While thy branches mix with mine, ⁠and our roots together join

Things had calmed and Baal had felt more comfortable with interacting with his sleeping demon that could never gain it's physical form. Having Buffy to accept him for who he was, in all aspects was fulfilling. But with the acceptance of his other darker side, something seemed off. It was like the more he spoke with that side of him, the more the amulet demanded of him. More dark souls, souls that he was supposed to send down to his sister was consumed instead. He couldnt help himself as the hunger made him act on instinct. He ingested the last soul of the bunch as he let go of the empty vessel, turning his eyes to Buffy with a smile. "How many did you get?" he asked as he tilted his head.

Eaden sat in Dinah's window as he looked out on the grey clouds. He was brooding as something had seemed off in his sister. He turned his eyes to her and furrowed his brows a bit. "Is it the grey weather?" he then asked to break the silence, resting the back of his head against the frame of the window. "You're usually up and about, so how about you tell me what's going on?" he asked her as he pushed himself off the window and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze.

Buffy had been feeling sick for a few weeks, but she had been good at hiding it. She didn’t want to worry him, and she thought that she was just getting a flu or something. It was a human thing that happened, but she wondered if she still counted as that. People around her had started referring to her as a hybrid, but it was alright for now. She had Baal, and he made sure to remind her that just because she had part of his soul, didn’t mean that she was any less in contact with her humanity. She had felt herself growing hungry more often, stocking up on souls more than food, but she hoped that Baal hadn’t noticed. Even though she had a feeling of what was going on, she didn’t want to risk telling something she wasn’t sure of. ”I’ve had enough for today,” she said with a faint smile, even though she knew she would probably crave more tomorrow. ”Are you still hungry?” she asked, reaching out to touch his cheek gently. They were both acting up, craving more souls, and she wondered why. Well she did have an inkling about her own reason, but a demon couldn’t stress eat, could it?

Dinah stretched on the bed letting out a sigh. He was right about the fact she was usually up at this point, but she had felt how the darkness in hell had been acting lately. She knew it was something with their father, but she didn’t like speaking about him. It always seemed to anger Eaden, and she just wanted him to be happy. She swung her legs out from the bed, getting up and placing a sweet kiss on his cheek as she followed his gaze on the grey clouds. ”A storm is brewing, I can feel it,” she whispered against his skin, nuzzling her nose against his cheek. She let out a sigh. ”I can feel part of him move around hell, wanting to absorb the darkness and get the artifact,” she said shaking her head. ”But it shouldn’t happen now – he’s not supposed to die yet, so I can’t understand it,” she said looking at her brother. Even though she had seen that dark side of her father, the side that hurt Eaden, she still wanted to believe that it could change. Was it weird longing for a family? She wanted to start her own family with Eaden some day, letting the world burn as they raised their beautiful kids. ”I fear someone is taking our chance of revenge out of our hands,” she said in a sweet voice.

He had noticed how she was also eating a few more souls, but he was just brushing it off, thinking that they both were eating more now when things had calmed down. Even though there was something in him that felt off. He rose to his feet and smiled at her question, "No, I am satisfied," he said and placed a hand on her arm as he stroke her skin gently. He turned his eyes up to the grey skies and made a small sigh as he looked back at her. "The clouds are grey, but today is good," he said as he pulled her in for a short kiss before he let go. He grabbed her hand and was about to leave the alley when what seemed like lightning struck down behind them. A dark pit started forming on the ground and Baal raised an eyebrow as he turned back to watch it. He had seen similar things when creatures were making their rare escapes from hell, but the energy flowing from this one seemed oddly familiar. "I wonder how many it is this time," he mumbled as he turned his eyes to Buffy.

Eaden smiled at her kiss and listened to her as she spoke, looking at the grey clouds. "Well, the skies are grey for a reason. But is this a different storm?" he asked and soon she answered his question. His eyes darkened at the mention of him as he knew who that was. "Who cares if he dies. Good riddance," he said in a dark tone as he turned his eyes to Dinah. As much as he wanted the revenge, if their father were to die before that, he would be fine with it. They could torment him in hell instead. A part of him started thinking that Dinah didnt only want the revenge and it wasnt exactly making him feel good. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hear. "But I like your plan of ruining him outside of hell. I guess we'll have to go fix it then," he said, trying not to seem too angry. He grabbed her hand and walked out of the dorms, turning his head to some of the kids that were staring at them. He smiled at them before he went off with his sister, off to find their damned father.

Buffy chuckled at him, feeling his gentle touch before he turned his gaze to the sky. It was getting darker, but there had been a talk about rain today, as always in Gaia. The short kiss was sweet and she smiled against his lips as he took her hand and they started walking. She heard the lightning strike behind them and she jumped a bit at the sound, carefully following Baal’s gaze to see the black pit on the ground.

Dinah knew he hated her speaking about their father, but she also knew Eaden would want to know, even if he pretended like he didn’t care. She stood a bit idle while she waited for his response and smiled at his words. She knew he was trying to hide his angry side, but he wasn’t fooling her. She cupped his face, sending him a loving smile. No matter what she would stay with him, and he knew that. He took her hand and they moved out of her room, she felt people looking, but she didn’t care right now. She needed to know why that damn demon wanted to get out of hell now of all times. They soon reached the place where Buffy and Baal were, Dinah holding herself close to Eaden. She wasn’t going to let their father hurt her brother again. She watched the dark pit with a sigh and held out her hand, commanding the darkness to relax, breathing in and out as it took quite a bit of her energy to do so. She leaned against her brother as most of the darknes was under control, watching the pit carefully.

When they found them, Eaden stared at his father for a while with a clenched jaw, feeling the anger bubble up inside him now that he could finally see him with his own eyes again. How he hated the man with a burning passion. He watched Dinah drain the darkness from the pit and pulled his arm around her as it seemed to exhaust her. He turned his eyes back to the pit when he frowned with confusion. A dark head appeared out of the pit, the eyes all to familiar to everyone that was there with the red glow. The hound crawled out of the pit but it seemed oddly different. Baal lifted his hand and mumbled a few words but nothing happened. He looked at his mark in confusion and then looked at the beast that growled as it approached them. Eaden looked at Dinah with a confusion that he shared with his father at the moment.
A hand grabbed the edge of the pit and someone that looked like an exact clone of Baal crawled out of the pit, his eyes green as grass and curly white hair that looked so lifeless. He smiled at the pair as he ran his hand down the beast's back. "He's mine now," he said with a sly smirk as he ordered the beast forward, and forward it ran with all it's speed. It leaped off the ground to land on the demon to hold him down. It turned warning eyes to Buffy as it howled in a ghastly matter. "In fact, that isnt the only one," the soul said as the ghastly skeleton flew up from the pit, going straight for Buffy, placing it's scissors around her throat as a warning as it squeled it's ghastly laugh, "Sorry little humannnnn," it said in a tone that had a tint of sadness despite the fact that it was laughing. "Move and you di-eee-ee-eee~"
Eaden held Dinah as he walked closer, yet making sure that they stayed out of the matter. He wasnt sure what would happen if the soul saw them, but he was sure it hadnt been happy about him consuming one of it's kind in hell. The soul walked over to Baal, crouching down to him as it moved some of the curls from his face, "You've been using your power all wrong. Protecting humans? That will be no more, Belial son of Lucifer," it said as the words made Baal clench his teeth as the artifact reacted accordingly, shivers of pain being expelled from the hellish amulet.

Buffy took a step back as the darkness seemed to spurt out of control, and as the hell hound attacked Baal, she felt everything fall apart. Then the ghastly laugh hit her ears and she gasped as she felt the scissors around her throat. She felt at a loss for words, just wanting to run to Baal an help him up. ”It’s going to be alright,” she whispered, not knowing if her demon could even hear her. Her eyes fell on the whitehaired Baal, not knowing whether to scream or stay silent. Instinctly she placed her arms around her stomach, not even knowing completely why. Her lower lip shaking as she watched the demon reach out for her love, in a cruel pain by the curse he bore inside his chest. She looked at the hell hound, still unsure of what was going on, and then at the wraith, feeling betrayed, but she knew they were being controlled. Even if the summons did at times act up, she had found herself caring for them nonetheless.

Dinah let herself be supported by her brother, but the darkness she had gotten under control had given her some energy. She watched carefully, keeping herself close to her brother and not wanting to risk everything. Watching the demon call their father by his full name didn’t sit well with her, but she had to keep quiet, at least for now. She looked to the hybrid, seeing how she protected her stomach made her know her intuition had been right when they had first met. ”He’s going to take the artifact,” Dinah whispered to her brother. She knew this part of her father, but they had never really met. She had seen him, followed him in hell but without him noticing.

Baal heard her whisper but he was unable to react to it, keeping his eyes on the fragment that was nearing him. The ghastly demon clattered it's teeth as it started moving it's head around to scout the area. It's empty sockets stopped at the sight of the kids for a little while but then it went on, not saying anything about what it had seen. The hound had caught their smell too but had given no notion of them being here, because quite frankly either of them wanted to be under this control that the fragment had gotten.
Soul-Baal smiled slyly as the amulet reacted to the name-calling, crouching down to the lanky demon as it moved the hound's paw away from the demon's chest. He grabbed the fabric of the demons shirt and ripped it open to expose the marked chest that had a yellow tinted glow underneath the skin. When it presssed it's hand against his skin, it was like there wasnt a barrier of skin bones and blood, the hand merged through like a ghost and when it's arm tensed, Baal's eyes flared up with fear as he looked up at the fragment. "Let go," he demanded through gritted teeth, but the soul just chuckled and started pulling in a slow manner that would be quite painful.
Baal felt like his soul was being torn apart, a loud painful scream left his lips and his whole body tensed as he fought against the grip. The fragment clicked his tongue and yanked harder at the inside of his chest, forcing another painful scream from the demon. It took a few yanks like something was torn free and the hand left the chest with a beautiful amulet that shone in a bright yellow color. The soul smiled at it as it clutched it tightly in it's hand and rose to his feet. He turned his eyes to Buffy and let his eyes slide down to her arms. He chuckled as he turned to the pit and looked back at them. His eyes turned for a second as he looked at the children before he pressed the amulet against his own chest, and soon it had merged into his body. "I am Belial now. And I wont hide behind a petty name," was his last words. He jumped down into the pit and the summons followed soon after like zombies. The pit shrunk and soon it was like nothing had happened.
Baal wheezed and groaned as he placed his hand over his barren skin, clutching his fist as he closed his eyes. The marks on his body had slowly started to fade and the green tint in his eye had disappeared. "I am dying.." he said in a faint tone as he felt his body weaken already. Without the fragment in his body, he felt awfully mortal, knowing that he had already slowly started to decay. It could take a week or so, but he would surely die. Eaden stepped forward and looked at Baal with an uncertain look. For some reason, despite how much he hated his father, seeing him in such pain had moved the demon child. He didnt really know what to say and just looked at Dinah, seeking an answer from her.

Buffy watched as the demon reached into Baal’s chest, pulling out the golde amulet and she felt fear running through her veins. She wanted to move to him, save him, do anything at all to keep this from happening. But she also knew that if she moved, the wraith would cut her throat. Then both of them would be dead, and what would that entail for them. What good would that do anyone? As the demon moved back to the pit with the summons Buffy scrambled over to Baal, clutching his hand in hers, tears already fallen. ”It’s alright, I’m here,” she sobbed, but she knew it wasn’t alright. Without the artifact he would die, never to be retrieved again. This wasn’t fair. This was far from anything called justice in this world. She held his hand, bending down, placing a kiss against his lips. ”I’m here … We are here,” she begged.

As soon as the demon was gone she let the hybrid have a few seconds with her father before moving over to him. Eaden might get mad, but it wasn’t his time yet. She didn’t understand how her ability could have betrayed her like this. She placed a hand on Baal’s chest, healing his soul to the best of her ability, so that he atleast would not be in excruitiating pain. It was a small gesture, one she knew she might come to regret, but there was something about this whole situation that seemed out of place. ”Please save him, I’ll do anything,” Buffy begged, looking at his two kids. Dinah sighed, looking at Buffy, then Baal and lastly at Eaden. ”I’ll go to hell and retrieve this artifact, but I do not do it because you beg – I do it because you will one day have to fulfil one of my wishes,” Dinah said in a rather cold tone looking at the hybrid. ”He needs to be taken out of the street, preferably a home – Eaden, carry him,” she said, blurting out orders as she seemed to be the only one capable of understanding this situation fully. She got to her feet, helping Buffy up. They moved to one of the malls that had been closed down in Southside. ”Place him down here,” Dinah said to Eaden, looking at her brother with a careful gaze.

Buffy sat down on the ground next to Baal, taking his hand again and making sure that he knew he wasn’t alone. Dinah moved over to her brother, pulling him away from the two and looking at him with a serious look. ”I know we both don’t like our father, but him ending in limbo is not something I wish for even my worst enemy,” she whispered, placing a hand on her brother’s cheek. She didn’t care what their father and eventual stepmother was thinking, she needed to touch him. ”I’ll go to hell and retrieve the artifact, but I’m going to need you here, protecting the body – even though the artifact is gone, creatures still want a hold of him,” she explained with a sigh. She moved her hand down to his chest, knowing the risk that would follow all of this. ”Eaden I love you, and if we get through this I want the world to know,” she whispered, looking up at him with vulnerable eyes. She leaned up, placing a sweet kiss against his lips, wishing she had more time to relish in his sweet taste, but duty was calling. She moved over to Baal, grabbing his hand with the pentagram on it and took out her small staff with a small knife connected to it. It looked like a small scythe. She cut along his pentagram, making sure to get every single letter of his name as well, gathering the blood in her palm.

Dinah walked out to a big area, spraying the blood around without saying a word, letting her darkness appear wherever the blood landed. ”I can see him,” she mumbled, mostly to herself as she looked into the darkness. She took one look at her brother, before usng her scythe on her own palm and she fell down in a small black pit that soon closed after her. The darkness of hell surrounded her, but her eyes were quick to adjust. She followed the pathway, knowing it would lead to [i]him[/i.]

Buffy looked as Dinah disappeared, feeling a relief that someone was actually helping, however part of her doubted if the young angel could handle such a demon on her own. She looked at Baal, stroking his hand until she felt another prescence. She looked up to see an angel approaching them in the closed mall.

Baal looked to Buffy as she crawled to him and weakly lifted his hand to place it on her cheek. He gasped from the pain but managed to hold back a few whimpers as he smiled a bit at Buffy. "Dont weep for me my love. If I die then so be it," he gritted his teeth and made a sharp inhale as he felt his body tense in the waves that the pain came in, forced to close his eyes to control the pain. His heart felt oddly broken, like it was actually broken and unable to function. He opened his eyes and looked up at Buffy again as his thumb stroked her cheek. "We had a good time together," he said, seemingly oddly calm. He felt sad that his time on this earth suddenly had gotten an end date, but he knew it wouldnt help to be angry about it.
Eaden stepped forward with Dinah and looked at his father with neutral eyes - He couldnt even bring his anger out in the moment. He scoffed at Buffy's beg and shook his head, but let Dinah speak out before he said anything. He crossed his arms and looked at the hybrid as he tilted his head. "If someone were to kill my damned father, I would like it to be myself," he said as he looked down at Baal and picked him up as Dinah had instructed him to. Baal felt better from when Dinah had healed his soul, but it just wasnt enough. Without the amulet to keep his inner balance, he would eventually die. When they got to the mall, Eaden placed him as instructed and stepped back as he sighed deeply. This situation was weird for him and he didnt like the way Dinah seemed to care, it felt like it wasnt just about their revenge.
Baal squeezed Buffy's hand as firmly as he could and looked up at her with a tired smile. "I love you," he whispered softly. Eaden looked at Dinah as she pulled him away and made a frown at her first whisper. "It would serve him well," he said in a low tone as he eyed the pair next to them. He looked back at Dinah and placed his hand over hers that was on his cheek. His frown grew deeper as she said she would go to hell and he would have to stay back. "Dont go where I cant follow," he begged her with sad eyes. He didnt know what he would do if something where to happen to her down there. Who knew how powerful the demon soul was growing by the minute. It couldnt be a risk worth taking. Her whisper made him exhaled in a tremble as their lips met. He pressed her closer and wanted the kiss to last longer but she broke it and he felt oddly empty as he watched her walk over to their father.

Baal watched her as she grabbed his hand. The pentagram was already fading, but it wasnt hard to tell what it was supposed to look like yet. He clenched his teeth as she cut him, pain felt oddly intense now to him. They watched her as she sprayed the blood around. Eaden shook his head as she looked at him, begging her with his eyes for her to stay. He stepped forward and started to run but as she got to her, she was already gone. He stared at the place she had been standing and felt his eyes water. "Fuck..." he mumbled in a broken tone as he dried his tears away, a sniffle leaving his lips.
Baal turned his eyes as Buffy saw someone and sighed quietly. Of course his brother was coming to the rescue as always. He grabbed Buffy and signaled for her to help him to his feet as he turned to his brother, leaning a bit onto Buffy. "As you can probably tell, this is worse than anything that could have happened to me. But I fear that it might have consequences far worse than we could imagine," he said as he placed his hand over the broken shirt that exposed his chest, where his heart was supposed to be, the skin had turned oddly pale as the veins around it had darkened. Most of his marks around his heart had disappeared with the pale skin that looked somewhat dead.
"I have to go with you," he then said as he clenched his teeth and felt his legs weaken even as he leaned onto Buffy. "If the amulet isnt placed back in the right moment, it might explode and ruin everything in the area it is in. Hell would lose a part of it's realm that it cannot lose," he explained as he then looked to Eaden. Eaden just stared at them with tears trailing down his face, an expression of both anger and sadness written all over it. Baal staggered as he moved over to his son, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know you hate me, but you love her. You always have. I cannot fix what is broken between us, but I can hope to easen it up," he then said as Eaden gritted his teeth. "I'll make sure nothing happens to her. I'll bring her back," he then said as Eaden's expression changed to confusion. He wasnt sure if it meant that their father approved of their relationship, but a part of him felt relief at the notion that Dinah wouldnt get hurt. He narrowed his eyes at his father. "Thank you," he said in a low growl. Baal made a faint smile as he then turned to Chase, "I cant make a portal for us. So do you know a way?" he asked, looking at his brother with tired eyes that bore a slight tint of hope.

Buffy helped Baal to his feet when he expressed it, holding on to him and supporting his weight to the best of her abilities. She looked at the angel that had joined them, Baal speaking off him as his brother, and she wondered how big Baal’s family was. It wasn’t a secret that Baal was the son of Lucifer, it was in his name afterall, but seeing all of these people he was related to gave her a minor headache. All of their aura’s seeming to blur her vision, and she placed her free hand over her eyes as if to shield herself a bit. The dynamic between all of them were so different that it was almost unsettling. As Chase took Baal off of her, she looked at the angel with pleading eyes. ”All of you better come back safe,” she whispered in a weak voice. She was grateful for the angel, and she knew that now was not a great time for introductions and let the two fly off. She stumbled back, leaning against the wall and felt herself weak. Her green eyes looked to the incubus not far from her, careful with her gaze, but something in her wanted to comfort him. She took a deep breath and walked over to him, trying to regain her posture. Buffy sent him a warm smile, and even though she knew that the son did not care much for his father, she hoped that the fact both of their loved ones were in danger, could maybe mean them sticking together. ”I guess we got some time to get to know each other – only if you want to,” she said in a trying voice, not wanting to force anything on Eaden.

Dinah looked around, the darkness she felt so clearly, empowering her as she moved. The dry voice made her turn her head. ”I have come searching for a demon, carrying something that belongs to none,” she said in a calm voice. She recognized the face and the soul she felt broken apart. She didn’t have time to care for the soul right now as she had to find the demon. She moved on ahead, not really caring if the girl would follow. Dinah moved swift, letting the darkness around her guide her until she found who or rather what she was looking for. The white haired twin of her father. ”I don’t think we have been introduced,” she said in a calm tone, looking at the green eyes in front of her. A smile on her lips as she moved closer. She was not one to be scared, because down here she had a lot of power, even if the demon had the artifact, she might still have a chance through her wits.

Baal nodded as Chase seemed to know what to do. He turned his eyes to Buffy and wanted to say something, some sort of last word, but he just didnt know what to say. He instead gave her a warm smile despite being tired and then looked at Chase, "Lets go," he said as Chase's wings spread out and he felt his brother's arms around him. He wasnt all that fond of flying, it was hard enough when his ghast was bringing him around. Mostly he was just scared of falling, so he grabbed a firm hold of his brother as they flew away. When they got to the lake, Baal staggered on his feet and was about to lose his balance, when he grabbed his brother's shoulder. "Probably not. Do I have a choice, though?" he then asked with a raised eyebrow as he looked at the water. Swim he couldnt, but if the rift was at the bottom, he could probably sink.

Eaden watched them go and just stood for a while, watching the glass splinters fall to the floor like a rain of glitter. His expression was full of hurt and he only moved his eyes to look as to where Dinah had been standing. He heard the hybrid approach him but didnt really look to her as he sighed quietly. When she spoke, he turned his eyes and frowned a bit at her. "You reek of fertility," he just said sourly as he turned his eyes back to the spot, not really caring if he wasnt supposed to say that, his filter for everything seemed to have gone with Dinah when she left. He crouched down and ran his fingers over the ground where she stood, picking up a bit of the rubble and dirt in his hand that he clenched into a fist around it. His anger softened up as he let the rubble escape through his fingers and he turned his eyes up to the hybrid. There was something else that was bothering him beside the fact that she had gone, something that made him feel shameful. Not that his face was showing it, but Buffy could probably read it off his aura. He was holding onto a big secret.

The demon turned his head as a familiar voice sounded. Belial smiled as he turned to look at her, raising his arms to the sides as the smile was warm. "What would make you think that, my dear daughter?" he asked as he tilted his head slightly, narrowing his eyes slightly, "I remember holding you and your brother in my arms. Small fragile creatures you were, both of you so innocent and calm. Never crying, never putting a strain on either your mother and I," he said as he moved his hand out in front of him, looking at the mark that was already taking form. He sighed and turned his eyes back to Dinah. "I have all the memories. Raising you two, watching you grow," he looked down at the hound as it stood up next to him, crouching down to run his fingers along it's head and down it's back. He closed his eyes for a bit as he smiled to himself before he rested his hand on the beast's head, "I looked for you everywhere, when you disappeared. I didnt rest, I didnt relax or feast. Searched every corner of earth, hell and heaven," he said as he clapped the beast's back and rose to his feet again, the marks that were once on Baal was now appearing over his skin.
"I could be the newer better version of myself. One that would be a better father to you and your brother," he made a soft smile as he started approaching Dinah, even if she were to push him away, he wouldnt stop till he had wrapped his arms around her and held her in a tight embrace, "We could dance once again to the music we make ourselves, just like we did when you was but a little girl," he said in a low tone as he looked down at Dinah, his green eyes glistening with joy.

Buffy swallowed at the words coming from the demon’s lips. She opened her lips to say something, and while she usually had a witty comeback she seemed to hesitate. She shook her head, he wouldn’t know, would he? Could he sense something in her that she had been pushing away from knowing fully? ”I usually get told I reek of human, so I guess this is an upgrade?” she said, raising an eyebrow. She could see how he was hurting, because she was hurting too. It was clear he cared for her sister, more than she would like to see to be honest, but she felt like she needed to meet him half way. ”We don’t have to do nothing while we wait; we could get to a better location; maybe get ready to take care of some wounds?” she suggested, knowing that it might sound stupid to a demon. Buffy sighed reaching out and placing a hand on Eaden’s upper arm, gentle and with care, looking at the demon with a genuine spark in her eyes. ”He made both of us a promise, and I’m not one to let him hang on his promises – if he doesn’t bring her back unscathed, you have my permission to lash out as long as you don’t kill him,” she said, removing her hand and started moving. She was still a little shaken by it all, but she had to keep it together. She had to, because this young demon might just need to talk to someone, and maybe a stranger was his best option at this point.

Dinah looked at Belial, watching him carefully as he got closer. His smile was awfully warm, like something she remembered from such a long time ago. She heard what he was saying and a shiver ran down her spine. It was of course weird thinking that this part of her father could remember such things. She clutched her fist as he moved closer, ready to strike if he tried anything or lashed out. It would only be in selfdefense, but something in her didn’t know if she would have the strength. ”You are lying – you might have searched, but you clearly didn’t search hard enough,” she said in a cold voice. She needed to keep her distance, but he still moved closer, wrapping his arms around her made her breathe out. She longed for the father she remembered from her childhood, and in a second of weakness she rested her head against Belial’s chest, listening to him before turning her head up to greet the green eyes. Those green eyes, they were not her father’s. She took a sharp inhale and she heard Danae’s comment. Dinah was shaking as she backed out of Belial’s embrace, shaking her head. ”No – No you can’t do this,” she said in an angry voice, clutching her fists as darkness around her started to flare up like black flames. ”You are not my father; the father I have does not care, didn’t even try to look, just assumed my death!” she screamed in anger. She wished Eaden was there to calm her down, but she would just have to accept that this time he wasn’t. She had asked him to stay back, knowing that she might end up getting hurt. ”Give me the artifact,” she said, both of her eyes turning completely black.

Baal looked at the lake with uncertain eyes as he held onto Chase. "Sinking will have to do," he then said as he looked at his brother and made a tighter grip. When Chase asked if he was ready, he exhaled in a chuckle and shook his head, "We have to be quick. The darkness will eat away at me the moment we get there. We just have to get to the artifact," he then said as he gave his brother a nod as a green light for them to go. He looked out on the lake again and hoped that they wouldnt end up in the other side of the realm. Rifts like these could be unpredictable, and if they were to end up far away, who knew how powerful the demon soul could grow with the artifact in it's body. Baal felt a shiver running down his spine as he clenched his teeth. "Something happened down there. Something bad. I can feel it," he then suddenly said as he looked at Chase with worried eyes. He closed his eyes and held his breath as they got into the water, holding one's breath suddenly seemed harder now when the person was slowly dying, but he managed to make it. Gasping for air as they got through the rift and entered hell. He looked around and sighed deeply. "As I feared... It will take a while," he said in a defeated tone as he felt the depths of hell reach for his soul, making him grit his teeth and lose his balance.

Eaden looked at Buffy with annoyed eyes as she seemed to want to make it something funny, he didnt mean it as funny, he was just stating what he could smell. Her suggestion made him shrug as he looked at the rubble in his hands, "Demons dont need that. That's only for your kind," he said in a rather sour tone before he looked up at her as she seemed to be reaching for his arm. He didnt fight it, but it didnt seem to please him much either. He looked at her hand before he looked into her eyes, listening to her words intently. "You may be my stepmother, but you dont get to tell me what to do. Not even my father has that privilege," he said as she removed his hand, but somehow he felt that he had needed the comfort. Nothing could compare to Dinah's comfort, but he had to make do with what he could get.
He followed her and just kept his eyes ahead as they walked, sniffling a bit as he stopped to look back, hoping she would magically be there. But that sounded like something that belonged in a fairytale. This was the harsh reality. He ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Tell me something dumb. Like why you're with my father of all. The man's a moron. What do you see in him?" he then asked, knowing he wasnt kind with his words towards his father. But he did hate the guy and wouldnt hide it, even if she loved him.

Belial saw how conflicted she was. It was understandable, he hadnt succeeded in finding her, what was she to think of it all? He shook his head at her cold tone and kept his warm calming smile as he looked at her, ignoring the girl that seemed to hate her own parents - He knew it was his sister, but she didnt seem to know so he wasnt going to mention it. "Dinah. Would I ever lie to you? Look into my eyes and see that it's the truth that I'm speaking," he said as his eyes shifted between hers. He pulled her into the hug and felt her rest her head against his chest. He looked down at her with warm eyes, when he noticed that something was off with her. He let her walk out of his embrace as he listened to her words, raising his eyebrow a bit as she got angry.
The next words made him sigh, yet remain calmer than ever as he eyed the dark flames around her. When she demanded to get the artifact, he simply shook his head and turned around to walk back to the beast. "I'm afraid I cant give you it. Even if I did, what would you do with it? The energy in it is so unstable without a host, it would blow up a part of this realm, absorbing souls like a black hole," he explained as he closed his eyes for a bit. His chest started glowing brightly underneath his white clothes and energy flew out of his hands as he channeled the dark power in the amulet. The energy dripped on the floor and sought itself, till it was a big pool of energy. He stuck his hand into it and made a few swirls as the glow turned dark and formed into a sword. He picked up the sword and inspected it for a bit as he then turned his head back to his daughter. "Let the soul die. Isnt that what you wanted for me anyway?" he asked as he fueled the sword with the energy from the artifact, making it glow in a slight blue light. Suddenly he moved, in a swift moment the sword went through the head of the hound, making it squeal in pain before it turned to a shadow that went into the sword.

”I am not really stepmother material, so cut the titles,” Buffy said with a low chuckle and shook her head. Buffy was far younger than both of Baal’s kids, so why would she ever hold any right over them, but he did need her permission to hit her future husband – at least in her book. ”However I will be the one stopping you from hurting him if you do anything out of order,” she said with a calm smile. She knew the demon just needed some comfort, and she sure as hell could use some as well. As they started walking she chuckled at his question. ”He might be a thick-skulled guy, but I see something beneath the surface that I think many people disregard in a demon,” she said lookind to Eaden. He looked so much like his father, and she wondered if that was why they didn’t get along that great. They often said that similar people crashed. ”I see someone who tries his best, someone who cares with the whole of his heart and he has given me so much that I think I need to start repaying him soon,” she said before looking ahead as they walked. The sky was still grey from everything that had just happened, a constant reminder of what battle might take place right now. ”It’s alright to not see eye to eye with ones parents; only God knows how many times me and my brother have faught over stupid things and how many arguments I’ve had with my father,” she said shaking her head. ”But family is family, right? Even how much you think you hate them there’s this bond that binds us all together – and I guess that’s why me and Baal want to start a family,” she said running her fingers over her stomach. She was barely showing, but the constant hunger for souls made her know that it wasn’t just her imagination. ”You can hate your father all you want, but you need to remember that without him you wouldn’t be here, neither would your sister,” she said.

Dinah looked at Belial as he commanded it, it was like she regressed into that small child she once were, looking at her father’s calm smile. How she wanted to just believe him. Run to him and fling her arms around the demon, ask him to call her his little girl and tell her that he loved her. She could see the truth in his eyes, yet she couldn’t believe him. This was not her father, because her father didn’t care. Eaden had told her so. He had told her how their father had disregarded her disappearance and forgot about her. She watched him as he spoke and as he chopped off the hell hound’s head she covered her mouth, shaking slightly. ”You have no right to kill that creature,” she said. Dinah was what kept the balance regarding life and death, and that summon had no due date. It was meant to exist forever, but here the demon was, slicing it’s head off as if it was a piece of meat to be carved. Dinah lifted her hand, shaking as she looked at Belial. ”I command you to stop,” she said, begging that he would. She didn’t want to hurt anyone, she never wanted to, but evil was nescesary in this world. ”I am the ruler of the darkness that fuels your artifact, if I were to remove the darkness, you would have no power, so do not test me, old man,” she snarled.

Eaden listened to her but his eyes just told her that he had quickly come to regret asking. He moved his eyes ahead and frowned as she seemed to turn it into a lecture about family bonds. What did she know of their family? She didnt have to endure being scolded for simply being who she was, loving who she did. She probably never had to feel what it was like being put second by a father that deemed humans more worthy than his children - Though never Dinah, Dinah he loved always. But Eaden? He clenched his jaw at the thought and frowned deeply. He let her finish her talk before he looked at her with angry eyes. "So what, I should be grateful for his absence because he gave me the gift of life? Is that what you're telling me?" he said in a rather angry tone before he looked down. "He hated me for who I was. Who I loved," he paused as he turned his eyes back to the mall that seemed so distant now. "Because I love my sister the way I do, I was put aside, told how I had to keep my distance to her," his tone was full of hurt yet his face filled with anger. He stopped and clenched his fists. "And save me the talk about siblings not being together. I dont give a shit about it," he then warned her as he then exhaled and rubbed his temples, trying not to let his temper get to him. "How do you know he wont just leave you too? What makes you more special than my mother was? Hmm?" he then asked, knowing it wasnt a nice question but he wasnt feeling like being nice due to the anger he was feeling. "You think a baby in your belly would stop him from going after his goal? To save humanity? That's fairytale thinking. I've known my dad for thousands of years," he then said, raising his voice before he got a sad expression looking away. He did know his dad, knew him well enough to know that him being in hell meant that Dinah would soon find out. His eyes teared up as he looked away, biting his lip hard to hold back a silent whimper. "He did look for her. Because he loves her. And I told her that he didnt. Made her believe he didnt care," he then said in a low tone, his voice breaking slightly as he made a sharp inhale and sniffled.

Even with the illusion tricking him into thinking that it wasnt all that bad, it still felt shit. Getting to hell was another ride of torment, especially going through a rift. He'd much prefer portals, as they didnt sting as much. When Chase grabbed a hold of him, he chuckled but it wasnt happy, "Optimism has never been my thing," he said in a low tone as he felt himself getting drowsier. He followed Chase as best as he could, knowing that asking the lost souls for directions werent the best bet to getting there. After a few, Chase seemed to have given up, and Baal couldnt do anything but agree. The mention of Samaira however made the demon look away with a shameful expression, "Well, if she's mad at me, it would be understandable. I havent exactly given her any souls in the last few weeks, or had the time to visit her," he admitted, staggering on his feet for a short while to then recover, clutching onto Chase. "It would be safe to say that she mustnt be very happy with me. Hopefully she'd be less happy about me dying," he said, trying to sound as optimistic as his brother wanted him to. "It's worth the try," he then concluded, looking at Chase with tired eyes.

Belial shrugged at her claim of his rights, "No, I may not have had that right. But this is hell," he then said as he looked at the sword, then to look at her as she raised her hand. Her beg made him sigh as he shook his head, couldnt she see that he wasnt doing this out of ill will? Her snarl made him scoff as he lifted his hand and stuck it into his chest, not being fully transformed made him keep his soul-like transparency. He seemed to yank something apart in him, clenching his teeth as he pulled out a half of the amulet. He pressed it to the sword that seemed to consume it with ease, before he heaved it up in the air, mumbling a few demonic words that made the sword glow like a thousand burning suns, blinding everyone. As the light started to dim, it didnt seem like they were in hell anymore. Belial lowered the sword and turned his eyes to look around. "Do you recognize this place Dinah?" he asked as he turned his eyes to her. What was once the dark depths of hell, was now a landscape further than the eye could see. Next to them a house far too familiar. "It was our home once," he then said as he exhaled deeply and walked over to her, grabbing her wrist as he looked at her, "I want nothing more for you than to keep you safe and happy," his voice was genuine as he looked into her eyes before letting go of her wrist. "Keeping her safe by making up a scenery of bollocks and bad memories?" a voice sounded as a man stepped forward, half his face scarred with an ugly burn. "There is no safety, you dumb cunt," he snarled as he walked up to them, placing a hand on Dinah's shoulder as he stared at the transforming soul. "You gutted me like a fish and doomed me to this shithole. Now I take care of your kids because you're too half assed to do so yourself," the man muttered in anger as Belial sighed. "Cobbs Pond," he said as he looked at the man. Cobbs scoffed and made half a smile as his other side of his face was paralyzed, "So you do remember me after all that, eh?" - "Of course. You fought well up until your demise," - "Demise. You murdered me in cold blood, you fucker," Cobbs pulled Dinah away from the demon as he walked closer to him, stopping as he saw the sword. "This wouldnt be a fair fight, would it?" he asked in a mocking tone as he signaled Dinah to stay back.

”I’m not telling you to do anything,” Buffy said with a warm smile. ”But I am saying that putting things into perspective might help you in the long run,” she said calmly. She listened to Eaden closely. He seemed like all he needed was to vent and come clean. Speak about the feelings that where hiding inside of him, and she would gladly listen. It was clear that he was acting out, now putting into question her own doubts but she couldn’t help but chuckle lightly. ”Oh he has tried leaving me a couple of times, but I remind him of what we have. I remind him of the love that keeps me going, and I know I couldn’t live without him, because I have tried that,” she said, swallowing at the thought of the month she pressumed Baal to be dead. She knew that if it had been a month longer, she might not have been standing here right now. ”It’s good he has a goal, and I am supporting him in it – he doesn’t have to pick one over the other,” she argued in a calming voice. She kept quiet for a while and as they got to her apartment complex she opened up. He said that he had lied to his sister and she took a deep breath. She chose not to answer at first, leading them up to the apartment and she took off her jacket, hanging it neatly before removing her shoes. Then she went to the kitchen, putting on the kettle and came back into the living room, looking at Eaden. ”A lie like that could break any relationship,” she said, pressing her lips together into a fine line as she thought about her words carefully. ”But I don’t know what it is about you two, but your bond is … out of this world – your aura’s react and intermingle like nothing I’ve seen before,” she said shaking her head. Maybe it wasn’t a good argument, because she hadn’t seen a lo tyet with her new ability, but she knew what she saw with Eaden and Dinah was so hard for her to describe. ”I wish I could give you some advice or act as a vicor that you could confess to, but I’m not like that,” she said and heard the whistle from the tea. ”Do you drink tea, or are you like your father that describes anything with a little bit of flavor as rancid?” she asked in a chuckle. She was still uneasy about everything going on, but she couldn’t do anything about it. She would be of no use in hell, so better stay here with Eaden and make sure that he atleast didn’t lose his mind.

Dinah watched Belial carefully, not wanting to move and suddenly things around her changed. She saw her childhood home, god even the smell was the same. She expected to look up at the upper most window and see her brother, but it was empty. She frowned and looked as he took her wrist. Shaking her head she moved backwards, and that was until she heard a familiar voice. His deep roar sounding so frightening yet so protective. ”Cobbs,” she breathed out and looked up at her protector. She watched as the two demons spoke and how Cobbs pulled her away from Belial. ”Please don’t fight,” she begged. She was not here for a fight, she just wanted to make her hurting father whole again.

”Belial, dear,” a sweet voice rang through the transformed landscape. She stepped forward, her movements graceful and almost royal, her blue eyes looking at the scene that unfolding in front of her. She tilted her head to the side as she watched and then her eyes fell on Dinah with a soft look. [color=#66023c]”How you’ve grown,”[7color] she said in a caring motherly voice. Ivory then turned her face to look at Cobbs. ”Do not tell me that you have not come to love my children, dear Cobbs, I chose you for a reason,” she said before she moved closer, placing a hand on Belial’s chest. ”This is not you dear, you were never like this,” she said, reaching up and touching the fragment’s cheek. ”I can’t stay for long, so I ask that you hand over the fragment to it’s owner when he comes here,” she said, her blue eyes looking directly into the green eyes.

”M.. Mother?” Dinah whimpered taking a step closer but Ivory held out her hand, signaling for her not to come closer. She felt the tears running down her cheeks, leaving so long trails that it ran down her neck, disappearing into the opening of her hoodie. ”Wipe your tears away, you need to be strong,” Ivory said. It was so clear to everyone in the room that this woman was the mother of the angel also present. ”Belial, you don’t want the artifact – because you cannot comprehend the pain that follows,” she said with a calm voice.

//Hello??//

"He never had a perspective for me. He knew I was alive," he then said as he looked at Buffy with angry eyes that hid his sorrow. He listened to her words as they walked but didnt really say anything. He frankly thought it was silly because he didnt know that he would do the same for Dinah. Despite all the times he had screwed her over, she was always so forgiving, so he was blind to the fact that he might not be able to remind Dinah of the love they shared to keep her at his side. It wouldnt help him to think about either as he knew his crime was nothing love could fix.
He looked a bit around as they got into the apartment and her not answering had just made him faze a bit out in his mind, thinking about the reaction to come. When she spoke, he turned his eyes to her as he felt his eyes flicker from the oncoming tears that he didnt want to fall. He looked away as she mentioned their bond, shaking his head, "Whatever you saw, it'll be gone when she knows the truth," he said sourly, feeling his throat tie up in knots that he couldnt swallow away. He was silent as she said she wanted to give him advice but couldnt. He went over to the window, placing his palm on the frame, very alike his father - Not that he knew. He looked out the window and was quiet for a while, before he answered her question. "I do enjoy tea," he said in a low tone as he looked at the cars driving through the street. He hated humans and their normal boring lives, mostly because he wanted one like that as well. Being in hell had taught him that even if they tried, his sister and him would never really have a chance at a normal life. He sighed and rubbed his face. "I wish I never lied to her," he said truthfully as his eyes wandered with a car that soon went out of sight.

Baal nodded at Chase as they walked, keeping a firm grip on his brother so he wasnt going to fall, even though his legs did feel like they were going to give up any minute. He looked up at his sister when they arrived and sighed at her words, "I know you've seen enough to know why I'm here," he said in a weak tone, even though he did feel bad that he hadnt been there to visit her. He did have quite some things to tell her. He nodded when she mentioned the artifact, "As much trouble as it is, I cant really live without it anymore," he said, trying to smile but his face winched with pain instead. It felt like the hole where the artifact once had been now was a gaping hole in his chest, spilling his blood from his veins to fill the emptiness. Not a nice feeling. He controlled his expression after a bit and listened to Sam. "It's our best bet," he said in a rather determined voice, even though the worry of dying before getting there was quite at large. Either way it was die because they couldnt get there in time or die because of the transfer. It didnt seem that there was any other way. He exhaled deeply and rubbed his chest, "If I die because we couldnt get there in time, the fragment will take my place and we dont know what his purpose is. For all we know, his time here can have made him into a small puppet for our father, who probably cant wait to control the power that lies in the artifact," he then said as he looked at Sam with serious eyes. His legs finally gave up, and as he realized he let go of Chase, falling to the ground, taking the fall with his hands before he gasped desperately for air.

Cobbs scoffed at Dinah as he turned his eyes back to her. "Little girl, here in hell there is nothing else but fights. You'd ought to know that," he said in a harsh tone yet it was still clear that he cared. He turned his eyes back to Belial and took a good look at the sword, "Splitting that hell jewelry isnt going to make you any stronger," he said in a mockery, that didnt seem to faze the demon fragment at all, he just stared at the demon with these soulless deep green eyes that slowly got brighter, "That's were you're wrong, Cobbs," the fragment then said. Cobbs frowned with only half of his face, "Are you just going to wait till hell fills you with power? Fucking fi..." a voice sounded behind him that made him turn his face and as he saw her, his frown grew deeper. He let her walk past him to Belial. "I dont care much for the little pest son of yours. But your daughter could might as well be mine," Cobbs hissed at her, though it was just the way he was. Belial looked at her as she spoke to him, touching his cheek. He closed his eyes for a bit before he shook his head, "I'm afraid I cant do that," he simply said as he moved out of her caress, walking a few paces as he looked at the sword in his hand. He clutched his grip around it and gritted his teeth, "I am doing this for our children. To find out the truth," he said as he looked at Ivory. He sighed and placed a hand over the fragment in his chest, mumbling a few demonic words that made it glow wildly with a yellowy golden glow. The aura around him turned dark as the fragment called out for souls that quickly appeared in a herd, surrounding everyone. "I wont let anyone stop me in this. So do not ask me for something that I cannot give you," he then said as he shifted between her eyes.

Buffy smiled gently at Eaden as he said he liked tea and went to put the kettle on, before returning to him. His confession made her shrug. ”What done is done – you can’t change the past, but you always have a chance at changing the future,” she said with a smile moving over to one of the cuppards and finding two mugs. Buffy didn’t know how to console him, he seemed lost, as lost as anyone had ever seemed. And she found it remarkable how alike he was with his father, making her chuckle a bit to herself as she went out to the kitchen with the mugs. ”I think in your lie you’ve distanced yourself from your sister more than you realize – but once you do, you’ll both be able to move on,” Buffy said from the kitchen, putting tealeaves into a small teabag before dropping one bag into each mug. The kettle soon enough whistled, she turned off the heat and poured the warm water in each cup. ”Milk or sugar?” she called and added if he wanted any in. She herself preffered her tea with both milk and two spoons of sugar. She took the tea filled mugs, moving into the living room and placing them on the coffee table. She sat down in the sofa, leaning back and closed her eyes. She made a small prayer in her head for Baal to return to her safely, as well as Dinah on behalf of Eaden. She opened her eyes and looked to the demon, tilting her head to the side. ”I do understand you somewhat, you know – I was never really that close with my father,” she said with a faint smile, taking her mug and carefully blowing at it to cool down. ”I still see him sometimes, but the most he gets from me is a nod,” she said looking into her rather pale tea.

Dinah felt at a loss for words, seeing her mother there, interacting so beautifully with the fragment. She walked to Cobbs’ side, looking up at him, not knowing what to say. She felt like all of this was so unreal, like nothing made sense. All she had known had in one day been torn to pieces. She felt ever so tired, weakened as she had used her abilities more than she should have. Being in hell gave her energy, but she still felt so drained. Losing her footing slightly, she leaned against Cobbs, resting her weight against him. ”Sorry, I … My head is spinning,” she mumbled shaking her head as she tried to make sense of it all.

Ivory looked at Belial with a sad smile. ”The truth is so easy to bend, my love, but you also know that I cannot allow you to ruin yourself in this,” she said with a calm voice before she moved her hand towards Cobbs, giving away a lot of her energy to him. ”Cobbs, do your duty and protect my daughter in my absence – Protect her from even her father,” she said in a cold tone, her eyes lighting up slightly, making the blue more ice colored. She knew he was coming to get it soon enough, and she looked to her daughter with a sad frown. ”Do you really wish to destroy what beauty we have put into this world?” she whispered as she looked to Belial again. She knew she had to disappear soon, this version of her not lasting long in hell.

//Status? <33//