Continuation of Captivity Meme

[werewolf_hacker]

For adversarially and rebelle_elle.

Start of adversarially's thread: here.

Start of rebelle_elle: here

Comments

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

[Ben clamps his mouth shut, glaring furiously. But Shai can't stop his mental voice, and all those months in Wynter's house doing nothing but read are standing him in good stead now...]

When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at Thy presence.
For Thou hast maintained my right and my cause; Thou satest in the throne judging right...

Leave him alone, Shai. Hurt me, not him. He hasn't done anything to you except be obedient to Dad.

[adversarially.livejournal.com]

[Shai inhales at the faint breath of fury. That's it, what he's looking for. His inward road past the shield that Ben's faith currently has drawn around him.

Now he just has to stoke it.] You don't give the orders around here, bitch. You don't call the shots. I do.

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

Yep. You're calling the shots on a wounded angel and a puny mortal you've got chained to the floor. I thought you were a Prince of Hell, not a pathetic loser.

Guess I was wrong.

[adversarially.livejournal.com]

Oh, you're wrong, all right. Because you still think Dad is going to get you out of here. [His claws dig into the side of Galiel's face, and blood flows down the angel's cheeks and drips to the floor.] You're wrong.

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and so shall I be saved from my enemies. Even you, even now.

All I have to do is hold out...

[He's... not actually doing so hot in that department right now, for all his bravado. He's hunting for that core of peace within, and having a hard time catching hold of it.]

[adversarially.livejournal.com]

Stop. Fucking. Talking. [Shaitan draws back and backhands Galiel furiously across the face, leaving deep, bloody slashes. Then he wheels on Ben and stalks towards him, furious and dangerous.] Or I'll fucking tear your tongue out.

[And somewhere, very far off at the very edge of perception, something rumbles in response to that.]

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

Stop talking? Is that something I do? Did I miss another memo? [But he's left Galiel, thank Dad, and if Ben can just keep that fucker focused on him instead of the angel now, they might both actually live through this.]

[adversarially.livejournal.com]

[Shai snarls and reaches out with his power, looking for the Wrath that lets him boil Ben's blood, but it's not there, not like it needs to be.

The magic wreathing Ben's sigil, though, that's a different story, and he reaches out and tangles his own power in that magic and yanks with all his might.]

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

[Ben convulses on the floor, suddenly in... wow, that is a lot of pain, right there. His vision is white with it, and for the moment all he has is an inarticulate version of ] Oh, God, oh, Father, ohDadmakeitstop pleasemakeitstop Ican'tbreathe...

[adversarially.livejournal.com]

[Shaitan hisses as the magic begins to fight back, burning him, and he steps backwards with a wordless sound of fury.] Fucking bitch. Running to Daddy the minute it gets tough.

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

[Gasping through clenched teeth as the pain eases.] That's what He's there for... you utterly colossal... fuckin' idiot. That's what... the separation from Guri... taught me.

For I am persuaded. That neither death, nor life. Nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers. Nor things present, nor things to come.
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature. Shall be able to separate us from the love of God.

You can't do it, Shai. Give it up.

[adversarially.livejournal.com]

Shut up, shut up, shut up! [Shai rages and wheels on Galiel again, wrapping a taloned hand around his throat.] Shut up or I fucking swear I will cut his throat right now and you can bathe in his fucking blood.

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

[Ben stops, and swallows, and closes his eyes.] Don't...

[adversarially.livejournal.com]

[Shaitan bares teeth at him.] Fuck you.

[His grip tightens . . .

And there's a noise like ten thousand thunderstorms breaking out at once overhead.]

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

[Ben goes limp with colossal relief.] I think you're the one about to get fucked.

[adversarially.livejournal.com]

[Shaitan snarls and yanks his hand back, sending blood spraying from the slash it leaves in the side of Galiel's neck -- not deep enough to kill him instantly, but still an ugly, ugly wound.

Then he turns his attention upwards, where cracks are starting to grow in the ceiling.] No way, no fucking way!

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

[Ben tries and fails to come off the floor, the handcuffs yanking him back.] No!

[And he sends up a cry.] Father, aid your soldiers, save your son!

[adversarially.livejournal.com]

[The demons drop Galiel, who drops like a lead weight to the floor, clutching feebly at his throat. Light is seeping through those cracks, now, brighter and brighter every moment, and Shaitan is raging, trying to hold the shield.] How the fuck does one fucking angel . . .

[And it's not one angel, it's a hundred, with Giborel and Guriel leading the charge, suddenly there as the shield gives way beneath the onslaught of a Century.]

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

Did you think "Hound of God" was some kind of ceremonial title? Did you think my brothers wouldn't move Heaven, Earth, and Hell itself to find me?

[But he's still terribly afraid he's gotten Galiel killed...]

[adversarially.livejournal.com]

You fucking . . . FUUUCK! [And Shaitan suddenly explodes into a whirlwind of black, swirling fury, a million blades caught up in a maelstrom of vicious, unbridled rage that lashes at everything and anything around him, fighting -- raging -- against that light as the Host descend . . .]

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

[Three of the angels break loose from the host to see to Galiel, while another lands behind Ben and frees him from the shackles.

That leaves ninety-six to deal with Shaitan.

Ben sits up, gasping, snarling, and reaching for both his Eagle and his sword cane. But, honestly, there's not a whole lot those weapons can do against... whatever that is that Shai is doing, so he's just gonna sit here on his knees and hold his broken ribs instead.]

[adversarially.livejournal.com]

[And Shaitan rages in his wrath, vast and ancient and terrible, but not even a Prince of Hell can take those kinds of odds without preparation, and although he howls and lashes out and leaves more than one angel battered and bleeding, eventually the whirlwind changes, becomes ashes and cinders and black, black smoke that swirls faster and faster until it vanishes with the high-pitched scream of a steam whistle.]

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

[While all that's going on, Ben lurches to his feet and stumbles over to Galiel and the three angels tending him. He doesn't have any Grace to lend, but he bows his head and prays, beseeching Dad on behalf of His son.]

Don't die...

[guriel]

[Galiel reaches up a weak, shaky hand and takes Ben's hand in his own. Did. Did well.

Thank you . . .

And Guriel's there, dropping to his knees at their side.] Ben, Galiel . . .

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

[And Ben gasps, because he heard that, clear as day...] Ga-- Galiel? Can you--?

Guri, what...?

[And he feels something flicker in his chest. He holds Galiel's hand gently, instinct as old as time telling him what to do with it...

And he sends that flicker through his touch into the wounded angel.]