A stream of light shone down through the caverns from above, illuminating a golden silver onto our near lifeless bodies. The mist became thicker. Slowly, I could feel we were being raised above the mists, weightless, ascending the first heaven. The aura of death clung to my spirit.
The fires still burned in the center of the courtyard, and within it, the entire angelic order of guardians watched over our souls ascending hallowed ground. A spiral stairway appeared at the base of the fires, as on the day my mortal soul was stolen from my body, my lifeless form still chained there, beneath the jagged rock.
This tenth day was Dantalion's call upon God. Three hierarchies and nine orders of angels moved about within the celestial aura, Gabriel, the messenger, returning to Dantalion as he promised.
"Dantalion, child of God, it has appeared the Demonic Lord would not accept your sacrifice of thy soul in exchange for the girl's. We have watched thee from the third heaven, and witnessed once again, the selfless acts of thee and this mortal girl. The sufferings of mankind have been brought upon by mortal sin, and it is the will of our creator, the compassionate and merciful Lord God, who has sent us as guardians to descend the heavens to grant thee salvation."
"Satan not only wished for the sacrifice of my soul, but that of the girl's and thy armies' as well. He knew of the immortal blood, that which would summon the demons of the Goetia and call upon the four great Kings of Hell. Yes, he very much wanted the exchange," Dantalion spoke to Gabriel.
Dantalion gripped my re-created body, lying lifeless and bleeding and lowered his head to the ground.
"Never before has one suffered the sins of man as ye. Despair depletes thy will to live, and it is within this suffering that one must not lose faith, but call upon God to answer our cries and save us from living death. What say you?" Gabriel looked upon us with compassion.
"Thou hath defied the true nature of my curse, and have come to love a mortal girl who lies at our feet, an empty soul I could not save." Dantalion held me tight.
Once an angel of God, ye must knoweth that not all wish to be saved, but all are deserving of salvation, even the fallen. Thee hath escaped the temptation of Satan and his servitude. Thy must now decide, stay with this girl whose soul is no longer pure of heart, but of Satan's making, or giveth her a chance to reclaim her own salvation. What say you?"