Dr. Coldero, Minerva and Rah-el gathered to the center of the hospital. It looked to be the most divine room in the entire building. Only the keeper walked its archways and admired its well crafted structures. Unfortunately the pews hadn't been sat in for centuries.
"I don't get it. Why'd we have to meet here of all places. Ain't no one used this room for hundreds of years",Rah-el said.
"One must imagine how I feel. My very skin aches to be here."
"Well it was your idea Gabriel, so lets not complain."
"You speak the truth my love; however, the reasoning behind this is flawless, no?"
"We understand it hurts you and it will definitely hurt them and..."
Dr. Coldero stopped Minerva mid sentence and said, "Do you remember the time we graced this room with our presence querida?"
"Wow! You guys on holy ground? Really? Just keeps gettin better and better. You do remember that our ancestor blessed this place with his own blood, right? Supposed to be sacred and all."
"It was a sacred moment. This is where I pledged my undying love to your sister."
"Alright alright. Enough. So...I don't understand. How come you didn't get sucked into the abyss with the demon? And where did you get a cross bow out of no where? There's no way you could smuggle a weapon of any kind into my hospital", Minevra replied.
"So many questions querida and so little time".
"You're damn right we got questions", Rah-el's wings perked up, "Suddenly you show up and Gan-ju's a demon. And get this, he's been under our nose the whole time. And don't even get me started on how the hell a demon could possesses an angel! I mean I get that he's a Cherub and all but that's no excuse."
"Am I to understand, that I am to blame? I understand your embarrassment for having poor security and terrible judgement but..."
"Gentlemen! We have a duty to the patients here in this Hospital."
"Pero Minerva, I do believe we have a much more pressing matter".
"I'm sure you believe there's a trader. I'm sure you'd like to go over security. Probably draw wards all over the hospital covering it in sigils and talisman's and..."
"Si, and locking down the hospital. No one is allowed in or out, until we get to the root of this. Can we come to terms?"
"You know, that's the first freeking thing you said, that I agree with", Rah-el said.
"Really? Come on boys! What about the patients?"
"We can no longer accept any more new comers nor can we allow the remaining to leave", Dr. Coldero said.
"But this will drastically hinder their healing. Mr. Borphas is a wood nymph. He needs to be in contact with trees and don't get me started on Mrs. Oleander she's a Kitsune. Do you have any idea the temper of a three tailed fox?!"
"But of course, I have the scar to prove it. Taro, Yuki had the most vicious...
"Oh, spare me your stories of your other women!"
"Perdon pero, she was not one of my", Dr. Coldero used air quotes, "women".
"Look I don't care, we are not closing nor are we stopping our usual routine."
"Uhm, Minerva...sis, that's a bad idea."
"We do not see or hear from him, for one hundred years. Then, one day out of the blue he sends us a little boy and we take him in. Because that's what we do here. It didn't matter that he's the offspring of a demon and god know's what. We maintain a vital ecosystem among our patients. One that is threatened by this lockdown."
"Querida, please..."
"I'm not your Querida Gabriel! You left and that was the end of that."
"Very well. Minerva, as you well know, a demon from the 5th circle embodied one of your own. Who else do you believe will be next? Or is possibly overcome already?"
"This don't make a lick of sense Minerva. You're the smartest person I know. You never let emotion cloud your judgement and you most certainly, never let this sorry sack of necro waste, pull your heart strings. Not like this."
"Rah, I want you to know that I've appreciated you all these years. Being a ward for this place with me. You didn't have to but you chose to stay and I'm grateful for that. But you have no idea of the intricacies of sorcery involved here. In order to do what he's saying would mean, that every room would have to be powered down. The ether that keeps things going would then be removed for entire floors of the building. Not to mention the spatial sphere which holds the hospital in it's many pocket dimensions could be disrupted."
"Minerva, perhaps you've forgotten but I built the sphere and I helped ward the hospital. I understand the dangers involved but what choice do we have?"
"Big Sis. The longer we wait the more we're at risk here. I don't want something coming out of no where to chew my ass up and sneakin into the hospital. We don't need to be a cookie jar for some butt freakin demon. We gotta act now."
"You are right, you're both right. Please, give me some time to come up with something. I just need some time to think. Can you give me that much?"
"Bien. Ok but you have little time, if any at all. You understand?"
"All I need is ten minutes to clear my head. I'm going to go to my office."
"Let me walk you back to your office and make sure nothing is gonna jump out at you", Rah-el said.
"Thanks little brother but I'm more than capable of taking care of myself and I'll be fine."
"Wait, before you go, take this token with you. It will allow me to be where you are when I am needed."
"I don't need you to be where I am. And you are not needed", Minerva replied.
Dr. Coldero folded his hands like a magician, opened them and the coin was gone.
"Of course not. Forgive me, what was I thinking."
Minerva walked out of the old cathedral and never bothered looking back.
Minerva sat on the dark sigil and recitied four words. "Nunca, Eno, Vita, Sangre."
She rose off of the ground and the sigil began to glow a soft red color.
"Foolish angel! What hast thou to do with me this morn? It pains me so, to be in this place, on this day."
"The duke was sent into the abyss. An abyss from which you can't even pull him from."
"Thou art right to call upon me and yet ye have failed to uphold the covenant of promise."
"I was going to give you the child but was met with unforeseen difficulties."
"Have I not upheld the bargain and yet you seek to rob me of my boon?"
"No, I don't."
"You vex me so. What is it you would have me do?"
"Destroy a vampire. "
The spirit grew restless and its essence puffed into the room like smoke.
"You brought me forth for a mere vampire? I am Legion!
"It's Gabriel. He sent the duke into the abyss."
The demon roared and winded within the binds of the sigil saying, "If thou would have me fight in thine place, ye will make an offering. One of purity and malice."
"The child is yours because he's from your blood line but I won't kill any one."
"Foolish little angel. Hast thou chosen when to be a sinner and when to be a saint?"
"I'm not going to kill any one."
"Very well, then ye have no need of my power."
"Can't you just send one of your minions to possess another cherub?"
"My kind have grown tired from the fat of your winged babes and lesser angels. They will not persist and neither shall I force them."
"What other offer would take besides that?"
"If thou hast willed it then I may partake of thine vessel for a time."
"Oh, no that's absolutely out of the question!"
The demon laughed and said "If thou shouldest change thine mind, simply speak my name and I will abide with thee."
After those words the spirit vanished and the glow of the sigil stopped.
-------Chapter 2----------------