So what's it gonna be?

"Too late?" she asked, suspicious. "...What does that mean?"

"Just because you choose to ignore your destiny, doesn't mean that it will ignore you," Jeriel explained, trying to be gentle with her. "One way or another, it always comes back to haunt you."

"You mean like karma? ...I don't believe in karma." Religion was not a part of the C.E. life. Religion was for the weak.

"Do you believe in angels?" he said softly, a vision of his revealed glory brushing through Linao's mind.

"Dammit, Jeriel!" she shouted, slamming her fist against the nearest hard surface. "Don't you think I should have a say in whether or not I have to kill someone?"

"Of course you do," he assured her. "I'm not forcing you, Linao. If you want to walk away, then do so. To walk this path requires full commitment, and if you can't give that, then we don't need to continue this conversation. It's just that... well..." He paused, trying to make her understand that this was for the best. "I had hoped to spare you some of the pain I have seen other friends go through. That's all. You deserve better--"

Linao interrupted. "If I deserve better, then why has this "path" been chosen for me? And why are people choosing things for me in the first place? No gods or fates or..." she hesitated slightly, glancing quickly at Jeriel. "...Or angels, can force me into this."

summary written by Cherie