Beyond the graveyard exists different ways to different parts of town, a yellowish ground with trees and a gargantual forest further. Ismael was still hiding in the bushes, sensing a greater danger close. The hunter was moving around, looking for something or someone, so at around two in the morning, he was not making a noise, crawling slowly until he had a good view of him. Already and the second he saw him, he went into predator mode without realizing it. In the dirt, following a shadow.
The hunter turns around like a mad man and sprints towards the noise he thought he heard, and seeing a long white coat he plunged on it and stabbed it, nothing. Ismael, at the tower, waited for the perfect moment and took the shot in a resonating sound. The bullet reaches and perforates his liver as he rumbles in pain. Ismael flies on his angel's back to him.
"Decline your identity."
"Ambroise Ler said that whoever has your head will be granted a place in Shill Na Ter."
"You tried to kill me for a passeport?"
"You don't get it, do you? Soon every place on the planet will be uninhabitable. If only you knew how bad things really are in here, you'd give your own head to Ambroise to save humanity."
"Spare me the nonsense I'll be all right. You're weak is all."
"We'll see who's really weak, Ismael."
"Why don't you just tell me who it is I should fear."
"There's seven of them, and beyond them, one woman. And if you get to her, she owns you. There is nothing you can do."
"Nobody owns me, mortal."
Ismael shoots his brains out and leaves in a heavy silence.
"Where is our next stop, sir?"
"Wherever the smell of steel and blood is taking me to."
Three days and nights later, Ismael was sunbathing on a large field of grass, unable to stand. Every strand of wind was knives on his skin, every impulse on his muscles to bring his body to rise was torture. So he layed there, his weapons guarded by his angel.
"I won't remember the bench ever again. I'm starting to even forget what that was for. I'm so far gone. How old am I? Twenty-five? Twenty-six? I forgot. Soon I'll forget my name as well, I'll just go with Nero or something else. I should be close to Genova's body by now. No graveyard that I've checked has her name, it's getting ridiculous. I'm doing this for which reason, exactly? I'm being...curious? Is that it? I'm insane. I've gone clinically insane. I would want somebody to kill me, but I'm immortal, to take away the gift I have, but it's stuck inside of my soul."
"Hey, Sebastian. Where does my gift really come from? And why me?"
"You were supposed to guide people to the Way of Heaven. But you chose the Way of Purgatory. You can still tell people where their loved ones went to after death."
"An uplifting power. At least I have you. I know, I know, I do recognize you are more than a set of eyes. But I would be remiss to not point out how useful you are at all times. For every task."
"During all these weeks, sir, I've watched you tremble, hesitate, lie and cheat your way to success. Right in front of me, no shame, no backpedaling. I have some respect for that."
"Thank you."
"Although you should reconsider your ways."
"There it is."
"You will end up doing something you will regret, Ismael. Something unforgivable."
"I'm counting on it."
"Open your eyes, Ismael. You have a visitor."
Ismael opens his eyes, and while still on the ground, he sees through the angel a person standing in the field, staring at them both from afar.
"That's creepy", he said, standing up.
"That would be your old friend."
He approached, doubtful and anxious.
"Give me a name, then."
"I believe it was the one you called Raven."
Ismael had a smile on his face and jogged to her position until she was just some five meters away from his position and his happiness died on the spot.
"Sebastian. That is NOT Raven. I don't know what the hell this is but that is not her."
He climbed on the angel's back and repeatedly said "fly, fly!" And when the angel did, Ismael turned around and looked at her. The eyes were those of a demon, something profoundly evil and infinitely sadistic. An entity truly out of this world, a total fracture of reality.
"How did you not react? Are you insane? I've never been more scared in my entire life. She was so close. Besides, you talked to her on that night, didn't you?"
"Yes, sir. She appeared normal to me."
"Maybe she changed, but that was not normal. We're far enough now, I think. Nobody has that look on their face. Not Genova, not Basil, not anybody. This is an actual monstruous entity from hell. There is no way in hell this thing is after me."
"She might not be truly after you. There is a slight chance this is provoke. Another way of seeing this would be to think that Capucine herself wants to demoralize you completely and make a fool out of you. We've seen war tactics where instead of fighting the enemy at full power, they weakened them until they could be crushed with a simple touch."
"Fear is her method, then."
"From now on she will always use this to belittle you. Stay alert. She might be worse than Ler."
"Possibly. Ambroise at the very least is open about his demented behaviour and how he is so threatening. I know nothing of her."
"And she knows a lot of you. Your past, your demeanor, your attitude and your thoughts as well, this is how she can influence the course of action. Do you understand, Ismael? This is her first win over you."