He saw her, from a great distance, through the trees.
Irell Reis approached, silently, speechless; towards the small oasis by the clearing, where the Holy River bends.
The vandal demon controlled his heartbeat, quieting himself and his racing thoughts. He was but a man, after all...
Briefly shutting his eyes, he smiled faintly. Unable to quell the rushing, swelling tide of feelings triggered by the mere sight of her. The sight of her, Alone...
Looking far more vulnerable, than he knew she really was.
Looking far more peaceful, than he knew she really was--
Brilliant autumn leaves in shades of orange and gold, brown and green drifted down, gently, from the forest canopy above; swirling past, on a gentle breeze, past him, and towards her.
Towards her...
Towards Emilia. Emilia Horizon, the archangel.
How much nobler, than him, she seemed! How he rued her beauty, and serenity...
Yes, for a brief moment, Irell Reis was even bitter; the criminally handsome young man stood, quietly, musing. Almost submerged, by her sheer beauty; by the purity and grace, of that moment. Stirring, wryly, helpless- beneath it, beneath that moment, he actually paused his inevitable advance, on her.
Before slinking off, sideways, ever so slightly; just watching. Circumambulating, around her, around the angel, in his hesitation.
Before, finally, Irell Reis stepped forth, through the shadows. Melting back between the obscuring, wandering shade... To progress, through the trees.
It was the Vandal Slip.
For as ready as he believed he was, for as prepared as he knew he HAD to be. For as great as this conflict would be, between them... He still hadn't wanted to be seen.
Not yet--
The demon watched her, closely. Watching her, and approaching, stalking closer, ever closer, to her; considering their history, her place, their future in all this...
But, for her part, Horizon hadn't moved. He was careful to observe that, and confirm it. Before even thinking about engagement... She likely wouldn't be expecting him, after all, so the advantage was certainly his.
And, Emilia certainly hadn't stirred, to deny him that. As of yet, she still remained; In the same place he had first found her. Standing, tall and graceful, stunning and proud, upon the banks of the holy Fan river.
The angel was deep in thought, looking calm, looking at ease. And yet, also looking lonely...
With her long, dazzling hair still carried, shimmering, on the breeze.
She hadn't noticed. She hadn't noticed him, and, knowing that, recognizing well that he stood in solitude. Still afar from her, lost, in the eye of calm, in the quiet before the coming storm...
In the depths of that ringing moment--
in the tragic, desperate stillness, which had settled over them... before their inevitable confrontation, could begin.
Irell Reis adjusted his suit, now almost starting to grin, tilting his head.
How much stronger was she, than him? He almost wondered, coolly. Almost absentmindedly... The Vandal took another step, closer, drastically bridging the gap between them.
Out of habit, he pressed two fingertips together, and tapped them twice against his breast.
But nothing happened, despite that; because he did not truly call anything, to come forth. The leaves merely continued to fall, and the sunlight merely continued to bounce off the water.
When Emilia finally did move, it was only to blink, and turn solemnly aside. Glancing wilfully away from the water's edge. Oblivious, uncaring, or, perhaps, intentionally ignorant of the Devil's approach.
Did he feel reassured, by his own power? He wondered. As, any moment now, the Angel would surely hear him. Had he not been disguising the sound of his presence, and approach, that is.
Was he relying on these new powers, the powers of a devil, that he had gained at her expense...?
At any moment, at any time, Irell Reis could call his souldrive, should he wish it. And bring forth the nanobot fleet; drawing it out of his body, containing it. He could surround himself with it's power, and throw himself around by the force of it's energy.
But was she stronger, herself, now? Righting his head, the grin tightened to a sneer across his lips. Was he wrong to dismiss his demonic hordes, and come to meet her alone?
Could... An angel, like her, beat a devil?
Without taking another step forward, he brushed the palm of his right hand, meaningfully, against Exulansis; against the hilt of his fearful black sword. He seemed lost in thought.
In the end, though, he supposed, dryly. It didn't really matter.
Irell Reis stepped out, quietly, into the green oasis, emerging behind her. The Newly risen sun, glaring down far above him, danced along the pure, flowing stream water. Even as it danced, in her pure, flowing hair.
She didn't openly acknowledge him, for a moment. But, eventually did lower her eyes.
Then, transfixed, neither party moved.
Time seemed to stop ...
She truly was beautiful, a vision even among angels.
Standing stalk still under the tall trees, at the heart of the oasis, by the Riverbend. With her eyes calmly closed, facing away from him. And holding a sheathed sword.
Still, time slowed. It crawled...
The angel made no move to draw her sword, or use It. All this made Irell wonder, if he had interrupted some strange meditation?
Fascinated, the young man watched even more carefully.
In the changing breezes Horizon had become almost a mirror to him, reflecting all things. She seemed to transcend the purely physical world, although she remained, unmoving, standing there. Turning back upon him, everything beautiful, everything pure, from sunlight to peace.
Finally, the Vandal saw her turn, ever so slightly, towards him.
She turned her face, a bit, against the wind; as if to acknowledge him, but stopped short of facing him.
At that point, he blinked. Suddenly, painfully aware of the passage of time. Aware of her; aware that there was a human mind encased in the flawless sculpture of porcelain skin and supple flesh standing before him.
A mind that he once knew so deeply, so intimately... And yet, now--
Would she attack him?
Would... He attack her?
No...
No, the Vandal devil became... Very aware, that she was... Waiting for him to speak.
It abruptly occurred to him, that he was... Actually terrified.
He was... Actually evil.
So caught up in the serene radiance of the figure she cast against the oasis, across from the rising sun. Irell found himself wishing that he would never have to break this silence, or actually face her; that he wouldnt have to look into her eyes, or fight her at all.
And that they might simply continue this subtle dance, together, each saying nothing, and yet standing close by, to each other, in fulfilment.
For the rest of their very long, very artificially extended lives...
But, alas.
Entranced, what felt like another minute passed him by...
It almost seemed very likely, to him, that she also wished to remain a statue, now. To remain a human shaped object, a construct... Upon his horizon. Beautiful, but silent. And utterly unmoving...
Eventually, his eyes wandered from her. Trying to appraise the Fan River, instead.
Calming his heart, Irell readied himself when the next breeze came. Steeling his determination.
His eyes cracked open, finding her, still shimmering by the waterfront.
Where they had already spent what felt like eternity, just standing there, together, in silence. Among the clearing... Both aware of each other, so utterly aware, but without making a major move.
Full of grace and nobility, she waited still. Her stubbornness was unfazed, completely. Her attitude hadn't changed. The young lady merely shifted her grip on the sheathed sword. Still waiting for him to speak, all along.
Still waiting to turn and face him.
Exuding a raw calmness; that was Emilia Horizon, who is called an Archangel.
It then took Irell Reis what felt like another half eternity, yet. To actually summon his words and speak.
Although, when he did, she almost trembled.
"Emilia." His voice was smooth.