"...I do know." Gabriel responded.

"Well... it's... it's an agreement." he told her.

"Those born with the curse are often cursed to lead lonely lives." he went on. "After I honestly fell for... well... I honestly fell for one with the curse, I realised the difference I made in their life." he went on.

"Even if it's not love, I asked Anastasia to make it so that I would always be drawn to those with the curse." he said further.

"I am God's love. And they need love more than anything else in this world." he went on.

"If I can help them, I'll do it in any way I can."

Gabriel's eyes lit up when she said that, and he licked his lips slightly.

"Heh." he chuckled.

"You did." he said.

"Let us partake." he then suggested, as they made their way to her kitchen.

---

Nate was sorting through some papers, when he heard footsteps approach him. He figured it was Ashleigh, and smiled.

"Ah, Ashleigh." he said.

"How did it-" he started to ask, turning around, and seeing someone before him that was NOT Ashleigh.

And her life aura was so grandiose and intimidating, that he seemed to paralyse him on the spot.

"...ah... ah... y-yeah." Nate managed to answer.

"Much better." he said.

"And... wow. Those wings really suit you." he then complimented her, before shaking his head.

"A-anyway." he then said further.

"Is... is there something I can help you with?" he asked her.

"For what reason has one such as yourself approached me?"

Nate was silent again for a moment, processing what she had told him. It was quick, though. It only took him about 3 seconds to get what she said, and the delay was only because he was still in awe of who/what was before him.

"O-oh!" he replied.

"Well, thank you, then." he told her.

"I... oh, what was his name... Chris! Yes, even with all the word we'd done on him, his survival was still not guaranteed." he said. "His body shows a history of abuse and injury, but his heart was... I have no idea what had happened to him, but we barely got to him in time before it just gave out." he went on.

"And Ayla is free of the dark elf as well? That's good to hear." he then said further.

"Also... someone else...?" he asked her, but then snapped his fingers.

"Ah! Ashleigh." he realised.

"Guess that means she's finished with Erica and Olivia." he then commented. "...wonder how they went...?" he mumbled at the end.

Nate took in all she was saying, and nodded at the end.

"Ah... all right then." he said. "Well... as long as Erica and Olivia are all right now." he said further.

"As for the two elves, they'll need to be questioned and such, once they've improved a little more." he went on.

"...but thank you." he then said to her.

"To both you AND your brother, whomever he is, or wherever he is if he's not still here." he continued.

"For all you've done, but specifically for your help with Erica and Olivia."

Nate nodded again, before pausing.

"Wait, what?" he asked. "Ebony went off with your brother?" he then asked. "Why?" he asked her further.

Sariel didn't say anything, just smiled and at him, waved, and headed off, leaving Nate absolutely befuddled.

Ebony had mentioned that her past had come back recently... was that related? What was going on? This was confusing him, to massively understate it.

"...looks like I have questions for Ebony when I see her next." he muttered to himself.

--

His world of blackness was slowly filled with light, as his blurry vision suddenly cleared a little, and he was staring at a white ceiling.

"...ngh. Huh?" he mumbled.

"What...? Where...?" he muttered, trying to ignore the headache he had.

"...." he was silent for a moment, before seeing that he wasn't physically restrained. He guessed it was because the woman was there, and odds are she promised to deal with him if he got out of hand.

He then sighed, and slowly rose to a sitting position.

"Right." he said.

"Before anything else. Before you say anything more, I have a question. Well, several, but I'll ask the big one first." he told her.

"Sure." the woman responded.

"...is Ayla okay?" he asked her.

Chris was silent, before looking away.

"Damn her." he cursed quietly. "Damn her to hell." he said, venom in his tone.

"...wait, what about... uh... the little girl? The teen?" he then asked. "Is SHE okay?' he asked her.

"And what about the one with the cursed arm?" he asked further.

"Are they both okay?' he inquired.

"Did I get them out in time?"

Chris just shook his head.

"I didn't." he said.

"I managed to get them out of the complex, but I could only get to the teleport pad on that island." he told her. "The one with the curse... Erica, I think?... is the one that got us HERE." he revealed.

"But still. All that matters is that they're all right." he went on. "Well... for the most part, in Ayla's case." he then added.

"...anyway, back to the 'up to me' thing." he sighed.

"Might as well tell me what you're talking about."

"..." Chris just looked at her in silence for another moment, before sighing again.

"I really want to say it doesn't matter." he said. "I just want to say that... it's just me. Who the hell cares." he went on.

"...but I don't want to be a puppet." he mumbled.

"I... I want to... actually interact with Ayla again." he admitted.

"But... well, do whatever you want with me." he then told her.

"Admittedly, whatever you can or would do to me would be justified." he lamented.

"But I don't want to go back to how I was with HER." he growled.