Tiamat's Babel [Non-Canon]

[Kaykay]

"Oh? What exactly did you feel? Clearly not enough since you didn't dodge or block it, but even after hearing about that curse or whatever I'm impressed to see you alive after all that. A single pillar could kill a human many times over."

Belial gave him a few words of praise, though his expression seemed hardly different from before.

"I'll leave it up to you then. You wanna be content with just a 'feeling,' or you gonna use that curse of yours to get in some more training? Even just getting a feeling for it's pretty good for a quick session like that, but it's gonna be a hell of a lot of pain. ...You do still feel pain, right?"

Having apparently gotten over being thoroughly ignored, Lilith approached the battered Winslow from the side.

"Even if you never learn to use magic, if you can sense it that's a pretty big asset on its own. Don't kill yourself trying to help, okay? I don't wanna be down a man for no reason!"

@Chewy Rabbits​

 

[Chewy Rabbits]

Having apparently gotten over being thoroughly ignored, Lilith approached the battered Winslow from the side.

"Even if you never learn to use magic, if you can sense it that's a pretty big asset on its own. Don't kill yourself trying to help, okay? I don't wanna be down a man for no reason!"

Winslow held his hand out to stop Lilith from approaching him. He wasn't in the mood for sympathy or patting on the back for what he'd been able to do. If all he could do was sense magic but not utilize it in some meaningful way then what was the point of this? Had he just been battered around so he could feel a little tingle? Cracking his neck from side to side to make sure his helmet was on straight, Winslow stepped away from Lilith and back into the center of the room.

"You need not concern yourself with that."

Winslow glanced around for a new round of pillars as it became clear he was going to continue.

"I'm already dead."

As the pillars appeared once more, Winslow braced himself and closed his eyes. The pillar of water smashed into him once again. Sending Winslow to a knee and drenching him until he was soaked to the bone. It was enough to make Winslow want to wretch and so he did. Coughing up enough water to normally drown a man, he rose to his feet seemingly undaunted by the assault. As the pillar of fire smashed into him from behind, Winslow cried out.

But he kept his eyes closed and continued to feel around. He had felt something damn it! He just needed to expand upon it! As the fire continued to burn away at Winslow's costume, he tried to shake it off as best as he could. This couldn't have just been some fluke! Something he thought he felt so as not to make this seem like a complete failure! He had potential damn it! He wasn't going to let it slip through his fingers!

The portal of wind scooped Winslow off his feet once again. Spinning him around in a cycle, it swung him downwards as he crashed against the floor head-first. A resounding crack rang out as his mask split down the middle slightly. Normally, a blow like that would have been enough to cripple or at least knock out any ordinary man. But for as much as he wished it was otherwise so he wouldn't have ended up in this whole mess to begin with? Winslow was anything but normal at this point.

As the pillar of earth came steaming right ahead, Winslow looked forward and opened his mouth and screeched!

"NO!!!!!"

Whatever Winslow did with that screech seemed to be the key to his magic. The ground began to shake and Winslow let loose a soundwave which tore through the floor of the gym and smashed into the ear pillar. The sound tore through the pillar and ended up having it explode! But the soundwave wasn't done there! Continuing forward it didn't stop until it collided right with the wall!

As the soundwave dissipated, Winslow fell to his knees with sweat running down his face. "T-That was it...That was what I felt!'

@Kaykay


​

 

[Kaykay]

Belial seemed slightly surprised as Winslow unleashed his own magic, creating a sonic wave with his voice that destroyed the pillar of earth. That wasn't too bad. The attack was a bit slow, given that it was sound based, but it could not be seen and seemed to have some destructive power behind it.

For a start, this was extremely good.

"Good job. You're a quick learner. Or Lucifer's power gave you a natural talent for it. Well, regardless, congrats. You got yourself some fancy magic there. That should be enough for today. Go home and rest."

"...Uh, yeah, about that." Lilith scratched her chin as she interrupted.

"Hm? What's wrong?"

"We're heading out tomorrow, actually. It's not like last time, where we had a lot of time to gather people to climb Tokyo Babel."

"That's true. I'd forgotten."

"Yeah, we can't afford to let Tiamat regain her powers, or else there's nothing any of us can do."

A heavy air hung around the two for perhaps the first time. A time limit made the task much harder than last time, and they'd barely even succeeded then. Their chances of success weren't looking good, but what other choice did they have?

Apparently realizing the sullen mood, Lilith suddenly perked up.

"Ah! Well, you can always just develop during combat instead then! Like they say, uh, experience is the best teacher. Or something like that..."

Belial's mouth spread into a grin as he chuckled.

"Yeah, that's true. You can just learn how to kick ass as you go. Now get out of my sight, you punks."

With that, the teacher left the demon and the phantom in the gym. Though the demon was quick to follow, Lilith moving to exit the gym to who knew where. But before that, she passed by Winslow.

"Go rest up. Like I said, we're heading out tomorrow. Feel free to use our dorm! It's a bit cozy, but it's just one night after all."

And just like that, she was gone as well.

@Chewy Rabbits​

 

[Chewy Rabbits]

"Ah! Well, you can always just develop during combat instead then! Like they say, uh, experience is the best teacher. Or something like that..."

Belial's mouth spread into a grin as he chuckled.

"Yeah, that's true. You can just learn how to kick ass as you go. Now get out of my sight, you punks."

"Wait, that's all the training...?" Winslow was a bit disheartened at that. Straight out onto the field with only a little bit of training under his wings? He supposed combat was the best teacher when wanting to fight but he wished they had a little more time. Rising back to his feet, Winslow reared his head back and yelled.

"NO!!!"

Winslow screeched but nothing came out but spittle and the ragged wailing of a dead man. Falling to a knee, Winslow glanced at the torn up crevice that the last soundwave had previously made on the floor before slamming into the wall. It seemed like the power was dependent on Winslow's inner frustration and anger. Only then could he unleash the Phantom Wail.

Well, it wasn't exactly much if he couldn't use it whenever he pleased. But it was better than standing by while his friend risked her life to save this place and stop that bastard. "I'll see myself there.." He said to Lilith as he lumbered off. He was expected to rest with the burden of what lay ahead standing before him?

To be fair, it'd been such a long time since Winslow slept. The sensation of being able to lay your head down and close your eyes as your weary soul drifted off...

...No, having already met his end thanks to Samael's aid, the idea of sleeping seemed too much like embracing Death for Winslow's liking. Laying on a bed, Winslow gazed up at the ceiling. It seemed like there wouldn't be too much sleep if he could help it.

Just him, his thoughts, and not enough time.

@Kaykay​

 

[Kaykay]

When Winslow entered the room, a girl was sitting around the TV. Hearing someone enter, though, the girl unfamiliar to Winslow turned around to see who'd come in.

"Hey, who's th- aaah!"


She dropped the remote and hid in her chair, just barely peeking over the top of it as she stared at the phantom. Though she seemed to quickly relax as she got a good look at him.

"Oh, uh, sorry about that. I'm just, uh, a little easily surprised, hehe...I'm Sorami Kugutsu! You're Winslow right?"


Though she didn't really interrupt him otherwise as he went to lie down on his bed. She quickly turned off the TV and the lights. If he wanted to sleep, she'd respect that after all. And soon, she fell asleep herself. ...Whoever she was.

As it turned out, come morning, Winslow would find out soon enough. The door suddenly flew open as Samael, Raziel, Setsuna, and Lilith all entered the room.

"Oi, haven't you heard of knocking?"

"This way's faster~"

"Nn...what's the commotion...? Morning already...?"

"Wake up, Sorami, Winslow. We leave in 30 minutes."

"Ah, is that so? Well, I'll definitely be ready by then!"

Thirty minutes later, Sorami would have led Winslow to the meeting point for the group of 6. It would appear that she was going to be coming along for the ride as well. Belial was waiting for them, a gate as large as a building standing before them.

"Yo. You brats ready, then? Guess you wouldn't be here if you weren't, and most of you aren't even new to this anyway." He put a hand on Winslow's shoulder. "Good luck. And remember, in this group of brats, you represent adults everywhere."

"Chronologically, Sorami and I are the only ones he is actually older then."

"I meant in a mental sense."

"You old bastard!"

"Haha! That's true! Appearances are everything, after all!"

Inserting two keys into the gate, Belial opened it up, a white void seeming to come pouring out of it. Even just being in close proximity felt dizzying, as if it were some awful optical illusion. Not only that, but it was like there was a nagging in the back of one's head. Yet the five hardly seemed to mind it as they began to walk through the gate.

Samael was the last to enter of the angels, demons, and false god, taking a second as she turned back and extended a hand to her friend.

"The voice in your head? Don't worry about it. If it gets too bad, just say something and I'll kick it right out!"

Whether he accepted her hand or not, she walked through the portal, Winslow presumably doing the same.

---

The area they appeared in looked similar to Tokyo Babel itself, only somehow it seemed a little more rundown. Cracks appeared all over the walls, and none of the lighting was functional. A breeze rolled through the hallway, the windows shattered and unable to keep nature out.

Also, Winslow was left with just Samael.

"Huh. Wonder where everyone went. Well, the first master is someone any of us besides maybe you and Sorami could take with our eyes closed, so I guess this makes for good practice anyway. Where should we head?"

There were various classrooms, as well as a staircase leading up and down.

@Chewy Rabbits
​

 

[Chewy Rabbits]

The area they appeared in looked similar to Tokyo Babel itself, only somehow it seemed a little more rundown. Cracks appeared all over the walls, and none of the lighting was functional. A breeze rolled through the hallway, the windows shattered and unable to keep nature out.

Also, Winslow was left with just Samael.

"Huh. Wonder where everyone went. Well, the first master is someone any of us besides maybe you and Sorami could take with our eyes closed, so I guess this makes for good practice anyway. Where should we head?"

There were various classrooms, as well as a staircase leading up and down.

"I'm not bothered by a voice in my head. After all, I had yours in there for a while didn't I...?"

Hoping Samael would find the comment amusing, Winslow took the offered hand and stepped within the portal with her. He hadn't perfected his magic which seemed to manifest itself within some kind of wail. The attack style was fitting enough he imagined. It represented the inner turmoil Winslow had been facing. Not just at that time but even before he had become the Phantom.

How he had everything taken from him! His music, his lover, his face! All of it gone and not to be returned. So, when shown that he could harness the weight of that tragedy into something powerful? All it took was a bit of concentration and then the results spoke for itself. He didn't know what kind of challenges might have laid ahead but he wouldn't be afraid. He had to be strong. He refused to be the burden upon this group!

As they came to a stop, Winslow overlooked the various places they could go. From all of the classrooms to the stairway.

"From my brief stint in showbusiness, they always said up was the way to go. Let's see if that saying holds true. Even in the pits of Hell." With that Winslow calmly strided forward to start making his way up the stairs. Whatever stood before him? It'd better pray it wouldn't be as an enemy. For Winslow would show no mercy to those who attempted to harm him or his friends!

@Kaykay​

 

[Kaykay]

As the two ascended the staircase, it seemed like it just continued on for infinity. No matter how many times they took a step up, no matter how many times they climbed up, there was no end in sight. They'd make it to a new floor, only for there to still be another staircase leading upwards.

Not only that, but every hallway looked the same, with the same cracks in the wall, the same broken light dangling from the ceiling, even the room numbers for the classrooms were the same. They might as well have not been moving, for all the good the climb was doing them. It was like time had frozen, and was simply playing endlessly on loop as they tried to press forward. Like the 4th dimension was just laughing in their faces, at their inability to make any sort of progress.

But suddenly, as they climbed up the stairs, they'd suddenly run into a young girl who bumped into them, falling to the floor as she crashed into Winslow.

"A-ah! I-I'm so sorry! W-we need to get out of here, fast! W-w-w-wait, you're not with her, a-are you? D-don't kill me!!!"

Samael just grinned widely at the panicking girl.

"Well, we could just kill you for fun, but you don't look like you'd put up a very good fight. Who's her, anyway? Got a name, or appearance, or anything?"

The girl's complexion turned deathly pale at Samael's words, hardly seeming to process anything aside from the word kill.

"I-I'll do anything! Just don't hurt me!"

@Chewy Rabbits​

 

[Chewy Rabbits]

"A-ah! I-I'm so sorry! W-we need to get out of here, fast! W-w-w-wait, you're not with her, a-are you? D-don't kill me!!!"

Samael just grinned widely at the panicking girl.

"Well, we could just kill you for fun, but you don't look like you'd put up a very good fight. Who's her, anyway? Got a name, or appearance, or anything?"

The girl's complexion turned deathly pale at Samael's words, hardly seeming to process anything aside from the word kill.

"I-I'll do anything! Just don't hurt me!"

"...Ugh, damn it all! We're not getting anywhere!" Winslow shrieked after what felt like an eternity of basically repeating the same actions over and over! From all that he heard of Hell, that seemed fitting enough. To be faced with your sins for as long as your wretched soul continued to exist. But this was sheer pettiness! An annoying roadblock in their journey that he wasn't sure how to overcome! That was of course until a woman slammed right into the Phantom and sent him stumbling back.

*SQUAWK!*

As his arms windmilled, Winslow fell flat on his back as his helmet slipped off. Revealing his grotesque face to the woman as Winslow narrowed his eye. Although he was sure the woman hadn't meant to do it, getting bumped into along the path of seemingly no progress was quite annoying. Quickly slipping his helmet back on, Winslow rose to his feet and brushed himself off. He wasn't the one to make idle threats so he left that up to Samael.

"Tell me what we need to know and be sure that we'll protect you from whatever she is." Winslow muttered. He wasn't in the department of interrogations. Espescialy when this girl seemed terrified out of her wits. But terrified screaming and whimpering wasn't going to get them any answers.

@Kaykay​

 

[Kaykay]

"I...I..."

The girl's voice trembled as she fell to the ground, eyes wet as though she was about to bawl. She managed to prevent herself from embarrassing herself further, but it seemed she'd be of little use to them. Either that, or whoever she was was so terrifying that whatever use she did have had been robbed from her.

Samael just shrugged at her plight, walking along.

"Well, we can take her if you want, or just ditch her. She seems kinda useless to me, though."

"P-p-please!!!"

"Ah, geez. Let's see, uh, where is she, then?"

With a finger so shaky one might've thought there was an earthquake, she pointed over at one of the classrooms on the floor they were in. Classroom 3-B. Despite how many stairs they'd ascended, it seemed that was as high as the classroom numbers went. Strange, though Samael hardly seemed to pay that any mind.

"Well, what're we waiting for then? Let's go pay her a visit~"

"D-don't leave me alone...please..."

@Chewy Rabbits​

 

[Chewy Rabbits]

"Ah, geez. Let's see, uh, where is she, then?"

With a finger so shaky one might've thought there was an earthquake, she pointed over at one of the classrooms on the floor they were in. Classroom 3-B. Despite how many stairs they'd ascended, it seemed that was as high as the classroom numbers went. Strange, though Samael hardly seemed to pay that any mind.

"Well, what're we waiting for then? Let's go pay her a visit~"

"D-don't leave me alone...please..."

"..."

Winslow glanced at the girl and then at the classroom. Normally, he would not have been one for listening to the absolute hysterics. But he had been in that position once himself. After Swan stole his music and got him framed for crimes he hadn't committed, Winslow was an inconsolable mess of a man, a shell of his former self! So to see this woman who seemed much younger than him in a state similar to that?

It was too much for even this Phantom to bare. Which is why as Samael moved onto the classrom, Winslow made his way over to the woman and whispered something into her ear.

After that was done, Winslow would have followed behind into the classroom with the girl piggy-backing on him. Winslow's magic seemed to rely mostly on his voice so it was good that he didn't seem to need his hands for this in case things got ugly.

"Now, what was it that frightened you so, girl..?"

@Kaykay​

 

[Kaykay]

When Winslow and the girls walked into the classroom, a rather grotesque sight was waiting for them. Each seat in the classroom was filled with the bloody, beheaded corpses of what used to be students. The classroom was in a state of decay similar to the hallways, lights broken and hanging with the windows shattered, allowing a frigid breeze to blow throughout the room.

And at the center of the room rested the heads of Setsuna, Raziel, Lilith, and Sorami.

Yet there was no sign of her.

"Wh-what...? Setsu...na...?"

Even Samael couldn't laugh it off. Her voice seemed to tremble as the corners of her eyes grew wet, but she soon wiped them away with her sleeve. With a swing of her hand, she summoned her scythe to her hand and grabbed the girl on Winslow's back by her bangs, tugging on them and forcing her to look at her, a crazed look in the angel's eyes.

"Who the hell is she, huh?! Where is she?! Where?!"

"A-ah!! I don't know! I don't know anythiiing!!!"

@Chewy Rabbits​

 

[Chewy Rabbits]

And at the center of the room rested the heads of Setsuna, Raziel, Lilith, and Sorami.

Yet there was no sign of her.

"Wh-what...? Setsu...na...?"

Even Samael couldn't laugh it off. Her voice seemed to tremble as the corners of her eyes grew wet, but she soon wiped them away with her sleeve. With a swing of her hand, she summoned her scythe to her hand and grabbed the girl on Winslow's back by her bangs, tugging on them and forcing her to look at her, a crazed look in the angel's eyes.

"Who the hell is she, huh?! Where is she?! Where?!"

"A-ah!! I don't know! I don't know anythiiing!!!"

The screech erupted from Winslow and sailed forward, smashing into and through the nearest classroom wall. Leaning on a desk to support himself after the attack had drained him, Winslow quickly stumbled back as he noticed the blood oozing onto his hand. Who could have done something so depraved and to people who still seemed to be in the prime of their life! Cut down before they even had a chance!

How revolting it was! Letting the girl down from his back, Winslow turned to face her. Samael's rough treatment while understandable was unlikely to get them anywhere.

Both parties were stressed out beyond belief and adding more on top of it would only make things worse. Kneeling down and tightly gripping the girl's shoulder, Winslow gave her a good slap. It may have stung for a bit but he needed her to focus and not frightened like a deer caught in the headlights.

"You need to keep calm! Tell us what happened to our friends! Who did this to them! Tell us now!"

@Kaykay​

 

[Kaykay]

"Eheehee. Just kidding."

The swift movement of steel caused a crimson liquid to splatter over Winslow's mask. The head of the young girl flew through the air, her body going limp while the phantom gripped her shoulders. The warmth quickly left her body, leaving nothing but a cold corpse in Winslow's grasp.

Samael rested her blood-soaked scythe on her shoulders, giving Winslow a sly wink with a contented expression on her face.

"I already told you, right? I'm the angel of death...and deception. I left her alive to show you my masterpiece! Don't you appreciate it, my friend?"

The angel raised her scythe, resting the blade against Winslow's neck, ready to reap the soul of the man whom she'd saved from his personal hell on earth. She snapped with her other hand, and the bodies in the room stood up in unison, the headless student body turning to face Winslow.

"Welcome to my menagerie of souls! Wouldn't you join me for eternity, Winslow~?"

A body of 20 headless students slowly marched forward, ready to maim and tear apart their newest student!

@Chewy Rabbits​

 

[Chewy Rabbits]

The angel raised her scythe, resting the blade against Winslow's neck, ready to reap the soul of the man whom she'd saved from his personal hell on earth. She snapped with her other hand, and the bodies in the room stood up in unison, the headless student body turning to face Winslow.

"Welcome to my menagerie of souls! Wouldn't you join me for eternity, Winslow~?"

A body of 20 headless students slowly marched forward, ready to maim and tear apart their newest student!

Blood splattered onto Winslow's mask and he immediately dropped the body to the floor out of reflex. Wha-What had happened?! Was she the one who had done this and simply sought to deceive Winslow with her crocodile tears? Or had the enemy been where he least suspected it? Slowly turning to look towards Samael, Winslow instinctively leaned back as the scythe's blade was pointed to his neck. Beads of sweat began to run down his neck as he pulled his helmet off and let it drop to the ground with a resounding clang.

"Samael...Samael no..."

He could remember it so vividly. How she had helped him back in that underwater city that may as well have been Hell itself. With creatures as disfigured as Winslow roaming around, hulking mechanical monstrosities, they all made a shiver run down Winslow's spine and she'd even helped him when she had no reason to! She had let him hear his own voice again! Something he couldn't have not even in Hell!

But the one thing that stood out to him the most..
​

A dark green, nasty, viscous liquid coated the blade of Samael's scythe. It was the venom that represented her, her most powerful attack that slayed mortals and immortals, humans and angels. All were the same before her potent venom.

And with her immortal slaying blade she reaped the life of the satanic record producer, Swan.​

She had done that all for him, her friend. Yet she'd gone and decapitated her friends including Lilith who had been so kind to Winslow. She'd given him the push he needed to reach deep within himself and find his magic. Now she was dead and gone and there had been nothing Winslow could have done about it. As the bodies began to rise, Winslow clenched his hand into a fist and grit his metal teeth together.


"Enough."

Speak softly and carry a big stick was quite the saying. To speak rationally while using overwhelming force got many a convincing fighter through potential fights. But in Winslow's case, he might have spoken quietly but the magic made sure his words carried quite an impact. The soundwave blasted Samael back and freed Winslow from having to worry about the blade. He knew full well it's effects on him. If it cut him then his curse may as well have been pointless.

But even so, he wouldn't be afraid! He wouldn't go quietly into the night! If she wanted to throw away their friendship, if it had never even meant anything to her then so be it! Gripping onto a desk, Winslow raised it above his head and screeched as he tossed it to the ground. Wood shattered as Winslow propped a boot onto the underside of the desk and with a mighty tug ripped a leg free. It wasn't the best weapon but it was the only thing he could think of. His hunting knife was too small to be of much use here. Gripping the leg with both hands, Winslow swung wildly at any zombies who strayed too close to him, seeking to go for blows to the body to knock them to the ground.

"You won't have me! YOU WON'T HAVE THE PHANTOM!"

@Kaykay


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[Kaykay]

The bodies were no match for the phantom, easily being beaten back and blown away by his enhanced strength. And as he fought them, the soundwave struck Samael, crushing her ribs and sending the scythe flying from her arms. She collapsed in a heap, her hair disheveled as she crashed against the white board at the back of the room. Blood flowed from her nose and ran out her ears, making it look like she'd been crushed by a machine. Her body shook and quivered, the last twitches of a dying animal. Her spine had to be broken as well.

"Ahaha, humans can be so cruel, can't they? Just one mistake, and they're more than willing to turn on even their best friends. Are you proud of yourself for crushing a little girl like that?"

A voice rang out as a powerful hand grasped Winslow by the back of the neck, lifting him into the air. The voice felt familiar yet strange, like hearing the voice of a cousin you haven't heard in a few years. But time wasn't the reasoning behind the fact. It was a recent voice, but the way of speaking was just so different it was as if it came from a different person.

"Ahh, it's so sad. My head flew off before your very eyes, and the only thing you thought of was how your dear friend had turned on you. The stranger in front of you ceased to matter completely, even though her completely innocent life was taken away! Your kind is so sinful, so degenerate, so vile, so evil!"

The girl flung him across the room with monstrous strength, sending him crashing into the wall next to the twitching body of Samael. Her callous laugh filled the room, her eyes the look of one in absolute hysteria.

"You practically deserve to die forever! Why don't you do one good thing in your life, and perish eternally for me here! You were useless to Phoenix, useless to Lilith, and useless to Samael! Nothing but a cowardly hindrance who'll flip sides at the drop of a hat! Come, join my eternal paradise of death!"

The girl's arms were open wide, taunting Winslow to attack in a completely defenseless stance from across the room.

@Chewy Rabbits
​

 

[Chewy Rabbits]

The girl flung him across the room with monstrous strength, sending him crashing into the wall next to the twitching body of Samael. Her callous laugh filled the room, her eyes the look of one in absolute hysteria.

"You practically deserve to die forever! Why don't you do one good thing in your life, and perish eternally for me here! You were useless to Phoenix, useless to Lilith, and useless to Samael! Nothing but a cowardly hindrance who'll flip sides at the drop of a hat! Come, join my eternal paradise of death!"

The girl's arms were open wide, taunting Winslow to attack in a completely defenseless stance from across the room.

The attack had done quite a bit more damage than Winslow had been expecting. Too much damage as a matter of fact. Why Samael looked absolutely devastated! He knew full well that he wouldn't stand a chance against her in close hand to hand combat. So the best option was to take her out of the running entirely but then the zombies went down just as easily. Slipping his helmet back on, Winslow was about to make his way over to Samael when he was yanked off his feet. Unsure of what was happening, Winslow's body froze up as he heard the voice.

The voice sounded so hysterical now, like a dog who'd gotten itself a nasty case of rabies and was running wild. Only this time it wasn't out of fear. No, this time it was sheer and utter and madness! How could he have been so blind? Samael had suspected the girl right from the start. As he was hurled up against the wall, Winslow groaned as he slid down onto his rear. His curse may have prevented him from going under due to pain. But that didn't stop him from at least feeling the blunt impact. Glancing over to Samael, Winslow had no idea what was likely to happen if he were to take her scythe.

He knew that with strength like his girl possessed, she'd rip him apart if he tried rushing her as he was. But then her words rang out to him as he contemplated his options.

Phoenix...

The woman who would have been the one to sing his composition, his beloved Faust. She had fallen for Winslow Leach herself. But she believed him to be a madman who had died fleeing from the police after he escaped from Sing Sing Prison. It wasn't until Winslow confronted her as The Phantom that she was forced to confront the possibility that Winslow Leach had indeed survived the encounter!

The fact that he'd never hear her beautiful voice ever again. The fact that she refused to believe he was Winslow and not some crazed lunatic. It all came together to make Winslow sick to his stomach just thinking about it. The woman he had loved thought he was a monster, just a sicko trying to cash in on Winslow Leach's name to torture her. When he was but the man she'd fallen for! Rising to his feet, Winslow bared his teeth at the girl.

"You! You don't know a damn thing about Phoenix, Samael, or me! I'm nobody's hindrance! I'm Winslow Leach, The Phantom of the Paradise!"

Reaching over to grab Samael's scythe for himself, Winslow charged towards the girl. He wouldn't let her get away with this! The open invitation to attack was likely just a ruse, one meant to lure him into a false sense of security. But he wouldn't falter in his resolve. Not when his honor to stand up for himself in the face of a great threat was at risk! Whether he lost it all or gained everything didn't matter, this woman was going to pay!

@Kaykay​

 

[Kaykay]

The girl raised her palm out towards Winslow, fingers spread apart, and Samael's scythe vanished into the ether. But as he rushed, soon he'd find that he was simply running straight towards a wall. The amber eyed girl was now near the body of Samael, back by the white board. She reached down and gripped the unconscious angel by the neck, raising her into the air.

"Nope, to the contrary, actually. Whether I want to or not, I know everything about you, Phoenix, Samael. I can see it, I can see your past, your present, your future. So I even know what'll happen if I do this!"

With a disgusting squelching sound, the girl's grip tightened to the extreme, crushing Samael's neck like a soda can. She violently swung the corpse to the side, the body and head flying in separate directions as blood covered the girl's smirk.

"I am Gethel! And you're not going to make it past the first floor sane, human! You've been nothing but a hindrance this whole time! In the underwater city, locked up in that room all on your own, being sent straight to hell! Ahh, your life really is a broken mess, isn't it? Find reprieve, in true, permanent death!"

Gethel closed the gap between her and Winslow, thrusting her palm out towards Winslow's currently unhelmeted nose!

@Chewy Rabbits

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[Chewy Rabbits]

"I am Gethel! And you're not going to make it past the first floor sane, human! You've been nothing but a hindrance this whole time! In the underwater city, locked up in that room all on your own, being sent straight to hell! Ahh, your life really is a broken mess, isn't it? Find reprieve, in true, permanent death!"

Gethel closed the gap between her and Winslow, thrusting her palm out towards Winslow's currently unhelmeted nose!

Winslow slipped and crashed right into the wall. It seemed Samael's scythe simply disappearing had taken him for quite the loop. How would he be able to fight this woman without any kind of weapon that could seriously hurt her? His hunting knife may as well have been a children's play thing for all the good it'd do him here! But as he pushed himself up and readjusted his mask, he turned and his eye went wide as he saw Samael's body go one way and her head go another. He had seen her heal from a wound to the chest but how did you heal from that? What could you even do to heal from that?!

It didn't seem like Gethel was going to afford Winslow much time to think as her palm smashed right into his nose. Fracturing it and sending Winslow flying back against the wall. As he slid down with a trail of blood oozing down from his nostrils, Winslow couldn't help but try to stand back up. He knew full well that he was by no means a fighter. He had no formal training, none of that. He picked up a knife and went to work and it seemed to work well enough in conjunction with his curse.

But against someone like this? His curse was the only thing preventing him from dying yet again! He could take all of the blows thrown his way but if he struggled to throw his own then was he any better than a glorified punching bag? Smashing his fist into the ground, Winslow opened his mouth and glared at Gethel. Where did this madwoman get off judging him? What gave her the right to decide his worth!?

"You speak about how you know everything about me! Past, present, and future! But does your foresight tell you of my inevitable victory? You can beat me down, stab me, shoot me. But I'll never perish and I'll never become a burden to my friends! I'll show you why...Right..."

"NOW!"

The soundwave tore through the floorboards and sent everything in it's path flying through the air. Though whether it would be enough to take down Gethel remained to be seen. Shooting out a second soundwave so soon after the first one was a drain on poor Winslow's throat and would likely have had him coughing up blood after it was over. But he'd endure it for as long as possible. He couldn't accept the fact that he wasn't as strong as Samael nor as quick as her! He had something that made him useful!

@Kaykay

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[Kaykay]

As the soundwave crashed into her, Gethel hardly even seemed to take notice. Aside from her hair flying wildly about and the tatters of her clothing that flew into the air, it might as well have just been a cool breeze. Her condescending smirk didn't go anywhere, the girl taking steps towards the phantom as if she were just taking a walk in the park.

"You thought weak magic like that could hurt me? I may not be a high ranking angel, but you couldn't hurt a child with that! Just hurry up and perish, you damn human!"

As she shouted, Winslow's vision would seem to blur for a moment. Once it came back to normal, however, there would seem to be 5 different Gethels in the room. Two in front of him, one on each side, and one in the back.

"That shout of yours? That's just a damn party trick! This is magic!"

The Gethels jumped in towards him, striking him in turns as they barraged him from all sides. Strangely, though, it seemed like there weren't quite enough hits for the fact 5 of her were wailing on him. But that didn't change the fact her inhuman strikes were rending his flesh, smashing his bones. He'd have to think of something quick if he didn't want a premature second death!

@Chewy Rabbits​

 

[Chewy Rabbits]

"That shout of yours? That's just a damn party trick! This is magic!"

The Gethels jumped in towards him, striking him in turns as they barraged him from all sides. Strangely, though, it seemed like there weren't quite enough hits for the fact 5 of her were wailing on him. But that didn't change the fact her inhuman strikes were rending his flesh, smashing his bones. He'd have to think of something quick if he didn't want a premature second death!

The blows rained down upon Winslow like an absolute storm. He could feel bones shattering, he could feel blood squirting out of his mouth. He was knocked to the floor and he wondered if he should have even bothered getting up. If his wail hadn't done the trick, what else was there left to do? He still had his knife but now that there were five of them, what good would that do him? Not to mention that she'd likely endure him stabbing her as if it had been nothing.

Maybe if he just closed his eye then he could rest. Think over a plan while he slumbered. But as his good eye started to slip closed, he heard a voice calling out to him.

"EHHHHH! Don't think you're going to keel over that easily, Winslow! I've seen you handle worse! I even used you as a shield that one time! I know you can take more than this chick whaling on you! Now get up, get up and show her your power!"

That voice, it couldn't have been her...She was dead after all. But there she was, standing before him with a smile on her face. No sign of ware and tear anywhere on her person.

"Samael, I...But I...Saw you perish.."

"Well, yeah you saw that happen because it did happen! This is all an hallucination fueled by your brain going a bit screwy due to getting beat around the head! Not that you weren't a birdbrain already but you get where I'm going with this? Ever since we became friends, I knew you had potential in you Winslow. You could have hit it off big if it hadn't been for that one guy. The short fat ugly man who you had me kill, that guy! We might not have even met! But you know what you did do, right Winslow?"

"I...I.."

"Sold your soul for rock'n roll! Harness that! Use it for what it's worth and reach the true end! Also, wake up already! Enough sleeping on the job, lazy!" With that the hallucination faded and Winslow's eye opened as he noticed a puddle of blood near his face. No doubt a result of the merciless beating given to him by Gethel. But he had a new motivation to keep going. Something to push him forward! Pushing himself to his feet, Winslow let out a screech to gather the Gethel's attention.

"AAAAAAAGGGGHHH!!"

Provided he got the reaction he was looking for, Winslow smirked and wiped some blood off his mouth. "You thought you could squash Winslow Leach so easily? You cannot kill that which is already dead! But I will admit one thing. Your beating opened my eyes. It's just as it's said in the bible which I'm sure you're intimately acquainted with. The verse that goes something like this..." Winslow held his right hand up towards the sky and an angelic light could have been seen manifesting in the palm of his hand.

"...I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

Gripping onto the light, Winslow seemed to pull on it as it stretched outward and took a solid shape. Which fittingly enough appeared to be an angelic guitar. Suitable enough for a musician of Winslow's talents though he was far more partial to a piano. Pointing the guitar towards Gethel, Winslow grinned madly.

"This is only the beginning for me but it is the End for you!"

@Kaykay​