[Continuation Teaser: Back from the Belly, Back to the Beast]

(This chapter will switch between Tomoko and Gabriel's perspectives.)

As she stormed her way through the great temple, she took no time to waste with the many people calling for her attention. She didn't have time for them, she needed answers, and she needed them now.

Tomoko quickly navigated the immense holy site in search of the one room she had avoided until now. It took a while to find of course, as she had never bothered to learn exactly where it was, and simply didn't go into its general vicinity.

It took a lot of asking around and threatening minor angels, but she was finally led to where she was trying to go. The lesser cherubs and such refused to enter the room, only repeatedly assuring her that it was her destination by calling out from the other end of the hallway.

Annoyed by the continued lack of assistance from her patron faction, Tomoko wasted no more time in forcing her way into the chamber. The inside was not quite what she expected. It itself was undecorated, and seemed to lack any form of lighting, magical or otherwise. The only feature was the opposite wall, which was made of a material she could not identify, nor compare to anything else. It was black, the blackest black there could be, a solid form from which no light escaped. And yet, she could make out its shape. It was a solid barrier for the most part, a design along its form made to resemble bars akin to a cell. In the center, was a large block with strange engravings and a space for a key.

She rolled her eyes as she walked into the room, 'These people and their fancy decorations. I have yet to see any structure in this world that was truly designed with function valued higher than form. Of course the angels made the gateway to their prison super dark and spooky, why wouldn't they follow such an obvious cliche?'

With only a few struts, Tomoko reaches the strange wall. She wiggles her jaw back and forth as she tries to remember how exactly she was instructed to enter their prison. She had not expected to ever need to enter, so she had not taken any care in remembering the specifics.

In the end, she just shrugged and thrusted her hand into the wall. To her great displeasure, the wall gave, and she stumbled forward through it. After feeling like she was submerged in tar for a handful of seconds, she eventually emerged unceremoniously from the goop wall in a strange complex of hallways.

Groaning to herself as she got up, she did a quick sweep of her surroundings. Seeing nothing at all that distinguished any given path from another, she simply decided to pick one at random and get going.

The faster she found Gabriel, the faster she could be out of here, after all.

#####

The three of them exited the empty hallway, the other angels putting the seal mostly in place once more with only a gap large enough for one angel to pass through. Gabriel took a deep breath as he recalled the phrase he needed to repeat.

If he got it wrong, he would be sent back in, and the seal would be left unopened for over a century. He would be trapped in there with-NOTHING-for the rest of his days, as he would most likely break at some point before the time was over.

He was ready, however. After all, he had designed this protocol. "I am Gabriel, son of Lucifer. Four entered, but one was lost to the foul temptations, primarily gluttony. No others fell victim, and all others present will now announce themselves."

Zariel spoke in a monotone, holding together in neutral as her strong bravado could not hold after their meeting. "I am Zariel, daughter of Raphael. Four entered, but one was lost to the foul temptations, primarily gluttony. No others fell victim, and all others present will now announce themselves."

Gabriel's eyes looked to Ariel in concern. The small boy was visibly shaking, gone as pale as a marble statue of his own likeness. To his pride, the little runt managed to find his voice in time. "I-I am Ariel, son of no claim. F-four entered, b-but one was lost to the f-foul temp-temp-tations, primarily glutton-ny. No o-others fell victim, and as last speaker I announce none remain." Ariel swallowed hard and shut his eyes, clearly bracing himself in case of mistake, or if his stutterings were deemed of too much suspect.

To Gabriel and his colleague's pleasure, all three of them were accepted and the seal was fully reformed. He finally let out his breath, truly as safe as he could be now. Even he shivered as he mentally recovered from having seen-NOTHING-once again.

He began to leave, before one of the high-angels stopped him. "My apologies sir, but it would seem our young heroine has by some chance stumbled within the halls. I hate to ask something of you so soon after your recent task, but..."

Massaging his forehead, he prepared himself for the headache this was going to be. "Of course. For some reason, I am the only one she doesn't actively despise, after all." He shook his head before proceeding past the angel in order to find the lost puppy.

Of course, the reason for his better treatment was somewhat known to all of them. Gabriel had been the one to invite Tomoko to their world, and by extension was the one who showed up after her... ****. It was an understatement to say she was in horrible condition mentally, and it had become his job to keep her in one piece. This unquestioning support structure had seemingly fostered quite a connection from her, though he could not feel the same. He could not make his father's mistake.

It did not take long for him to find her. He simply had to follow all of the noise and see where the problems caused by someone not following his rules came from. He thanked his subordinates that he passed as he quickly moved to reach her, thankful for their willingness to keep working in such conditions.