Katiel was slightly taken aback. He hadn't been expecting this drastic a reaction... then again, humans were strange, fragile things. He looked to the water below - it was freezing cold, and if Kari fell in she would have no hope of swimming away. If the fall didn't break her bones on impact, she'd die of hypothermia pretty quickly... suffice it to say that this was not the outcome Katiel wanted from the situation. The new information Kari had just given him helped put things in perspective, too. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them again and began to speak in a slow, clear, authoritative tone.

[b]"I'll try to make this as simple and understandable as I can, because I know it will be a lot for you to take in. My name is Katiel, and I am an angel assigned to act as your guardian until such time as I am told that the threat to your life has passed. The two people who attempted to kill you today were demons - angels, like myself, who chose to rebel against God rather than serve him. They cannot be reasoned with, they cannot be bargained with, they simply wish to see the ultimate destruction of humankind. They have deemed that killing you will bring them one step closer to that goal."[/b] Katiel removed his glasses, once more giving Kari the view of his tempestuous, transcendent glowing eyes. [b]"I am part of what is called the ministry of Justice. I was, from my creation, trained to act as a soldier in the heavenly host. The least among the many servants of the almighty."[/b]

Katiel's voice shook with passion as he said that final word. He paused for a moment, considering.

[b]"The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown."[/b] Katiel began, quoting scripture from memory. He had a good head for this sort of thing. [b]"Nephilim are the offspring of angels and human women. If you say that the demons called you by that name, then that describes your own birth. Demons are foul liars, but there's nothing to gain from them telling you that you are, if you are not. Which makes sense: I could tell there was something special about you."[/b]

Katiel offered a hand to Kari, trying to get her to step away from the bridge.

[b]"We shouldn't stay here. There may be more around."[/b]