Baziel (formerly known as Reverend Church) and the other Iron Knights stood in the dungeons of the Inquisition Headquarters facing Deputy Grand Inquisitor Semyaza. Semyaza was an angel with alabaster-white skin and hair made from blue flames. He had four wings with pale blue feathers, and his halo seemed to be made from the same blue fire as his hair. His expression radiated coldness and cruelty.
"You've done well in your lessons in combat and infiltration," Semyaza said, "and now I'll be teaching you the finer points of... let's call it enhanced interrogation." The cruel angel snapped his fingers and a lesser inquisitor dragged in a chained-up female angel. She had pale green skin, a pair of emerald green wings, a cascade of leaves for hair, and a halo of pale golden sunshine.
"This prisoner is Tarfiel," Semyaza smirked. "She was arrested on suspicion of entering into unauthorized communication with a demon. Baziel, you'll be making her confess."
"How?" Baziel asked.
"I was thinking you could use my latest magical invention," Semyaza said with a nefarious grin. He picked up a silver gauntlet from a table. It was covered in mystical runes and studded with opals and onyxes. "This is the Gauntlet of Nightmares. You just have to put it on and grip the subject's head. Until you let go, her mind will be filled with vivid visions of all of her worst fears."
"Very clever," Baziel grinned. Esh (formerly Rev. Mather) and Polytimos (formerly Rev. Cromwell) just shared an uneasy look.
"Try it out," Semyaza said as he handed the gauntlet to Baziel.
Baziel put on the Gauntlet of Nightmares and clutched at Tarfiel's forehead. He watched with grim satisfaction as pure horror filled the green angel's eyes. Her bloodcurdling screams filled the dungeon as Baziel tortured her, a nasty grin on his beak.
"Don't forget to question her," Semyaza laughed. "Remember to give her incentive for loosening her tongue."
"Tell me your crimes!" Baziel growled. "The visions will stop if you do!"
"I... I'll talk!" Tarfiel gasped. "Just make the horrors in my mind go away!"
Baziel, almost reluctently, released Tarfiel's forehead from the Gauntlet of Nightmares' grip. "Then speak your piece. If we don't get what we're looking for, then it's another round of nightmares for you, traitor!"
"Okay..." Tarfiel almost whispered, tears streaming down her pale green cheek. "I was on Earth searching for a wife, and I bumped into a demon named Enoch Morningstar."
"Prince Enoch Morningstar?!" Semyaza thundered. "The Devil's eldest son?!"
"That's what he said," Tarfiel responded. "He said he travels a lot and is deeply invested in Earth's wellbeing. You probably already know I'm in the Nature Stewardship Corps from the Inquisition's dossier on me, so you can guess how interesting that was to me. He said he needed help with some project relating to anti-Chaos wards, and I promised to help. Shouldn't we all be working together in light of the peace treaty?"
"Grand Inquisitor Kushiel disagrees," Semyaza scoffed. He turned to his secretary. "Send a report to God saying that Tarfiel was selling information on our army to Nergal and his secret police."
"WHAT?!!" Tarfiel gasped. "I did no such thing."
"What God doesn't know can't hurt him," Semyaza sneered. "Kushiel and I want you and you 'open-minded' thinking out of the way, so we'll tell God what He needs to hear to get Him on our side. Now you'll rot in a dungeon for eternity. Take her away!"
Semyaza turned to Baziel as Tarfiel was being led off to her cell. "You did well."
"Thanks," Baziel grinned.
The door then swung open to reveal Kushiel. The Grand Inquisitor walked up to Baziel, waving a piece of red paper. "It seems you've been invited to a wedding."
"What?" asked Baziel. "Whose wedding?"
"Your wife's, your daughter's, and your son's," Kushiel answered. "They're all having a lavish triple wedding in Purgatory. It was nearly cancelled on account of your little scheme to assassinate Rachel, but it's back on now that I've convinced God that I'm keeping you out of trouble."
"You're keeping secrets from Allah?" asked Ariel (formerly called Dr. Bashir).
"For His own good," Kushiel lied, not yet ready to confide in his allies that he wished to overthrow and replace God. "His goodness is so pure and absolute that we need to perform all of the necessary evils that he cannot understand."
"Makes sense," Esh (formerly Rev. Mather) nodded.
"And those scumbags are inviting me to their wedding?" Baziel shook his feathered head. "They want to rub it in my face, no doubt."
"I suspect so," Kushiel said with fake sympathy. "But never fear! I intend to have the four of you kill all three of them and their spouses at the wedding. The ensuing havoc should ensure the war gets restarted. I will then send you to Earth to rebuild the Iron Knights, and a combined army of angels and human Iron Knights will destroy Hell once and for all."
Baziel smiled evilly. "Good plan, Kushiel. I think I'm liking life as an Inquisitor."