felt on its tongue. The blood drinkers came, and they died. Smashed across the wall in deep crimson strokes.

”Dear brother, how far you’ve fallen. Father has truly been cruel to you.” It turned towards her, black hair falling down in streams on her shoulders.

”Siiissster.” It manged, bits of meat falling from the open maw. She drew a pitch black scythe, gleaming with darkness. The creature charged her, swinging its claws and seemingly missing with each strike. Narrowly as far as it could tell, until she ducked under one of the strikes and slammed her foot into its stomach, sending it flying into the wall. Something it quickly rose from.

”I’m wasting too much time with this.” She smirked, the shadows that rose with the demons command now turned against it, and bound the raven.

”Now sleep.” These words resonated within him and the creature fell to the ground.

Humanity was at a loss for a moment as he watched Ryan state that sparing him was a mistake. He had actually started to believe that. Ryan wasn't anything he couldn't deal with. But his desire to deal with him? That was different. Sure Ryan would be formidable, but Humanity wouldn't be killed here. Not today and least of all not by Ryan Lester and his pedocidal brother. But to see Austyn like this, with a strange heterochromia taken to him with an oddly colored glow. Humanity's eyes widened as his masked face turned into a horrible contortion of realization, as he finally recognized that color of sickly yellow-green iris. The visage of the antlered, white-furred horror from Asylum struck a nerve on Humanity's PTSD and he seemed to lower his aggression.

"Why do I care? Because I am Human! Because you were a good...no a GREAT person. I am not! Austyn is not! I kill murderers, psychopaths, terrorists, and those who take advantage of the weak and helpless. People like the child, your mother and people like Cale. But your brother is the one whom attacked the child. Can you say that he won't do so again? Can you promise me that no one will ever lose their child because of him? How is he any better than Lucius Alba? How are you?" Humanity hissed, but his weapon was lowered. He retracted his grappler, Austyn looking disheartened, but rubbing his chest from where the knob had latched to him. Humanity began to walk towards them, his weapon at his side, but not a hint of aggression as he was within talking distance. He was prepared to be impaled, he was ready to blow not only himself, but Ryan and Austyn to Hell with him...and if they thought they'd regenerate from this? They'd be sadly mistaken.

"You probably sleep as restless as I do. Knowing that an innocent girl was killed... murdered and you're to blame. Do you even regret your choice? Humor me, Ryan. Show me just how low you've sunk. I've wrestled myself to justify what you've done. Your brother is possessed by a child-murderer. I am an embodiment of human sin. I want to believe that you are still a great young man. A young man that made a mistake, and not a man that has made a choice. Those that love you want to believe this as well. I care, because I always have." After the long winded speech he looked to Austyn and shook his head, then looked to Ryan.