To Kill the Usurper or Succumb to Failure [tw]

He smiled softly at her plea, nodding as he tucked her closer. He watched her as she slowly seemed to drift off, but he wouldnt just stand there as she fell asleep in his arms. “I’m certain,” he told Alyssa with a serious expression before looking at Buffy in his safe embrace once again. Nova was offering her help but he thought that making Buffy walk wasnt a good idea at this point. He lifted her up in his arms despite how weak he was there was a determination that could only be stopped if he fell unconcious. before looking at the others, “I’ll be out in a minute,” he assured them, mostly because he wanted them to leave for just a second while he put Buffy in bed. He even stood and waited till they were out before placing the fenix on the bed. Running his hand down her cheek before gently placing it on her stomach he made a deep sigh. He placed the duvet over her before pulling off his shirt and laying it under the cover with her. He carefully grabbed a new one on the way out to the hallway.

Trent had thought about Nova’s words outside but it hadnt really changed his mind. “It’s for the best if I go,” he said, looking at his counterpart with serious eyes. They both knew what the pull would eventually do to them if they stuck around each other and as much as Trent longed to be with Nova, he hadnt felt like it was something she wanted too and from that he had more so just decided for the both of them that seperating was best. Even if she had hugged him when she had been as worried as she was or let him hold her hand - Those factors were not something to consider in his mind. Before more could be said, he had already made his leave.

Amos came out into the hallway with a small frown, “I want to help,” he said quite seriously as he looked at his mother. He knew she wouldnt want him to tag along in case Simeon would harm him, but he didnt feel like he could just stand idle by and do nothing. Baal looked at the young daemon with a small frown but he wasnt going to tell the boy whether he was allowed or not - He hadnt forgotten Alyssa’s words about Amos not needing a father.

Hearing her whisper made him sigh silently to himself. He watched her as she rolled onto her side, pulling the blanket up around her nicely. He wanted to return to her and their child as soon as he could, but rooting out Simeon wouldnt be an easy task. Out in the hallway, he stood by as Alyssa spoke to Amos.
Amos knew he was a revellious young man at times but he had always had his heart in the right place, especially when it came to protect those he cared for. Simeon would hurt his sister if he knew of her existence, so Amos couldnt just let himself stay back and do nothing to stop it. He looked at his mother and nodded at her terms. He wrapped hus arms around her as she hugged him and let her hold him for as long as she needed to. “I will,” he whispered back and made a short smile.
Baal didnt like standing idle, because as Alyssa and Amos had their little moment, he felt the hunger come back so strongly that it made him dizzy. He grabbed onto the wall, but he felt like no matter how hungry he would get, it couldnt kill him. It was a weird feeling. He closed his eyes and waited for it to subside before he was ready to move again.

Trent had been ready to find a flight back as soon as he could and never return. That was what was on his mind as he walked. He felt Nova’s hand around his but didnt stop until she forcefully made him turn to look at her. He had a confused expression as he looked at her while she seemed to promise him a glimmer of a hope. “Nova....” he whispered softly but also in hurting. He looked down at their hands and lifted them. “This is what I want. You. Not just because of our destiny.... but... it doesnt matter. I dont think a talk would solve the hurtful things I’ve done to you,” he then said more seriously, locking his eyes on their hands for a little while. “You couldnt possibly want this, I know you,” he said with a frown, giving her hand a squeeze. “If you think I’m being cruel now, that’s fine. I just think you would be happier with someone else this lifetime,” he then said, lifting her hand carefully to kiss the back of it. He wasnt always for showing his emotions in physical gestures like this, but the pull made it so easy. He let go of her hand, before he looked down. “If you really want to talk. Come to England, to see me,” he said, letting his eyes move up to hers before nodding to himself like he needed a moment to understand his own meaning with the words.

He heard her whisper but seeing her frown made him uncertain if she was acting on how she truly felt or just due to the pull. He loved her already, he had known since she had showed him nothing but her eyes but it just didnt feel like to him that she would want and accept him once she knew fully what he was like. He shook his head when she asked if he wanted to see pictures of the child. He didnt really want to see anyone else than her and a part of him knew that the bond with the child had failed. It was enough to keep the child in this world but soon a stronger bond would form with someone else - Not that he knew exactly this but his head was getting somewhere close to the truth. Either way, he knew that there was only one person he wanted to see. Her kiss on his cheek felt like a bittersweet farewell, making him linger in his steps before he had even taken them. He watched her walk away before he finally turned back around, his frown deep with pondering thoughts of the future. And then he left.

Baal nodded at Alyssa, glancing shortly at Amos before looking around. “Bring your two other empusas. I want this house and I trust that Nova can deal with whatever troubles that could rise,” he said as he glanced towards the kitchen. The two of them had never gotten along that well, but he trusted her now more than ever since the bond was gone - In a way he couldnt explain but he wasnt much for seeking his inner feelings when they were about to head out and look for Simeon. The car arrived and Amos got in, but as Baal stopd there at the door, he looked one last time at the house. He wanted to be with Buffy, but he also wanted her to be safe and she just couldnt be with whatever he had in his chest.
He shook his head at Alyssa’s words, “South is fine. There’s a building filled with my kind. We might get lucky,” he then said before he looked at his sister. He quickly looked away again to the outside, placing a hand on his chest where the artifact was sitting but he couldnt feel it like he thought he would.

He felt the tension in his fingers but it was more like a whisper in the back of his head, telling him to feast. He looked up up on the building in front of them. He just wanted to get it over with and go home, but he had no idea that it was merely the beginning. “Let’s just go in. I’m sure he’s been planning for something to happen.” He said before he walked up to the entrance. Stepping inside the building, he frowned in confusion when it seemed so empty. Looking around he turned to his sister with a worried frown but he wasnt sure what to say, “I guess it was too optimistic to think that someone would be here,” he said. Amos looked around before opening one of the rooms to be greeted by an empty office. “They’ve cleared it all out,” he said before looking at his parents.

Among the optimistic had Trent been foolish enough to think that his part was over and done with. His little walk with Alyssa had been more dangerous than he thought, especially as both had seemed so reckless to check if they were followed or noticed. He hadnt gotten very far before he had been grabbed by some daemon brute that was quick to render him defenseless by a good beating. He had just been walking down the street with his hands in his pockets to stay warm in the cold as the tall brute had pushed him off the street and into an alley. It wasnt a deadly beating but it surely wasnt without it’s pain either. He spit some blood out on the cold concrete before he looked up at a tall slender summoner looking down at him. “I believe you could show me where the fenix is hiding,” the summoner said with an evil smile spreading on his lips.

Trent had no other choice than to show him to the house, even if it wasnt something he really wanted to. Nova and the baby was there and Trent would have told the summoner go look himself and followed the sentence with all sorts of profanity, but the summoner had let it be clear that they knew who the other celestial was - So if Trent wanted to keep Nova safe, he had to comply. He knocked on the door and glanced towards the summoner, “Oh calm down celestial. I did promise to hurt neither of them, didnt I?” The summoner asked him with that evil smile on his lips that made Trent feel chills - Because he recognized it and knew that there had to be a lie somewhere in those silvertongue-words.

He ran a hand through his curls as he thoughtfully bit his lip. It made sense that they had moved, but where they could have gone was a mystery. He looked up at his sister, shrugging when she asked for his input. He wasnt really the plotting kind who would know what Simeon's people would be thinking. It was true that he had some sort of significant rank in the order, but he had never bothered to get into knowing more of how the system worked as he much rather just would do what he was told and ask no questions. He paced around for some time before he shook his head, "They would have had to tell the priests at the temple, as the order works in interest of the daemons..." he thought out loud before looking at his sister, "You may have the authority to get information such as that," he then said in a pondering tone. Amos just nodded in agreement. He seemed on guard to let his mouth run with Baal being with them.

Trent just looked down as Nova opened the door, feeling quite shameful. He couldnt even muster to make the apologetic smile he would usually have made in a situation like this, a smile that would have been all bloodied up by his busted lip. Simeon looked at the celestial with calm eyes, placing a hand on the back of Trent's neck as he looked at her with a welcoming smile, "I'm here to have a little chat with a specific fenix," he just said as he noticed her hand hiding behind her body, "No need for whatever you're holding," he said with a raised eyebrow before he looked at Trent. The hand on the celestial's neck was a warning, that Simeon wouldnt hesitate to crush his bones if she tried to do anything to harm him. "Step back till you reach the livingroom, keep your hand on your back or your other half suffers for your lack of cooperation," he warned her. He pushed Trent in first with his hand still on his neck, Trent sent Nova a warning gaze to just do as the man demanded. But frankly the celestial wasnt sure what would happen with the summoner here.

“I cant figure it out but something doesnt add up,” Amos said with his brows furrowed, but he couldnt pinpoint what he thought was wrong. Sure he had learned a lot from Simeon, but this seemed weird. Simeon had never been one to hide away and wait to be found, he was too anxious for keeping the upperhand to just sit around. But Amos couldnt say if it was because Simeon wanted the artifact in Baal to react a certain way and then be out of harms way when it went lose. The mute had picked up on someting and Baal frowned when they mentioned north-west. It seemed that Alyssa and him shared the same worry of it being a seraphim-dominated territory. Before the two men could do anything, Alyssa had already left. Baal did however do as she suggested and called home while Amos got in the car.

Simeon was haopy to see the celestial comply rather than making it more difficult than it was. He nodded for two daemons to follow him and soon two brutes stood in the hallway behind Simeon. He still kept Trent in a firm grip, clicking his teeth at her plea. “Such an ancient being and still you beg for lesser beings,” he said mockingly before he forced Trent to sit on the coach. “Sit,” he said as he gestured for her to sit down next to Trent. The brutes stepped into the livingroom, looking at Nova like hungry dogs, waiting for the command that would allow them to pounce and feast. “I can make them help you if it’s that difficult for you to do on your own. But it wont be without it’s pain,” he warned her. Trent just looked at her and nodded to the spot next to him.

“You dont have to understand, you just have to do as you’re told,” Simeon dismissed her words coldly, moving to the armchair next to them. Trent felt somewhat ashamed for not having been making himself more aware of what could happen from walking around publically like that. Obviously he had been recognized when he picked up the wounded summoner and then of course had it just been a matter of time before the two of them had led Simeon to here - Why he hadnt thought of that back then was in the unknown. He frowned at Nova’s words, “Dont get yourself killed,” he whispered in a serious tone, that may have come off as angry but that was just anger towards himself for being an idiot. Simeon was looking around for a bit in the humble home, wondering why it had taken this long to find the couple if they had been here all along. The phone rang and he raised an eyebrow, wonderig who it may be. He gestured for the phone, “If you do anything else than behave as if nothing’s wrong, then I’m afraid this household wont survive this encounter,” he said as he looked at Nova. Trent exhaled deeply and looked at Nova. It wasnt just about the two of them anymore, there was also the child.

Trent just looked at Simeon with eyes that could kill as the summoner had forced Nova to pretend like everything was fine when it clearly wasnt. Simeon hadnt wanted her to put it on speaker because he would know if she hadnt played her part as instructed to. He waited for the phone call to end and it seemed that Nova did it quite well. If that was because Baal was unable to pick up on the subtle nervousness Nova clearly had in her voice due to the effects of the artifact or him being all caught up in his mind wasnt known, but it lead to him thinking that nothing was wrong. He ended the conversation quite fast with Amos waiting impatiently in the car, and the call was dropped with a farewell. Trent felt so useless and he wasnt used to feeling completely helpless in any situation. He was much like Simeon, always having the upper hand in things. Simeon smiled at Nova, nodding approvingly, “Well done,” he said before he nodded at one of the brutes that began to approach the celestial. Trent frowned deeply and shook his head, “What are you doing? She did what she was fucking told!” He argued but Simeon hushed at him, “She doesnt fit in in the scenario I made in my mind. So allow me to get a little creative,” the summoner said as the brute grabbed the female celestial around the throat with a big hungry grin on his face.

Her plea didnt go through as the brute kept his grip around her neck. He wasnt directly strangling her but it definitely wasnt a comfortable grip either. Trent was about to get up the moment that Buffy’s voice sounded. The male celestial and the summoner turned their head to the fenix, Simeon frowning a little when he noticed how the fenix was wearing something he hadnt expected her of all to be wearing. He listened to her words and a smile spread on his lips. “It seems that I underestimated how much of a pain you would become when I let you go that day. You somehow managed to make these celestials come to your aid, get you your lover back for your little soul-binding that now made Belial unkillable. How you managed to do that is beyond me,” he explained, pushing himself up from the chair. “Even if Alyssa is helping him for the sake of their son..... I know that my time here is done once she finds me,” he said, turning his eyes to the brute holding the female celestial. “Arent you tired of being seen as the weak one? You have probably felt their gazes, how they all look at you like you’re defenseless,” he then asked Buffy, turning his eyes back to look at her. He touched her cheek with a cold smile. “Little Buffy Elior Fayre, waiting for her strong daemon to come save the day,” he mocked her but in a way there was some pity in his voice. He thought breaking her would be easier than it had been to break Alyssa - And he pitied her for that.

“Sure, but dont you tire of having to wait for others?” He argued, narrowing his eyes at her. How she kept her calm was just annoying to him because he wanted to have her lash out and get angry - Show him that there was more to her than met the eye. He was sure she could get claws if the right buttons were clicked, so he guessed he would just have to search. Trent felt Buffy’s glance but he was just looking at Nova. His eyes were begging her to remove herself from this world, just till this was all over. Simeon looked at the male celestial before he looked at the brute. “Will you stand idle by while your friends suffer?” He then asked, grabbing her shoulders to turn her to Nova. The other brute moved and pulled Trent to his feet, only to force him over next to Nova. The daemon grabbed his collar before looking at Simeon for approval. When Simeon nodded, the other daemon turned Nova to look at the one holding Trent started beating him with punishing punches. Simeon held Buffy’s shoulders in a tight grip, leaning down to answer her question, “It’s not jealousy. Had it been just that, I would have killed him when I had the chance. This is about showing the consequences of defiance,” he whispered inbetween Trent’s pained noises. “Just know that his unecessary suffering is all thanks to you,” he whispered to her calmly.

Hearing her voice finally rile up made him smile a little. Even if her words were true, he didnt care about them. He looked at her at her whisper, frowning as she went to tell him about love once more. He thought they had been through this already. But it distracted him long enough not to notice how Nova was trying to reach Trent and predict the happenings afterwards. He just looked at Buffy with his expression ever so angry, “Will you ever shut up about love?” He asked her but he couldnt continue the conversation as Nova lit up though her light was dark and in a second, she and the two brutes were gone. Trent fell to the floor, all lightheaded and sure that something in his nose was torn since he felt the blood run out like an annoying nosebleed. He had wanted to take Nova’s hand but it was like every punch he had gotten from the daemon made his hand fall down again. He pushed himself up before he dried off some blood from his mouth. “No brutes to handle your dirtywork now,” he said but Simeon just grabbed Buffy by her upperarms and held on tight, “I dont need them,” Simeon said with a sly smile, even with the major hole in his plan caused by the female celestial, he wouldnt stray from the rest of it. Trent just frowned as he lookef at Simeon, not feeling able to do anything if Buffy and the baby’s life was on the line. “Tell me Buffy. How will your love save Belial when he goes up north-west to meet all the seraphim with their lovely souls?” He asked, looking down at the fenix. “Can your love make sure his heart doesnt grow dark? Keep him from wanting to unleash the power that lodged itself so deep in his heart?” He said, a delighted chuckle following. “I may die today, but Belial’s struggle will be eternal. And it will only be a matter of time before you and your child will suffer,” he said, running his hand down her arm to her stomach. Trent pulled a disgusted frown at this. “I felt that little soul before I stepped in. And I doubted much that it could ever be the celestial,” he whispered in her ear.