[sylvanSpider]

Hell

Axle's grin grew slow and menacing, close-lipped. “Terrifying?” he asked, pulling the lower lid of his eyelid down to reveal yet more black hidden underneath, “You wanna know why I filled them in?” He paused as if waiting for a response, but answered before the new demon even had a chance to respond, “I did it to terrify people. If I had this reaction on you, a fellow demon, imagine the terror an angel that is actively being hunted by me feels. You should try the terror route sometime. It's a lot of fun.” He leaned on the bar, resting both forearms in front of him, waggling his eyebrows, “I know a thing or two. But thirty-five years is nothing compared to a lot of these blockheads. Props for finding help. You'd be amazed how often new recruits die on the Border. Most of them, actually. Won't happen to you if I have anything to say about it.”

Maybe we should ask, Olivia signed, watching as he turned to face the bar. Her eyes went to his hands that were still signing. When Xander turned his head to see her, he'd find her smile wide, nodding her head in agreement with what he was saying.

Axle perked up, black eyes no longer focused solely on Nancy. “Actually, we were just talking about finding a group. With you two, we'll have four and that's the best number, I think. Small enough that we can move silently, but enough of us that we can overwhelm. Especially because at least one of us can be considered an infiltrator. How long you been dead, Red?”

Heaven

~~~Earlier~~~

Katarina smiled and stretched her arms out wide, sunlight reflecting off of shining golden hair and bright green eyes, “Welcome to the center of self-discovery, the training arena!” Sage's eyes traveled up the building. Massive marble Greek style columns lined the outside of the rounded building. It almost hurt to look at. Red double doors squat in the middle, stark crimson against white. “You will find out what it is to die here, but you also find out what it is to live, to survive. Within these walls, no angel can be hurt. Lost limbs regenerate, spilled blood is replenished, broken minds are mended – so long as the wounds received happen within these walls. Countless people have tried to bring corpses back from the Border in vain hopes.”

Sage gasped as she lead the way through the double doors, down the dimmed hallway that eventually opened up into a giant stadium, a stadium that theoretically could seat thousands. The seats, however, were mostly empty save for a few angels attempting to nurse their wounds, waiting to regenerate to get back into the fray. Cries of pain and victory were dulled only by closer cries of pain and victory. Few stood by in groups in animated discussion as to how to go about certain battle plans. A larger group had split into two and were now lining up, getting ready to lay waste to those on the other team. Katarina smiled, “This place can make you, if you let it.”

Sage nodded eagerly, gulping, wondering how to take it all in. Blood was actually spilled, and that that hit the ground seemed to get absorbed by the dirt right away, leaving only stains on the surface. “Now, you were given a set of daggers, yes? Do you want to try your metal with only those, or would you like to pick out another weapon to give a spin?”

“I'll, I'll try my daggers first,” Sage breathed, drawing them out of their sheathe.

“Excellent. Those will be your most effective mode of killing,” Katarina answered, nodding, “I also will not choose a weapon. Now, you sacrificed your sense of taste, yes? Those that sacrifice that are generally given some sort of consumption ability, am I correct?”

Sage nodded, “That's what the book said anyway. Power absorption and super speed. Is that uh...good?”

Katarina's jaw dropped and she nodded, “Taste must have been precious to you...Power absorption is an excellent tool...provided you learn about the different types of abilities and how to wield them. Here, those with consumptive abilities may also eat angel flesh to achieve the same effects. My abilities are ice and water. Now then, introductions done, figure out how to beat me.”

She gave him no time before an icicle formed in her hand and she lunged it at his head. Sage, not expecting it, wound up with an icicle in right between the eyes and he collapsed, face forward. When he struggled back to his feet, blood traveled down his face soaking his shirt and he shook his head trying to gain his bearings, “Alright. Alright. I see how it is...” He took off after her, only to dive head first into a wall of ice. Again, he collapsed.

“Always be aware of your adversary's abilities. Always.”

~~Present~~

Sage stood up, a wide grin stretched across his face when he saw Avani and Luka come through the doors. The ice that was formed in Katarina's hands disappeared and she ran over to them, “Damn right we did! We didn't want to wait while you read an entire book. Sage here has already died twice.” She held up two fingers for emphasis. Sage scratched the back of his head.

“Can't deny it. She got me good, but I'm learning. Dying...dying fucking hurts. Even with the regeneration, I had a headache for a solid five minutes after I actually healed,” Sage said, pursing his lips. “I'll get there. And soon, I'll know what angel flesh tastes like, and I'll know what it's like to use your abilities.”

“That's right. And if I heard correctly, it only tastes almost as good as demon flesh.”

“How will I know what abilities I received?”

“That...I do not know. It might be a feeling, you may have to scout ahead to learn...”