Gabriel smiled at Nyx’s slight excitement. “Yes, I do like seeing the creative input you put out there, sir. It is quite interesting.” He yanked the mirror out of Nyx’s hands, trying to see the right half of his face. “What do you mean black cracks?! Cracks or veins. Veins are normal but black cracks are certainly not!” He dropped the mirror, the glass inside shattering all over the floor. The broken pieces showed distorted parts of his face. “I’ve been consuming demon blood for— like 90 years now and have had no issue.” He huffed. “I assure you I am still somewhat human. At least I’m supposed to.” He paused, staring at Nyx. “What the hell have you done to me?” Gabriel hissed.
"Thank you! Someone appreciates my work." Nyx exclaims before pausing. "Well, besides Goldergon. Haven't seen him in a bit. After all this I might go find him"
He snickers, shrugging lazily. "Who knows? Maybe it's the curse, maybe my blood is a bit too rich for you, maybe it's both. But as for you being human. . . I doubt that."
Gabriel nodded in welcome. He didn’t envision his future self complimenting a demon on his— work of mutilating a human body. But watch Nyx do his thing was.. interesting. “Goldergon?” He echos the name. His confusion only got worse as the day went on. Taking a deep breath, he tried to think rationally. “Your blood couldn’t be too powerful to mutilate my human form. I’ve drank some nasty stuff and even I’ve remained the same.” He bit the inside of his cheek. “But the curse.. might to it.” He shuffled over to his desk, snatching up an important paper before shoving it in his coat pocket. “Humans put me in a category of human. I am a witch—“ He faltered. “A warlock. We warlocks cannot age after a certain point. It’s just like the witches except— we’re warlocks because we drink the blood of a demon to acquire dark magic. But my family is a warlock family. They sold my soul when I was 4.” He scoffed. Recalling his past wasn’t his favorite activity. “But now I don’t think I can’t call myself human anymore. I feel— oddly demon like..”
"Oh, just an old friend. He's a strange figure." Nyx says dismissively.
"Oh? I think it might be." he says slyly. "But the curse would be most of it."
"Warlock, huh? So descended from demons. Lilith, to be precise." he thinks, saying his thoughts out loud.
(Is that a Shadowhunters reference? Because I feel like that's a Shadowhunters reference)
Gabriel sighed. How much of his DNA was truly changing? How much of it was tainted? What was the percent? He was tainted since he was a child. Cruel and unkind to the world's creatures. It was in his family, a long line of people tainted by demons. "It seems that you know a lot of strange figures. You're a strange figure yourself." He grabbed a small, thin grimoire off his bookshelf. It was a condensed version compared to the one he had on his desk. He placed it on the inside of his jacket. It made you wonder how much space this man had. "That little curse of yours is what is causing me to look like a porcelain doll. I know what demonic curses can do. Your blood is not the problem." Gabriel scurried around his a study. "I guess you could put it like that… but that point is… I am fucking screwed." He walked back over to Nyx. "Let's go."
(It is! Dear lord, finally, I find someone who knows Shadowhunters.)
"I do indeed. And yes, I am." Nyx replies shortly.
"Oh, dear. . . let me explain it then. My blood, is, in itself, a demonic curse. It's also a blessing. In return for your life, you get power greater than what you had before. It's a sort of. . . contract." he sighs, waving a lazy hand through the air as he explains.
"You already were, sir. But yeah, let's go." Nyx says, walking towards the door of the study. Towards the door to the rest of London.
(Hell yeah! I've literally never found someone who knew the book series either, lol. But after typing that, I thought about how coincidentally it sounds like Gabriel has a yin fen addiction, just without silver hair and eyes)
Gabriel decided he had too much in his coat and opted to grab a satchel. He picked up the leather one sitting by his desk. Unlatching it, he placed the grimoire inside, along with the objects he's collected. Swishing his hand, the knife he'd dropped on the bedroom floor appeared. He placed it inside along with a few more objects. "Yes, of course you do." He muttered, listening to Nyx's new explanation. Gabriel sighed heavily, glaring at the demon. "That would have been nice to know earlier before I indulged." He slung the satchel over his shoulder. "But all the demons I work with are two-faced. They don't tell you details before you make the deal. That's how they get you. But I wouldn't expect any less." He followed Nyx out of the door, climbing down the creaky stairs of his house. The front door had strange markings on it. Gabriel had forgotten about the symbols on his door and flushed in embarrassment. "Yeah… I knew that. The place is across the street, so we can walk." Ignoring the symbols he'd drawn in one of his… fits, he opened the door roughly, letting Nyx out. He hissed when the sun hit his pale face. Looking down the street, he ran across quickly. Viola would, undoubtedly, try to kill him. The normals— those who swore demon to be slain— never like him. Definitely not a warlock like him. They never liked anyone in audience with those of hell. It scared the sane.
(Lol, thank you! You are amazing!!!!!! I swear, if you want someone to rant to about Shadowhunter shit, I'm always open!)
"Well, considering, I'm the only convenient source of demon's blood, you had no other choice. And I'm not two-faced so much as multi-headed." Nyx replies.
He smirks and turns a cartwheel down the stairs and onto the sidewalk, then walks across the street.
He turns back to Gabriel, winks, then disappears.
(Where were you when I needed to expel my Will Herondale baggage? Lol. I swear, the Herondales have some everlasting trauma)
Gabriel rolled his eyes. Sometimes he wished he hadn't picked up such an eccentric demon. Is this where his bloodline originated from? Blood from something like this? Yikes. The sun beat down on Gabriel. It burned his pale skin as he reached the front door that belonged to the Sinclairs. Trying to open it normally wasn't going to work. It was way too early to have unlocked doors. Instead, Gabriel kicked it in, alerting the Sinclairs. Stepping into the house, he could hear the echoing creaks of the old house. Someone was coming down the stairs. A woman emerged from the shadows, wearing silk pajamas. Gabriel smiled. "Hello Viola, remember me?" She held a silver knife, her eyes wide with terror. Looking Gabriel up and down, a squeak came from her throat. "What have you done to yourself? It’s like I can see him in your face! You Youngbloods are destructive with your bodies. You have tainted yourself." Gabriel's jaw tightened and slowly advanced towards Viola. His boots made low, methodical noises. He stepped onto the bottom stair, gaining on her as she backed up. "I was tainted since I was born, Viola. You know what my parents taught me. Gave to me. Sold." He hissed. "Now you must pay for MURDERING MY FRIEND!" His voice lifted. "WITH YOUR BLOOD!" Viola whimpered, throwing the knife in her hand at him. Gabriel dodged, narrowing his eyes. "A blessed knife… Where did you get that? Are you acquainted with the hunters? Or praying to the angels before you dream?" Advancing on her, she started to stammer useless words. Gabriel called forth for his partner in crime. Nyx. While waiting for the demon, he curled his fingers and started to choke Viola using his power. She clawed at her throat as a cruel gleam fired in his eyes. Viola’s husband stood at the top of the stairs, snarling at Gabriel. Oh, so now her husband finally comes to help. Rolling his eyes, he used his other hand to shove him to the side, banging the man’s head on the sharp corner of the banister.
(Sorry, sorry! Got a bit distracted lol)
(Yeah XD Heronadales are the best, though-)
Nyx pokes his head around the corner, glaring.
"Enough of that, Gabriel. It's my job to kill them, not yours. I'll start with the girl and the husband can watch." he huffs.
He strides down the stairs and lifts Viola easily.
She starts muttering something and Nyx jabs her viciously in the stomach, knocking every bit of wind out of her and leaving her slumped and nearly unconscious.
He scoops up the man as well, then brings them both to the master bedroom.
He binds them both up, then fetches the children, tying them tightly and gagging them.
(It's alright. No worries)
(Though what? Spit it out! Are you a duck? Huh?)
Gabriel strengthened the hold he had on Viola's neck, making her grasp for breath. His hand was almost a first. And then there he was. Nyx was going to ruin his preemptive fun. Hearing the snake like voice slither across sound waves and pierce his ear. "But I'm having fun!" He eased up, letting Viola breathe. "I originally made the plans. I was originally going to kill them. I just hired you." He hissed. "It still is my job. You don't tell me what to do. You're merely my servant." He let go, and Viola gasped for air. She turned her head around and stared at Nyx. Her eyes flicked back to Gabriel. "Is Lucifer giving you more of his lackeys? You—" She was cut short, kicking as Nyx picked her up. But soon, she was out. Gabriel followed Nyx up the stairs, quiet as they entered the master bedroom. He stood around as Nyx did his thing. Nothing like ending a bloodline. He did feel any remorse. Not even for kids. No. She was one of the reasons his own children were killed. "What's the next part of your plan, sir?"
(No! I got attacked by a duck!)
Nyx glares.
"Don't forget your place, child." he snarls.
He turns to Viola. "I think you'll find, when you go to Hell, that the only Lord you'll have is me."
He smirks at Gabriel. "Brutality is such a reckless thing on its own. You need artistry to go with it."
He kneels in front of Viola. "You and your husband will die. Painfully. He will watch as I cut you apart, and you will do the same for him. Because that's love, isn't it? Sticking through everything with the one you chose?"
He smirks, pulling out a small nail file.
"Now, be a good girl and scream nice and loud for the children. We wouldn't want them to get bored, now would we?" he says, clicking his fingers. Viola's clothes disappear, leaving her in just her underthings. He carefully examines her, then moves down to her legs. With a sudden, sure movement, he slides the file up underneath the nail of her big toe and pulls up, tearing it off slowly. He does the same for each of her other toenails.
With each nail comes a scream. And a well of blood.
He smiles.
(:0 How unfortunate. Ducks are evil. Welcome to the Herondale lineage. It’s scary)
Gabriel glared at Nyx, standing a little ways from him. "I am not a child… and I am certainly not your child. I am a grown adult whom can do what he pleases." He watched as Viola was gagged and tied. She was a pitiful girl. Couldn't even fight back against a demon. I can see him in your face. Father. He didn't get along with his father well, but had fallen down his same path. At least that's what he thought she meant. Had she meant otherwise? He wasn't a demon after all, nor did he have demonic ancestors… At least he didn't think. "I don't have artistry." Gabriel broke himself out of his own thoughts. “I just know how to hurt and break. It is a specialty of mine." He huffed, getting closer to Viola. He wanted to punch her in the mouth. Gabriel didn't really listen to Nyx's monologue about screaming, the kids, or death. Instead, his attention was brought back to her screams. Glancing over at Nyx, a shiver ran down his spine as he watched each nail get ripped off. He could feel the pain in his feet. So, to release the tension, he punched Viola in the face. Her nose started to bleed, the bone broken by his hand. Mere seconds later, she was screaming in severe pain.
(Indeed, they are! Blighted little buggers. . .)
"Compared to me, this entire world is a child. I am far, far older than you think," Nyx huffs.
"I know," he smirks.
He glances over. "You want to take over, sir?"
Gabriel panted, looking at his bleeding knuckles. Well shit. Bleeding wasn’t in today’s plan. “Compared to you, you make every killer look like sane people with great reason.” He growled, gritting his teeth. “But I am still not a child despite you being, like, a million years old or some shit.” He was getting fed up. He wanted to put up a fight. He wanted to fight the demon, not the humans. “You know very little of me, bitch.” Gabriel turned to Viola and struck her in the face again, and again, and again until half the blood was his. “I want to kill something.” His growl got lower, coming from deep in his throat. He crept closer to Nyx like a predatory animal, one careful step at a time. Something was wrong, definitely off. Either had lost his mind or another force was making him act like this. No one would know, but some people were just puppets on strings. Gabriel stood behind the demon, a knife in hand with his dark, purplish blood dripping down the hilt. Unfortunately, he didn’t stand against a demon and would probably be unconscious in a few seconds— if not less.
Nyx waves off Gabriel's statement with a lazy hand.
"I have very good reason to annihilate each and every single world and universe I come across," he replies. "And I am well over a millenia old. I have been around longer than your pitiful mind can hope to comprehend. I am a timeless being of infinite power. You are a cockroach attempting to fathom such things."
"Then kill," he says, a dark gleam in his eyes. "Kill until you run out of things to kill. Make the world run red with blood."
He knew that Gabriel would try to come after him first – he was betting on it.
Gabriel stood behind Nyx, a knife high in the air. He was out of his head, out of his mind. His arms shook at he fought himself. He didn’t want to bring the knife down. No. Tears started to run down his incompetent face, but what ever had it’s hold on him had regained control. His eyes were engulfed by a deep black, blood dripping from his tear ducts. Something was very wrong. He brought he knife down. Did he want to kill his master? But he was a demon lord and demon lords deserved death. But Nyx would also release him from this mortal plane eventually. His mind was made up. The knife nearly punctured into Nyx’s head before he regained control and threw it into Viola’s arm. Gabriel doubled over, heaving as blood continued to drip down his face. The warlock promptly threw up. It was full of blood and a purplish liquid. A demon parasite also came up as well.
Nyx whirls as the knife hurtles into Viola, grabbing Gabriel by the throat.
"Listen here, maggot. Even if you wanted to kill me, there's no chance you could. I have spent millenia building up my protections. I have lived through numerous heat deaths of stars and planes. I have gained scars and knowledge far beyond what even the most ancient demons know or have. I am Nyx, the night, the silent death, the plague of dreams and haunter of minds. I bow to nobody, certainly not a pissant like you. Remember that." he hisses in a demonic language that even Gabriel would understand.
He tosses Gabriel to the side viciously.
Gabriel grappled for a good breath. His throat stung from the liquid that came out of his throat. It didn’t help that Nyx picked him up a puppy from the scruff of his neck, blood dripping down his face. He struggled to breathe, helplessly flailing in Nyx’s hold. He couldn't do anything. No talking, no breathing, no pushing Nyx away. He had to listen to his merciless words. Nyx’s language sounded harsh. It was harsher than German. It's not like Gabriel wanted to kill him. Why would the knife go into Viola than Nyx? He gasped for air, looking Nyx in the eyes. Once thrown aside, Gabriel’s back harshly hit the wall. His head bounced off of it and the wind was knocked out of him. He took in one good breath of air. He’s seen this before, the room goes black. NO, NO, NO, NO! He cannot pass out now. NO, NO! Stop! Gabriel’s body went limp.
Nyx smirks as he turns back to Viola.
"Now, my dear, where were we? Ah, yes. . ." he murmurs, kneeling at the woman's feet again.
He starts peeling off layers of skin, like he was peeling an onion.
The woman screams more, as blood starts pooling around Nyx.
He smiles soothingly, cruelly, and shushes her.
Gabriel’s head throbbed, his throat stung, and his back hurt. He couldn’t tell what was going on, his eyes refusing to open. Had it been hours? Day? Unsure. There a sting on his right side, as if someone or something was trying to cut through his skin. It hurt. It hurt so bad. He couldn’t bare it! Gabriel groaned in pain as a new sting made itself noticeable under his left eye. His left eye was probably blinded. He wasn’t being fed anything, was he?
Nyx sighs as he hears Gabriel groan and stands up.
"Gabriel. . . would you like me to sew your mouth shut? Because I can." he growls.
Gabriel tried to look up the demon, but his left eye was forced shut from a black eye. He was basically blind. He grunted a noise and laid his head back down. Gabriel wanted to throw up again. He wanted to go home. And that’s what Gabriel was going to do. With the last of his energy, he imagined himself in his bed. His form shimmered and he teleported back into his bed. Gabriel then passed out again.
Nyx smirks a little and turns back to Viola.
"Now that the distraction is gone, we can have our fun in peace," he coos.
A few hours later
Nyx pops back into Gabriel's place, covered in blood and viscera.
He tosses photos at Gabriel's bed.
"Done."
Gabriel barley stirred. His left eye was swollen shut, rendering him blind for the time being. The skin around it was black and blue. It look disgusting. He wheezed with each breath as bruises populated on his ribs. He was a starting to hate Nyx. It’s not like it was his fault. He lifted his head up, not wanting to make conversation. He could only see a sliver of light. It wasn’t much. “Alright.” It’s the only thing he could say. He didn’t care to know whether or not the job got done or whether or not their were photos.
Nyx chuckles.
"You're in a sorry state. I'll leave you like that as a lesson."
(Gabriel has stopped learning)
Gabriel growled at Nyx, placing his head back on the pillow. His head pounded against its bony cage. He manifests an ice pack with his magic and places it on his swollen eye. Hopefully it would go down enough for him to see. “I don’t need to learn any lessons.” There were also bruises around his throat. “If I’m recovering from the damage you caused, you’re not going anywhere. You don’t have the addresses, names, or my vision.” Gabriel hissed. He wasn’t sure he would even be able to get out of bed. “I think you’re delusional.”
"You do, actually, since you seem to not understand the severity of what you've done." Nyx snorts.
"And you really think I couldn't just crack open your mind like a peanut and find out who I need to kill next?" he sighs.
"Yes. Yes I am."
(Heads up, I’m going to retract a few of my descriptive statements from earlier, and make him have memories loss up to a certain point)
Gabriel cocked his head to the side. All he knew was that he had a swollen shut eye, it hurt to breathe, and his neck throbbed. “You’re right. I have no idea what the fuck you’re rambling about. The severity of what actions? Maybe you should tell me, I’d like to know.” He shuffled in his bed, sitting up and placing the ice pack on his ribs. “I've done nothing.” He hissed. This demon was truly off his rockers. The fact Nyx spoke of some “intolerable act” he’d done. “Whatever. Do what you want. I will not be accused of an act I have not done. Leave that for the council of judgment.” Gabriel’s eyes filled with small tears from the burning of the ice pack. He took it away and tossed it on the floor. “At least you admit your mind is a scrambled mess.”
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