Cliff - 4

Once more the flap of his wing brought him forth above the clouds. Above the watchful eyes of those that carried baleful eyes filled with hate. Ones that seemed intent to try and devour him whole.

But his flight brought unfettered access to the skies, where no matter the being, they could not grasp him.

And with one more flutter Gabriel found his gait. He fell upon familiar land, the same stone gracing his feet with their rough texture.

The wall, so decorated, so ordinary, had faded to the same granite gray that it had before. But not for long as with another flutter his hand was held aloft against it.

Gabriel closed his eyes and focused. It occurred faster than the first time that it had gone by.

A flick of mana that ran through his wings and down his veins, all before it ultimately landed upon his hands.

But with one last push, every drop of mana that he held within that body of his pushed into the gate.

A blue glow, fitted with intermingling white held aloft the door. But then, a moment later, after countless orbs of light flit past his ears, his face and into the air behind him. It lit the morning sky with a kind of glow.

Those orbs coalesced into one, a key that placed itself into the angel's hand. And with a final imperious look he turned the ethereal key into the hole that had appeared.

Stone rumbled, like the stomach of some giant, and with it came a hole in the wall. Narrow and filled with perils.

Memories of traps, ones ignored with nary a gaze. And Gabriel couldn't help but curse his past self. For the horrible care he had handled this place with.

Yet another step was taken, even as the curses reached open air. A carefully taken step that avoided an obvious step.

Even as his HP slowly ticked back up. A natural regen.

Step by careful step he continued on. The narrow passageway opening into one, two, three pathways.

What he could remember about the dungeon was the layout. A general location of where he should go and where the item that he desperately wanted lay.

For a long while his steps remained the same, a rhythmic sort that spoke of nothing but his intention to progress further.

Yet after each and every step came a sort of wary caution. One that came about because of the heavy trappings that lay about the cave.

But for each and every one of them the layout was obvious to careful eyes. And he was nothing but careful.

It wasn't obvious at first but after a hasty dodging or two Gabriel was able to spot them quite easily. A step here, another there, neither too deep or too narrow, merely the right amount. 

It all compounded to tell of the heavy trappings.

…

…

…

A gate, one that depicted countless demons fighting what looked to be holy soldiers. They fought with gray blood and white swords. Against bloody demons painted black.

Wings outstretched to the edges of the painting and rose to touch rough ridges. Mana, completely regenerated, found its way into the slots.

And with a second of concentration the mechanism opened. Demons beheaded by knights, their blood leaking into the mechanism.

It rose to a chamber of sorts. Only for the sound of quiet footsteps to raise Gabriel's awareness from the etching.

He flapped his wings once more and with a turn gazed at the interlopers. Three people. Each of which armed themselves with leather armor and various sharp instruments.

A spear, a sword, and a shield. A typical party that lacked their mage. A heavy focus on attack, a focus that he couldn't help but to scoff at.

"Name yourself." His voice sang out, angelic in tone and taking the breath away from those that had found themselves in his presence.

They soon recovered and each hid behind their various instruments.

"I know not why you have come here, nor why you show such hostility but I will match it if that is your motive."

"We can say the same for you." The leader of the three stated, his voice hard and heavy. Afraid and nervous.

It gave rise to a smirk of Gabriel's own. All as he took step by step, closer to them.

He rose his hand to the sword at his side.

"I recommend you leave, this is no place for newborns such as you three."

"Newborns?" The smallest runt of the bunch asked. The sword at his side silently fingered with threatening intent. But Gabriel found no threat in them, merely a smile as he watched the 'newborn' as he had called them struggle with the straps.

As if they had just been a decoration before.

"Yes, newborns, I can tell." 

They tensed before talking among themselves. Yet eventually they came to some decision.

Their head bowed to mine and lowered their eyes so as to not look so dour.

"We would ask, if you would allow it, for us to shadow you."

Mere breaths, the only sound that any could hear.

All while the angel himself found himself judging the character of those that found their way into his dungeon.

'Mine' he thought to himself, a ponderous thought that forced his head tot he sky.

'Was I so claimant about it, to see it as mine, so soon?' 

But even after all of that thought, Gabriel felt it prudent to have them take the lead.

Even if he knew about the dangers it was still barely in the back of his memory. A mere whisper compared to what he would want it to be.

And so, with a sigh he gestured for them to follow.

"You may come, but when the time comes, the items revealed. I will take what I want and you may have the leftovers."

And so, with that last imperious claim he turned, his wings blocking the view of those that followed.