DEVOTION

whatever you think you know about ZELDRIS BRANDT, the 40 year old, DEMISEXUAL, NEW COMER, it is likely time for you to start reconsidering. the rumored ANGEL (NEPHILIM) is often described as FAITHFUL + ADAPTABLE, but don’t let them fool you; they can also be OBSESSIVE + RUTHLESS, which often has them regarded as the THE ZEALOT. they were the DISTRICT ATTORNEY at TOWNHALL, but it was revealed they are the GENERAL of the COURT OF HELL. 

Gabriel took liberty to walk around the mountain near the caves that Spear had liberated the people that had been missing for the last week or so. Spear still had its people around the mountain but the angel made himself unseen to them as he moved around. The snow made a clear mapping of movement, some spots clearly sullied by too many people tracing through. It was the dark spots within the snow that caught the angels attention, it wasn’t blood, it was dark black and thick as if ash had mixed within the snow. With a tilt of his head he squatted down and scanned the area, taking his camera out he snapped a few pictures before something caught his eye. A piece of finger, picking up a stick that laid near Gabe touched the finger with it resulting it in turning to blacken ash. 

Standing once more he tosses the stick into the wood, allowing his camera to hang around his neck freely as he wipes his hands together. “I always did enjoy a snowy landscape.” He comments as steps within the snow crunched behind him.

@risingpeaksreblogs​

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Blue eyes inspected the aftermath left behind by the Spear agents, the brunette kneeling down and looking over the darkened spots on the snow. The attack was precise, obviously well planned and well armed. Zeldris could have respected such efforts, had the vermin not been so cowardly to only attempt it when the General and the Queen were away from the area. The insolence. The audacity. To cut down Lucifer's children right above His prison. To further torture the Dark Lord by forcing Him to listen to their cries...

Spear Inc had been a thorn on their side for years, but they had never been more than a nuisance. Now, the organization had truly made an impression. And signed their death sentence. Zeldris would ensure their end was as slow and miserable as they deserved.

Her attention shifted when she sensed a new presence nearby, recognizing who it belonged to instantly. She calmly rose to her feet and walked through the tunnels of the mines to meet him, standing behind the archangel before he spoke. "You should visit Hell then," she offered. "Many of the circles are exactly like this year-round." Zeldris paused, stepping closer to Gabriel. "Never thought I'd seen you around here." Her head tilted slightly, a hand comfortably resting on the handle of her sword. "Don't tell me you've finally decided to take up arms?"

open  to  :  @risingpeaksreblogs​

location  :  the hospital

kelly  was  waiting  by  the  hospital  entrance,  her  body  leant  against  the  cold  frame.  somehow  looking  for  an  excuse  to  be  away  from  the  rest  of  the  people  inside  the  place.  her  eyes  focused  on  whatever  was  outside.  she  heard  someone  walking  closer  to  her,  she  didn’t  waste  a  second  looking  at  them.  “  i’ve  heard  there’s  something  out  there  ”  she  mused,  “  do  you  think  that’s  true,  or  just  someone  made  up  so  we  stay  here  and  we  don’t  have  to  rescue  someone  out  there  ?  ”  the  werewolf  asked,  now  looking  at  the  person  next  to  her.

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After visiting Dimitri, Zeldris made her way back to the entrance of the hospital. There was much to do, many forces who wanted to stop them. While the locals and those who served the Hell's Army took care of the sacrifices, the General intended to handle the pests. They were far too close to allow any more delays. Zeldris attention settled on Kelly as she got closer to the double doors, the werewolf's question making the nephilim smile. "Something is out there," she confided. Miss Davis had helped Armando when others in town decided to turn their backs on him, so Zeldris decided at least a warning was in order for her efforts. "You should stay inside. Keep yourself and your family safe."

Seeing that Zeldris was focused on something in the distance, but whatever it was, it was too far for the wendigo’s senses to catch it. However, she soon assured everything was fine and they had nothing to worry about… “Meaning it’s you—us, doing this,” he noted, shivering. “For a greater good, yes?” he asked, brow furrowed. He loved that town, the town that had adopted him when he had nowhere else to go. The town that accepted him and his family as their own.

At least, safety came with being on the side of demons—working to unlock Lucifer from somewhere he was caged as Mando understood. “Yes, ma'am,” he said with slight disappointment after she warned him against traveling in the woods and in the shade of night. Perhaps his safety has limits. “Yes, I’ll take them… Is there anything I can help with?” he questioned, not knowing if he could be around everyone while knowing so much.

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Zeldris didn't have to look at Armando to recognize his worries about what the greater good meant for Creation Peaks. He'd grown up in the town, saw many within it as his friends. He believed he was a part of their community, that they loved and appreciated him for who he was. Yet, he didn't dare to share the truth with them. Hid the most beautiful part of himself from almost everyone he got close to. Even the wendigo realized the locals wouldn't accept him if they knew the truth, if they saw him for what he truly was. 

"It is," she confirmed. "A seal is in the process of being broken. One of the very last. Sacrifices are required for that. Lives of humans and supernaturals alike." She was stern and direct, but there was an edge to her voice, a hint at how she felt about using those they were meant to stand with. "--This is how the tyrant god designed it. He intended to discourage all who dreamed of one day being free of his control." Blue eyes settled on the wendigo. "It must be done." For the alternative was unacceptable.

Now that Dimitri had joined the ranks of the Hell's Army, finding him was an effortless task for the General. She waited for the young witch who accompanied him to leave the hospital room, entering and locking the door behind her. Blue eyes inspected the newly crowned coven leader, a small smile adorning the nephilim's lips when he opened his eyes. "Congratulations are in order, Supreme Valentine."

Zeldris stepped closer to the bed, her expression growing more serious. "You look unwell." No matter what advantage a deal with the demons had granted Dimitri, it was obvious to see Sebastian Arguello had been quite the adversary. A pity, but they could work on that. After all, in the end, it was Dimitri who was left standing.

The brunette took out a small bottle from her coat, offering it to the witch. "A healing potion. It contains merfolk scales, so it should work fast." The General stepped away from the bed, her gaze settled on the snow accumulating outside the hospital window. "Now that your matters have been dealt with," she said. "It is time for you to truly join our fight."

Hell Is Cold [Mando||Zeldris]

@ofdeliverance​

After his encounter with Lilith Morningstar, the wendigo hurried home. He tried calling ahead but the line seemed busy, causing Mando to curse under his breath.

 What he hadn’t been expecting was the nephilim near his family home. “Miss Zeldris?” he called, unsure if he was meant to change that title anytime soon since she seemed to be playing a chameleon same as him in human society. “Are you alright?” To his surprise, same as Lilith, Zeldris seemed unbothered… if anything, she seemed almost dream-like and if the wendigo didn’t know better, he’d think her holy in the way he believed in the word prior to being awoken to the harsh reality… 

.

Zeldris advised Armando's mother to stay inside the house until her son returned, leaving the two elderly wendigos packing their things before exiting the home. Her senses scanned the surroundings as she walked in the direction of the hospital, the nephilim unbothered and unaffected by the turbulent weather. She stopped abruptly at the sound of a faint scream coming from the forests, quickly detecting the presence of something watching her from just behind the treeline. Blue eyes narrowed, her attention unwavering even when Armando joined her.

"Everything is fine, Mister Rivera," she answered after a moment, glancing at the wendigo with a small smile. "Neither you nor I have anything to worry about." A promise the nephilim intended to keep. "Your mother and grandfather should already be done packing. If you mean to pass the storm in the medical center, I suggest you hurry." Zeldris faced Armando, her expression more serious than before. "But don't take any path through the woods. And don’t remain in the streets at night."

“Clara, your brother was a liar. He wanted to take us down, to hurt me, to take over the coven with Dimitri. He was turning everyone against our family, he had to be stopped, so I could give you the life we deserve.” He stared as she only got more upset, swore that Niko wouldn’t hurt him if she told him not to, and he shook his head, repeatedly.

He’d never lay a hand on his daughter, not like he did Niko. He never would either. From the moment he had proof that she was his, that his wife hadn’t lied to him this time, he told himself that she would rule with him one day. This would be her coven. It was her birthright, and he’d destroy anyone trying to take that away from them.

But he wouldn’t have her talking back to him, either.

“He wasn’t like you and I. We’re Arguello’s, we’re built from something stronger, something more powerful. The world is ours for the taking, my sweet girl. I know he meant a lot to you, and I know it will hurt for some time. But you’ll grow up and you’ll see that this had to happen. I’m your father, Clara, and I am telling you to trust me.”

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Sebastian's words brought no comfort to his daughter, everything he said only managing to upset her more. The tears continued to roll down her cheeks, but when Clara spoke again, the sorrow that had been so prominent moments before was gone. It was then replaced with anger. Genuine. Deliberate. Venomous. "The only liar here is you. That's the only thing you've ever been good at..." Her features hardened, whatever affection she might have held for her father no longer visible. "Mama was right about you...It makes sense now why she never trusted you. Why she left you. Why she chose Valentine over you..."

The leaves rustled around them as the wind picked up, what sounded like disembodied whispers echoing through the forest. Traitor, the voices insisted. Worthless. Weak.

open  to  :  @ofdeliverance​

location  :  town  hall

kelly  was  quick  to  find  the  district  attorney’s office,  she  didn’t really  know  why  she  had  been  called there.  in  fact,  she  had  just  got  there  after  spending  all  day  at  the  sheriff’s station  taking  care  of  a  pro-bono  she  had  managed to  be  assigned to.  the  young  woman  knocked on  the  door,  a  smile  on  her  lips  as  she  opened it.  “  hi,  hmm  i  had  been  told  you  wanted  to  talk  to  me  ”  she  said  with  a  smile,  “  that  or  someone  left  a  note  and  i  thought  it  was  for  me  ”

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Though Armando's arrest was certainly beneficial for their plans (and had proven quite fruitful in the end), Zeldris wasn't pleased someone had targeted the wendigo. None of his species would ever be so sloppy, and no one within Hell's Army would ever dare to go after someone their General and Lieutenant had both shown an interest in. Someone in town must have planted the evidence, must have wanted to frame him. Who exactly was still a mystery, but with how determined the small huntress in charge of the case was to see Armando behind bars, the nephilim wondered if she was somehow involved.

Maybe Zeldris needed to reconsider Armando's welcoming gift...

Blue eyes lifted away from the papers on the large wooden desk and focused on the young werewolf entering the office. "Good afternoon, Miss Davis." Zeldris smiled politely. "I did, yes. I wanted to speak to you about the Rivera case." Zeldris grabbed a folder from her desk, offering it to Kelly. "All charges are being dropped."

“More than improbable,” he agreed, shuffling his weight on his feet nervously. “Catholic guilt, I guess,” the wendigo jested, poking fun at himself when Zeldris pointed out how negative he was being. The way she spoke about him enjoying himself, however, felt like she knew exactly what he had done… And Mando couldn’t bring himself to look her in the face just then, freezing in place as he looked at the humans defusing the fight he’d walked into.  

Her question felt heavy, weighting down on the wendigo as he was compelled to answer. “I think it’s a double edged sword to hold such belief,” he admitted. “And more often than not, we get cut by it when we do hold it.” The question had been far too broad, so Mando had to run a few situations in his head to really think on what his answer was. Also, how was that for being a negative nancy?

“… Are you like Nyx? A.. Sin?” he questioned after a moment, speaking lowly. 

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Zeldris didn't laugh when Armando attempted to poke fun at himself, her expression remaining serious. "Guilt suggests wrong doing, Mister Rivera," she said. "And none of us are wrong for being who we are. For doing whatever is necessary to survive." It pained her to see how ashamed the wendigo was, how much pain and suffering he carried because of the beliefs that were forced on him by the human world that influenced his upbringing. If only he could see the beauty the sin and the nephilim saw...

The brunette's features finally relaxed when the supernatural answered her question, Zeldris chuckling lightly at his words. "How diplomatic," she teased. "And so very careful." A small smile curled her lips when Armando asked if she was a sin like Nyx. "No," Zeldris stated simply, her gaze shifting as she inspected the people around them. Once she made sure no one was listening in on their conversation, Zeldris turned back to Armando. "I am a Nephilim, 'ones who have fallen' as your scriptures like to say. One of the first to stand with Lucifer during His rebellion against Heaven."

Sebastian was prepared to rip whoever was lurking in the shadows from limb to limb, but seeing his daughter step out from behind the tree, his shoulders relaxed ever so slightly, and he started to walk towards her. That was, until he heard her words, and he stopped, seeing the tears in her eyes. Inwardly, he cursed.

“And you, my sweet poison ivy, were supposed to stay home tonight.” He said, raising his eyebrows in disappointment, taking a few more steps towards her. “Niko was going to hurt your papa, hurt you. I did it to protect us, I won’t apologise for that, I will always keep you safe. I would never do that to you, you’re my flesh and blood.” He attempted to reach forward, to take her bloodied hands in his. 

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While the sight of his daughter seemed to help Sebastian relax slightly, her father's presence only served to make Clara tense further. "Niko called me..." Her voice was distant, brown eyes fixated on the blood that covered the other. "...He wanted to talk..." Sebastian's words didn't help Clara, the younger witch shaking her head as her hands began to tremble, tears rolling down her cheeks when she closed her eyes for a moment. Whatever sense the Zatara leader thought he was making, it was clear his daughter didn’t agree.

Clara pushed Sebastian's hands away, stepping back. "He was my flesh and blood, Papa," she argued, anger visible in her gaze when she looked up at him. "Niko would never hurt me. And he would have listened to me if I asked him not to hurt you!" Her breathing became labored, the shaking of her hands worsening. "...You knew how much my brother meant to me, and still you killed him. All because he bruised your ego. Because it was more important to be a leader than to be a father!"

Open starter @risingpeaksreblogs​

Sebastian walked through the woods, the strength of the moon, the energy in the very air was electric, and with his hands stained with blood, he chuckled, feeling indestructible. He remembered how Dimitri had warned him of a traitor, and with who the traitorous one was, he strongly suspected why exactly Dimitri had told him to leave it alone.

But thankfully, now his ungrateful brat of a son was dead. He’d left him behind the tattoo parlour, after beating him to death, and he couldn’t feel any more unstoppable if he tried.

Hearing a rustling, he uttered a tracking spell, a faint green mist visible only to him showing the aura of the other. “Come on out, I won’t hurt you that much…” He taunted, his hand on his dagger as he paced in the person’s direction.

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Zeldris watched him from the shadows, following the Zatara leader as he walked away from the bloody scene behind the tattoo parlor and made his way through the woods. The brunette remained in the darkness for a few minutes longer, quiet and undetectable, enchanting whispers muffled by the gusts of wind. Once the blue moon was at its peak, she stepped out into the forest and made her presence known to the witch, coming into view when he spoke to her.

The nephilim's appearance however did not resemble herself at all. Instead, in front of Sebastian stood his youngest child (the resemblance was immaculate), her eyes glistening with tears as they met her father's. "...You'd hurt me too, father?" Clara’s hands were red, stained by the blood of her own brother, prove she was already aware of what Sebastian had done. "...Discard me in some alley like you did with him?"

As the woman rose to her feet Dimitri looked over, watching her carefully as she spoke. “Little to none, she just said that I’d be better suited talking to you about it.” He said softly as he licked his lips, he took a step towards her, lowering his head politely. “I however am all ears and open to hearing all about your cause, I’ll help in whatever way you deem me necessary.” 

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A faint smile curled her lips. He was ready to bend the knee, while knowing next to nothing about what he was signing up for. Mara truly knew how to pick them. Despite his blind eagerness though, Zeldris wouldn't turn away a potential recruit without testing them first. Their fight benefited the supernaturals as well, so it was important they were given a chance to prove themselves. Besides, once he knew the truth, it was possible Dimitri would recognize the importance of joining their efforts.

The potential was there. It just needed to be steered correctly.

"Much like yours," Zeldris began explaining. "Our story begins with betrayal." The brunette turned away from the witch, blue eyes settling on the wine glass that had been left on the large desk. "It is likely you've heard tales of the Archangel Lucifer. How He ‘corrupted’ humanity and was cast down from Heaven by His brother Michael." Her gaze settled on Dimitri, the flame of indignation flickering in her eyes. "But it is doubtful you've heard the truth. What really happened and why..."

After a short pause, Zeldris continued. "You see, what Lucifer gave humanity wasn't a curse, it was a gift. The gift to choose, the gift of Free Will. For that, He and all those who stood by Him were exiled from the Heavens, painted as villains, tortured and tormented for daring to want more than what the tyrant creator demanded of us." She arched an eyebrow. "Those who stood by Him, those of supernatural nature, had been hunted down by angels for years. Because the tyrant god didn't approve of such creatures, because his ego wouldn't allow beings which he had no hand in creating to thrive and prosper." She stepped closer to the witch. "...Us, which humanity now calls demons, have been at your side since the very beginning, Dimitri. We have fought with you, for you, and continue to do so 'till this day...

...But without our Dark Lord, winning the war against god and his sheep is not possible. Lucifer’s freedom means freedom for all of us, the return of this world to their rightful owners. It means you not only get your revenge, my precious witch, but you get everything that's been denied to your species for eons."

Kiera was enjoying the sunshine even with the chill in the air, she always enjoyed the mountains of America it reminded her a little of her home in Norway. When she saw some humans getting pretty heated at the park she tilted her head and waited for the punches to be thrown, the scent of blood in the air would do wonders for the mood she was in. However the disappointment was real when someone came in to break it up and she let out a huff as she walked over to a bench overhearing the woman who sat.

“Not high enough it would seem, what a real shame. I was hoping for a little show to go with the walk.”

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Zeldris smiled when the blonde approached the bench. She was glad to see the Alpha that had caused such a energetic scene at the Halloween festival was still around, her words not surprising even if the nephilim knew little about her. Such a desire for violence would surely be useful in the Court of Hell. "Seems like we both will have to find entertainment elsewhere." The brunette took a sip of her coffee, blue eyes inspecting the wolf for a moment. "No interest in being part of the show today?" she asked, a teasing tone in her voice.

Her clarification—which was no clarification at all— only confused the wendigo further. “Do you blame them?” the gravedigger asked with sincere curiosity. “… Do you believe it was gas, Miss Brandt?” Mando questioned, narrowing his gaze. She had claimed to be family of Nyx, but Nyx being a demon, Mando couldn’t help wondering if that meant Nyx or the human she had taken over… Because as far as Mando knew that had to have happened? He should’ve ask more questions that night…

When offered a seat beside her, the wendigo paused for a moment before taking it. “Thank you.” As the topic of him winning that night’s costume contest was brought up, Mando wished the earth would swallow him whole. He still wasn’t sure how he should feel about any of what happened that night… or what Nyx and he spoke of… “Yea, but it’s a little hard to enjoy it when so much bad has happened.”

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Zeldris considered Armando's question for a moment, a small smile curling her lips before she gave her answer. "I'd say I'm inclined to agree with them," she stated simply. "I don't doubt the Sheriff's department had the best of intentions with their explanation of what happened. But...I think we can agree a gas affecting every single resident of Creation Peaks in the exact same way sounds...improbable. Right?" Mando and his family were prime candidates for recruitment, so the nephilim decided there was little point in acting like she was completely unaware of the supernatural happenings in town.

She chuckled at how he reacted to her bringing up his prize win. "You don't have to be so humble, Mister Rivera. No matter how many bad things surround us, it doesn't mean we should stop enjoying ourselves." Her head tilted slightly, blue eyes looking over the wendigo. "And you, of all those in town, deserve to enjoy yourself the most." Zeldris offered Armando a smile, a more genuine and sympathetic one. After a short pause, the curl of her lips faltered. "I have another question for you, Mister Rivera," she posed. "--Do you agree with the belief that the end goal can justify the means?"

“I would swear fealty to your cause because I need allies for what’s to come, I need to prove my worth.” He took another sip out of his glass, keeping his eyes on her. At her questions he leaned forward, smiling at her. “I’m not ready to kill him, I want him to feel… betrayed. I want him to look into my eyes when I finally kill him and I want the satisfaction of knowing that I got the best of him and twisted the knife in his back that killed him.”

Finishing the glass he set it down as he stood, crossing the room slowly but making sure he didn’t come off as threatening. 

“You’re right, I don’t need magic to take his life, I am capable of doing things he never thought I might be. I want him to know that when I finally do kill him. But first I wanna knock him off of the throne he’s built on my mother and father’s bones.” 

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"You do," she agreed, already planning what exactly Dimitri would need to do to prove himself to the Court of Hell. The trial period would be demanding and dangerous, but it was all necessary to prepare him for the war that was to come. If he couldn't handle the training, there was no chance for him to survive the real thing. For his sake, Zeldris hoped he truly was as deserving as he believed himself to be.

The answer to her question was at least promising. He didn't just want revenge, he wanted retribution. Zeldris could sympathize with that sentiment. Blue eyes followed the young witch as he stood from his chair, a smirk appearing on the nephilim's lips a moment later. She could see potential. "It seems there are...similarities in our missions," she said, taking a sip of her wine before rising to her feet. She'd heard enough from him, deciding it was time he learned what exactly an alliance would require. "How much did my niece tell you about our cause, Dimitri?"

Cheerfully watching the scene from afar, he noticed the lone woman on a bench. A perfect target for a spontaneous hunt. Approaching with a friendly smile, he looked back over his shoulder for a moment at the people breaking up the fight. As his gaze returned to the woman on the bench he shrugged. “All people mourn differently. For example, I turn to nature.” If he did mourn, he wouldn’t had been lying. 

“Razor, a pleasure to meet you…” Looking back to the two young bucks tussling, the werewolf chuckled. “They look… so awkward,” the Alpha pointed out with disgusted curiosity. Hunters were lucky to have their handy tools. If it was hand-to-hand combat, they would’ve gone extinct long before. 

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Though the werewolf wore a friendly smile on his lips, Zeldris could sense there was more to the male than met the eye. She could feel his wrath, his pride, his greed. Was he a Beta of the local pack? Or a member of the rival one she'd been hearing whispers about? Either way, he seemed like a fine specimen. Maybe even a promising recruit. "To nature, huh?" she questioned, her head tilting slightly. "How so?" The nephilim wouldn't consider taking a walk in the park 'turning to nature', especially not for a werewolf. There were plenty of trees around, sure. But a park was still too...humanly fabricated for her to consider it nature.

"Zeldris," she offered in return. "And the pleasure is mine." Blue eyes focused on the humans who were still glaring at each other, Razor's comment making the brunette chuckle lightly. "Do they not look like trained fighters to you?" There was a slight tone of sarcasm in her voice, as she obviously could tell the humans had no real training, but she was curious to see what the werewolf's opinion was.