[color=goldenrod][i]Today has not been the best of days,[/i][/color] mused Silas, as he limped through the wreckage of Barlour city.

First, he'd gone chasing after that bloody half-demon. Attempted to go chasing, more like, as the half-blood was faster than he'd anticipated, and using Light Speed required him to be in some sort of duress to use it. So he'd lost him. Briefly. Kazfiel and Sraosha had picked up the scent soon after, as well as that of... others. Silas' mouth twisted as he considered the other intruders to his operation- a group called Gilgamesh. He'd heard of them before- experimenting on Angel and Demon alike in search of weaknesses and strengths to exploit, modifying themselves in an attempt to match blows with their perceived enemies. He'd thought them delusional before, but he had to admit- from what he'd seen of their prowess, perhaps they were on to something.

The fighting had then delved underground, and things got even more confusing. More demons. More empowered humans. Some not-empowered humans. The Nephilim. Lots of shades. It ended up that the only recourse, rather than try and make sense of the melee, was to move toward his objective, the Seal that the Nephilim had mentioned. One that, long before he'd reached it, he had an inkling of just what he was headed toward.

An Armageddon Seal, right underneath Barlour. One that, were it destroyed, would cause untold havoc across all planes of the Trinity. It was his duty as a Sage to protect the balance, to defend the people of this city from the depredations of Inferno and all spaces between.

He failed.

He hadn't even gotten to see who had destroyed the Seal- he'd been too far away. He heard the voice, though. And especially he heard the laugh- he'd remember the chilling sound of it for the rest of his life, or at least until he ran Pleiades through the culprit's eye sockets and major joints. Whichever came first. And then all the caves and chambers beneath the city- and, by extension, the city above- had begun to collapse.

All in all, a complete and total failure. Father Roderick was going to be displeased.

And then, of course, to cap all of this off, there was this condescending shadowy blue bastard following him around.

Silas turned to the demon- for what else could it be?- growling quietly while cursing such a habit at the same time. Being attuned to the more animal minds of Laguna did little for his own psyche. The demon seemed merely amused by this, wagging a finger in animated fashion at him.

[color=teal]"Temper, wolf boy. Wouldn't do to make a bad first impression to the boss, would it?"[/color]

Silas scoffed, too exhausted to be offended. [color=goldenrod]"Away with you, foul miscreation. I answer to only two authorities, and you aren't one of them."[/color]

The creature scratched its ethereal chin. [color=teal]"That a fact? Well, I answer to the authority that your authorities answer to. So it looks like I win."[/color] Silas stopped, then, turning to glare at the specter who trailed behind him.

[color=goldenrod]"I answer to Father Roderick, master of the revitalized Lumen Sages. I answer to the Hierarchy of Laguna, and the Army of Light who conduct them. I answer to the light of Creation, demon. What authority could be higher than that?"[/color]

The specter still seemed infuriatingly amused by his tirade, crossing his arms. [color=teal]"Firstly, I'm a Watcher. Not a demon. Very different things, wolf boy. Secondly, everything you said is all well and good, but I answer to the Charred Council."[/color]

Silas paled suddenly. The Watcher seemed to smile.

[color=teal]"I see that means something to you. Good- less for me to explain. The Council would like to see you, blah blah blah, please make an appointment with the receptionist for [i]immediately.[/i] Understood, werewolf?"[/color]

Silas sputtered for a moment or two. The Charred Council- the absolute authority of all realities. They... wanted to see him?

[color=goldenrod]"Why me? Father Roderick would be more suited--"[/color]

[color=teal]"Father Roderick,"[/color] said the Watcher, butting in, [color=teal]"was not present at the destruction of the Eidolic Cairn. You, on the other hand, were. You bore witness to something important. Something that makes you one of the only ones capable of understanding what deep shit reality is in. So you get to meet with the Council, not boss man. 'Kay?"[/color]

Silas mulled this over briefly. [color=goldenrod]"I... I don't know. I feel as though I should still confer with my--"[/color] His words choked off as the Watcher's hand shot out, gripping around his throat.

[color=teal]"Lucky for me, wolf boy, [i]I WASN'T ASKING.[/i]"[/color]

And in a puff of black smoke, they were gone.

==~==

And so it was that Silas found himself here, in the fire that lay between the Trinities, listening to the words of the venerable Charred Council. He felt the sting of their words at his failure, and the hope that such a failure might be redeemed. He felt the courage take root in his heart, and his resolve begin to steel.

[color=goldenrod][i]They are wrong. I am a paragon of my people. A Sage second only to Father Roderick himself. But... they are correct. I have failed. But I will not fail again.[/i][/color] He stared up at the molten visage of the Council, fists clenched.

[color=goldenrod]"I may regret this... but I will regret refusing even more. Reality is threatened, and it is the duty of the Lumen Sages to protect the balance. Our goals are aligned, then, Council. On my honor as a Sage, I will aid you in destroying this threat to the Trinity."[/color]